Economics
China banned the import of waste materials and an entire ‘do-gooder’ ecosystem collapsed as a result, exposing the West as having no sustainable solution to a problem of its own creation.
The EU fears Beijing is trying to drive a wedge between its members to neutralise its China policy. But the attention paid to China’s pledges far outweigh its investments
A Ponzi scheme promising a halal route to riches duped 50,000 Indians. If Delhi doesn’t rethink its stance on Islamic finance, they won’t be the last.
this week in asia
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In granting a licence to a joint venture backed by China Telecom, the Philippine leader is going against the grain. But in a land where social-media fans face notoriously slow speeds, national security isn’t the main concern.
India should be clear-eyed about the benefits and costs of engaging with the Chinese firm, rather than get lost in a debate about geopolitics.
this week in asia
Newsletter
Deputy prime minister Heng Swee Keat has underlined the island nation’s economic strength – but analysts say its crucial manufacturing sector, hit by the tariff tiff between Washington and Beijing, is likely to stay weak in 2019.
Chinese companies including Huawei are well-placed to capitalise as Seoul and Tokyo take aim at each other’s tech industries, analysts say. Meanwhile, Beijing’s diplomats have another reason to smile.
The chief executive says he is focused on growing the budget airline he co-founded rather than any attempt to rescue the loss-making national carrier, and that the Malaysia Airlines-Singapore Airlines tie-up will improve AirAsia.
The succession race for the global body’s top job began when Christine Lagarde was nominated as European Central Bank next chief, and Tharman Shanmugaratnam has made the shortlist to take over.
The president said Seoul preferred ‘a diplomatic settlement’ as tit-for-tat measures were undesirable for both countries. He will meet heads of 30 major conglomerates on Wednesday to discuss a response.
Neither leader has agreed to anything more than they had previously. And the lack of a deadline to negotiate the final ‘10 per cent’ of sticking points betrays a lack of confidence that doing so is even possible.
The trade pact, if it goes ahead, would create the world’s largest trade bloc, encompassing a quarter of global GDP
First proposed in 2011, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership would span territories home to 3.5 billion people, with a GDP of US$22.6 trillion – if only its prospective members could agree on its terms.
Chinese urging concessions for Washington have been attacked by the media, businesses are being forced to change foreign-sounding names, and a war film called The Eight Hundred has been cancelled.
Japan this week announced restrictions on hi-tech materials exported to South Korea, as both countries remain locked in a row over forced labour. On social media, there are calls for South Koreans to avoid Japanese cars, beer, cosmetics and clothes and at least 17,000 people have signed a petition supporting ‘economic retaliation’.
Samsung, Lotte, Kia and Hyundai are gradually winding down their China business due to political risks, tariffs and losing market share.
More people from Thailand are flocking to South Korea – and the lure of higher wages is driving Thais to share tips with friends back home on how to work in the East Asian country without a permit.
Japan is to restrict exports to South Korea of three key materials used in smartphone displays and chips as bilateral ties take turn for the worse. For Tokyo, it sounds like a good short-term strategy. But in the long term?
World War Two opened the world to Wash, transforming his life and giving him a vital perspective on how the world could change.