China Executive Insights
Frequent but substance-light summits can prevent US-China rivalry from veering out of control President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping participate in a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Nov. 9, 2017. © AP Minxin Pei is professor of government at Claremont McKenna College and a nonresident senior fellow of the German Marshall Fund of the United States.
Bain and LY have also submitted a joint offer for Kakaku.com Sweden's EQT is set to acquire the Japanese operator of the Tabelog restaurant review and booking site. (Source photos by screenshot from Tabelog's website and Ryuta Minamihata) TOKYO -- Sweden-based private equity firm EQT is set to acquire Japan's Kakaku.com, operator of the popular Tabelog restaurant review and booking site, for about 590 billion yen ($3.75 billion), Nikkei learned on Tuesday.
Idemitsu Kosan also seeks to secure oil supply from sources outside the Middle East Idemitsu Kosan is one of the few companies that has been able to slip a vessel through the Strait of Hormuz since the U.S. attacked Iran. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Yuki Nakao and Idemitsu Tanker website) TOKYO -- Idemitsu Kosan, one of Japan's largest petroleum companies, expects the Hormuz crisis to begin subsiding in July, with oil prices to fall to pre-crisis levels early next year.
US Treasury chief touches on JGB yields, BOJ policy; bilateral chat follows yen intervention Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, right, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pose for photos at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on May 12. (Photo by Ken Suzuki) TOKYO -- U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that both Washington and Tokyo see excessive volatility in currency markets as undesirable, following his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday.
Fresh allegations follow acounting irregularities at the world's largest motor maker Compliance issues at Kyoto-based motor maker Nidec include unauthorized design changes and falsification of inspection data (Photo by Kosaku Mimura). TOKYO/KYOTO, Japan -- Japan's Nidec is suspected of having engaged in quality tampering involving more than 1,000 cases, extending a series of compliance issues at the world's largest motor maker that were previously centered on accounting irregularities, Nikkei has learned Tuesday.
Parliament House in Canberra. Treasurer Jim Chalmers says, "We're delivering a fairer tax system for workers, first home buyers and future generations." (Photo by Ken Kobayashi) CANBERRA -- Australia will allocate additional funds to boosting its fuel and fertilizer supplies as part of a package worth 14.8 billion Australian dollars ($10.68 billion) aimed at addressing the global energy shock unleashed by the U.S.-Israel-Iran war, Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced on Tuesday while unveiling the country's annual budget.
Local authorities approve Japanese insurer's efforts to pursue merger Tokio Marine collaborated previously with RHB Bank on life insurance sales. (Photo by Kosuke Imamura) TOKYO -- Japanese insurance group Tokio Marine Holdings has received approval from Malaysia's central bank to begin negotiations for acquiring RHB Insurance, a non-life insurance company under local financial major RHB Bank, Nikkei learned on Tuesday.
Global economy headed for 'chaos' if Hormuz stays closed past September, Soga says NYK Line is looking at expanding its fleet of very large crude carriers to meet demand for oil shipped from outside the Middle East. (NYK Line) TOKYO -- Japanese marine shipper NYK Line will consider expanding its fleet of oil tankers, looking to meet demand for importing petroleum from regions outside of the Middle East, the company's president and CEO told Nikkei on Tuesday.
Solar panels in the Chinese province of Gansu. Chinese-origin parts of a solar panel and cell are subject to 50% duties when shipped into the U.S. © Reuters NEW YORK -- Eight solar power product manufacturers operating in the U.S. petitioned the Commerce Department on Tuesday to investigate whether solar panels imported from Ethiopia evade American antidumping duties placed on Chinese components.
Manufacturers see need for industry realignment amid mounting costs, competition NSK President Akitoshi Ichii, left, shakes hands with NTN President Eiichi Ukai at a news conference May 12. (Photo by Kosaku Mimura) TOKYO -- Japan's NSK and NTN will merge their operations in a move that would create the world's top bearing manufacturer, the companies said Tuesday, seeking economies of scale to control rising costs.
Residents express dissatisfaction as administrator says HK$180 million in renovation levies have been paid, with remaining funds set aside for refunds Wang Fuk Court’s administrator has revealed that HK$180 million (US$22.9 million) has been paid to parties involved in the estate’s renovation project, with the remaining HK$127 million to be refunded to owners displaced by one of Hong Kong’s deadliest fires in decades. The details were disclosed during a Zoom meeting on Tuesday, one of two sessions arranged for residents by Hop On Management Company, the government-appointed administrator of the Tai Po estate following the fire. The second session is scheduled for May 20. The meetings were organised after more than 240 owners, representing over 12 per cent of households at Wang Fuk Court, petitioned Hop On in late April to convene an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) within 45 days, warning they might take legal action if their request was ignored. Since being appointed in January to represent the management committee of the Wang Fuk Court owners’ corporation, Hop On said it had completed the handover of 890,000 digital files from ISS EastPoint, the estate’s previous property management firm.
Foreign ministry’s European Affairs chief warns about pitfalls of protectionism, says Beijing ready to address Brussels’ concerns A senior Chinese diplomat has accused Europe of taking an outdated, inward-looking approach to China, while signalling that Beijing is open to addressing Brussels’ concerns. Li Jian, director general of the Chinese foreign ministry’s Department of European Affairs, delivered his strongly worded speech at a high-level forum on Tuesday. Addressing the event, Li used a string of traditional Chinese idioms and other colourful expressions to criticise Europe’s approach towards China. He warned that “some voices arising in Europe” sought to push China-Europe ties “away from the track of long-term cooperation” and towards “comprehensive competition, or even confrontation”.