Vantage Point

Explore our latest perspectives on the global economy, geopolitics, and industry dynamics.

Will India be affected by Trump tariff policies?

January 16, 2025

Explore how India's emerging role in global supply chains and proactive trade measures may mitigate the impact of US tariffs under Trump's policies.

The US focuses in on the Chinese shipbuilding sector

January 15, 2025

Exploring the implications of the DoD's updated list of Chinese military-connected entities on US trade and corporate strategy.

How might the Southeast Asia-5 respond to Trump’s tariff policies?

December 20, 2024

Exploring how the SEA-5 countries are looking at policy changes to mitigate the impact of potential tariffs from the incoming Trump administration.

How China’s response to a second Trump administration may impact supply chains

November 26, 2024

China is expected to respond more strongly to trade measures from a second Trump administration, leveraging its policy tools to target specific American firms and products.

A credible PNTR bill offers insight into pathways to China tariffs

November 21, 2024

The Restoring Trade Fairness Act aims to repeal Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) with China, subjecting Chinese imports to tariffs, quotas, and other trade remedies.

The world has changed. Have Trump’s goals changed along with it?

November 14, 2024

Geopolitical conflicts and economic strategies are shaping the next Trump administration's trade policies, with a focus on key appointments and their implications for global trade.

What lies ahead for Indonesia’s manufacturing sector?

November 5, 2024

Indonesia's new president, Prabowo Subianto, faces the challenge of revitalizing the manufacturing sector amid regulatory hurdles and labor issues, with the potential for growth hinging on effective implementation of the 2020 Job Creation Law.

Rising demand for data centers and its impact on Southeast Asia-5’s energy landscape

October 17, 2024

Data localization policies in Southeast Asia-5 countries have increased local data centers by 28% between 2019 and 2023, intensifying electricity competition and challenging business expansion.

US Elections - economic policy signals from VP Harris

October 10, 2024

Vice President Kamala Harris released her economic plan. The bulk of her investments are poised to impact services with a smaller investment in modernization of traditional industries alongside advanced industries.

EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement: business impacts and outlook under CBAM

October 3, 2024

The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) aims to eliminate 99% of tariffs by 2030, increasing EU's access to Vietnam’s market. However, the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) may challenge the EVFTA's effectiveness by increasing export costs.

China: The long-awaited stimulus is here. What's next?

October 1, 2024

China has implemented stimulus measures, including cutting the reverse repo rate and reserve requirement ratio, and lowering existing mortgage rates. Will they be sufficient to help China reach its annual 5% growth target?

Another view of China’s deep involvement in global supply chains

September 12, 2024

Rhetoric on derisking trade from China is growing due to geopolitical tensions, but strong trade complementarity remains, highlighting China's crucial role in global supply chains.

"China Week" does not address key trade issues

September 9, 2024

The US House of Representatives has released a list of proposed China-focused legislation expected to come to a vote over the course of what Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) dubbed “China Week”.

Thailand's political dynamics and their impact on the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) development

September 3, 2024

Thailand’s political parties agree that significant development is required to capture the historic investment flowing into Southeast Asia but power struggles over the specific industries and geographies left the path forward unclear.

Increase in e-commerce goods from China prompts scrutiny in the US and Europe

August 15, 2024

Changes to de minimis rules and other restrictions on Chinese e-commerce companies, if successful, could help reduce strains in the air freight market, where e-commerce goods are taking ever more capacity across Asia outbound.