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December 13th, 2018

End of an era?

Forty years after opening up its economy, the Chinese state is tightening its grip

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The Big Story

Chinese state tightens grip 40 years after Deng's reforms

Companies face headwinds amid trade war, cooling growth

China's manufacturing sector -- virtually nonexistent four decades ago -- has helped transform the country into the world's second-biggest economy. (Original photos by AP, Getty Images)
A woman works on a stuffed Zabivaka, the mascot of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, at a workshop in Dongguan, China. The local toy industry has struggled in recent years.
The Big Story

China's toy making capital scrambles to reinvent itself

Dongguan was at the forefront of 'reform and opening up.' Now its big bet is on tech

Lawmakers amended the Chinese constitution in March to abolish presidential term limits, paving the way for Xi Jinping to hold office for life.
The Big Story

What China's economic miracle left behind

How human rights fell by the wayside as the economy boomed

Stream article image
Company in focus

How Lippo's field of dreams could become a house of cards

Bribery scandal haunts Indonesia's futuristic Meikarta development and the conglomerate that built it

A Huawei store at a shopping mall in Huaibei city, in China's Anhui Province. Huawei is China's largest private company, with a vast supply chain.
Trade war

'Huawei freeze' chills global supply chain

Tight web of partnerships makes Chinese equipment tough to replace

Takeda aims to reduce its debt load by tapping synergies from the acquisition.
Interview

Takeda CEO vows to fix balance sheet within 5 years

Japanese drugmaker will consolidate US operations after Shire purchase, Weber says

Macau gaming tycoon Lawrence Ho, CEO of Melco, said that “anything less than building the greatest integrated resort ever built would be a shame” in Japan.  (Photo by Eri Sugiura)
Companies

Melco counts on Japan's immigration bill to meet casino plans

CEO mulls hiring up to 20,000 foreign workers as it prepares to bid for license

Loss-making Hong Kong film studio Alibaba Pictures has come under control of Chinese e-commerce conglomerate Alibaba Group Holding, which hopes to enrich its online offerings.
Companies

Alibaba hopes film studio will boost its online offerings

After weak quarterly earnings, e-commerce group seeks new revenue sources

Maybank stick to its aim of 11% return-on-equity for 2018. 
Nikkei Markets

Malaysia's top banks flag tough times ahead

Malayan Banking, CIMB Group under pressure as Southeast Asia slows

Garuda reinstated its Jakarta-London direct route after cancelling it only a month and a half ago. (Photo by Akira Kodaka)
Companies

Garuda Indonesia on offensive again after CEO change

Flag carrier reinstates direct London route and takes control of Sriwijaya

Hindustan Unilever plans to introduce new formats such as sachets and focus on growth in northern and western India.
Business deals

Hindustan Unilever needs to woo more rural Indians with Horlicks after $3.8 billion merger

Success of the deal with GlaxoSmithKline unit hinges on rural India sales of malt-drinks

© Illustration by Daniel Garcia
Asia Insight

A small island gets caught in China's Pacific power game with West

Bougainville's huge copper reserves and independence vote draw global interest

Thailand's long tradition of military coups, the last of which installed Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha in 2014, may have come to an end. 
Politics

Thai military shake-up raises questions about Prayuth's authority

Redeployment of coup-prone regiments to temper political involvement

Singaporean ships and helicopters patrol the waters around Sentosa Island in June: The city-state has a number of disputes with its northern neighbor, Malaysia.
Malaysia in transition

Singapore and Malaysia tangle over air and sea sovereignty

Mahathir government wants to regain control over airspace near southern border

Singapore faces the biggest mismatch between skills and jobs created in Southeast Asia, according to a recent study.
Economy

Singapore faces biggest reskilling challenge in Southeast Asia

City-state races to retrain workforce for digital age

Farmers said that government-set prices do not take into account all costs, which leaves them out of pocket. 
Politics

Angry Indian farmers threaten to oust Modi in 2019 election

Producers assert government-set prices leave them out of pocket

Hyundai Motor cars are ready for loading at the company's export yard at the South Korean port of Ulsan. The country's exports to China fell for the first time in about two years in November.
Trade war

US-China trade war continues to weigh on Asian manufacturers

November PMI shows grim export picture, but cheaper crude helps ease pain

Perhaps China's President Xi Jinping and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte don't really have too much to toast.
Opinion

Philippines-China -- after the rainbow, more rain

Despite Xi's visit and repeated Chinese aid pledges, ties remain uncertain amid a domestic backlash

Hiring recruits in annual batches -- for life-time employment -- will not last much longer. (Photo by Tomoki Mera)
Opinion

Young Japanese must prepare for an end to jobs for life

Global competition is forcing companies to be more flexible in recruitment, training and promotion

In a globalized economy, it is unlikely there will be clear winners in a trade war.
Opinion

Asia -- the myth of trade war 'winners'

US-China dispute may divert some business but gains won't match overall losses

The U.S. has called on Japan and other governments to ban the use of Huawei products.
The Nikkei View

Governments slam the door on China telecom goods

Japan needs more details from the US before jumping on the bandwagon

Crabmeat spring rolls at Baan Suriyasai, which serves textbook renditions of Thai classics (Photo by Vincent Vichit-Vadakan)
Life

Bangkok works up an appetite for contemporary Thai food

Upscale restaurant launches show the national cuisine in a more rarefied light

The inside of one of the ocean villas, where upcycled materials and top of the range furniture blend to give guests a unique luxury experience (Photo by Kit Yeng Chan)
Life

Cambodian dream islands offset coastal boom town

Amid luxury eco-haven, Australian-run charity seeks to restore nature's balance

Tourist boats ply the Yalu River near an incomplete "bridge to nowhere," stretching north of Dandong with rural North Korea in the background. (Photo by Eric Richardson)
Tea Leaves

Peering into North Korea

Dandong is the world's last remaining cross-border observation post