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China Conference: Southeast Asia

BySCMP Events
China Conference: Southeast Asia
Insights and takeaways from China Conference: Southeast Asia, an annual flagship conference organised by the South China Morning Post. The 2025 edition, on February 17 in Kuala Lumpur, saw keynote speeches from Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, former Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying, and more.
Attendees of the signing of the memorandum of understanding between SCMP and Kadin Indonesia in Jakarta on October 11, 2025. (From left to right): Kadin Indonesia’s Secretary General of UK-Indonesia Bilateral Committee Steven Marcelino, Chairman of Hong Kong and Macau Bilateral Committee Suwito, Chairman Anindya Bakrie, Vice Chairwoman Shinta Kamdani; SCMP’s Executive Managing Editor Zuraidah Ibrahim, Global Events Vice-President Razlan Manjaji, Events Manager Lucia Lam, and Events Associate Director Mak Sin Chang. Photo: Handout

Post signs pact with Indonesian business guild to hold events, dialogue

The two parties will advance a range of initiatives, including a China Conference: Southeast Asia in Jakarta in early 2026.

Video | Hong Kong to keep ‘one country, two systems’ model indefinitely, justice minister says

Tariffs, AI potential, cautious optimism on China: Southeast Asia’s path ahead

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Hong Kong economy

Malaysia reaffirms Hong Kong investment ties amid worries over Trump’s tactics

Tengku Zafrul Aziz, Malaysia’s trade minister, says Asean should continue to engage with Washington while also diversifying supply chains.

Tengku Zafrul Aziz, Malaysia’s minister for investment, trade and industry, speaking at the South China Morning Post’s conference on Monday. Photo: SCMP
Artificial intelligence

DeepSeek lowers cost of AI adoption for firms across Southeast Asia: experts

Many businesses in the region still must contend with a lack of AI talent and outdated digital infrastructure.

Asean

Malaysia’s trade minister calls on Asean, Hong Kong to shape the ‘Asian century’

Tengku Zafrul Aziz paints a picture of vast potential and hope in closing speech at forum in Kuala Lumpur.

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Semiconductors

Malaysia’s chip sector to benefit from ‘neutrality’ amid US-China tech war

Malaysia can help firms ‘serve the US, China and the rest of the world’, the head of the country’s semiconductor industry association says.

Wong Siew-hai, president of the Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association, speaks at a panel on advanced manufacturing at the SCMP’s China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025 event held in Kuala Lumpur on Monday. Photo: Nora Tam
Asean

Are fragmented regulations holding back Southeast Asia’s EV ambitions?

The head of Chinese EV maker Xpeng says a lack of unified legal frameworks around tech like autonomous driving could discourage investment.

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong to become Muslim-friendly city for Asean businesses, tourists: John Lee

Authorities have introduced incentives such as simplifying immigration requirements, offering more halal options, city leader says.

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Asean

Can Southeast Asia be part of a new world order amid US-China tug of war?

Panel speakers at ‘China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025’ note that region has been ‘Trump-proofing’ and Beijing stands to gain if it seizes the opportunity.

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(From left) Chan Heng-chee, Singapore’s ambassador-at-large; Frederick Ma, chairman of the board at FWD Group; Thitinan Pongsudhirak, professor of international relations at Chulalongkorn University; Asean Business Advisory Council chairman Nazir Razak; and Zuraidah Ibrahim, executive managing editor of the South China Morning Post, during the “China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025” in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Monday. Photo: Nora Tam
Malaysia

China and Asean seek stronger ties amid US uncertainty

Trump 2.0 was the elephant in the room at SCMP’s ‘China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025’ in Kuala Lumpur, where participants promoted multilateralism.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim attends SCMP’s China Conference Southeast Asia, held at The St. Regis Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.
Hong Kong politics

Hong Kong to keep ‘one country, two systems’ model indefinitely, minister says

Paul Lam issues reassurance at South China Morning Post’s China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025, cites 2022 speech by Xi Jinping.

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Anwar Ibrahim

‘Asean’s moment is now’: Malaysia’s Anwar on AI, tariff challenges

Malaysia’s PM in his speech at the ‘China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025’, organised by the Post, also speaks out against ‘economic coercion and unilateral actions’.

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Asean

‘Superconnector’ Hong Kong can share mainland expertise with Asean: CY Leung

At Post’s China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025, ex-city leader highlights potential for deeper economic cooperation between country and bloc.

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Leung Chun-ying, former chief executive of Hong Kong, delivers the opening keynote speech at the China Conference. Photo: Nora Tam

Why Southeast Asia is an Ideal Family Office Location

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SCMP Events
[from left] South China Morning Post’s Senior Reporter Dewey Sim moderated a panel discussion, Investing for generations: the rise of family offices in Asia at China Conference: Southeast Asia 2023 on March 30, 2023 in Singapore. Panellists included Agnes Chen, Managing Director of APAC Region for Fund Services, CSC; Chi-man Kwan, Group Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Raffles Family Office and Lawrence Lok, Chief Financial Officer of Hywin Holdings.
Singapore

Exclusive | Singapore’s Shanmugam on US-China ties, ‘socialist’ policies and the wealth gap

In the first part of a wide-ranging exclusive interview with This Week in Asia, Singapore’s minister for home affairs and law talks China’s ‘peace plan’ for Ukraine, the necessity of staying neutral and the enduring nature of Singapore’s social compact.

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Hong Kong economy

Top graduates in Singapore, Malaysia eyeing Hong Kong career path: Paul Chan

Financial secretary reveals observation in blog post, notes most are interested in regional cooperation for a stab at growing economic pie.

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Asean

Editorial | Forget Hong Kong-Singapore rivalry hype, thriving Asia calls for collaboration

Speakers at Post’s ‘China Conference: Southeast Asia 2023’ stress how all countries in ‘region of tomorrow’ can feel the economic benefit.

A walkway gives pedestrians a grand view of Singapore’s Central Business District skyline. Singapore’s and Hong Kong’s potential shared economic future is a far bigger pond to swim in than their rivalry. Photo: EPA-EFE
Singapore

Hong Kong’s Paul Chan spotlights city’s ‘perfect’ liveability, low taxes

Hong Kong’s finance chief Paul Chan highlights city’s advantages like low taxes, ‘perfect’ liveability, and government-backed ecosystem for start-ups.

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China economy

Hong Kong a ‘super-connector’ for investors seeking to enter China, envoy says

Chinese envoy to Singapore Sun Haiyan said strong government coordination and policy stability ensured quick roll-outs of infrastructure and development projects in China.

China technology

SE Asian start-ups need to be careful when trying to replicate WeChat’s success

Tech companies should ‘earn the right’ to expand into new business categories after creating a solid core business, entrepreneurs and investors say at Post conference.

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The China conference tech session on super apps in Southeast Asia: (left to right) Eugene Tang, SCMP’s business editor; Hian Goh, founder and general partner of Openspace Ventures; Dave Ng, general partner of Altara Ventures; Manisha Shah, chief financial officer of MoMo; and Darren Yong, head of technology, media and telecommunications at KPMG Asia Pacific. Photo: SCMP
Singapore

Hong Kong, Singapore leaders discuss Asian growth, dismiss ‘rivalry’ talk

Hong Kong’s finance chief Paul Chan says strong collaboration with Asean – of which Singapore is a part – is a key plank of city’s economic policy.

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Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po meets Singapore’s Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam at the sidelines of SCMP’s China Conference: Southeast Asia 2023. Photo: Handout
Business of climate change

China Conference: Mainland EV makers to establish foothold in Southeast Asia

China’s home-grown EV brands have the potential to establish a foothold in Southeast Asia’s automobile markets, but must establish their brands in the minds of the consumer, a panel at the Post’s China Conference: Southeast Asia heard on Thursday.

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Singapore

Asean emerging as China trade alternative but won’t be a replacement: experts

The US’ withdrawal as a ‘cheerleader’ and driver of globalisation has been the ‘most critical change in last 20 years’, one observer said.

Cryptocurrency

Cooperation, innovation to drive global payments industry: SCMP Conference

Collaboration between stakeholders and constant innovation will help build a sustainable ecosystem for the US$240 trillion global payments industry, panellists at the China Conference: Southeast Asia said.

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Eugene Tang, Business Editor SCMP; Oluchi Ikechi-D’Amico, strategy and transactions partner at EY Parthenon; Kai Wu, group chief revenue officer and general manager for APAC at Airwallex and Shayan Hazir - chief digital officer for Southeast Asia at HSBC, at the China Conference: Southeast Asia, in Singapore, on Wednesday. Photo: SCMP
Malaysia

Malaysia, China to announce major deals as investors buoyed by Anwar: minister

The minister said recent parliamentary votes in favour of the government showed clearly that it had staying power to last the full five-year electoral cycle.

Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry Tengku Zafrul Aziz at SCMP’s China Conference: Southeast Asia 2023, on March 29, 2023, in Singapore. Photo: Handout
Singapore

Hong Kong must ‘facilitate’ movement of more global firms to city: Paul Chan

Financial secretary says ‘favourable’ regulatory moves have allowed Hong Kong to do more to attract overseas companies.

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Singapore

Hong Kong and Singapore aren’t economic rivals, minister K Shanmugam says

Singapore’s Minister for Home Affairs and Law says he is ‘bemused’ by suggestions that Hong Kong is in terminal decline.

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