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Vietnam Briefing
Ho Chi Minh City's Thu Thiem: A Global Urban Development Gem
05/13/2015Squawkonomics have developed new economic metrics that would better explain the economic phenomenon encountered in Vietnam, where land in desirable locations is still available.
China Briefing
Warming up to the Job: Employee Probation in China
04/28/2015In this article, we go into the probation period in Chinese labor contracts. A feature that is somewhat unfamiliar to foreign investors, the probation period lets an employer pay a new employee a lower salary, and allows for a lower bar to dismissal.
China Briefing
The New Free Trade Zones Explained, Part I: Guangdong
04/23/2015China released the much-anticipated policy framework for the three new FTZs. In Part 1 of this article, we provide detailed information of the general plan of the Guangdong Free Trade Zone and discuss the lifted restrictions on foreign investment across a wide array of sectors such as tourism and financial industries.
ASEAN Briefing
City Spotlight: Investing in Jakarta
04/15/2015Located on the northwest coast of Java, Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia and the largest city in the country. Strategically located in the archipelago, Jakarta serves as the gateway to the rest of the country. In this article, we the city's key industr
China Briefing
Setting Up a Dental Clinic in China
04/09/2015With China recently allowing wholly foreign invested medical institutions in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, dentistry is one step out of the waiting room. Outside of the FTZ, however, investment remains limited to JVs. Apart from the regular set-up requirements, additional steps need to be taken as well.
Vietnam Briefing
Vietnam News Brief: Tax, Bidding Guidance and Tariff Lines
04/07/2015We would like to update you on recent regulations on implementation of the new tax law, project investor selection and new tariff lines applied for products imported directly from Japan.
China Briefing
Wage Comparisons and Trade Flows Between China, ASEAN and India
02/04/2015As the cost of manufacturing in China continues to rise, the search for ever-more competitive products becomes increasingly important. While higher incomes in China have an upside, the reality is that a combination of rising wages, welfare and operational costs is encouraging the Asian supply chain to move.
ASEAN Briefing
ASEAN Regional Meetings 2014
11/06/2014There are a number of important ASEAN regional meetings taking place in November, including the Meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN and the 25th ASEAN summit, which will also be attended by high level representatives of China, Japan, Korea, India, the United States, and Australia.
ASEAN Briefing
October 2014 ASEAN Regional Meetings
09/30/2014There are a number of important ASEAN regional meetings taking place in October, including two events related to intellectual property rights in Manila, and committee meetings on ASEAN-Korea and ASEAN-Japan bilateral relations.
Vietnam Briefing
Vietnam Moves Closer to Implementing Single Visa Policy with Southeast Asian Countries
09/11/2014At the most recent meeting of the Ayeyawadi – Chao Phraya – Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) organization, tourism officials from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar agreed on the need to urge their respective governments to ease travel restrictions and push forward on the implementation of a single visa policy for all of the countries. The meeting was held at this year’s International Travel Expo in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC).
ASEAN Briefing
Thailand’s Intellectual Property Regime
08/21/2014Recently, Thailand has taken significant steps to boost their intellectual property (IP) regime toward international standards of protection and enforcement. This article provides an outline of the main types of IP that can be registered in Thailand, with
China Briefing
Clean Energy Investing in China
07/04/2014If China is serious about improving air quality, then coal and carbon energy will need to be replaced by renewable clean energy, namely wind, solar, hydropower, biomass, and other viable alternatives such as geothermal and ocean energy.