All articles tagged with #asia pacific
Asia-Pacific stocks fell as investors digested higher bond yields, with the U.S. 30-year yield near 5.18%—its highest since 2007—and Japan’s long bonds at elevated levels; Nikkei, Kospi and Kosdaq declined while U.S. futures were modestly higher and Wall Street closed lower for a third straight session amid the yield rally and renewed geopolitical tensions around Iran.
FT Alphaville shows China’s housing bust could trigger real-economy spillovers—weaker consumption, tighter local budgets from land sales, and potential bank stress—because housing accounts for a large share of private wealth and household debt. Using Rogoff-Yang’s dataset and city-level data, the piece compares the trajectory to Japan’s 1990s bust, suggesting a Japan-like long adjustment or a US-like shorter downturn, with much still to come.
China wants the Strait of Hormuz to stay open for traffic and energy flows, but not at the cost of its energy security or allowing Iran to gain leverage. Beijing favors a regional mechanism that could charge a non-toll-like environmental fee, avoids a blockade, and opposes any Chapter VII move that could authorize force against Iran. GCC states such as the UAE and Bahrain oppose giving Iran more influence and would prefer the US to resume pressure or bombing Iran. Beijing is wary that upheaval in Iran could threaten its energy security, as seen in Venezuela-like scenarios, so China remains cautious about UN resolutions and broader enforcement measures in Hormuz.
Trump described Taiwan as a 'good negotiating chip' with China, a comment that has sparked anxiety among Taiwan’s officials and regional observers about potential impacts on deterrence, diplomatic space, and how the United States manages its policy toward Beijing during tense cross‑strait dynamics.
Trump’s second term hawks China while drawing resources toward the Middle East, delaying any pivot to the Indo-Pacific and reversing what many expected from his administration; the shift is shaped less by a single doctrine and more by personal advisers, as Beijing’s pushback tempers a trade war and Iran’s war drags Washington’s attention farther from Asia.
Asia-Pacific stocks were mixed as investors digested hotter-than-expected U.S. April inflation data and renewed Middle East tensions, with focus on a looming Trump-Xi meeting; oil prices fell for the day while Japan’s Nikkei and Korea’s Kospi rose, China’s CSI 300 slipped and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng edged higher, and U.S. stock futures hovered near flat after a retreat from records.
Oil prices rose after Trump rejected Iran's latest counteroffer, fueling supply-disruption fears via the Strait of Hormuz and weighing on U.S. stock futures, while Asia-Pacific markets led gains with Kospi hitting a fresh record as oil climbs and tensions with Iran persist.
During the Balikatan exercise off northwestern Luzon, Japan fired two Type-88 surface-to-ship missiles from Culili Point, sinking the decommissioned BRP Quezon (ex-USS Vigilance) about 50 miles offshore — the first time Tokyo has launched missiles outside its territory. The drill also involved Philippine frigates, a Canadian frigate, a U.S. P-8 Poseidon and an MQ-9 drone, signaling deeper regional security cooperation as tensions with China rise; Philippine President Marcos Jr. watched remotely alongside Japanese Defense Minister Koizumi and Philippine Defense Secretary Teodoro. Officials say future Balikatan drills are likely to expand in size and scope to deter shared threats.
Japan and the Philippines will start negotiations on a weapons pact to bolster defense cooperation as China’s coercive activities in the region raise alarms.
An 18-year-old French student in Singapore has been charged with mischief and public nuisance for posting a video of him licking a vending-machine straw and returning it. Mischief can carry up to two years in prison or a fine, while public nuisance carries up to three months or a fine. He has not entered a plea and is due back in court May 29 after being granted permission to travel to Manila for a school trip.
Emergency responders recover victims from an Indonesia train crash, shown in a photo gallery that documents the scene and ongoing rescue efforts.
A SIPRI report shows global military expenditure rose about 3% in 2025 to roughly $2.9 trillion, led by Europe’s defense boost and the Asia-Pacific region's growth. The United States remains the largest spender, with notable increases among European NATO members (e.g., Germany) and Asian allies (e.g., Japan and Taiwan), while Ukraine’s share of GDP devoted to defense remains very high. China and Russia also boosted outlays, and analysts expect the trend to continue into 2026 and 2027 amid ongoing regional tensions and security concerns.
Japan’s decision to lift its ban on exporting lethal weapons is welcomed by India as a boost to defense cooperation under their partnership and its Indo-Pacific strategy, but a Chinese expert warns the move breaks the postwar order and could destabilize the Asia-Pacific, while Japanese media express concern that the shift undermines pacifist principles and sparks domestic security-policy debate.
A December 2021 midair collision between two South Korean Air Force F-15Ks was linked to pilots taking photos and filming during the mission; as they tried to regain separation, one aircraft pulled up and the lead plane was clipped, causing damage exceeding $600,000. The audit found the air force partly responsible for lax in-flight photography rules; the wingman was ordered to pay one-tenth of the bill and has since left the military, with no injuries reported.
Google is expanding Gemini in Chrome to Asia-Pacific users (Australia, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam) after earlier launches in Canada, India, and New Zealand. The built-in chatbot is available on desktop Chrome and on iOS in most markets (Japan on iOS not yet), accessed via the Ask Gemini sidebar with integration to Nano Banana 2 image generation and calendar scheduling; users can unpin the Gemini shortcut if they prefer. Update notes confirm the expansion covers the full Asia-Pacific region.