Welcome to your week in Asia.
Pope Francis returns to Asia on a four-nation tour following his visit to Mongolia last year, while Japan and Australia begin meetings of foreign and defense ministers later in the week.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping hosts a three-day Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, a major chip industry conference kicks off in Taipei and Malaysian energy group Petronas reports financial results.
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Monday
GDP: Turkey
Tuesday
Russia hosts the economic forum
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is preparing to participate in the Eastern Economic Forum to be held in Vladivostok. Russian President Vladimir Putin is also expected at the event, which aims to increase investments in the far east of the country.
Pope in Asia
Pope Francis is set to arrive in Jakarta, Indonesia for the first leg of his tour of Southeast Asia. Besides greeting local Catholic communities, he will visit the city's Istiklal Mosque and meet with President Joko Widodo, who said they will discuss peace efforts in Gaza and Ukraine. After Indonesia, the pontiff visits Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore.
The Hong Kong War Museum opens
Hong Kong is opening a new War of Resistance and Coastal Defense Museum, part of the government's stepped-up efforts to instill more patriotism in the population. The existing Coastal Defense museum is being remodeled to highlight exhibits focused on the resistance to Japanese forces during World War II. The city government has been stepping up pro-Beijing “patriotic education” amid restrictions on freedom of expression under national security legislation in recent years. After the opening ceremony on Tuesday, the museum will open to visitors on Wednesday.
WEDNESDAY
China-Africa Forum
Chinese President Xi Jinping is hosting the country's biggest diplomatic event as the China-Africa Cooperation Forum kicks off in Beijing. The triennial forum, which alternates between China and an African country, is expected to announce new measures aimed at achieving practical cooperation. Leaders from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Senegal and South Africa are expected to attend. The forum consists of 53 countries and was established in 2000 with a secretariat in Beijing.
The Taiwanese chip talks
Semicon Taiwan, one of the most important chip industry events of the year, kicks off in Taipei. The three-day event will bring together business leaders, researchers and analysts under the theme “Breaking Boundaries: Powering the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” Highlights include scheduled speeches by executives from TSMC, ASE Group, Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and many others.
GDP: Australia
Monetary Policy: Malaysia
THURSDAY evening
Japan and Australia play a 2-plus-2 match
Japan and Australia are holding a 2+2 defense and foreign ministers meeting in Australia amid growing concerns about China's military expansion in the Indo-Pacific. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Defense Minister Minoru Kihara will meet Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defense Minister Richard Marles in Tokyo in the first 2-plus-2 meeting since late 2022.
Earnings: Petronas