Nan Li is associate professor of finance at the Antai College of Economics & Management at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. John D. Van Fleet supports industry relations for the Antai College.

It seems that nary a month goes by without some Anglophone media outlet making space for yet more misleading news coverage about Jack Ma's Ant Group and China's financial sector overall.

Last month's eruption was about supposedly new and nefarious regulatory actions infringing on Ant's hard-won entrepreneurial successes and innovations. If only they'

TOKYO -- Japan's Fair Trade Commission will investigate whether Apple and Google are leveraging their dominance in the smartphone operating system market to eliminate competition and severely limit options for consumers.

The study will involve interviews and surveys with OS operators, app developers and smartphone users, commission Secretary-General Shuichi Sugahisa told reporters Wednesday. The initiative will explore market conditions not only for smartphones, but for smartwatches and other wearables.

The antitrust watchdog will compile a report outlining OS market structure and the reason why competition has remained static.

HONG KONG -- Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has announced plans to create a new "metropolis" of up to 2.5 million people near the border with mainland China, looking to tie the former British colony closer to neighboring cities to boost regional development and tackle a chronic housing shortage.

In the fifth and final annual policy address of her term on Wednesday, Lam defended the national security law and political overhaul imposed by Beijing in the wake of widespread antigovernment protests in 2019, emphasizing the need to

BANGKOK -- Thailand's ruling party appears ready to nominate Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to run again in the next general election despite sinking public approval -- an offer that has been met with enthusiasm from the leader and stirred debate over term limits.

"The prime minister was pleased," government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said after a weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday, referring to the Palang Pracharat Party's apparent offer to make Prayuth its prime ministerial candidate in a vote to be held by 2023.

HSINCHU -- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. said it is working out how to respond to a U.S. request to disclose information on its supply chain without compromising sensitive client information.

The remarks by the chipmaking giant are the latest response to Washington's request that chip suppliers and electronics makers share information on their supply chain in order to address an unprecedented global chip shortage. The move has sparked concern among companies like TSMC, who say such information constitutes highly sensitive trade secrets.

"We will definitely not leak our

TOKYO -- Digital health services such as telemedicine will stay even if the recent COVID-19 waves recede, but policymakers need to step up efforts to embrace new technology, business leaders and researchers said.

"There is always a spike in terms of usage during the peak of pandemic and as people start to go back to normal life, there will be a drop," said Wai Mun Lim, founder and CEO of Singapore health care startup Doctor Anywhere in an online seminar hosted by Nikkei Asia and the Financial Times

WASHINGTON/TAIPEI (Reuters) -- Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday Washington had reassured them that its approach to the island had not changed, a day after President Joe Biden said that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to abide by the "Taiwan agreement."

The Foreign Ministry said it had sought clarification from the United States about Biden's comments and were reassured the commitment to Taiwan was "rock solid" and that Washington will continue to help Taiwan maintain its defenses.

"Facing the Chinese government

TOKYO -- Motorcycles have long been a laggard in the drive to make vehicles more environmentally friendly, but Kawasaki Heavy Industries plans to shift into high gear and make all its bikes electric for markets in developed countries by 2035.

Several significant challenges lay ahead, however, such as costs and extending range, as well as developing a product that will appeal to the gearhead that loves the feel of sitting atop a rumbling gasoline engine. Like fans of Bob Dylan, will they still be loyal after Kawasaki goes electric

TOKYO -- The Japanese stock market has suffered an eight-day losing streak unbroken by the election of a new prime minister, an event that typically produces a rally, in what some have dubbed the "Kishida shock."

The Nikkei Stock Average has retreated 6.8% since Fumio Kishida won the race to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Sept. 29. About 80% of the benchmark index's gains since August have been wiped out.

Kishida, who became Japan's 10