Renewable energy is still a growth sector in Southeast Asia, but a steady drip of reports about idle off-grid installations, oversupply and regulatory bottlenecks has thrown the rush to roll out cleantech into question.
China has a significant lead on EVs compared to Southeast Asia, where moves to embrace and capitalize on the opportunities offered by green vehicles remain nascent. All the same, signs of catchup are evident throughout the region.
Indonesia’s healthcare industry is a lucrative investment opportunity for foreign investors as the growth of its middle-class and the introduction of universal healthcare has driven demand in almost all aspects of the industry from hospitals to pharmaceuticals to medical devices.
In May 2020, Indonesia’s government made significant changes to the 2009 Mining Law – including the introduction of several new licenses – with the aim of encouraging more investment into the country’s downstream mining industry.
As multinationals look to diversify their supply chains and manufacturing facilities out of China, foreign investment in ASEAN is expected to accelerate. The industrial real estate sector should see strong growth across the region, particularly in Vietnam, where the supply of ready-built factories and warehouses is expected to increase by over 25 percent this year.
Indonesia confirmed its first Covid-19 case on March 2 and now has the highest fatality toll from the disease in Southeast Asia – and second only to China in Asia – meaning the country now faces its biggest political and economic challenge since the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis.