Economy

Workers protest President Joko Widodo's proposed changes to Indonesia's labor laws outside the parliament in Jakarta on Jan. 20.
Economy

Scrap over Indonesia labor reforms tests Jokowi's resolve

Unions protest plan to make it easier to hire and fire workers

23 January 2020
A building covered with plants in Jurong, China; the future in building is clearly green and Asia is pivotal.
Opinion

Asia should respond to climate change by building green

Environmentally friendly construction will be worth up to $18tn by 2030

14 January 2020
Masayoshi Son, CEO of SoftBank Group, talks with Indonesian president Joko Widodo on the country's new capital (Photo by Erwida Maulia)
SoftBank

Masayoshi Son rushes to Indonesia with plans for a 'smart capital'

CEO says he wants to bring 'a lot of artificial intelligence' to jungle city

10 January 2020
Locals look on as floods hit the Jatinegara area of Jakarta after heavy rains in this Jan. 2 photo. Dozens of people have died in the deluge.
Politics

Jakarta governor's 2024 presidential hopes hit by deadly floods

Anies Baswedan is accused of diverting protection funds for vanity projects

9 January 2020
Palm oil cultivation is blamed for devastating the environment, decimating natural habitats and the emission of greenhouse gases.
Trade

Indonesia says WTO process against EU palm oil curb to start soon

Whole process is expected to last for 1.5 years

7 January 2020
Indonesian President Joko Widodo, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet at a summit in Beijing in 2017. The countries are involved in a spat over waters bordering the South China Sea. 
International relations

Jokowi vows 'no compromise' on Natuna standoff with China

Tensions rise around Indonesian water bordering the South China Sea

7 January 2020
Indonesian cashless payments platform LinkAja is a rare example of successful alliances.
Opinion

ASEAN needs smart regulation to boost financial inclusion

Unclear rules are hindering fintech companies from reaching millions

6 January 2020
Greece has rejected China's plan to build an additional cargo terminal at Piraeus port amid concerns about growing Beijing influence.
Belt and Road

China drops $11bn anchors to expand Maritime Silk Road

State-owned operators Cosco and China Merchants dominate decade of spending

5 January 2020
Aramco's initial public offering on the Saudi Stock Exchange in Riyadh on Dec. 11 set a new record for money raised, at $25.6 billion. It is the most valuable company in the world.
Comment

Aramco's IPO has lessons for Asia's state-owned oil companies

Stock listings offer cash and professionalism, but the politics are tricky

29 December 2019
Prices for rare earths like Neodymium surged in the middle of 2019 as importers feared China would take the crucial elements hostage.
Commodities

Why Asia weaponized rare earths, soybeans and palm oil in 2019

Resource nationalism took hold amid trade war tensions and environmental risks

28 December 2019
As weak consumer and business confidence continue, India's economy is expected to be sluggish in the near future. 
Economy

Asian economies expected to pick up slowly in 2020

JCER survey shows economists see trade tensions and geopolitics as main risk factors

25 December 2019
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Nikkei Markets

Asian stocks gain on increased optimism over US-China trade

Trump's comments a deal is likely early next month boost sentiments

23 December 2019
A truck carries coal at a mine on Kalimantan island, Indonesia, the world's biggest exporter of the resource.
Interview

Indonesia minister defends coal: 'We need to develop'

Lower-income economies should be allowed to tap cheap energy source, says Tasrif

20 December 2019
A crude oil terminal in Ningbo Zhoushan port, China: Asian importers will need to continue accelerating the building of their strategic oil reserves.
Opinion

Trade war and strong dollar threaten Asia's oil security in 2020

Oil prices were benign in 2019 but have significant potential to swing

17 December 2019
The old Bukit Asam building in Sawahlunto, Indonesia, built during the Dutch colonial era, is currently being converted into a hotel. (Photo by Jun Suzuki)
Economy

Indonesia exploits industrial past to expand tourism market

Jokowi government wants to grow industry to 10% of GDP

14 December 2019
Export recovery next year is expected to be led by Vietnam, the PECC said in its State of the Region annual report.
Economy

Asia-Pacific growth tipped to flatline at 3.3% beyond 2020

Export recovery to be led by Vietnam and other Southeast Asian economies

13 December 2019
Twitter needs to do more to reduce disinformation beyond advertising.
Opinion

Banning political ads will not solve social media's disinformation problem

Politicians exploit microtargeting of ethnic and religious minorities

13 December 2019
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11 December 2019
Aerial view of Shanghai: urban planning cannot simply stop at the city limits.
Opinion

Asia must rethink its cities to make the most of urbanization

Detailed maps, better transport and affordable homes are vital for growth

11 December 2019
Japan is the top foreign partner in Duterte's ambitious $180 billion "build, build, build" infrastructure program.
Opinion

Japan offers Southeast Asia way out of US-China rivalry

As a major regional investor and security partner, Tokyo is stepping up

11 December 2019
Indonesia's Ovo offers an app that lets people do everything from make daily purchases to buy investment products on their smartphones.
Finance

Southeast Asia leaps ahead in high-tech financial services

E-money offers the latest example of technological 'leapfrogging' in Asia

7 December 2019
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Nikkei Markets

Asian equities rebound on renewed trade deal optimism

Bharti Airtel falls after announcing $3 billion fundraising

5 December 2019
Google now faces having to pay domestic taxes in Indonesia which has just ruled that foreign digital companies with a large presence in the country must be treated as local entities. 
Economy

Indonesia makes foreign digital companies pay local taxes

Government tries to balance spending to spur growth and boosting coffers

4 December 2019
Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attend the East Asia Summit in Bangkok last month.
Economy

Indonesia in talks with Japan to create sovereign wealth fund

Southeast Asian nation seeks funding for infrastructure, capital relocation

4 December 2019
An LRT Jakarta train on trial run last year. (Photo by Rie Ishii)
Transportation

Traffic-choked Jakarta opens first light railway line

Infrastructure development a top priority in President Jokowi's second term

2 December 2019