Hello.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Thursday (Jan 19) made a shock announcement that she will resign. Her comment that she “just doesn’t have enough in the tank for another four years” no doubt resonates with working mums (Ardern is the second world leader to give birth while in office), though detractors may see the move as a natural outcome of her falling popularity.
Despite her struggles with the country’s rising inflation and crime, Ardern proved to be a capable stateswoman in balancing New Zealand’s ties with China and the West, says political observer Bo Zhiyue.
For a sense of how China conducts foreign affairs, look no further than its response to countries that have imposed restrictions on Chinese travellers, says analyst Christian Le Miere.
Domestically, China is counting the costs of an ageing, shrinking society – in 2022 its population fell for the first time in over 60 years, while annual economic growth was one of its worst on record. China’s reopening raises hopes of an economic boost, but there is good reason to be cautious of a strong recovery in 2023, says economist Bernard Aw.
In the meantime, Chinese New Year is upon us. Have you done your spring cleaning? Instead of throwing appliances or furniture out, consider repairing it, like Danny Lim who spent just S$6 fixing his favourite sofa.
And how about sending out CNY greetings? Hang on – before you spam your chat groups with canned messages and GIFs, consider sending personalised greetings to the people you care about, says Adrian Choo.
We hope you enjoy the selection of commentaries this week.
Erin Low
Commentary, CNA Digital
.jpg?itok=fHkrjj4c "Jacinda Ardern quits on her own terms 35")
