Economy & Trade

Mar. 8 – The General Statistical Office (GSO) announced that total revenues from retail trade and services throughout the first two months of 2013 were estimated at a total of VND422.2 trillion (US$20.59 billion) – 10.9 percent year-on-year gain. In addition, HSBC recently released a report that predicted Vietnam’s GDP to continue to grow in […]

By Sondre Solstad Mar. 7 – Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (Walmart) has announced a “Zero-Tolerance Policy” on unauthorized sub-contracting, affecting all suppliers of Walmart stores and subsidiaries in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. Effective from March 1, the Zero Tolerance Policy for subcontracting replaces the multinational retail giant’s former three-strike-rule, and indicates that Wal-Mart […]

By Alex Tangkilisan Mar. 7 – In the fourth and final part of our ASEAN-India Free Trade Area analysis, we will examine trade trends and statistics from India to Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia account for three of ASEAN’s six major economies known as the ASEAN six majors (the other three being […]

In this issue of Asia Briefing Magazine, we discuss why China is no longer the only solution for export-driven businesses, and how the evolution of trade in Asia is determining that locations such as Vietnam and India represent competitive alternatives.

In this issue of China Briefing, we focus on the minutiae of trading with China – regardless of whether your business has a presence in the country or not.

Feb. 28 – The invention of the internet created an accelerated growth route for countries and companies, transforming the world into a place in which digital connections are just as important as human connections. Despite the internet originating in North America, it has grown into a worldwide phenomenon, rapidly expanding internationally. Thanks to the growing […]

Feb. 27 – The Chinese state news agency Xinhua has reported that Chinese troops have been undergoing intensive training near Yunnan’s border with Myanmar as fighting intensifies between Myanmar’s Government forces and the Kachin separatists. Some military shells have already landed in West Yunnan, leading China to step up its surveillance of the deteriorating situation. […]

By Alex Tangkilisan Feb. 27 – In the third part of our ASEAN-India Free Trade Area analysis, we will examine trade trends and statistics from India to Cambodia, Brunei, Laos and the Philippines. While the Philippines is part of the ASEAN six majors, Cambodia, Brunei and Laos are the three smallest economies in the region. […]

Feb. 22 – Malaysia recorded better than expected GDP growth figures in the fourth quarter of 2012, with its economy growing by 6.4 percent. The total annual growth for last year hit 5.6 percent, higher than the expectations of most analysts. Both government spending on infrastructure projects and a solid consumer base contributed to Malaysia’s […]

Feb. 21 – While the price of Hong Kong office rentals fell last year, its main competitor for Asian focused business, Singapore, is still 52 percent less expensive in the same market. Singapore is increasingly important as a link to both the other ASEAN countries and India, with prices expected to rise starting early this […]