The 1920s were not a good time for China. Its 400 million people mainly lived in rural areas, mired in poverty. The government of the day couldn’t do much to improve the lives of the Chinese people. The Chinese people faced poverty and famine. The reform and opening-up initiated by Deng Xiaoping in the late 1970s totally changed the economic and social development trajectories of China.… Read More
June 30, 2021
While competition can foster innovation, in the current global crisis, concerns about intellectual property protection and efforts to cultivate diplomatic loyalties through vaccine provision can obstruct the type of cross-border collaboration needed.… Read More
June 16, 2021
The United States and China are the largest solid waste producers. At a regional level, East Asia and the Pacific produce almost one quarter of ll solid waste, followed by Europe and Central Asia with 20 per cent.… Read More
June 5, 2021
Despite contributing a tiny fraction of global emissions, the Singaporean Government’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions is an example that large emitters should follow, Asit K Biswas and Peter Joo Hee Ng write.… Read More
June 5, 2021
As we mark World Environment Day today, it is timely to take stock of the existential challenge posed by climate change through the lens of water and what Singapore is doing to overcome that.… Read More
June 4, 2021
Chinese President Xi Jinping took the world by surprise by declaring that China will “aim to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060”. To achieve these objectives, China will pursue “more vigorous policies and measures”.… Read More
May 31, 2021
To objective China observers, China’s pledge that its carbon emissions will peak before 2030 and it will achieve carbon neutrality before 2060 should not come as a surprise.… Read More
May 6, 2021
The pandemic has seriously disrupted global plans to achieve SDG targets because of unexpected and very high economic, social and health costs. All governments had to borrow heavily and divert focus to counter the pandemic’s immediate adverse impacts, leaving limited resources and efforts towards achievement of SDGs.… Read More
April 27, 2021
Governments in Asia need to focus on long-term planning that informs policies, decision-making and allocation of finances to tackle the region’s water crisis.… Read More
April 12, 2021
China has lifted about 800 million people out of absolute poverty and become the second-largest economy in the world. In 1980 China’s per capita GDP was $194.80－10 percent of Brazil ($1,947.28) and 73 percent of India ($266.58). But thanks to years of good economic management and rapid growth, its per capita GDP increased by more than 58 times to $10,216,6 in 2019－nearly 5.45 times of India ($2,099.60) and 1.31 times of Brazil ($8,717.20).… Read More