Asian Insider: China's Covid-19 quandary | Sri Lanka’s cascading crises
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China is feeling the impact of its tough zero-Covid-19 strategy, both economically and politically. In Sri Lanka, the economic crisis shows little sign of abating.
China's Covid-19 quandary
An aerial photo of cars that will be exported at Yantai port, in China's eastern Shandong province on April 13, 2022.
PHOTO: AFP
President Xi Jinping has said China will stick to its zero-tolerance approach to Covid-19 even as public anger simmers after millions were forced into lockdown amid surging infections.
The economic impact of the lockdown of its financial hub Shanghai, now into its second week, as well as other cities like tech hub Shenzhen, is being felt. Latest data shows that the tough measures are costing China about US$46 billion (S$62.8 billion) a month.
In a year when the government set an ambitious target of 5.5 per cent economic growth, how much longer can Beijing afford to keep ordering cities to lock down? China correspondents Elizabeth Law and Aw Cheng Wei report.
The situation is also posing a political challenge for Mr Xi, who is widely expected to seek a third term in power at the twice-a-decade party congress later this year, writes China correspondent Danson Cheong.
Podcast: China bureau chief Tan Dawn Wei discusses the ripple effect of Beijing's zero Covid-19 strategy
Sri Lanka's cascading crises
As anti-government protests continue in Sri Lanka, the government this week announced that it would halt payments on its foreign loans to free up its foreign exchange reserve for critical imports of essentials such as food, fuel and medicine. But experts say the move would only bring brief relief to the embattled Rajapaksa government.
Read more about the country's worst economic crisis since its independence in this Saturday's Asian Insider special with ground reports by India correspondent Rohini Mohan.
Still in South Asia, Pakistan's Parliament has elected Mr Shehbaz Sharif as prime minister after ousting Imran Khan. But analysts say the political tension is unlikely to ease amid a deteriorating economy.
No easy one-horse race
Former Hong Kong Chief Secretary John Lee Ka-chiu holding his nomination form before submitting it to the Returning Officer in Hong Kong on April 13, 2022.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
Mr John Lee has formally submitted his candidacy to run in Hong Kong’s May 8 chief executive election. Although he is expected to be the sole candidate, the former chief secretary said it would not be an easy race and vowed to work on ways to "tell the Hong Kong story well", assistant foreign editor Magdalene Fung reports.
Anti-hopping law faces hurdles
Malaysia's government tabled an amendment to Article 10 of the federal Constitution in order to enable a future anti-hopping law.
PHOTO: PARLIMEN MALAYSIA/FACEBOOK
Malaysia’s long anticipated anti-party hopping law suffered another setback this week after lawmakers deferred their vote on a constitutional amendment that would have enabled the law to be enacted.
The repeated delays to the watershed law is threatening Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s eight-month-old tenure amid calls for a snap election, writes Malaysia bureau chief Shannon Teoh.
Aussie polls
Mr Scott Morrison's Liberal National coalition is currently trailing the opposition Labor Party in opinion polls.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called a federal election for May 21 and is hoping to defy opinion polls that indicate his ruling coalition is headed for defeat.
As campaigning kicked off this week, one of the issues in focus would be climate change. But analysts say both sides of the political aisle have weak climate policies despite growing public concerns, reports Jonathan Pearlman.
Fighting heat and saving forests
Many parts of India are already reeling from unusually early heatwaves.
PHOTO: AFP
It's hot hot hot in India. Last month saw an average maximum temperature of 33.1 deg C, making it the hottest March since 1901. This puts the heat on the government to boost its heat resilience to protect vulnerable groups, India correspondent Debarshi Dasgupta reports.
In Indonesia, a carbon project developer aims to replant mangroves and reduce deforestation over the next two years, reports Indonesia correspondent Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja.
Ramadan cheers
Bazaars and group gatherings are back in Asia during Ramadan this year as countries ease Covid-19 curbs. ST correspondents look at how Muslims in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and India are marking the holy month.
