Everything at stake at China’s ‘two sessions’, as Trump 2.0 shapes the world

General Secretary Tô Lâm of Vietnam's Communist Party promises a "new era of national rise" with ambitious economic goals aiming to elevate the country to an "upper middle-income economy" by 2030 and a "high-income economy" by 2045. Lâm and Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính are spearheading an institutional revolution, streamlining the public sector, emphasizing innovation and technology, and driving double-digit annual growth targets. The party's pro-business, nationalist, and populist approach has garnered support, with the...

Meet Capital, a new early-stage VC firm affiliated with Meet Ventures, is deploying a US$10 million fund to back tech-enabled startups with cheques up to US$500,000. Led by General Partner John Lim, the firm focuses on startups with product-market fit and a billion-dollar market opportunity, primarily in Southeast Asia but open to global opportunities. Despite challenges in the VC industry in Southeast Asia, Meet Capital remains optimistic about the region's growth potential and aims to...

Nick Cheesman's book, Myanmar: A Political Lexicon, delves into the significance of Burmese words and phrases within the current sociopolitical landscape, emphasizing the importance of cautious language use in discussing contemporary Myanmar. The complexity of Burmese names, often based on birth days and familial ties, poses challenges in identification and communication, leading to common cases of mistaken identity. Various honorific titles and naming conventions within different ethnic groups further add layers of meaning and cultural...

Thailand’s opposition People’s Party has filed a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, citing her lack of leadership and alleged influence of her father Thaksin Shinawatra. The motion, which will be debated starting on March 24, is unlikely to pass due to the government’s majority, but will require the prime minister to face questioning from lawmakers. The focus on Thaksin’s influence highlights a longstanding controversy in Thai politics, with the People’s Party seeking to...

Thailand deported 40 Uyghur asylum seekers back to China, sparking criticism from U.N. officials and activists due to fears of torture and imprisonment. China's influence in the region is evident, with Thai officials complying with Beijing's request despite international law violations. The Uyghurs, detained in Thailand for over a decade, were part of a group fleeing China in 2014, facing harsh conditions and now likely returning to Xinjiang, where human rights abuses against Uyghurs are...

Japan's factory output in January decreased by 1.1 per cent, close to the expected 1.2 per cent decline. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's survey indicates a projected 5.0 per cent increase in February and a 2.0 per cent decrease in March for manufacturers. Full Article