标签： Asia

Optus, one of Australia’s largest telecommunications providers, is facing intense scrutiny following revelations of its mishandling of a severe outage on 18 September, which has been linked to four deaths, including that of an eight-week-old baby. During a parliamentary hearing, it was disclosed that Optus sent emails about the outage to an incorrect email address at the Department of Communications, where they remained unread for over a day. The emails significantly downplayed the severity of the incident, claiming only 10 emergency calls were affected, while in reality, more than 600 calls failed over 13 hours. Authorities were only informed of the outage more than 36 hours after it began, via the industry regulator. Australia’s Deputy Secretary for Communications, James Chisholm, criticized Optus for not adhering to protocols, including redirecting triple-0 calls to other providers during outages. The outage occurred during a routine firewall upgrade, deviating from standard procedures. Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, currently on an official visit to Australia, expressed condolences and emphasized the need for accountability. Optus, owned by Singapore’s Singtel, is under investigation by Australia’s media regulator for potential legal breaches. This incident adds to Optus’ troubled history, including a 2022 cyberattack and a 2023 nationwide outage. Calls for the resignation of current CEO Stephen Rue and the revocation of Optus’ operating license are growing among lawmakers.

Macau, long celebrated as the world’s premier gambling destination, is now setting its sights on becoming a global leader in healthcare tourism. In a groundbreaking move, the city’s Studio City, a Hollywood-themed casino and entertainment resort owned by Hong Kong-based Melco Resorts and Entertainment, has launched its first-ever resort hospital. This innovative facility, opened in collaboration with Hong Kong’s iRad Hospital, specializes in health screenings, advanced MRI scans, and cosmetic procedures, offering a seamless blend of luxury medical services and leisure. Lawrence Ho, CEO of Melco Resorts, emphasized that this project is designed to promote medical tourism, generate employment, and integrate healthcare with entertainment under one roof. The initiative aligns with Macau’s broader economic diversification strategy, which seeks to reduce the city’s reliance on gaming and expand into sectors like healthcare, technology, and events. With nearly 40 million annual visitors, Macau presents a unique opportunity to emerge as a top destination for medical tourism, according to iRad’s honorary chairman, Dennis Tam. The global medical tourism industry, valued at tens of billions of dollars, is poised for significant growth, with Asia leading the charge. Countries like South Korea and Singapore have already established themselves as hubs for cosmetic surgeries and advanced medical treatments, while Turkey attracts millions for procedures such as transplants and dentistry. Macau’s latest venture marks a pivotal step in its transformation into a multifaceted tourism powerhouse.

Over the past two decades, Chinese construction companies have been a dominant force in Africa’s infrastructure development, largely fueled by substantial financial backing from Chinese banks. Between 2000 and 2019, Chinese lenders committed nearly $50 billion to African transport projects, primarily through development finance institutions. However, since 2019, this funding has significantly dwindled, with only $6 billion allocated to infrastructure projects. Despite this decline, Chinese companies continue to flourish across the continent, maintaining their market leadership in countries like Ethiopia, Ghana, and Kenya. A recent study sheds light on the strategies that have enabled these firms to sustain and expand their presence in Africa. The research, conducted through extensive fieldwork in China, Kenya, and Ghana, identifies three key drivers of their success. First, Chinese companies leverage their ties to the Chinese state to establish and maintain their market presence, particularly in projects aligned with African development agendas. Second, they build trust-based relationships with other companies, governments, and international organizations, enabling them to secure cross-border projects. Third, they cultivate everyday relations with local politicians, officials, and business elites, embedding themselves deeply in local political and business environments. The study emphasizes that while state support is crucial for market entry, it is the firms’ ability to adapt and shift between these strategies that ensures their survival and expansion. This flexibility allows them to compete effectively in international tenders, partner with other multinationals, and adapt to local conditions. The findings also challenge the perception that Chinese companies are mere extensions of China’s foreign policy, highlighting their increasingly independent and competitive behavior. For African governments, this shift presents both opportunities and responsibilities in shaping the role of Chinese firms in their economies. The next phase of Africa-China infrastructural engagement will likely be driven by operational contexts, diverse alliances, and a competitive global market rather than large Chinese loan packages.