Welcome to our Week in Asia.
Asian leaders head to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the EU holds a midweek vote on tariffs on Chinese electric cars, and Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) wraps up leadership elections on Friday.
The corruption trial of Singapore's former transport minister begins, Indonesia begins regional elections and auctioneer Christie's puts a rare Van Gogh painting on the block for $50 million.
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Monday
Asian leaders at the UN General Assembly
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and new Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian are among the Asian leaders attending the UN General Assembly meeting. There is speculation that Pezeshkian will announce the resumption of the suspended agreement that limits Iran's nuclear program.
The first visit of a Vietnamese leader to the United States
Vietnam's new leader To Lam will speak at Columbia University during his visit to the United States for the UN General Assembly. The New York visit marks his debut on the global stage after becoming general secretary of the fast-growing country's Communist Party in July.
Tuesday
A former minister of Singapore is on trial
The trial of Singapore's former transport minister S Iswara on several corruption charges will begin. The veteran politician from the ruling People's Action Party is alleged to have received favors such as tickets to football matches, shows and events for several years since 2015. This case cast a shadow over the PAP, which built political support with its promise of cleanliness. and at the same time an administration facing an upcoming election by November 2025.
WEDNESDAY
EU votes on China electric vehicle tariffs
The European Union's 27 members are due to vote on China's latest proposed tariffs on electric cars, as the bloc aims to counter Beijing's subsidization of its electric industry. After the tariffs were announced in June, the two sides continued negotiations and the EU lowered the tariffs. At least 15 countries representing 65% of the Union's population must support the tariff regime for it to be completed and in place for five years.
Development perspective of ADB
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is releasing its flagship Asian Development Outlook, providing an important forecast for the region's economic trajectory and highlighting potential growth drivers and challenges. In its reports earlier this year, the ADB was bullish on the region's prospects despite economic weakness in China, supply chain bottlenecks and geopolitical tensions.
Indonesian surveys
In Indonesia, a two-month campaign period begins for regional presidential elections, including governorships in 37 provinces, as well as mayors and regents in more than 500 municipalities and provinces. For the first time, local elections will be held at the same time as the national elections on November 27. This will set the stage for up and coming politicians at the national level, especially in key provinces such as Jakarta, West Java and Central Java.
THURSDAY evening
Hong Kong riot ruling
The editors of the defunct Hong Kong media outlet Stand News face sentencing last month for sedition under a colonial-era law. The case, seen as a symbol of rapidly declining media freedoms in the city, carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison.
Tokyo Game Show
Tokyo Game Show 2024 kicks off with the theme 'Watch the world with games'. A record number of exhibitors and stands are expected, with more than half of the registered exhibitors coming from abroad.
Van Gogh, Monet paintings on the block
Christie's has opened its new Asian headquarters in Hong Kong and is auctioning off a range of artworks, including paintings by Claude Monet and Vincent Van Gogh, both expected to fetch millions of dollars. The auction house is located in the Henderson, a gleaming new skyscraper in the city's Central District designed by Zaha Hadid Architects.
FRIDAY
Japan leadership race
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party has begun counting ballots to elect a new leader to replace Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. A record nine candidates are vying to become Japan's 102nd prime minister. The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party is holding leadership elections earlier this week.
SATURDAY
The tenth anniversary of the Umbrella Movement
More than two months of mass protests in Hong Kong began on this day in 2014 with the official announcement of the occupation of the Central Business District through a peaceful sit-in. Some students had already begun to surround government buildings two days earlier, angry that they had been denied the right to true universal suffrage, which would have allowed the city's residents to choose their own leaders.