BEYOND TRADE, structural differences in demographics and education shape both countries’ long-term trajectories. Vietnam is aging rapidly. Its median age of 33.3 in 2024 is projected to reach nearly 4…
Economy
Malaysia’s palm oil giants pivot to AI data centres, solar projects to meet US$34 billion investment boom
Malaysia’s palm oil giants, long criticised for deforestation, haze and threats to wildlife, are repositioning themselves as unlikely players in the country’s booming AI data centre market, according …
AI for equality at work in Indonesia: Harnessing technology to create fair, inclusive and decent workplaces
Technological progress, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), is transforming the workplace more rapidly and significantly than ever before across demographic groups. While AI can provide fast…
An economy on the move
LITERACY rates in Cambodia are around 88 per cent. Female labour force participation rates are around 74pc — one of the highest in the region. Contrast this with Pakistan. Our literacy rate is less th…
“Was the revolution worth it?”: After Hasina, Bangladesh stands at a crossroads
It has now been more than a year since the rule of Sheikh Hasina, Asia’s longest-serving autocrat, came to an end amid deadly student-led protests, and many people in Bangladesh are impatient for a go…
Sri Lanka’s Economic Recovery: From Meltdown to Rebound
In 2022, Sri Lanka became the first Indo-Pacific country in decades to default on its external debt, triggering an economic collapse that pushed millions below the poverty line. Inflation surged past …
IMF Flags Sharp Slowdown in Bangladesh Economy After Hasina’s Ouster
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ASEAN’s Digital Economy Surges Toward $300 billion as the AI Era Begins
Southeast Asia’s digital economy is on the verge of a historic breakthrough, with Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) projected to surpass $300 billion by 2025, according to the 10th annual e-Conomy SEA rep…
Vietnam strengthens digital cooperation with Russia to develop crypto-asset market
Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc concluded an official visit to Russia, aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation in the field of blockchain and digital finance. The visit forms part of Viet…
Are south-east Asia’s street vendors, “the backbone of urban food systems”, prepared for the impacts of climate change?
Loan (not her real name) is a street vendor in her mid-40s selling fresh orange juice from her cart in an industrial area of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. She squeezes oranges by hand for long stretches …