https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/66372/feed The World Economic Forum (WEF) is a Swiss non-profit foundation that is best known for its annual meeting in Davos, an alpine resort. The meeting brings together global business leaders, politicians, intellectuals and journalists to discuss the issues of the day. The gathering is often simply termed “Davos”, a reference to its venue. The WEF also holds the Annual Meeting of the New Champions (AMNC) or “Summer Davos”. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Vincent Chow,Xinmei Shen Vincent Chow,Xinmei Shen The next frontier of artificial intelligence will be agents that can perform “economically valuable” work across a broad range of real-world domains, according to Dawn Song, Meta Platforms’ new vice-president of AI research. “The goal is not to replace humans,” Song told the South China Morning Post last week on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Dalian, also known as Summer Davos, days before joining Meta. “But we want these AI agents to be more effective in these important real-world... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3358639/ai-agents-provide-economic-value-are-next-frontier-says-meta-ai-research-chief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3358639/ai-agents-provide-economic-value-are-next-frontier-says-meta-ai-research-chief?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jun 2026 03:00:05 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong is uniquely positioned to add value to Beijing’s “China Opportunity 2.0” narrative, serving as a bridge and catalyst for the global expansion of mainland Chinese enterprises, the city’s finance chief has said. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po also identified the Northern Metropolis megaproject in his weekly blog on Sunday as a destination that would empower mainland firms to commercialise their research outcomes and deepen technological development of both sides. “In the face of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3358643/hong-kong-can-drive-china-opportunity-20-push-global-growth-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3358643/hong-kong-can-drive-china-opportunity-20-push-global-growth-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Jun 2026 08:16:50 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan The Gulf states should prioritise diverse defences and domestic capability-building to hedge against uncertain US commitments and volatility in the Middle East, according to an expert at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Dalian in northeastern China this week. Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at Chatham House, said on Wednesday that regional governments remained deeply reliant on the United States for security but were increasingly uneasy about... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3358493/when-geography-destiny-gulf-states-must-diversify-their-defence-expert-says-dalian?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3358493/when-geography-destiny-gulf-states-must-diversify-their-defence-expert-says-dalian?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jun 2026 12:00:05 +0000 Sylvia Ma,June Xia Sylvia Ma,June Xia China’s green-energy costs are projected to plummet in the coming years, offering a substantial cost advantage over traditional sources, according to an industry insider. The forecast follows China’s world-leading installed power-generation capacity hitting 4.01 billion kilowatts. The latest capacity metric, released by the National Energy Administration on Thursday, is widely viewed as a key gauge of China’s ability to generate electricity and support economic activity. And the expansion of the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3358359/chinas-green-energy-costs-seen-undercutting-traditional-energy-capacity-hits-record?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3358359/chinas-green-energy-costs-seen-undercutting-traditional-energy-capacity-hits-record?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Jun 2026 11:00:15 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The widening imbalance between consumption and exports in China’s economy has added fuel to critics’ charges of overcapacity. It led to the “China shock 2.0” theory being discussed at the World Economic Forum in Dalian, also known as the Summer Davos. China’s Premier Li Qiang used his opening speech at the plenary session of the forum to tackle the theory head-on, saying it is not grounded in fact and should be reworded as “China Opportunity 2.0”. Li argued that China’s increasing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3358233/summer-davos-li-qiang-makes-case-chinas-vision-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3358233/summer-davos-li-qiang-makes-case-chinas-vision-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Jun 2026 23:15:11 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu The World Trade Organization (WTO) should expel the United States to signal that its protectionist policies and weaponisation of trade are unacceptable, according to an academic speaking at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as “Summer Davos”. “There is a danger in that protectionism is contagious,” said Kristen Hopewell, a professor at the University of British Columbia’s School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, during a panel session at the event in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3358225/dangerous-moment-academic-calls-us-expulsion-wto-over-protectionism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3358225/dangerous-moment-academic-calls-us-expulsion-wto-over-protectionism?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Jun 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan China may be seen as a potential mediator in the Middle East but economic integration within the region is more likely to drive change there, according to observers at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian. The “Summer Davos” gathering in Liaoning province this week comes as Washington and Tehran try to reach agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The two countries have agreed to halt fighting “on all... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3358191/summer-davos-china-mideast-firms-look-next-generation-repair-gulf?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3358191/summer-davos-china-mideast-firms-look-next-generation-repair-gulf?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Jun 2026 12:00:07 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Beijing’s recent investigation into three brokerages – Futu Securities, Tiger Brokers and Long Bridge – was partly driven by concerns over foreign exchange “leakage” and the need to protect mainland China’s vast base of retail investors, Hong Kong’s finance chief has said. At a closed-door C-Suite roundtable organised by the South China Morning Post and the Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC) on Wednesday, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said Beijing was overall “supportive” of Hong... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3358180/beijings-brokerage-probe-stop-leakage-paul-chan-tells-davos-dalian-event?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3358180/beijings-brokerage-probe-stop-leakage-paul-chan-tells-davos-dalian-event?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Jun 2026 07:23:19 +0000 Ji Siqi,Xinyi Wu Ji Siqi,Xinyi Wu Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Wednesday the western narrative of “China Shock 2.0” is not grounded in facts and instead should be phrased as “China Opportunity 2.0”, as he stressed the country is serving as a catalyst for global economic growth. “What China’s technologies and products in emerging fields bring to the world is not a shock, but an opportunity; not a threat, but empowerment,” Li said at the opening plenary of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3358126/china-safe-haven-global-economy-says-premier-li-qiang-summer-davos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3358126/china-safe-haven-global-economy-says-premier-li-qiang-summer-davos?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Jun 2026 02:32:36 +0000 Sylvia Ma,Xinyi Wu Sylvia Ma,Xinyi Wu China’s industrial overcapacity should not be singled out for blame amid trade imbalances, as economies worldwide are struggling to adapt to shifts in the global economy, contributing to mounting pressures, a prominent Chinese scholar said in comments directed at the United States. “The reason why our imbalance is becoming a bigger problem is that the rest of the world is having a bigger problem in adjusting the economic structure,” said Huang Yiping, dean of Peking University’s National School... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3358090/what-fuels-global-trade-imbalances-chinas-overcapacity-or-americas-failure-adapt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3358090/what-fuels-global-trade-imbalances-chinas-overcapacity-or-americas-failure-adapt?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Jun 2026 14:00:05 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma China’s crackdown on cross-border securities trading could strengthen – rather than diminish – Hong Kong’s financial role, according to economists, as Beijing steers more capital through official channels and reinforces the city’s status as an offshore yuan hub. “I would argue that these moves make the importance of Hong Kong even bigger,” Diana Choyleva, founder and chief economist at Enodo Economics, said on Tuesday at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions – also known... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3358091/chinas-trading-crackdown-seen-boosting-hong-kong-official-capital-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3358091/chinas-trading-crackdown-seen-boosting-hong-kong-official-capital-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Jun 2026 13:00:10 +0000 June Xia,Ji Siqi June Xia,Ji Siqi During an inspection of shipbuilding and nuclear power firms in Dalian, a heavy industrial hub in China’s northeast, Premier Li Qiang pushed state-owned firms to achieve breakthroughs in high-end equipment manufacturing and to bolster the nation’s core industrial competitiveness. “Dalian’s shipbuilding industry boasts a long history and a solid foundation in developing high-end equipment manufacturing,” Li was quoted as saying by Xinhua during his visit to a state-owned shipbuilder in the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3358039/li-qiangs-tech-blueprint-turn-chinas-old-industrial-hubs-high-value-powerhouses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3358039/li-qiangs-tech-blueprint-turn-chinas-old-industrial-hubs-high-value-powerhouses?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Jun 2026 08:00:11 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell It seems that not a day passes without fevered headlines about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on future jobs. Alarm and confusion are everywhere – from young people trying to enter the job market to AI specialists worried their role is about to be usurped by AI itself to accountants and lawyers watching AI gobble up roles that until recently justified high fees and salaries. Panic is warranted, not just over the increasingly rapid encroachment of AI into every part of our personal... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3357550/ai-development-needs-reining-whether-it-creates-jobs-or-not?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3357550/ai-development-needs-reining-whether-it-creates-jobs-or-not?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Jun 2026 08:30:04 +0000 Jufang Wang,Alan Doss Jufang Wang,Alan Doss In 1996, the bestselling China Can Say No, co-authored by a group of intellectuals, reflected a nascent rejection of worship of the West and a rise in Chinese nationalism. Thirty years on, China is not just saying “no” to the West, it possesses the strategic leverage to hit back, underpinned by its dominance in global supply chains, rare earth minerals and critical green technologies. China’s confidence is perhaps most evident in its rebuttals and forceful countermeasures against Western claims... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3357169/its-time-west-genuinely-accepted-chinas-global-ascent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3357169/its-time-west-genuinely-accepted-chinas-global-ascent?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Jun 2026 12:30:06 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Asian technology firms are facing a “costly paradox” as they try to navigate an increasingly uneven global AI rule book, with divergent compliance requirements in the European Union and the United States threatening to blunt their competitive edge. Analysts say the challenge is acute for Asian companies. While the EU has a single, comprehensive and legally binding artificial intelligence framework based on the landmark EU AI Act, US technology-related laws are decentralised at the state... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3355327/asia-faces-costly-paradox-over-divergent-ai-rules-us-and-eu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3355327/asia-faces-costly-paradox-over-divergent-ai-rules-us-and-eu?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 10:31:05 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li Will artificial intelligence dampen China’s already sluggish job market? According to various employment sites, openings for AI professionals are surging across a range of sectors. Recruitment platform Zhilian Zhaopin reported on Wednesday that listings on the site for AI product managers rose by 81 per cent year on year while demand for technical positions – such as AI engineers and AI data trainers – grew by 17 per cent during the same period. “Companies across all sectors are now hiring AI... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3354669/wanted-ai-professionals-lean-chinas-surging-demand-future-tech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3354669/wanted-ai-professionals-lean-chinas-surging-demand-future-tech?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 May 2026 08:13:05 +0000 Xinyi Wu,Yulu Ao Xinyi Wu,Yulu Ao Senior officials from China and the United States have started a new round of trade talks in Seoul, South Korea, hours ahead of US President Donald Trump’s scheduled arrival in Beijing. The delegations – led by Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent – arrived at Terminal 1 of Incheon Airport around noon on Wednesday Seoul time. The two officials had both paid courtesy calls to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in the morning. This is the seventh round of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3353224/china-us-trade-talks-kick-seoul-ahead-high-profile-leaders-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3353224/china-us-trade-talks-kick-seoul-ahead-high-profile-leaders-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 03:34:15 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a video address released on Sunday that Canada’s strong economic ties to the United States were once a strength but are now a weakness that must be corrected. In the 10-minute address, Carney spoke about his government’s efforts to strengthen the Canadian economy by attracting new investments and signing trade deals with other countries. “The world is more dangerous and divided,” Carney said. “The US has fundamentally changed its approach to trade,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350656/canadas-carney-says-economic-ties-us-are-weakness-must-be-corrected?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350656/canadas-carney-says-economic-ties-us-are-weakness-must-be-corrected?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 18:55:45 +0000 Reuters,Associated Press Reuters,Associated Press Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney returns to Parliament on Tuesday with more power after he secured a majority government by sweeping three special elections. Carney’s Liberals now have 174 of the 343 seats in the House of Commons and won’t need support from opposition parties to pass legislation after winning three districts that became vacant after last year’s election. It would also likely mean Carney, who took office with no political experience and has earned global praise for his efforts... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349976/canadas-carney-secures-majority-government-special-election-wins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349976/canadas-carney-secures-majority-government-special-election-wins?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 03:03:43 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is on the verge of securing a majority government as special elections are held in three districts on Monday. Votes are being cast in the Toronto-area districts of Scarborough Southwest and University-Rosedale, which are considered safe seats for Carney’s Liberals, and in the Montreal-area district of Terrebonne, which is considered a toss-up. Winning just one of them would give Carney a majority. The Liberals now have 171 members of Parliament in the House of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349948/canadian-pm-carney-verge-majority-government-amid-special-elections?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349948/canadian-pm-carney-verge-majority-government-amid-special-elections?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:24:18 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Last month in Florida, many leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean showed up for the so-called Shield of the Americas summit. Prefacing his speech, the self-styled US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth declared, “I only speak American.” Most people there spoke Spanish and/or English. Both the northern and the southern parts of the hemisphere are called American, but there is no such language as Hegseth’s, at least linguistically. However, it was clear what he meant. The United States just... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/article/3349098/why-beijing-now-only-true-partner-africa-and-latin-america?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/article/3349098/why-beijing-now-only-true-partner-africa-and-latin-america?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 15:05:43 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Steps to narrow the gender gap in Malaysia and Indonesia appear to be falling short, after a major global study found that most people surveyed in both nations remain tethered to traditional views on the roles of women. The study by research firm Ipsos and the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London found that 66 and 60 per cent of respondents from Indonesia and Malaysia, respectively, agreed with the statement that “a wife should always obey her husband”, the highest... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347409/malaysia-indonesia-top-global-poll-obedient-wives?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347409/malaysia-indonesia-top-global-poll-obedient-wives?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 02:30:08 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Gender equality in politics remains far from achieved across Japan’s 47 prefectures, research by a group of experts has shown as it released local index scores on International Women’s Day. While nearly 80 years have passed since women in Japan first exercised their right to vote, the politics index fell in eight prefectures, including Kanagawa near Tokyo, from the 2024 figures, while many other prefectures also saw little change. With a score of 1 representing full equality, Tokyo scored 0.386,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345847/80-years-gender-gap-persists-japanese-politics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345847/80-years-gender-gap-persists-japanese-politics?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 03:00:11 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun Beijing should increase investment in early childhood education and lifelong learning as AI reshapes the world’s largest labour market, a prominent Chinese economist has said. The real policy test for China is whether it can shift decisively from investing in capital to investing in people, while policy and regulation must steer artificial intelligence (AI) towards empowering rather than replacing workers, according to Cai Fang, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences focusing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3345288/china-should-education-spending-help-population-adapt-ai-era-economist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3345288/china-should-education-spending-help-population-adapt-ai-era-economist?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 23:00:07 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji As tech titans and world leaders descended on New Delhi for the India AI Impact Summit in February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set out his ambition for the country to become a major global power in artificial intelligence – a technology currently dominated by the United States and China. “My vision is that India should be among the top three AI superpowers globally, not just in the consumption of AI but in creation,” Modi told Asian News International in an interview about the summit. Top tech... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3344919/indias-ai-superpower-dream-lands-us200-billion-now-comes-hard-part?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3344919/indias-ai-superpower-dream-lands-us200-billion-now-comes-hard-part?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 06:00:13 +0000 Reuters Reuters The president and CEO of the World Economic Forum, Borge Brende, said he was stepping down on Thursday, a few weeks after the forum launched an independent investigation into his relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Brende, who became president of the WEF ‌in 2017, announced his decision in a statement following disclosures from the US Justice Department that showed the Norwegian had three business dinners with Epstein and had also communicated with the disgraced financier via email... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3344763/world-economic-forum-ceo-borge-brende-resigns-over-epstein-revelations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3344763/world-economic-forum-ceo-borge-brende-resigns-over-epstein-revelations?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:50:07 +0000 Bernard Chan Bernard Chan I travelled to Zurich, Switzerland, last month to attend the Asia Leaders Series, a forum designed to foster candid exchange between Europe and Asia, offering policymakers, economists and business leaders a trusted setting to engage seriously with global challenges. The event took place on the eve of the World Economic Forum meeting. I was asked to moderate a session on a topic that was hardly novel: US-China rivalry. I approached the event with modest expectations. Strategic competition between... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343913/us-and-china-can-again-find-common-ground-ais-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343913/us-and-china-can-again-find-common-ground-ais-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 12:30:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korea will take part as an observer in the inaugural meeting of the US-led “Board of Peace”, dispatching a former envoy to Thursday’s session in Washington, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Kim Yong-hyun, former ambassador to Egypt, will attend the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace scheduled for February 19, as the South Korean representative,” the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. A ministry official said that South Korea would attend as a non-member observer... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3343904/south-korea-signals-cautious-support-trumps-board-peace-attending-observer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3343904/south-korea-signals-cautious-support-trumps-board-peace-attending-observer?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 08:45:35 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump denounced a clean ⁠energy agreement between ⁠the United Kingdom and ⁠California Governor Gavin Newsom hours after it was signed on Monday, Politico reported. In an interview with the news outlet, Trump said it was “inappropriate” for Britain to be ‌dealing with the Democratic governor. Trump, a Republican, also branded Newsom “a loser”, saying “his state has gone to hell, and his environmental work is a disaster”. Newsom is an outspoken Trump critic and has publicly... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343772/trump-slams-energy-deal-between-california-and-britain-calls-governor-newsom-loser?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343772/trump-slams-energy-deal-between-california-and-britain-calls-governor-newsom-loser?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:57:52 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage The route to challenging China’s supremacy in rare earth minerals lies in using artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing to create synthetic substitutes or alloys, according to a prominent American expert in AI. Jack Hidary, CEO of SandboxAQ, an AI and quantum technology Alphabet spin-off, said these technologies could cut the time required to secure critical materials to just a few years. This could bypass the traditional 10 to 20 years needed to bring a new mine online while also... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343609/could-us-unlock-chinas-rare-earths-grip-ai-and-quantum-computing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343609/could-us-unlock-chinas-rare-earths-grip-ai-and-quantum-computing?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 10:00:08 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong Dwindling global trust in the US dollar is one of the most prominent risks facing a vulnerable world economy this year, according to Zhu Min, an ex-deputy director of the International Monetary Fund and former deputy governor of the People’s Bank of China. He noted that the credibility of the US dollar was being challenged as its share of global foreign exchange reserves had fallen to 57 per cent – from 70 per cent in the past. On the other hand, “the proportions of gold, the euro and the yuan... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3343617/fading-us-dollar-trust-threatens-world-economy-ex-imf-official-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3343617/fading-us-dollar-trust-threatens-world-economy-ex-imf-official-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 07:01:27 +0000 Andrew Sheng Andrew Sheng The subject of artificial intelligence (AI) has become so prevalent in global discourse that the recent World Economic Forum in Davos reportedly had more than 200 sessions for corporate leaders to discuss AI from multiple angles. The conversations focused on five key themes: AI and technology’s role in geopolitical rivalry; AI as a productivity and growth driver; AI as a job disrupter; ethics and governance for generative AI and robot systems; and AI’s environmental footprint. Underlying these... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3343344/age-ai-we-must-learn-act-future-clear?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3343344/age-ai-we-must-learn-act-future-clear?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Norway’s ambassador to Jordan and Iraq has resigned after an investigation was launched into her ties to late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the foreign ministry said on Sunday. Mona Juul, who played a key role in the secret Israeli-Palestinian negotiations which led to the Oslo Accords of the early 1990s, is among several high-profile Norwegian figures swept up in the latest Epstein file release. “This is a correct and necessary decision. Juul’s contact with the convicted abuser Epstein has... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3342855/senior-diplomat-resigns-norway-investigates-epstein-links?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3342855/senior-diplomat-resigns-norway-investigates-epstein-links?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 19:53:27 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The presidents of Argentina and Romania said on Sunday they have been invited to attend the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump’s controversial “Board of Peace” in Washington on February 19. Originally designed by Trump as a mechanism to oversee the Gaza truce and post-war reconstruction, the board’s mandate has since expanded, prompting concerns among critics that it could evolve into a rival to the United Nations. Writing on his Facebook page, Romania’s President Nicusor Dan said... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342854/romania-argentina-leaders-invited-trumps-board-peace-meeting-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342854/romania-argentina-leaders-invited-trumps-board-peace-meeting-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 19:29:27 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The global space industry has rapidly evolved from the days when nations raced to the heavens in a quest for glory. Now space is a venue for competition to forge the world’s technological future. Hong Kong must follow these developments with solid planning if it hopes to tap into the opportunities of China’s “NewSpace” ambitions. NewSpace is an emerging industry where private firms are involved with satellite manufacturing, launch services, space law, tourism and other ventures concentrated in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3342632/hong-kong-need-not-wait-help-chinese-space-ambitions-take?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3342632/hong-kong-need-not-wait-help-chinese-space-ambitions-take?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 23:15:15 +0000 Bernard Chan Bernard Chan Europe’s political and business elite arrived at the World Economic Forum in Davos this year with nerves already frayed after a bruising first year of US President Donald Trump’s second term. That period was defined by the imposition of a protectionist tariff strategy to gain economic and geopolitical leverage, an often combative approach to the war in Ukraine and renewed doubts over Nato security guarantees. In the run-up to Davos, the White House threatened eight European countries – including... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3342380/after-davos-search-begins-what-comes-after-post-cold-war-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3342380/after-davos-search-begins-what-comes-after-post-cold-war-order?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Richard Harris Richard Harris US President Donald Trump’s trip to Europe to speak at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss alpine town of Davos was possibly one he wished he had never made; such was its failure to impress. First, his plane had to turn back due to a technical problem. Second, he gave a typically hostile speech, but then he lived up to his nickname “Taco” (Trump always chickens out) over threats to invade Greenland that would have imperilled about a third of global trade. Third, he said disingenuously that if... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3342335/how-america-first-many-respects-puts-america-behind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3342335/how-america-first-many-respects-puts-america-behind?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:30:11 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Luuk van Middelaar is the director of the Brussels Institute for Geopolitics, a think tank he co-founded in 2022. A political theorist and historian by trade, he has written several books and was in the cabinet of the first European Council president, Herman Van Rompuy. Van Middelaar is widely read and cited across Europe for his analysis of the EU’s political evolution, with his books translated into many languages and awarded major European literary prizes. He writes regularly for leading... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/world/europe/article/3342456/historian-trumps-new-world-order-ukraine-war-and-europe-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/world/europe/article/3342456/historian-trumps-new-world-order-ukraine-war-and-europe-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 04:20:36 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s call for middle powers to band together amid a fragmenting world order is a vision analysts say appeals to many Asian nations, but lacks a blueprint to bring them all together. Speaking in Switzerland last month, Carney urged mid-sized and smaller countries to unite against the economic coercion of great powers, warning that nations failing to act collectively risked being “on the menu” rather than “at the table”, in a thinly veiled rebuke of the United... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3342400/canada-wants-middle-power-alliance-will-asia-pacific-sign?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3342400/canada-wants-middle-power-alliance-will-asia-pacific-sign?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 01:31:42 +0000 dpa dpa Fifa president Gianni Infantino has apologised over remarks he made about British fans and defended the decision to award a peace prize to US President Donald Trump. Infantino said at last month’s World Economic Forum in Davos that the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 had been special because “for the first time in history no Brit was arrested”. His comments were described as a “cheap” joke at the expense of fans by the Football Supporters’ Association, while the UK’s football policing lead Chief... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/football/article/3342154/fifa-boss-sorry-offending-british-football-fans-defends-trump-peace-prize?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/football/article/3342154/fifa-boss-sorry-offending-british-football-fans-defends-trump-peace-prize?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 17:34:26 +0000 Sophie Wushuang Yi Sophie Wushuang Yi For decades, the defining debate in international relations centred on whether China, as it developed into the world’s second-largest economy, would seek to revise the established world order. Would Beijing demand a greater share of global resources? Would it challenge American primacy? The non-Chinese speaking world watched anxiously for signs of Chinese revisionism, debating the “Thucydides Trap” – the theory that a rising power and an established hegemon are destined for conflict. Enormous... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/opinion/article/3341875/forget-china-threat-real-disruption-trumps-us-old-order-not-coming-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/opinion/article/3341875/forget-china-threat-real-disruption-trumps-us-old-order-not-coming-back?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 03:00:15 +0000 Zheng Yongnian Zheng Yongnian Several signals from this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos revealed a fundamental transformation in international politics. The forum laid bare the conclusion of a long era, yet provided little clarity about the coming one. The first signal is the collapse of the post-World War II order shaped by the West – and the West’s own unravelling with it. The West has used its dominance over global discourse to construct and impose concepts it favours on the non-Western world. Yet the West itself is... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341715/tianxia-20-how-china-can-help-shape-next-world-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341715/tianxia-20-how-china-can-help-shape-next-world-order?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 12:30:14 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng ByteDance and Alibaba Group Holding are poised to ratchet up their artificial intelligence infrastructure initiatives, as the global AI arms race continues to intensify. The two companies’ latest moves lend weight to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s recent remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that the world was witnessing the biggest infrastructure buildout in history and that trillions of dollars of infrastructure still had to be built. Beijing-based ByteDance, operator of TikTok... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3341863/china-tech-giants-bytedance-and-alibaba-ramp-ai-infrastructure-efforts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3341863/china-tech-giants-bytedance-and-alibaba-ramp-ai-infrastructure-efforts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 12:00:05 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney does not mince his words. Writing for The Economist last November, Carney argued the post-Cold War had collapsed and said the world was “entering an era of ‘variable geometry’” involving “pragmatic coalitions, built around shared interests, and occasionally shared values, rather than shared institutions”. The essay, it turns out, was the prelude to a hard-hitting speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on January 20. Carney told attendees... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3341634/what-ruptured-globalisation-means-international-finance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3341634/what-ruptured-globalisation-means-international-finance?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 08:30:10 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma For decades, the US dollar has served as the currency of global reserve, the de facto anchor for the vast majority of international exchanges. Consequently, United States government debt – most commonly in the form of Treasury assets such as bonds, notes and bills – has long been regarded as a safe haven by investors, prized for its unmatched liquidity and deep market penetration. That faith has remained strong in the past, even amid global financial crises. But the events of recent weeks... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3341391/age-trump-are-safe-haven-us-assets-not-so-safe-any-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3341391/age-trump-are-safe-haven-us-assets-not-so-safe-any-more?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 22:00:13 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Tuesday that he told US President Donald Trump that he meant what he said in his speech at Davos, and told him Canada plans to diversify away from the United States with a dozen new trade deals. Carney rolled his eyes and rejected US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s contention to Fox News that he aggressively walked back his comments at the World Economic Forum during a phone call with Trump on Monday. “To be absolutely clear, and I said this to the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341465/carney-rolls-eyes-us-treasury-chief-says-he-told-trump-he-meant-what-he-said-davos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341465/carney-rolls-eyes-us-treasury-chief-says-he-told-trump-he-meant-what-he-said-davos?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:26:49 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s decision to join US President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” has raised eyebrows at home, with critics zeroing in on how it deviated from Jakarta’s values by serving the interests of only the US and Israel instead of Palestine. Some observers, however, argue that the move is “consistent” with Indonesia’s proactive foreign policy stance and allows it access to major powers. President Prabowo Subianto was among several world leaders flanking Trump at Thursday’s signing of the board’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3341420/indonesias-move-join-trumps-board-peace-stirs-debate-foreign-policy-shift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3341420/indonesias-move-join-trumps-board-peace-stirs-debate-foreign-policy-shift?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 09:52:57 +0000 Bryan Luk Bryan Luk The World Economic Forum in Davos has long been the high cathedral of globalisation, a place where the “Davos Man” devours a borderless world governed by the rules of the market and mutual gain. But a few days ago, that era ended. US President Donald Trump’s speech at Davos was essentially a wrecking ball swung at the foundations of the transatlantic alliance (if it still exists). By doubling down on aggressive, transactional rhetoric against European nations that he sees as free-riders, Trump... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3341226/europe-may-be-entering-its-own-century-humiliation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3341226/europe-may-be-entering-its-own-century-humiliation?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham If there was a sense of panic gripping European leaders at last week’s conclave of elites at the World Economic Forum, they could be forgiven a moment of relief as they departed the snowy peaks of Davos. That was not only because US President Donald Trump used a long, rambling speech to rule out taking the Danish territory of Greenland by force. Nor was it just the meeting on the sidelines with Nato chief Mark Rutte, which produced a formula to defuse immediate tensions by designating US... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341242/table-or-menu-europe-wakes-world-without-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341242/table-or-menu-europe-wakes-world-without-order?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 22:00:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday played down US President Donald Trump’s latest tariff threat against Canada, saying the comments should be viewed with an eye towards a coming trade deal review. Asked about Trump’s threat to impose 100 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports should Ottawa finalise a new trade deal with China, Carney told reporters that the North American free trade deal is up for review this year and “the president is a strong negotiator”. “I think some of these... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341309/carney-links-trumps-new-tariff-threat-north-america-trade-deal-review?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341309/carney-links-trumps-new-tariff-threat-north-america-trade-deal-review?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 18:02:01 +0000