ASEAN is facing political and economic uncertainty as Sino-American tensions intensify. The conflict has affected supply chains and business sentiments, and there is increasing concern that the standoff is about more than trade and technology. Unless China and the United States can resolve their differences,...
Indonesia NasDem Demurs as Jokowi Finalises Selection of His New Cabinet (14-17 Aug) President Joko Widodo “Jokowi” announced on Wednesday, 14 August that he had finalised the selection of his new cabinet. While the full list of ministers would only be announced after the start of his...
In the Chinese portion of his National Day Rally speech, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong noted that the Singapore economy is slowing due to weaker global demand and the US-China trade war. The SIIA held an evening talk on Monday 19 August, the day after...
By Simon Tay and Jessica Wau For The Straits Times Many anticipate a Sino-American "war" and, while the proximate issues are in trade, there is a broader range of contention on issues relating to technology, unfair competition, democracy and the regional and global order. Read the full...
August 2019| Investment interest is picking up among many investors in Asia, and a number of them have asked for our views. Most recently, we hosted Dr Sean Turnell, Special Economic Advisor to the State Counsellor during a trip to Singapore in late July. He shared...
July 2019 | Some 15 months after the surprise victory by the Pakatan Harapan (PH), I thought to share some observations about emerging developments in Malaysia. This is especially as the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), the biggest party in the Dewan Rakyat with 50 seats, is...
Amidst the Sino-American trade war and other factors like the Chinese slowdown, market watchers are expecting correspondingly slower growth in Singapore. Policymakers have warned about the risk of a technical recession in the fourth quarter of 2019, potentially continuing into next year. In this climate,...
The lack of good quality, adequate infrastructure has been a long-standing challenge in Asia and the Pacific. Meeting infrastructure needs in areas such as access to electricity and water is not only critical for economic growth but also to improve the quality of life for...
Indonesia Blackout Ordeal in Java Leads to Questions, Lawsuits (4-8 Aug) Indonesian citizens across the island of Java were hit by a sustained electricity outage on Sunday, 4 August, following disruptions to several power plants. Tens of millions were affected as traffic lights, cashless payment services and...
By Nicholas Fang & Aaron Choo For Nikkei Asian Review China's potential military expansion through bases in Southeast Asia has made headlines in recent weeks. A media report that Beijing might be leasing part of Cambodia's well-situated Ream naval base prompted Prime Minister Hun Sen to denounce...