East Asia
The world’s most advanced economies and its most contested flashpoint sit side by side here. Technology leadership, demographic decline, and a strait that could redraw the global order — all in the same neighborhood.
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May- 2026 -28 MayTech & AI
China’s robotaxi scale outpaces US lead as both face safety reckoning
China's Baidu Apollo Go completed 6 million rides across 10 cities by late 2025 versus Waymo's 1 million across 3 US cities. Both suffered major 2026 safety incidents: Baidu's April…
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28 MayPower
Quad ministers unite on critical minerals and maritime surveillance as China watches closely
Quad foreign ministers from the United States, India, Japan, and Australia met in New Delhi on May 27, 2026, issuing a joint vision statement on Indo-Pacific maritime domain awareness, resilient…
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28 MayTech & AI
Taiwan’s TECO targets AI data center boom with modular power blocks across Asia and North America
TECO Electric & Machinery, a Taipei conglomerate with NT$73.5 billion (US$2.3 billion) in 2024 revenue, is targeting AI data center infrastructure as primary growth, expanding across North America and Southeast…
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28 MaySociety
Tokyo’s Hands Shibuya flagship closes after 48 years, signalling shift in prime retail real estate
Hands Shibuya flagship store closing November 2026 after 48 years of operation. Lease non-renewal driven by aging building structure. Closure signals broader shift in Tokyo's prime commercial real estate toward…
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27 MayPower
US arms failures in Taiwan and Japan spark anxiety at Asia security forum
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrived in Singapore for the Shangri-La Dialogue facing allied anxiety over two concrete weapons delivery failures: a paused USD 14 billion arms package to Taiwan and…
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27 MayPower
China, Iran, Myanmar, Venezuela build shadow internet to fight state censorship
Across China, Iran, Myanmar, and Venezuela, a permanent shadow digital infrastructure has taken shape to fight state-controlled internet censorship. Freedom House's Freedom on the Net 2025 report scores China at…
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27 MayEarth
Asia Pacific faces US$450 billion climate loss by 2030, with Western insurers exposed
A new analysis by environmental disclosure nonprofit CDP estimates that extreme weather could generate US$450.5 billion in financial losses for Asia Pacific companies over the short and longer term, with…
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27 MayPower
China’s seized Bitcoin reserves challenge US dollar-backed crypto dominance
China's 2021 crypto ban has resulted in substantial seized Bitcoin reserves, creating an unexpected strategic asset for Beijing. This contrasts with the US's push for dollar-centric crypto dominance through spot…
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26 MayTech & AI
South Korea faces $667 million daily loss from Samsung chip strike threat
A threatened 18-day strike by the National Samsung Electronics Union, representing approximately 28,000 workers, has placed South Korea's government on emergency footing as of May 25, 2026. Prime Minister Kim…
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25 MayLife & Health
Rosewood Hotels institutes 16-week parental leave as Asia grapples with crashing birth rates
Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, a Hong Kong-based luxury chain, introduced a 16-week fully paid parental leave policy in early 2026, applying equally to all employees regardless of gender, seniority, or…
