Soaring debt levels in China were a serious concern as the fallout of any crisis would hit everyone else, said a former International Monetary Fund (IMF) economist on Thursday. “If there’s a country in the world which is really going to affect everyone else and which is vulnerable, it’s got to be China today,” Kenneth […]

President Donald Trump may be talking tough on trade, pulling the U.S. out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), but most of the rest of the world is pushing ahead. Japan was emerging as a leader on free trade, as it edges closer to a free trade pact with the European Union which could be completed […]

The founder of the Virgin Group, Sir Richard Branson, has sharply criticized some Trump administration policies, calling them unhealthy and dangerous, and didn’t spare the lash on Brexit. Branson, who spoke with CNBC onboard Virgin Australia’s inaugural flight between Australia and Hong Kong on Wednesday, said he’s dismayed by the rise in protectionist policies, particularly […]

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Wednesday that North Korea’s actions were “quickly closing off the possibility of a diplomatic solution” and the United States was prepared to defend itself and its allies. “One of our capabilities lies with our considerable military forces. We will use them if we must, but […]

North Korea’s claims that it successfully launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Tuesday are the latest instance of political posturing to emerge from President Kim Jong-Un’s totalitarian regime, but they also bring the likelihood of an attack on the U.S. squarely into focus. Though most experts agree that the closed state does not yet […]

The U.S. may need to re-think its current North Korea strategy of asking China to step up efforts to rein in an increasingly-aggressive Pyongyang as it attempts to become a nuclear power, experts said on Wednesday. That followed another missile launch by the North on Tuesday, which the U.S. confirmed to be an intercontinental ballistic […]

Even as Singapore faces brighter economic prospects this year, one sector could remain a sticking point for the export-reliant country. Citi pointed the finger at oil and gas in a research note published on Tuesday. The Southeast Asian city-state is home to the world’s largest offshore rig builders, Keppel Corporation and Sembcorp Marine, who had […]

China shouldn’t squander a major opportunity to lead artificial intelligence development in the world, top Baidu executives said in Beijing on Wednesday. The world’s second-largest economy must seize on this “historic opportunity,” said Baidu COO Lu Qi in a speech at a company conference for developers. China was well-positioned to influence the development as its […]

As China expands its influence into Southeast Asia, Malaysia has emerged as one of the biggest winners, with its port and railway projects expected to receive as much as 400 billion ringgit ($93 billion) from the world’s second largest economy, Citi Research said in a Tuesday note. But questions have persisted over the commercial viability […]

The Chinese government’s efforts to clean up air quality are bearing fruit as use of dirty coal has likely dropped 40 percent over the last five years, said Wood Mackenzie. According to data from the consultancy, the use of low-quality or dirty coal, known as sanmei, will fall to 469 million tons this year from […]