Economy

People watch street entertainers singing on a street at the Xinyi district in Taipei on 16 January 2024. (Sam Yeh/AFP)

More Taiwanese are venturing overseas for better pay

Taiwan is experiencing a brain drain as it loses talents to neighbouring countries such as Japan and Singapore, due to the prospects of higher salaries compared with back home. Commentator Gu Erde notes that as those countries face an ageing and declining population, they have set up favourable policies to attract talent.
People line up outside a restaurant at Qianmen pedestrian street in Beijing, China, on 26 January 2024. (Florence Lo/Reuters)

China’s status in the global economy is stable, for now

Chinese academic Chu Zhaogen notes that while China is well poised to make its mark on the global economy, it needs to keep its eyes open and wits about it, so that it can seize on opportunities, not least in the field of technological innovation.
A sculpture (left) by artist Chen Wenling, and an Ant Group Co. mascot at the company's headquarters in Hangzhou, China, on 2 August 2021. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)

China targets payments problem to win over foreigners

Despite China waiving visa requirements for citizens from over a dozen more countries and making local digital payment services more international-user friendly, flights and the flow of visitors from countries such as the US are still nowhere near 2019 levels.
Employees work on an assembly line producing wheel loaders at a factory in Qingzhou, Shandong province, China, on 17 January 2024. (AFP)

Will better 'Made in China' products solve China's economic problems?

China looks set to drive its economy by focusing on boosting production, industrial upgrade and promoting “new quality productive forces”. However, there are concerns that a move in this direction could lead to overproduction, impacting global markets. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu looks into the matter.
People walk on a sidewalk in the central business district in Beijing, China on 28 February 2024. (Greg Baker/AFP)

Chinese authorities ramp up meetings with foreign industry giants

Lianhe Zaobao journalist Liu Sha takes a closer look at the Chinese authorities’ frequent meetings with leaders from multinational companies, in particular those from the manufacturing and biopharmaceutical sectors, following the 20th Party Congress. What do these meetings signal, and will they work in terms of stabilising foreign investor confidence?
People cross an intersection in the Central business district of Hong Kong, China, on 27 February 2024. (Peter Parks/AFP)

Is the Hong Kong economy really in demise?

While naysayers have painted a doomsday scenario for Hong Kong since the plummeting of the Hang Seng Index, EAI senior research fellow Yu Hong points to Hong Kong’s strong fundamentals, the vitality of the Greater Bay Area and the knock-on effects of the recovery of the mainland economy. He notes that as long as the mainland economy continues to grow, the Hong Kong stock market will remain attractive to regional and global investors.
People walk along a shopping street in Beijing on 28 February 2024. (Wang Zhao/AFP)

Can China achieve its 5% growth target in 2024?

Given the current challenges to China’s economy, such as the soft property market and weak domestic demand, how achievable is China’s growth target of 5% for this year? Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Chen Jing tells us more.
Residential buildings under construction by Chinese real estate developer Vanke in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China, on 15 March 2024. (AFP)

Chinese property giant Vanke seeks more time to repay debts as market slump lingers

Chinese property giant Vanke has avoided defaulting on its publicly traded bonds so far even during the prolonged market crisis. But its balance sheet has been weakened by falling sales of new homes and fragile market sentiment, and it has resorted to offloading assets to repay its debts on time.
People walk by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on 6 March 2024 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/AFP)

US economy continues to lead the world

Not only did the US manage to stave off a decline in 2023, it even achieved an annual GDP growth of 2.5%, with its stock market soaring to an all-time high. Commentator Jin Jian Guo notes that the history of the development of the US economy proves how crucial the entrepreneurial spirit is for an economy, helping the US keep its spot as the leading economy in the world.