El Nino effects have worsened heavy rains across China this week and a typhoon is expected to make landfall in the south on Friday. The country also faces drought risks, which could sap agricultural output and worsen global food-supply challenges following fertiliser shortages caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Bad weather could worsen China's already weak domestic consumption and slow the nation's economy.
The 2026 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Youth Engagement Workshop: Connectivity and Partnerships for Openness, Innovation, and Cooperation is underway through July 2 in Taipei City. The workshop aims to give participants a deeper understanding of APEC and facilitate exchanges among youth in the region. It drew 31 trainees from Brunei, Canada, Chile, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Mexico, Peru, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and the U.S.
Ma Shengkun is China's ambassador to Ukraine. He said China's history of industrial transformation and poverty alleviation could provide a solid foundation and momentum to strengthen cooperation and stabilise bilateral ties. Ma urged a departure from outdated historical narratives suggesting that the rise of a major power inevitably led to hegemonic expansion.
China has built the world’s largest energy system in the past two decades. It has become the leading producer of electricity, the dominant manufacturer of renewable energy technologies, the largest electric vehicle market and the largest consumer of oil and importer of liquefied natural gas. More than 70 percent of its oil consumption depends on imports. Significant portions of its natural gas supply originate abroad. Even the rapid expansion of its nuclear sector increasingly relies on foreign uranium.
Lingnan University was named the world’s top university for SDG 4: Quality Education in the Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026. Canton Tower lit up on 1 July to celebrate the 29th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong SAR. Earlier that day, Lingnan hosted a seminar in Guangzhou entitled The Present and Future of Liberal Arts Education through the Lens of Lingnan History.
Beijing downplays reports that the World Bank will phase out lending to China by 2031. Ministry of Finance notes that the nation's advancing economy and changing development needs were shifting cooperation away from financing and towards knowledge sharing. World Bank officials characterised the shift as “a new phase” in the lender’s relationship with China. US House Committee on Financial Services chairman, French Hill, praised the decision.
Japan's benchmark 10-year bond yield currently stands at 2.7%, while Germany's is around one-quarter the size of Japan's. Hong Kong remains the top fundraising venue in Asia. In the second quarter of this year, proceeds from share sales reached their highest quarterly level in five years.
There was a decline in the MSCI All Country Asia-Pacific last month. Speculative activity in South Korea and Taiwan might be nearing a crescendo. There's been an equity market rally in Thailand since the Bhumjaithai Party's win in February's General Election. Indonesia-focused fund managers are visibly under pressure.
Raymond Greene, the de facto US ambassador to Taiwan, says drones represent a ‘game-changing opportunity’ to enhance Taiwan’s security and reinforce peace in the broader region. The US is Taiwan's most important international backer and arms supplier despite their lack of formal diplomatic ties. The government has proposed a new 210 billion Taiwan dollars (US$6.59 billion) package to pay for surveillance, coastal attack and small unmanned surface drones through the end of 2031.
Tiger Brokers, Futu Securities International and Longbridge Securities were fined over US$330 million for offering mainland investors access to overseas stocks without authorisation. Legal channels to buy overseas securities consist of the Hong Kong Stock Connect scheme, Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor (QDII) funds and the Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect scheme for Greater Bay Area residents. Long-term capital inflows and outflows have also been encouraged and, subject to prior approval, permitted in recent years.
El Nino effects have worsened heavy rains across China this week and a typhoon is expected to make landfall in the south on Friday. The country also faces drought risks, which could sap agricultural output and worsen global food-supply challenges following fertiliser shortages caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Bad weather could worsen China's already weak domestic consumption and slow the nation's economy.
The 2026 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Youth Engagement Workshop: Connectivity and Partnerships for Openness, Innovation, and Cooperation is underway through July 2 in Taipei City. The workshop aims to give participants a deeper understanding of APEC and facilitate exchanges among youth in the region. It drew 31 trainees from Brunei, Canada, Chile, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Mexico, Peru, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and the U.S.
Ma Shengkun is China's ambassador to Ukraine. He said China's history of industrial transformation and poverty alleviation could provide a solid foundation and momentum to strengthen cooperation and stabilise bilateral ties. Ma urged a departure from outdated historical narratives suggesting that the rise of a major power inevitably led to hegemonic expansion.
China has built the world’s largest energy system in the past two decades. It has become the leading producer of electricity, the dominant manufacturer of renewable energy technologies, the largest electric vehicle market and the largest consumer of oil and importer of liquefied natural gas. More than 70 percent of its oil consumption depends on imports. Significant portions of its natural gas supply originate abroad. Even the rapid expansion of its nuclear sector increasingly relies on foreign uranium.
Lingnan University was named the world’s top university for SDG 4: Quality Education in the Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026. Canton Tower lit up on 1 July to celebrate the 29th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong SAR. Earlier that day, Lingnan hosted a seminar in Guangzhou entitled The Present and Future of Liberal Arts Education through the Lens of Lingnan History.
Beijing downplays reports that the World Bank will phase out lending to China by 2031. Ministry of Finance notes that the nation's advancing economy and changing development needs were shifting cooperation away from financing and towards knowledge sharing. World Bank officials characterised the shift as “a new phase” in the lender’s relationship with China. US House Committee on Financial Services chairman, French Hill, praised the decision.
Japan's benchmark 10-year bond yield currently stands at 2.7%, while Germany's is around one-quarter the size of Japan's. Hong Kong remains the top fundraising venue in Asia. In the second quarter of this year, proceeds from share sales reached their highest quarterly level in five years.
There was a decline in the MSCI All Country Asia-Pacific last month. Speculative activity in South Korea and Taiwan might be nearing a crescendo. There's been an equity market rally in Thailand since the Bhumjaithai Party's win in February's General Election. Indonesia-focused fund managers are visibly under pressure.
Raymond Greene, the de facto US ambassador to Taiwan, says drones represent a ‘game-changing opportunity’ to enhance Taiwan’s security and reinforce peace in the broader region. The US is Taiwan's most important international backer and arms supplier despite their lack of formal diplomatic ties. The government has proposed a new 210 billion Taiwan dollars (US$6.59 billion) package to pay for surveillance, coastal attack and small unmanned surface drones through the end of 2031.
Tiger Brokers, Futu Securities International and Longbridge Securities were fined over US$330 million for offering mainland investors access to overseas stocks without authorisation. Legal channels to buy overseas securities consist of the Hong Kong Stock Connect scheme, Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor (QDII) funds and the Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect scheme for Greater Bay Area residents. Long-term capital inflows and outflows have also been encouraged and, subject to prior approval, permitted in recent years.