Showing 1 - 10 of 32
How realistic are China's semiconductor ambitions?
Asia focus, Keun Lee, Published on 18/07/2022
» When US President Joe Biden landed in South Korea last month, he headed straight for Samsung's massive semiconductor factory outside Seoul. There, he met with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Samsung Electronics vice-chairman Lee Jae-yong, and praised the construction of a US$17-billion Samsung semiconductor factory in Texas. The economic and strategic importance of semiconductors could not have been made any clearer.
Sihanoukville pays the price for heavy reliance on Chinese
Asia focus, Matthias Alffram, Published on 09/05/2022
» For several years now, Cambodia has been receiving billions of dollars in Chinese investment as part of China's Belt & Road initiative (BRI). Between 2013 and 2017, Beijing invested US$5.3 billion in the Southeast Asian country. Between 2016 and 2019, the two countries signed 65 cooperation agreements to finance infrastructure projects such as seaports, highways, airports, power stations and even an oil refinery.
We need better ways to work
Asia focus, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Published on 13/09/2021
» Having worked from home since mid-April, I have found myself feeling burned out. It is true that working from home helps corporate employees like me to cut travel time and expense, but that commuting time allows our brain to relax. Chatting with a friend on Line or checking on Facebook while heading home gives me a short break from thinking about work.
Men's cosmetics taking off in Asia
Asia focus, Thaweelap Rittapirom, Published on 17/05/2021
» Covid-19 has dealt a blow to the US$500-billion cosmetics industry as fewer people feel the need to dress up while stuck at home. Men's cosmetics, however, is an outlier with sales surging since the pandemic began -- in part due to men wanting to look presentable for the now-ubiquitous Zoom calls.
'Love jihad' law threatens women's freedoms in India
Asia focus, Roli Srivastava, Thomson Reuters Foundation, Published on 01/02/2021
» MUMBAI: When Mehak's parents found out she was having a relationship with a Muslim man, they locked her in her bedroom, seized her phone and bank cards and installed security cameras at their home in northern India.
Dream state
Asia focus, Ben Bland, Published on 28/09/2020
» When Indonesian President Joko Widodo decided last year to pursue outlandish plans to build a new capital city in far-flung Kalimantan, advisers shook their heads in despair. But they were not surprised.
Shinzo Abe will be missed
Asia focus, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Published on 07/09/2020
» Last Wednesday, India banned 118 Chinese mobile applications from its huge domestic market, including the popular video game PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, which has over 50 million players in India. Others, including Baidu, Alipay and some versions of the messaging app WeChat, are operated by Chinese internet giants like Tencent and Ant Financial.
Travel turmoil
Asia focus, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Published on 10/08/2020
» As the world faces the devastating consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, tourism is among the sectors affected the most severely. A major source of revenue and jobs in Asia, it started to feel the pain early when the Chinese outbound market collapsed almost overnight in late January.
Singapore's '4G' balancing act
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 20/07/2020
» As expected, the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) won the Singapore general election, which was held on July 10 amid Covid-19 restrictions and the worst economic crisis in decades. Singapore's GDP plunged by 42.1% in the three months to the end of June, the biggest quarterly drop on record.
The Internet of Bodies
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 06/07/2020
» Surveilling people's health data via wearable devices has gained momentum with contact and health tracking during the coronavirus outbreak.