A collection of 13 posts
French President Emmanuel Macron called France “a power that respects its partners” during his 25-29 May tour of Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore, when he promoted his country as a strategic partner for Southeast Asia (SEA) amid growing US-China rivalry. The trip focused on trade, defence and clean energy cooperation, as
The landscape of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting is shifting in 2025 as regulatory mandates grow more stringent globally, even while political pushback intensifies in parts of the world, and most notably the US. The regulatory trend is clear. Governments and oversight bodies are moving to standardise and enforce
US President Donald Trump has nominated entrepreneur Anji Sinha as his pick for the next US ambassador to Singapore, one of its key diplomatic postings in Asia, following his return to the White House in January. Little is publicly known about Dr Sinha, who has no discernible online presence or
Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore have made significant advances in economic development and infrastructure, efforts on sustainability and equality targets remain uneven, the United Nations’ ESCAP 2025 SDG (sustainable development goals) Progress Report found. Thailand leads the trio in overall SDG achievement and ranks first in ASEAN, which is comprised of
Singapore’s business environment is set to face multiple challenges in 2025, with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) expecting continued pressure from rising costs and declining productivity. Meanwhile, the Singapore Exchange is undergoing a leadership shake-up as it seeks to revive its struggling equities market. Economic forecasts have been adjusted
Singapore’s economic outlook for 2025 presents a mixed picture, with steady growth tempered by uncertainty as the government prepares a crucial budget ahead of the next election. Analysts view the upcoming fiscal plan as a defining test for Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s leadership, with expectations that it will
Singapore is an increasingly big player in the foodtech industry, ranking second placed globally in a new report by StartupBlink. A branch of food science, foodtech focuses on production, preservation and research and development, ensuring product security, safety and quality standards. The city state’s position behind only the US
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has expanded its presence in Singapore with a second corporate office at IOI Central Boulevard, positioning the city-state as its Asia Pacific hub. The new office spans over 33,000 square metres across 8 floors and can accommodate up to 3,000 employees. AWS, a subsidiary
A new report from Transparency International (TI) sees mixed results for Southeast Asia (SEA) with Singapore maintaining its position as the region’s least corrupt nation, while Malaysia and Thailand grapple with governance challenges. “Asia Pacific is home to a third of the world’s population, has the second largest
Amid heightened US-China tensions, Singapore reaffirmed its neutral stance at the ASEAN summit in October 2024, with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong emphasising economic stability and strategic balance. Singapore continues to maintain strong trade ties with both superpowers, even as the US and Beijing intensify pressure on regional allies to
Singaporean Trade and Industry Minister Alvin Tan said companies can use the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) as a manufacturing and processing base while keeping their headquarters and research operations in Singapore, in Parliament on 5 February. Singapore and Malaysia agreed to establish the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (SEZ) last
As the incoming administration of US President Donald Trump prepares to announce tariffs, Malaysia is seeking greater alignment with Singapore, and stability and economic resilience at the start of an uncertain era for South East Asia (SEA) and the planet. As global trading networks become less stable, Malaysia has turned
The digital sectors of Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore contributed to a 24% regional increase in profits in 2024, reaching USD 11bn, according to a new report. Thailand and Malaysia strategic cost measures in e-commerce and digital finance, optimising take rates and reducing customer subsidies to improve margins. In Thailand, e-commerce