Some 14.64 million foreigners arrived in the first half of 2024, which was a 152% rise over last year, thanks to a jump in visa-free arrivals

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.9% to its highest since April 2022, while the Nikkei was close to its peak, the Topix hit all-time highs, and the Hang Seng rose for a fourth straight day

BYD opened an electric vehicle factory in Rayong on Thailand's eastern seaboard on Thursday, as China's grip on the local car sector ramps up

South Korea's Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution opened the first EV battery plant in Indonesia on Wednesday. It is part of a $9.8bn plan to set up an EV supply chain in SE Asia's biggest economy

Any larger scale or protracted industrial action would be a headache for Samsung as it scrambles to catch up with rivals in chips used for artificial intelligence

Trade minister says tariffs of 100-200% would be imposed on Chinese imports, from footwear to ceramics, as the government wanted to ensure local "industries will survive and thrive."

Five of the seven Chinese securities units that are part of US or European banks made a loss or reported a big fall in profit last year

The news comes amid a prolonged capital market downturn in both the former British colony and on the mainland, plus growing Sino-US tensions

President Widodo has ordered an audit of two state data centres after officials admitted most information at one was not backed up; 230 ministries were affected, but services could take weeks to restore

US lawmakers had a busy week discussing rules about Chinese electric vehicles, as well as trade and investment measures on chips, drones and shipbuilding

Some 44 state agencies were targets of a cyberattack by the notorious Lockbit gang, which demanded an $8 million ransom. But the government has refused to pay.

Thai banks were involved in $120 million worth of weapons and related materials exported to Myanmar in the 2023-24 fiscal year – "sustaining the junta's campaign of violence," the official said