Entries tagged "Finance"

  • Thai Firm Issues Green Bonds | Dec. 14, 2018, 11:15 a.m.

    The power generating arm of Thailand's oldest industrial group, B. Grimm, has issued 5 billion baht ($152 million) in "green bonds" to raise funds for further investment in its renewable energy business, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

  • Pence To Unveil US Infrastructure Plan | Nov. 15, 2018, 10:42 a.m.

    On his trip to Asia, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will play up Washington's efforts to boost infrastructure investment in the region at a time when China is doing the same with its Belt and Road Initiative, according to the Nikkei Asian Review.

  • $14B Projects Approved in Thailand | Oct. 31, 2018, 10:04 a.m.

    The Thai government has approved four infrastructure megaprojects, worth a combined $14 billion, in an effort to rev up new investment in the country's Eastern Economic Corridor.

  • It's a (Debt) Trap! | Oct. 29, 2018, 3:31 p.m.

    When it was launched, China heralded its Belt and Road Initiative as a “golden opportunity” to revitalize the region, but today it has raised serious concerns about debt sustainability, drawing scrutiny from the IMF. One way for Beijing to demonstrate its commitment to addressing the IMF's concerns is by partnering to develop more sustainable and transparent lending practices.

  • Japan To Expand Cheap Infrastructure Loans | Oct. 19, 2018, 9:54 a.m.

    Japan drafted a plan to offer greater assistance for infrastructure development overseas ahead of a key summit with China next week, as it prepares to pursue joint projects with Beijing in third countries, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

  • Pakistan Pursues IMF Support | Oct. 12, 2018, 9:29 a.m.

    Pakistan has formally asked the International Monetary Fund for financial assistance amid pressure to meet external debt obligations, reports the Nikkei Asian Review. IMF help will require absolute transparency on the nature, size, and terms of the country's debt, including its BRI investment from China.

  • BRI Investment Hits High | Oct. 9, 2018, 9:17 a.m.

    Chinese capital flowing into the Belt and Road Initiative projects surged to a record $20.1 billion in 2017, even as the country's overall outbound foreign direct investment fell. That record will likely be beaten again this year, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

  • U.S. $60B Response to BRI | Oct. 5, 2018, 9:35 a.m.

    With the approval of Congress, the U.S. moves forward with a $60 billion investment fund to boost foreign development funding. According to the Nikkei Asian Review, this is an effort to counter China's expanding influence under the BRI.

  • Credit May Hinder India's Infrastructure | Oct. 3, 2018, 9:35 a.m.

    India's largest infrastructure financing company, Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services, was recently taken over by a government-backed board to address a series of loan defaults that raises questions over the country's infrastructure development.

  • China, Japan Start Infrastructure Effort | Sept. 26, 2018, 9:24 a.m.

    China and Japan announced plans to sign dozens of agreements on infrastructure and other projects when Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe visits China next month.

  • The EU Strategy on Connecting Asia and Europe | Sept. 21, 2018, 5:13 p.m.

    On September 19, The European Commission released a joint communication titled "Connecting Europe and Asia – Building blocks for an EU Strategy," outlining EU priorities for implementing sustainable, comprehensive, and rules-based connectivity to link its transport, energy, and digital networks with Asia.

  • EU Plans Asia Infrastructure Push | Sept. 21, 2018, 9:21 a.m.

    The European Commission has announced "The European Way to Connectivity," a proposal aimed at boosting Europe's infrastructure links with Asia.

  • Thailand To Build $7B HSR | Sept. 19, 2018, 10:08 a.m.

    In preparations to double airport capacity, Thailand plans to build a 220-km high-speed railway connecting three major airports by 2023.

  • View All Analysis | Sept. 17, 2018, 8:57 a.m.

    Browse our analysis section for news and articles on topics such as China's Belt and Road Initiative (OBOR), the Competing Visions of Japan, India, and other regional powers, and the stakes for U.S. policy.

  • BRI Becomes Unclear | Sept. 14, 2018, 9:15 a.m.

    Chinese infrastructure funding is as likely to go outside of Beijing's six defined economic corridors as it is to go in them; indicating a possible lapse of control from the central government. This could present opportunities for its partners and competitors, writes Jonathan Hillman in the Nikkei Asian Review.

  • China States BRI is Generous | Sept. 10, 2018, 9:38 a.m.

    Beijing has pledged another $60 billion to African countries as it tries to address the perception of the Belt and Road being a debt trap, according to the Nikkei Asian Review.

  • Indonesia Weighs Stability and Infrastructure | Aug. 23, 2018, 9:32 a.m.

    Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo has leveraged infrastructure to promote pro-growth economic policies. However, Widodo may need to make trade-offs between growth and economic stability amid an uncertain economic outlook as the April 2019 elections approach, writes the Nikkei Asian Review.

  • Malaysia Halts China-Backed Projects | Aug. 21, 2018, 9:24 a.m.

    Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir claims that Chinese leaders have accepted his government's request to stop three China-backed infrastructure projects due to debt concerns.

  • Turkish Lira Sparks BRI Debt Fears | Aug. 20, 2018, 9:12 a.m.

    The plummeting Turkish Lira may serve as a warning for emerging Asian economies who own significant BRI infrastructure debt. A drop in domestic currency can cause a crisis when time to repay debts, which are typically denominated in USD, according to the Nikkei Asian Review.

  • Jokowi 2019 Budget Slows Infrastructure Spending | Aug. 17, 2018, 9:25 a.m.

    Indonesian president Joko Widodo unveiled his draft state budget for 2019 as he prepares for re-election, which presents the slowest infrastructure budget increase since he took office in 2014.

  • Pakistan Weighs Help from IMF or China | Aug. 9, 2018, 10 a.m.

    Pakistan's new prime minister Imran Khan is deciding whether the country should turn to the International Monetary Fund or to China for financial support. The new administration must resolve its shortage of foreign exchange reserves caused by a sharp increase in imports through BRI-related projects and the redemption of external debt.

  • Infrastructure Raises Asian Stocks | Aug. 7, 2018, 8:55 a.m.

    In anticipation of an infrastructure spending boost, stocks have climbed for Chinese infrastructure companies.

  • China, Japan To Cooperate on BRI | Aug. 3, 2018, 9:06 a.m.

    China and Japan agreed Thursday to encourage deeper economic cooperation in the private sector and to launch a public-private committee to advance joint infrastructure development in the region as part of Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative.

  • ADB Launches Strategy 2030 | July 26, 2018, 2:11 p.m.

    Asia and the Pacific have made great strides in deveopment over the past 50 years, however much remains to be done. Issues such as poverty and vulnerability, rising inequality, climate change, growing environmental pressures, and large infrastructure deficits remain to be addressed while merging trends, such as technological advancements, urbanization, and changing demographics, present opportunities and challenges

  • China's BRI Stirs Up Anxieties | July 24, 2018, 9:42 a.m.

    Rather than being roundly welcomed, China's Belt and Road investment and finance decisions have become cause for concern for some receiving states, according to the Nikkei Asian Review..

  • Korean Peninsula Anticipates Infrastructure Development | July 17, 2018, 9:37 a.m.

    Due to highly anticipated infrastructure development and manufacturing potential in North Korea, South Korean banks are rushing to hire experts on North Korea.

  • Malaysia Halves Cost of LRT3 | July 12, 2018, 9:25 a.m.

    Mahathir's new government intended to cut the cost of the Light Rail Transit 3 project by 47%, from 31.65 billion ringgit to 16.63 billion ringgit ($4.11 billion). This also sends a worrying message to stakeholders of other costly infrastructure projects signed by Najib's government, which was blamed for "poor governance."

  • Thailand to Build $7B HSR | July 10, 2018, 9:12 a.m.

    Thirty-one companies from Thailand and abroad have expressed interest in bidding for the right to build the country's first high-speed railway, valued at $7.07 billion. The 220km route will link three major airports and will be the first large infrastructure project to be built in the Eastern Economic Corridor.

  • Trade War May Hurt BRI | July 9, 2018, 9:09 a.m.

    According to an expert with the German Marshall Fund, a prolonged U.S.- China trade war will make it difficult for China to afford expensive foreign policy ventures, such as its Belt and Road Initiative.

  • Mahathir to Renegotiate BRI Deals | July 6, 2018, 9:12 a.m.

    Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad is expected to lead a government delegation to Beijing, as Malaysia figures out how to service loans taken from China to finance costly infrastructure projects.

  • AIIB Continues to Grow | July 3, 2018, 9:04 a.m.

    Although operating on a smaller scale than the Asian Development Bank, the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is steadily increasing its presence as a multilateral institution focused on infrastructure development financing. The AIIB set a lending and investment target of $3.5 billion for 2018, 40 percent more than last year.

  • World Bank to Malaysia: Restructure Infrastructure Financing | July 2, 2018, 8:48 a.m.

    The World Bank Monday urged Malaysia's new government to step up fiscal reforms amid robust economic growth to make the country more resilient to potential future shocks.The government should also restructure large-scale infrastructure projects and improve spending efficiency, it said.

  • AIIB Reassures Members on Debt | June 27, 2018, 9:49 a.m.

    AIIB president Jin Liqun announced his intent to create financial stability for the bank's 87 member countries and establish the AIIB as a multilateral development bank commensurate with the World Bank Group, Asian Development Bank, and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

  • Southeast Asia Financial Integration and Infrastructure Investment | May 30, 2018, 9:52 a.m.

    This report highlights recommendations on how the U.S. might effectively engage Southeast Asia's infrastructure challenges to foster greater stability and financial integration in the region.

  • BRI Opens to Foreign Investment | May 18, 2018, 10:17 a.m.

    China's Belt and Road Initiative has begun attracting international investors and financial institutions through the issuance of BRI-branded corporate bonds and other BRI-related products.

  • China's BRI Extends into Finance | May 15, 2018, 10:10 a.m.

    The Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges bought 450 million shares of Bangladesh's main exchange, beating India's bid. The exchanges allow Chinese investors to access funds for overseas infrastructure projects and strengthen financial cooperation for the BRI, a goal stated by both exchanges.

  • ADB Warns Against Unsustainable Infrastructure Debt | May 3, 2018, 9:40 a.m.

    The head of the Asian Development Bank has warned countries against unsustainable borrowing to fund infrastructure projects, which could lead to debt traps and repayment trouble.

  • Uncertainty for Japan's Nuclear Infrastructure Export Ambitions | April 26, 2018, 12:05 p.m.

    Japan's infrastructure export ambitions face an uncertain future following a move by Japanese trading house Itochu to pull funding for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Turkey. Itochu's departure was driven by a sharp increase in safety-related costs following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, which caused the estimated total project cost to balloon from two to five trillion yen.

  • Inside the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank: | April 26, 2018, 10:10 a.m.

    On April 25, the Simon Chair's Reconnecting Asia Project hosted a conversation with Natalie Lichtenstein, Chief Counsel for the 57-country negotiations that led to the AIIB's founding and the principal drafter of the Bank's charter, to discuss her new book: A Comparative Guide to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

  • Duterte Pushes $160B Infrastructure Drive | April 18, 2018, 9:02 a.m.

    Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte is pushing for a second package of tax reforms under his Comprehensive Tax Reform Program in order to help fund the country’s $160 billion infrastructure drive.

  • China Increases Funding for the BRI | March 7, 2018, 8:28 a.m.

    Chinese officials have announced increased financial support for the country's Belt and Road Initiative.

  • Chinese Demand Fuels Japanese Construction Equipment Manufacturing | Feb. 28, 2018, 9:09 a.m.

    Robust international demand, especially from China, is expected to fuel Japanese manufacturing of construction machinery, robots, and machine tools in 2018.

  • Britain's May Eyeing Chinese Market | Feb. 2, 2018, 9:39 a.m.

    British prime minister Theresa May is expecting $12.8 billion in commercial deals with China. The agreements would focus mainly on the fields of finance, agriculture, science and technology, as well as President Xi Jinping's flagship Belt and Road Initiative.

  • ASEAN Expands Green Infrastructure Bonds | Jan. 31, 2018, 9:13 a.m.

    Since 2009 ASEAN entities have issued $1.85 billion worth of green bonds, many of which fund infrastructure developments such as Warisan Merdeka Tower in Kuala Lumpur.

  • China Encourages Yuan for BRI Deals | Jan. 5, 2018, 9:15 a.m.

    New financial policies set forth by China will encourage companies to increase their use of yuan for settling cross-border trade deals.

  • China’s Balkan Silk Road | Nov. 20, 2017, 10:08 a.m.

    The magnitude of the Balkan Silk Road project poses a mixture of opportunities and policy challenges for countries engaging in or seeking to benefit from its implementation.

  • Malaysia Puts Up $1.5B for Infrastructure | Oct. 27, 2017, 9:57 a.m.

    Malaysia announced it will spend over $1.53 billion to build new roads and bridges in an infrastructure development push that will help sustain growth in the key construction sector.

  • Singapore to Complement China's BRI | Oct. 23, 2017, 9:37 a.m.

    Capitalizing on its position as a financial and legal hub, Singapore wants to underpin its economic growth by involving itself in Chinese-led megaprojects under the"Belt and Road" Initiative.

  • Defining Our Relationship with India for the Next Century | Oct. 18, 2017, 1:17 p.m.

    It is time to expand transparent, high-standard regional lending mechanisms – tools that will actually help nations instead of saddle them with mounting debt.

  • China's Global Aid Footprint | Oct. 12, 2017, 10:12 a.m.

    Quotes and Quotas is a weekly digest of phrases and facts that help explain Asia’s infrastructure push.