Diplomatic Masterclass
Whilst the contest between the two great economic superpowers, USA and China, captures the world’s attention, the diplomatic, trade and historical relationship between China and Japan is a lot more complex, with a lot more at stake. Asia’s two largest economies and most populous nations don’t have the luxury of trading insults from the safe […]
China’s Free Trade Zones
Despite China’s amazing transformation and economic progress over the past 30 years, there remains one unanswered question that continues to frustrate their leaders: “why won’t foreign companies establish their regional headquarters on Chinese soil?”. Imagine how successful China would look to the rest of the world if the likes of Google, Apple, Microsoft and Amazon […]
From Third World to First
While I was living in Hong Kong in the 80s and 90s, an economic miracle was taking place to the south, with Singapore emerging as the high growth market of the South East Region and one of four “Asian Tigers” (along with HK, South Korea and Taiwan) to benefit from the spectacular rise of Japan.
The Jewel in the Crown
When I lived in Hong Kong in the 1980s and 1990s, it was often referred to as “the Gateway to Mainland China”, a critical role that has propelled Hong Kong to become one of the wealthiest and most successful financial centres and commercial ports in the world. With a major capitalist service economy characterised by […]
Nine Bend Bridge
Regular visitors to the famous Yu Garden in the Old City of Shanghai will know of the “Nine Bend Bridge” which links the beautiful gardens to the famous Huxinting Teahouse (built in 1855) enabling thirsty and weary travellers to safely cross the artificial lake to enjoy an immensely satisfying cup of China’s finest tea. The […]
Introducing “The Gateway”
We live in the Asian Century. In the coming decades, China, Japan, India and Indonesia will rise to become amongst the largest economies in the world, driven by an explosion of innovation, productivity and domestic consumption from their large and fast growing middle class and high net worth populations. Smaller Asian countries like Malaysia, Thailand, […]