Asia Economy
Thailand ends almost all travel restrictions — but one key rule remains
Travelers wondering what it’s like to visit Thailand now may be interested to know the country is “allowing almost everything” again. That’s according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the governmental entity responsible for promoting tourism to the country. Masks are no longer required, and the country’s color-coded system — which placed limits that […]
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The Quad is going beyond military exercises — and China is watching
Over the years, the Quad has been incorrectly called an “Asian NATO,” especially when it comes to security concerns about another big power in the region — China. The Quad, or the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, comprises four big, democratic economies: the United States, Japan, India and Australia. Over the years, the Quad has been incorrectly […]
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General Motors calls off plan to sell India car plant to China’s Great Wall
A photo of workers in a car factory in India. General Motors (GM) said on Friday it had called off the sale of a shuttered Indian plant to China’s Great Wall Motor after they failed to obtain regulatory approvals, amid a tougher stance by New Delhi towards investments from Beijing. Amit Pasricha | IndiaPictures | […]
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China’s Xi says Hong Kong is moving ‘from chaos to governance’
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Hong Kong’s new Chief Executive John Lee at the swearing-in ceremony on July 1, 2022. Xi, in his first trip outside the mainland since Covid struck, presided over the ceremony. Justin Chin | Bloomberg | Getty Images BEIJING — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday laid out a future for […]
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IMF-Sri Lanka bailout talks end without a deal
Sri Lanka is facing its worst financial crisis since independence in 1948, which has left it struggling to pay for essential imports and forced it to default on some foreign debt. Serhej Calka | Istock | Getty Images The International Monetary Fund has ended talks with Sri Lanka, failing to conclude a deal for a […]
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Singapore’s unemployment has dropped close to pre-Covid levels, minister says
Singapore’s labor shortage problems are easing as unemployment continues to fall close to pre-pandemic levels, said Minister of Manpower Tan See Leng. “For local unemployment, we are actually in a fairly good state. The unemployment has dropped. I think we’re close to pre-Covid levels,” he told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” on Thursday. “We are seeing […]
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In China, more and more people want to save as job worries grow
Education remained the most popular category for Chinese consumer’s planned spending, according to a People’s Bank of China survey in the second quarter of 2022. China News Service | China News Service | Getty Images BEIJING — Chinese consumers’ inclination to save is at its highest in two decades, the People’s Bank of China found […]
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Australia’s retail sales beat forecasts again in May
Shoppers around Pitt Street Mall on June 7, 2022, in Sydney, Australia. Australian retail sales again beat expectations in May as consumers spent more on eating out and in department stores, suggesting demand is proving resilient in the face of surging inflation and rising interest rates. Brendon Thorne | Getty Images News | Getty Images […]
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China’s economy didn’t bounce back in the second quarter, China Beige Book survey finds
China’s exports surged by 16.9% in May from a year ago, two times faster than analysts expected. Pictured here on June 15, 2022, are workers in Jiangsu province making stuffed toy bears for export. Si Wei | Visual China Group | Getty Images BEIJING — Chinese businesses ranging from services to manufacturing reported a slowdown […]
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China cuts quarantine time for international travelers in big step toward easing Covid controls
For more than two years, overseas travelers have had to quarantine upon arrival in China because of Covid restrictions. Pictured here at Beijing International Airport on June 18, 2022, are passengers waiting to be taken to quarantine-designated destinations. Leo Ramirez | Afp | Getty Images BEIJING — China cut the quarantine period for international travelers […]
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