Welcome to Your Week in Asia.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is traveling to Europe again after less than a month, this time to the Netherlands where he also plans to visit chip equipment maker ASML. Chinese President Xi Jinping on the contrary will make a rare trip abroad to Vietnam where he is expected to convey a message of "common destiny" between the Asian neighbors.
Global semiconductor industry group SEMI's annual Japan trade show will be held in Tokyo later this week.
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MONDAY
South Korea's Yoon travels to Netherlands
Yoon Suk Yeol will become the first South Korean president to make a state visit to the Netherlands. While there, Yoon will visit ASML, a key producer of advanced chipmaking machines, and attend a state banquet. The visit will center on discussions about sustainable energy, agriculture and high-tech industry.
TUESDAY
China's Xi visits Vietnam
Chinese President Xi Jinping visits Vietnam on a rare trip abroad at the invitation of his counterpart Vietnam Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong. The visit will include talks on a rail project, rare earths and Beijing's "common destiny" security architecture, sources told Nikkei Asia. Rumors of the trip have been rife since U.S. President Joe Biden went to Hanoi in September as Vietnam threads the needle between Beijing and Washington.
Indonesia's 1st presidential election debate
Indonesia will hold the first official debate for the three presidential candidates, focusing on topics of governance, democracy, human rights and corruption eradication. A total of five debates will be broadcast live on local TV stations ahead of the presidential election on Feb. 14, including two featuring just the vice presidential nominees.
WEDNESDAY
BOJ Tankan survey
The Bank of Japan's latest Tankan quarterly sentiment survey is expected to show that the Japanese economy is continuing to experience a gradual recovery. Economists and other surveys predict a rise in the diffusion index for manufacturing sectors benefiting from the weak yen and a slight uptick in non-manufacturing sectors. But falling real wages may weigh on a full-fledged recovery in consumption, and the sharp appreciation of the yen that shook the market last week may become a cause of concern for Japan Inc.'s future earnings and sentiment.
SEMICON Japan
Global semiconductor industry group SEMI Japan holds its annual trade show in Tokyo, Wednesday through Friday, with chipmaking equipment and material companies showcasing their technologies. The event will also feature keynote speeches from industry leaders, including the chairman of Rapidus, a Japanese government-backed company working to develop next-generation chips, and one of executives of Intel.
THURSDAY
GDP: New Zealand
FRIDAY
China data: industrial production, retail, housing prices
WEEKEND
ASEAN-Japan summit
Japanese and ASEAN leaders will meet in Tokyo for a three-day special summit starting Saturday to discuss their response to the world's pressing issues and are expected to issue a joint statement, vowing to pursue a world without nuclear weapons and deepen their cooperation on supply chains and digitalization, according to its draft seen by Nikkei. The two sides have upgraded their relationship to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" this year, which marked the 50th anniversary of friendship and cooperation between Japan and ASEAN.
