ASIA: China’s two biggest vaccine companies have already begun inoculating hundreds of thousands of mostly state workers in a bid to get a head start. But deploying unproven vaccines carries huge risks – both for those receiving the vaccination and epidemic control efforts. The major worry is that vaccinations will give people who’ve had them […]

ASIA: China has proposed new regulations aimed at curbing the power of its biggest internet companies. The new rules could affect homegrown tech giants like Alibaba, Ant Group, and Tencent, as well as food delivery platform Meituan. Chinese tech shares were sharply lower after the proposed regulations were released on Tuesday. The ongoing India-China border […]

ASIA: China’s ruling Communist Party is stepping up efforts to rein in some of China’s most powerful companies, jolting investors and dealing a blow to the country’s richest entrepreneurs. China, on Tuesday, unveiled regulations to root out monopolistic practices in the internet industry, seeking to curtail the growing influence of corporations like Alibaba Group Holding […]

ASIA: The Chinese government on Monday sidestepped questions on when it would congratulate United States President-elect Joe Biden on his election victory, with a Foreign Ministry spokesman saying that China would act in “accordance with international practice.” More than 24 hours after US media declared Biden victorious, China remains one of the few major countries […]

ASIA: Chinese short-video and live-streaming app Kuaishou filed for an initial public offering on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, CNBC reported. The offering is reportedly expected to raise $5 billion. Morgan Stanley, Bank of America Securities, and China Renaissance are the underwriters, according to the filing. Video game streaming aside, analysts say the video apps […]

ASIA: China has barred non-Chinese travelers from the UK, Belgium, and the Philippines, imposing new border restrictions in response to the worsening Covid-19 pandemic. The Chinese embassy in the UK said on Wednesday that China’s borders were now closed to those arriving from the UK, including those with valid visas and residence permits. The measure, […]

ASIA: Chinese President Xi Jinping tried to re-assure international businesses that the nation is committed to open trade, amid concerns that the new ‘dual circulation’ strategy will mean the world’s second-largest economy is set to become more insular. Xi speech was closely watched, given the backdrop of the U.S. election result and the shock withdrawal […]

ASIA: Ant Group’s highly anticipated IPO has been suspended following a meeting between the company’s billionaire co-founder Jack Ma and regulators in China, an abrupt move that threatens what was due to be the largest share sale in history. The Shanghai Stock Exchange said in a statement on Tuesday that it had postponed the company’s […]

ASIA: Australia’s former ambassador to China, Geoff Raby, has warned Australia is likely to keep suffering economic harm from “repeated rounds of Chinese economic coercion,” and needs to find a way to reset the relationship. He said Seafood exporters are the latest industry group to report disruptions in accessing the Chinese market, and thus Australia […]

ASIA: China’s gasoline demand could hit a peak around 2027, according to a new report from Goldman Sachs. Demand could fall by around 6 percent from that peak by 2030. However, Goldman Sachs does not see crude oil demand hitting a peak this decade, “due to sustained non-OECD economic growth.” In the next five years, […]