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Infrastructure
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Infrastructure. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
ASUS subsidiary Taiwan AI Cloud is jointly developing a supercomputer with the island’s National Centre for High-Performance Computing. Photo: Shutterstock
Artificial intelligence

Taiwanese laptop maker Asus’ subsidiary builds Nvidia-powered supercomputer

The project is expected to help raise Taiwan’s total computing capacity by at least 50 per cent.

Japan

Macroscope | World can’t afford Japan adding to infrastructure project wars

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Indonesia

Prabowo’s silence deepens doubts over Indonesia’s new capital

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The Philippines

Philippine president fumes over flood corruption, ‘economic sabotage’

Despite billions being spent on flood control in recent years, Manila was still submerged this summer after four days of torrential rain.

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Residents wade through a flooded street after heavy rains in Dagupan City, north of Manila, last month. Photo: AFP
Artificial intelligence

China Telecom unit says AI wave drives steady growth in digital services market

China Communication Services sees the proliferation of AI projects accelerating digital transformation across thousands of industries.

Artificial intelligence

OpenAI sees firm selling AI data centre services to offset ChatGPT costs

The start-up also generated US$1 billion in revenue in July, marking its first month hitting that milestone, finance chief Sarah Friar says.

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China Future Tech briefing

AI | China, US lead AI-fuelled data centre construction surge

AI will drive a US$6.7 trillion global spending boom on data centres up to 2030, according to McKinsey, testing nations’ abilities to construct sufficient power supplies.

China, US lead AI-fuelled data centre construction surge
China's economic recovery

China’s coastal provinces look to ride economic wave with offshore action plans

The marine economy is playing an increasingly important role in stimulating China’s GDP, from ocean-based energy generation efforts to fisheries.

Food and agriculture

Asian Angle | Why Malaysia and Singapore must make food security a priority in the JS-SEZ

With import shocks and climate change risks rising, the new Johor-Singapore special economic zone offers hope for lasting food security.

Asean

Opinion | Asean-China trade pact update could not have come at a better time

Despite obstacles to enhancing mutual trust, revamping trade ties offers opportunities for both parties amid intensifying global competition.

An employee works at a textile factory in Binzhou in Shandong province on May 14. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong weather

5 black rainstorms expose Hong Kong’s weak, outdated climate strategy: experts

‘The worst is yet to come’: climate scientist and Greenpeace urge government to review effects of extreme weather and re-evaluate policies.

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Residents in Sai Ying Pun cross a flooded road during a black rainstorm earlier this month. Photo: Karma Lo
North Korea

‘Prison without bars’: North Koreans endure slave-like work conditions in Russia

Defectors describe working 18-hour days for almost no pay in bug-infested containers, all while facing constant threats of violence.

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China-India relations

China urged to monitor disputed border as India upgrades road to move tanks

New Delhi is doing major work on Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie Road while also building alternative route with minimal exposure to Chinese patrols.

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Semiconductors

Unicorn Z.ai adapts models for Huawei chips to broaden China’s AI ecosystem

Huawei’s Ascend processors used on AI servers and Kirin chips that run inside smartphones are now compatible with Z.ai’s GLM models.

Huawei’s tie-up with Z.ai shows a deeper integration of China’s AI ecosystem. Photo: Shutterstock
Italy

Legal battle looms over Italy plan to build world’s longest suspension bridge

Italy this week approved a US$15.8 billion bridge linking Sicily to the mainland, amid concerns over its scale, seismic risks and environmental impact.

The Strait of Messina Bridge would measure nearly 3.7km once completed. Photo: Webuild – Eurolink Image Library via AP
Italy

World’s longest suspension bridge to link Italy to Sicily

The US$15.5 billion project was approved on Wednesday despite long-standing concerns over earthquakes, the mafia, and its military classification.

Semiconductors

‘No kill switches and back doors’: Nvidia reasserts security of its AI chips

Embedding weaknesses into chips would ‘undermine global digital infrastructure and fracture trust in US technology’, Nvidia says.

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Artificial intelligence

Shanghai targets 5 new data centres as China boosts AI capacity

China’s computing power reached 246 exaflops as of June 2024, placing it second only to the US, according to government data.

Shanghai plans to build five new data centres by the end of this year. Photo: EPA
China economy

Opinion | China needs smarter, not less, investment to unlock household demand

The idea that investment and consumption are in zero-sum tension overlooks how confidence, not income, is the true bottleneck.

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Nepal

Deadly floods sever Nepal-China trade, exposing climate risk

The flood’s destruction of a key bridge and container depot halted an estimated US$724 million worth of annual trade with China.

Extreme weather

My Take | Asia must leverage AI to combat rise in natural disasters

With such disasters set to cause billions of dollars of damage in the coming years, Asia must use AI to combat the impact of extreme weather.

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A warning sign of a deep water area at a flooded street in Thanh Hoa, Vietnam, on July 22 as Typhoon Wipha hits Asia. Photo: EPA
E-commerce

Meituan, JD.com build central kitchens to ratchet up China’s delivery war

China’s catering industry is transforming, as internet platform operators become more involved in the food supply chain.

Instant commerce rivals JD.com and Meituan are changing mainland China’s catering industry. Photo: Shutterstock
Semiconductors

Chinese semiconductor, AI firms form pact as Nvidia faces inquiry on H20 chip

The Model-Chips Ecosystem Innovation Alliance has 10 members, including Huawei’s Ascend unit and Tencent-backed AI firm StepFun.

Foxconn

Apple supplier Foxconn partners with motor maker Teco to build AI data centres

The move underscores Foxconn’s efforts to grow beyond its traditional role as Apple’s main iPhone assembler, as it taps opportunities in AI.

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Alibaba

Alibaba’s finance chief voices confidence in China’s AI boom

Toby Xu Hong says Alibaba’s substantial investments in AI and delivery services are are an endorsement of China’s progress.

Alibaba’s chief financial officer Toby Xu. Photo: Handout
Diplomacy

Editorial | Transparency key to easing regional concerns over Tibet mega-dam

With delicate diplomatic handling, this ‘project of the century’ can build goodwill and help South Asia’s water-dependent economies.

The Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon in Nyingchi city, Tibet, China, on March 28, 2021. Photo: AFP
India

6 dead, dozens injured in north India Hindu temple crowd surge

Crowd surges are not uncommon in India, where massive groups often congregate at religious sites, overwhelming local infrastructure and security.

The Philippines

Beijing promised Manila billions in development aid. Why did it fall so short?

New study shows China disbursed US$700 million out of a promised US$30.5 billion, with analysts blaming political tensions for the gap.

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