Maritime Tensions: China’s coast guard says it carried out “law enforcement” patrols in waters east of Taiwan after Japan and the Philippines announced maritime boundary talks that overlap with areas Beijing claims, with Taiwan rejecting Beijing’s interference. South China Sea Flashpoints: China also reported combat-readiness patrols near Scarborough Shoal as Manila dismissed claims of coordinated drills as “unfounded,” keeping the standoff front and centre. Undersea Security Push: Malaysia, Singapore and 15 other countries launched the GUIDE framework to protect critical underwater infrastructure like cables and energy networks, with Brunei among endorsers. Defence Deals in the Region: India’s defence secretary says a BrahMos missile deal with Vietnam is already signed (not yet publicly announced) and Indonesia’s is in final stages. Brunei Business: Inchcape Shipping Services opened a new Brunei office to support offshore, navy-related and logistics operations. Sports & Culture: Sarawak’s Rainforest World Music Festival returns June 26–28, while Malaysia’s Safee says Harimau Malaya can still build cohesion without friendlies ahead of the ASEAN Cup.