https://www.scmp.com/rss/328109/feed Insights and takeaways from China Conference: Southeast Asia, an annual flagship conference organised by the South China Morning Post. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Global tension and uncertainty make this a pivotal moment to affirm regional engagement. A gathering in Jakarta this week did just that. The South China Morning Post’s China Conference: Southeast Asia 2026 brought together leaders, policymakers and businesses. It was the first time this flagship conference was held in Indonesia. The mission was to connect the world’s second-largest economy, China, with Southeast Asia’s biggest. Both nations are at critical junctures. China is embarking on its... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3343298/china-and-indonesia-strengthen-ties-hong-kong-has-role-play?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3343298/china-and-indonesia-strengthen-ties-hong-kong-has-role-play?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 23:15:17 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Fosun Health Group, a subsidiary of Fosun Pharmaceutical, said it plans to build its first overseas hospitals in Indonesia amid a push by Chinese healthcare companies to expand abroad. The announcement underscores Indonesia’s appeal – home to the world’s fourth-largest population of 287 million – as Beijing encourages its healthcare sector to “go global”. Fosun Health planned to establish “several hospitals” in Indonesia, CEO Frank Hu Hang told delegates at the South China Morning Post’s China... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3343167/fosun-health-build-first-overseas-hospitals-indonesia-amid-chinese-go-global-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3343167/fosun-health-build-first-overseas-hospitals-indonesia-amid-chinese-go-global-push?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 07:30:09 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Economic cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is set to deepen despite bloc members advancing trade deals with the United States, Beijing’s ambassador to Asean has said. At a forum in Indonesia’s Jakarta on Tuesday, Wang Qing urged both sides to remain committed to shared economic success and to oppose external interference, underscoring the importance of ties amid growing protectionism and unilateralism. Wang delivered a speech at the South China Morning... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343107/envoy-urges-shared-prosperity-china-asean-ties-amid-growing-protectionism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343107/envoy-urges-shared-prosperity-china-asean-ties-amid-growing-protectionism?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 15:22:05 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Indonesia is on track for 10 per cent economic growth by 2029, beyond the 8 per cent target set by President Prabowo Subianto, his climate and energy envoy Hashim Djojohadikusumo has insisted. Hailing multiple projects in the works such as social housing and the development of boarding schools for low-income families, Hashim told a forum in Jakarta on Tuesday that his elder brother Prabowo had to go up against “a quagmire of bureaucratic inertia and resistance” after winning the top job in the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343102/indonesia-track-10-growth-2029-energy-envoy-hashim-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343102/indonesia-track-10-growth-2029-energy-envoy-hashim-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 14:37:35 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Asean faces a challenge to remain relevant in light of an increasingly transactional United States under the Donald Trump administration, observers warn, even as they hail the bloc’s large inflows of trade from global superpowers. At the South China Morning Post’s China Conference: Southeast Asia 2026 in Jakarta on Tuesday, chairman of Malaysian Investment Development Authority Tengku Zafrul Aziz said that Association of Southeast Asian Nations members presented a united front in handling... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343093/why-asean-must-stay-nimble-survive-us-china-trade-squeeze?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343093/why-asean-must-stay-nimble-survive-us-china-trade-squeeze?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:04:20 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Indonesia’s economy stands to gain from its partnership with mainland China and Hong Kong through increased investments and lessons learned from improving capital markets, industry insiders and observers have said. Shinta Kamdani, coordinating vice-chairwoman for human development, culture and sustainable development at the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), on Tuesday pointed to financial hub Hong Kong as being able to provide Indonesia access to the sprawling mainland Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343092/indonesias-economy-tipped-gain-deeper-mainland-china-hong-kong-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343092/indonesias-economy-tipped-gain-deeper-mainland-china-hong-kong-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:00:25 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong Developing partnerships with Chinese corporations is crucial for Indonesia, especially in three main areas – turning waste to energy, smart grids and data centres – as China is at the forefront of such new technology, according to an executive of the Southeast Asian country’s sovereign wealth fund. Danantara Indonesia, the investment arm that consolidates and optimises the government’s investment to support national economic growth, has set its sights on cooperating with China to lower emissions... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3343084/indonesia-eyes-china-partnerships-build-industry-and-tech-better-eu-standard?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3343084/indonesia-eyes-china-partnerships-build-industry-and-tech-better-eu-standard?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 12:10:19 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim As sovereign wealth funds are increasingly deployed as geopolitical tools, Indonesia’s new state-backed vehicle is setting itself apart by operating with transparency and professional discipline, according to one of its top executives. Pandu Sjahrir, chief investment officer of Danantara Indonesia, said the sovereign wealth fund was being run for profit rather than politics, even as governments around the world tapped heavily into such stashes to pursue strategic goals. “In the new geopolitical... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343078/danantara-indonesia-chief-vows-keep-politics-out-trillion-dollar-fund?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343078/danantara-indonesia-chief-vows-keep-politics-out-trillion-dollar-fund?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 10:40:20 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Hong Kong is stepping up its game as an international arbitration hub while pushing forward to help mainland Chinese companies go global with its professional services, the city’s deputy justice secretary has said. Deputy Secretary for Justice Horace Cheung Kwok-kwan on Tuesday described Hong Kong as an “indispensable bridge” between the rest of the country and the world, while the head of a key government legal body in Indonesia said Singapore remained the more “famous” arbitration hub. Cheung... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3343019/hong-kong-stepping-international-arbitration-hub-deputy-justice-secretary-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3343019/hong-kong-stepping-international-arbitration-hub-deputy-justice-secretary-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 05:29:42 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Indonesia is ready to build on its “strong relationship” with mainland China, its top economic minister has said, while Beijing is committed to upholding fairness and stability amid global uncertainty, according to Hong Kong’s former leader Leung Chun-ying. Airlangga Hartarto and Leung were speaking on Tuesday at the South China Morning Post’s China Conference: Southeast Asia 2026, held in Jakarta. Leung, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342987/china-pair-steady-hands-amid-uncertainty-hong-kongs-cy-leung-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342987/china-pair-steady-hands-amid-uncertainty-hong-kongs-cy-leung-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 02:34:29 +0000 SCMP Reporter SCMP Reporter The South China Morning Post has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, or Kadin Indonesia, to establish a platform for dialogue between the business leaders of Indonesia and the Chinese mainland, including Hong Kong. The Post, which has been covering China from Hong Kong since its first front page was published in November 1903, will leverage its editorial authority, convening power and international readership, while Kadin Indonesia will... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3328692/post-signs-pact-kadin-indonesia-set-platform-events-dialogue-foster-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3328692/post-signs-pact-kadin-indonesia-set-platform-events-dialogue-foster-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Oct 2025 01:30:14 +0000 The spectre of US tariffs loomed large in discussions across panels at the “China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025” on Monday, as Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim hailed the region’s economic potential while other speakers pointed to opportunities in fields such as artificial intelligence. The uncertainty wrought by a new American administration under Donald Trump also presented a chance for Hong Kong to act as a “superconnector” between mainland China and the 10-member Association of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3299047/tariffs-ai-potential-and-cautious-optimism-china-southeast-asia-weighs-path-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3299047/tariffs-ai-potential-and-cautious-optimism-china-southeast-asia-weighs-path-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Feb 2025 14:00:23 +0000 Natalie Wong Natalie Wong Malaysia’s trade minister has reaffirmed his country’s commitment to strengthening investment ties with Hong Kong amid worries that the US could impose further punitive measures targeting the city and mainland China. Tengku Zafrul Aziz, Malaysia’s minister for investment, trade and industry, said on Monday that Asean would continue to engage with the United States while also seeking to soften the blow of Washington’s policy moves by diversifying supply chains. He was addressing a panel at the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3299046/malaysia-reaffirms-hong-kong-investment-ties-amid-worries-over-trumps-tactics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3299046/malaysia-reaffirms-hong-kong-investment-ties-amid-worries-over-trumps-tactics?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Feb 2025 13:52:34 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen DeepSeek’s advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models have lowered the cost of adopting the technology for Southeast Asia’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), according to experts, although many businesses still must contend with a lack of talent and outdated digital infrastructure. “I think this [development] is quite a good thing for SMEs in Malaysia,” Leo Liu Binxing, vice-president of international business at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, said in a panel discussion at the China... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3299043/deepseek-lowers-cost-ai-adoption-businesses-across-southeast-asia-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3299043/deepseek-lowers-cost-ai-adoption-businesses-across-southeast-asia-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Feb 2025 13:45:07 +0000 At the “China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025”, organised by the South China Morning Post in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, Malaysian Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Zafrul Aziz hailed 2025 as Asean’s year, vowing to make Asean centrality “not just an ideal”. He underscored how Hong Kong can serve as a gateway to mainland China for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, while Malaysia could serve the same purpose for Hong Kong to Asean and beyond. Below is his closing speech in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3299031/malaysias-trade-minister-calls-asean-hong-kong-mainland-china-shape-asian-century?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3299031/malaysias-trade-minister-calls-asean-hong-kong-mainland-china-shape-asian-century?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Feb 2025 11:55:23 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Malaysia’s semiconductor industry stands to benefit from the escalating US-China tech war, as trade restrictions steer more companies to consider the Southeast Asian country as a viable alternative in the global chip supply chain, according to experts. As the US government continues to tighten trade restrictions on China, Malaysia is seeing more opportunities to develop its semiconductor industry, which has advantages in back-end operations such as chip testing and packaging, according to a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3299028/malaysias-semiconductor-sector-benefit-neutrality-amid-us-china-tech-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3299028/malaysias-semiconductor-sector-benefit-neutrality-amid-us-china-tech-war?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Feb 2025 11:41:34 +0000 Southeast Asia’s electric vehicle market is primed for rapid expansion, but the lack of a unified legal framework and fragmented regulations could undermine its EV ambitions, Xpeng president Brian Gu has warned. Speaking at the South China Morning Post’s China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025 on Monday, Gu acknowledged the region’s immense potential but cautioned that inconsistent policies on manufacturing incentives and emerging technologies could discourage investment. “Asean’s EV growth rate... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3299024/southeast-asias-ev-ambitions-face-regulatory-fragmentation-roadblock-xpeng-president?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3299024/southeast-asias-ev-ambitions-face-regulatory-fragmentation-roadblock-xpeng-president?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Feb 2025 11:10:40 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu has pledged to make the city a Muslim-friendly destination for businessmen and tourists from Southeast Asia, by rolling out measures such as simplifying immigration requirements and more halal food offerings. He also focused on deepening ties with the Asean bloc, saying talks were under way with the Malaysian government on opening the city’s fourth economic and trade office in the region. The chief executive was giving an online address at the South China... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3299020/hong-kong-become-muslim-friendly-city-asean-businesses-tourists-john-lee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3299020/hong-kong-become-muslim-friendly-city-asean-businesses-tourists-john-lee?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Feb 2025 10:52:47 +0000 Southeast Asia can be part of a new international order if China plays its cards right amid a “free fall in geopolitics” sparked by mounting uncertainty over the United States’ regional role. Panel speakers at the “China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025” in Kuala Lumpur on Monday gave an overview of changing power dynamics and how this would affect the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). The experts noted how Asean members had been in limbo in recent weeks as they waited to see how... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3299021/can-southeast-asia-be-part-new-world-order-amid-us-china-tug-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3299021/can-southeast-asia-be-part-new-world-order-amid-us-china-tug-war?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Feb 2025 10:50:32 +0000 The Southeast Asia edition of SCMP’s China Conference concluded in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, with representatives from governments and business weighing in on the way forward for China and Asean. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who this year serves as the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ chairman, said the bloc’s relationship with China needed to grow beyond traditional trade and investment and focus on preparing the region for future challenges, warning that artificial... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3298991/us-variables-take-limelight-china-conference-kuala-lumpur?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3298991/us-variables-take-limelight-china-conference-kuala-lumpur?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Feb 2025 09:10:22 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong will continue to be governed by the “one country, two systems” principle and retain its common law system indefinitely, well beyond 2047, justice minister Paul Lam Ting-kwok has said, while also calling for the deepening of legal ties with the Asean bloc. Describing legal services as having the potential of a “win-win” collaboration rather than outright competition, Lam also announced on Monday that Hong Kong would host the 15th China-Asean Prosecutors-General Conference in September –... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3298964/hong-kong-keep-one-country-two-systems-model-indefinitely-minister-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3298964/hong-kong-keep-one-country-two-systems-model-indefinitely-minister-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Feb 2025 06:30:51 +0000 Asean’s relationship with China needs to grow beyond traditional trade and investment and focus on preparing the region for future challenges, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said, warning that artificial intelligence and fresh American tariffs threaten to upend the global economy. Anwar on Monday said economic cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China must be driven by strategic technological collaboration, sustainable growth and human capital... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3298935/aseans-moment-now-malaysias-anwar-how-china-ties-bloc-must-evolve?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3298935/aseans-moment-now-malaysias-anwar-how-china-ties-bloc-must-evolve?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Feb 2025 02:39:22 +0000 Natalie Wong Natalie Wong Hong Kong should leverage its experienced, well-connected China experts and capitalise on its role as a “superconnector” to share knowledge of the country with Asean economies, former city leader Leung Chun-ying has said. Speaking in Kuala Lumpur on Monday at the South China Morning Post’s China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025, Leung also highlighted the potential for deeper economic cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the country in financial and professional... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3298931/superconnector-hong-kong-can-share-mainland-china-expertise-asean-cy-leung?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3298931/superconnector-hong-kong-can-share-mainland-china-expertise-asean-cy-leung?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Feb 2025 02:05:27 +0000 [The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] As the number of family offices in Southeast Asia continues to grow, Agnes Chen, CSC’s managing director for Fund Services in APAC, discusses the changing face of wealth management in the region.  The South China Morning Post’s recent China Conference: Southeast Asia focused on powering regional growth through technology, talent, and collaboration. It included an insight-filled panel discussion about the rise of family... https://www.scmp.com/presented/business/banking-finance/topics/china-conference-southeast-asia/article/3226909/why-southeast-asia-ideal-family-office-location?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/business/banking-finance/topics/china-conference-southeast-asia/article/3226909/why-southeast-asia-ideal-family-office-location?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Jul 2023 16:00:19 +0000 With 35 years of service as an MP – under three different prime ministers – Singapore’s Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam is one of the city state’s most influential political figures. The only parliamentarian with a longer tenure is Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, 71. In a wide-ranging exclusive interview with This Week in Asia, Shanmugam talked about the state of global geopolitics, Singapore’s wealth gap, its tough anti-drug stance and his own future as the country prepares for a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3216356/k-shanmugam-qa-influential-singapore-minister-us-china-tensions-financial-hub-rivalries-and-wealth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3216356/k-shanmugam-qa-influential-singapore-minister-us-china-tensions-financial-hub-rivalries-and-wealth?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Apr 2023 00:58:48 +0000 Hong Kong’s finance minister has said many university students he met during a recent visit to Singapore and Malaysia have shown interest in coming to the city to develop their careers. Paul Chan Mo-po on Sunday also hailed Hong Kong as “the best platform” for various countries in the region to build closer cooperation, which could in turn grow the economic pie. Chan was in Malaysia and Singapore for a five-day visit last week to forge closer finance and commercial ties between Hong Kong and the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3215736/many-top-university-graduates-singapore-malaysia-eyeing-career-path-hong-kong-finance-chief-paul?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3215736/many-top-university-graduates-singapore-malaysia-eyeing-career-path-hong-kong-finance-chief-paul?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Apr 2023 08:31:50 +0000 It does not take much to hype the rivalry between Hong Kong and Singapore. A case in point was the exodus of local and expatriate talent amid prolonged pandemic controls and political change. Many went to Singapore, which resumed normal life sooner. That prompted speculation Singapore was more competitive, but it obscured the bigger picture. This was put into perspective by the first major overseas forum hosted by the South China Morning Post since 2019. Appropriately it was held in... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3215472/forget-hype-about-hong-kong-singapore-rivalry-thriving-asia-calls-collaboration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3215472/forget-hype-about-hong-kong-singapore-rivalry-thriving-asia-calls-collaboration?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Mar 2023 00:00:15 +0000 Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po on Thursday continued a charm offensive in Asia, telling a select group of entrepreneurs in Singapore that Hong Kong’s advantages spanned its low taxes to its liveability standards. Speaking at the tail end of a packed schedule in Malaysia and Singapore, Chan said Hong Kong was a natural home for regional start-ups given an ecosystem that included government backing and a vibrant private equity sector that ranked number two in Asia – second only to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3215384/hong-kongs-perfect-liveability-low-taxes-are-advantages-global-finance-hub-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3215384/hong-kongs-perfect-liveability-low-taxes-are-advantages-global-finance-hub-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Mar 2023 07:22:54 +0000 Strong government coordination and policy stability in China, which helps to prevent “the occurrence of social ills common in modern societies”, is one of the reasons why the mainland is an attractive destination for investors, said Beijing’s envoy to Singapore on Thursday. Sun Haiyan said issues like social division or protests driven by development imbalance, which was prevalent in other countries, could be avoided with the presence of strong leadership and government. “A strong government... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3215343/hong-kong-super-connector-investors-seeking-enter-china-envoy-sun-haiyan-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3215343/hong-kong-super-connector-investors-seeking-enter-china-envoy-sun-haiyan-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Mar 2023 03:26:08 +0000 Southeast Asian tech companies need to be cautious with diversification efforts and not charge ahead by trying to replicate the success of super apps such as China’s WeChat, according to entrepreneurs and investors at the Post’s China Conference: Southeast Asia in Singapore on Wednesday. Tech companies should “earn the right” to expand into new business categories after creating a solid core business, as opposed to pursuing it as a business model from day one, said Hian Goh, founder and general... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3215296/southeast-asian-start-ups-need-be-careful-when-expanding-and-not-rush-copy-wechats-success-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3215296/southeast-asian-start-ups-need-be-careful-when-expanding-and-not-rush-copy-wechats-success-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Mar 2023 14:00:24 +0000 Hong Kong and Singapore each have unique strengths as Asia’s most consequential financial hubs, and the view that they are locked in a zero-sum rivalry is a result of media hype, leaders of the two cities said on Wednesday. The relationship between the two cities was in sharp focus at the China Conference: Southeast Asia 2023, the first major overseas forum organised by the Post since 2019. Top Singapore minister K. Shanmugam, one of the headline speakers at the conference, said both cities... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3215303/hong-kong-singapore-leaders-discuss-asian-growth-dismiss-rivalry-talk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3215303/hong-kong-singapore-leaders-discuss-asian-growth-dismiss-rivalry-talk?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Mar 2023 13:27:40 +0000 China’s home-grown electric-vehicle (EV) brands have the potential to establish a foothold in Southeast Asia’s automobile markets, but these original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) need to establish their brands in the minds of the consumer, a panel at the Post’s China Conference: Southeast Asia in Singapore heard on Thursday. “This could be the era of the so-called Chinese OEMs, because they are quite leading in terms of [battery-powered] cars,” Jasmmine Wong, CEO of Inchcape Greater China and... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3215288/mainland-ev-makers-byd-have-potential-establish-foothold-southeast-asian-markets-panel-posts-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3215288/mainland-ev-makers-byd-have-potential-establish-foothold-southeast-asian-markets-panel-posts-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Mar 2023 12:01:56 +0000 The challenges and opportunities for Southeast Asia, as the world emerges from the shadows of the pandemic and faces geopolitical risks, was in focus on the first day of the Post’s China Conference: Southeast Asia 2023 in Singapore. Opening on Wednesday, the two-day event had some 250 people in attendance and focused on topics ranging from the strategies of Southeast Asian economies amid the US-China strategic contest, supply chain diversification and the growth of family offices in Asia. Around... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3215282/asean-emerges-china-alternative-us-role-cheerleader-globalisation-fades?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3215282/asean-emerges-china-alternative-us-role-cheerleader-globalisation-fades?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Mar 2023 10:46:38 +0000 Iris Ouyang Iris Ouyang Collaboration between the private sector and regulators, along with the latest innovation, are needed to fix weaknesses, improve transparency and reduce costs to help build a sustainable ecosystem for the US$240 trillion global payments industry, said panellists at the China Conference: Southeast Asia. The different stakeholders should join hands to enhance collaboration, streamline processes and address structural issues to improve speed, transparency and cut costs that have hobbled the sector... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3215272/scmp-china-conference-collaboration-and-innovation-set-drive-us240-trillion-global-payments-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3215272/scmp-china-conference-collaboration-and-innovation-set-drive-us240-trillion-global-payments-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Mar 2023 09:54:18 +0000 The return of political stability in Malaysia under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has been noticed by international investors who are showcasing their confidence in the administration through a pipeline of new deals, the country’s trade minister has said. Speaking at the Post’s China Conference: Southeast Asia in Singapore, Tengku Zafrul Aziz said recent parliamentary votes in favour of the government showed clearly that it had staying power to last the full five-year electoral cycle. Malaysia... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3215223/investor-confidence-malaysia-rising-under-pm-anwar-ibrahim-trade-minister-tengku-zafrul-aziz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3215223/investor-confidence-malaysia-rising-under-pm-anwar-ibrahim-trade-minister-tengku-zafrul-aziz?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Mar 2023 05:28:30 +0000 Hong Kong’s place as one of the world’s top financial hubs is based not only on its ready access to mainland capital and as the home ground for many Chinese firms, but also due its attractiveness for international firms and new economy businesses. This was a key message from Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po during a keynote address in a Post-organised forum in Singapore on Wednesday. While it was important for Hong Kong to continue to serve as the mainland’s international... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3215195/hong-kong-aspires-be-regional-hub-green-tech-and-funds-citys-paul-chan-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3215195/hong-kong-aspires-be-regional-hub-green-tech-and-funds-citys-paul-chan-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Mar 2023 02:31:48 +0000 A top Singapore minister on Wednesday sought to dismiss the view that Hong Kong and the Southeast Asian city state were locked in a zero-sum rivalry, saying instead that both economies were “intertwined”. Speaking at the Post’s China Conference: Southeast Asia in Singapore, Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam said he was also “bemused” by suggestions that Hong Kong was in terminal decline. “Many of the factors necessary for Hong Kong to continue to succeed are present,” he said. In his... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3215188/hong-kong-and-singapores-economies-are-intertwined-minister-k-shanmugam-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3215188/hong-kong-and-singapores-economies-are-intertwined-minister-k-shanmugam-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Mar 2023 01:43:23 +0000 Asia’s hope for green shoots of growth despite the ongoing global geopolitical and economic turbulence will be the focus of a Post-hosted regional forum of public and private sector leaders. The two-day China Conference: Southeast Asia 2023 that begins on Wednesday will feature keynote speeches by Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, Singapore’s Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam and Malaysia’s Minister for International Trade and Industry Tengku Zafrul Aziz. The Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3215093/china-conference-hong-kongs-paul-chan-singapores-shanmugam-malaysias-tengku-zafrul-aziz-headline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3215093/china-conference-hong-kongs-paul-chan-singapores-shanmugam-malaysias-tengku-zafrul-aziz-headline?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Mar 2023 10:00:26 +0000 [Sponsored article] It was fall 2017 when everyone was still buzzing from the shock and awe of Bitcoin’s meteoric rise. The sharp ascent of the price looked unstoppable, paving the way for many other Initial Coin Offering (ICO) exercises. Despite the stardom of Bitcoin and a host of seemingly celestial cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum and Ripple, investors are starting to get cold feet at many projects that tried to raise tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars for seemingly no good... https://www.scmp.com/presented/business/topics/china-conference-southeast-asia/article/3046863/icos-knowing-legit-lemons?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/business/topics/china-conference-southeast-asia/article/3046863/icos-knowing-legit-lemons?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Jan 2020 02:52:20 +0000 [Sponsored Article] Keeping up with the Kuoks From a trading post in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, buying and selling rice, sugar and wheat flour, the Kuok family – behind the internationally renowned Shangri-La Hotel chain – has built up an empire that spreads across five continents today. No longer merely a trader, the family does business in the property, hospitality, logistics, and maritime industries, just to name a few. This has pushed the family’s net worth to US$16.6 billion last year, making... https://www.scmp.com/presented/business/topics/china-conference-united-states/article/3041628/keeping-kuoks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/business/topics/china-conference-united-states/article/3041628/keeping-kuoks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Dec 2019 04:06:22 +0000 Any forum on China in the current climate can be expected to be defined by the escalating trade war being waged by the United States. Moving such a gathering out of its usual comfort zone in Hong Kong and relocating it in Southeast Asia at this time provides a window into the fears and insecurities of a region caught in the middle of the conflict. To be sure, uncertainty and anxiety about what the future holds was one prevailing mood this week at the Post’s flagship China Conference in Kuala... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/asia/article/2168372/bright-vision-offered-china-conference-dark-days-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/asia/article/2168372/bright-vision-offered-china-conference-dark-days-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Oct 2018 12:31:23 +0000 Malaysia is looking to China to provide “global leadership” in the economic sphere and beyond, a top lieutenant to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Thursday, in the latest signal that bilateral ties are thriving after the brief uncertainties that followed the country’s shock election result in May. Delivering the closing address at the South China Morning Post ’s China conference in Kuala Lumpur, economic affairs minister Azmin Ali’s optimistic tone about Beijing echoed a common refrain... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2168164/asia-looks-china-admiration-and-trepidation-malaysian-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2168164/asia-looks-china-admiration-and-trepidation-malaysian-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Oct 2018 12:30:30 +0000 Cultural exchange is just as important to ties between China and Southeast Asia as economic links and investments in technology and science, according to former United Nations under-secretary-general Noeleen Heyzer. The social scientist told a panel discussion at the South China Morning Post ’s China Conference in Kuala Lumpur that sustaining cultural and social ties should be considered a soft investment in regional integration. “Building the infrastructure, economic corridors and so on won’t... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2168150/china-se-asias-cultural-ties-are-binding-economic-ones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2168150/china-se-asias-cultural-ties-are-binding-economic-ones?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Oct 2018 11:01:55 +0000 Southeast Asia may comprise 11 countries and 650 million people, but tackling this diverse market is achievable if companies have a global mindset and are willing to understand market fundamentals. That was the message from a panel of investors and executives who addressed the South China Morning Post ’s China Conference in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday. Modern businesses today were no longer constrained by geographical boundaries, and could easily reach international markets by launching apps on... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/2168154/think-global-change-lives-how-tech-firms-can-take-se-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/2168154/think-global-change-lives-how-tech-firms-can-take-se-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Oct 2018 10:47:59 +0000 Spurred on by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s “Look East” policy, Malaysia is looking to China to provide global leadership – but is concerned about Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea. That was the message from economic affairs minister Azmin Ali as he delivered the closing address at the South China Morning Post ’s China Conference in Kuala Lumpur. “Today we expect China to provide global leadership not just in the economic sphere but in soft power by advancing universal values such as... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2168119/malaysia-looks-chinese-leadership-not-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2168119/malaysia-looks-chinese-leadership-not-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Oct 2018 09:15:45 +0000 Speculation that a full-blown cold war is developing between the United States and Beijing has dominated security circles over the past week, but some commentators say such talk is premature. The topic dominated a panel discussion on regional security at the South China Morning Post ’s China conference in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday. Shahriman Lockman, a Malaysian security analyst with the Institute of International and Strategic Studies, said the situation was far less severe than the decades-long... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2168116/us-versus-china-put-cold-war-talk-ice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2168116/us-versus-china-put-cold-war-talk-ice?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Oct 2018 08:35:53 +0000 The US-China trade war gives Southeast Asia fresh impetus to wrap up negotiations on a Beijing-backed free-trade deal that has been in the works for five years, Malaysia’s top trade negotiator has said. Norazman Ayob’s comments at the South China Morning Post ’s China Conference in Kuala Lumpur echoed suggestions by regional leaders including Singapore’s Lee Hsien Loong that the 16-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership may be finalised by the end of the year, after 23 rounds of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2168075/us-china-tensions-make-asian-free-trade-deal-priority?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2168075/us-china-tensions-make-asian-free-trade-deal-priority?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Oct 2018 06:55:09 +0000 Exchange programmes between youth leaders in Malaysia and China could bolster diplomatic ties between the countries, according to Asia’s youngest cabinet minister, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman. Likening his proposal to China’s “panda diplomacy”, 25-year-old Saddiq, Malaysia’s minister for youth and sport, said on Wednesday that it “wouldn’t be unconventional for us to have a lot more exchange programmes”. Doing so would “ensure that the relationship between top brass in China and Malaysia as... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2167956/youth-exchanges-could-mean-china-malaysia-will-always-be-close?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2167956/youth-exchanges-could-mean-china-malaysia-will-always-be-close?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Oct 2018 14:31:10 +0000 Try as the United States might, efforts to isolate China through trade tariffs are bound to fail because of the world’s closely interconnected national economies. That was the overwhelming message from keynote speakers on Wednesday at the South China Morning Post’s China Conference in Kuala Lumpur. Speakers at the forum – the Post’s first-ever event outside its Hong Kong base – said they remained optimistic the world’s two superpowers would find a resolution to the trade war kick-started by US... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/diplomacy/article/2167958/us-trade-war-against-china-bound-fail-panellists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/diplomacy/article/2167958/us-trade-war-against-china-bound-fail-panellists?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Oct 2018 14:00:45 +0000 The adoption of mobile payments and lack of dominant providers in Southeast Asia are among the biggest challenges for technology start-ups hoping to expand in the region, according to a panel of entrepreneurs. In Indonesia, the region’s largest market with a population of about 261 million, payment represents the biggest problem because credit card penetration is low, as the use of cash and bank transfers remain prevalent in the region, according to Muhammad Fajrin Rasyid, the co-founder and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/innovation/article/2167937/online-payments-still-challenge-southeast-asias-tech-players?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/innovation/article/2167937/online-payments-still-challenge-southeast-asias-tech-players?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Oct 2018 12:30:45 +0000