Major leading sectors driving the economy last year included manufacturing, trade, agriculture and mining, while sectors that saw the highest growth were transportation, warehousing as well as food and beverages.  The sectors grew between 14 per cent and 17 per cent year on year largely…

China’s regions have been warned to prepare for more extreme weather this year after record-breaking temperatures and a lengthy drought played havoc with the country’s power supplies and disrupted harvests last summer. China’s southern regions need to brace for more persistent high temperatures and ensure…

BEIJING: China’s commerce minister Wang Wentao said talks held on Monday (Feb 6) with Australian counterpart Don Farrell were a key step toward bringing bilateral economic and trade ties back on track, with relations improving after being strained in recent years. The virtual meeting came…

ASEAN’S QUIET RISE Southeast Asian nations have a growing prominence in the Indo-Pacific region, with ASEAN foreign leaders expressing a need to be more forthcoming in the South China Sea and engaging cautiously with more powerful countries. While most nations declined in scores, ASEAN members…

TOKYO: A handful of unhygienic pranks at sushi conveyor belt restaurants in Japan have sparked stock slumps, venue overhauls and legal action, along with furious social media commentary. Several videos dubbed “sushi terrorism” have emerged on social media, including Twitter and TikTok, in recent days,…

HONG KONG: Cross-border travel between mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao will fully resume from Feb 6, dropping existing quotas and scrapping a mandatory COVID-19 test that was required before travelling. Group tours between China and its two special administrative regions would resume, while the number…