Business Asia articles from August 2003

Business Asia archives from August 2003

A tale of two countries.(Frontline ... Thailand's and Indonesia's are the best performing stockmarkets in Asia)
August 1, 2003... As Asian finance officials meeting on Manila earlier this month dodged a small army of journalists, delegates from Thailand and Indonesia were in particular demand. One reason: stock markets in the two countries are the region's star...

US and Europe call to dump yuan peg.(Update)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... US companies have complained to lawmakers that China's eight-year policy of fixing the yuan at a rate of 8,2770 to the US dollar gives its companies an unfair edge and fuels a current-account surplus. The European Union and Japan have all...

Word of mouth.(Update)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... "To go against the rest of the world, conventional wisdom, to make a decision that may break the whole country, is a tough decision." Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad reflects on managing the economy in the aftermath of the 1997...

What's the buzz?(Asia Factfile)
August 1, 2003... Technology buzz words are often heard and used, but apparently are not always understood. A survey of potential consumers in China, Japan, the UK and US revealed that the majority of the 1500 respondents got seven or fewer definitions correct...

Japan sold more yen from January through July than in any other entire year as it tried to stem a currency gain that threatens the nation's exports.(Japan)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Japan sold more yen from January through July than in any other entire year as it tried to stem a currency gain that threatens the nation's exports. The Bank of Japan sold a record 9.03 trillion yen ($115.7 billion) this year according to...

South Korea's finance minister Kim Jin Pyo says a stronger Chinese yuan may slow growth in the country's second-biggest overseas market, suggesting he won't join a chorus on nations pushing China to allow its currency to appreciate.(Korea)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... South Korea's finance minister Kim Jin Pyo says a stronger Chinese yuan may slow growth in the country's second-biggest overseas market, suggesting he won't join a chorus on nations pushing China to allow its currency to appreciate. "If the...

The Malaysian Ministry of International Trade and Industry expects the economy to probably grow between for per cent and 4.5 per cent this year.(Malaysia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... The Malaysian Ministry of International Trade and Industry expects the economy to probably grow between for per cent and 4.5 per cent this year. Manufacturing, which makes up two-thirds of industry, will probably grow 8.5 per cent. Services,...

The Philippine Government charged four officials from the tax and customs bureaus with graft and corruption, eight months after President Gloria Arroyo started a "lifestyle check" on some officials to weed out corruption.(Philippines)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... The Philippine Government charged four officials from the tax and customs bureaus with graft and corruption, eight months after President Gloria Arroyo started a "lifestyle check" on some officials to weed out corruption. The four had homes in...

Nine in 10 new jobs in Singapore go to citizens and permanent residents, acting Manpower Minister Ng Eng Hen said in rebuttal to a university study saying foreigners took 75 per cent of new jobs, the Straits Times reported.(Singapore)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Nine in 10 new jobs in Singapore go to citizens and permanent residents, acting Manpower Minister Ng Eng Hen said in rebuttal to a university study saying foreigners took 75 per cent of new jobs, the Straits Times reported. Ng referred to the...

Thailand plans to more than triple foreign-currency revenue from tourism to one trillion baht ($36.7 billion) by 2009.(Thailand)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Thailand plans to more than triple foreign-currency revenue from tourism to one trillion baht ($36.7 billion) by 2009. Tourism Authority of Thailand plans to sell one million baht cards to overseas tourists that offer the use of golf courses,...

Vietnam Airlines Corp is targetting new routes to San Francisco, Frankfurt and the UK as the state-owned carrier takes delivery of four Boeing Co 777s in the next two years, according to chief executive Nguyen Xuan Hien.(Vietnam)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Vietnam Airlines Corp is targetting new routes to San Francisco, Frankfurt and the UK as the state-owned carrier takes delivery of four Boeing Co 777s in the next two years, according to chief executive Nguyen Xuan Hien. The company signed a...

Is ASEM still relevant?
August 1, 2003... When the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) was first formed in 1996, many Australian commentators were aghast that Australia had missed out on becoming a member. The new group looked to be an important new link in Asia's global relationships--a...

Voting race still open in Awards.(Best Business Hotels In Asia Awards)
August 1, 2003... Votes for the 2003 Best Business Hotels Awards in Asia continue to pour in, with the closing date for voting now changed to 1 October 2003. That means readers have less two months to have their say on which hotels in the region are the...

Asia's next generation.(Point Of View)
August 1, 2003... Asia is undergoing a generational change impelled by the rise of a new political and economic leadership, and the emergence of new social formations. After independence and during the Cold War, leaders of countries in the Asia Pacific...

Grounded internet high flyer takes on NTT.(Profile)
August 1, 2003... Masayoshi Son, founder of Sofbank Corp, Japan's No2 provider of high-speed web access, is taking on the nation's biggest companies, winning the approval of some investors in the process. Son's Tokyo-based Softbank is battling with Nippon...

Top Tassie exporters gather.(Australian Export Awards)
August 1, 2003... Austrade managing director Peter O'Byrne has praised the efforts of Tasmania's trade community, saying the State has a "proud tradition (of) producing big export results". O'Byrne was speaking at a Top Exporters Panel Discussion Luncheon...

Tiny speck creaming the world.(Sponsor's Message)
August 1, 2003... King Island is one of the last few pieces of land bridge that once linked Tasmania to the rest of Australia and is now a speck in the ocean where fat friesian cows outnumber people by four to one The island is also known for its famous King...

Patriotism highest in the Apple Isle.(Sponsor's Message)
August 1, 2003... It's official. Tasmanians are the most patriotic of any State when it comes to buying and supporting Australian made products: 90 per cent consciously look for Australian products, one in two will buy Australian whenever possible and 25 per...

Exporting to Asia with the Commonwealth Bank.(Sponsor's Message)
August 1, 2003... The Commonwealth Bank is proudly sponsoring the Australian Export Awards for the 16th year running--acknowledging, once again the importance of the export industry both to Australia and the Bank. Our clients benefit from fhe Bank's genuine...

Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC).(Sponsor's Message)
August 1, 2003... As Australia's export credit agency, EFIC, increases Australian exports by providing internationally competitive finance and insurance services to Australian exporters and investors. EFIC has been a long-time supporter of the Export Awards...

DHL launch state of the art Sydney Airport Development.(Sponsor's Message)
August 1, 2003... DHL Express and Sydney Airport Corporation Limited have formally announced the launch of a new DHL Sydney Airport development. The purpose built facility will see an initial investment by DHL in excess of $8 million for development of a state...

Land infrastructure efficiencies need to match port gains.(Ports And Shipping)
August 1, 2003... Gains already made in port efficiencies need to be supported by enhanced land-side infrastructure planning and logistics efficiencies along supply chain, according to Sydney Corporation CEO Greg Martin. Martin made the comment at the...

Shipbuilding on the rise in South Korea.(Ports And Shipping)
August 1, 2003... The world's largest shipbuilder, Hyundai Heavy Industries Co, and other South Korean shipbuilders more than doubled their orders in the second quarter as more shipping companies replaced older vessels and exports from Asia rose. Orders for...

Piracy worsens around Indonesia.(Ports And Shipping)
August 1, 2003... Attacks against ships on the high seas by armed bandits are rising, with one international group saying the first six months of this year was the most violent half-year for vessels and their crews since 1991. The most dangerous shipping...

Call to women to increase exports.(Export Opportunities)
August 1, 2003... A need to encourage the growing number of women in small business into exporting has resulted in the relaunching of Austrade's Women in Export program. It is hoped the program will channel the strong growth in the number of businesses...

Warming up the Chinese market.(Success Story)
August 1, 2003... Anyone who has travelled to China will be familiar with the fog of pollution that hangs over the larger modern provinces. Steps to take care of this problem have been taken by the Chinese Government, including a ban on diesel fired boiler...

Boost for ESSA.(Success Story)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Almost 750 people have died and over 8000 more have been infected by the deadly respiratory virus SARS. For one Australian company, the SARS crisis has proved to be a boon. Air filtration system manufacturer ESSA Australia has reported...