Latest news with #ChinaConference:SoutheastAsia2025
South China Morning Post
27-02-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025 spotlights economic and technological opportunities
Amid a resurgence of rising tariffs and competition for power, geopolitical and global economic uncertainty is on the rise. However, the China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025 sent a message of reassurance, with speakers including Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and David Liao, co-CEO of Asia and Middle East for HSBC, stressing the need to expand cooperation to stimulate regional growth. Advertisement In recognition of Malaysia's role as this year's Asean chair, SCMP's China Conference, supported by HSBC as the presenting sponsor, brought together the region's leading politicians, business leaders and public figures in Kuala Lumpur on February 17. Anwar set the scene, emphasising the need of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations bloc to strengthen ties with China, the Middle East and other emerging economies to mitigate potential economic shocks. 'We must act with urgency, unity and ambition to secure a prosperous future for all,' Anwar said. 'This is not a time for incrementalism or short-term thinking. Let us build a future based on trust, innovation and shared aspirations.' The conference focused on the sectors driving the region's growth, opportunities for technological collaboration, and Hong Kong's role in connecting mainland China and the world. Advertisement A panel discussion titled 'Deglobalisation vs Outbound Investments: the Presence of Chinese Companies in Asean' examined the expansion of Chinese companies into Asean and how strengthening Asean-China trade fosters mutual economic opportunities.
South China Morning Post
20-02-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
By not choosing sides, Malaysia adds voice to a multipolar world
In times of geopolitical tensions between China and the United States, relying on pragmatism and taking an independent path in the face of such adversity can be a useful approach to navigating the turmoil. It was, therefore, good to see a healthy dose of both, and pledges for stronger trade and investment ties, emerging at the Post's China conference in Kuala Lumpur this week. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told the 'China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025' that Asean and China cooperation must be driven by strategic technological collaboration, sustainable growth and human capital development to take advantage of AI and the digital economy. Asean also must transition to renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure, he said. Malaysia, wisely, is not choosing sides in a superpower rivalry marked by US tariffs on China since US President Donald Trump took office last month. 'Asean must move beyond reacting to global shifts. We must lead,' he said. Against the backdrop, Anwar sounded the voice of reason, rejecting 'economic coercion and unilateral actions' that undermine stability in favour of a rules-based multilateral system. Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Zafrul Aziz reinforced the message, saying the country was committed to stronger investment ties with Hong Kong and the mainland despite the US tensions, and reiterated Malaysia was independent in its foreign policy. The opportunities for China, including Hong Kong, and Asean are manifold. Anwar this year chairs the 10-member grouping, whose burgeoning growth and hi-tech prowess has lifted it to the world's fifth-largest economy after the US, China, Germany and Japan. Asean overtook the EU as mainland China's top trading partner in 2020, and is Hong Kong's second largest. President Xi Jinping is overhauling the economy from a traditional one relying on real estate and low-end manufacturing to one driven by technology and high-quality sectors. To that end, former chief executive and current state leader Leung Chun-ying said Hong Kong could leverage its 'superconnector' status and share mainland China expertise with Asean economies. Due to the geopolitical tensions, Hong Kong has sought to attract investment and business from markets like Asean, the Middle East and Latin America. Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok told the audience that the common law system and governance under the 'one country, two systems' principle would be retained indefinitely, yet another reason for deeper collaboration. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said Hong Kong would open a trade office in Kuala Lumpur soon. Not choosing sides and forging new partnerships in a turbulent geopolitical world is eminently sensible. Together Asean and China can leverage this superconnector city to bolster relations for trade, business, legal, technology and sustainability to mutual benefit.
South China Morning Post
17-02-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Tariffs, AI potential, cautious optimism on China: Southeast Asia's path ahead
The spectre of US tariffs loomed large in discussions across panels at the 'China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025' on Monday, as Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim hailed the region's economic potential while other speakers pointed to opportunities in fields such as artificial intelligence. The uncertainty wrought by a new American administration under Donald Trump also presented a chance for Hong Kong to act as a 'superconnector' between mainland China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), former city leader Leung Chun-ying said. John Lee Ka-chiu, the current chief executive, pledged to make Hong Kong a Muslim-friendly destination to draw businessmen and tourists from the region. Leung Chun-ying, Hong Kong's former chief executive, at the 'China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025' on Monday. Photo: Nora Tam Trump's 'unpredictability' and 'bluster' were key themes raised across panel sessions at the one-day event in Kuala Lumpur, organised by the South China Morning Post, with concerns over the potential fallout from his broad tariff pledges tempering optimism that Asean could grow its clout as a major global economy. Anwar stressed the need for Asean to grow its global linkages beyond traditional partners and establish itself as a reliable hub for international trade and investments. This was necessary to mitigate the effects of external shocks, such as those posed by possible tariffs that Trump promised to impose on trade partners that had large trade surpluses with the United States, he said. The Malaysian leader stressed that his country remained non-aligned and 'will not be drawn into great power rivalries'.
South China Morning Post
17-02-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Malaysia reaffirms Hong Kong investment ties amid worries over Trump's tactics
Malaysia's trade minister has reaffirmed his country's commitment to strengthening investment ties with Hong Kong amid worries that the US could impose further punitive measures targeting the city and mainland China. Tengku Zafrul Aziz, Malaysia's minister for investment, trade and industry, said on Monday that Asean would continue to engage with the United States while also seeking to soften the blow of Washington's policy moves by diversifying supply chains. He was addressing a panel at the South China Morning Post's China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, with the discussion focusing on the shifting trade dynamics and supply chain disruptions following Donald Trump's return as US president last month. Asked about Malaysia's business commitment to Hong Kong amid concerns over further US measures targeting the city and the mainland, Zafrul said: 'We will continue to be non-aligned, neutral … as long as the spillover is positive, our population gets the benefit from our trade and investment relations in Hong Kong. 'No other country should dictate Malaysia's policy when it comes to trade and investment or even foreign policy.' Trump signed an executive order earlier this month to impose an additional 10 per cent tariff on Chinese imports, including those from Hong Kong. He also announced plans for customised reciprocal tariffs on all imports last week.
South China Morning Post
17-02-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
DeepSeek lowers cost of AI adoption for firms across Southeast Asia: experts
Published: 9:45pm, 17 Feb 2025 DeepSeek 's advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models have lowered the cost of adopting the technology for Southeast Asia 's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), according to experts, although many businesses still must contend with a lack of talent and outdated digital infrastructure. 'I think this [development] is quite a good thing for SMEs in Malaysia ,' Leo Liu Binxing, vice-president of international business at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, said in a panel discussion at the China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025 event hosted by the South China Morning Post in Kuala Lumpur on Monday. 'These start-ups can get going [with] very, very low cost to pursue innovation.' With access to powerful models provided through cloud services, start-ups will 'only need to focus on their ideas', Liu said. Alibaba Cloud Intelligence is a unit of Alibaba Group Holding , owner of the Post. That positive assessment reflects the worldwide attention gained by start-up DeepSeek over the past few weeks for releasing two advanced open-source AI models, V3 and R1 , at a fraction of the cost and computing power that major tech companies typically require for large language model (LLM) projects. LLM is the technology underpinning generative AI services like ChatGPT and DeepSeek's namesake chatbot. Open source gives public access to a software program's source code, allowing third-party developers to modify or share its design, fix broken links or scale up its capabilities. Panellists in a discussion on artificial intelligence innovation at the China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025 event include, from left to right: Jacky Cheong, head of enterprise data governance at CelcomDigi; Sarah Lim, investment partner at OSK Ventures International; Leo Liu Binxing, vice- president of international business at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence; and moderator Zhou Xin, technology editor at the South China Morning Post. Photo: Nora Tam
