13 h. ago Syria’s future tied to Israel peace deal as billions in investment set to arrive

Some US$20 billion of foreign investment and financial aid is set to pour into Syria over the next few years, kick-starting the reconstruction of the war-torn country after Western sanctions were lifted two months ago. But the desperately needed funds forthcoming from Gulf Arab, Turkish and Western firms remain tied to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s willingness to reach some kind of Washington-backed peace agreement with an antagonistic Israel, according to several Middle East experts who...

Economics

9 d. ago Hong Kong developer Grand Ming’s crisis deepens with US$611 million loan default

Hong Kong developer Grand Ming Group warned investors that it has yet to repay a HK$4.8 billion (US$611.4 million) loan, with its gearing ratio surging past 200 per cent – another sign of the growing debt crisis among the city’s small and medium developers. In a filing with the Hong Kong stock exchange on Tuesday, the company said that it had breached financial covenants under its loan facilities, according to its audited annual results for the year ended March 31. “The group has obtained...

Economics

2 w. ago Trump has a US$30 billion plan to match China at shipbuilding. Can he win?

America’s view of China as a “pacing threat” has shaped its defence priorities as the military seeks to maintain an edge over a rapidly modernising PLA. In the last of a three-part series on how US budget tensions will affect efforts to deter China, we look at Trump’s massive funding request aimed at turbocharging naval construction. Read the rest of the series here. US President Donald Trump aims to invest tens of billions of dollars to revitalise American shipbuilding, as China’s rapidly...

Politics

2 w. ago Chinese firms eye Hong Kong listings after mainland investors’ buying spree

A slew of mainland-listed Chinese technology companies are speeding up fundraising plans in Hong Kong to capitalise on the upbeat market sentiment. Hong Kong’s equity market has been buoyed by mainland investors’ record buying of HK$731.2 billion (US$93.1 billion) of stocks in the first half of the year, according to Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) data and Bloomberg on Monday. The buying spree, driven by attractive valuations and a re-rating of China’s technology sector, has led to a...

Economics

2 w. ago Ghana at loggerheads with China over rampant illegal gold mining

China and Ghana, Africa’s largest gold producer, are embroiled in a diplomatic row over the rampant problem of illegal gold mining, known as “galamsey”. As global gold prices soar, a growing number of Chinese firms are investing billions of dollars in Ghana’s lucrative gold sector. However, the alleged involvement of Chinese nationals in illicit mining operations has ignited major debate. It has prompted the Chinese ambassador to Ghana, Tong Defa, to push back against accusations that Chinese...

Events

2 w. ago China to stay cautious as Iran seeks aid amid US, Israel clashes: Mideast expert

Iran may look to China for weapons support amid conflicts with the US and Israel, but Beijing will remain cautious, considering strained economic ties with Tehran and its broader interest in balancing ties with Israel and other Western-aligned states in the region, according to a veteran Chinese expert on the Middle East. In an exclusive interview with the South China Morning Post, Pan Guang, a Chinese scholar of Jewish and Middle East studies, said the conflict between Iran and Israel was...

Politics

2 w. ago Indonesia’s 3 million homes push gets US$2.5 billion boost from Qatar

A Qatari firm has pledged a US$2.5 billion investment to help Indonesia realise an ambitious affordable housing push, with plans to build 1 million homes over five years – a major contribution to President Prabowo Subianto’s broader pledge to construct 3 million new dwellings during his term. The initiative is expected to face complex challenges – from securing land and managing construction costs to integrating housing with urban infrastructure – but officials and experts say these could be...

Economics

3 w. ago China’s Zou Jiayi, a former finance official, elected AIIB president

Former vice-minister of finance Zou Jiayi has been elected president of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), leading the lender and its US$100 billion in capital through a decisive moment for globalisation and development finance. The decision was announced at the Beijing-based bank’s annual meeting on Tuesday, held with representatives of its 110 member states and other stakeholders at its headquarters to celebrate its 10th anniversary. Zou, 62, will serve a five-year term which...

Politics

3 w. ago Chinese government to invest $140 billion in robotics and high

Chinese government to invest $140 billion in robotics and high-tech industries  Robotics & Automation News

Economics

3 w. ago Hotel investors pick up Hong Kong bargains on distress, tourism rebound

Hong Kong is becoming a magnet for hotel investments after some investors snapped up assets on the cheap this year, banking on a recovery in tourism and shrinking room supply to brighten the industry outlook, according to property consultants. Investments in the sector could reach about HK$5 billion (US$637 million), an almost 50 per cent increase from 2024 after solid activity in the first quarter, according to Colliers. JLL forecasts hotel transactions to hit US$800 million. “There is...

Economics

3 w. ago China breaks into Malawi's mining sector with $7 billion investment package

China breaks into Malawi's mining sector with $7 billion investment package  Business Insider Africa

Economics

3 w. ago Unitree Robotics now a unicorn with ByteDance, Alibaba, Tencent funding

Unitree Robotics, a leading player in China’s booming robotics industry, has completed a new round of financing, attracting investment from some of the country’s biggest tech companies amid excitement surrounding this sector. The Hangzhou-based company, founded by Wang Xingxing, was valued at over 10 billion yuan (US$1.3 billion), according to investors and local media reports. Notable backers in the latest funding round included ByteDance-affiliated Jinqiu Capital, Alibaba Group Holding and...

Politics

4 w. ago Why is China investing billions in a science that no one knows but on which all our technology depends?

Why is China investing billions in a science that no one knows but on which all our technology depends?  Farmingdale Observer

Economics