China Returns Boeing Jets, Turkish Earthquake
Andrew Sheves Good morning.
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🛫** China Returns Boeing Jets**
China has returned Boeing aircraft and halted delivery of 50 more planes in retaliation for Trump’s 145% tariffs. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg confirmed two jets have already been sent back with more to follow, forcing the company to seek alternative buyers. Despite the escalation, Trump expressed optimism that tariff levels would “come down substantially.” More - BBC
Note - this is taking place despite attempts by President Trump and Treasury Secretary Bessent [BBC] that a big deal can be made with China, suggesting that a lot of short- and mid-term pain lies ahead for US businesses.
🇹🇷** Istanbul Earthquake Hits**
A 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck Wednesday morning, centered off Istanbul’s coast in the Marmara Sea, causing buildings to shake across Turkey’s largest city. While no collapsed buildings have been reported, authorities are conducting damage assessments after eight aftershocks followed the initial tremor. The quake has raised concerns given Istanbul’s proximity to fault lines and memories of the devastating 2023 earthquake that killed over 53,000 people in southern Turkey.
Asia Stability Ratings and News Summary
More Unstable
🇦🇫 Afghanistan, 🇦🇲 Armenia, 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan, 🇧🇩 Bangladesh, 🇧🇹 Bhutan, 🇰🇭 Cambodia, 🇨🇳 China, 🇹🇱 East Timor, 🇬🇪 Georgia, 🇮🇩 Indonesia, 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan, 🇱🇦 Laos, 🇲🇻 Maldives, 🇲🇳 Mongolia, 🇲🇲 Myanmar, 🇳🇵 Nepal, 🇰🇵 North Korea, 🇵🇰 Pakistan, 🇵🇭 Philippines, 🇰🇷 South Korea, 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka, 🇹🇼 Taiwan, 🇹🇯 Tajikistan, 🇹🇭 Thailand, 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan
More Stable
No countries were more stable over this period
Unchanged
🇧🇳 Brunei, 🇮🇳 India, 🇯🇵 Japan, 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan, 🇲🇾 Malaysia, 🇸🇬 Singapore, 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan, 🇻🇳 Vietnam
Asia News Summary
In the lead-up to Singapore’s General Election 2025, political parties are actively unveiling their manifestos. The Workers’ Party has proposed a range of measures including GST exemptions, a minimum wage, and a wealth tax, along with a call for the recognition of the State of Palestine. The Singapore Democratic Party is advocating for the scrapping of GST on essential goods, while Red Dot United is pushing for a housing reset and unconditional cash transfers for citizens [SOURCE - Channel News Asia].
As Singapore grapples with an ageing population, the demand for wellness services is expected to surge, driving significant growth in the healthcare sector. The country’s robust economic fundamentals have positioned it among the top three nations in the Global Opportunity Rankings for wealth and education, alongside Switzerland and the USA [[SOURCE - Rio Times]](https://www.riotimesonline.com/switzerland-singapore-and-usa-lead-global-opportunity-rankings-for-wealth-and-education/
Carpe tomorrow!