Asia

Travel

Biden’s trip to Asia, explained

President Biden departed Thursday afternoon for a trip to Asia, the first time he’s visited the continent during his presidency. But what will he do there, and why is he going now? Here’s everything you need to know: What countries is Biden visiting? The president’s five-day trip begins Friday in South Korea, after which he […]

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Travel

Global Political Calendar: Biden’s Asia trip, Australia’s election

Finland will announce whether it will join NATO on May 15. A day later, its neighbor Sweden will decide whether to follow suit.  Also next week, U.S. President Joe Biden will start his trip to Asia on Friday, and Australia’s election will kick off on Sunday. Sweden and Finland: It’s decision time for whether to […]

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Travel

Biden’s Asia trip, Australia election, APEC Trade Ministers’ Meeting

Welcome to Your Week in Asia. U.S. President Joe Biden is set to visit South Korea and Japan later this week. He will also meet Quad leaders in Tokyo to consolidate ties with regional allies during his first trip to Asia as president. Australia will hold a federal election on Saturday, with the incumbent Liberal-National […]

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Travel

The pent-up travel party is just getting started in South-east Asia

AFTER two challenging years of start-stop Covid-19 restrictions, the travel industry is sputtering to life again as borders across Southeast Asia reopen in rapid succession in recent weeks. “I feel like screaming for joy at the top of my lungs to say that recovery has finally arrived in our region, and more importantly, we truly […]

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Travel

Slow take-off for Asia Pacific aviation during COVID-19 recovery

Author: Faizal Yahya, NUS With the global aviation market still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Asia Pacific region has gone from a world leader in aviation growth to a laggard. Airports Council International (ACI) data indicates that air passenger traffic in the Asia Pacific region experienced a 62.7 per cent reduction from 2019 to […]

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Travel

Holland America Line Adds New Itineraries in Australia, New Zealand and Asia

Holland America Line has opened bookings for new itineraries aboard Westerdam starting in fall 2022 in anticipation of ports in Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia reopening to cruise ships. Departing September 25, 2022, through March 13, 2023, these new cruises will explore the enchanting culture, history and landscapes of some of the most sought-after […]

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Travel

Ardern ‘really pleased’ with Asia trip as she heads back to NZ

New Zealand’s first trade delegation since the pandemic began, led by the Prime Minister, is heading back home after a packed week in Singapore and Japan. When asked to reflect on the past week’s happenings, Jacinda Ardern said she was “really pleased” with the trip. “[There was] a strong focus on trade, a strong focus […]

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Travel

Strategic divergence: Australia’s Southeast Asia challenge

Australia’s relationships with countries in Southeast Asia are not bad. The prime minister or foreign minister could happily turn up in any regional country and receive a warm welcome. Last year, Australia signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – one of just two countries to receive this accolade […]

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