China is preparing for the 70th anniversary of the People's Republic with a large military parade at Tiananmen Square, reminiscent of the one held seven decades ago. In light of this event, PM has gathered the perspectives of seven Australians with Chinese heritage.

Hong Kong student activist Zoey Leung was briefly detained by Australian Border Force upon arrival in Melbourne, raising concerns of political targeting. Clive Hamilton expressed shame over the incident. The event featuring Badiucao and Denise Ho faced venue rejections, with accusations of self-censorship against the National Gallery of Victoria. Hong Kong's extradition bill was withdrawn, but protesters demand further actions. Badiucao emphasized the importance of satire in activism, while Hamilton compared the situation to historical tyranny. Attendees expressed fears of retribution and a desire for democracy in Hong Kong.

The Australian Government is facing accusations of failing to fulfill promises to a Syrian refugee, Abdullah Zalghani, who resettled in Cambodia. Zalghani claims that the lack of private school education and health insurance for his four children, which were part of the reasons he agreed to leave Nauru, constitutes abandonment by the government.

Survivors of the dam collapse in Laos are questioning the allocation of aid funds provided by countries including Australia, as nearly 4,000 people remain in camps nine months after the disaster. The situation highlights issues within the communist state of Laos, which is criticized for focusing on foreign-funded mega-projects rather than addressing the extreme poverty of its citizens. Philip Alston, the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, has recently visited the country.

Following the Thai cave rescue, attention has turned to the stateless status of three boys and their assistant coach, highlighting the broader issue of statelessness in Thailand. Adul Sam-on, one of the stateless boys, is recognized for his English communication with the British divers and his academic achievements despite his lack of citizenship. The Wild Boars football team, coached by Nopparat Kanthawong, is known for its open door policy and focus on keeping kids off the streets. Assistant coach Ekkapol Chantawong, also stateless, taught the boys to meditate, drawing on his experience as a Buddhist monk. The rescue mission brought a moment of unity to Thailand, transcending political divisions, but the future of this sentiment remains uncertain.

A Vietnamese state-linked hacking group targeted Cambodian human rights organization Licadho using a malware attack through the Phnom Penh Post website, shortly after its sale by Australian Bill Clough to Malaysian Sivakumar Ganapathy. Cybersecurity firm FireEye identified the group as APT32, known for acting in Vietnam's political interests. The attack, which began around May 8, involved redirecting Licadho staff to a fake Google privacy page and a phishing site called GTransfer. FireEye had detected the Post's website compromise in November 2017. The attack comes ahead of Cambodia's national election on July 29, amidst increasing authoritarian actions by Prime Minister Hun Sen, including media attacks and suppression of opposition.

Sofitel hotel chain is silent on its Cambodian director Kim Sokleap's business ties to the shooting of protesters at a Memot Rubber Plantation. Kim Sokleap, related to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, is also a director of the plantation where security forces recently attacked farmers, burning homes and firing shots. Global Witness highlights the Hun family's control over foreign capital in Cambodia and the risks to companies. The Cambodian government's crackdown on dissent is intensifying ahead of the July election, with the main opposition party dissolved and its leader imprisoned.

The United States has sanctioned Australian Abbas Eberahim for his involvement with Kings Romans Casino in Laos, which is accused of facilitating illegal activities such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, and wildlife trade. The casino, effectively operating as Chinese territory, is at the heart of the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone and caters predominantly to the Chinese market. Despite the sanctions, the casino continues to operate, with allegations of it being used to launder drug money.

The repatriation of 680,000 Rohingya Muslims from Bangladesh to Myanmar has been delayed due to logistical issues, according to Bangladesh's refugee relief and rehabilitation commissioner Abul Kalam. The process was set to begin today but has been postponed as preparations such as the list of people, their verification, and transit camps are incomplete. Fortify Rights, an investigation and advocacy group, believes the delay is for the wrong reasons, pointing out ongoing insecurity and human rights violations in Rakhine State. Many Rohingya villages have been destroyed, and the apartheid system they fled remains. The United Nations refugee agency insists on voluntary return only if rights and safety are assured, while a survey indicates 89 percent of Rohingyas are unwilling to return, with one woman expressing a preference for being thrown into the sea over repatriation.

Thailand's Ministry of Defence introduced a mascot named Little Sister Pinky Promise as a symbol of national reconciliation. The character, revealed by soldiers, is a cartoon girl designed to represent non-violence, purity, and unity. Despite the mascot being part of a 10-point reconciliation plan by the military junta, social media reactions were largely critical. The Thai army continues to combat separatists in the south and maintain control following the 2014 coup, with elections scheduled for November 2018 and the military securing oversight of future governments for 20 years.

During the Japan leg of his Asia trip, US President Donald Trump emphasized his personal relationships with world leaders, particularly Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Trump and Abe both advocated for 'maximum pressure' on North Korea, contrasting with Obama's 'strategic patience' approach. The Trump administration is also reframing the regional narrative by using 'Indo-Pacific' instead of 'Asia Pacific', highlighting India's significance and maritime security. Trump's off-script remarks at a press conference with Abe revealed a competitive edge, overshadowing the intended camaraderie. The article suggests that while Obama's 'pivot' to Asia is no longer a policy, Trump's alternative vision for the region remains unclear.