SINGAPORE—U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi kicked off a closely-watched Asia tour on Monday in Singapore as the Chinese regime warned that its military would never “sit idly by” if she were to visit Taiwan, the self-ruled island claimed by Beijing. Amid widespread speculation over whether she would make a stop in Taiwan, Pelosi’s…

Singapore’s central bank, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), posted a net loss of S$7.4 billion ($5.3 billion) for the 2021-2022 financial year that ended on March 31. In his speech at a press conference on July 19, the MAS’s Managing Director Ravi Menon noted that the loss arose mainly from lower investment gains (S$4…

The Hong Kong passport ranked 18th among the world’s best travel documents, with hassle-free entry to 171 destinations, according to the latest ranking by London-based immigration consulting firm Henley & Partners. The Japanese passport once again ranked first, providing hassle-free entry to 193 countries. Singapore and South Korea share second place with hassle-free entry to…

LONDON—Enfamil maker Reckitt on Wednesday afternoon flew 65 tonnes of baby formula to Chicago from its plant in Singapore, aiming to end a months-long shortage in the United States by late summer, a senior executive said. Similac maker Abbott Laboratories in February recalled dozens of types of baby formula, taking the country’s biggest industry player…

COLOMBO/SINGAPORE—Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa submitted a letter of resignation on Thursday, a spokesperson for the parliament speaker said, hours after fleeing to Singapore following mass protests over an economic meltdown. The announcement triggered jubilation in the commercial capital Colombo where protesters massed outside the presidential secretariat, defying a city-wide curfew. Crowds set off firecrackers,…

COLOMBO/SINGAPORE—Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa submitted a letter of resignation on July 14, a spokesperson for the parliamentary speaker said, hours after fleeing to Singapore following mass protests over an economic meltdown. The announcement triggered jubilation in the commercial capital Colombo, where protesters massed outside the presidential secretariat, defying a city-wide curfew. Crowds set off…

Governments in Asia are stepping up measures to control food prices, offering additional economic relief packages to households amid soaring inflation fueled by the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war. Malaysia is projected to spend roughly $17.5 billion on subsidies this year, including the recently announced $83 million in chicken and egg subsidies, to keep inflation under control….

China can decide to debate its stance in open forums like the Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) or “retreat from that engagement,” Singapore Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen said on June 12. Ng was responding to a question posed by a Chinese military official during the seventh plenary session of the SLD in Singapore. The three-day forum…

Tesla’s Singapore country manager announced that he was dismissed on June 11 after CEO Elon Musk warned about global workforce cuts earlier this month amid worries of a coming recession. The former Tesla Singapore manager, Christopher Bousigues said on his LinkedIn page: “Tesla announced a 10% of workforce reduction. My role was chosen to be…

The United States still plays an irreplaceable role in ensuring peace and stability in Asia, but most Asian countries prefer not to choose sides, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said at a regional annual conference in Tokyo, Japan. At the “Future of Asia” conference organized by Nikkei and the Japan Center for Economic Research…