Asia

Every few years since 1953, the Chinese government has unveiled a new master strategy for its economy: the all-important five-year plan. For the most part, these blueprints have been geared at spurring growth and unity as the nation transformed from a rural, agrarian economy to an urbanized, developed powerhouse. The task that faced China’s leaders as they met in early October 2025 to map out their 15th such plan was, however, complicated by two main factors: sluggish domestic growth and intensifying geopolitical rivalry. Their solution? More of the same. In pledging to deliver “high-quality development” through technological self-reliance, industrial modernization and expanded domestic demand, Beijing is doubling down on a state-led model that has powered its rise in recent ...

Ant International, the digital payments division of Ant Group from Hangzhou, China, has agreed with Abdul Latif Jameel Finance from Riyadh to jointly identify fintech projects in the Kingdom. The timing is no coincidence. Ant International, a global provider of digital payment and financial technologies headquartered in Singapore, and Abdul Latif Jameel Finance, a leading provider of innovative financing solutions regulated by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The aim of the partnership is to promote the growth and competitiveness of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Saudi Arabia (population 35.3 million) through advanced digital services. According to SAMA, by the end of the second quarter of 2025, 79 percent of paymen...

China’s top leadership has made “technological self-reliance and self-strengthening” a key goal in a proposal for the next five-year plan, as it grapples with export controls from the West amid an intensifying global tech race. It is the first time in at least a decade that technological self-reliance has been set as a major goal for the country’s social and economic development. The goal was included in a detailed proposal for China’s 15th five-year plan from 2026 to 2030, which was released on Tuesday by the Central Committee of the ruling Communist Party following its fourth plenum last week. The full plan will be unveiled in March during the annual session of the top legislature. The proposal was released following a key political meeting last week....