Economies.
Growth, inflation and economic policy across Asia, reported country by country and connected region-wide.
China, Chile, Belgium Compete for High Seas Treaty Secretariat Host
China, Chile, and Belgium are vying to host the High Seas Treaty secretariat. This administrative body will shape global marine resource rules, impacting industries from fisheries to seabed mining. The decision, expected in January, could shift centres of international governance.
ASEAN, China Drive ACFTA 3.0 for Late 2026 Enactment
ASEAN and China are advancing negotiations to upgrade their Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA), targeting enactment by late 2026. The new ACFTA 3.0 focuses on digital and green trade, alongside supply chain connectivity.
GovTech Singapore Cuts 93 Roles, Keeps Vendor Ties Amid Internal Shift
Singapore's GovTech retrenched 93 employees in July, shifting towards in-house product development. Senior Minister of State Jasmin Lau confirms continued vendor partnerships. (Source: The Business Times Singapore)
Singapore Q2 Layoffs Hit Five-Year High at 4,500 Amid Restructuring
Singaporean companies cut 4,500 jobs in the second quarter, a five-year high, driven by restructuring in outward-oriented sectors, according to preliminary Ministry of Manpower data.