5 h. ago Rio de Janeiro seeks to become Brics diplomatic hub with headquarters proposal

Rio de Janeiro is seeking to be home to the permanent headquarters of Brics, the economic bloc of emerging nations that currently has no official base of operations. Rio’s mayor, Eduardo Paes, delivered a letter of intent to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva following the Brics 2025 summit held at the city’s Museum of Modern Art earlier this week. Founded in 2009, Brics – whose membership now includes Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South...

Politics

10 h. ago China must ‘play the long game’ with trade partners as US bullies, analysts say

With US President Donald Trump sending more tariff letters to trade partners, Beijing has stepped up efforts – like rallying its own trade partners – to collectively push back against Washington’s trade protectionism. The world’s second-largest economy will provide considerable development opportunities – from broader market access to greater regional integration – while being mindful of US threats, according to statements this week following a string of overseas visits by Chinese...

Politics

10 h. ago Asean leaders renew call to revive stalled peace plan for Myanmar

Southeast Asian leaders have renewed calls to revive a stalled peace plan for Myanmar while urging calm in the South China Sea and backing an immediate ceasefire in Gaza – reflecting the Asean bloc’s cautious efforts to address some of the region’s most pressing security and humanitarian challenges. Their positions were outlined in a sweeping 160-point joint communique issued at the conclusion of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (Asean) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kuala Lumpur,...

Politics

10 h. ago Fulfil ‘wish list’ for peace before holding election, Asean urges Myanmar junta

Southeast Asian leaders have called on the Myanmar junta to refrain from holding elections until it satisfies a “wish list” for peace by the country’s stakeholders, as the Asean bloc wraps up a meeting of foreign ministers. In closing remarks on Friday, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations outlined three wishes from parties, including Myanmar’s government in exile and warring factions, amid renewed calls to revive a stalled peace plan. “We are saying that [the election] is not a priority...

Politics

11 h. ago Barking up wrong tree? Indonesian police’s robot use criticised for wrong focus

A hi-tech display of humanoid robots and robotic dogs by Indonesian police has drawn criticism for their desire to project a tech-savvy image and not focusing on tackling broader problems, ranging from a “culture of impunity” to reform inertia. At the national police’s 79th anniversary parade on July 1 in Jakarta, the force unveiled 25 new machines – including RoboCop-style robots, robot tanks and robodogs – in the presence of Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto. Their spokesman, Inspector...

Events

11 h. ago Hong Kong government to offer just 1 residential plot for sale this quarter

Hong Kong’s government will release a mid-size plot for sale in its fiscal second quarter, continuing its tight grip on land supply as the city’s residential property market grapples with a glut that has forced developers to slash prices to find buyers. A plot measuring 6,500 square metres (70,000 sq ft) at the junction of Wing Shun Street and Texaco Road in Tsuen Wan in the western part of New Territories will be made available via tender in the July to September quarter, enough to provide...

Politics

12 h. ago ‘It’s a bad time’: US consumers on edge ahead of Trump’s tariff deadline

Kathleen Harrison, the owner of an arts-and-crafts shop in the San Francisco Bay Area, is dreading what might happen if the US government raises tariffs on a slew of Asian economies later this summer. The 33-year-old is already under pressure as it is. The cost of key supplies such as paper stock has doubled this year due to a surge in demand, forcing her to hunt down bargains to keep her prices stable. Now, she worries that higher duties on imports from China and other major exporters will...

Politics

12 h. ago Beijing to Shanghai in 2½ hours: the maglev marvel redefining high

A Chinese-built maglev train that will be the nation’s fastest-ever ground transport vehicle has made its public debut in Beijing – an ambitious project that is expected to drastically reduce travel times and cement China’s reputation as a world leader in high-speed rail networks. The train – which can reach speeds of 600km/h (373mph) – was unveiled this week at the 17th Modern Railways exhibition, offering a futuristic glimpse of China’s rail transport aspirations. Developed by the China...

Politics

12 h. ago Trump’s Brics wrath: will India be caught out by tariff threat?

US President Donald Trump’s threat to slap an additional 10 per cent tariff on Brics nations may be more of a strategic warning rather than a prelude to action – and is not expected to disrupt India’s efforts to finalise a trade pact with Washington, according to analysts. In a speech on Tuesday, Trump accused the 10-member bloc – comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, alongside newer entrants such as Iran, Egypt and Indonesia – of undermining the United States and seeking to...

Events

12 h. ago Hong Kong’s MTR Corp signs investment deal with train parts maker CRRC Guangdong

Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation has signed a deal with CRRC Guangdong, marking the firm’s first investment in the railway equipment industry of the city’s neighbouring province and a bid to gain further access to the Greater Bay Area market. The deal between the local rail giant and the train parts maker was signed in Beijing on Thursday, with the MTR Corp announcing the move a day later. “This marks MTR’s first investment project in the railway equipment industry in Guangdong province, facilitating...

Economics

13 h. ago Shougang Lanzatech delays Hong Kong IPO again due to dispute with JV partner

Beijing Shougang Lanzatech Technology on Friday said it will again delay its Hong Kong initial public offering and did not provide a new timetable due to a dispute with a joint venture (JV) partner. The company, which built the world’s first large-scale industrial fermentation facility in 2018 that used exhaust gases from steel mills to make ethanol and microbial protein, was scheduled to announce the final subscription price for its shares on Tuesday. On Monday, it postponed it by a week. “As a...

Economics

13 h. ago Is Singapore key for the US to fight against China as Tammy Duckworth says?

Remarks by a US senator labelling Singapore as a key place for “fighting against” major rival China have offered a revealing glimpse into how some American politicians view the city state, amid Washington’s regional power struggle with Beijing. The comments came to light after clips of a Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday showed an exasperated Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth admonishing Anjani Sinha, US President Donald Trump’s ambassador nominee to Singapore. “You want to be ambassador...

Politics

14 h. ago China Out, India In? Bharat May Slither In Japan’s Garment Market As Beijing's Dominance Declines: AEPC

China Out, India In? Bharat May Slither In Japan’s Garment Market As Beijing's Dominance Declines: AEPC  Times Now

Politics

14 h. ago China Out, India In? Bharat May Slither In Japan’s $91.86 Billion Garment Market As Beijing's Dominance Declin

China Out, India In? Bharat May Slither In Japan’s $91.86 Billion Garment Market As Beijing's Dominance Declin  Times Now

Economics

14 h. ago Could Hong Kong add preventive checks to its voluntary health insurance system?

Hong Kong authorities will review the city’s Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme this year and study expanding it to cover some preventive screenings, the acting health minister has said. Acting Secretary for Health Libby Lee Ha-yun’s remarks on Friday referred to a policy that was introduced by authorities in 2019 to establish standards and improve market transparency for individual indemnity hospital insurance products. Through the scheme, authorities hoped to enhance the protection level of...

Politics

14 h. ago ‘Pattern emerging’: is China intentionally provoking Japan with close fly

Tokyo has expressed “serious concerns” to Beijing after a Chinese fighter jet came close to a Japanese aircraft operating in international airspace over the East China Sea on two occasions this week, with analysts suggesting that a pattern is emerging of China being increasingly willing to challenge Japan at sea and in the air. According to Japan’s Defence Ministry, a Chinese JH-7 fighter-bomber flew within 70 metres of an Air Self-Defence Force YS-11EB electronic surveillance aircraft on...

Politics

15 h. ago Envision launches world’s largest green hydrogen plant in Inner Mongolia

Chinese wind-power developer Envision Energy has commissioned the world’s largest green hydrogen and ammonia plant, as Beijing seeks to decarbonise its hard-to-abate industries and dominate the growing clean-fuel market. The Shanghai-headquartered company launched the first phase of the project in Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, on Wednesday, which is capable of producing 320,000 tonnes per year of green ammonia, Envision said. “This is more than a technological milestone,” said Zhang Lei, Envision’s...

Politics

17 h. ago Asean accuses Israel of ‘openly committing genocide’, demands end to Gaza war

Southeast Asian leaders on Friday called on the United States and others to bring a swift end to the Gaza war, accusing Israel of “openly committing genocide” in its assaults on the Palestinian enclave with little consequence. More than 56,000 people, mostly women and children, have reportedly been killed so far under aerial bombings and ground assaults by Israel in its nearly two-year war against Hamas, which has levelled much of Gaza and displaced millions. The war was triggered by a deadly...

Politics

17 h. ago Malaysia warns bilateral talks only avenue for Asean to negotiate US tariffs

Southeast Asia’s plan of presenting a united front on US tariffs appears to have fallen apart, after the region’s diplomatic bloc admitted that its members will have to pursue their own talks with Washington to bring down punishing levies that threaten to sink demand for their vital exports. All but two members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) were served with letters from US President Donald Trump earlier this week, announcing tariffs of between 20 and 40 per cent that will...

Events

18 h. ago HKMA intervenes in the market for the fifth time in 2 weeks to defend currency peg

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) intervened in the foreign-exchange market on Friday for the fifth time in two weeks, scooping up the local currency and increasing overnight lending costs to drive away carry traders who have sought to take advantage of the city’s rate gap with the US dollar. The city’s de facto central bank sold US$1.69 billion ­during New York trading hours on Thursday and bought the equivalent of HK$13.28 billion at HK$7.85 per US dollar, the authority said in a...

Politics