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China is struggling to revive foreign investment in its financially battered cities and provinces as foreign firms remain wary of political risks and new incentives fall far short of sweeteners once used to attract overseas money. With their coffers depleted after an economically bruising pandemic and property crisis, local authorities have been racing to find new revenue sources, with foreign investment particularly coveted. Premier Li Qiang in March declared China open for business again, and since then provinces and cities…

The city-state offers a good case example for other Southeast Asian countries vying to become tech and innovation hubs By Nitin Pangarkar Academic Director and Associate Professor at National University of Singapore Paul Vandenberg Senior Economist at the Asian Development Bank Singapore has a vibrant ecosystem that nurtures and develops technology-based startups. Its ecosystem was ranked 18th in the world in 2022 and fifth in Asia, behind Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul, and Tokyo, by Startup Genome and Global Entrepreneurship Network. According to…

Facing global supply chain challenges, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework promotes economic cooperation among 14 economies, strengthening supply chain resilience, fostering innovation, and driving growth By: Cyn-Young Park- Director for Regional Cooperation and Integration, Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department at the Asian Development Bank Supply chains – the vital global connections between the making of products and their delivery to customers worldwide – have been tested in recent years. They are increasingly vulnerable due to a lack of coordinated oversight…

Now in its 12th year, the APEC Photo Contest showcases inspirational photos from around the region with a creative take on APEC host priorities. The annual photo contest celebrates the resilience and adaptability of the 21 APEC member economies. Share with us images that will make us think, reflect and admire how people are interconnected, innovative, and inclusive in their daily lives, what sights they see and the sounds they hear in the APEC region. How do you picture a…

Yes you heard that right. My hope is that artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics will be used primarily to eliminate the tedious, bullshit work in which most of humanity currently toils, so that more and more people can pursue their passions in a similar fashion. Ideally, this will lead to our next great renaissance of art and culture, as millions (or even billions) of humans are suddenly free to do what they love and create happiness through art. Before such…

Since RCEP came into effect in China and Japan in January  and South Korea in February of 2022, it became the first free trade agreement that fully includes all three economies of China, Japan and South Korea. The trade deal helps reduce the tariff costs of cross-border trade among its members and promotes such measures as self-declaration of origin by approved exporters. China has now become Japan’s and South Korea’s largest trading partner. Meanwhile, South Korea and Japan have become…

APEC released a set of guidelines to further the forum’s work on environmental services and marine debris management. The guidelines encourage member economies to facilitate services that support the clean-up of marine debris from beaches, rivers, coastal areas, and the open ocean. Marine debris refers to plastic and other litter, discarded and lost fishing equipment, industrial rubbish, and other human-created waste that enters the seas and oceans. A 2020 report by APEC Ocean and Fisheries Working Group estimated that marine…