Showing 1 - 7 of 7
Year of Turbulence
Asia focus, Published on 27/12/2021
» Pandemic drags on recovery: In the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, many Asian countries had enviable success, avoiding large-scale outbreaks and mass deaths. But the arrival of the more transmissible Delta variant this year and sluggish vaccine rollouts compounded by low availability sent cases surging. Combined with poor monitoring and easy movement among countries, often unofficially, Southeast Asia became a virus hotspot. The ballooning health crisis collided with churning political discontent in the case of Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia. Economically, the new wave of infections, and attendant restrictions imposed to curb the spread, stalled recoveries. After nearly two years of strict border controls, many countries started to loosen up and live with Covid. But the rise of the Omicron variant now threatens to scuttle those tentative reopening plans and usher in a third year of economic anxiety.
Hard truths about soft power
Business, Post Reporters, Published on 11/10/2021
» The vibe of Thai-born singer Lalisa "Lisa" Manoban, a member of South Korea's superstar K-pop group Blackpink, has rekindled Thailand's soft power ambitions via the creative economy.
Bridging the digital divide in Asia-Pacific
Business, Published on 28/07/2021
» We are now living in a digital world, accelerated by businesses and governments globally as they shake off the hangover of an unprecedented pandemic, and Asia Pacific is poised to benefit significantly.
China Threatens Move Against Ericsson Amid Huawei Ban
Business, Published on 13/05/2021
» Beijing is giving Sweden one last chance to reverse its ban on telecommunications-equipment giant Huawei Technologies Co., a Chinese state media outlet said, before it could retaliate against rival Ericsson AB.
Mastering the message
Asia focus, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Published on 08/02/2021
» The room where Michael Macdonald, chief digital officer of Huawei Technologies, works every day doesn't look like a typical executive office. Most of the large space is almost empty and without furniture, except for a plain desk with a large-screen PC on it and a microphone stand clamped to one corner.
Myanmar moves step closer to new bids on China-backed belt and road project
Published on 09/09/2020
» Myanmar is a step closer to allowing companies to challenge a bid from China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) to build the behemoth New Yangon City project, after hiring German consulting firm Roland Berger to oversee the tendering process.
Year of turbulence
Asia focus, Published on 31/12/2018
» Two unpredictable men with weird haircuts and access to nuclear weapons had a friendly chat in Singapore -- and that was just one of the many noteworthy stories of 2018. Elsewhere in Asia, we witnessed some surprising political developments (Malaysia) and not-so-surprising ones (Cambodia), along with what seemed to be a disturbingly high number of natural disasters. Many see the latter as a manifestation of the growing impact of climate change, and it's a debate that is bound to intensify in the year ahead. Below, Asia Focus looks back on the eventful year now ending.