China unveiled a full slate of fresh stimulus policies this week meant to boost its faltering economy. The second biggest economy in the world has had increasing difficulties over the past three years: a lengthy property sector crisis, slow consumer spending, and COVID-19 aftermath effects. Responding to these hitherto unheard-of economic challenges, the Chinese government and central bank have acted …

China, in an attempt to address the urgent problem of a declining population and an aging workforce, will increase its retirement age starting next year, currently among the lowest among major world nations. Last Friday the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress approved the long-awaited policy modification after years of discussion. Made earlier in the week, this abrupt declaration …

China’s dominance in the rare earths market is a strategic advantage that has significant implications for the global economy and geopolitics. The Rare Earths Dominance Rare earth elements, a group of 17 metals, are crucial for high-tech industries, from smartphones to electric vehicles and military hardware. China’s control over this market is not just about production; it’s about the entire …

In the kaleidoscope of sports, where every number tells a story of dedication and dreams, a single photograph has unwittingly woven a narrative steeped in history’s shadows. This image, capturing two Chinese female athletes, has emerged as an unlikely catalyst, breathing life into discussions about the hushed pages of the Tiananmen Square massacre, and, in the process, inviting the scrutiny …

Amidst negotiations for an emergency US$4 billion package to assist it to emerge from an economic collapse, Sri Lanka has urged China for support with trade, investment, and tourism to help it expand sustainably, Colombo’s envoy to Beijing said on Monday, July 25th. Having depleted its foreign reserves, the island nation of 22 million people is experiencing its biggest economic …

CHINA: The country’s market regulator announced on Sunday that a number of companies, including Alibaba and Tencent, had been fined for violating anti-monopoly regulations regarding the transparency of transactions (Jul 10). There were 28 trades that were found to have broken the rules by the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR). Alibaba’s Youku Tudou streaming platform is one of the …

ASEAN – Singapore hosts Shangri-La Dialog, an annual rally of senior defense officers across Asia and beyond.  This dialogue, the largest  gathering of senior military officials in Asia, is not actually hosted by the Government of Singapore. Rather, the event is hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, an independent think tank. However, the Government of Singapore is helping …

Philippines – Many international affairs analysts believe that the new administration of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. should pursue multilateral relations for better economic interests and national security. They said  Marcos should review the partnership built by  President Rodrigo Duterte’s government, learn from them, and use the lessons learned to form a new foreign policy. “We must involve multilateral institutions …

Indonesia – Long earlier than Australia`s new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made his first bilateral go to Jakarta, Indonesia`s accept as true with in Australia turned into already slipping. According to Lowy Institute`s first ballot  on Indonesia in a decade, Indonesians` accept as true with in Australia had slipped 20 factors in 10 years — from 75% in 2011 to …

Malaysia – Walt Disney Co has been unable to obtain permission to show its new Pixar movie Lightyear in 14 Middle Eastern and Asian countries, a source said yesterday, and the animated film appeared unlikely to open in China, the world’s largest movie market. A Lightyear producer told Reuters that authorities in China had asked for cuts to the movie, …