Chinese investment is fueling a construction boom in Cambodia, but it is also bringing headaches. (Photo by Akira Kodaka)
The Big Story

Cambodians wary as Chinese investment transforms their country

Hun Sen, ruler for 33 years, faces little opposition in upcoming election

18 July 2018
India's Sun Pharmaceutical Industries is facing trouble on two fronts: price erosion and regulatory scrutiny.
The Big Story

China's appetite for infrastructure investment creates big winners

Indian drugmakers are among the biggest losers in this year's list

11 July 2018
Taiwan's Largan Precision has provided camera lenses for every iPhone since the gadget debuted in 2007.
The Big Story

'Stealth' companies steal the spotlight in this year's Asia300 ranking

Suppliers quietly build fortunes while consumer brands enjoy a spending boom

11 July 2018
Work is underway on Amaravati, one of the 100 smart cities India plans to develop, but the road ahead a long one. (Photo by Takaki Kashiwabara)
The Big Story

Three years in, India's smart city program has a long way to go

Experts predict fundraising hurdles as critics slam the slow pace of Modi's urban dream

4 July 2018
This rendering by architecture firm Foster and Partners depicts the planned Amaravati Government Complex to be built in India's Andhra Pradesh State. (Courtesy of Foster and Partners)
The Big Story

Modi's grand vision for India's cities is slow to take shape

Plans for 100 high-tech hubs already scaled back, critics say

4 July 2018
Mekong Capital describes its investment in Mobile World as one of its best deals ever. The Vietnamese company is now expanding its Big Phone chain of stores in Cambodia. (Photo by Masayori Ishikawa)
The Big Story

Southeast Asia's private equity firms have a secret weapon

Local funds rely on insight, not size, to find deals that bigger rivals may miss

27 June 2018
Illustrations by Eric Chow
The Big Story

How private equity is shaking up Southeast Asia

Western funds rush in as market reforms and rapid growth open up new opportunities

27 June 2018
Members of Aam Aadmi Party's trade wing hold rally in New Delhi on May 12 to protest Walmart's purchase of a majority stake in Flipkart.
The Big Story

Indian retail is ripe for disruption despite pushback

Backlash against Walmart-Flipkart deal poses challenge for Modi's reform agenda

20 June 2018
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The Big Story

Amazon and Walmart bet big on Indian grocery delivery

Local startup Grofers tweaks business model as battle for users heats up

20 June 2018
Chinese structures are seen in the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea in April last year.
The Big Story

Shifting US policy leaves Asian allies at sea

Trump's 'America first' attitude plays into China's hands

13 June 2018
Chinese warships and fighter jets take part in a military display in the South China Sea on April 12.
The Big Story

How Beijing is winning control of the South China Sea

Erratic US policy and fraying alliances give China a free hand

13 June 2018
After more than 70 years of separation, what would it take to bring North and South Korea together? (Illustrations by Eric Chow)
The Big Story

Imagining a unified Korea

Experts weigh in on the practical challenges and potential ramifications of a North-South union

6 June 2018
Indonesian trainees harvest cabbages at a farm in Ibaraki Prefecture. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
The Big Story

Famous for its resistance to immigration, Japan opens its doors

Number of foreign workers doubles in five years as nation faces labor crisis

30 May 2018
A Taiwanese student, right, practices serving customers at a Lawson convenience store in Tokyo. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
The Big Story

Part-time saviors: Foreign students help plug Japan's labor gap

Convenience stores and delivery companies are among the biggest beneficiaries

30 May 2018
Tencent's Pony Ma Huateng has responded positively to the Communist Party's call for tech companies to list at home.
The Big Story

In China, private companies walk a fine line

Being part of the political machine means taking policy calls seriously

23 May 2018
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The Big Story

How China's state-backed companies fell behind

Efficiency plummets over 10 years, exclusive data show

23 May 2018
AirAsia shares fell after group CEO Tony Fernandes, seen here last December, publicly apologized for supporting defeated Prime Minister Najib Razak in Malaysia's May 9 election.
The Big Story

Investors see 'big change' in Malaysian business under Mahathir

AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes among company chiefs caught out by surprise result

16 May 2018
Many Malaysians have high hopes for newly elected Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, but there are risks ahead. (Photo by Takaki Kashiwabara)
The Big Story

After the upset: What Mahathir's return means for Malaysia

Young voters have high hopes, but can the 92-year-old prime minister deliver change?

16 May 2018
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The Big Story

Mekong River nations face the hidden costs of China's dams

Dozens of projects threaten agriculture and fishing in Southeast Asia

9 May 2018
Rice farmers in the Mekong Delta rely on the river for irrigation and nutrient-rich sediment, both of which are under threat.
The Big Story

Investment floods into Mekong Delta

Vietnam seeks to foster high-tech agriculture, renewable energy

9 May 2018
SoftBank chief Masayoshi Son has agreed to cede control of Sprint in order to facilitate its merger with T-Mobile US.
The Big Story

Flip side to SoftBank's aggressive expansion

Tie-up between Sprint and T-Mobile would reduce debt load if approved

2 May 2018
SoftBank Group founder and Chairman Masayoshi Son is investing big in everything from ride-sharing startups to co-working spaces.
The Big Story

Visionary or daredevil? Masayoshi Son's big bets reshape tech landscape

Backed by a $96 billion war chest, SoftBank founder outspends the competition

2 May 2018
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The Big Story

China's upstart chip companies aim to topple Samsung, Intel and TSMC

Push into semiconductor market raises fears of a supply glut

25 April 2018
Tsinghua Unigroup's R&D facility in Silicon Valley (Photo by Hiromi Sato)
Business trends

Chinese chipmakers poach talent from global rivals

Country will need some 700,000 specialists to meet its semiconductor goals

25 April 2018
Startup Cambricon shows off its next-generation AI chip at the 19th China International Industry Fair 2017 in Shanghai last November.
Business trends

China's AI push produces a unicorn

Cambricon's 'fame' attracts high profile investors

25 April 2018