Shan Li joins Endeavor Malaysia as new managing director, leading the charge in high-impact entrepreneurship 

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  • Founder of Swipeless and co-founder of Babydash
  • Brings experience in command, entrepreneurship, and development to the role

Endeavor Malaysia has announced the appointment of Shan Li ( pic ) &nbsp, as its new managing director. With an extensive background in business management, innovation, and proper growth, she brings a dynamic blend of experience that will generate Endeavor Malaysia’s mission to empower high-impact entrepreneurs and develop a vivid innovative ecosystem.

Shan Li’s career spans a variety of professions and responsibilities, which show how creative and adaptable she is to business. Before launching into entrepreneurship, she is a competent licensed officer with over 15 years of experience in banking and finance. As an entrepreneur, she is the leader of Swipeless, a singles system that connects people in real life, and the co-founder of Babydash, one of Malaysia’s founding e-commerce platforms for the dad and baby business.

Shan Li is a partner at ScaleUp Malaysia, where she is instrumental in startups ‘ acceleration and funding. Her appointment comes at a crucial time for Endeavor Malaysia as the company grows internationally.

” I am excited to be part of this global community of entrepreneurs, which boasts over 2, 600 high-impact entrepreneurs who collectively generate US$ 67 billion ( RM299 billion ) in annual revenues and have created more than 4.1 million jobs. I’m passionate about promoting the success of the ecosystem and accelerating the growth of Malaysia’s high-impact entrepreneurs,” Shan Li said.

Brahmal Vasudevan, chairman of Endeavor Malaysia and founder and CEO of Creador, remarked,” We are thrilled to welcome Shan Li as our new managing director. Her extensive experience, particularly in the technology and startup ecosystem, will be invaluable as we continue to support high-growth companies”.

Shan Li’s strategic judgment and commitment to developing entrepreneurial talent will significantly increase our impact, he continued.

Under Shan Li’s leadership, Endeavor Malaysia will expand its support for entrepreneurs through tailored mentorship, access to capital, and global networking opportunities. Her appointment aligns with the organization’s commitment to providing high-impact entrepreneurs with the resources and guidance needed to succeed on a global scale.

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Task force targets phoney corporate registrations

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PUBLISHED: 5 Feb 2025 at 08: 12

Napintorn Srisanpang
Napintorn Srisanpang

The Commerce Ministry has established a specific task force to combat phony business registrations and is developing a identification system to confirm business locations.

Speaking on Tuesday at Government House, Deputy Commerce MinisterNapintorn Srisanpangaddressed concerns that criminals have increasingly registered mule accounts under legal entities to gain credibility and defraud the public.

He said his ministry has formed a special task force, whose members include Department of Internal Trade ( DIT ) deputy director-general Jittakorn Wongkhetkorn, to deal with the issue.

According to Mr Napintorn, the task force’s first mission involves coordinating with the Digital Economy and Society Ministry’s Anti-Online Crime Operation Center ( AOC ) to obtain the HR03 list of individuals with criminal backgrounds.

” This information will allow soldiers to check over 900, 000 firms and 80, 000 people to identify their links to these legal companies”, he said.

Initial assessments revealed that 1, 159 constitutional institutions were linked to these people. The Department of Business Development ( DBD ) has forwarded these findings to relevant agencies, including the Royal Thai Police (RTP), the Central Investigation Bureau ( CIB ), the Anti-Money Laundering Office ( Amlo ) and the Department of Special Investigation ( DSI), for further investigation.

As part of the partnership, the AOC will even give titles from the HR03 listing to the Commerce Ministry every Tuesday, allowing for a one-day confirmation process before legal activity is pursued, said Mr Napintorn.

He added that the DBD is developing a new rule mandating individuals on the HR03 list linked to corporate registrations to personally verify their identities and provide statements about their business intentions.

” Their information will be monitored forwarded to law enforcement agencies. He stated that the public is currently being asked about this regulation, and it is anticipated to be finalized by the beginning of the month.

In cases where business owners use residential addresses without the owner’s permission, Mr. Napintorn reported that the ministry is developing an online verification system that will be launched in two weeks.

This tool will let property owners find out if their addresses have been used for corporate registrations and report unauthorised usage.

If unauthorised use is discovered, property owners can report it to the DBD via its 1570 hotline. Offenders in such cases may face up to three years in prison, said Mr Napintorn.

Additionally, new business registrations and relocation requests will require supporting documents, including the property owner’s consent letter.

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Japan holds seminar on fake goods

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Thai authorities learn to spot goods

PUBLISHED: 5 Feb 2025 at 05: 56

Japan has provided Thai officials with a guidebook of product identification and is helping to distinguish between counterfeit goods from legitimate Chinese products.

The Japan External Trade Organisation ( Jetro ) and Thailand’s Department of Intellectual Property ( DIP ) on Tuesday held a Thailand-Japan IP protection training seminar to counter intellectual property violations.

Staff from the Chinese government, businesses, and Thai government officials were present at the event.

It aimed to share information about IP rights ownership, improve product identification through coaching, and explore novel ways to combat Internet infringement.

The DIP and the Thai Customs Department received a reference book on” False Identification Points” to aid in the monitoring of products that resemble those produced by seven Chinese companies.

According to Jetro President Kuroda Junichiro, violating IP rights can also be harmful to consumers and inhibit innovation and creativity among those who own Internet privileges.

According to him, “effective enforcement of IP rights helps safeguard the holders of classic design and technology patents while creating a better business environment for more investment.”

Arwut Wongsawas, DIP assistant director-general, said Thailand has put Internet safety on the national plan and has huge acted to control Internet copyright in all aspects.

Thailand acknowledges the value of taking appropriate steps to safeguard IP rights in order to foster trust among Thai and international national right holders, traders, and investors.

He did acknowledge that Thailand also had trouble distinguing imported counterfeit goods from authentic people.

” Knockoff products today are difficult to identify, and it takes a great ability level to display them”, he said.

Mr. Arwut thanked the Chinese specialists for their help.

According to the Department of Intellectual Property, 1, 226 Internet infringement cases were reported from January to November next year, with 2, 724, 757 things seized.

In August, the ministry destroyed 1, 249, 588 counterfeit and pirated things, with an estimated worth exceeding 325 million ringgit.

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Five ways China is hitting back against US tariffs

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21 days ago
Michael Race

Business columnist, BBC News

Getty Images A gantry crane lifts containers at the Nanchang International Dry Port in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, ChinaGetty Images

After China responded to the US’s individual implementation of tariffs with steps of its own, the trade war between the world’s two largest economies has gotten worse.

Following President Donald Trump’s blanket 10 % tax on all Chinese goods into the US, Beijing has set out to target particular American items with retaliatory income, among other steps.

This most recent tit-for-tat builds on the ongoing trade dispute between the countries, with tariffs having previously been imposed and threatened on a number of products since 2018.

A package may still be struck because Trump has stated he intends to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping. What might the impact remain if China launches its response as planned on February 10th?

Fuel, oil and gas

Getty Images Vehicles transfer coal at the coal terminal of Lianyungang Port in Lianyungang, in eastern China's Jiangsu provinceGetty Images

Trump’s tariffs have caused China to impose import taxes of its own on US coal and liquefied natural gas ( LNG ) of 10 %, as well as a 15 % sur crude oil.

Businesses wanting to buy fossil fuels from the US would have to pay the tax as a result of Beijing’s answer.

China is the world’s largest supplier of fuel, but it gets most of it from Indonesia, although Russia, Australia and Mongolia are also among its suppliers.

When it comes to the US, China has been increasing exports of LNG from the state, with levels almost double 2018 rates, according to Chinese customs information.

However, its overall trade in fossil fuels is reasonable, with US imports accounting for only 1.7 % of China’s full crude oil purchased from abroad in 2023. This suggests that China’s dependence on the US may be low, and the effects of the taxes might be low.

As the Kremlin tries to finance its war work, China may easily obtain more products from Russia, according to Rebecca Harding, a business analyst and chief executive of the Centre for Economic Security think container.

On the flipside, the US is the nation’s largest LNG supplier, and so has lots of other customers, especially the UK and the European Union.

Agricultural technology, pick-up cars and big cars

As well as fuel, China has slapped a 10 % tariff on agricultural machinery, pick-up trucks, and some large cars.

However, China does not import a lot of US pick-ups and goods, therefore a 10 % tax on an already sizable number of exports would not be too harsh on consumers. It imports the majority of its cars from Europe and Japan.

China has increased opportunities in farm equipment in recent years to boost production, lower import dependence, and increase its food safety.

Therefore, it might be a new strategy to try to boost domestic market by imposing tariffs on agricultural technology.

Julian Evans-Pritchard, brain of China finance at firm Capital Economics, said all the price measures were “fairly reasonable, at least equivalent to US moves”.

He suggests that China’s targeted goods represent about$ 20bn ( £16bn ) worth of annual imports- around 12 % of China’s total imports from the US.

This is a significant improvement over the US’s US-targeted$ 450 billion in Chinese products.

However, he claimed that China had” clearly been calibrated to try to send a message to the US]and domestic audiences ] without causing too much damage.”

Google spacecraft

Additionally, the Chinese government has made some non-tariff announcements, one of which is an anti-monopoly research into US software giant Google.

It is questionable what the inspection will require, but for environment, Google’s search providers have been blocked in China since 2010.

The company continues to operate in the country by offering apps and games to Chinese markets through collaboration with local developers.

But China simply generates about 1 % of Google’s world income, which suggests if it cut ties fully with the land, it wouldn’t be much worse off.

Calvin Klein added to the list of “unreliable institutions.”

Getty Images Calvin Klein jeans of different styles hung up in a row on pegsGetty Images

China has listed PVH, the British business that operates Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, as its so-called “unreliable object” record and accused them of “discriminatory actions against Chinese companies.”

The record, which has different US companies on it, was created in 2020 by Beijing amid the heating up of business conflicts.

For Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, being on China’s record may make it harder to accomplish business in the country. They may experience restrictions, including charges, and having the work visa of their international staff revoked.

Officials will also go to companies of the companies to evaluate procedures, according to Andreas Schotter, teacher of global business at Western University in Ontario, Canada.

The US has its own “entity list,” which forbids a number of organizations from purchasing goods from US businesses without Washington’s approval.

” China is retaliating in the same way that President Trump accuses Chinese businesses.” This is all a result of US-China’s de-coupling, Prof. Schotter continued.

Export controls on rare metals

While tariffs have been imposed on businesses that import products from abroad, China has also imposed export controls on 25 rare metals.

For a lot of electrical products and military equipment, some metals are essential components.

China has mastered the art of producing almost 90 % of the world’s refined metals.

Wormwood, a scarce resource for the aerospace sector, is included in the restricted list.

While there are restrictions on exports, Mr Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics, said it was notable that the critical metals China imports from the US, which are used to make high-end chips, semiconductor machinery, pharmaceuticals and aerospace equipment were not targeted in any measures.

Exports will decline sharply as a result of previous rounds of restrictions, which have been proven to be costly. Companies must now scramble to obtain licenses, a procedure that takes several weeks.

When it comes to the impact of the restrictions, it appears the US has a plan. Trump stated on Monday that he wanted Ukraine to provide more rare earth metals in exchange for$ 300 billion in support of Russia’s campaign.

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Coal and gas among US targets of China’s retaliatory tariffs

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After President Donald Trump imposed a 10 % tax on all Chinese exports, China has announced retaliatory tariffs against the US.

The counter-measures include a 15 % tax on coal and liquefied natural gas imports from the US, while crude oil, agricultural machinery, pickup trucks and large-engine cars will face a 10 % tariff. These are anticipated to become effective on Monday.

China has lodged a complaint with the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) alleging that the US is breaking international law.

Trump claims that the taxes are a reply to trade imbalances as well as an effort to stop the flow of fentanyl. According to his management, the drugs used to produce them were imported from China.

Beijing has recently stated that the fentanyl issue in America was unique.

On Tuesday, the new US price of an extra 10 % on Chinese exports went into effect.

China claimed in a statement that the answer “untilaches its ] personal problems, and also undermines the US’s standard economic and trade cooperation.”

Beijing’s addition of more US companies to its website “unreliable institution” list is one more action the Trump administration has taken in response to the new tariffs.

This day PHV Corp, the organization that owns clothing companies Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, and US biotech company Illumina, have both been targeted.

In a statement, China’s trading government accused the companies of “discriminatory steps against Chinese businesses”.

Companies that are added to the list may be subject to a number of sanctions, including the revocation of their foreign workers ‘ work visa.

Beijing has also announced intentions to stifle the export of 25 essential vitamins, some of which are essential components for electronic goods.

These include metal, which is hard to supply and a vital substance for the aviation industry, tellurium, commonly used for solar panels, and molybdenum, which is used to enhance steel alloys.

A Chinese regulator has opened an exploration into Google into reported antitrust violations.

Google also conducts some enterprise there despite the fact that its search solutions have been blocked since 2010 in China. For instance, it also offers apps and games to the Chinese market through partnerships with regional engineers.

In the past, both the US and China have imposed taxes on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of one another’s items as part of a growing trade war.

Meanwhile, Trump has suspended for 30 days the 25 % tariffs on Mexico and Canada that he threatened.

The two US neighbors reached an agreement in last-minute negotiations to require stricter border surveillance and take more aggressive measures to combat fentanyl trafficking. This is a success for Trump’s plan to rely on the US market to compel concessions from different nations.

Up, China, Mexico and Canada accounted for more than 40 % of goods into the US last season.

When the 30-day date is off, it is still unclear whether Trump did follow through on his threats to Canada and Mexico.

Companies may start to reduce their reliance on American markets as a result of this uncertainty, hold off on hiring employees or investing in new factories until the deal stand-off is resolved.

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No, Australia isn’t immune to Trump trade war pain – Asia Times

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US President Donald Trump has halted his threatening 25 % tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico in a busy 24 hours of trade diplomacy, while retaining 10 % tariffs on imports from China.

A temporary relief has been granted to American businesses operating in Canada or Mexico, like as Rio Tinto, whose American operations export billions of dollars worth of aluminum to the US. However, businesses that import to our largest buying spouse may be affected by the risk of weaker economic growth in China.

And Trump has hinted all US imports of&nbsp, aluminum and copper, including from Australia, may be his next destination. Treasurer Jim Chalmers stated on February 4 that while Australia is at risk from rising industry tensions,” we are really well-placed to explore them.”

However, even if Australia manages to stay out of Trump’s places, Australians may hope to come out of a business war unharmed. It is difficult to determine exactly how Australia would be impacted by the complexity of global supply chains, but here are a few important factors that are likely to enjoy.

About 40 % of Australia’s exports go to China, making it the biggest target by way, according to statistics for 2023 from UN Comtrade. The majority of this is used in China’s manufacturing and construction sectors, where American iron ore is used.

Trump’s tariffs will further slow China’s market, which will lessen demand for goods it purchases from Australia.

If China’s need for iron iron falls drastically, this will not only harm the Australian mining field, but it also may cause a fall in the American dollar, making the things Australians buy from overseas more expensive.

However, it’s still to be seen how much China’s most recent tariffs will have an effect. The second Trump administration’s taxes have already been absorbed by China, and his most recent enhance is much less expensive than his original proposal of 60 %.

Trade escape

The one good side of US tariffs on other nations is that they may make some American exports more economical because they raise the cost of those nations ‘ export to the US.

This is something economics call industry escape. For instance, metal produced in Australia would have benefited from the tariffs placed on French aluminium.

Because there isn’t much overlap between the goods that China and Australia export to the US, the taxes on China may largely distract industry to Australia.

But China’s punitive taxes could make a significant impact. During Trump’s first word, China reacted to US tariffs by imposing taxes on American grains and other agricultural products. This time around, a similar action might open up a gap for American farmers to fill in the gap.

But it is not all great information. In other nations, US exports that have been diverted from the Chinese market does compete with Asian products. But, while American grains may become more aggressive in China, US grains may remove Australia’s in the Philippines.

Taxes even have a tendency to increase the country’s currency because they lower the demand for goods in foreign currencies.

The American dollar, on the other hand, weakened, which dropped to a five-year small following the tariffs ‘ inauguration. The dollar has now fallen almost 10 % since November.

Repeatedly, this raises the cost of goods to Australia, which was raise inflation.

Network disturbance

The biggest impact will be the supply chain disruption that will result from the taxes on Canada and Mexico being confirmed in 30 days.

According to analyses of the levies Trump imposed on China in 2018, US companies that use imported sources accounted for the majority of the cost.

The impact of taxes on Canada and Mexico will be much more detrimental to all North American producers because North American generation networks are so tightly integrated, and they have been for decades.

The issue is not just that auto prices will rise, but that significant disruptions could result from the tariffs if essential middle suppliers, such as small but important intermediate suppliers, stop operating.

Finally, firms will create substitute supply chains, but the short-run problems could be substantial.

This could lead to higher prices and supply disruptions for Australians, not just for the goods we purchase from the US but also for anything that relies on a North American dealer at any point in the production process.

We are also experiencing the effects of Covid’s supply chain disruptions, such as the rise in inflation in 2021 and 2022 and the resulting high interest rates and world opposition to the main political parties. That includes Donald Trump’s returning to the Oval Office.

If this conflict turns into a significant global trade war, there might be other problems. Even if Trump’s promised tariffs not truly materialize, we may still see the same effects on a smaller size because the&nbsp, trade policy uncertainty&nbsp, from just the threat of a trade war has similar effects on the firm exercise as true tariffs.

Whatever happens, even if Australia can escape direct involvement in a trade war, it cannot escape the shockwaves that reverberate through the world economy. The question is whether it will be a tsunami or a ripple.

Scott French is senior lecturer in economics, UNSW Sydney

This article was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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How China is playing to win Trump’s trade war – Asia Times

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Some people in Tokyo anticipated Donald Trump’s self-control toward China this year.

While rival China avoided paying only 10 % of tariffs, North American allies Canada and Mexico are currently considering 25 %. Beijing politicians, who were feared the worst when Trump 2.0 hit the ground running, are no more surprising.

True, Ottawa and Mexico City managed to secure 30-day disruptions. But the taxes are coming. Trump didn’t stop the two countries from achieving their multi-decade aim of sticking it to nations he thinks mooch off of America because of their pledges to soften border security.

Xi Jinping’s more laid-back answer so much, by contrast, suggests China’s chief is keeping his hostile options available — and his flour clean.

Beijing did reveal a more restricted 15 % tax on certain kinds of fuel and liquefied natural gas, and a 10 % duty on crude oil, agricultural technology, large-displacement vehicles and pickup trucks. However, longer-lasting retaliation is still a possibility.

As the US president quickly extends his world pleasant, Xi has every reason to believe he already has the upper palm over Trump on a number of fronts.

According to Kelvin Wong, senior researcher at trading OANDA,” The Trade War 2.0 may lead to a downturn narrative because it involves not just US-China industry but also with other significant buying partners.”

Tony Sycamore, market analyst at IG Australia, thinks the chaos has only just begun.

The overnight lifting of tariffs on Mexico rekindles the cycle that has begun: calls and negotiations, declarations of victory, and then a new cycle, according to Sycamore. ” Ultimately the path leads to higher tariffs, slower growth, higher inflation and less certainty for risk takers and equities”.

For one thing, the goodwill is gone. Trump’s revenge tour is in full swing, as evidenced by his hard-hitting of Canada and Mexico.

Trump’s assault on the World Trade Organization order won’t soon be forgotten. And Trump has little faith in his actions given the speed with which he threatened to devastate Colombia’s economy with a minor diplomatic blunder.

For one, Xi is aware that, for the first time since Trump entered the White House, China is no longer dependent on the US. As Carlos&nbsp, Casanova, economist at Union Bancaire Privée, points out, the impact of Trump’s tariffs is “manageable” for China so far.

” US exports account for only 3 % of]China’s ] GDP, compared to 15 % for the rest of the world”, Casanova says. Devaluation, he adds, “wouldn’t significantly improve trade terms while potentially causing tensions with other trading partners in Europe and Asia.”

Instead, according to Casanova,” China is likely to use a combination of deflationary measures and tax exemptions to offset the impact of expected tariffs, much like what we saw during the first trade war.” China’s trade ministry announced plans to file a case with the World Trade Organization and pledged to use unnamed” corresponding countermeasures” to defend its rights and interests.

Beijing believes that Trump is giving it the moral high ground, which fuels this latter instinct.

China stepped up efforts to present itself as the more stable and predictable power back in November, following Trump’s victory in the election, the keeper of the rules-based global order that Washington had turned against.

Team Xi has consistently defended China as the protector of free trade, globalization, and multilateral institutions. On November 15, for example, Xi declared that China stands ready to protect the “interdependent world” from” severe challenges” as a “new period of turbulence and change” approaches.

Then there’s the inflationary potential of what Trump is doing, warns Mohit Kumar, an economist at Jefferies. His tariffs and counter-tariffs” will be inflationary” while leading to “weaker growth prospects” and proving “negative for equities”.

All this has Asia rethinking ties to Washington.

In Seoul, where the political system is in abject chaos, officials are viewing Beijing with renewed affection. Ditto for Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party. After months of trying, the LDP only recently gets some Trump facetime for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

Xi’s inner circle is clearly worried about the 60 % tariffs Trump has threatened. And odds are, taxes of that magnitude are coming, regardless of what Trump’s inner circle is signaling today. &nbsp,

The kind way of explaining what’s afoot in Trumpworld is that a deliberate, well-calibrated strategy is unfolding. The arrival of Canada and Mexico allows for yet another reboot of the North American Free Trade Agreement ( NAFTA ).

That, in theory, enables Trump to consolidate power in America’s historic sphere of economic influence, reshaping supply chains closer to home and encouraging migrants to stay at home.

While this recalibration unfolds, Team Trump can prepare to aim Washington’s full financial arsenal at China. Admittedly, this affords Trump’s team the benefit of the doubt on many levels that it hasn’t earned.

If personnel is really what matters, then Xi’s Communist Party should be concerned about the characters with whom Trump 2.0 is surrounded by.

An American government doesn’t entrust economic policy decisions to Peter&nbsp, Navarro and Robert Lighthizer acolyte&nbsp, Jamieson Greer&nbsp, if a “grand bargain” trade deal with China is a top priority.

The same goes for the anti-China foreign policy team Trump assembled. If forging a more productive China relationship is the main goal, the White House doesn’t hire Marco Rubio, Mike Waltz, John Ratcliffe, or Pete Hegseth.

Case in point: Ratcliffe’s first act as CIA director was to amplify the theory that Covid-19&nbsp, most likely&nbsp, started in a Chinese lab, not randomly in a wet market. It offers a glimpse into the mindset of Trump’s inner circle.

Even the cabinet hires are perceived as being less MAGA-ish than most people are learning their Trumpian talking points at the same time. Look no further than Scott Bessent, Trump’s Treasury secretary, accusing Beijing of flooding the globe with cheap goods to finance its military ambitions.

The hedge fund&nbsp, billionaire claims that China has” the most imbalanced economy in the history of the world” and that it might be suffering a” severe recession/depression“. If so, wouldn’t he be advising Trump not to kick a US$ 18 trillion economy&nbsp, when he supposedly thinks it’s on the verge of collapse?

Not that it would help. Trump has said that Asia is squandering American jobs and wealth, and that this should be stopped. His most consistent geopolitical position has been over the years. Back then, Japan was cast in the role of boogeymen, a nemesis that the” Tariff Man” superhero of Trump’s imagination sought to avenge.

The mid-1980s zeitgeist had Hollywood churning out films like&nbsp, Gung&nbsp, Ho. The film, which stars Michael Keaton, explored how Detroit auto workers were being abused by Japan Inc. It was a period that Michael&nbsp, Crichton immortalized in his best-selling novel” Rising Sun” .&nbsp,

That was at the height of Japan’s “bubble economy” era, a time when academics like Harvard University’s Ezra&nbsp, Vogel, author of” Japan As Number One — Lessons for America”, characterized Tokyo as an unstoppable economic force.

Washington pulled off the” Plaza Accord” currency deal to slam the dollar against a New York hotel that Trump had previously owned.

At the time, New York property mogul Trump was a regular on daytime talk shows complaining Japan had” systematically&nbsp, sucked the blood out of America&nbsp, – sucked the blood out! They have gotten away with murder. They ultimately prevailed in the war.

Today, China inhabits this role. It’s more complicated, though, given Trump’s oft-articulated affection for Xi. On January 23, for example, Trump said” I like President Xi very much. I’ve always liked him”. Trump added that he’s “always had a great relationship” with China’s strongest leader since Mao Zedong.

Yet Trump and Xi seem on a collision course, nonetheless. Xi has shown little inclination to bow before Trump after a dozen years in charge.

According to reports, China is actually developing an opening offer for trade talks. However, according to The Wall Street Journal and others, the majority of the items involve reviving the” Phase 1″ agreement Trump and Xi signed in 2020. That won’t satisfy Trump, who’s expecting big market-access wins.

China also has a greater opportunity to retaliate than it did for the first time since Trump entered the White House in 2017. Greater scope, too, than Japan had back in the 1980s.

Of course, China worries greatly about Trump’s 60 % tariff threat. According to UBS economists, taxes of that size will cut China’s annual growth by more than half, shaving 2.5 percentage points from its gross domestic product ( GDP ).

Nevertheless, Xi might edict a similar strategy from Canada and direct attacks against Trump-supporting red states. For example, China could exact great pain by altering agricultural purchases. And by taxing mainland goods sourced by Amazon, Costco, Target and Walmart.

China might levy surcharges on well-known American businesses, including Starbucks and Boeing. Or China could meddle with Apple, Microsoft, Nike and other household name companies.

Could Musk find himself in harm’s way? Musk’s Shanghai “gigafactory” is a major producer of electric vehicles going to third countries in addition to producing electric vehicles for China, which currently accounts for more than a third of Tesla sales.

For now, though, no one really knows what to expect from Trump.

According to Goldman Sachs strategist David Kostin,” These announcements have come as a shock to many investors who anticipated tariffs would only be imposed if trade negotiations failed.” Although the outlook is uncertain, our economists believe there is a good chance that the tariffs will be temporary, respectively.

The “macro-wise, we think the immediate channel where Asian equities might be impacted is is… a potentially higher US dollar,” Nomura Holdings strategists write in a note. We also think that investors are likely to consider which industries or regions in China might be more susceptible to these tariffs.

Yet only Trump and the China skeptics in his circle can be certain. &nbsp, This is leaving global markets in suspense in ways that might play into China’s hands.

Follow William Pesek on X at @WilliamPesek

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Japan searching for a quiet place in Trumpworld – Asia Times

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In the post-apocalyptic dread film” A Quiet Place,” individuals attempt to avoid blind alien invaders who have an acute sense of hearing by remaining totally silent. Japan now, facing the return of Donald Trump to the White House, even hopes to avoid the creature’s interest.

Being proactive is the best course of action for us, says Tokyo University researcher Sahashi Ryo, a renowned authority on South Asian international politics.

A previous senior American official with extensive experience in Japan advised close friends to urge Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to do the same, yet advising him to refrain from making a rushy visit to Washington. However, the prime minister will join Trump at the White House on February 7 after making a choice to walk on the way of harm.

Ishiba does not want to meet the growing list of American friends who have made it on to Trump’s objective record – headed by Canada and Mexico, but including Panama, Denmark and, indeed, the whole European Union.

The most recent arguing over taxes between China and Canada seems to support the notion that Trump had merely use them as a bargaining chip.

However, it is obvious from Trump’s own repeated remarks that tariffs are used as a means of rebalancing the global market and bringing manufacturing back to the United States.

Whatever Trump’s purpose, Ishiba comes bearing the common tray of gifts. It is a well-crafted bundle of services designed to calm the lion and keep his wildly swinging sensor from veering away from his well-crafted bundle of choices, which includes more buys of American defense equipment as part of Japan’s security development program.

He is likely to steer clear of the contentious issue of Nippon Steel’s choice to halt Nippon Steel’s purchase of US Steel while pointing to the success of Chinese investment in boosting US manufacturing jobs.

Ishiba has indicated that he does not foresee soft operations in Washington. Ishiba responded to reporters by asking how he might respond to requests for even more protection funding, saying it was probable that 2 % of GDP, but that Japan would have to make the decision, not the US.

Ishiba pledged to enhance the US-Japan ally in a brief statement to a worldwide speech held last week at the Foreign Ministry think container, Japan Institute for International Affairs. But he immediately added that he planned to “engage in truthful conversation” in Washington, political code thoughts for a less than nice meeting.

Ishiba is aware of how uneasy a marriage former prime minister Shinzo Abe and Trump could be. When Japan arrives, the British chief frequently refers to the late Abe, but he will quickly discover that the new Asian leader is not just another extension of Abe.

” Ishiba’s design goes counter to that of Abe– he is certainly a flatterer”, says Richard Dyck, Tokyo-based chairman of Japan Industrial Partners, who has been part of a research group attended constantly by Ishiba.

Price war have already started.

A former senior Japanese official who was actively engaged in conversations with the first Trump administration responded with the phrase “tariffs” when asked what would be the greatest effect of a Trump administration on Japan.

Japan, thus far, has not been on Trump’s tax list. The European Union is next in line, and the taxes on Mexico and Canada are only for one month. The 10 % tax imposed on China may even lead to some kind of dialogue. However, if those pauses turn out to be temporary, Japan did de facto fall prey to Trump’s growing economic war.

The cross-border taxes would essentially destroy the US-Mexico-Canada business agreement that was negotiated during Trump’s first name. In order to create a seamless offer string in North America, Chinese companies have set up lots of companies in both Mexico and Canada. Some 1, 300 Chinese companies operate in Mexico only.

The automobile industry would be the first to experience the effects of these taxes, not just Chinese companies but also US and Korean ones, all of which run factories in both Canada and Mexico to arrange vehicles for US exports and provide the essential auto parts that go to US factories. Nissan alone exported 326, 000 vehicles to the US from Mexico.

In addition to the already imposed tariffs against China, the tariffs against China will also have an impact on Japanese businesses that export from China. Of course, a growing trade war with China would have more severe effects on Chinese growth and harm Japanese companies that make products for the Chinese market.

China – is there a G2 to come?

In some circles in Tokyo, there is a hope, echoed by American policymakers, that Japan’s role as an anchor in an anti-China confrontation will ensure that it remains off the Trump list of bad actors.

In the Trump administration, traditional conservatives like Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Michael Waltz, who have hawkish views of China, are in charge.

In that framework of confrontation, the US may look to strengthen security ties with Japan and other partners in the region, Randall Schriver, a former defense official in the first Trump administration, predicted while speaking to the JIIA gathering last week.

Others are concerned that Trump might opt out of a new” G2″ with China that effectively excludes Japan and instead chooses to engage in some “grand bargain” with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

However, most experts dismiss that worry. According to Thomas Fingar, a Stanford scholar and former senior US intelligence official,” the risk of that is pretty low.” The Chinese” will be delighted to have him there” if Trump wants to visit China to see Xi. As for Trump, he” will go because it will be a great personal triumph”.

However, the two main problems on the table are those relating to technology competition and market access. Fingar tells Toyo Keizai that the tech billionaires want access to China that is difficult for the Chinese to provide.

” Even if Trump and Xi meet, it is not the start of G2″, agrees Tokyo University expert Sahashi. ” Military-strategic competition will continue”.

Ishiba’s own China card

Prime Minister Ishiba is already making a very different move: a concerted effort to improve relations with China and the rest of Asia, particularly South Korea and important Southeast Asian nations, to lessen the negative effects of Trump’s return and the escalation of global economic conflict.

Ishiba’s approach to defense policy is more focused on the importance of strengthening Japan’s ability to defend itself than on the needs of the US alliance. His support for an Asian NATO has been misinterpreted by many as further subordination to American strategic objectives. Instead, the goal is to create a “multi-layered security system for Asia,” as Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya stated in a recent issue of the monthly Bungei Shunju.

Ishiba passionately addressed the audience at the Global Dialogue about how Japan needed to conduct a thorough investigation of the country’s decision to go to war and Japan’s defeat. &nbsp,

” It is time for us to revisit and review the war experience”, he said. He demanded that Japan comprehend “how to position itself in the world to bring about greater peace.”

There is a comparable interest in China, observes Stanford scholar Fingar, the former US deputy director of national intelligence. China has been reaching out to Japan, particularly, and to Europe and others, seeking to repair the damage done by its alliance with Russia and Vladimir Putin.

” The Chinese smile diplomacy is partly due to fear of being isolated,” Fingar told Toyo Keizai”. They have buyers ‘ regrets as a result of collaborating with Moscow,” with growing criticism within China that it has not been a good deal.” But China is also motivated by its own interests.

Because it will benefit a domestic audience, the Chinese want to boost relations. If you can divide Japan from the Americans, it may raise questions about the Americans ‘ dependability. But the big motivation is China’s economy. For strategic reasons, they don’t need friendly relations with Japan; instead, they need Japan to continue to contribute to the Chinese economy.

The upcoming months will serve as a test of how far China is prepared to go in order to truly strengthen ties with Japan. We need some action from their side, Sahashi says, including taking immediate steps to stop economic coercion, safeguard Japanese citizens and investors, and ease their military repression of the Senkaku islands and the East China Sea.

Tokyo and Beijing will likely be encouraged to go down this path by the summit in Washington this week and the newly started trade war. But in order not to openly challenge the monster, it will be done quietly.

Daniel Sneider is a former Christian Science Monitor foreign correspondent and a lecturer on international policy at Stanford University. &nbsp, This article&nbsp, was originally published by Toyo Keizai and is republished with permission.

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SEEDS Capital appoints 20 new partners to catalyse at least US9.5 million of investments into Singapore-based deep tech startups

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  • Does manage US$ 110 mil over the next 3 times for serious tech startups
  • Today has 52 co-investors supporting business development with expertise &amp, funding

SEEDS Capital ( SEEDS ), the investment arm of Enterprise Singapore ( EnterpriseSG), has appointed 20 new local and global partners to co-invest in innovative Singapore-based deep tech startups under the Startup SG Equity scheme. SEEDS will allocate US$ 110 million ( RM668 million ) over the next three years, aiming to catalyse an additional US$ 219.5 million ( RM977.5 million ) through private sector partnerships in areas such as advanced manufacturing, pharmbio/medtech, agrifood tech, sustainability ( including energy, circular economy, urban mobility, and water ), spacetech, and quantum tech.

]RM1 = US$ 0.22]

With these innovative appointments, SEEDS today has 52 co-investors offering complex and domain expertise, professional knowledge, global networks, and early-growth investment capabilities to enable startups level properly.

enabling companies ‘ international goals through global network

According to EnterpriseSG, new partners such as East Ventures ( Indonesia ), Global Brain ( Japan ), HIVEN ( South Korea ), Paspalis Capital ( Australia ), and Valuence Ventures ( USA/South Korea ) will provide resources and networks to help startups expand into new markets for customer acquisition or supply chain diversification. For instance, Paspalis ‘ solid presence in Australia’s Northern Territory has enabled SEEDS ‘ spacetech investee Equatorial Space Systems to test-bed its options. In addition, East Ventures ‘ systems in Indonesia have assisted AMILI in expanding operations there and helped Mesh Bio secure its first Indonesian client.

” Expanding into Japan presents problems such as social distinctions, communication obstacles, and sophisticated corporate environments. Some startups in Singapore struggle to understand Japan’s complex decision-making procedures and direct communication methods. We assist our investment companies in localizing their strategies and developing their value propositions for the Asian market, according to Global Brain partner Tatsuya Matsumoto.

” We also guide them in relationship-building and integrating their answers into the broader strategic objectives of Chinese corporates, ensuring smoother market access and long-term partnerships”, he added.

Driving progress through specialized knowledge

The new sessions even include local investors familiar with Singapore’s business environment, who can guide startups on rules and weighting. These resources will promote the implementation of native investment and the development of the ecosystem. Significant owners include Vickers Venture Partners, iGlobe Associates, K3 Ventures, Antares Ventures, Monk’s Hill Ventures, and Tin Men Capital.

” While Singapore’s deep software environment is still maturing compared to more established business ecosystems, it has reached a critical tone level, thanks largely to various government initiatives”, said Arun Pai, main at Monk’s Hill Ventures.

” Previously, we made selective deep tech investments, but our current pipeline includes a significantly higher proportion of deep tech startups. These founders are targeting diverse areas such as material science in agritech, advanced robotics, AI for healthcare diagnostics, and next-generation semiconductor technologies across Southeast Asia”, he added.

Deep tech startups need a lot of support because their development cycles for technology and products are long, as well as the need for significant capital at the growth stage, particularly for production lines, industrial scaling, or clinical trials. New partner funds such as healthcare VCs Kurma Partners, 22Health Ventures, and Trinity Innovation Biosciences Singapore, sustainability VCs Eurazeo and Shift4Good, and hard tech VCs Xora, Matter Venture Partners, and ST Engineering Ventures bring industry and technical expertise to support these startups effectively.

Julien Mialaret, operating partner, and Ernest Xue, director of Eurazeo, commented:” In 2025, we expect investment activity to accelerate due to the maturity of key technologies and their increasing economic viability, driving broader adoption. Investment momentum will be further fueled by efforts in Europe and Asia to support green technologies and low-carbon economies. Our main goal is to assist founders in successfully scaling solutions across their target markets.

Strengthening Singapore’s deep tech ecosystem

” We are pleased to see strong interest from the venture capital community, from well-established Singapore-based funds to international funds with deep expertise in backing deep tech leaders, as well as corporate venture funds looking to support startups with synergistic technologies and business models,” said SEEDS Capital Chairman Cindy Khoo.

Singapore’s startup ecosystem is underpinned by a strong core of deep tech startups, and SEEDS will continue to do so. We look forward to working with our new co-investment partners to develop and scale the next generation of innovative, impactful technologies”, she added.

To date, nearly US$ 2.2 billion has been invested in over 330 startups under the Startup SG Equity scheme. To further support early to early-growth stage deep tech startups, SEEDS has also raised its co-investment cap from US$ 5.8 million to US$ 8.9 million per startup.

Learn more about SEEDS Capital here: &nbsp, https: //www. seedscapital. sg

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