China’s Demand for Durian Is Creating Fortunes in Southeast Asia
June 17th, 2024
Courtesy of the New York Times, a report on how demand for durian – known for its rich taste and intense smell – has reshaped parts of Southeast Asia, where it has long been a staple: Before he started a company 15 years ago selling the world’s smelliest fruit, Eric Chan had a well-paying job […]
Read more »Resource Nationalism, Geopolitics, and Processing Strategic Minerals in Indonesia, South Africa, and Malaysia
June 14th, 2024
Via Clingendael, a new report on resource nationalism, geopolitics, and processing strategic minerals in Indonesia, South Africa, and Malaysia: Strategic minerals are essential to the modern-day technologies that enable the digital transition, decarbonisation, and the development of advanced military systems. However, their extraction and processing is concentrated in a handful of countries, creating concerns about […]
Read more »Durians in SE Asia: A Whiff of Economic Diplomacy
June 14th, 2024
Via The Economist, a report on growing demand for durian: Eric chan has long sold durians, a pungent fruit, to South-East Asians. Now he is eyeing a bigger prize. The Musang King variety that he cultivates in Malaysia is beloved by Chinese consumers. But at the moment his country only has permission to export frozen durians […]
Read more »Malaysia To Build Port Near Kuala Lumpur Amid Supply Chain Shift
June 14th, 2024
Via Nikkei Asia, a report on Malaysia’s plans to build a new port near Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia will build a new container port along the western coast of the Malay Peninsula facing the Malacca Strait, one of the world’s busiest sea lanes, as the country prepares to capture logistics demand created by global supply chain […]
Read more »Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Leaves Malaysia With a ‘Ghost’ Island
June 13th, 2024
Via Nikkei Asia, a look at China’s Forest City project in Johor which remains in limbo as Beijing prepares for key meeting: Tanjung Piai is a cape at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, the southernmost point of Eurasia and a destination for wealthy Chinese “shoppers.” At least it was until the affluent mainlanders all but stopped […]
Read more »Malaysia’s Appetite For Oil and Gas Puts It On Collision Course With China
May 12th, 2024
Courtesy of The Washington Post, an article on Malaysia which – as reserves closer to shore run dry – is venturing farther into disputed waters of the South China Sea claimed and patrolled by China: In the open sea off the coast of Malaysian Borneo, industrial rigs extract massive amounts of oil and gas that […]
Read more »Focusing primarily on The New Seven Sisters - the largely state owned petroleum companies from the emerging world that have become key players in the oil & gas industry as identified by Carola Hoyos, Chief Energy Correspondent for The Financial Times - but spanning other nascent opportunities around the globe that may hold potential in the years ahead, Wildcats & Black Sheep is a place for the adventurous to contemplate & evaluate the emerging markets of tomorrow.