Other Briefings
New Issue of Asia Briefing: The 2014 Asia Tax Comparator
In this issue, we examine the different tax rates in 13 Asian jurisdictions – the 10 countries of ASEAN, plus China, India and Hong Kong. We examine the on-the-ground tax rates that each of these countries levy as well as residency triggers, available tax incentives for the foreign investor, and important compliance issues.
Indonesia Seeks Private Investors for Massive Infrastructure Upgrade
Nov. 15 – On Wednesday, Indonesia announced US$35 billion plans for new infrastructure projects to address what many view as the single largest deterrent to investment in Southeast Asia’s largest economy. Coming a day after senior executives at the World Bank vocalized concerns about Indonesia’s deteriorating infrastructure, the Indonesian government announced that of the 56 […]
Work Visa Procedures in the Philippines
The Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration is responsible for processing and issuing visa requests in the country. For foreigners seeking employment in the Philippines, there are eligible non-immigrant visa types for short-term business, pre-arranged employment and for foreign treaty traders or foreign investors.
Work Permit and Visa Applications in Malaysia
Oct. 24 – Malaysia has a flexible visa policy that allows a majority of countries to enter without a visa for business trips that do not last longer than 90 days, including foreign nationals from the United States, France, Australia, Brazil, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Nonetheless, it is important to check ahead of time […]
Vietnam Increases Trade Deficit with ASEAN Nations
Oct. 21 – Vietnam has increased its trade deficit by US$2.13 billion during the first nine months of the current fiscal year as imports from other ASEAN nations rose, according to trade statistics published this month. During this time, total trade turnover between Vietnam and the ASEAN bloc totaled US$29.6 billion, with Vietnamese exports growing […]
Laos to Increase Foreign Workers
Oct. 17 – Laos is currently suffering from a shortage of skilled labor and, as a result, the Laotian Ministry of Labor has announced that the country needs to bring in at least 70,000 more foreign workers to support its current workforce. Laos has already brought in 20,000 foreign workers as of late, but it has […]
India to Sign Services and Investment FTA with ASEAN by December
Oct. 16 – Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced at the 11th Annual India-ASEAN Summit his country’s readiness to sign an ASEAN-India FTA in Services and Investment by December. If all goes as planned, the FTA will take effect in July 2014. India’s dedication to the region was further emphasized by PM Singh’s plan to […]
ASEAN Boss in Beijing for Talks
Oct. 16 – The Secretary-General of ASEAN, Le Luong Minh, is visiting China this week until Saturday. Minh, who attended the East Asia Summit in Brunei last week along with Chinese Prime Minister Le Keqiang, has agreed with other ASEAN leaders to strengthen political and security cooperation in an effort to enhance peace, stability and […]
U.S.-ASEAN Expanded Economic Engagement Initiative Praised
Oct. 10 – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, along with several Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders, praised the progress of the U.S.-ASEAN Expanded Economic Engagement (E3) initiative during the ASEAN Leaders Meeting held in Brunei Darussalam this week. The E3 – which is entering into its second year of implementation – is […]
China & Malaysia to Increase Trade By 60%
Oct. 5 – Chinese President Xi Jinping has signed a five year trade deal with his Malaysian counterpart Prime Minister Najib Razak that will boost bilateral trade between the two countries by 60 percent to US$160 billion in the next five years. The two countries also upgraded their relationship to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.” Malaysia […]
