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December 17th, 2020

OVERREACH

Gripped by regulations, China's tech giants are no longer untouchable

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China debt crunch

Tsinghua Unigroup's bond default: Five things to know

Chinese chipmaker's financial problems send shock waves in corporate debt market

Tsinghua Unigroup has been aiming to establish itself as a leader in China's memory-chip industry since 2015 but has been facing investor skepticism over its finances.
The Quad ministerial meeting in Tokyo on Oct. 6: becoming an alliance with reciprocal obligations is much further down the line.
CATL's nickel-cobalt-manganese battery cell for use in electric cars: Indonesia's consortium members are in discussions with top global EV battery makers.
Opinion

Indonesia is ready to take on the world's EV battery makers

New Omnibus Law will make it easier to attract foreign investment

For years, Beijing encouraged runaway growth of the country's internet giants as a symbol of Chinese tech prowess. Now, though, they appear too sprawling and influential for comfort.
The Big Story

China rethinks the Jack Ma model

Alibaba, Tencent and a host of internet giants face new scrutiny from the Party

Singapore's digital banking licenses hold the potential to kick-start the transformation of a region that now excludes many people and businesses from financial services.
Business Spotlight

Singapore ushers ASEAN into new digital banking era

Grab, Ant and other heavyweights join drive for greater financial inclusion

Toyota Motor President Akio Toyoda speaks in front of an image of a concept car during the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.   © Reuters
Most read in 2020

Toyota's game-changing solid-state battery en route for 2021 debut

Japan's government to join forces with industry to supercharge development

Luhut Pandjaitan, Indonesia's coordinating minister for maritime affairs and investment, told Nikkei Asia that Japan is interested in putting $4 billion in an infrastructure fund. (Photo by Yuki Kohara) 
Interview

Japan in talks to invest $4bn in Indonesia sovereign wealth fund

Investment minister Luhut seeks assistance for building roads, ports and airports

Indonesian President Joko Widodo said after reelection in October that the country has "a huge potential to escape the middle-income trap." The COVID-19 pandemic is making that goal a herculean task. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Reuters)
Asia Insight

Pandemic stalls Indonesia's push to escape middle-income trap

Two decades of growth reversed in Southeast Asia's biggest economy

Katherine Tai sees the need for U.S. trade policy to work in tandem with its own domestic industrial strategy to push back against China. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Kyodo and AP)
Biden's Asia policy

Biden taps Mandarin-speaking Katherine Tai to helm China trade

Seasoned Capitol Hill staffer will be frontwoman if US negotiates return to TPP

Government debt is now extremely cheap, with nominal and real interest rates on the sovereign debt of high-income economies at staggeringly low levels. (Source photo by Getty Images) 
The World Ahead

Five powerful forces will affect the world in 2025: Martin Wolf

Tech, inequality, debt, de-globalization and political stress to remain decisive

China has gotten ahead of the game by containing the disease through technology and authoritarian rule.
The World Ahead

Tech gaps and a pushy China pose challenges for the world

Pandemic has made clear need for urgent changes over next five years

Back in 2015, Donald Trump had not been elected, the Brexit vote had not taken place, talk of a new cold war was wildly premature and a global pandemic was unimaginable. (Source photos by Reuters and Getty Images) 
The World Ahead

Nikkei-FT alliance spans 5 years of global transformation

China's rise, climate change and technology loom large as key future issues

Nikkei and the FT have strived to create a truly global media group focused on the world economy.
The World Ahead

Nikkei and the FT: Gathering wisdom to overcome a global crisis

Media group committed to high-quality news and analysis in era of turmoil

The move by Amazon and Google to voluntarily spin off their cloud computing businesses created the foundation for a new generation of enterprise tech companies.
The World Ahead

Post-pandemic technology landscape could see more diversity

But 'winner takes most' dynamic means digital oligarchy likely to hold sway

SoftBank Group CEO and Chairman Masayoshi Son continues to pour money into areas where he expects AI to play an increasingly larger role, including mobility, real estate and health care. (Photo by Yoichi Iwata) 
The World Ahead

'Vertical' opportunities poised to spread to the remaining 99% of economy

Internet companies scramble to secure experts versed in specific industries

By 2025, regulators' growing concerns about the inscrutability of AI and its attendant risks could be the source of the next financial shock.
The World Ahead

Artificial intelligence will be transforming finance by 2025

China likely to lead race, but Japanese and US banks poised to catch up

While the number of people shopping in stores is decreasing, those buying online are increasing, and consumer purchasing trends are changing dramatically.
The World Ahead

Overall pace of current shopping trends to speed up by 2025

Remote buying easier, but fast fashion to slow down as Generation Z comes of age

As of mid-December, Uber was valued at $92.8 billion, ranking 81st among all U.S. companies.
The World Ahead

Countries vie for corporate renewal

Japan under pressure to save companies from becoming 'zombies'

Sony may further distance itself from hardware over the next five years. (Photo by Masayuki Kozono)
A lone beachgoer stands on the shore of Phuket's Patong Beach on Oct. 25. This west-coast hot spot is typically filled with tourists year-round. (Photo by Adryel Talamantes) 
Life

Phuket 'goes local' amid COVID-19 tourism slump

Annual festival of rituals offers inspiration for reviving moribund sector

The Heart Sutra has sunk deeply into Japanese life, appearing as a motif for accessories such as towels, ties and tea mugs. (Photo by Alex Kerr)
Tea Leaves

Much ado about nothing in Heart Sutra's (enduring) wisdom

Amid pandemic, time has come for Buddhism's smallest but most enigmatic text