https://www.scmp.com/rss/315677/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Although far from perfect, 2016 was a productive year for Indonesian President Joko Widodo. His most notable reform, a tax amnesty plan, was a major success, surpassing its year-end collection target 3½ months early. More significantly, however, the leader who some commentators derided as being too naive to effectively navigate a highly factional government, expanded his coalition to include nearly 70 per cent of parliament. Indonesia’s hard-won pluralism under threat With the new support of the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2059921/widodo-putting-indonesias-business-friendly-future-line?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2059921/widodo-putting-indonesias-business-friendly-future-line?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jan 2017 02:30:15 +0000 In his inaugural speech, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte claimed it was the promise of “real change” which secured his victory. He wasn’t wrong. Filipinos flocked to Duterte’s forthright and aggressive tone, which cut a stark contrast with his soft-spoken predecessor. Voters saw in him a tough talker who would shake up the establishment in a way that would allow average people to benefit from record economic growth, and a fighter who could handle threats from drug traffickers and an... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2018949/philippine-strongman-duterte-isnt-so-tough-when-faced?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2018949/philippine-strongman-duterte-isnt-so-tough-when-faced?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Sep 2016 08:28:08 +0000 In 1999, Charlene Barshefsky, a divisive American attorney, negotiated China’s ascension to the World Trade Organisation, ensuring the survival of the post-second-world-war international trade consensus. Her success garnered acclaim, including that of a soft-spoken former Taiwanese law professor and bureaucrat who would later describe the lawyer as the leader she most admired. Seventeen years later and that academic – Tsai Ing-wen – is now Taiwan’s first female president, and she must ensure... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1902811/secure-taiwans-economic-future-tsai-needs-find-way-taipei?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1902811/secure-taiwans-economic-future-tsai-needs-find-way-taipei?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Jan 2016 05:12:28 +0000 When the US Federal Reserve announced this month it would raise interest rates for the first time in almost a decade, reactions from investors and commentators could not have been more divergent. While markets from the Shanghai Composite Index to Spain’s Ibex rallied, several pundits were quick to lament the effects of chairwoman Janet Yellen’s decision, especially in the emerging markets of Asia, where capital outflow is a niggling fear. READ MORE: Why US Fed’s interest rate hike is only a... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1896032/asia-can-weather-any-interest-rate-storm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1896032/asia-can-weather-any-interest-rate-storm?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Dec 2015 09:59:41 +0000 As China's leaders adjourn to Beidaihe, "retreat" might seem a more appropriate word. After all, the Shanghai Composite Index fell by 200 basis points last month, and last week saw its biggest one-day decline in eight years. News outlets declared that the biggest bubble of this millennium had burst, and that China's economic boom was over. Yet, in the global context this summer, China may emerge the geopolitical and even economic victor. Although chaos lingers, compared to Greece - this summer's... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1845445/chinese-leaders-can-ride-summer-tide-beidaihe-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1845445/chinese-leaders-can-ride-summer-tide-beidaihe-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Aug 2015 01:12:26 +0000 As 2014 came to a close, the economic figures from our world's two superpowers cut a stark contrast. For the United States, the recession appeared to finally be ending, as the Commerce Department announced a third-quarter gross domestic product increase of 5 per cent - exceeding expectations and marking America's strongest quarter of growth since 2003. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Pacific, China spent the latter half of the year hurtling towards its own milestone. GDP growth rate... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1672714/dont-judge-chinese-and-us-economies-just-figures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1672714/dont-judge-chinese-and-us-economies-just-figures?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2015 09:39:39 +0000 Almost two months ago, on July 22, Joko Widodo became the president-elect of Indonesia. His victory came on the back of a platform to reinvigorate a hopelessly slow bureaucracy, root out corruption and boost a lacklustre economy. Déjà vu, anyone? By electing the former Jakarta governor to the nation's top office, Indonesians not only sent a strong message about what they want for the future of their country, but they also completed a cycle that began in late 2012 with the appointment of Xi... https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1590233/can-xi-jinping-narendra-modi-and-joko-widodo-lead-asia-new-global-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1590233/can-xi-jinping-narendra-modi-and-joko-widodo-lead-asia-new-global-order?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2014 10:00:30 +0000