World

Taiwan has maintained its position as the top-ranked country in Asia and the 12th in the world in the 2023 Human Freedom Index (HFI), a report that measures the degree of personal and economic freedom in 165 jurisdictions around the world.  The report, published by the U.S.-based Cato Institute and Canada-based Fraser Institute, praised Taiwan for its resilience and performance …

North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the sea on Friday, South Korea’s military said, in an apparent show of defiance against the stalled nuclear talks with the United States. The missile was launched from the eastern coastal city of Hamhung at around 10:30 a.m. local time, and flew about 500 kilometers (310 miles) before landing in the waters between …

South Korea and Japan scrambled their fighter jets on Wednesday as six Russian and two Chinese warplanes entered their air defense zones without prior notice. The joint patrol by China and Russia, the sixth of its kind since 2019, was seen as a show of increasingly close military ties between the two countries amid rising tensions in the region. According …

Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto said on Monday that Russia’s growing links with China, Iran and North Korea pose a threat to the security of Europe and the world. Niinisto, who has maintained a dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin despite tensions over Ukraine and other issues, said that Moscow’s cooperation with Beijing and Tehran was “a matter of concern” for …

Singapore has announced that it will accept the Chinese yuan as a payment option for tourists visiting the city-state, in a move that could boost its tourism sector and reduce its reliance on the US dollar. The decision, which will take effect from January 2024, was made after consultations with the Chinese government and the BRICS group of emerging economies, …

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday warned top EU officials not to engage in confrontation with China, as he held a virtual summit with the bloc amid rising tensions over human rights and trade issues. Xi said that China and the EU should push their relations to “a new level with new prospects”, and that if the two sides choose …

DBS Private Bank, a subsidiary of Singapore’s DBS Group Holdings, has been named the best private bank in Asia-Pacific for the third consecutive year by Global Finance magazine. The bank has also been recognized as the best innovative private bank in the region, thanks to its digital transformation and its focus on sustainable and family office investments. According to Global …

The US Navy on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, rejected China’s claim that it had driven away a US guided-missile cruiser that allegedly intruded into its territorial waters near the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. In a statement, the US Navy said that the Chinese statement was “false” and that the USS Chancellorsville was conducting a “freedom of navigation …

In the wake of a devastating Osprey hybrid plane crash near Yakushima island, Japan has requested the US military to pause its Osprey operations temporarily. This comes as search and rescue operations continue following the fatal incident during a routine training mission. One crew member has been confirmed dead, and the search for the remaining six intensifies. The Osprey, renowned …

FinanceAsia, the leading source of financial news and analysis in Asia, has announced the winners of its annual Achievement Awards for 2023. The awards recognize the most outstanding transactions and institutions in the region, as well as the best banks, law firms, and rating agencies that facilitated them. The year 2023 was a challenging one for the Asian financial markets, …