Welcome to Your Week in Asia.
This week, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen will stop in the U.S. on her way to Central America, a sensitive trip that could fuel tensions between Beijing and Washington. China, meanwhile, will host the Boao Forum for Asia from Tuesday, which leaders from the rest of the world are expected to attend.
In Japan, April 1 marks a fresh start for students and employees as the fiscal new year starts. The Japanese government will launch a new agency for children and families, with the aim of supporting children's growth and development at a time when the country faces a declining birthrate.
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MONDAY
Myanmar armed forces day
Myanmar will hold its annual military parade on Armed Forces Day at a parade ground near the country's capital, Naypyitaw. The day commemorates the beginning of armed resistance against the Japanese army occupying Myanmar in 1945. The military, which took power in a coup in February 2021, is facing nationwide armed resistance calling for the recovery of democracy.
Taiwan's former president Ma Ying-jeou visits China
Former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou will embark on his 12-day visit to China on Monday. Ma, former chairman of the opposition Kuomintang party, will be the first former president of Taiwan to visit China. He will visit the Chinese cities of Nanjing, Wuhan, Changsha, Chongqing and Shanghai, although, according to the schedule disclosed by the Ma Ying-Jeou Foundation, he is not set to visit Beijing.
TUESDAY
China hosts the 2023 Boao Forum for Asia
The Boao Forum for Asia kicks off on Tuesday in Hainan, with the opening plenary slated for Thursday. The forum is one of the few meetings at which China engages with the world. It is expected to draw attendance from the business community and foreign leaders, including Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund.
Malaysia PM Anwar makes official visit to China
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to start his official visit to China. Anwar is expected to visit Hainan to attend the Boao Forum before visiting Beijing, where he will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang.
Earnings: Futu
WEDNESDAY
Summit for Democracy
The Summit for Democracy's five co-hosts -- the U.S., South Korea, Costa Rica, the Netherlands and Zambia -- will officially kick off the summit, with the leader of each hosting a live, fully virtual plenary session. U.S. President Joe Biden and his South Korean counterpart President Yoon Suk Yeol are among the leaders making joint opening remarks.
Tsai Ing-wen heads to U.S.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen will start her 10-day Central America trip on Wednesday, which will include stopovers in New York on March 30 and in Los Angeles on April 5, before she returns to Taiwan on April 7.
This will be Tsai's first overseas trip in more than three years since she last visited Taiwan's Caribbean diplomatic allies in 2019. She will visit Guatemala and Belize, and during her stopovers in the U.S., is widely expected to deliver a speech in New York and meet U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Monetary policy: Bank of Thailand
Earnings: Kuaishou
THURSDAY
Japan's admiral visits AUKUS hub in Australia
Adm. Ryo Sakai, chief of staff of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, will visit Stirling naval base on the west coast of Australia, during a six-day trip to the country. The Indian Ocean-facing base will be a submarine hub under the AUKUS agreement with the U.S. and U.K.
Seoul Mobility Show
The Seoul Mobility Show hosts a media briefing before its official opening on Friday. Global automakers including BMW, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai will introduce their exhibits at the event which will run through April 9. More than 150 companies from eight countries will show their new vehicle models and technologies under the "Sustainable, Connected, Mobility" theme.
Vietnam GDP
FRIDAY
China PMI
China reports its Purchasing Managers' Index for March, which will tell if the country's business recovery momentum has prevailed after marking 52.6 points in February. That reading was the highest in over a decade.
Malaysian court verdict expected on ex-PM Najib's appeal against conviction
Malaysia's highest court will deliver a verdict on former Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's application for a judicial review over his 2020 conviction for corruption. He is currently serving a 12-year jail sentence after the Federal Court upheld his conviction in August 2022 and is still on trial in the wide-ranging 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal.
Earnings: Huawei
WEEKEND
Japan launches government agency for children and families
The Japanese government will launch the Children and Families Agency on April 1 as the new fiscal year begins in the country. The new organization will be tasked with helping the development of children, including their health and security, as the country grapples with a fast-declining birthrate.
