Showing 1 - 10 of 92
Is China's economic policy a little too cautious?
News, Published on 31/01/2026
» In the Chinese zodiac, 2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse. Pairing the powerful and lively horse with the element of fire yields a symbol of intensity, vitality, and forward momentum. But, the wisdom goes, the fire horse must not allow its determination to give way to recklessness. Likewise, the tension between balance and dynamism will define Chinese economic policy in the year ahead.
The end of China's one-child policy, 10 years later
Oped, Yi Fuxian, Published on 09/01/2026
» Jan 1 marked a decade since China repealed its one-child policy. Just ten days earlier, Peng Peiyun, who long oversaw the often-brutal enforcement of China's family-planning rules, died at the age of 96, having never been held accountable for her actions. Some obituaries praised Peng for being "reform-minded", even though, in practice, she only perpetuated an utterly inhumane policy, whose consequences have barely begun to materialise.
Demographic time bomb threatens Chinese society
Oped, Nancy Qian, Published on 22/08/2025
» News stories about China nowadays largely focus on geopolitical developments, particularly the Sino-American rivalry. But China's 1.4 billion people, while aware of these issues, are more preoccupied with a problem that hits much closer to home: their shrinking families.
Rethinking what it means to be human
News, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 05/07/2025
» In the decades ahead, Thailand will not collapse in a blaze of war, disease, or climate catastrophe. Rather, it will quietly wither from within. The twin forces of demographic decline and digital automation are converging with astonishing speed, and yet our political and moral imaginations remain unprepared.
Trump is not entirely wrong about China
News, Yi Fuxian, Published on 31/05/2025
» President Donald Trump's embrace of tariffs has been met with criticism, and for sound reasons. But Mr Trump's diagnosis of the global trading system -- and, specifically, its impact on US manufacturing -- may not be entirely wrong. The problem, instead, is the treatment: rather than using a chainsaw, which would probably kill the patient, he should reach for a scalpel.
South Korea is facing a triple challenge
Oped, Lee Jong-wha, Published on 30/05/2025
» Few countries have transformed themselves as dramatically as South Korea has over the last half-century. A poor, authoritarian country with annual per capita income of less than US$400 (13,000 baht) has become a vibrant and prosperous democracy, with direct presidential elections, peaceful transfers of power, and a per capita income of more than $33,000.
Why China's marriage crisis really matters
Oped, Yi Fuxian, Published on 04/04/2025
» New marriages in China reportedly plummeted by one-fifth last year, implying that the official number of births will likely fall from 9.54 million in 2024 to 7.3- 7.8 million in 2025. Thus, while China represents 17.2% of the global population, it will account for less than 6% of births -- comparable to Nigeria.
Gender gap won't close without change
Oped, Boonwara Sumano, Published on 12/03/2025
» The Global Gender Gap Report 2024, published by the World Economic Forum (WEF), benchmarks gender parity across 146 economies and shows that the global gender gap has closed by 68.5%. However, at the current rate, full gender parity remains 134 years away.
Population time bomb
Oped, Editorial, Published on 28/02/2025
» Beyond Valentine's red roses and the festivities of this month of love lies a sobering reality: more Thais than ever prefer living a single life than getting married, according to government agencies.