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Passengers take selfies on the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway in Indonesia. Starting on Thursday, Indonesian travellers can enter China for 10 days if they have onward tickets to a third country. Photo: Xinhua
Indonesia

Indonesia and China strengthen ties with new visa-free transit policy

Indonesian travellers with ordinary passports can now enter China for 10 days if they have tickets to a third country.

Malaysia

Warnings of higher rents, house prices as Malaysia gets ready for new taxes

Malaysia

‘Important step’: fatal crashes prompt Malaysia to curb speeding lorries, buses

SCMP Highlights

China’s next-gen stealth jets, Qin Shi Huang’s western expedition: 7 highlights

From China’s next-gen stealth jets to Qin Shi Huang’s western expedition, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting.

The latest image of a Chinese J-36 fighter started circulating on social media on Saturday. It is also the first to show the aircraft on the ground, reportedly on a Chengdu Aircraft Corporation tarmac. Photo: X/@WZZJWZ
The latest image of a Chinese J-36 fighter started circulating on social media on Saturday. It is also the first to show the aircraft on the ground, reportedly on a Chengdu Aircraft Corporation tarmac. Photo: X/@WZZJWZ
India

Will Air India’s crash in Ahmedabad derail its revival plans?

The airline must hold open investigation into the accident to regain customer trust amid efforts to overhaul the company to spur growth, analysts say.

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China-Philippines relations

Philippines’ Marcos softens stance amid economic pressures but will China bite?

The Philippine president’s close ties with the US could prove a stumbling block to better relations with Beijing, observers say.

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Japan

Japan weighs tightening rules on visa popular among Chinese nationals

Tokyo mulls raising investment threshold for business manager permits amid concerns it is an ‘easy route’ to permanent residency.

Pedestrians walk through a crossing in Tokyo. A lawmaker says Japan’s business manager visa has become an “easy route” to residency. Photo: EPA-EFE
Pedestrians walk through a crossing in Tokyo. A lawmaker says Japan’s business manager visa has become an “easy route” to residency. Photo: EPA-EFE
The Philippines

Rice imports, policy inertia put ‘future of Filipino farming’ at risk: report

Policy failures and under-investment among factors for exacerbating country’s import reliance to the detriment of the local farming industry, report says.

Singapore

Jetstar Asia’s exit signals turbulent times for low-cost airlines

The low-cost arm of Australian airline Qantas says it will shut down next month due to rising operating costs and competition.

Japan

Japan eyes 80% cut in 298,000 death toll for potential Nankai monster quake

Measures include fortifying homes and fire safety installations, as well as building more embankments and emergency shelters.

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Waves of a tsunami hit residences after a powerful earthquake in Natori, Miyagi prefecture on March 11, 2011. Photo: AP
Indonesia

How Indonesian fintech firm is bridging funding gaps for women entrepreneurs

Amartha leverages technology to provide loans to women running small businesses in remote areas, but challenges such as lack of digital literacy remain.

Amartha CEO Andi Taufan Garuda Putra’s (centre) firm connects borrowers in remote communities with financial institutions. Photo: Handout
Amartha CEO Andi Taufan Garuda Putra’s (centre) firm connects borrowers in remote communities with financial institutions. Photo: Handout
Japan

Eye on the prize: bags of rice, daily essentials up for grabs at Japanese arcade

The arcade’s manager says the goal is for residents in Kawagoe to have some fun even with the soaring rice prices.

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India

India expected to maintain robust growth despite Pakistan tensions, trade woes

Economy could grow by about 6.5 per cent this financial year, analysts say, with rate cut predicted to boost consumption, investment.

Malaysia

Fresh tax on luxuries a hard sell for Malaysia’s Anwar as popularity wanes

Taxes of between 5 and 10 per cent will be imposed on ‘discretionary and non-essential’ goods and services from July 1.

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People walking in a shopping centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo: Xinhua
Malaysia

Malaysia assures users their privacy is protected in mobile data grab

The detailed call and internet logs are supplied without any personal identifiers, communications chief insists.

Malaysian telecoms companies say they have been told to hand over detailed records of phone calls and internet usage for a government project. Photo: Shutterstock
Malaysian telecoms companies say they have been told to hand over detailed records of phone calls and internet usage for a government project. Photo: Shutterstock
Australia

‘Cannibalised by Aukus’: is Australia risking its defence for future submarines?

From dwindling munitions to personnel shortages, observers warn Australia’s military is becoming ‘brittle and hollowed out’.

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Japan

Japan grows restless for next-gen fighter jets as progress with UK, Italy stalls

Japan finds its ageing aircraft outmatched by China’s advanced stealth jets amid setbacks to the trilateral Global Combat Air Programme.

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India

Tesla’s India entry appears in doubt after minister questions intent

Heavy industries minister says Tesla is ‘more interested’ in establishing showrooms and ‘not interested’ in manufacturing in India.

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Tesla electric vehicles are parked in a Tesla dealer in New Jersey. India has taken notable steps to court Tesla, such as slashing tariffs on luxury vehicles priced above US$40,000. Photo: Reuters
Tesla electric vehicles are parked in a Tesla dealer in New Jersey. India has taken notable steps to court Tesla, such as slashing tariffs on luxury vehicles priced above US$40,000. Photo: Reuters
Malaysia

Malaysia orders telecoms firms to hand over user data, raising privacy concerns

The government claims it’s for a mobile project, but critics cite data security risks.

Sri Lanka

Will Sri Lanka and China push for FTA or just engage in economic diplomacy?

Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao has called for a comprehensive free-trade agreement between the two countries ‘in one package’.

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Indonesia

Indonesian villagers urge China to stop funding mine project after permit loss

Residents in the earthquake-prone area have been protesting against the underground project since 2019.

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Dairi residents protest in front of the Ministry of Environment to demand the revocation of an environmental permit for a proposed China-funded mine in their region on May 22. Photo: Monica Siregar
Japan

Japan faces ‘critical’ demographic crisis as birth rate hits historic low

Record-low births and an ageing population are driving Japan to implement urgent measures to encourage marriage and boost fertility rates.

Japan’s birth rate plummets to historic lows, sparking fears of an accelerating demographic crisis. Photo: Shutterstock
Japan’s birth rate plummets to historic lows, sparking fears of an accelerating demographic crisis. Photo: Shutterstock
Pakistan

Pakistan’s bitcoin reserve plan aims to turn energy surplus into tech investment

The strategy to diversify the economy and hedge against currency volatility carries high risks, but the rewards could be great, analysts say.

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The Philippines

Philippines boosts air power with 12 FA-50 jets amid South China Sea tensions

The light combat aircraft is ‘as good a deal as Manila can get’ as an alternative to the US F-16 multirole fighters, analysts say.

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India

India projected to accelerate solar power generation as storage costs fall

Solar power plus storage in India is now cheaper than industrial electricity tariffs in most states, according to a new report.

The costs of solar and its storage in India have fallen and will remain stable for the next 25 years, according to a new study. Photo: Reuters
Open Questions series

Scholar Jing Qian on right-sizing China’s economy in the age of Trump

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

US-China rivalry doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game: Jessica Chen Weiss

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

China’s rise, potential recession, no WWIII yet: 11 key interviews from 2024

Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

Why eco-warrior Ma Jun sees hope for China’s role in Cop29 amid US uncertainty

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Historian on why we aren’t heading towards WWIII yet and how wars have changed

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Scholar Jing Qian on right-sizing China’s economy in the age of Trump

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40
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

US-China rivalry doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game: Jessica Chen Weiss

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

China’s rise, potential recession, no WWIII yet: 11 key interviews from 2024

Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

Why eco-warrior Ma Jun sees hope for China’s role in Cop29 amid US uncertainty

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4
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Historian on why we aren’t heading towards WWIII yet and how wars have changed

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
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