OPINION
Washington's Yen Intervention Will Carry a Heavy Price Tag for Tokyo
Scott Bessent's proposed currency rescue signals a fundamental shift in U.S.-Japan economic relations, where nothing comes free anymore
Priyanka V. Rao · 7 min
← BACK TO HOME
Perspectives
Expert views, founder stories and sharp analysis decoding the forces shaping Asia.
OPINION
How a Government Bank Froze a Business Owner Out of Her Own Money for Six Years
Land Bank of the Philippines held company funds through an interpleader while private banks released similar accounts, raising questions about institutional overreach in the Philippines.
Priyanka V. Rao · 6 min
OPINION
Relevance, Not Resources: Singapore's Survival Blueprint in a Fragmenting World
As geopolitics fractures global trade, the city-state's minister argues that proactive value creation, not passive adaptation, will determine which Asian economies thrive.
Priyanka V. Rao · 5 min
OPINION
When Shareholders Say No: The Great Eastern Rally and Asia's Quiet Activism Problem
The insurer's 150% return since OCBC's failed takeover bid reveals how blocking forced buyouts can unlock value - yet most Asian markets still treat dissent as disruption
Priyanka V. Rao · 5 min
OPINION
The Energy Crisis Threatening Asia's AI Ambitions
A $5 trillion infrastructure supercycle may not be enough to keep data centers running across the region
Rajesh K. Iyer · 4 min
OPINION
Hong Kong's Welfare Exit Incentive Faces an Uphill Climb
A new cash reward for leaving social assistance sounds promising, but the city's deeper employment barriers demand more than financial carrots.
Priyanka V. Rao · 5 min
OPINION
China's $765 Million Fine Signals a Deeper Market Problem
Beijing's crackdown on Trip.com exposes how involution is forcing a regulatory reset across Chinese tech platforms
Cheng Wei-Lun · 6 min
OPINION
When Permits Become Patronage: Indonesia's Mining Sector Tests the Rule of Law
A landmark court ruling strips executive discretion from resource allocation, forcing the government to choose between transparent competition and political favoritism in one of Asia's richest mineral economies.
Rajesh K. Iyer · 7 min
OPINION
Why Temasek's Silence on the CapitaLand-Mapletree Deal Leaves Minority Investors Guessing
The stalled merger of Singapore's two real estate giants raises uncomfortable questions about transparency and the treatment of minority shareholders in a market dominated by state-linked giants.
Priyanka V. Rao · 5 min
OPINION
Indonesia's Financial Hub Gambit Risks Becoming a Tax Shelter With No Roots
A 21-day legislative sprint to create a zero-tax international financial center sidesteps the transparency and structural reforms that would actually draw serious capital to Jakarta.
Priyanka V. Rao · 6 min
OPINION
Thailand's Revenue Problem Lies at Home, Not in Tourist Lounges
While Bangkok courts high-spending travelers, a narrow elite controls over half the nation's income and wealth - yet faces a tax system designed to let them off easily.
Rajesh K. Iyer · 4 min
OPINION
Six Decades of Energy Trust: How the UAE and Japan Are Redefining Partnership Beyond Oil
As the Gulf state and Asia's industrial giant enter a new phase of cooperation, their relationship offers a blueprint for energy security in a carbon-constrained world
Priyanka V. Rao · 4 min
OPINION
In Da Nang, the Souvenir That Travels Best Is a Pair of Hands
A fishing town became one of Asia's fastest-rising destinations. At All Seasons — the city's first unlimited-lobster buffet — the most-repeated line in thousands of guest reviews isn't about the food. Hòa Quốc Nguyễn, CEO of Viet Deli Group, thinks that says everything about what Vietnam is actually selling.
Simon Ng · 5 min