Despite unfulfilled pledges of more than $50 billion, Beijing still remains the region's largest infrastructure funder by a considerable margin.
Companies like BYD, XPeng and Great Wall Motors are quickly growing their sales in Thailand, challenging longstanding market leaders.
Xi emphasized the mutually beneficial economic ties between the two, despite heavy U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports and restrictions on China’s tech sector.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/chinas-xi-jinping-meets-with-us-business-leaders/
Partnering with the Indonesian tech giant will let TikTok regain access to the country’s e-commerce market, while providing the former with much-needed capital.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/why-tiktok-showed-indonesias-goto-some-goodwill-in-2023/
Amid tensions with the U.S., China is recalibrating its approach to international trade – a strategic shift now visible in the trade data.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/4-key-takeaways-emerging-from-chinas-trade-data%E2%80%AF/
Singapore’s port authority pledged to cooperate in the investigation into what is expected to be a “mass casualty event.”
Without alternative sources of investment, the country is struggling to reduce its economic dependence on Beijing.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/canadian-miners-needs-capital-but-only-china-is-stepping-up/
The sector has made a roaring recovery since the doldrums of the Asian Financial Crisis of the late 1990s.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/the-rise-of-indonesias-banks/
The Commonwealth Games Federation is frantically seeking replacements for the Australian state of Victoria, which pulled out of hosting last year due to spiraling costs.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/malaysia-to-mull-emergency-bid-to-host-2026-commonwealth-games/
Elizabeth O’Brien Ingleson discusses the intersecting economic interests in China and the U.S. that transformed global trade starting in the 1970s.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/how-the-us-neoliberal-shift-fed-chinas-rise/
What are the strategic interests of the United States in the development of deposits of critical minerals in Central Asia?
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/us-looks-to-draw-central-asia-into-critical-minerals-supply-chains/
Since 2016, net FDI inflows have fallen from about 1.7 percent of GDP to a little over 0.5 percent, according to the RBI.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/india-suffering-a-quiet-decline-in-foreign-direct-investment/
While Beijing’s economic statecraft has altered the strategic calculations for many countries, Chinese influence is not a foregone conclusion.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/the-extent-and-limits-of-chinas-economic-influence/
New Delhi is looking to develop an entire ecosystem, from design to manufacturing, rather than focusing on a specific segment of the chip industry.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/the-dawn-of-indias-semiconductor-era/
A new bill threatens the app’s survival and casts a spotlight on the quandary that many private Chinese companies have found themselves in.
Developing water, solar and wind power could reduce Afghanistan’s import of electricity from abroad and help it emerge a regional renewable energy hub.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/catalyzing-renewable-energy-path-to-afghanistans-economic-revival/
Even while Japan loses ground relative to other advanced economies, its stock market is soaring.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/understanding-the-paradox-of-japans-economy/
The performance of two major Malaysian funds demonstrates both the strength and weakness of forced savings policies.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/malaysias-state-run-investment-funds-had-a-mixed-2023/
Srettha Thavisin is acting as a roving economic salesman on state visits to France and Germany this week.
The Biden administration is hoping to elevate economic relations with Manila to keep step with the recent enhancement of security ties.
Attacks from Houthi rebels in the Red Sea have jeopardized Australia's already-vulnerable dependency on maritime time. Finding new ways forward will be vital.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/australias-bid-to-navigate-troubled-waters-in-red-sea/
Although the Middle Corridor offers promise, its journey toward becoming a viable strategic alternative to existing trade routes will be met with tough challenges.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/the-middle-corridor-a-renaissance-in-global-commerce/
China’s main goals this year are stability, the development of critical sectors, and stimulating the economy.
The root cause is not Taipei’s efforts, but China’s own economic woes.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/taiwans-surprising-drop-in-trade-dependence-on-mainland-china/
Seoul did not adopt sanctions on Russian fossil fuels, but it has sharply cut such imports nonetheless.
Is a deal between Nippon Steel and United Steelworkers in the offing?
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/avoiding-a-us-japan-rift-over-steel/
As the “Central Asia gas union” solidifies on the back of high demand, political and corruption risks linger.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/russian-gas-supplies-to-uzbekistan-set-to-grow/
Truong My Lan, the head of a Ho Chi Minh City-based real estate firm, faces charges, along with 84 associates and alleged accomplices.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/vietnam-opens-trial-in-12-5-billion-corruption-case/
The economic focus of this week's ASEAN-Australia summit has been shadowed by the continuing tensions in the South China Sea.
Mongolia’s activities with SpaceX and Thales Alenia Space demonstrate both Ulaanbaatar’s development strategy and its third-neighbor foreign policy.
Australia's trade conflict with China has prompted it to look to Southeast Asia, an emerging economic powerhouse.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/not-made-in-china-australias-other-big-opportunities-in-asia/
Lee Hsien Loong did not reveal the cost of the deal, which was paid for from a government fund established to rebuild tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/singapores-pm-defends-taylor-swift-exclusivity-arrangement/
There has long been a desire in certain quarters to eventually move ownership of foreign-owned and operated mines back into Indonesian hands.
In terms of energy security, China is currently edging out India for influence in Central Asia.
When it comes to the balance of power between the government and large firms, India is going the U.S. way.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/indias-firm-foreign-policy-or-indian-firms-foreign-policy/
With intense competition at home, China is exporting its electric vehicle success story to Southeast Asia.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/voltage-visions-chinas-ev-surge-in-southeast-asia/
The probe could lead to new regulations aimed at preventing China from using sophisticated technology in electric vehicles to track drivers and their personal information.
A series of investigations links Italy’s state funds with Gazprombank.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/03/italian-insurer-buttresses-russian-gas-investment-in-uzbekistan/
Rep. Joey Salceda claims that Singapore's alleged exclusivity arrangement with the pop icon's promoter "runs contrary" to ASEAN's consensus-based relations.
The country is on track to becoming the fifth nation, and the third in Southeast Asia, to sign a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with Abu Dhabi.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/malaysia-to-sign-free-trade-pact-with-uae-in-june-official-says/
The 38-nation grouping has agreed to begin accession talks with Jakarta. Now comes the hard part.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/indonesias-long-and-winding-road-to-oecd-membership/
The latest round of sanctions designations included a Kyrgyzstan-based company and two firms based in Kazakhstan.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/us-puts-additional-central-asian-companies-on-russia-sanctions-list/
Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Imran Khan has asked the Fund not to extend a loan to Pakistan unless an audit of the controversial election is done.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/new-pakistani-government-seeks-another-bailout-from-imf/
The country's expanding domestic capital markets have cushioned it against the declines seen elsewhere in the region.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/why-the-indonesian-stock-market-is-booming/
Thousands of farmers are protesting again for guaranteed minimum support prices for their crops, an issue that remains sticky.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/the-economics-behind-indias-farmers-protest/
Automation could reproduce informal and precarious work rather than transform existing trends.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/how-automation-will-shape-the-future-of-work-in-india/
The ongoing crisis in the Red Sea has created a strong impetus among IMEC partners to facilitate the project quickly. But speed should not be confused for wisdom.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/what-modis-uae-trip-means-for-imec/
The Bruno Manser Fund wants Taib Mahmud's assets and bank accounts frozen.
Full Chinese logistical support for Russia could be the real game changer of the war – and that support is growing more important and less discreet.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/russia-ukraine-war-chinas-vanishing-neutrality/
India and the United States – two countries with which New Zealand wants much closer relations – are currently the two biggest single barriers to achieving Wellington’s goals at the WTO.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/new-zealands-dilemma-at-the-wtos-big-meeting-in-uae/
The policy is the latest instance in which Jakarta has flexed its regulatory muscles against the big foreign tech firms.
The West expected India to turn its back on Russia, but a look at the numbers shows that expectation was never realistic.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/cheap-russian-oil-fuels-indias-response-to-ukraine-war/
The latest announcement reflects the Indonesian government’s desire to stay at the forefront of the region's EV production race.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/indonesia-announces-new-tax-incentives-to-encourage-ev-sales/
Japan looks set to end negative interest rates for the first time in eight years.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/the-bank-of-japans-year-of-living-dangerously/
And why its troubles might be short-lived.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/why-malaysias-pharmaniaga-is-in-financial-trouble/
China’s impressive topline growth figures mask underlying disparities and societal unease.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/the-tale-of-2-economies-navigating-the-growth-paradox-in-china/
The subsidies could prevent the country from achieving its ambition of becoming a renewable energy powerhouse.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/indonesias-fossil-fuel-subsidies-threaten-its-energy-transition/
There are concerns that civilian control over the military could diminish as its commercial clout grows.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/the-nepali-armys-growing-business-interests/
More than a year after China scrapped its zero-COVID policy, it has become clear that most analysts underestimated the adverse impacts on business and consumer sentiment.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/chinas-chronic-zero-covid-trauma/
The government plans to use the proceeds on technologies that will steer Japan’s government and industry on the right track in terms of both climate and export competitiveness.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/the-benefits-of-japans-climate-transition-bond/
The island's famed semiconductor sector is struggling to recruit sufficient numbers of chipmakers, posing a long-term threat to the industry.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/taiwans-semiconductor-talent-shortage/
The country's economy has grown by an average of 4.2 percent each year that Jokowi has been in office – and voters want more of the same.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/the-2024-indonesian-election-is-all-about-the-economy/
"The era of the 'shell country' is having its ascendancy and Cambodia is a prime example of the phenomenon."
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/jack-davies-on-the-rise-and-rise-of-cambodias-prince-group/
Sino-Russian oil trade grew in 2023, although Putin might have been piqued by Chinese actions on coal and inaction of the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline.
The example of South Africa’s famous tea variety speaks to unfinished business in expanding African exports to China – including Beijing’s recognition of African Geographical Indications.
In a country as vast and diverse as India, centralization or homogenization of any kind – fiscal, political, or cultural – is a recipe for economic failure.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/india-needs-more-federalism/
Wu Qing, a former chair of the Shanghai Stock Exchange with a reputation for being tough on market misbehavior, is the new head of the China Securities Regulatory Commission.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/china-names-a-new-stock-regulator-in-a-bid-to-soothe-markets/
As Astana moves from crisis management to long-term planning mode, the challenge will be whether the government can stick to its economic reform plans.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/can-kazakhstan-stay-the-course-on-economic-reform/
Cloud services are a critical part of AI training – which is why they are now under scrutiny by U.S. regulators.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/the-china-us-tech-war-comes-to-the-cloud/
The arrangement is an encouraging example of Southeast Asian solidarity and regional self-sufficiency.
Chinese automakers have succeeded in the Thai market by adopting comprehensive localization strategies.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/how-chinas-evs-are-taking-thailand-by-storm/
The IMF sees significant downside risks as Cambodia slips on corruption index.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/cambodia-looks-to-the-future-by-luring-back-western-investors/
With elections due by May, there were expectations of populist giveaways. But the short-term budget is mostly free of big-spending new programs.
The Uzbek Forum's findings from monitoring the 2023 cotton harvest point at some instances of forced labor when voluntary workers were scarce.
The battle against wage stagnation, a key goal of Kishida’s Cabinet, cannot be won without empowering labor unions.
German-Thai cooperation encapsulates the complex dance between strategic competition and global industry dynamics.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/01/the-role-of-thailand-in-germanys-auto-manufacturing-future/
Transparency International notes a “troubling picture” in the region as countries struggle with “dysfunctional rule of law, rising authoritarianism, and systemic corruption.”
https://thediplomat.com/2024/01/central-asia-no-closer-to-shaking-perceptions-of-corruption/
The shift to renewable energy inevitably involves massive costs. The question is: who should pay?
https://thediplomat.com/2024/01/greenflation-and-the-role-of-prices-in-clean-energy-transitions/
The EU and Central Asia have a critical opportunity to strengthen their collaboration in the face of evolving geopolitical challenges affecting global trade routes.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/01/navigating-new-horizons-uzbekistans-role-in-global-connectivity/
China Evergrande Group is among dozens of Chinese developers that have collapsed since 2020 under official pressure to rein in surging debt.
The greatest obstacle for the soon-to-be president of Taiwan is not the China threat, but rather economic concerns, particularly among young people.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/01/taiwans-new-president-elect-should-prioritize-the-economy/
25 years after Bhutan first applied to join the WTO, recent developments seem to be giving Thimphu a final push.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/01/bhutans-long-journey-into-the-world-trade-organization/
The potential for AI to bring about closer regional integration lies in its ability to address some of the traditional barriers to economic cooperation.
USAID was based on a flawed development theory from its inception. It’s past time to address that foundational mistake.
The country's recent microcredit boom has highlighted the wide gap between the theory of microfinance and its reality.
Afghanistan’s market and its position as a trade route that can connect Central Asia to South Asian ports are critically important to Kazakhstan.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/01/kazakhstans-evolving-afghanistan-policy/
In an interview with The Diplomat, Mongolia’s culture minister underscores the intersection of the economy and culture.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/01/nomin-chinbat-on-mongolia-and-the-world-economic-forum/
With inflation continuing to rise, a scheduled premium increase seems likely to be suspended.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/01/why-philhealth-doesnt-need-to-raise-premiums-in-2024/
The city is envisioned as Bhutan’s new economic hub – an opportunity to capitalize on the economic corridor linking South Asia to Southeast Asia.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/01/gelephu-the-worlds-first-mindfulness-city-is-in-bhutan/
A full pivot to war preparations is unlikely, but China will continue to shift toward a fully centralized economy.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/01/will-china-move-toward-a-war-driven-economy/
Masdar’s willingness to work within the constraints of the country's political economy offers important lessons for the U.S.-backed Just Energy Transition Partnership.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/01/how-the-uae-is-making-a-splash-in-indonesias-clean-energy-sector/
China dominates the manufacturing of intermediate goods – so even if a finished product is made elsewhere, it almost certainly includes “Made in China” components.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/01/the-de-risking-push-misunderstands-chinas-manufacturing-strengths/
Fundamental to the Taliban’s vicious pursuit of power is the strategic use of corruption and kleptocracy.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/01/its-time-to-confront-the-talibans-corruption/
The two sides could incorporate a "built-in agenda," putting off thorny issues until after FTA comes into force.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/01/how-to-break-the-deadlock-in-the-indonesia-eu-trade-talks/
A decade on, the country faces crippling economic challenges and environmental degradation from the ambitious (and still incomplete) highway project.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/01/montenegros-scandal-ridden-chinese-road/
Tenzing Lamsang, editor of The Bhutanese, discusses why voters chose the PDP and what the new government has planned, particularly for Bhutan's ailing economy.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/01/whats-next-for-bhutan-after-its-election/