Companies have reason to be sceptical about investing in Asia in general, and in China in particular, but Asian investment could still be a good bet. Issues such as intellectual property protection and the US-China trade wars could dissuade some companies from investing in Asia in general, and China in particular, but there is still plenty of interest in the region. In China, Beijing is tightening its grip on its thriving tech industry, forcing companies such as Alipay to hol

In the ongoing disruption of the global economy, Vietnam is emerging as a clear winner. Its economy is expected to grow by 4.8% of GDP in 2021, according to the World Bank. To be sure, the Covid-19 pandemic has hit Vietnam this summer, after the country was largely successful at curtailing the virus in 2020. That will hurt the country’s second half of 2021, but long-term trends still support Vietnam establishing itself as a major economic power. Crucial to its rise are powerf

TDM Insight: China Trade Statistics Show Supply Chain Disruption. By John W. Miller, Chief Economic Analyst - Trade Data Monitor The global economy is getting back to normal, but supply chains are not exactly returning to where they were before the Covid-19 pandemic. Consider this: In August, Chinese shipments of textiles fell 14.8% year-on-year, off a low base in 2020, to $12.5 billion, and exports of mobile phones declined 24.4% to $7.4 billion. However, sales of motor vehi

Fascinating to see how many of the brands are based in Asia or grew due to Asian markets The Briefing The fastest growing brand on the list is Tesla, which isn’t surprising—the company’s stock increased by almost 700% in 2020. What happened for Tesla last year to warrant such a boost? The company entered the SUV market with its launch of the Model Y, and started production in China, which increased sales in the country by 90% in the first 9 months of 2020. TikTok, which ranks

Cross-border trade has been a key driving force in the development of most of the world since the existence of the first civilizations. From the Silk Road that connected the East and West in ancient times to the goods we purchase online today, it has been essential to the growth of a multitude of civilizations, empires, and nations throughout the course of history. Decades back, countries in the European Union (EU) collaborated on facilitating cross-border economic activity w

For all the talk of deepening tensions between the United States and China, there is one area where relations appear to be 'business-as-usual': trade. Official Chinese data show that bilateral trade between the two countries surged in 2021, with China's exports to and imports from the United States reaching $46.9 billion and $14.3 billion in June respectively. “Trade wars between the U.S. and China have not really diverted trade towards other countries,” Keyu Jin, professor o

As the world emerges from an unprecedented pandemic-induced economic slump, Asia is once again garnering the attention of international investors and multinational corporations in the form of large-scale inflows of portfolio and direct investments into strategic economic sectors. Unlike the period following the 2008 Global Financial Crisis where the focus on Asian economies was almost exclusively realized by corporate and institutional investors, in the post-pandemic era, gov

China has made a rapid economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, which seems to have moved European investors from favouring offshoring to rediscovering their appetite for the country. European companies are seeking to increase their exposure in China and move their supply chains onshore in the country, according to a report from the EU Chamber of Commerce in China published in June 2021. The European Business in China Business Confidence Survey 2021 finds that 59% of Eur

RCEP Explained: The World’s Biggest Trading Bloc Trade and commerce are the lifeblood of the global economy. Naturally, agreements among nations in a certain geographical area help facilitate relationships in ways that are ideally beneficial for everyone involved. In late 2020, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) was signed, officially creating the biggest trade bloc in history. Here, we break down everything you need to know about it, from who’s involved t

Official China Trade Data Analysis by John W. Miller, Chief Economic Analyst, Trade Data Monitor - May 2021 China Preliminary Data by Major Products & by Country/Region Asia is really humming. Chinese exports of goods to top Asian trading partners boomed in May, suggesting that the continent is blowing past Europe and the U.S. in 2021 in the speed and scale of its recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. Chinese exports to the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Nations, o

Switzerland tops the GlobalData Country Risk Index as the world's least risky country, while Venezuela ranks bottom, but what does the risk factor mean for a location's FDI inflows? Key findings from assessing the relationships between a country's risk score and FDI and GDP per capita: - Switzerland tops the ranking as the least risky country. - Venezuela is the riskiest country. - FDI and GDP per capita are negatively correlated against country risk. - More successful FDI co

"ASEAN is poised to become a dramatic consumption opportunity, driven by four mega-forces: strong demographic trends; rising income levels; geopolitical shifts increasing foreign investment; and digital advances opening new consumer markets." Over the next decade, ASEAN will become the world’s fourth-largest economy with a roughly $4 trillion USD consumer market. While the entire region will offer abundant growth opportunities, each market will evolve differently. Eight key c

The RCEP agreement creates a free trade arrangement between ASEAN and Asia-Pacific nations, providing new trading opportunities through tariff reduction, new rules of origin, and trade-facilitation measures. Article by Dezan Shira as part of May China Briefing In November 2020, after eight years of negotiation, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement was finally inked by 15 Asia-Pacific nations, by far becoming the largest plurilateral free trade agre

In the pandemic’s second year, some familiar worries -- about inflation, capital flight or public debt -- are starting to surface across the developing world. Except in one corner. In Asia, policy makers aren’t too preoccupied with these classic emerging-market problems. Their economies look increasingly like they’ve emerged. Asian Exception In the pre-pandemic decade, Asian economies posted much faster growth and lower inflation rates than their emerging-market peers That’s

Japan's parliament approved Wednesday the world's largest free trade deal, signed by 15 Asia-Pacific countries including China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, raising the possibility for the pact to enter into force later this year. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership will create a free trade zone covering about 30 percent of the world's gross domestic product, trade and population. It will be Japan's first trade deal involving both China

10,263 new foreign-invested companies were established in China during the first three months of the year Data from the Ministry of Commerce comes as China continues to court foreign businesses while the United States is looking to help American companies exit the Chinese market Foreign direct investment in China grew at the fastest pace in more than a decade during the first quarter of 2021, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce on Thursday. The news came am

Official China Trade Data from our partners at Trade Data Monitor based on official HS Customs data on all commodities. It was March 2020 that marked the depths of the Covid-19 economic crisis. Factories closed. Shops shuttered. Consumer locked their doors and wallets. Last month’s Chinese exports signals that the global economy has found its way back. Spring is here. Wallets are open. In March, Chinese exports increased 30.7% year-on-year to $241.1 billion. That’s significan

Pleased to share the PWC Asia Customs & Trade February / March 2021 issue of Trade Intelligence which includes the following highlights: · Lead Article - Celebrate or Commiserate? Taking stock in the world of customs and international trade · ASEAN signs MRA impacting automotive products · Korea-Central America FTA enters into full force · China releases draft administrative measures on approved exporters · India’s digitisation initiatives · Revocation of excise duty exemptio

Fantastic insights by Visual Capitalist and Hinrich Foundation on the effects of sustainable trade across Asia: To say that Asia has benefited from international trade is an understatement. By opening its economies to the rest of the world, the region has become a leading exporter in many of today’s most important industries. Trade has also improved Asia’s quality of life, lifting over one billion people out of poverty since 1990. Without the proper controls, however, such ra

The World Bank’s projections suggest that the region will bear the scars of COVID-19 for many years to come. The Asia-Pacific region will experience a lopsided recovery from the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the World Bank said in its latest economic outlook for the region, due to uneven containment of the disease and widely varying vaccine distribution timelines. The World Bank’s East Asia and Pacific Economic Update, released on March 26, predicts that the r