Shanghai / AFP China’s normally reclusive central bank chief Zhou Xiaochuan is an unusually prominent presence at the G20 finance ministers meeting in Shanghai, racing from seminar to news conference to spread positive messages about the world’s second-largest economy. After months of silence, the governor of the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) wants investors to know that the yuan currency …

New Delhi / AFP New industries must be explored to lessen the country’s dependency on traditional commodities, especially in current times when prices are sliding, said Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak. Najib said developing new industries, like the biomass sector, had great potential for the country. Malaysia, he said, had set its sight on becoming a premier biomass processing hub …

Singapore / DPA Developer CapitaLand’s serviced residence business unit, The Ascott, aims to fast-track its expansion into China by forging a strategic alliance with a major mainland player, Dongfu Investment Development Corp. The Ascott is already the largest international serviced residence owner-operator in China, with more than 14,000 units in 24 cities. The partnership, gives Ascott first right to manage …