A gas station in Gauhati: India's consumption of refined petroleum products rose 5% last year, more than double the world pace.

India cannot afford to just be a passive buyer of oil and gas

Strategic reserve and support for domestic production should be prioritized

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Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., right, with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in January 2023. (cnsphoto via Reuters)

Marcos' embrace of Taiwan's Lai was more than a friendly gesture

With focus on Philippine economy and security, president braves Chinese rebuke

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An intensive care unit for COVID patients in Kawasaki, Japan in 2020: Innovation in health care can have a tangible impact on patients' lives. 
Lance Little

Digital technology key to addressing Asian health care strains

New tools are making information more accessible, understandable and engaging

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Lance Little
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Panasonic Energy's Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Shoichiro Watanabe speaks to Nikkei Asia at the company's headquarters in Osaka, in December 2023. (Photo by Kosaku Mimura)
SHIN NAKAYAMA

Letter from Nikkei Asia's editor: Panasonic's EV battery comeback plan

Shin Nakayama shares his weekly reflections and recommendations

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SHIN NAKAYAMA
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The financial impact of climate stress tests on fossil fuel-related assets should be clarified as the new IFRS standard takes hold.
Sachiko Suzuki

Japan should lead the way on disclosure of climate risk

Profusion of standards has allowed companies to obscure potential financial impact

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Sachiko Suzuki
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Markets remain dependent on international connectivity, with last year's global trade-to-GDP ratio of 74% exceeding pre-pandemic levels.
Barry O'Byrne

The business world is not 'deglobalizing'

New initiatives and technologies are easing way for international trade activity

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Barry O'Byrne
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A view of the Bangkok business district: Before the pandemic, East Asia experienced robust growth thanks to easy financial conditions.
Siang Leng Wong and Yoki Okawa

More risk ahead as East Asian companies face debt deadlines

Up to 40% of region's corporate bonds due to mature within three years

Siang Leng Wong and Yoki Okawa
Democratic Progressive Party supporters in Taipei celebrate the victory of Lai Ching-te in Taiwan's presidential election on Jan. 13. 
Yifeng Tao

Taiwan voters have given everyone a reason to be pleased

Each of the island's three contending parties can claim a victory

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Yifeng Tao
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Lai Ching-te waves to supporters in Taipei on Jan. 13, when he won a tight three-way race for Taiwan's presidency. (Photo by Hiroki Endo)
Nikkei Editorial

China must respect Taiwan's choice to maintain distance

Presidential election result reflects voters' desire to keep the status quo

Nikkei Editorial
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda, left, with Fumio Kishida in April 2023: The prime minister bears the onus of implementing structural reform. (Pool via Reuters)

Productivity is missing link in BOJ's policy normalization plan

Onus is on Japan PM Kishida to get busy with structural reform

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Laborers cross a India-Myanmar border bridge in 2012: New Delhi plans to revoke the visa-free regime that covers the frontier area.
Angshuman Choudhury

Closing of India-Myanmar border will not restore peace in Manipur

Technology can provide tools to address security and crime concerns

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Angshuman Choudhury
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A park in Manila: By providing digital services like mobile wallets and online health care, startups are helping bridge social gaps.
Ernest Cu

Southeast Asia startups can survive crunch with focus on unmet needs

Alignment with evolving priorities can produce social impact and business growth

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Ernest Cu
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Patuxai monument in Vientiane: Between 2017 and 2022, the volume of public and publicly guaranteed debt in Laos rose to 112% of GDP from 52%. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Soulivath Souvannachoumkham and Emma Veve

Laos is getting a handle on its debt

Controls on borrowing to be tightened and revenue collection improved

Soulivath Souvannachoumkham and Emma Veve
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese in Sydney in December: Luxon's government may deepen alignment with like-minded partners.
Derek Grossman

New Zealand's new PM isn't going back to old ways on China

Luxon's pro-business instincts tempered by coalition partners

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Derek Grossman
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An Afghan girl looks out from a car window near a refugee repatriation center in Nowshera, Pakistan: More than 500,000 refugees have so far been returned to Afghanistan. 
Salman Rafi Sheikh

Expelling Afghan refugees won't boost Pakistan's security

Mass repatriation is creating a recruitment opportunity for militant groups

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Salman Rafi Sheikh
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, views the launch of a Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile during what North Korea said was a drill at an unknown location Dec. 18, 2023.
SHIN NAKAYAMA

Letter from Nikkei Asia's editor: Your predictions for 2024

Shin Nakayama shares his weekly reflections and recommendations

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SHIN NAKAYAMA
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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina: As formal political competition has declined, the legitimacy of Awami League rule has come to be based on its ability to deliver growth and development.
Sohela Nazneen

Real challenge for Bangladesh PM Hasina still lies ahead

Public is losing confidence that ruling Awami League can manage economic crisis

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Sohela Nazneen
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The reservoir for the Erdeneburen hydroelectric project would submerge a large area now used by migratory birds and herders from various ethnic groups. 
Munkhnaran Bayarlkhagva

Mongolian dam belies Xi's promise of a 'small and beautiful' BRI

Funded by Chinese loans, project carries environmental and social risks

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Munkhnaran Bayarlkhagva
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Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Beijing in June: The trip kickstarted a trend of new joint working groups. (Pool via Reuters)
Michael Laha

China needs to prove working groups can do more than talk

Forums may yield little more than reduction in tensions with U.S. and EU

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Michael Laha
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Houthi fighters open the door of the cockpit on a seized ship in the Red Sea in this photo released Nov. 20. (Houthi Military Media via Reuters) 
Ali Gara

With shipping under attack, regulators should not pile on

Emission reduction burdens and bureaucracy need to be rationalized

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Ali Gara
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Xi Jinping speaks at a National Day parade in Beijing in 2019: The Chinese president has acted to ensure the loyalty of the navy. 
Alessio Patalano

Rise of admirals shows Xi's focus on patriotic professionalism

Chinese navy can be expected to put more emphasis on submarine capabilities

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Alessio Patalano
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To find solutions to problems and conflicts affecting the entire Earth, both individuals and governments need to improve their communication skills.
Nikkei Editorial

More dialogue needed to avoid global divisions

Social rifts must be addressed even within democratic countries

Nikkei Editorial
DPP's Lai Ching-te, left, KMT's Hou Yu-ih, center, and TPP's Ko Wen-je during a TV debate on Dec.30: Economic issues seem to be muted in Taiwan's election campaign. (Pool via AP)
Alicia Garcia-Herrero

Taiwan's election will mark an economic crossroads

Growth is rebounding, but island must decide whether to deepen links with China

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Alicia Garcia-Herrero
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Japanese allegedly involved in phone scams are deported from Phnom Penh in November 2023: Southeast Asian scam rings have cheated hundreds of thousands of people.
Alvin Camba

U.S. has role to play in battle against Southeast Asian scam gangs

Training and support for region's law enforcement agencies needed

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Alvin Camba
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