Showing 1 - 10 of 69
Biden needs to do better in Asia
Asia focus, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Published on 30/05/2022
» When Joe Biden arrived in Asia last week for the first visit to the region of his presidency, he aimed to pick up where his predecessor left off. Landing in South Korea on May 20 as events in North Korea and the Ukraine crisis loomed large, Mr Biden then travelled to Tokyo for a meeting of an alliance of the US, Australia, Japan and India that aims to counter China's growing influence.
The Quad at a crossroads
Asia focus, Brahma Chellaney, Published on 23/05/2022
» When the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue was first conceived as a strategic coalition of the four leading democracies in the Indo-Pacific, many doubted it would amount to much. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi mocked it as a "headline-grabbing idea" that would dissipate "like the sea foam in the Pacific or Indian Ocean".
China's two traps
Asia focus, Keun Lee in Seoul, Published on 21/03/2022
» When Deng Xiaoping launched China's strategy of "reform and opening up" in 1978, economists in the West had their doubts. In their view, a vibrant market economy was fundamentally incompatible with China's authoritarian political system.
Trading up
Asia focus, Asia Focus, Published on 10/01/2022
» Ravaged by the fallout from Covid-19, countries in Asia and the Pacific are hoping to revitalise their pandemic-hit economies as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) takes effect to create the world's largest trade bloc.
Year of Turbulence
Asia focus, Asia Focus Team, 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.
Asean-India relationship deepens
Asia focus, Ong Bo Yang, Published on 20/12/2021
» Next year marks the 30th anniversary of bilateral relations between Asean and India, and has been declared "Asean-India Friendship Year".
Powering up rooftop solar in Thailand
Asia focus, Marko Lackovic and Isada Hiranwiwatkul, Published on 04/10/2021
» 2020 was a record-breaking year for renewable energy. Solar photovoltaic power will be at the forefront of this continued opportunity in 2021-22, with renewable energy expected to account for 90% of new capacity expansion globally.
New supply chain challenges
Asia focus, Ong Bo Yang, Published on 26/07/2021
» The Suez Canal blockage in March showed us how vulnerable world trade is to disruptions in global supply chains. It came at a time when businesses were still coming to grips with the chaos caused by months of Covid-related lockdowns and border control measures.
Why Biden should ditch Trump's China tariffs
Asia focus, Shang-Jin Wei, Published on 05/04/2021
» Over the course of his presidency, Donald Trump raised US tariffs on imports from China several times, from an average of about 3% when he took office in January 2017 to over 20% by the end of 2019.
Connect to trade
Asia focus, Pattama Kuentak, Published on 01/02/2021
» Every country trades in goods and services. Not only does trade fuel economic growth and provide jobs, it also raises the living standards of citizens.