Opinion

Rising inequality threatens to derail, from the start, successful implementation of the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the Asia-Pacific region. Stronger, more equitable social protection will be critical in overcoming these challenges. New research by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) indicates that inequality, related to both outcomes and opportunities, is ...

Singapore has retained its unenviable ranking as the world’s most expensive city for the third straight year, with Hong Kong and Seoul also joining the top 10 list. But while residents of the powerhouse Southeast Asian economy are likely not exactly celebrating their status, at least those residing Down Under can still see the joy in life’s lot while they ...

Increasingly, central bankers, economists and market watchers are discussing the pros and cons of what’s called helicopter money, a 47-year old idea that posits a way to kickstart an economy through dropping money on its citizens. Peter Praet of the European Central Bank, for example, said in an interview published last week that “all central banks can do it” if ...

In this bitter campaign, one area of agreement unites the major candidates: trade. Bernie Sanders brags that he’s opposed all recent trade agreements; Hillary Clinton now rejects the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), President Obama’s signature trade success that she once supported; and Donald Trump blames incompetent US trade negotiators for devastating job losses to China that might be cured by a ...

The quest for water, especially in arid regions worldwide, is rapidly becoming an overriding concern, as governments and research centres seek options on how best to address the issue. The scenario looks so gloomy with reports that as many as 3.5 billion people are expected to experience water scarcity in the next decade. Given this huge number, the problem is ...

“It’s great to be back in Beijing!” wrote Mark Zuckerberg in a Facebook post on Friday. “I kicked off my visit with a run through Tiananmen Square, past the Forbidden City and over to the Temple of Heaven.” This marks the latest in a series of attempts by the chairman and chief executive of Facebook to win the hearts and ...

According to the National Development and Reform Commission’s (NDRC) Report on the Implementation of the 2015 Plan and on the 2016 Draft Plan for National Economic and Social Development, adopted March 16, considerable progress was made in 2015 and reforms were laid out for 2016. As China’s economy become more complex, planning has become more challenging. In 2015, the government’s ...

The Gambia, formerly one of a handful of countries that recognized Taiwan, has officially resumed diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. The Chinese and Gambian foreign ministers, Wang Yi and Neneh MacDouall-Gaye, signed a joint communique officially resuming diplomatic ties on March 17 in Beijing. Part of the communique, as is standard procedure for Beijing, had Gambia officially ...

Recently, McDonald’s decided to raise wages for many of its hourly restaurant workers. The rise is modest, from about $9 to about $10, but already the company’s executives claim that they are seeing improvements in service quality: “It has done what we expected it to — 90 day turnover rates are down, our survey scores are up—we have more staff ...

Of the many dangerous trends in the 2016 election, the revolt against free trade that has captured both parties could do the most long-term damage. That’s because protectionism would undermine future growth of the US economy and subvert America’s role as global leader. Globalization has undeniably hurt some American workers and cost some manufacturing jobs. But there’s strong evidence that ...