Economy

Can China burn away Indonesia’s waste crisis?

Indonesia awarded 11 waste-to-energy (WtE) projects in under a year. It should not come at a surprise that Chinese firms won most of them, and are also making inroads in other Southeast Asian capitals. But WtE comes with tradeoffs, say researchers Kevin Zongzhe Li and Genevieve Donnellon-May.

Kevin Zongzhe Li, Genevieve Donnellon-May

15 Sep 2026

BRICS is built on economic grievance, not geopolitics

The wrong question to ask about BRICS is its geopolitical coherence. Instead, the right one is how far it has pursued its reform agenda and utilised its own tools, says Indian researcher Anushka Saxena.

Anushka Saxena

14 Sep 2026

Can Southeast Asia survive Pinduoduo’s price onslaught?

Competing with Chinese e-commerce giants on price is a losing battle for Southeast Asia. Entrepreneur Simon Lim proposes a new model that leverages global supply chains, distributed local retail networks and AI to help it gain the strategic edge.

Simon Lim

11 Sep 2026

How ZTE changed Xi Jinping’s vision for China’s tech future

The 2018 ZTE crisis exposed China’s vulnerability to US technology controls. For Xi Jinping, it became a defining lesson in why technological self-reliance, strategic resilience and control over critical technologies matter. Professor Tan Kong Yam analyses its lasting impact.

Tan Kong Yam

10 Sep 2026

[Big read] From singing bowls to forest therapy: China’s 10-trillion-RMB healing economy

China’s healing economy is booming as consumers spend on emotional wellbeing, from singing bowls and forest therapy to trendy toys. But as healing becomes big business, concerns over commercialisation and misleading claims are growing. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Zeng Shi finds out.

Zeng Shi

10 Sep 2026

[Big read] Is Singapore the ultimate ‘China+1’ biopharma hub?

China’s biotech industry is becoming a formidable force in drug R&D and manufacturing. For Singapore, its rise brings new competition — but also an opportunity to strengthen its role as a trusted China+1 hub for global pharma. Lianhe Zaobao senior business correspondent Lewis Ong Yong Huat speaks with industry players and government officials to find out more.

Lewis Ong Yong Huat

09 Sep 2026

How Switzerland turned China’s Europe problem into leverage

Switzerland’s upgraded free trade deal with China shows how middle powers can turn economic interdependence into leverage — preserving access to major markets while negotiating better terms amid intensifying China-EU tensions, says researcher Hao Nan.

Hao Nan

07 Sep 2026

[Video] Shenzhen is not just China’s factory. It wants to be its innovation engine

Shenzhen is betting its future on innovation. From AI and robotics to electric aircraft, talent and startups, manufacturing and capital are converging in Shenzhen, putting the city at the heart of China’s tech race. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Lee Chee Yang finds out more.

Lee Chee Yang

07 Sep 2026

Can ASEAN export growth survive US trade scrutiny?

As the US scrutinises structural excess capacity across economies, ASEAN must distinguish legitimate export-oriented production from state-supported overcapacity, while ensuring that more technology, value added and income from its exports remain within the region, notes Japanese academic Sukegawa Seiya.

Sukegawa Seiya

07 Sep 2026

‘Eastern NATO’? China’s real SCO strategy

With growing influence over Russia and Iran, China has greater geopolitical leverage and room to steer the SCO into a bloc that presents an alternative to the Western-dominated order, says academic Alessandro Arduino.

Alessandro Arduino

03 Sep 2026

China shuts 32-year tax loophole used by wealthy Chinese

China has scrapped a 32-year tax exemption on dividends for foreign individuals. The move targets “fake foreign investors” and reflects Beijing’s broader push to tighten cross-border oversight and enforce tax fairness. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Liu Liu gets to the heart of the matter.

Liu Liu

03 Sep 2026

Can the West force China into a new Plaza Accord?

Calls are growing in the West for a stronger renminbi as China’s vast trade surplus fuels tensions with the US and Europe. But today’s economic realities make a repeat of the landmark 1985 Plaza Accord far more difficult, says Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei.

Sim Tze Wei

03 Sep 2026