Many observers see the liberalization of the (cryptocurrency) sector taking place in Hong Kong as a test for adoption and policymaking in China.
Hong Kong set to launch new legal framework for cryptocurrency
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Crypto turbulence highlights need for due diligence
It has been a turbulent year for the cryptocurrency sector – even by turbulent crypto standards. Bitcoin has shed some 65% of its value since the beginning of the year, while numerous high-profile crypto firms have freefallen into bankruptcy.
‘Normalized’ Supply Chains: Don’t Hold Your Breath
The world clapped when 2020 came to an end, but 2021 could not exactly be described as any better – and the supply-chain crisis that has been hard-baked into the mix, has added to the problems facing global business.
Thailand on the Rebound
The Omicron variants – and whatever else Covid-19 may deign to throw at us in the year ahead – notwithstanding, Thailand now appears ready to turn things around, both in terms of tourism and in terms of getting the economy back on track in general.
Vietnam Update Oct 4: Ho Chi Minh City’s first weekend under the new normal
After months of some form of a lockdown, Vietnam’s largest city and epicenter of the country’s fourth Covid wave, Ho Chi Minh City, enjoyed its first weekend under relaxed restrictions. A sense of normalcy is returning, yet Vietnam’s Covid-19 battle is far from over. The following is Access Asia’s latest update on the situation in Vietnam in collaboration with Vietnam Weekly, a subscription-based publication covering current affairs in Vietnam. On Friday afternoon, Ho Chi Minh City’s overarching new pandemic rules got an official name: Directive 18. This codified the sweeping loosening of restrictions and the impact this weekend was as […]
Vietnam Update: Lockdown lifted in Ho Chi Minh City
After months of some form of a lockdown, Vietnam’s largest city and epicenter of the country’s fourth Covid wave, Ho Chi Minh City, has lifted its “shelter-in-place” order and is allowing many businesses to resume operations. Finally, it seems that a sense of normalcy is returning, yet the city’s battle against Covid-19 is far from over. The following is Access Asia’s latest update on the situation in Vietnam in collaboration with Vietnam Weekly, a subscription-based publication covering current affairs in Vietnam. Starting today (Oct 1), businesses in Ho Chi Minh City except for bars, spas, karaoke and massage parlors, beauty […]
Vietnam Update Sept 27: End of lockdown in sight
After weeks of reporting mostly negative developments about the Covid-19 pandemic in Vietnam, this week’s update is finally positive. Several key health indicators here have improved recently, while there has been a lot of official discussion of a ‘new normal’ beginning October 1 (Ho Chi Minh City’s strict “shelter-in-place” lockdown expires on September 30). The seven-day rolling national average of Covid cases has fallen to 9,938 – the lowest that number has been in about five weeks – and health officials said that Ho Chi Minh City has passed its peak. Large-scale testing in at-risk areas over the weekend returned a positivity […]
Vietnam Update: August 30
As we end the month of August, Vietnam has now gone four months of an uphill battle against its fourth wave of Covid cases, a battle that due to strict containment measures has shuttered the economy, disrupted supply chains and of course uprooted people’s livelihoods. Unfortunately, the light at the end of the tunnel is still not appearing as covid cases continue to rise. Yet, we are hopeful that we are either at or very near the peak and that numbers will begin a steady downturn, restrictions steadily eased, and a sense of normalcy can return. One thing is certain […]
Vietnam Update August 27: Vaccine diplomacy with another health twist
As Vietnam continues to battle major Covid-19 outbreaks throughout the country, in which strict containment measures have shuttered economy activity, supply chains and of course people’s livelihoods, an interesting form of vaccine diplomacy occurred earlier this week with another health-related twist – Havana Syndrome. On Tuesday, there was a three hour delay in the flight departure of US Vice President Kamala Harris flying from Singapore to Hanoi due to a report of a “recent possible anomalous health incident” in Hanoi. The incident is being investigated by the US as possible cases of Havana Syndrome, the term used for a rash […]
Vietnam Update: August 23
Vietnam’s Covid-19 situation has worsened over the past week, while events over the weekend in Ho Chi Minh City – the current epicentre of Vietnam’s fourth wave – were somewhat chaotic due to a lack of clarity on the next phase of the city’s response to containing the outbreak. City residents scrambled to buy supplies in anticipation of a city-wide blockade and a strict stay at home policy, likely creating a number of super-spreading incidents. We expect the worst has yet to come for HCMC and that the number of cases and fatalities will continue to spike in the coming […]