Talks to finalise joint-patrol plans

Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines are expected to finalise plans for joint patrols in piracy-prone areas in the South China Sea at a trilateral meeting in Yogyakarta today. The gathering of foreign ministers and armed forces chiefs from the three countries comes after recent kidnappings in the waters off southern Philippines and north of Borneo, where Indonesia shares a border with Malaysia.

Symposium on heritage and urbanism

The Centre for Liveable Cities, the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore and the Embassy of France in Singapore are co-organising the Symposium on Heritage and Sustainable Urbanism: Case Studies from France, Singapore and the Region. The three-day event starting today brings together conservation pioneers and practitioners from France and the region to share their experiences in heritage and sustainable urbanism.

Release of services PMI for China

The Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), an indicator of activity in private service sector firms, will be released in China today. The private survey, which tracks variables such as sales, employment, inventories and prices, reported a rise in the index in March at 52.2, from its February level of 51.2. A private manufacturing PMI released on Tuesday showed data had dipped last month, suggesting the economic recovery is yet to firm up.