Topic
Economy
The AIIB’s $5 Billion Investment Pledge to Vietnam, Explained
By James Guild
The development bank and its primary backer, China, seem set to compete with the Japanese government in financing major infrastructure in Vietnam.
The Real Challenge to the CCP’s Third Plenum Vision
By Zhuoran Li
Competition and friction between China’s different levels of government is going to complicate implementation of the reform agenda.
The Lingering Economic Consequences of Sri Lanka’s Civil War
By Devana Senanayake
A lack of justice following Sri Lanka's Civil War has compounded the economic crisis in the North-East.
Explaining South Korea’s Railway Ambitions in Central Asia
By Sophia Nina Burna-Asefi
South Korea and Tajikistan signed an agreement recently to start a feasibility study for a rail route that would connect Tajikistan via Afghanistan to routes both east and west.
Indonesia’s Bold Bid to Become a Semiconductor Hub
By Patrick Kurniawan
The country enjoys some natural advantages, but faces significant challenges in outpacing its neighbors.
As New Players Upend the EV Market, Indians Want Their Money Back for Undelivered Teslas
By Aniruddha Ghosal
In the eight years since Tesla’s initial promise to sell cars in India, other automakers have launched their own EVs while the American firm has failed to follow through.
Overseas Workers Could Boost Pacific Prosperity
By Paresh Narayan and Bernard Njindan
As Pacific Island nations navigate their way out of pandemic debt, work abroad schemes could help.
Pertamina and Petronas Both Had Good Years in 2023, But For Different Reasons
By James Guild
The contrast between the two state-owned oil firms reveals interesting differences in the political economies of Malaysia and Indonesia.
Beyond Tariffs: Unveiling the Geopolitics of Electric Vehicles Through Supply Chains
By Peng Gao, Zhen Zhang, and Yayuan Mo
A supply chain perspective offers a comprehensive understanding of the geopolitics of EVs besides tariffs and concerns about overcapacity.
Afghanistan’s Lithium: Sovereignty vs. Foreign Exploitation
By Hamayun Khan
For sustainable growth, Afghanistan must maintain control over its resources while seeking investments that promote local development.
Maldives Opposition Warns FTA With China Imperils Economic Sovereignty
By Ahmed Naish
If tariffs are eliminated for Chinese goods, Maldives will be forced to import exclusively from China as goods from other countries would not be able to compete against cheaper Chinese goods.
The Maldives’ Tightrope Walk: Balancing China-India Relations Amid Mounting Debt
By Eva Abdulla
Amid an intensifying competition for influence, the Maldives’ mounting debt is the most central issue in its relations with both India and China.