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Straits Times
6 days ago
- Straits Times
Asian Insider Podcast: This Shandong city produces 80 per cent of China's peony paintings
A visitor at the Caozhou Peony Garden on April 9, 2025. ST PHOTO: JOYCE ZK LIM This Shandong city produces 80 per cent of China's peony paintings Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in. Peonies have been grown for centuries in China, prized for their medicinal properties and ornamental value. The Straits Times' foreign editor Li Xueying and China correspondent Joyce Lim take us to Heze, a city in Shandong province, where peonies aren't just admired by tourists - they drive a multi-billion yuan industry. Long revered for their cultural significance, peonies now powers a thriving local economy, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs and carrying unexpected political symbolism, including ties to First Lady Peng Liyuan. What can a single city alone reveal about the China's deeper economic challenges - from changing consumer behaviour to rising youth unemployment and growing regional divides? Highlights (click/tap above): 1:28 The cultural significance of peonies in China 4:04 Peonies in modern Chinese culture 5:42 Toothpaste, cooking oil and TCM - how peony is made into 260 products 13:33 Challenges and strategies for cities in China 17:43 Conclusion and broader economic insights Read Joyce Lim's article here: Read Li Xueying's articles: Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: Register for Asian Insider newsletter: Host: Li Xueying (xueying@ Edited by: Fa'izah Sani Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow Asian Insider on Fridays here: Channel: Apple Podcasts: Spotify: Feedback to: podcast@ --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: ST Podcasts website: ST Podcasts YouTube: --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: Google Play: Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
04-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Firm running yellow ‘smiley' Causeway buses rides to public listing
Asian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week. Sign up here to get the newsletter in your inbox. Enforcement action for the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) will finally begin July 1. The confirmation came from Malaysia's Transport Minister Anthony Loke, who said that ample time has been given since the system was first announced in May 2024. Foreign-registered vehicle drivers without a valid VEP will be fined RM300. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is coming off the back of a damaging party election, faces yet another political predicament after two Cabinet resignations and a new joiner to his Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) stirred tensions in his unity government. Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli resigned last week after losing the PKR deputy presidency to Datuk Seri Anwar's daughter, Ms Nurul Izzah Anwar, in a contest plagued by accusations of nepotism and electoral fraud. Mr Rafizi's ally, Natural, Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, also followed suit, after failing to defend his vice presidency. Then, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz from the key ruling party decided to quit Umno and join Mr Anwar's PKR. The news shook the Anwar administration. Datuk Seri Zafrul's defection confirms months-long rumours circulating since late 2024. Umno leaders including its president, Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi, criticised the move as causing friction between the two parties. Some in PKR also warned that accepting Mr Zafrul after having rejected long-time party stalwart Mr Rafizi, raises questions about PKR's commitment to political reforms. Follow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments.
Straits Times
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
More Malaysians opt for skills training over degree route
Asian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week. Sign up here to get the newsletter in your inbox. It's been back-to-back action for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, having rushed back from a divisive party election in Johor, to host the Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur that concludes with an economic forum today. His daughter Nurul Izzah beat incumbent Rafizi Ramli for the deputy presidency, with the latter's slate of candidates also failing to capture more than a handful of seats in the Parti Keadilan Rakyat national leadership. But the victory has come at the cost of wide accusations of nepotism and electoral fraud. The Asean Summit was a tamer affair, with Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong calling Malaysia an 'energetic and effective' chair of the regional grouping. But while there were high points such as the inaugural Asean-Gulf Cooperation Council-China and Timor-Leste's membership, key issues including the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar and disputes in the South China Sea saw little progress. And to highlight how careful South-east Asian nations are having to tread between the US and China amid current tensions, Malaysia backtracked on the purported use of Huawei's AI chips just before the Asean Summit. Follow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments.
Straits Times
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Malaysia Edition: Anwar's daughter fights for PKR's No. 2 post
Asian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week. Sign up here to get the newsletter in your inbox. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has retained the presidency of his ruling Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) unopposed for a final term. The real drama now lies in the battle to be heir-apparent. His daughter, Ms Nurul Izzah, is challenging incumbent Rafizi Ramli for the number two spot, sparking outcry of nepotism in the party where only Datuk Seri Anwar or his wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail - who now chairs PKR's advisory council - have ever been president. If Ms Nurul were to win the deputy president's post, that would signal a comeback of dynastic politics that seemed to be on the wane. Two other political families in Malaysia, the Lim family of the Democratic Action Party and former premier Najib Razak, whose father Tun Razak Hussein led the country in the 1970s, have been losing prominence in recent years. Najib is seeking to be put under house arrest for the remainder of his reduced six-year sentence related to the 1MDB scandal. He can submit another appeal for clemency next year,with a new Malaysian King presiding over the Pardons Board. But, a survey of over 1,200 Malaysians found that less than a third say he deserves an early release. Follow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments.
Straits Times
07-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Malaysia Edition: Price hikes on hold amid tariff fears
Asian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week. Sign up here to get the newsletter in your inbox. Malaysia is delaying price hikes as it grapples with US President Donald Trump's tariffs that threaten to trigger a global economic slowdown. This includes revising plans to cut subsidies for RON95 petrol – the fuel most commonly used by Malaysian motorists – and postponing a planned expansion of the sales and services tax. On top of tariffs and price hikes, local business owners are also concerned about a plan by Malaysia and China to extend a mutual visa-free scheme from 30 days to 90 days. They fear that the influx of mainland Chinese will lead to people working illegally while on tourist visas. Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur is doing its best to get on Washington's good side, announcing on Monday an immediate change of rules to curb false labelling of transhipped items. Follow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments.
