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Energy

Energy
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Energy. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
An employee of China Southern Power Grid demonstrates controlling a humanoid robot at the company’s robotics laboratory in Guangzhou. Photo: Reuters
China energy security

Why China is spending billions on a robot army to run its power grid

China’s grid operators plan to purchase thousands of robots in 2026 alone, including devices to inspect and maintain vital infrastructure.

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China-EU relations

‘It’s a tightrope’: why Europe’s wind industry faces a growing China dilemma

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China energy security

Explaining China’s new carbon emissions reduction plan

Food and agriculture

Outside In | The Iran war is brewing a food crisis we must avert

The world’s focus has been on energy shortages but famine and widening food insecurity are faces of the same coin.

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A Thai farmer fills an oil drum with diesel to harvest rice, at a petrol station in Ayutthaya on April 1. Thai farmers are struggling with shortages of diesel, fertiliser and insecticides, alongside rising production costs which threaten their crops. Photo: EPA
The Philippines

‘We owe it to the world’: Philippines pushes for South China Sea code this year

Talks between Asean and China to agree on setting rules for maritime behaviour and crisis management under the code have stalled.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Why US tanker blockades are raising risks for Southeast Asian strait controllers

The bigger risk is not of the Iran war spilling into their waters, but the strain of operating in more contested sea lanes, analysts say.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Trump orders US forces to ‘shoot and kill’ boats laying mines in Strait of Hormuz

US president authorises lethal force as the arrival of a third aircraft carrier bolsters a massive naval presence.

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A satellite image shows a fleet of small boats at sea, north of the Strait of Hormuz near the Kargan coast, Iran. Photo: European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-2 via Reuters
Semiconductors

Asia’s chipmakers feel the heat as naphtha crunch hits photoresist supply

Japanese suppliers warn of photoresist strain as upstream shocks ripple through Asia’s semiconductor supply chain.

China energy security

China targets greener AI data centres, heavy industry to meet 2030 climate goals

New emission rules for strategic sectors come as the Iran war reinforces the need for energy security.

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China-Middle East relations

Opinion | China can offer Gulf states more than just a security umbrella

As threat perceptions reset, Gulf states are likely to pursue a dual track of restrained regional policy and diversified partnerships.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
China energy security

Nuclear power revival gets boost from Iran war

China is set to open seven nuclear reactors this year, and other countries are reconsidering atomic energy as the Strait of Hormuz shutdown disrupts oil and gas supplies.

Construction work at a nuclear power plant in Jiangsu province. Photo: Xinhua
US, Israel war on Iran

Powerful reaction: how Iran war could spark Asia’s green hydrogen surge

The war-driven hike in fossil fuel prices is narrowing the cost gap, making the clean energy alternative look like a good option.

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Asean

New direction: Southeast Asian airports fill Middle East hub gap

SIA, Cathay, Korean Air and Qantas have reported an increase in demand for European routes as travellers avoid Middle Eastern hubs.

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Hong Kong economy

Letters | If energy crisis drags on, Hong Kong may need to rely on conservation

Readers discuss the government’s options as fuel prices stay high, and how the city can improve mental health.

A motorcyclist rides by a price board at a petrol station in Causeway Bay on April 10. Photo: Jelly Tse
2026 Trump-Xi summit

As Iran talks go nowhere, will Donald Trump still go to Beijing?

With peace negotiations postponed, it is unclear if the US president will be ready to look at stabilising ties between the two top economies.

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Observers say pressure on Trump will rise as the war continues, and Beijing’s leverage in any talks with the US will also grow. Photo: EPA
US, Israel war on Iran

Video | World’s top condom maker to raise prices over Iran war

Malaysian condom producer Karex plans to raise condom prices by up to 30%.

France

French activists sue ‘deceptive’ laughing gas suppliers

A road safety group is seeking a ban on Chinese and Polish companies behind a firm that markets the gas from operating in France.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Opinion | Iran crisis casts light on energy security from the US to Asia

Rhetoric aside, the US is just not that energy-independent. As for Europe and Asia, it’s time they pursued true energy independence.

Tankers and bulk carriers are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz on April 18. Photo: AP
China-Africa relations

Why China is backing nuclear fuel rod production in Namibia

On week-long trip to China, Namibian minister Selma Ashipala-Musavyi pitches investment case to business leaders in Shenzhen.

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China energy security

China’s slowing oil imports

The war on Iran that has shut the Strait of Hormuz highlights China’s reliance on foreign energy supplies and shows why geopolitical risk is spurring its efforts to lower that dependence even as its economy grows.

Pacific nations

Pacific Islanders skip food, medicine amid global fuel shortage from Iran war

Pacific nations are the most reliant on diesel for power generation worldwide. They imported about 2.2 million tonnes of fuel in 2025.

Boats ply the waterway in Buka, Papua New Guinea. Many Pacific Island communities rely on boat transport for movement. Photo: AFP
Indonesia

Indonesia’s state energy firm raises fuel prices, risking subsidy strain

Analysts warn the price increases could encourage better-off consumers to switch to products meant for lower-income households.

A worker organises liquid petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders at a distribution center in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, in March. Photo: EPA
Malaysia

World’s top condom maker to raise prices by up to 30% over Iran war

Condom demand has surged with rising freight costs and shipping delays leaving many of Karex’s customers with lower stockpiles.

China energy security

China confronts Middle East supply shock, as State Council mulls energy strategy

Premier Li Qiang urges ‘bottom-line mentality’ to secure power as Beijing sees coal and Russian gas among options to offset reliance on imported crude.

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China energy security

China’s vast nuclear power sector now able to build 50 reactors at a time

China has more reactors under construction than the rest of the world combined, as it aims to become a global leader in nuclear power.

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A view of the Taipingling nuclear power project in China’s Guangdong Province. Photo: Xinhua
Singapore

Strait talking: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia unite to secure safe shipping

Together, the Straits of Malacca and Singapore form the world’s busiest corridor for crude oil and petroleum liquids by volume.

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Small boats sail beside vessels anchored in the Strait of Singapore on Tuesday. Photo: AFP
Asean

Work from home may not save as much energy as Southeast Asia hopes

Remote work for civil servants sounds like an easy solution in an energy crisis. Analysts aren’t so sure.

Electric & new energy vehicles

Jump in EU EV sales amid Iran war boosts Chinese brands’ fortunes

Chinese-made EVs accounted for 16 per cent of the EU market in the year’s first two months, up from 12.2 per cent in 2025, CPCA data shows.

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