Developing economies face tough reforms as global aid and credit shrink, writes Moritz Kraemer. Emerging economies can put off tax reforms no longer. Donor countries can encourage this shift through performance-linked debt instruments.

Sanae Takaichi’s rise could reshape #Japan and Asia’s future, writes Ronny P. Sasmita. The arch-conservative’s victory in the LDP leadership race opens new possibilities for the domestic economy and foreign policy.

Zhang Lin writes about four fortune has favoured China’s economic rise. From the early 1990s to the modern day, twists of fate have helped Beijing navigate diplomatic and economic difficulties.

Post readers discuss a society-wide view of mental health, and tree care in Hong Kong.

Nicholas Spiro (@NicholasSpiro) writes that global uncertainty is driving #gold prices higher despite bubble fears. Even with stock markets surging, the price of gold is hitting new records as investors seek out stability.

Markets are paying little heed to the flashing lights of the AI bubble’s danger, writes James David Spellman. Great technologies might be able to survive the bursting of bubbles, but the portfolios of investors are unlikely to be as fortunate.

Can North Korea’s Kim Jong-un forge a legacy that goes beyond the bomb? Wenran Jiang writes that Kim has ensured North Korea is no longer isolated. The question remains whether he can also overcome the country’s economic woes.

The Greater Bay Area must seize the chance to ignite the Olympic flame, write Rachael Kininmonth and Beatrice Tsang. Hosting the Games will allow the region’s cities to show global leadership while forging stronger, healthier cross-border connections.

The return of #Iran sanctions is a moment of reckoning for #China and the world, writes Peiman Salehi. The rejection of China and Russia’s UN proposal has set the stage for a decisive struggle and potential global disruption.

Ayesha Shaikh writes that #Pakistan can balance US and Chinese investment. The recent agreement between Pakistan and the US on rare earths need not be seen as antithetical to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Bibek Raj Kandel and Christina Monroe write that #India’s diplomatic weight is best exercised closest to its borders. New Delhi’s geopolitical strength comes not from looking East or West but from its ability to stabilise its own neighbourhood.

Post readers discuss the promise of AI designed to be good, a stronger foundation for Hong Kong's pet economy, and a packed tourist route.

Nato must answer Russian air provocations with action, not ambiguity, writes Thomas O. Falk (@topfalk). For all the defence budget increases, European political will is uneven. However, issuing threats that are not enforced is dangerous.

By giving up WTO privileges, China gains more than it loses, writes Dominik Mierzejewski. In one move, Beijing gets to disarm Washington of a rhetorical weapon while maintaining the mantle of leadership within the Global South.

Daryl Ng writes that joining the RCEP will boost Hong Kong’s role as a superconnector. From supply chain alignment to financial services, the city’s membership would undoubtedly add value to its long-standing economic partners.

Post readers discuss the benefits of viewing the youth as drivers of change, alleged cases of #bullying in #Malaysia, and the possible closure of a school in Hong Kong.

China needs to chart a new course to become the world’s largest importer, writes Wang Xiangwei. It is time to embrace a new era in which the goal is not ‘made in China’ but ‘consumed in China’.

Nicholas Spiro (@NicholasSpiro) writes that cooling measures are keeping #Singapore’s property market stable. The housing market will keep testing the government’s tolerance, but without interventions, things would be much more volatile.

Hong Kong must look beyond age in selecting ‘capable’ lawmakers, writes Alice Wu. Amid the push for an improved Legislative Council, considering age as a metric for public service distracts from more practical considerations.

Will a new accountability system be fair to Hong Kong’s civil servants? Mike Rowse writes that unlike ministers, civil servants forced out do not have another career to fall back on and must start again.