Abe in US for bilateral talks with Trump

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit the United States from today to Sunday, and will meet US President Donald Trump to discuss bilateral issues.

Mr Abe is expected to dangle proposals linked to the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs in the US - ranging from high-speed rail projects to private cash from Japanese firms - possibly designed to inoculate Japan against Mr Trump's criticisms on trade and currency.

45th Chingay parade tonight

The annual Chingay parade will begin tonight, with some 8,000 performers entertaining the crowd at the F1 Pit Building and audiences in front of television sets.

This year's parade, the 45th in the history of the event, features seven segments that look at Chingay in the past, present and future.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Mrs Lee will be attending the event tonight. A second parade will take place tomorrow.

Clues in China's latest trade data

China releases its January trade figures today. The world's second-largest economy reported a US$40.8 billion (S$57.8 billion) trade surplus in December, the smallest surplus since April. Exports had declined 6.1 per cent from a year ago and imports had increased 3.1 per cent.

Fresh data will give an insight into the health of China's economy, as Beijing doubles down on efforts to boost domestic demand and reduce imports.