Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan’s aging, shrinking population was not a burden, but an incentive to boost productivity through innovations like robots, wireless sensors and Artificial Intelligence. Abe’s comments on Wednesday came days after official data showed that Japan has 34.6 million people aged 65 and older, or 27.3 percent of the population – the highest proportion among advanced nations. Source Reuters
Singapore stands ready to partner China to jointly build the Belt and Road Initiative, Singapore’s Minister for National Development and Second Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong said on Tuesday. Source: China Daily
Cambodian authorities have signed an $880 million contract with Chinese companies, allowing the latter to build a new international airport in Siem Reap next year. Source: People’s Daily
The International Monetary Fund increased its estimate for China’s average annual growth rate through 2020, while warning that it would come at the cost of rising debt that increases medium-term risks to growth. China’s economy will expand at an average pace of 6.4% annually from 2017 through 2020. Source: China Economic Review
