China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was intended to empower developing countries with improved infrastructure and trade relations. In the five years since it was mooted, the BRI is now being demonised as a debt-trap that ensnares poor nations into subservience to China. Another unintended consequence is its alleged connection to corruption.Infrastructure projects are notoriously vulnerable to corruption, featuring inflated costs and kickbacks.

With its sandy beaches, megamalls and local culture and cuisine, it’s no wonder that tourism contributes a significant amount to Thailand’s gross domestic product (GDP). According to the Tourism and Sports Ministry, tourism contributed 17.7 percent to Thailand’s GDP in 2016 and 16.7 percent in 2015. Meanwhile, the World Travel and Tourism Council says tourism accounted for 10.4 percent of global GDP and 313 million jobs, or 9.9 percent of total employment in 2017.

China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) celebrates its fifth anniversary this month. The euphoria that initially followed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s announcement in Kazakhstan and Indonesia has somewhat faded. In its place is a West-driven narrative of a debt-trap: an “insidious plot” by China for world domination where China strikes opaque deals and inflates the value of projects, leaving poorer countries unable to repay their debts.

A decade after the guardians of the world economy united to save it from depression, the scope for such shock-and-awe policies has all but dried up.It was 10 years ago on Monday that the Federal Reserve (Fed) and five fellow central banks banded together for a rare coordinated interest rate cut.

Criticized by the White House for alleged interference in United States (US) politics, China has quietly blazed a path at the United Nations (UN) where it is, little by little, becoming one of the most influential members.At the Security Council, where China holds one of five permanent veto-wielding seats, its statements remain bland, often recalling fundamentals of the United Nations Charter such as national sovereignty and principles of non-interference."In their interpretation, democr

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he was uncertain if he’s still physically fit and signalled a readiness to step down if he has any serious illness such as cancer.“I don’t know where I am now physically but I have to wait for the results” of the tests, the 73-year-old leader told graduates of the Philippine Military Academy on Thursday, acknowledging he had gone to a hospital for digestive tract tests, which his aides have denied.“But I would tell you that - if it’s cancer, it’s canc

The latest round of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on US$200 billion worth of Chinese goods was met with a similar tariff on US$60 billion worth of American exports to China. Trade tensions between the two have grown more hostile of late with no sure signs of either one backing down. As of July 2018, the United States’ (US) trade deficit with China stands at US$223 billion according to the US Census Bureau.

Rosmah Mansor, the flamboyant wife of Malaysia's former prime minister, was arrested Wednesday by the country's anti-graft agency over a multi-billion-dollar scandal that helped to bring down the last government.Investigations into the alleged looting of state fund 1MDB by an audacious international fraud ring have already seen her husband Najib Razak hit with more than two dozen charges including corruption and money laundering.He is out on bail following his spectacular fall from

Malaysia saw a change of government for the first time in May this year after the 14th general election. Soon after that election, in June, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad remarked that the election results might have an impact on Singapore, where the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) has been in power since 1959.

As the Philippines heads towards next year’s congressional and local elections, the assassinations of public officials may be on the rise again. Alexander Buquing, mayor of Bangar in La Union province was killed by unknown gunmen on 1 October on his way home. His driver and a police officer were also killed while his wife – also his vice mayor – was injured.Political killings have always occurred in the Philippines. A spate of shootings often precedes elections.