Politics

Thailand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha gestures during a press conference following the Association of Southeast Asian Nations opening ceremony in Bangkok on June 23.
International relations

ASEAN seeks to steer middle path between US and China

Southeast Asian leaders come up with their own Indo-Pacific strategy

23 June 2019
Japan's government is encouraging companies to keep employees on the payroll until age 70. 
Asia Insight

Aging Asia rethinks retirement to pursue 'productive longevity'

Active seniors join robots as a potential answer to labor shortfalls

18 June 2019
Malaysia is lukewarm about joining military exercises yet accepts aerial surveillance drones from the U.S.
Opinion

Asia-Pacific's smaller states can be active players in great-power rivalry

US-China tensions are raising anxiety but Trump and Xi do not hold all the cards

18 June 2019
Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe shake hands before the start of their meeting in Singapore on the sidelines of the Shangri-La dialogue.
International relations

Security concerns rise as US denounces China at Asian forum

Washington accuses Beijing of seeking to 'reorder' Indo-Pacific region

2 June 2019
Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Heng Swee Keat, speaks to the Nikkei Asian Review in Tokyo on May 30. (Photo by Kotaro Igarashi)
The Future of Asia 2019

Singapore needs action to meet diverse aspirations, says deputy PM

Heng Swee Keat says the government has to focus on demographic change

30 May 2019
From left: Malaysia's Mahathir Mohamad, Bangladesh's Sheikh Hasina and Cambodia's Hun Sen speak at Nikkei's Future of Asia conference on May 30.
The Future of Asia 2019

Cambodia's Hun Sen quashes Chinese 'debt trap' fears

Political and business luminaries discuss Asia's future at Nikkei forum

30 May 2019
Singapore was singled out in the U.S. Treasury Department report on May 28 for persistent intervention in foreign exchange markets.
International relations

Vietnam and Singapore face pressure from US currency watchlist

Along with Malaysia, Southeast Asian nations newly flagged for monitoring

30 May 2019
Singapore is feeling the sting from the U.S.-China trade war as it walks a fine line between the world's two biggest economies. (Photo by Kosaku Mimura)
Economy

Singapore to remain 'objective' over Huawei concerns

'Both China and US are important,' says chief of industry development

24 May 2019
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, right, and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at a meeting last month in Malaysia. The deferment of the cross-border rail link is the latest in a series of major projects placed under review by Mahathir.
Malaysia in transition

Malaysia and Singapore suspend cross-border rail project

Move is part of Mahathir's review of major infrastructure deals

21 May 2019
A screen shot of Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame: What better image for viewing 2019 than the clashing of superpowers laying waste to entire cities?
Opinion

Singapore's timely peace plea to avenging superpowers

Reticent Asian leaders must speak out and press Trump and Xi to ease tensions

20 May 2019
Singapore's Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat is being promoted to deputy prime minister while remaining as the country's finance chief.
Politics

Singapore finance chief a step closer to top job in cabinet reshuffle

Prime ministerial succession front-runner Heng is promoted to deputy premier from May

23 April 2019
A tour boat cruises on the Singapore River. The city state depends on desalination to meet part of its water needs.
Companies

Singapore gives Hyflux 30-day notice on seizure of water plant

Government intervenes after rescue deal collapses, citing security needs

17 April 2019
A farmer climbs a tree to harvest palm oil in West Bengal. The palm oil industry is trying to clean up its image.
Commodities

Asia cleans up commodities industry with transparent trading

Initiatives trace product origins in bid to tackle deforestation and corruption

13 April 2019
Most economists expect Singapore to pause its tightening this time and keep policy unchanged, as the growth rate of the city-state's core consumer price index has slowed.
Economy

Asian central banks to consider monetary easing this year, economists say

Subdued inflation and economic uncertainty driving policy decisions

11 April 2019
A water fountain near Marina Bay in Singapore. Under a 1962 agreement, the city-state draws water from Malaysia's Johore River at less than a penny per 1,000 gallons.
10 April 2019
The Indian government has asked its telecom operators to advise how Facebook and WhatsApp can be blocked.
Opinion

Social media abuses threaten Asia's democratic elections

Singapore shows governments are ready to curb fake news but such actions can limit free speech

9 April 2019
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, left, and Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohamad are scheduled to meet next week.
Malaysia in transition

Singapore and Malaysia settle airspace spat

City-state to scrap new landing system while Kuala Lumpur lifts flight restrictions

6 April 2019
A view of Singapore's financial district from Merlion Park. Hyflux played a key role in Singapore's desalination and recycling. 
Companies

Toxic Hyflux on brink as Singapore weighs asset seizure

Water treatment company has less than 30 days to avoid liquidation

5 April 2019
Singapore has hit on a new location for its infrastructure--under this trove of skyscrapers in the Marina Bay financial district. 
Economy

Singapore to move infrastructure underground to free up space

With lateral and vertical expansion exhausted, overcrowded city looks below for options

3 April 2019
Singapore has moved to restrict fake news spread through social media, prompting concerns about the erosion of free speech.
Politics

Singapore latest to join Asian push against fake news

Free speech advocates and global tech leaders fear chilling effect

3 April 2019
Russian President Vladimir Putin visits a monastery in Moscow in 2017. The Russian Orthodox Church has close links with the government.
International relations

Orthodox church schism extends Putin's reach in Asia

Russian church creates own Southeast Asian dioceses after split over Ukraine

31 March 2019
The Singapore government has launched a series of new food projects in order to be able to feed its growing population. Earlier this month, it announced it would open an 'Agri-Food Innovation Park' for high-tech farming processes.
Economy

Singapore focuses on food security to counter external threats

City-state rolls out 'agri tech park' project as it seeks to reduce dependency on food imports

30 March 2019
Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, left, and his Malaysian counterpart Saifuddin Abdullah shake hands during the press conference at the Foreign Ministry in Putrajaya, Malaysia, on March 14.
Malaysia in transition

Singapore and Malaysia make major breakthrough in maritime dispute

Relations still tense as Kuala Lumpur continues to demand water price renegotiation

14 March 2019
A student assembles a model airplane at a secondary school in Singapore.
Politics

Singapore eases up on school testing to foster creativity

World's top exam performer seeks to boost competitiveness in information economy

13 March 2019
To stay competitive and become a "smart" city, Singapore has been investing in emerging digital technologies across various industries.
Economy

China's 'Greater Bay' threatens Singapore's finance and tech status

Analysts see huge Hong Kong-Macao project siphoning business away from city-state

4 March 2019