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Category: Economy

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Albanese Government creating a better pathway for financial advisers

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    The Albanese Government is rebuilding a strong and sustainable financial advice industry that ensures Australians can access high quality and affordable financial advice.

    The advice industry was abandoned and decimated by the former Coalition government, as the number of advisers fell from 28,000 in January 2019 to less than 16,000.

    The Government will reform the education requirements for professional financial advisers to create a sustainable pathway for new advisers to enter the profession.

    Currently, the professional pathway for financial advisers is composed of four requirements:

    • completion of an approved qualification, with the list of approved qualifications limited to those focused specifically on financial advice;
    • a 1,600 hour professional year;
    • completion of the financial adviser exam; and
    • continuing professional education.

    The current education pathway is not sustainable. School leavers are not attracted to the specialised area of study, and it is a significant investment for career changers. Fewer Higher Education Providers are offering courses due to the lack of entrants.

    Under the Government’s changes, the proposed education standard will centre around a new requirement to hold a bachelor’s degree or higher in any discipline.

    Prospective advisers will need to meet minimum study requirements in relevant financial concepts such as finance, economics or accounting. They will also need to complete financial advice subjects covering ethics, legal and regulatory obligations, consumer behaviour and the financial advice process.

    This provides relevant core knowledge for an adviser, streamlines entry into the industry and retains the important role of tertiary education.

    It will also bring down the costs on prospective advisers and make it easier for people to change careers into financial advice later in life.

    For most students studying a Commerce, Economics or Finance degree – or people moving across from other financial services careers – the cost and time to meet the requirements under the new standard will be halved.

    Advisers will still need to complete a professional year, pass the financial adviser exam and undertake ongoing continuing professional education.

    These reforms will complement the education requirements for the new class of financial advisers. We will ensure the pathway is aligned to enable the new class of adviser to transition into the professional advice ranks.

    The Government will work with industry and higher education providers to ensure an appropriate transition to the new education standard.

    Further, the Government will no longer proceed with Stage 2 of the registration process for financial advisers established by the Better Advice Act. This stage would have required individual advisers to register annually with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission from 1 July 2026.

    Financial advisers are already registered by their authorising Australian Financial Services licensees under Stage 1. Not proceeding with Stage 2 removes unnecessary red tape on individual advisers.

    These reforms build on the Government’s Delivering Better Financial Outcomes package to help address the current supply shortage of financial advisers, cut red tape that is not leading to better consumer outcomes, and strengthen the industry’s ability to meet the future demand for financial advice.

    MIL OSI News –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Address to Conexus – Advice Policy Summit

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    Introduction

    I would like to acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people as the traditional custodians of the land we are meeting on.

    I pay my respects to their Elders past and present, and I acknowledge any First Nations Australians in attendance.

    Thank you to Colin and the team at Conexus for the opportunity to contribute to your discussion this week.

    Australians need access to quality and affordable financial advice.

    Quality financial advice can give Australians peace of mind.

    It can help protect them from the risks of scams and dodgy investments.

    And it can lift their financial well‑being and set them up for the future.

    But – as you well know – quality financial advice is sadly out of reach for too many Australians.

    It is why I have spent my time as Minister undertaking the largest reform project to financial advice in over a decade.

    Because Australians need it.

    And reform was needed.

    This space was left in tatters by the previous government.

    Under their watch, the number of advisers fell from 28,000 in 2019 to where we are today with fewer than 16,000 advisers.

    A shrinking pool of advisers became laden with higher costs that made advice increasingly unaffordable and inaccessible for Australians.

    Now I am heartened by comments from the Shadow Minister and Opposition who I believe want to support our reform direction.

    And I take that support at face value.

    But unfortunately, their actions when in government told a different story.

    Within a few months, we will be asked to vote on the direction of the country.

    Australians who want better access to advice and information will need to judge the Opposition on their record, not just their rhetoric.

    In contrast, the actions of our reforms have been based around 3 objectives.

    We need to retain and attract more financial advisers into the industry.

    We need to cut unnecessary red tape that is driving up costs without providing a consumer benefit.

    And we need to ensure Australians have confidence to seek advice and engage in the financial system.

    Retaining financial advisers in the industry

    Before coming to government, I made a commitment to address a glaring problem in the sector.

    It has been a bipartisan commitment to professionalise the financial advice industry.

    The modern financial adviser will have a degree, pass an exam, adhere to a code of ethics, and undertake on‑the‑job training.

    This has raised the quality of financial advice that clients expect, giving them confidence and supporting better outcomes.

    However, the implementation of the requirement for financial advisers to hold tertiary education qualifications was bungled.

    Long‑time advisers, who had diligently acted in their clients’ best interests, were told to go back to university or find a new line of work.

    Unsurprisingly, advisers started leaving the industry in droves.

    Not every exit was a tragedy.

    But plenty of good advisers felt they had no choice but to abandon their work like they had been abandoned by the previous government.

    This was a genuine crisis point for the industry’s viability.

    I couldn’t stand by and let this continue to unfold.

    So we made an election commitment to introduce a new pathway for experienced advisers with a clean record to remain in the industry.

    And upon coming to government, we quickly acted to legislate this reform.

    Over a quarter of the industry has now used our pathway to continue to provide Australians with the advice and information they need.

    4,000 advisers who could have been lost to the industry.

    It was a necessary change that was in the public interest.

    Bringing new financial advisers into the industry

    But this only staunched the bleeding.

    FASEA put an albatross around the neck of the industry with an unwieldy and impractical education standard for advisers.

    Even the opposition realised the folly of their ways and disbanded FASEA.

    But its effect was not addressed.

    Most people who end up in the financial advice industry have told me that they did not take a direct path there.

    They didn’t know at the age of 18 that they wanted to be an adviser.

    But the previous government set up a system that immediately thins the herd of potential new advisers.

    Individuals are required to make a significant investment in a highly specialised degree.

    That means many young people are locked out if they want to keep their options open by studying degrees that apply across many industries.

    There are also very few universities offering a degree in financial planning –

    And there will be even fewer if we keep on the current track as the demand is not there.

    In some ways, the previous government set up a perfect process so long as you don’t need it to train new advisers.

    No other industry has been treated like this and it needs to be addressed.

    We’re committed to the professionalisation of the industry.

    We’re committed to a high quality of advice for consumers.

    And we want to repair and rebuild the sector by expanding the pool of advisers.

    So today I am announcing the next step in our reform of the financial advice industry.

    The government will reform the education standards for professional financial advisers to expand the supply of high quality, helpful and safe advice.

    The new standard will continue to recognise the important role of tertiary education.

    Under our proposal, individuals will be able to hold a bachelor’s degree or higher in any discipline.

    Prospective advisers will need to meet a minimum study requirement in financial concepts such as finance, economics or accounting.

    This means firms will be able to attract graduates with degrees in economics, commerce, and finance, amongst others.

    They will also need to complete core prescribed accredited financial advice subjects.

    This will cover ethics, legal and regulatory obligations, consumer behaviour, and the financial advice process.

    This creates a better pathway for career changers who will be able to enter the industry later in life.

    For example, someone with a Commerce degree may only need to do the financial advice components – if they haven’t already done it.

    This will be complemented by the remaining standards that advisers need to meet –

    Namely, the professional year, the financial adviser exam and ongoing education obligations – which will be unchanged.

    In combination, this will give consumers confidence that they are getting value and quality.

    The cost and time to meet the requirements under the new standard will be halved for most students studying a commerce, economics or finance degree.

    It will be halved for people moving across from other financial services careers.

    We will also ensure that the education requirements for the new class of adviser will be aligned.

    This will create another logical entry‑point to rebuild the advice industry.

    This is all about keeping the pipeline of prospective advisers open as wide as possible for as long as possible.

    I recognise that some advisers have followed the current pathway.

    And I respect the hard work they have done to enter the profession – which is not going to be taken away from them.

    But the status quo is unsustainable and without change, the profession will hit another crisis point down the track.

    All while the demand for advice is only going to go up because of the 5 million Australians at or approaching retirement.

    Cutting unnecessary red tape

    We also need to free up advisers to help their clients with relevant advice that is safe and quality.

    As it stands, the law makes it difficult for advisers to satisfy themselves that they have met the best interests of their clients unless they provide comprehensive advice.

    Everything flows from that.

    Advice is not always targeted at what the client wants.

    Statements of advice are too long and unhelpful.

    And the cost of advice is too high.

    The second tranche of our financial advice reform package will address this.

    I will be the first to say that I wish I could give you a draft bill right now.

    It is our priority and is being written as we speak.

    But it is complex.

    And we cannot risk endangering consumers by getting this wrong.

    Or being too cautious so as to miss this moment to shift the dial.

    We have worked constructively across all sectors of the industry – and will continue to do so.

    That has taken time, but it has led to a better package for consumers.

    There are some who are still suggesting that all the recommendations of the Quality of Advice Review should have been adopted in full.

    That should be challenged.

    If we had done that, the legislation would not have been supported by stakeholders or by parliament.

    But I reaffirm that we are committed to modernising the best interests duty and reforming statements of advice.

    Just as we are committed to introducing a new class of adviser that any financial firm can employ to give safe advice.

    And we are committed to ensuring those 5 million Australians are able to access helpful advice, information and nudges through their super fund.

    I also announce today that we are going further in cutting red tape.

    The government will not proceed with Stage 2 of the registration process for financial advisers established by the Better Advice Act under the previous government.

    This stage would have required individual advisers to register with ASIC from 1 July 2026 on an ongoing annual basis.

    Financial advisers are already registered by their authorising AFSL under Stage 1.

    Not proceeding with Stage 2 will retain this existing requirement but will remove an additional regulatory burden on individual advisers.

    This would have simply been an additional cost for no benefit to consumers.

    Confidence to seek advice and engage in the financial system

    The final piece of the puzzle is to ensure that Australians have confidence to seek advice and engage in the financial system.

    I was delighted to see our Scams Prevention Framework legislation pass the House of Representatives last week.

    This is another step forward in making Australia the toughest place in the world for scammers to target.

    Financial advice and our scams prevention work are 2 sides of the same coin.

    We want to ensure that advice is affordable so that Australians go to regulated and safe sources of advice – not dodgy scammers.

    Preventing scams is also necessary for Australians to feel confident to invest and engage in the financial system.

    So our scams work is vital for our financial advice reform.

    Sadly, Australians can get inappropriate financial advice that means they lose everything.

    And there is a bipartisan commitment that consumers should have access to some redress when this occurs.

    The previous government failed to implement the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort, even though they talked about doing it.

    We have implemented it as recommended by the Ramsay Review and Hayne Royal Commission.

    We welcomed the bipartisan support for its design – given it is the same scheme introduced into parliament by the last government.

    But, I am not convinced that it is in its final form.

    I am concerned about the sustainability of the scheme on its current trajectory.

    It is not sustainable for financial advisers.

    And it is no good for consumers if the scheme falls over.

    Some people want the quick fix – and I wish there was one.

    Unfortunately, 2 of the biggest cases to hit the CSLR – Dixon and United Global Capital – have very different characteristics that make a quick fix very difficult.

    So I have tasked Treasury to review the CSLR immediately.

    We need to ensure that it is sustainable.

    And we need to ensure that it is meeting the objective that we all support.

    It is not about guaranteeing investment returns.

    But about ensuring genuine victims have access to some redress.

    This is an important part of the financial system for advisers.

    Because it gives Australians confidence that there is a back stop in situations of genuine last resort.

    It’s in all our interests to ensure that is what it is doing.

    Conclusion

    So – more financial advisers and less red tape.

    And confidence for Australians to seek advice and engage in the financial system.

    It’s a big piece of work, but a piece of work that is in the public interest.

    I am not the first Assistant Treasurer to say a word on financial advice.

    And I won’t be the last.

    But I’m confident that I am leaving the sector in a better place, and on a better path.

    And I believe that Australians will be better off because of it.

    MIL OSI News –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Sales push as brands brace for tough 2025

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Right after the Spring Festival holiday, automobile markets in China have become hectic, touting new features, offering discounts and even appearing in movies to woo potential car buyers.

    Tesla announced on Wednesday, the first working day after the weeklong holiday, a time-limited discount of up to 8,000 yuan ($1,098) on its Model 3. On the same day, Xpeng unveiled five-year installment and interest-free loan offers.

    But at the head of the pack was Nio, whose offer — which includes interest-free five-year loan plans — came days before the Spring Festival holiday ended.

    Meanwhile, Great Wall Motor’s Tank, BAIC’s Arcfox and Dongfeng’s off-road brand Mengshi have either starred in Chinese New Year blockbusters including Ne Zha 2 or partnered with their producers in publicity campaigns.

    Behind the diverse tactics is the same sense of urgency: after a brutal 2024 they believe the vehicle market this year will be more cruel, despite the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers expecting the overall market size to go up 4.7 percent to 32.9 million units.

    The elimination phase has begun and many of the car manufacturers are struggling to “beat the count”, said analysts from consulting firm McKinsey in a report released on Thursday.

    “Those which cannot come up with decent electric vehicles in one or two years, and those which are deep in the red but cannot offer a convincing strategy to go green, will be forced to leave the race,” they said.

    In the bigger picture, Chinese brands, whose rise is the defining feature of the current market landscape, are relatively safe.

    Over the past five years, the number of Chinese car brands selling more than 600,000 vehicles annually jumped from 11 in 2020 to 13 in 2024, signaling a dramatic shift toward greater market concentration.

    More tellingly, for the first time, Chinese brands have broken into the ranks of those with sales exceeding 1.2 million units annually — a mark that was once the exclusive domain of foreign brands.

    In January, seven out of the 10 bestselling carmakers in the country were Chinese; Geely topped the chart, followed by BYD and Changan.

    These domestic brands have not only capitalized on China’s rapid push toward NEVs but positioned themselves as leaders in the transition to intelligent mobility.

    However, smaller Chinese brands, especially startups, are yet to gain a firm foothold. There are currently 37 active NEV brands in China. Of them, 12 are independent startups and the rest, such as Zeekr, Voyah and Avatr, are offshoots of larger traditional manufacturers.

    Now at least five of the NEV brands have become profitable. Those who cannot go green in the next 12 to 18 months, or at least come up with a feasible plan, may trigger speculation, said McKinsey.

    This is particularly true after Jidu, a partnership between Geely and Baidu, and Neta got into financial trouble in late 2024, leaving car owners and even employees nowhere to resort to.

    For foreign carmakers, the picture is far from rosy. Once the undisputed leaders of China’s car market, their position is becoming precarious.

    A combination of technology lag, reduced brand loyalty and aggressive pricing strategies from domestic players has eroded their dominance, according to McKinsey.

    It projects the market share of foreign carmakers, which once commanded over half of all car sales in China, to fall to just 30 percent by the end of this year from 40 percent now.

    The decline is a direct result of the seismic shift toward electric vehicles and smart driving technology — areas where many foreign brands have struggled to keep pace.

    The profit margins of joint-venture carmakers have taken a significant hit. McKinsey’s analysis reveals that, from 2017 to 2023, the profits of the top 10 leading Chinese joint-venture companies dropped by 34 percent in the country.

    For many foreign brands, the situation is compounded by a weakening consumer base, especially as new domestic models with cutting-edge features flood the market.

    Some foreign companies, such as Volkswagen and its premium Audi brand, have responded by forming strategic partnerships with Chinese manufacturers, seeking to import Chinese technological innovations into their own models.

    However, these collaborations, though beneficial in the short term, are unlikely to be a silver bullet, said McKinsey analysts.

    They said the strategy may help bridge the gap in the short term, but it does little to address the core issue: foreign brands are increasingly irrelevant to a generation of Chinese consumers that are growing more attached to homegrown offerings.

    New tech prospects

    Looking to the future, the next frontier in China’s automotive revolution is clear: intelligent driving and smart in-car experiences.

    In 2024, intelligent driving technologies — once seen as futuristic — have become mainstream, with major manufacturers offering vehicles equipped with features that can drive themselves on highways and in cities.

    The market for intelligent driving technology is growing at a blistering pace, and consumers are increasingly embracing these innovations.

    A McKinsey poll shows that 76 percent of respondents tried smart driving in 2024, up from 65 percent in 2023.

    Despite the rising consumer interest, however, McKinsey cautions that the industry faces challenges.

    While intelligent driving technologies are rapidly improving, they have yet to find a sustainable business model.

    The growing trend of “free” software upgrades, for example, has left carmakers struggling to monetize these features.

    More promising is the rise of the “smart cockpit”, where cars transform from mere transportation tools into living rooms.

    As intelligent driving systems become standard, the focus is shifting to in-car experiences, with carmakers investing heavily in creating more personalized, intuitive environments for consumers, said McKinsey.

    MIL OSI China News –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: ‘World’s supermarket’ reopens after holiday

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    A merchant adorns her store with Spring Festival decorations in the Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Feb. 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Yiwu International Trade Market, the world’s largest wholesale market for small commodities located in the city of Yiwu in east China’s Zhejiang Province, reopened on Sunday after the Spring Festival holiday, marking a vibrant start to the Year of the Snake.

    The reopening ceremony featured traditional lion dances and drum performances, creating a vibrant and festive atmosphere.

    Merchants like toy shop owner Chen Meijun voiced optimism for a prosperous year ahead.

    “We received inquiries from regular customers during the holiday, and we expect sales to grow by over 10 percent this year,” Chen said, noting that she plans to expand her business internationally, with trips to Mexico and Kenya scheduled this year.

    Actresses perform at the Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Feb. 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Dubbed “world’s supermarket,” Yiwu is an international hub for small commodity production and trade, attracting customers from around the world.

    Nepalese buyer Raj Kumar Khadka was among the first clients to arrive, planning to order ceramics, glassware and other goods worth around 1 million yuan (about 139,500 U.S. dollars).

    A frequent visitor who first came to the city for business 23 years ago, Khadka said Yiwu plays a crucial role in the international commodity trade.

    “Yiwu taught me how to do business,” he said. “Because of this city, I was able to meet people from all over the world and learn about their languages and cultures.”

    The trade market’s 75,000 shops are connected to over 2.1 million enterprises, supporting approximately 32 million jobs. Its strong purchasing demand and diverse product offerings highlight the resilience and growth potential of China’s economy.

    Many businesses are capitalizing on emerging trends, such as 3D-printed toys, which have gained popularity for their vibrant colors and intricate designs.

    “We have invested heavily in R&D and plan to expand our footprints in developed markets while tapping into domestic demand,” said Zeng Hao, manager of a toy company producing and selling 3D-printed toys.

    A dragon dance is staged at a square of the Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Feb. 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    In late 2024, China’s State Council approved an overall plan for deepening comprehensive international trade reforms in Yiwu, which outlines a vision to promote reforms through further opening up, along with initiatives such as innovating market procurement trade mechanisms, promoting import trade development, enhancing the functionality of comprehensive bonded zones, and strengthening cross-border e-commerce regulations.

    Innovation has become a driving force behind Yiwu’s enduring success. Since 2023, the Chinagoods AI platform, launched by Zhejiang China Commodities City Group Co., Ltd., has gained attention for enabling Yiwu’s business owners to effortlessly create multilingual versions of product videos, supporting over 30 languages.

    Today, more businesses are using new technologies to expand their reach and attract customers.

    At a digital shop in the market, manager Bao Haigang demonstrated a headset that accurately translates over 100 languages via a smartphone app. He said this AI-powered headset launched in 2024 has seen strong sales in markets like Brazil.

    “We will continue integrating AI into traditional products and expect over 30 percent sales growth this year. We are very confident,” Bao said.

    MIL OSI China News –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Arrest – Kava seizure – Maningrida

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested a 24-year-old male in relation to a Kava seizure that occurred in Maningrida on Saturday.

    Around 12:00pm, local police conduced a lawful search of a property in the community after they received intelligence that the substance was present at the premises.

    During the search, police located and seized 255.13kg of Kava and over $3,900 in cash.

    A 24-year-old male was arrested at the scene and charged with possess commercial quantity of kava and supply commercial quantity of kava.

    The alleged offender is due to appear in the Darwin Local Court on Thursday 13 February 2025.

    Sergeant Timothy Gillahan said, “I commend the officers for their swift action in response to intelligence, as well as the community for their reporting.

    “This seizure will undoubtedly reduce the social and financial harm within the community often caused by Kava use. 

    “The NT Police Force remains committed to disrupting the flow of destructive substances into restricted communities.”

    MIL OSI News –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: TWAAO Clarification Statement: A Legally Compliant Trading Platform with International Accreditation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Feb. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Recently, the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) issued a notice claiming that TWAAO was providing financial, securities, and cryptocurrency asset services in Frankfurt without the necessary authorization. TWAAO takes this matter seriously and wishes to provide its users with a detailed clarification regarding its qualifications and compliance.

    Global Compliance Credentials Obtained by TWAAO

    Founded in 2019 in the United States, TWAAO is an innovative cryptocurrency trading platform. The company has always adhered to the principles of legal and compliant operations, upholding the user-first value at the core. TWAAO has obtained multiple internationally recognized regulatory certifications, including but not limited to:

    • U.S. MSB License

    TWAAO holds a FinCEN-issued MSB license, authorizing legal cryptocurrency operations under U.S. regulatory standards.

    • Canadian MSB License

    Registered with FINTRAC, TWAAO’s Canadian MSB license confirms international regulatory compliance.

    • License Issued by U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

    As an SEC-registered crypto platform, TWAAO adheres to securities laws, ensuring a secure, transparent investment environment.

    Background Explanation of the BaFin Announcement

    The warning issued by BaFin primarily targets trading platforms that have not met its local registration requirements, such as Binance, Bybit, and Plus500, which have also been publicly listed. It does not dispute the legitimacy of these platforms. TWAAO has already obtained multiple authoritative licenses internationally, leaving no doubt about its compliance. TWAAO is actively communicating with the relevant authorities to understand the specific local regulations and is working on the registration process to ensure compliance with local market requirements.

    Commitment to Legal Compliance and User-Centric Principles

    TWAAO will take the BaFin compliance requirements as an opportunity to further enhance its legal compliance framework, ensuring the stability of platform operations and the safety of user rights. TWAAO will actively communicate and operate in compliance with the laws and regulations of different countries and regions, providing a safer, more transparent, and compliant trading environment for users worldwide.

    Holding sincere gratitude to its global users for their trust and support, TWAAO will continue to adhere to the core philosophy of putting users first and remain committed to building a trustworthy cryptocurrency trading platform that meets international standards.

    The MIL Network –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: As Coles slashes its product range, will well-known brands disappear from supermarket shelves?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flavio Macau, Associate Dean – School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University

    Hitra/Shutterstock

    Coles is reducing its product range by at least 10%, a move that has sparked public backlash and renewed discussions about the role of supermarkets in the cost-of-living crisis.

    In cutting the range of items on offer Coles is moving closer to Aldi and Costco’s strategy to grow exclusive brands and limit product range.

    The goal is to boost profitability by reducing costs, increasing sales, and increasing control over the supply chain.

    Coles is unlikely to cut traditional brands, especially those from companies with significant market power like Coca-Cola or Nestle. In a battle between giants, the status quo is likely to prevail.

    Smaller suppliers are likely to bear the load as they struggle to renew contracts and face increased competition from home brands.

    To fully understand the reasons behind this move and its impact on the cost of living, insights from psychology, finance, and supply chain management come in handy.

    Why cut back on brands?

    The Coles move is all about profitability.

    Over the past decade, competition in the Australian supermarket sector has intensified. Coles’ market share declined from 31% to 25% between 2013 and 2023, while Woolworths’ share fell from 41% to 37%.

    This shift reflects the rise of Aldi, which now holds approximately 10% of the market, and its strong position in the home brand space.

    Aldi’s smaller range helps to keep costs down.
    Audreycmk/Shutterstock

    To boost profitability with a smaller customer base, Coles needs to find ways to enhance its earnings. This can be achieved by raising prices, cutting costs, or increasing the market share of its home brands.

    Raising prices vs cutting costs

    Raising prices is not a viable option, as consumers are already struggling with high food prices inflation and the rising cost-of-living. However, there is room to cut costs.

    One approach is to squeeze suppliers, but again this is unlikely to be effective. The consumer watchdog, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), is holding an inquiry into concerns that the supermarkets are using their market power to the disadvantage of their suppliers and consumers.

    Additionally, as producers exit unprofitable businesses, supermarkets risk supply chain disruptions due to increased market concentration among surviving suppliers.

    Another strategy is to reduce complexity. The more product variety there is, the more complicated and expensive it becomes to manage. Tasks such as stocking shelves, adjusting prices, maintaining inventory, managing delivery schedules, and disposing of expired products all contribute to higher costs.

    Anna Croft, Coles’ operations and sustainability officer, explained the strategy when telling investors in November that 13 basic table salts could be cut to five.

    Simplifying the product range can also boost sales. When faced with too many options, consumers can experience “choice overload”. A widely recognised study in psychology found that people are more likely to make a purchase when presented with a limited selection rather than an extensive array of choices.

    Coles has pointed to shampoo and salt as two potential product ranges that can be simplified.
    I.K.Media/Shutterstock

    Shifting to home brands

    Simplifying the range will likely focus on items where Coles has a home brand. Home brands now account for 33.5% of Coles’ sales, with 6,000 products. About 1,100 were added over the past year.

    This move is a response to competitors like Aldi and Costco. While Coles and Woolworths manage over 25,000 items in their stores, Aldi limits its offering to about 1,800 products.

    Coles is focusing on its home brands to better compete with non-branded offerings from Aldi. In its report to the ACCC, the supermarket highlights its investment in expanding its own-brand range to provide more affordable prices, up to 40% cheaper than similar proprietary brands.

    While consumers may have fewer choices, it is expected that they will benefit from better prices.

    This shift towards home brands is not exclusive to Australia. In the United States, private label sales hit a record in 2023 across a range of items from beauty products to general merchandise. In the United Kingdom, home brand products now account for over half of supermarket sales.

    Have we been here before?

    Almost 10 years ago, Woolworths and Coles started a significant move to adjust their price positioning in response to the competition. Along with Metcash (IGA), they reduced product ranges in 2015–16 by 10% to 15% to simplify the weekly grocery shop for consumers.

    At that time, the culling of products put suppliers under pressure (as now) while consumers were ambivalent: some wanted more brand variety and others preferred less.

    As history repeats itself, it will be interesting to see if Woolworths and Metcash will follow the latest move from Coles and how customers, suppliers, and the ACCC will react this time.

    A/Prof Flavio Macau is affiliated with the Project Management Institute (PMI)

    – ref. As Coles slashes its product range, will well-known brands disappear from supermarket shelves? – https://theconversation.com/as-coles-slashes-its-product-range-will-well-known-brands-disappear-from-supermarket-shelves-249274

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Money Market Operations as on February 07, 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India
    (Amount in ₹ crore, Rate in Per cent)
      Volume
    (One Leg)    		 Weighted
    Average Rate    		 Range
    A. Overnight Segment (I+II+III+IV) 5,61,163.45 6.26 4.50-6.65
         I. Call Money 14,567.31 6.26 5.15-6.55
         II. Triparty Repo 3,70,891.25 6.26 6.12-6.65
         III. Market Repo 1,73,895.29 6.25 4.50-6.61
         IV. Repo in Corporate Bond 1,809.60 6.37 6.34-6.40
    B. Term Segment      
         I. Notice Money** 277.00 6.23 5.60-6.35
         II. Term Money@@ 837.00 – 6.35-7.25
         III. Triparty Repo 570.00 6.37 6.25-6.45
         IV. Market Repo 0.00 – –
         V. Repo in Corporate Bond 0.00 – –
      Auction Date Tenor (Days) Maturity Date Amount Current Rate /
    Cut off Rate
    C. Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF), Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) & Standing Deposit Facility (SDF)
    I. Today’s Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo Fri, 07/02/2025 3 Mon, 10/02/2025 1,33,013.00 6.26
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (III) Long Term Operations^          
         (a) Repo Fri, 07/02/2025 56 Fri, 04/04/2025 50,010.00 6.31
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF# Fri, 07/02/2025 1 Sat, 08/02/2025 12,223.00 6.50
      Fri, 07/02/2025 2 Sun, 09/02/2025 0.00 6.50
      Fri, 07/02/2025 3 Mon, 10/02/2025 797.00 6.50
    4. SDFΔ# Fri, 07/02/2025 1 Sat, 08/02/2025 78,315.00 6.00
      Fri, 07/02/2025 2 Sun, 09/02/2025 1.00 6.00
      Fri, 07/02/2025 3 Mon, 10/02/2025 18,275.00 6.00
    5. Net liquidity injected from today’s operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*       99,452.00  
    II. Outstanding Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (III) Long Term Operations^          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF#          
    4. SDFΔ#          
    D. Standing Liquidity Facility (SLF) Availed from RBI$       8,328.42  
    E. Net liquidity injected from outstanding operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     8,328.42  
    F. Net liquidity injected (outstanding including today’s operations) [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     1,07,780.42  
    G. Cash Reserves Position of Scheduled Commercial Banks
         (i) Cash balances with RBI as on February 07, 2025 8,85,291.80  
         (ii) Average daily cash reserve requirement for the fortnight ending February 07, 2025 9,12,544.00  
    H. Government of India Surplus Cash Balance Reckoned for Auction as on¥ February 07, 2025 77,749.00  
    I. Net durable liquidity [surplus (+)/deficit (-)] as on January 24, 2025 -34,103.00  
    @ Based on Reserve Bank of India (RBI) / Clearing Corporation of India Limited (CCIL).
    – Not Applicable / No Transaction.
    ** Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 2 to 14 days tenor.
    @@ Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 15 days to one year tenor.
    $ Includes refinance facilities extended by RBI.
    & As per the Press Release No. 2019-2020/1900 dated February 06, 2020.
    Δ As per the Press Release No. 2022-2023/41 dated April 08, 2022.
    * Net liquidity is calculated as Repo+MSF+SLF-Reverse Repo-SDF.
    ¥ As per the Press Release No. 2014-2015/1971 dated March 19, 2015.
    # As per the Press Release No. 2023-2024/1548 dated December 27, 2023.
    ^ As per the Press Release No. 2024-2025/2013 dated January 27, 2025.
    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    
    Press Release: 2024-2025/2116

    MIL OSI Economics –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Speech to the Financial Services Council

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Good morning, everyone. 
    I would like to begin by thanking Kirk Hope and the Financial Services Council for the opportunity to speak to you all this morning. I’d also like to acknowledge our friends at the FMA and in particular the CE, Samantha Barrass, who you will be hearing from shortly.
    I’m delighted to speak to you at the start of the year. I hope everyone is refreshed after a good summer, and ready for another big year of delivering for New Zealanders. 2024 was a big year. It was a challenging year. I know all of you in the room today would have felt firsthand the economic challenges. But we got a lot of important work underway and 2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year.
    At this event last year, many of you will remember that I announced plans to reform the financial services sector. As you all know, things were not in a good place. 
    Over successive years, governments had layered up regulations, causing a lack of clarity and excessive conservativism. My mission when I took on the Commerce and Consumer Affairs portfolio was to simplify the financial services landscape. This meant:

    Clarifying the roles of the various regulators to remove duplication; and 
    Tidying up laws and regulations that were constraining businesses from providing great financial products and services.

    My guiding principle was to make it simpler to provide financial services, while balancing the need for appropriate guardrails and consumer protections. Over time this equation had become unbalanced and was so risk-averse that it was harming consumers.
    Many of you will have heard me talk before about the perverse outcomes of making it too hard for Kiwis to access a safe loan from a reputable provider. I am very pleased to say that these financial services reforms are now well progressed. 
    Democracy is a wonderful thing, but the nature of developing good policy and running a thorough consultation process means it can take a long time to for change to work its way through the system. However, we are on track to have the Financial Services Bill passed through all stages by the end of Q1 next year. 
    Contracts of Insurance
    One key highlight of 2024 was passing into law the Contracts of Insurance Act. This work was long overdue. The Law Commission recommended that our insurance law be updated in the 1990s. It is fantastic that we finally got it over the line.
    In terms of other work, the Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister is responsible for six crown entities including the Commerce Commission and the FMA.  And, according to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Minister is broadly responsible for:

    corporate law and governance 
    financial markets
    competition policy
    consumer policy
    protecting intellectual property; and, 
    trade policy and international regulatory cooperation.

    It’s no small list. These are absolutely foundational pieces of architecture for our economy, and in 2024 I kicked off work relating to nearly every single thing on that list. 
    This year I intend to tick two remaining items off that list by progressing a review of copyright and intellectual property and launching a review of the Fair Trading Act.
    The Fair Trading Act is a hugely consequential piece of legislation that covers everything from product safety and product descriptions, through to contract terms and advertising standards.
    Unfortunately, the structural economic issues we face – whether that be declining productivity, lack of capital, a dearth of foreign investment, or over-regulation stymieing growth and innovation – means economic reform is urgent.  As a result, you should hopefully have heard me in the media or at events like this talking about work I have underway to modernise our economy, including:

    Reviewing the Companies Act and reforming our corporate governance laws; and

    Related to this, launching a review of directors’ duties and liabilities led by the Law Commission;

    Implementing a ‘consumer data right’ and laying the foundations for ‘open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ to inject more competition into our economy;
    Creating a new model for the economic regulation of water services;
    Initiating a more coordinated whole-of-government approach to combatting online financial scams;
    Invigorating New Zealand’s capital markets by removing barriers to list on the stock exchange and making it easier for KiwiSaver funds to be invested in unlisted assets;
    Reviewing our competition law to prevent excessive market concentration; and
    Finally, responding to recommendations from the Commerce Commission to improve competition in the banking and grocery sector.

    2025
    2025 is all about delivering on this work. And I know it sounds like a long and unwieldy list, but you can broadly view all the work underway through the lens of two key themes:

    Creating the conditions for businesses and private enterprise to thrive so that we can grow our economy. 

    As you have heard the PM talk about – a bigger, wealthier economy means more jobs and higher salaries for Kiwis, and it means increased tax revenue which pays for public services like schools, roads and hospitals.
    This means making sure that the laws and regulations that determine the operating environment for businesses are modern, fair, and fit for purpose. 

    The second key theme is competition.

    The reality is that New Zealand suffers from overly concentrated markets in several key sectors of our economy – whether that be banking, groceries, building supplies, or parking services. 
    The OECD and others have drawn a link between our lack of competition and falling productivity and the spotlight is well and truly focused on invigorating completion. 

    From the government’s perspective we will be going through every key initiative and programme of work line by line and asking ourselves and our officials: Will this grow the economy? Will this improve competition?
    Will this help New Zealanders to take legitimate business risks? Will it enable them to hire more staff or access capital to invest in new equipment? Will it free up their time so it can be used more productively? Will it encourage innovation and enable them to offer new products and services? And if the answer is no, then don’t expect to see it progressed this year. If the answer is yes, then we will be working at pace to implement it. 
    One of my top focuses this year is improving competition. 
    Competition is one of the most important ways to drive productivity, grow the economy, and lift living standards. That’s why I have launched a two-part review: 

    First, I have asked officials to update the merger and competition provisions in the Commerce Act, to ensure our legal framework is fit for purpose.

    Mergers can improve market efficiencies but can also entrench market power and create monopolies. Our merger regime has not been reviewed in over 20 years and since then our economic landscape has changed significantly. 
    I think everyone in this room can probably point to a merger or acquisition that – with the benefit of hindsight – did not serve us well.

    I have also commissioned an independent review of the governance and effectiveness of the Commerce Commission to maximise its performance.

    On the one hand, we need strong competition laws, and on the other hand we need a powerful and courageous regulator to enforce the law.

    These are important structural changes and signify a strategic shift for our economy.
    This year I am also continuing with reforms to unlock capital for the benefit of New Zealand’s economy.
    I know that New Zealand urgently needs to address our falling productivity and failing infrastructure. That’s why I want to invigorate our capital markets, to encourage investment in infrastructure and productive businesses.  As part of this, we are looking at changes to make it easier for KiwiSaver funds to be invested in unlisted assets, such as infrastructure projects and great New Zealand business.
    We are also exploring adjustments to reduce the costs and barriers faced by companies listed, or listing, on the stock exchange. We will look at other aspects of capital markets settings in the second half of this year.
    Consumer Data Right
    As many of you may be aware, the Customer and Product Data Bill is currently being progressed and is set to have its second reading in Parliament’s next sitting block, which starts next week. This Bill will establish a framework to unlock the potential of customer data, driving innovation and competition in key sectors. 
    We recently consulted on applying the Bill to the banking sector to enable open banking and are beginning work on applying it out to the electricity sector too. The ability to provide new data-driven products and services is hugely exciting. 
    Possible applications for open banking include the ability to apply for a 10-minute online home loan and make instant, low-cost payments. Meanwhile open electricity will make it easier to compare electricity plans and switch providers.
    Scams
    Lastly, I want to talk about a big issue for the financial services sector: Scams.
    Last year, New Zealanders reportedly lost around $200 million to scams, which is 15 per cent more than the previous year. However, some estimates suggest the real losses could be as high as $1 billion. This has prompted me to lead an all-of-government effort to engage with industry to tackle this growing issue.
    I am working closely with telco, banking, and digital platforms and am watching the reforms being progressed in Australia. I expect to be in a position to announce progress on this work shortly.
    Combatting scams is an important social and moral issue – scammers are causing harm and distress to Kiwis – but it is also a business and financial issue. As Kiwis become increasingly concerned about scams, they become distrustful and unwilling to do business online. 
    One of the by-products of scams is legitimate businesses are finding it increasingly difficult to get in touch with their clients. Consumers no longer want to pick up the phone to an unknown number, or respond to unexpected emails or text messages.
    For all these reasons, it is vital that we work with industry to better protect Kiwis from sophisticated and devious scammers – most of whom are based overseas and fall outside our law enforcement.
    ACC
    Before I close, I just want to briefly talk about ACC, which is a new portfolio I have recently taken up.  I am incredibly excited about my new responsibility. 
    ACC has nearly $50 billion under investment. And while there is a lot to be proud of about ACC, the scheme faces several significant challenges.  
    For the last 10 years, ACC’s performance – measured as rehabilitating injured people and getting them back to work – has continuously declined. And this comes at an enormous cost. The liability of existing ACC claims increased from $52 billion in 2022/23 to $60 billion in the last financial year. That’s an increase of $8 billion in a single year. 
    Clearly that’s unsustainable. 
    As employers, you will know that levies are set to rise around 5 per cent to help meet these rising costs. But we cannot meet the increased costs through levies alone. That’s why we have commissioned an independent review of ACC’s performance so we can address broader, underlying issues with the scheme. Turning around ACC’s performance is no mean feat. It is like turning around a super tanker. 
    There are a number of key actions that I will initiate early this year, but it will take a while for these actions to flow through to the front lines and for them to show up on the balance sheet. My job as Minister is to chart the course by creating a robust action plan and setting tight expectations so that within a few years, the super tanker is heading in the right direction.
    I want to be clear that this is not about cost cutting. It is about ensuring ACC is fair and sustainable and can serve future generations without saddling them with unreasonably high levy increases.
    One of the key principles of the ACC scheme is that future generations should not pay for today’s injuries. If we do not arrest the financial situation now, all we do is kick the can down the line and make it the next generation’s problem. 
    Close
    As you can tell, 2024 was a busy year. And 2025 is shaping up to be just as critical. We’ve got several work streams on the go, which I’ve outlined today. 
    I expect to be progressing them at rapid pace, and I look forward to working with you to take our economic growth to the next level.
    Thank you again to the Financial Services Council for having me here today. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: ‘World’s supermarket’ reopens after holiday, embracing innovation in Year of Snake

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A merchant adorns her store with Spring Festival decorations in the Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Feb. 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Yiwu International Trade Market, the world’s largest wholesale market for small commodities located in the city of Yiwu in east China’s Zhejiang Province, reopened on Sunday after the Spring Festival holiday, marking a vibrant start to the Year of the Snake.

    The reopening ceremony featured traditional lion dances and drum performances, creating a vibrant and festive atmosphere.

    Merchants like toy shop owner Chen Meijun voiced optimism for a prosperous year ahead.

    “We received inquiries from regular customers during the holiday, and we expect sales to grow by over 10 percent this year,” Chen said, noting that she plans to expand her business internationally, with trips to Mexico and Kenya scheduled this year.

    Actresses perform at the Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Feb. 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Dubbed “world’s supermarket,” Yiwu is an international hub for small commodity production and trade, attracting customers from around the world.

    Nepalese buyer Raj Kumar Khadka was among the first clients to arrive, planning to order ceramics, glassware and other goods worth around 1 million yuan (about 139,500 U.S. dollars).

    A frequent visitor who first came to the city for business 23 years ago, Khadka said Yiwu plays a crucial role in the international commodity trade.

    “Yiwu taught me how to do business,” he said. “Because of this city, I was able to meet people from all over the world and learn about their languages and cultures.”

    The trade market’s 75,000 shops are connected to over 2.1 million enterprises, supporting approximately 32 million jobs. Its strong purchasing demand and diverse product offerings highlight the resilience and growth potential of China’s economy.

    Many businesses are capitalizing on emerging trends, such as 3D-printed toys, which have gained popularity for their vibrant colors and intricate designs.

    “We have invested heavily in R&D and plan to expand our footprints in developed markets while tapping into domestic demand,” said Zeng Hao, manager of a toy company producing and selling 3D-printed toys.

    A dragon dance is staged at a square of the Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Feb. 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    In late 2024, China’s State Council approved an overall plan for deepening comprehensive international trade reforms in Yiwu, which outlines a vision to promote reforms through further opening up, along with initiatives such as innovating market procurement trade mechanisms, promoting import trade development, enhancing the functionality of comprehensive bonded zones, and strengthening cross-border e-commerce regulations.

    Innovation has become a driving force behind Yiwu’s enduring success. Since 2023, the Chinagoods AI platform, launched by Zhejiang China Commodities City Group Co., Ltd., has gained attention for enabling Yiwu’s business owners to effortlessly create multilingual versions of product videos, supporting over 30 languages.

    Today, more businesses are using new technologies to expand their reach and attract customers.

    At a digital shop in the market, manager Bao Haigang demonstrated a headset that accurately translates over 100 languages via a smartphone app. He said this AI-powered headset launched in 2024 has seen strong sales in markets like Brazil.

    “We will continue integrating AI into traditional products and expect over 30 percent sales growth this year. We are very confident,” Bao said.

    MIL OSI China News –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Foreign investment upgrades amid transformation

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    For Anna An, president for China of German industrial and consumer goods group Henkel, 2025 is undoubtedly shaping up to be a busy year.

    The company’s new plant, with a total investment of 900 million yuan ($124 million), is set to begin test production in Yantai, Shandong province, later this year. This facility is expected to raise the company’s production capacity to supply high-end adhesives for industries such as electronics and automobiles.

    “We are also planning to launch our new inspiration center for adhesive technologies in Shanghai this year, boosting our innovation capabilities for industrial businesses across China and the broader Asia-Pacific region,” said An.

    “The tone-setting Central Economic Work Conference held in December emphasized technological innovation and the promotion of consumption, creating significant opportunities for multinational companies like Henkel,” she added.

    Echoing that sentiment, Nathan Stoner, vice-president of Cummins Inc, a US engine manufacturer, said his company aims to increase its market share in key application sectors within China, including power generation equipment for data centers, high-tech manufacturing, and the engineering, procurement and construction sectors this year.

    Highlighting that the company’s hydrogen fuel cell products successfully powered 239 transit buses and trucks, and the accumulated mileage of over 16 million kilometers across China in 2024, Stoner, who is also chairman of Cummins China, said the company will continue to innovate on the internal combustion engine system, including high efficiency diesel, natural gas and hydrogen internal combustion engines in China this year.

    “We are targeting our investments in zero-emission solutions into various Chinese regional markets where we see demand and adoption happening sooner, and iterating those products to be the best they can be, when customers want more of them,” he added.

    These examples highlight the growing optimism among multinational corporations regarding the long-term potential of the Chinese market, fueled by the country’s economic resilience and its commitment to innovation and openness.

    Initially, foreign companies were attracted by China’s cost advantages and abundant labor force, using it as a base for producing competitive goods, said Xu Wei, head of the macroeconomic research department at the Development Research Center of the State Council.

    As China advanced its infrastructure and industrial systems, it remained a low-cost production hub while evolving to offer sophisticated, high-value manufacturing, allowing foreign companies to integrate more advanced production processes, Xu said.

    “With China entering a new era of green and innovation-driven growth in recent years, global investments have increasingly focused on supply chain optimization, high-end manufacturing, customized innovation, and digital and green solutions,” he said, adding that sectors such as trade in services and healthcare have also become key areas of foreign investment.

    For instance, in addition to announcing a record high of over 657,000 electric vehicle sales in the Chinese mainland in 2024, marking an 8.8 percent year-on-year increase, Tesla Inc, the US EV maker, is currently conducting trial production to manufacture energy-storage batteries at its Shanghai factory.

    The US automaker said mass production at this facility is expected to commence fully within the first quarter.

    China has been revising its sector list to attract more foreign investment. These efforts, along with the removal of all market access restrictions for foreign investors in the manufacturing sector last year, reflect the country’s proactive approach to openness.

    Li Yongjie, deputy international trade representative of the Ministry of Commerce, said China will further open up its services sector, with a particular focus on accelerating pilot programs in key areas such as telecommunications, healthcare and education.

    A total of 59,080 new foreign-invested firms were established across China in 2024, an increase of 9.9 percent year-on-year, according to information released by the Ministry of Commerce.

    Wang Xiaohong, a researcher at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges in Beijing, said that China’s ongoing commitment to further opening-up and fostering innovation is positioning the country as both a key player in global supply chains, and a prime destination for investment and strategic expansion.

    This evolving environment is expected to create new opportunities for business growth, particularly as China adapts its policies to align with the shifting dynamics of the global economy, she said.

    More than half of companies from the United States plan to increase their investments in China this year, according to the 2025 China Business Climate Survey Report released by the American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham China) in late January.

    The survey, conducted from Oct 21 to Nov 15, involved a total of 368 member companies of AmCham China. It found that nearly half of the participants rank China as one of their top three global investment priorities.

    About 68 percent of the US responding companies expect industry markets to see growth in 2025. Two-thirds of them plan to focus on growing their core business activities in China as their primary objective for 2025. Meanwhile, the consumer and services sectors are increasingly focused on driving growth by targeting new customer segments.

    Jeff Losch, vice-president and business manager for coating additives technologies at Milliken & Company, a US specialty chemical and performance materials firm, said China is a key market for Milliken, not only because of its vast scale, but also due to its forward-thinking approach to sustainability.

    “We have observed a strong demand in the EV and industrial coating businesses. China’s EV industry is extremely strong and has led the global market this year, with Chinese manufacturers making their presence felt in markets across many countries,” said Losch.

    He said that the quick growth of China’s EV market has clearly created significant opportunities for the coatings industry. EV manufacturing requires coatings with high durability and environmental standards, which align closely with Milliken’s innovation goals.

    Eager to seize more market share, the US company plans to continue investing in its innovation unit, expand sales networks and enhance supply chain operations within China.

    As China undergoes a profound transformation, making business navigation more challenging than before, Denis Depoux, global managing director at German consultancy Roland Berger, suggested multinational corporations make targeted investments to navigate the unique characteristics of the Chinese market and local competition.

    “This strategy emphasizes enhancing localization efforts, particularly by tapping into China’s innovation ecosystem, while also adapting to increasingly differentiated norms and standards,” he said.

    Affected by shrinking global investments in recent years, together with factors like slower economic growth, rising geopolitical risks, weak demand and stricter investment reviews in certain countries, foreign direct investment in the Chinese mainland in actual use totaled 826.25 billion yuan in 2024, dropping 27.1 percent on a yearly basis, statistics from the Ministry of Commerce showed.

    The adjustment of China’s domestic industrial structure and rising labor costs have diminished the country’s low-cost advantages, said Cui Fan, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.

    As a result, some labor-intensive industries have shifted gradually due to changes in comparative advantages. This reflects the evolution of China’s economic development stage and factor endowments. This is a natural and expected process, said Cui.

    Driven by China’s stable political, economic and social environment, as well as its large-scale production capabilities and efforts to grow strategic emerging industries, FDI flow is expected to continue recovering within the country in 2025, said Gao Lingyun, a researcher at the Institute of World Economics and Politics, which is affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing.

    Strategic emerging industries in China include sectors such as energy-saving and environmental protection, next-generation information technology, biotechnology, high-end equipment manufacturing, new energy, advanced materials and EVs.

    For efficiency-driven multinational companies, regions with dense and well-connected networks are emerging as primary targets for strategic expansion. This emphasis is closely tied to factors like strong industry integration, complementary capabilities and easy accessibility, and all these factors enable streamlined operations and growth, said Gao.

    MIL OSI China News –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Long-term care insurance becoming more popular

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    China is making strides in popularizing long-term care insurance, improving the quality of life for people who have lost the ability to perform daily activities and easing the burden on their families.

    The National Healthcare Security Administration recently announced that by the end of 2024, more than 180 million people were covered by long-term care insurance, with 2.6 million individuals receiving benefits. The program, which began its trial phase in 2016, now covers 49 cities, including Beijing and Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province.

    Long-term care insurance is designed to assist people who are unable to perform basic daily activities such as eating, bathing or dressing due to aging, injury, illness or mental deterioration. Participation in the insurance program is voluntary.

    Experts say the insurance is an important supplement to China’s existing social insurance system, which includes pension, healthcare, work-related injury, unemployment and maternity coverage.

    Local governments have pushed for broader implementation of long-term care insurance to address the aging population and improve the quality of life for impaired people.

    In Ningbo, Zhejiang province, the program expanded from 2017 to 2023, eventually covering the entire city. Hangzhou and Huzhou, two other cities in Zhejiang, fully implemented the program last month, allowing local residents to join for an annual payment of 90 yuan ($12.35).

    Before receiving benefits, insured individuals must undergo a scientific evaluation by professional workers to assess their abilities in areas such as mobility, eating, bathing, cognition and communication.

    Despite its progress, the expansion of long-term care insurance faces several challenges, including a shortage of certified long-term care workers and reluctance from some people to pay for the insurance.

    According to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, China’s elderly population — people age 60 and above — reached 297 million by the end of 2023, and the proportion of these individuals who have lost the ability to perform basic living tasks has risen in recent years. It’s estimated that 46 million elderly people will lose such abilities by 2035, with the number rising to 58 million by 2050.

    However, the number of certified nursing workers remains around 500,000, while the demand for such workers is estimated to be 10 million, according to state broadcaster China Central Television.

    Li Yanqing, a 28-year-old nursing worker in Shanghai, said the demand for nursing talent will continue to increase due to the growing elderly population. She pointed out that issues such as low social recognition, low pay, physically demanding work and unclear career advancement have caused many colleagues to quit in recent years.

    “I plan to get the official certificate of long-term care worker,” Li said.

    Fan Weidong, an official with the National Healthcare Security Administration, said at a recent news conference that the administration is working to establish a long-term care insurance system that alleviates the financial burden on individuals and families.

    “The implementation of long-term care insurance has created about 300,000 jobs and attracted approximately 60 billion yuan in social and industrial investment,” Fan said. “We will continue exploring ways to involve commercial healthcare insurance and social organizations in expanding coverage, and encourage local authorities and companies to develop smarter, more digitalized services for people with impaired living abilities.”

    MIL OSI China News –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump is now flagging tariffs on steel and aluminium. Can Albanese win an exemption for Australia?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    The Albanese government is set to mount a major effort to win an exemption from a proposed 25% tariff on steel and aluminium imports to the United States foreshadowed by President Donald Trump.

    Assuming Trump follows through on the move, it will put major pressure on the prime minister to match the success of the Turnbull government in 2018 when Trump put a 25% tariff on steel and a 10% tariff on aluminium in his first administration.

    Speaking to reporters travelling on Air Force One, Trump flagged he would make the tariff announcement on Monday (Washington time). He said the tariffs would start “almost immedciately” on all foreign steel and aluminium imports.

    The Australian government on Monday was scrambling to put together its response, although government sources insisted it was not surprised and was well prepared.

    Cabinet met on Monday morning where the Trump comments were presumably discussed.

    Trade Minister Don Farrell said on Monday:

    We have consistently made the case for free and fair trade, including access into the US market for Australian steel and aluminium.

    Our bilateral economic relationship is mutually beneficial – Australian steel and aluminium is creating thousands of good paying American jobs, and are key for our shared defence interests too.

    Sources said the government had been making representations on steel and aluminium for months.

    Last week, Farrell said he was seeking talks with incoming US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, but that would have to wait until he was confirmed.

    In the lobbying for special treatment, the government will stress that the US has a trade surplus with Australia.

    In 2023-24, the US imported about 240,000 tonnes of steel products from Australia, valued at US$250 million (A$400 million).

    US imports of Australian aluminium peaked in 2019 at about 270,000 tonnes and declined to around 83,000 in 2024. The three-year average imports from Australia were 167,000 tonnes per year, valued at US$496 million (A$791 million).

    Nationals leader David Littleproud said the issue was a test for Anthony Albanese and Australia’s ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd.

    Littleproud said:

    When you make disparaging comments about leaders in other parts of the world sometimes it comes back to bite you.

    And unfortunately it could be the Australian economy that gets the bite.

    This is a test to see whether Anthony Albanese’s previous remarks and Kevin Rudd’s previous remarks about President Trump has done this nation harm.

    Littleproud said if Rudd was “not the right person to have these discussions, then we should be mature enough as a country to send someone who can have those discussions to get that carveout”.

    Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has just returned from Washington.

    At a news conference there, he was asked whether Australia was concerned about direct reciprocal tariffs or a flow-on effect from them.

    Marles said:

    We obviously are engaging with the United States in respect of our bilateral relationship in respect to tariffs.

    We’ll obviously press Australia’s interest in our case in respect of that. But none of this is a surprise. We know what President Trump’s platform was as he went into the American election.

    He’s been very clear about his policy direction. And so I think we all understand that is going to see changes in American policy in relation to this. From an Australian point of view, we will continue to press the Australian case around the question of trade.

    Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Trump is now flagging tariffs on steel and aluminium. Can Albanese win an exemption for Australia? – https://theconversation.com/trump-is-now-flagging-tariffs-on-steel-and-aluminium-can-albanese-win-an-exemption-for-australia-249476

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: State-Owned Enterprise Reform Handbook

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    The publication looks at the fiscal governance of SOEs that play a key role in sectors such as energy, finance, transportation, and water, addresses restructuring, and considers ways to better compete against the private sector. Focused on policymakers, regulators, and SOE managers, it looks at privatization’s risks and benefits, widening access to finance, and improving the transparency and efficiency of the organizations that are central to the region’s green transition.

    MIL OSI Economics –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Cook Islands crisis: Haka with the taniwha or dance with the dragon?

    The Cook Islands finds itself in a precarious dance — one between the promises of foreign investments and the integrity of our own sovereignty. As the country sways between partners China and Aotearoa New Zealand, the Cook Islands News asks: “Do we continue to haka with the Taniwha, our constitutional partner, or do we dance with the dragon?”

    EDITORIAL: By Thomas Tarurongo Wynne, Cook Islands News

    Our relationship with China, forged through over two decades of diplomatic agreements, infrastructure projects and economic cooperation, demands further scrutiny. Do we continue to embrace the dragon with open arms, or do we stand wary?

    And what of the Taniwha, a relationship now bruised by the ego of the few but standing the test of time?

    If our relationship with China were a building, it would be crumbling like the very structures they have built for us. The Cook Islands Police Headquarters (2005) was meant to stand as a testament to our growing diplomatic and financial ties, but its foundations — both literal and metaphorical — have been called into question as its structure deteriorated.

    COOK ISLANDS NEWS

    Then, in 2009, the Cook Islands Courthouse followed, plagued by maintenance issues almost immediately after its completion. Our National Stadium, also built in 2009 for the Pacific Mini Games, was heralded as a great achievement, yet signs of premature wear and tear began surfacing far earlier than expected.

    Still, we continue this dance, entranced by the allure of foreign investment and large-scale projects, even as history and our fellow Pacific partners across the moana warn us of the risks.

    These structures, now symbols of our fragile dependence, stand as a metaphor for our relationship with the dragon: built with promises of strength, only to falter under closer scrutiny. And yet, we keep returning to the dance floor. These projects, rather than standing as enduring monuments to our relationship with China, serve as cautionary tales.

    And then came Te Mato Vai.

    What began as a bold and necessary vision to modernise Rarotonga’s water infrastructure became a slow and painful lesson in accountability. The involvement of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) saw the project mired in substandard work, legal disputes and cost overruns.

    By the time McConnell Dowell, a New Zealand firm, was brought in to fix the defects, the damage — financial and reputational — was done.

    Prime Minister Mark Brown, both as Finance Minister and now as leader, has walked an interesting line between criticism and praise.

    In 2017, he voiced concerns about the poor workmanship and assured the nation that the government would seek accountability, stating, “We are deeply concerned about the quality of work delivered by CCECC. Our people deserve better, and we will pursue all avenues to ensure accountability.”

    In 2022, he acknowledged the cost overruns but framed them as necessary lessons in securing a reliable water supply. And yet, most recently, during the December 2024 visit of China’s Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, he declared Te Mato Vai a “commitment to a stronger, healthier, and more resilient nation. Together, we’ve delivered a project that not only meets the needs of today but safeguards the future of Rarotonga’s water supply.”

    The Cook Islands’ relationship with New Zealand has long been one of deep familial, historical and political ties — a dance with the taniwha, if you will. As a nation with free association status, we have relied on New Zealand for economic support, governance frameworks and our shared citizenship ties.

    And they have relied on our labour and expertise, which adds over a billion dollars to their economy each year. We have well-earned our discussion around citizenship and statehood, but that must come from the ground up, not from the top down.

    China has signed similar agreements across the Pacific, most notably with the Solomon Islands, weaving itself into the region’s economic and political fabric. Yet, while these partnerships promise opportunity, they also raise concerns about sovereignty, dependency and the price of such alignments, as well as the geopolitical and strategic footprint of the dragon.

    But as we reflect on the shortcomings of these partnerships, the question remains: Do we continue to place our trust in foreign powers, or do we reinvest in our own community and governance systems?

    At the end of the day, we must ask ourselves: How do we sign bold agreements on the world stage without consultation, while struggling to resolve fundamental issues at home?

    Healthcare, education, the rise in crime, mental health, disability, poverty — the list goes on and on, while our leaders are wined and dined on state visits around the globe.

    Dance with the dragon, if you so choose, but save the last dance for the voting public in 2026. In 2026, the voters will decide who leads this dance and who gets left behind.

    Republished from the Cook Islands News with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s CPI growth accelerates in January on holiday spending

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Customers select fruit at a supermarket in Xinle, north China’s Hebei Province, Jan. 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China’s consumer inflation rose faster in January, driven by a surging demand for travel, dining and shopping during the Spring Festival holiday, the country’s most celebrated festival.

    China’s consumer price index (CPI), a main inflation gauge, was up 0.5 percent year on year in January, up from a 0.1 percent increase in December, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Sunday.

    NBS statistician Dong Lijuan attributed the year-on-year CPI rise to higher service and food prices during the holiday and a rebound in gasoline prices.

    In breakdown, service prices rose 1.1 percent year on year last month, while food prices climbed 0.4 percent.

    On a monthly basis, the CPI expanded 0.7 percent in January, with service prices accounting for more than half of the overall CPI increase, contributing about 0.37 percentage points.

    The core CPI, which excludes food and energy prices, rose 0.6 percent from a year ago in January, up from a 0.4 percent increase in December 2024.

    The holiday economy remained strong, with tourism and consumer spending hitting record highs. According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, China saw a record 501 million domestic tourist trips during the eight-day holiday, which concluded on Tuesday, up 5.9 percent year on year.

    Tourist spending reached a record high of over 677 billion yuan (94.42 billion U.S. dollars), a 7 percent increase from the previous year.

    Meanwhile, key retail and catering enterprises tracked by the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) reported a 4.1 percent year-on-year rise in sales during the holiday, reflecting steady consumer momentum.

    The holiday consumer market was vibrant and thriving, with a strong momentum in service consumption, MOC spokesperson He Yongqian told a press conference on Thursday.

    To stimulate domestic demand and support economic recovery, China launched a major program in 2024 to promote large-scale equipment upgrades and consumer goods trade-ins. This program encourages factories to replace old machines with more advanced ones, while individual consumers can enjoy subsidies on automobiles, home appliances and more.

    Fueled by these policies and festive consumer enthusiasm, spending on food, festive goods, and smart home appliances was particularly robust during the Spring Festival holiday. Sales of home appliances and communication devices at key retailers tracked by the MOC rose by over 10 percent year on year.

    As the policy promoting trade-ins for consumer goods continues to expand and various consumption-boosting activities unfold, the consumer market is expected to maintain steady growth in the first quarter, He added.

    Sunday’s data also showed the country’s producer price index (PPI), which measures costs for goods at the factory gate, went down 2.3 percent year on year in January, flat with that in December last year. On a month-on-month basis, the PPI dropped 0.2 percent in January.

    Dong attributed the decrease to the off-season industrial production during the holiday period.

    Analysts forecast that driven by proactive macroeconomic policies and the steady recovery of domestic demand, the CPI and PPI are expected to sustain their moderate rebound throughout 2025.

    MIL OSI China News –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Canadian disruptor, Questrade, introduces $0 trade commissions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Feb. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Questrade (www.questrade.com) — Canada’s #1 rated¹ online brokerage — eliminates trading commissions on its platforms, further empowering Canadians. 

    “We are continuing our tradition of disrupting the industry,” said Edward Kholodenko, president and CEO, Questrade. “We believe Canadians should keep more of their money, and $0 commissions, coupled with our industry-leading platform, will help them do just that – whether they are just starting out or are highly sophisticated traders.” 

    The new $0 pricing, which is now live, will allow Questrade customers to trade Canadian and U.S. listed equities and ETFs commission-free, with options as low as 75¢ per contract².

    Because news this big needed a launch to match, Questrade partnered with actor Gabriel Macht. Known for portraying characters who “get theirs,” Gabriel introduces Canadians to the idea of $0 commissions being the way for you to finally “Get Yours.” Macht says, “I really respect what Questrade stands for as a brand, to me the partnership was the perfect fit.”

    Questrade, a 100% Canadian-owned independent brokerage, has a long history of providing value to Canadians. It was first to reduce trading fees to $9.95, when most brokerages charged $30 or more. Then, Questrade introduced the $4.95 stock trade, and shook things up again with stock trading for as little as one cent per share. 

    However, the company’s innovation isn’t just its pricing. On top of $0 commissions, Questrade has an unmatched suite of offerings, such as: 

    • Being the first Canadian broker to offer the First Home Savings Account (FHSA), helping customers save for a home faster
    • Award-winning customer service³
    • Edge platforms for advanced traders, available on mobile, web, and desktop  
    • Complex order types, such as multi-leg options
    • Seamless integration with 30+ platforms, including TradingView and Passiv
    • Lower fees for better returns with Questwealth Portfolios⁴
    • Free U.S. dollar (USD) accounts

    “We are obsessed with helping our customers build a better financial future – that’s our mission,” said Kholodenko. 

    Awards and Recognition

    About Questrade

    Questrade, Inc. (“Questrade”) is changing the Canadian financial services industry by leveraging technology to lower fees while providing a viable alternative to traditional financial investment options, thereby allowing Canadians to Keep More of their Money. As a leader and innovator in financial services, Questrade is a trusted ally that advocates for consumers, focused on improving value. With 25 years of challenging the status quo as one of Canada’s leading, non-bank online brokerages and over $50 billion in assets under administration, Questrade and its affiliates provide financial products and services, including securities and foreign currency investments. For more information, visit www.questrade.com or on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) @Questrade. Questrade, Inc. is a registered investment dealer, a member of the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO), and a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF). Questrade is a wholly owned subsidiary of Questrade Financial Group Inc.

    ¹MoneySense 2024

    ²For options trades placed online through the Questrade, Inc. website or mobile apps, the base commission has been reduced to 0.99¢ per contract. The per contract rate for online options trading is further reduced to 0.75¢ if subscribed to an active trader plan.

    ³In 2025, Questrade was awarded the DALBAR Seal of Service Excellence for the seventh consecutive year. The recognition is given to firms across the financial services industry that demonstrate standout customer service and an exceptional standard of care, including telephone interactions and service delivery.

    ⁴Questrade.com/questwealth-portfolios

    Media Contact

    For more information, contact Susan Willemsen at The Siren Group Inc. Tel: 416-461-1567 or M: 416-402-4880, or email: susan@thesirengroup.com.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6df3f9c6-5c49-4b13-b3c7-48bef6f963de

    The MIL Network –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: NZ households will be slightly worse off if Trump triggers a trade war – new modelling

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Niven Winchester, Professor of Economics, Auckland University of Technology

    Getty Images

    Donald Trump has already made good on his threat to impose an additional 10% tax on Chinese goods, and is due to announce a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminium imports into the United States.

    While he has paused proposed 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports for the time being, a trade war between the US and the rest of the world remains a real possibility.

    Mexico, Canada and China responded to Trump’s tariff plans by drafting retaliatory tariffs and countermeasures. But Trump’s threatened tariffs extend well beyond North America and China.

    During his 2024 election campaign he said all trading nations could expect similar treatment, and he explicitly stated his intention to target the European Union (EU):

    They don’t take our cars, they don’t take our farm products, they take almost nothing and we take everything from them. Millions of cars, tremendous amounts of food and farm products.

    While it’s true the EU exports more to the US than it imports, it’s simplistic to use bilateral trade balances as a gauge of the overall economic benefits. International trade allows countries to concentrate on producing the goods and services they do well, and to exchange them for ones more costly to produce domestically.

    Ultimately, trade allows everyone to consume more. A trade war therefore makes nations worse off: tariffs divert trade flows and reduce the exchange of goods. And, of course, this filters down to affect ordinary household incomes.

    Households worse off

    The impact of a trade war on any given country will depend on several factors, including the share of a nation’s exports exposed to new tariffs, and the importance of trade to each economy.

    Small countries tend to trade more than large ones because they specialise in producing a relatively small number of goods, and rely on trade to consume a variety of products.

    To quantify the impacts of a trade war, I consider a scenario where the US imposes additional tariffs of 25% on all merchandise imports (the figure Trump has consistently used), and all other countries respond with similar tariffs on US goods.

    I simulate the tariffs in a global model of production, trade and consumption similar to that used by the New Zealand Productivity Commission’s inquiry into improving economic resilience. The model uses input-output tables that describe production of 32 commodities in each country, and data on bilateral trade in each commodity between nations.

    National-level impacts are measured by calculating the equivalent impact on aggregate household income. This metric converts the effects from the tariffs – including changes in product prices, wages and business profits – into changes in household income.

    In New Zealand, the trade war decreases aggregate household income by 0.1% or NZ$322 million per year. Divided among the country’s nearly two million households, this means each household is worse off by NZ$163 per year.

    Global income declines

    The impacts of the simulated trade war are larger in North America. It decreases US annual aggregate household income by 1.5%, which equates to US$262 billion, or US$2,963 per household.

    In Canada and Mexico, for which the US is both a major export market and source of imports, average household income decreases by 3.6% (US$2,963) and 4.6% (US$1,192), respectively, each year.

    Across all nations, the tariff war results in an equivalent decrease in aggregate household income of 0.7% (US$414 billion) per year.

    The simulated tariff war also results in a reshuffling of trade. New Zealand merchandise exports to the US decrease by NZ$4.4 billion, but exports to other nations increase by a similar amount (due to their price advantage relative to US goods).

    Likewise, New Zealand merchandise imports from the US decrease by NZ$4.7 billion and imports from other nations increase by about the same amount. As a result, the trade war has little impact on New Zealand’s total exports and imports.

    Aggregate trade changes are largest in the US, which imposes new tariffs on all its imports and faces new tariffs in all export markets. US merchandise exports and imports both decrease by around US$565 billion (NZ$1 trillion).

    Overall, the modelling confirms the well known result that trade wars decrease global economic activity and routinely make all nations worse off.

    The Conversation

    Niven Winchester has previously received funding from the Productivity Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to estimate the impacts of potential trade policies. He is affiliated with Motu Economic & Public Policy Research.

    – ref. NZ households will be slightly worse off if Trump triggers a trade war – new modelling – https://theconversation.com/nz-households-will-be-slightly-worse-off-if-trump-triggers-a-trade-war-new-modelling-249120

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK-wide blitz on illegal working to strengthen border security

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Most successful January in over half a decade for Home Office Immigration Enforcement teams tackling illegal working.

    A record-breaking January for illegal working enforcement activity has been revealed by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper as the government’s landmark Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill returns to Parliament for its second reading, today (Monday 10 February).     

    Tackling illegal working plays a vital part in the Home Office’s system-wide approach to ending the promise of false jobs used by smuggling gangs to sell spaces on boats and taking down their business models as we restore order to the immigration system. 

    Following a drive from this government to have more deployable enforcement staff, a renewed crackdown on those attempting to undermine the UK’s borders last month saw the highest January in over half a decade for enforcement activity.   

    Throughout January alone, Immigration Enforcement teams descended on 828 premises, including nail bars, convenience stores, restaurants and car washes, marking a 48% rise compared to the previous January. Arrests also surged to 609, demonstrating a 73% increase from just 352 the previous year.    

    More broadly, between 5 July last year and 31 January, both illegal working visits and arrests have soared by around 38% compared to the same 12 months prior. During the same period, the Home Office issued a total of 1,090 civil penalty notices. Employers could face a fine of up to £60,000 per worker if found liable.   

    In many cases, those who come to the UK and end up working illegally are sold false promises about their ability to live and work in the UK, creating a dangerous draw for people to risk their lives by crossing the Channel on a small boat.  

    In reality, illegal working is inextricably linked to squalid living conditions, little to no pay and inhumane working hours. By paying so little, rogue employers often attempt to avoid paying their fair share in taxes to contribute to the economy and undercut honest competitors who follow the law.   

    Under its Plan for Change, the government is delivering steadfast action to restore order to the UK immigration system and the surge in enforcement activity to crack down on illegal working is a vital cog in the government’s wider machine to identify, disrupt and tackle irregular migration across the country.    

    Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:     

    The immigration rules must be respected and enforced. For far too long, employers have been able to take on and exploit illegal migrants and too many people have been able to arrive and work illegally with no enforcement action ever taken.

    Not only does this create a dangerous draw for people to risk their lives by crossing the Channel in a small boat, but it results in the abuse of vulnerable people, the immigration system and our economy.   

    That’s why, as part of our Plan for Change, we are boosting enforcement to record levels alongside tough new legislation to smash the criminal gangs that undermine our border security and who have been getting away with it for far too long.

    While enforcement teams respond to illegal working intelligence in all sectors, a significant proportion of last month’s activity took place at restaurants, takeaways and cafes as well as in the food, drink and tobacco industry.  

    An operation in Cheshire to vape shops led to 10 immigration arrests and 2 criminal arrests for counterfeit documents, with civil penalty referral notices being made to employers, and a visit to an Indian restaurant in Humberside led to 7 arrests and 4 detentions. Elsewhere, in South London, a visit to a grocery warehouse resulted in 6 arrests and 4 people being detained.  

    As part of this activity, Immigrant Enforcement play a critical safeguarding role, working closely with the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority and other organisations to allow employees to report labour exploitation.    

    Eddy Montgomery, Director of Enforcement, Compliance and Crime, said:     

    These figures demonstrate the commitment of my teams to crack down on those who think they can flout our immigration system.   

    I hope it sends a strong signal that there is no hiding place from the law, and we will continue to ramp up our activity to ensure those involved face the full consequences.   

    We also know that many people who end up working illegally are often subjected to extremely poor conditions, so we will continue to do all we can to safeguard and protect the most vulnerable.

    Border Security is central to the government’s Plan for Change and, alongside enforcement activity, the Home Office is ramping up returns of individuals with no right to be in the UK. Just last month, the department smashed its target to drive the removal of foreign criminals and immigration offenders to the highest level since 2018, with 16,400 people removed since the election. This figure is expected to go up later today when the Home Office publishes updated figures running to the end of January.  

    Since July, bespoke charter flights have also removed immigration offenders to countries around the world, including 4 of the biggest returns flights in the UK’s history carrying more than 800 people. Individuals removed since the election include criminals convicted of drug offences, theft, rape and murder.   

    We’re also working upstream to deter people from entering the UK illegally by launching a new international campaign to debunk people smugglers’ lies.  

    Social media adverts went live in Vietnam in December and Albania in January, highlighting real stories from migrants who entered the UK illegally, only to face debt, exploitation, and a life far from what they were promised. The campaign also warns prospective migrants about the realities of illegal working, as the government continues to crack down on employers who break the law and exploit people for profit. 

    In the months ahead, we will go further than ever by introducing new counter terror-style powers to identify, disrupt and smash people smuggling gangs as part of new, robust legislation to protect UK borders, set to be discussed in Parliament today.    

    The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill will grant law enforcement additional powers to take earlier and more effective action against organised crime gangs, including seizing mobile phones from people who come to the UK illegally before the point of arrest. 

    Next month, the government will go further by hosting a landmark Border Security Summit at the historic Lancaster House in London.   

    A watershed moment in the UK’s fight against Organised Immigration Crime, the summit will bring together delegates from over 40 countries, as well as guest participants from a range of international institutions, including the European Union.   

    The summit will be held on Monday 31 March and Tuesday 1 April, and will facilitate a range of discussions on the best ways to tackle criminal networks facilitating organised immigration crime and migrant smuggling.

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    Updates to this page

    Published 10 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Next steps for Te Anau Bird Sanctuary

    Source: Department of Conservation

    Date:  10 February 2025

    There have been some expressions of interest in the facility from other parties, and DOC will further investigate these opportunities alongside key stakeholders.

    Great South Southland Regional Development Agency will support DOC in the evaluation process given their involvement with Te Punanga Manu over the years.

    The sanctuary will keep operating as usual while alternative management options are explored further.

    The review found work at Te Punanga Manu, although important for conservation, is not critical to the advocacy or protection of the species it houses – and is therefore not considered high priority biodiversity work for DOC.

    The sanctuary also requires substantial investment in infrastructure and staffing to make it sustainable, says DOC’s Southern South Island Operations Director Aaron Fleming.

    “One example is the takahē enclosure, which needs significant investment, with 2023 costings sitting around $100,000.”

    DOC faces its own financial challenges and must prioritise its investment into conservation – which means it is not currently in a position to fund the upgrades needed at Te Anau Bird Sanctuary/Te Punanga Manu.

    “Locally DOC’s high priority biodiversity work also needs investment, such as critical infrastructure to maintain predator-free Fiordland islands that are home to critically endangered species, including kākāpō, tīeke and mohua,” says Aaron.

    “We know Te Punanga Manu is much loved by the Te Anau community and visitors alike, which is why alternative models to fund and operate the sanctuary will be considered.”

    Currently Te Punanga Manu holds a small number of South Island takahē, kōwhiowhio/blue duck, pāteke/brown teal and Antipodes Island kākāriki.

    “The well-being of manu will continue to come first no matter the outcome of the review,” says Aaron.

    “We will keep the community, sponsors and stakeholders informed as things develop.”

    Background information

    DOC started the review of Te Anau Bird Sanctuary/Te Punanga Manu o Te Anau (Te Punanga Manu) in June 2024 and completed it in October 2024. The review assessed its current condition, purpose and sustainability. The decision to withdraw from management was made in January 2025.

    Great South was established as the Southland Regional Development Agency in March 2019. Committed to driving economic, social and cultural growth, Great South has a clear mandate to leverage opportunities for Southland in the areas of economic and business development, tourism and events.

    For more information: About Us | Great South

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Stands with Federal Workers in Federal Buyout Challenge

    Source: US State of California

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a coalition of 21 state attorneys general, standing with the nation’s federal employees in a challenge to the Trump administration’s federal “buyout” plan. In today’s amicus brief, the attorneys general support a motion for a temporary restraining order filed by the plaintiffs—the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE); AFGE Local 3707; the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; and the National Association of Government Employees—against the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) “Fork in the Road” directive, issued on January 28, 2025. The directive is an attempt to force federal workers to choose, with only days to decide, between accepting a legally fraught “buyout” and potentially being terminated. It gave most federal employees little more than a week (until February 6) to accept “deferred resignation,” which purportedly would allow federal workers to resign and retain pay and benefits without showing up to work until September 30, 2025, under an implicit threat that their positions may otherwise be eliminated anyway.  

    “This much is clear: the Trump Administration continues to trample over the rights of workers,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Our federal employees provide necessary services that Americans rely on and contribute to our economy. At the California Department of Justice, we will continue to stand firm in our commitment to fighting for workers’ rights and the unions that support them.”

    The plaintiff unions filed suit in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, emphasizing that the directive and associated FAQs—which were revised multiple times—caused widespread confusion and disarray among federal employees, who were faced with an arbitrary deadline based on a directive that the plaintiff unions assert is illegal and contrary to federal ethics regulations. On February 6, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole, Jr., stayed the purported deadline of the “Fork directive” until Monday, February 10, 2025, with a hearing to be held at 2:00 p.m. that day in Boston.

    In today’s amicus brief, the attorneys general emphasized that the coercive nature of the directive to our Nation’s public servants harms the federal workforce.  The brief also explained that the indiscriminate loss of indispensable federal employees could have a devastating effect on federal, state, and local government, by improperly eliminating employees across the States who care for veterans to those who arrive when natural disaster strikes. The coalition urged the court to grant a temporary restraining order to prevent this harm to federal workers and to protect the public interest.

    Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia in filing this amicus brief. 

    A copy of the amicus brief can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Planning in process for John Renshaw Drive

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 10 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Regional Transport and Roads

    The Australian and New South Wales governments are investing $15 million to progress planning work that will help cut congestion, reduce travel times and improve road safety at a major Hunter traffic bottleneck. 

    Currently, motorists face major travel time delays when navigating the junction of the M1 Pacific Motorway, John Renshaw Drive, Weakleys Drive and New England Highway at Beresfield.

    These delays are driven by high traffic volumes, multiple traffic signals and a lack of road capacity.

    The John Renshaw Drive project is jointly funded by the Australian and NSW Governments, with the Australian Government providing $12 million and the NSW Government providing $3 million.

    The NSW Government will investigate upgrades to John Renshaw Drive including improvement options for the intersection of the M1 Motorway and Weakleys Drive; lane duplication of Weakleys Drive between Enterprise Drive and Canavan Drive; and access from Weakleys Drive to the New England Highway.

    Once designed and delivered, the upgrades will reduce travel times for motorists and make movement of freight more efficient along a key part of the regional freight network which connects to the Port of Newcastle and Newcastle Airport.

    Further traffic and economic modelling is being conducted to confirm what the proposed upgrades will include and the final design. 

    Timelines for construction will be dependent on further funding and planning approvals.

    More information about the project is available here: https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/jrdup

    Quotes attributable to Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:

    “These upgrades to John Renshaw Drive will improve safety and traffic flow for better travel times and more reliable trips, especially during peak periods.

    “It will help meet current and future traffic demands in the area, as well as support the development of the proposed industrial areas and broader regional economy.”

    Quotes attributable to NSW Regional Transport and Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison:

    “John Renshaw Drive is a key connector between Maitland, Newcastle, Cessnock, Wallsend and the Upper Hunter.

    “Upgrades to John Renshaw Drive will support the development of proposed industrial areas as well as the broader regional economy by providing more efficient access for commuters and heavy freight between the Lower and Upper Hunter and to key regional employment areas such as the Port of Newcastle and Newcastle Airport.

    “This incredibly important planning is one of several projects, including M1 to Raymond Terrace and Hexham Straight Widening, we are undertaking to address current and predicted traffic growth at the critical strategic junction of the M1 Motorway, Pacific and New England highways.”

    Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson:

    “The Australian and NSW governments are proud to be getting the ball rolling on upgrading John Renshaw Drive & Weakleys Drive which will improve connectivity, road transport efficiency and safety for many motorists.

    “We are planning for a more reliable, less congested road network in one of the fastest growing areas of NSW. This is essential for local residents in and across Maitland, Thornton and Beresfield.  We need better infrastructure and to build greater capacity in the network where it links to the M1 Pacific Motorway”

    Quotes attributable to State Member for Wallsend Sonia Hornery:

    “This area of the Hunter is growing rapidly which is why we need to ensure our infrastructure is up to shape.

    “I’m looking forward to seeing solutions which will ensure the best possible road network for our regional travellers while also minimising traffic delays for our local commuters.”

    MIL OSI News –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Increased funds to address gender-based violence in South Australia

    Source: Ministers for Social Services

    10 February 2025

    Joint with:

    The Hon Amanda Rishworth MP
    Minister for Social Services 
    Minister for National Disability Insurance Scheme

    The Hon Katrine Hildyard MP
    Minister for Child Protection
    Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence
    State Member for Reynell

    The Albanese Labor Government has secured another renewed five-year National Partnership Agreement on Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Responses with the South Australian Malinauskas Labor Government.

    Working in partnership to deliver shared goals aimed at ending gender-based violence in one generation, the renewed National Partnership will see South Australia receive an additional $26.109 million in funding from the Commonwealth commencing 1 July 2025, to deliver vital services in the sector.

    This funding is being matched by $26.11 million in funding from the South Australian Government, indexed over the next five years.

    The new commitment brings the total Commonwealth allocation of National Partnership funding to $52.98 million for South Australia since 2022.

    Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth, says all levels of Government must be working together to achieve the goals in the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032.

    “Ending gender-based violence is the responsibility of everyone, and it is vital that we work collaboratively with our state government partners to deliver the best outcomes for all Australians,” Minister Rishworth said.

    “This partnership guarantees longer term funding and continues our ongoing collaboration with states and territories to assist frontline services and equip them with the tools to deliver quality supports for victim-survivors of gender-based violence.”

    Across all jurisdictions, the renewed National Partnership will deliver $700 million in new, matched investments from the Commonwealth and states and territories, supporting frontline FDSV services, including specialist services for women and children exposed to FDSV, and men’s behaviour change programs.

    South Australia’s Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, Katrine Hildyard said “2025 is a landmark year as we work to help prevent the horrific prevalence of violence against women and girls with our Royal Commission providing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape how our state tackles this devastating issue”

    “This partnership demonstrates how determined our State and Commonwealth Governments are to act and put the best possible systems in place – to prevent violence before it starts, tackle perpetrator behaviour, shift attitudes and provide the best possible support to survivors” Minister Hildyard said.

    More information on the National Partnership Agreement is available on the Federal Financial Relations website.

    If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence, you can call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or visit www.1800respect.org.au for online chat and video call services:

    • Available 24/7: Call, text or online chat
    • Mon-Fri, 9am – midnight AEST (except national public holidays): Video call (no appointment needed) 

    If you are concerned about your behaviour or use of violence, you can contact the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491 or visit www.ntv.org.au or Don’t Become That Man – operated by OARS in South Australia, Monday to Friday 2pm to 7pm – call 1300 24 34 13 or visit https://www.dontbecomethatman.org.au/

    Feeling worried or no good? Connect with 13YARN Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporters on 13 92 76, available 24/7 from any mobile or pay phone, or visit www.13yarn.org.au No shame, no judgement, safe place to yarn.

    MIL OSI News –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: HKETO, Brussels hosts receptions in Türkiye and Italy to celebrate Chinese New Year (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    HKETO, Brussels hosts receptions in Türkiye and Italy to celebrate Chinese New Year (with photos)
    HKETO, Brussels hosts receptions in Türkiye and Italy to celebrate Chinese New Year (with photos)
    ******************************************************************************************

         The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (HKETO, Brussels) hosted Chinese New Year receptions in Istanbul and Izmir, Türkiye respectively on January 30 and 31, followed by Milan, Italy on February 6, to carry on its series of celebration activities for the Year of the Snake.            The Special Representative for Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union, Ms Shirley Yung emphasised in her welcoming remarks at the reception in Istanbul that Hong Kong remained as the prime gateway and super connector between China and the rest of the world, with our distinctive advantages under “One Country, Two Systems”.            “As an international financial, trade and shipping centre, and international hub for high caliber talents, we welcome more investors, innovators, start-ups and talents to make Hong Kong your partner and base for grapping the opportunities at both regional and global levels,” said Ms Yung.           Ms Yung highlighted that Hong Kong’s appeal as a global destination continues to grow. She also shared the good news of the reduction in liquor tax, and encouraged enterprises to take Hong Kong as a hub for global wine and liquor trade.            “We invite you to visit Hong Kong and indulge in its tempting gastronomic experience, complemented by high-quality wines and liquors,” added Ms Yung.            HKETO, Brussels took the opportunity to showcase Hong Kong’s unique East-meets-West culture. A cross-media performance fused with Chinese kung-fu, modern electronic music, comic and animation inspired by Hong Kong action movies was presented by the Hong Kong Arts Centre (Comix Home Base), showcasing the innovation and creativity of young artists in Hong Kong. The guests attending the reception in Milan were greeted by a delightful mix of Italian opera aria and Cantonese songs performed by an ensemble of talented Hong Kong musicians.           The receptions in Istanbul, Izmir and Milan brought together 400 guests, including officials from national governments, consulates and embassies, financial and business sectors, academia, cultural and creative sectors, media and the Chinese community, in Türkiye and Italy to mark the enduring friendship with Hong Kong. They were co-organised with Invest Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

     
    Ends/Monday, February 10, 2025Issued at HKT 3:30

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Raksha Mantri to inaugurate Aero India 2025 at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru on February 10, 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Raksha Mantri to inaugurate Aero India 2025 at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru on February 10, 2025

    Showcasing air power, cutting-edge innovations & potential new global collaborations, the five-day event to provide thrust to the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047

    Aero India 2025 will advance our vision of a strong, capable, secure & self-reliant India: Shri Rajnath Singh

    Participation of over 900 exhibitors & 90 countries set to make it the biggest-ever Aero India till date; Approx. 30 Defence Ministers & over 100 OEMs to attend

    Domestic defence production expected to cross Rs 1.60 lakh crore by 2025-26, with exports touching Rs 30,000 crore mark: RM

    Posted On: 09 FEB 2025 6:21PM by PIB Delhi

    The 15th edition of Aero India, Asia’s biggest aerospace and defence exhibition, will be inaugurated by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru, Karnataka on February 10, 2025. With the broad theme of ‘The Runway to a Billion Opportunities’, the five-day extravaganza will showcase India’s aerial prowess and indigenous cutting-edge innovations alongside state-of-the-art products of global aerospace companies. In line with ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ vision, the event will also provide a stage to forge international collaborations to fast-track the indigenisation process, thereby providing a thrust to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi-led Government’s resolve of making the country Viksit Bharat by 2047.

    Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on the eve of the event, Raksha Mantri described Aero India as a crucial platform, which will drive forward the Government’s vision of a strong, capable India, secure and self-reliant India. “Aero India is a platform that showcases the strength, resilience, and self-reliance of New India. It is not just crucial for India’s defence preparedness, but it also plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of our nation. It will demonstrate our defence capabilities and forge global partnerships. Our goal is to enhance collaboration in areas of common interest with our friendly nations, fostering deeper cooperation and shared progress. The event is not just a showcase of technology and innovation, but will also serve as a source of inspiration for our youth, fostering scientific temperament and a spirit of innovation,” he said.

    Organised in a total area of over 42,000 sq m and with the confirmed participation of over 900 exhibitors, including 150 foreign companies, the event is set to be the biggest-ever Aero India till date. Shri Rajnath Singh termed the participation of more than 90 countries as a testament to the growing global confidence in India’s aerospace and defence capabilities. “Defence ministers or representatives from about 30 countries have come to participate in this event. The presence of Air Chiefs and Secretaries from 43 countries further highlights the significance of this event – not just for India, but for the entire international defence community,” he said.

    Highlighting the transformation of the defence and aerospace sector in the recent years, Raksha Mantri asserted that, today, India is not only capable of designing and developing major platforms and equipment within India, it has also successfully established a vast supply chain within the country. “Advanced platforms like Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, Light Combat Helicopter Prachand and C-295 Transport Aircraft are now being produced in India. We have also taken a firm resolve to manufacture fifth-generation fighter aircraft within the country. From the advanced variants of the Agni missile, the Astra missile system, and the Pinaka missile system to the cutting-edge Hypersonic missile system and the Akash air defence system, we have built numerous success stories. These achievements have played a crucial role in strengthening our defence sector, making India more self-reliant and secure,” he said.

    Shri Rajnath Singh added that post corporatisation of Ordnance Factory Board, the newly formed companies have started performing exceptionally well in defence production. “Under a well-considered and well-developed plan, we have actively worked to empower the private sector in the defence and aerospace industries. Today, India has a thriving private defence industry that has firmly established itself and is making significant contributions to our national security,” he said.

    Raksha Mantri expressed confidence that defence production, having crossed the record figure of Rs 1.27 lakh crore, will exceed Rs 1.60 lakh crore by the end of 2025-26. Defence exports, which touched the record figure of Rs 21,000 crore, he said, will surpass Rs 30,000 crore.

    Shri Rajnath Singh underlined the crucial role being played by the defence industrial sector in making India an economic super power. He stated that any breakthrough in the defence sector not only strengthens national security, but also impacts the economy. Technologies developed for defence applications promote innovation in the civil sector as well, leading to employment generation and economic development, he said. He termed Aero India a significant driver of economic strength, contributing to the overall growth and development of the economy. He expressed confidence that Aero India will be remembered as a historic milestone in India’s journey towards becoming a global leader in the aerospace and defence sector.

    The 15thAero India will be held between 10thand 14thFebruary 2025. February 10thto 12thhave been reserved as business days, with 13th& 14thset as public days for people to witness the show. The event comprises Defence Ministers’ Conclave; CEOs Roundtable; inauguration of India & iDEX Pavilions; Manthan iDEX event; Samarthya Indigenisation event; Valedictory function; seminars; breath-taking airshows and an exhibition of aerospace companies.

    Defence Ministers’ Conclave

    With the aim to strengthen defence cooperation with friendly nations amidst a rapidly-evolving global security landscape, Raksha Mantri will host the Defence Ministers’ Conclave on February 11 in hybrid mode. The theme this year ‘Building Resilience through International Defence and Global Engagement (BRIDGE)’ underscores the importance of supply chain resilience and strategic collaboration in defence.

    The last edition witnessed the participation of 27 Defence Ministers and Deputy Defence Ministers alongside 15 Defence & Service Chiefs and 12 Permanent Secretaries. This year, the participation has expanded as representatives from more than 80 countries are likely to participate in the conclave. Approx. 30 Defence Ministers in addition to Defence/Service Chiefs and Permanent Secretaries from friendly nations will attend the event.

    The conclave will provide a crucial platform to address key aspects such as Defence capacity building through investment, joint ventures & co-production, Collaboration in R&D, training & technological advancements in AI & space, Maritime security cooperation and strategic partnerships.

    CEOs Roundtable

    CEOs Roundtable 2025 will be chaired by Raksha Mantri on February 10, on the theme ‘Enabling Defence Cooperation through Global Engagement (EDGE)’. Over 100 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) have confirmed their participation in the event. These include 55 from 19 countries (USA, France, Russia, South Korea, UK, Japan, Israel & Brazil etc), 35 Indian (Larsen & Toubro, Bharat Forge Ltd, Adani Defence & Aerospace, Mahindra Defence Systems Ltd, BrahMos Aerospace & Ashok Leyland Defence) and 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs). Shri Rajnath Singh had addressed over 73 CEOs of 28 Foreign OEMs and 45 Indian OEMs in the 2023 edition of the event.

    Major foreign OEMs including Airbus (France), Ultra Maritime (USA), GNT (South Korea), John Cockerill Defence (UK), Mitsubishi (Japan), Rafael Advance Defence System (Israel), Safran (France) and Liebherr Aerospace (France) are expected to highlight their future plans, Joint Ventures, collaborations, partnerships with Indian companies for production of spares parts, development of aero-engines, setting up of Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) facilities and establishment of R&D facilities etc.

    India Pavilion

    The India Pavilion will provide an opportunity to Indian Defence Industries to showcase their design, development, innovation and manufacturing capabilities. It will be inaugurated by Raksha Mantri on February 10. The grandeur show at India Pavilion would signify the ‘Flight of Self-Reliance’ which encapsulates India’s journey towards becoming a global aerospace and defence powerhouse.

    India Pavilion will be divided into five distinct zones displaying indigenous capabilities in aero aviation, land aviation and naval aviation, def-space and niche technologies domains.  More than 275 exhibits will be at display through various mediums, represented by complete defence ecosystem of the country which includes DPSUs, design houses, private corporates including MSMEs and start-ups. The Central Area exhibits will include a striking display of marquee platforms including Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, Combat Air Teaming System, Twin-Engine Deck-Based Fighter.

    iDEX Pavilion

     The iDEX Pavilion will be inaugurated by Raksha Mantri on February 10. It will showcase cutting-edge indigenously developed products and technologies, marking a significant milestone in India’s defence innovation journey. Leading innovators will display their indigenously-developed products spanning a wide-range of advanced domains including Aerospace, DefSpace, Aero Structures, Anti-drone systems, Autonomous Systems, Robotics, Communication, Cybersecurity, Surveillance & Tracking, Unmanned Ground Vehicles etc. The Pavilion will also feature a dedicated section highlighting the winners of Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) scheme, showcasing their ground-breaking work in critical and niche technologies.

    iDEX has successfully onboarded over 600 start-ups and MSMEs, marking a significant milestone in fostering innovation. Furthermore, 40 prototypes developed under iDEX have received official clearance for procurement, with 31 procurement contracts worth Rs 1,560 crore already signed.

    Manthan

    Manthan 2025, the flagship annual defence innovation event, will be graced by Raksha Mantri on February 12. Organised by Innovations for Defence Excellence – Defence Innovation Organisation (iDEX-DIO), the event will bring together stakeholders of the defence innovation ecosystem including innovators, industry leaders, academia, incubators, investors, thought leaders, senior government officials etc.

    Manthan will deliberate on emerging challenges and opportunities in the sector, with a focus on supporting defence start-ups and MSMEs, enhancing innovation capabilities, and fostering strategic collaborations within the defence ecosystem. It stands as a testament to the scale and speed of iDEX, showcasing the rapid strides made in defence innovation and the pivotal role of start-ups in transforming India’s defence capabilities.

    Samarthya

    On the success story of indigenisation and innovation in the defence sector, an Indigenisation event on the theme ‘SAMARTHYA’ will be held on February 12 alongside the Valedictory function which will be graced by Raksha Mantri. This event is first-of-its-kind during Aero India, as it will showcase India’s indigenous ingenuity in defence manufacturing by demonstrating some of the major items indigenised by DPSUs, DRDO and Services with the involvement of the private sector.

    Bilateral Meetings

    Bilateral meetings at the levels of Raksha Mantri/Raksha Rajya Mantri/Chief of Defence Staff/Service Chiefs/Defence Secretary/Secretary (Defence Production) will take place on the sidelines of Aero India 2025.

    Seminars

    A number of seminars on a variety of topics will be organised as part of Aero India 2025. On February 11, Raksha Mantri is scheduled to address a seminar organised by the Indian Air Force on the theme ‘Manned Unmanned teams for Aerial Warfare – concept to targeting’ and another organised by DRDO on the theme ‘DRDO Industry Synergy towards Viksit Bharat’.

    Other seminars on the themes – Mission DefSpace: From Vision to Reality – A Progress Report; Indigenous Development of Aerospace Materials: Strengthening India’s Self-Reliance; Transition to Aatmanirbhar Indian Naval Aviation 2047 and its associated ecosystem; Transformation of Maritime Aviation by Adopting Technological trends and Indigenisation; Aligning Technologies to Future Conflicts; and Investment Opportunities for Aerospace & Defence Manufacturers in Karnataka – will also be held as part of the event.

    Historic First – Su-57 and F-35 at Aero India

    For the first time in history, Aero India 2025 will witness the participation of two of the world’s most advanced fifth-generation fighter aircraft – the Russian Su-57 and the American F-35 Lightning II. It marks a milestone in global defence collaboration and technological advancement, offering aviation enthusiasts and defence experts an unparalleled prospect to witness these state-of-the-art warplanes.

     

    • Su-57: Russia’s premier stealth multirole fighter is designed for superior air superiority and strike capabilities. Equipped with advanced avionics, supercruise capability, and stealth technology, it is making its debut at Aero India 2025. Visitors can expect high-speed aerial manoeuvres and tactical demonstrations that highlight the fighter’s agility, stealth and firepower.

     

    • F-35 Lightning II: The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, the most widely-deployed fifth-generation fighter, integrates advanced stealth, unparalleled situational awareness and networked combat capabilities. Its presence at Aero India 2025 will enable visitors to witness the flagship of US Air Force.

     

    The inclusion of both the Su-57 and F-35 highlights India’s position as a key hub for international defence and aerospace collaboration. Aero India 2025 will provide a rare side-by-side comparison of Eastern and Western fifth-generation fighter technology, offering defence analysts, military personnel and aviation enthusiasts valuable insights into their respective capabilities.

     

    Visitor-Friendly Experience

    With key infrastructure upgrades and improved amenities, Aero India 2025 promises to be bigger, smoother and more visitor-friendly than ever before.

     

    • Enhanced Infrastructure & Traffic Management: Recognising past challenges, extensive improvements have been made to facilitate seamless entry, movement and connectivity and there has been close coordination between Ministry of Defence, Indian Air Force (IAF), various arms of Karnataka State Government like Bengaluru Traffic Police, BBMP, NHAI, and Namma Metro. Approach roads have been widened to optimise traffic flow around Air Force Station Yelahanka so as to ease congestion and improve movement around the venue.

     

    • Security and Emergency Preparedness: Red drone zones have been designated and published with countermeasures in place to tackle unauthorised drone activity. Rapid Mobile Units will be deployed strategically to provide quick assistance and emergency support. Continuous mock drills with multiple agencies are being conducted to ensure practical and implementable contingency plans.

     

    • Exhibitor & Visitor Experience Enhancements: To enhance the experience for exhibitors and business delegates, the exhibition area has been revamped with several key upgrades:

     

    • Expanded and better-ventilated exhibition halls to accommodate more exhibitors and visitors comfortably.
    • Improved seating and rest zones throughout the venue.
    • Additional food courts and refreshment kiosks, including Indira Canteens (at parking areas).
    • Lost and found counters and ATM kiosks for visitor convenience.
    • Multiple water points, medical aid posts, and a dedicated cardiac aid post for emergencies, including medical evacuation.

     

    • Multi-Layered Security Measures: Ensuring the safety of all attendees, a multi-layered security system is being deployed in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Bengaluru Police, CISF, and Intelligence Agencies. Measures include:

     

    • Enhanced security protocols and faster access control.
    • An operational Command and Control Centre for real-time responses to security concerns.
    • 24/7 CCTV monitoring for situational awareness.
    • Dedicated screening zones for visitors, exhibitors, and VIPs.
    • Disaster management and fire safety committees to handle emergencies.

     

    • Connectivity & Digital Infrastructure: To address connectivity challenges, all telecom service providers are deploying temporary mobile towers and network boosters for uninterrupted communication. A dedicated Aero India 2025 mobile app has also been launched which will provide live updates, navigation assistance, and event scheduling. Secure digital communication channels have also been established for coordination among agencies. Additionally, provisions have been made to support increased electricity demands during the event while ensuring safety.

     

    • Airspace Management & Demonstrations: Aero India demonstrations and aircraft movements are a major highlight of Aero India 2025. In coordination with AAI and HAL, the Indian Air Force has structured a dedicated Airspace management plan including:

     

    • Temporary flight restrictions around Aero India Force Station Yelahanka to maintain safety during scheduled demonstrations.
    • Strategic Aircraft parking and refuelling plans for domestic and international participants.

     

    • Business and Innovation Support: The Aero India provides a platform for collaborations and to facilitate B2B, G2B interactions and hosting roundtable discussions to showcase technological advancements. Special focus will be given to supporting start-ups and MSMEs by providing them with a global platform to present indigenous innovations.

     

    • Sustainability Initiatives: Aero India 2025 is committed to sustainability and has incorporated several eco-friendly measures in its conduct like:

     

    • Reduced vehicle movement to minimise pollution and enhance pedestrian comfort.
    • Exclusive use of more than 100 E Karts for movement of visitors in the exhibition venue.
    • Comprehensive waste management, including increased recycling bins, waste segregation zones, and timely disposal of waste.

     

    With these multi-agency collaborations, Aero India 2025 is set to be one of the most well-coordinated and better organised editions to date.

     

    Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth, Chief of Defence Staff & Secretary, Department of Military Affairs General Anil Chauhan, Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka Dr Shalini Rajneesh, Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat, other senior officials of Ministry of Defence and industry leaders attended the curtain raiser press conference.

    *******

    VK/SR/SPS/Savvy

    (Release ID: 2101170) Visitor Counter : 115

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Pariksha Pe Charcha

    Source: Government of India

    Pariksha Pe Charcha

    Empowering Students, Transforming Lives

    Posted On: 09 FEB 2025 12:21PM by PIB Delhi

    Examinations are often a source of stress for students and their families, but the “Pariksha Pe Charcha” (PPC) initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been transforming this narrative. Scheduled for 11 AM on February 10, 2025, this year’s PPC will once again serve as an interactive platform where the Prime Minister directly engages with students, teachers, and parents. Each edition of PPC highlights innovative approaches to tackle exam-related anxiety, fostering a celebratory attitude toward learning and life.

    The Record-Breaking PPC 2025

    The 8th edition of PPC, scheduled on 10 February 2025, has already set a new benchmark. With over 5 crore participation, this year’s program exemplifies its status as a Jan Andolan, inspiring collective celebration of learning This year, 36 students from all State and UT, have been selected from State / UT Board Government schools, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sainik School, Eklavya Model Residential School, CBSE and Navodaya Vidyalaya. Pariksha Pe Charcha 2025 will feature seven insightful episodes, bringing together renowned personalities from diverse fields to guide students on essential aspects of life and learning. Each episode will address key themes:

     

    • Sports & Discipline – M.C. Mary Kom, Avani Lekhara, and Suhas Yathiraj will discuss goal setting, resilience, and stress management through discipline.
    • Mental Health – Deepika Padukone will emphasize the importance of emotional well-being and self-expression.
    • Nutrition – Experts Shonali Sabherwal, Rujuta Diwekar, and Revant Himatsingka (Food Farmer) will highlight healthy eating habits, sleep, and overall well-being.
    • Technology & Finance – Gaurav Chaudhary (Technical Guruji) and Radhika Gupta will explore technology as a learning tool and financial literacy.
    • Creativity & Positivity – Vikrant Massey and Bhumi Pednekar will inspire students to cultivate positivity and manage negative thoughts.
    • Mindfulness & Mental Peace – Sadhguru will introduce practical mindfulness techniques for mental clarity and focus.
    • Stories of Success – Toppers from UPSC, IIT-JEE, CLAT, CBSE, NDA, ICSE, and past PPC participants will share how PPC shaped their preparation and mindset.

     

    A Journey Through the Years

     

     2024: Nationwide participation.

    The seventh edition of PPC, held on January 29, 2024, was expansive with 2.26 crore registrations on the MyGov portal, it reflects the program’s immense popularity and relevance. For the first time, 100 students from Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) participated, symbolizing the inclusivity of the initiative. The event was held in a town-hall format at Bharat Mandapam, ITPO, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, with approximately 3,000 participants, including students, teachers, parents, and winners of the Kala Utsav.

     

    Pariksha Par Charcha 2024

     

    2023: Widening Participation 

    The 6th Edition of PPC was conducted on 27 January 2023 at Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi. Hon’ble Prime Minister of India interacted with students, teachers and parents during this programme and gave his valuable suggestions/ inputs to all stakeholders. The programme was telecast live by many TV Channels and YouTube channels. 718110 students, 42337 employees and 88544 Parents viewed the live programme of PPC-2023. The interaction of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India with students, teachers and parents was inspiring, motivating thought-provoking for all.

    Pariksha Par Charcha 2023

     

    2022: The Revival of Physical Interactions

    5th Edition of PPC was conducted on 1st April 2022 at Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi. Hon’ble Prime Minister of India has interacted with students, teachers and parents in this programme and has given them his valuable suggestions/ inputs. 9,69,836 students, 47,200 employee and 1,86,517 parents viewed the live programme of Pariksha Pe Charcha-2022. The programme was telecast live by the many TV Channels and YouTube channel etc

    Pariksha Par Charcha 2022

    2021: The Virtual Connection

    In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fourth edition of PPC was held online on 7 April 2021. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the interaction continued to inspire students and their families. The focus shifted to resilience and adaptability, teaching life skills to help students navigate uncertain times.

    Pariksha Par Charcha 2021

     

    2020: Expanding Participation

    The unique Town Hall format of the event in which the Hon’ble Prime Minister directly interacted with school students at the Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi was held on 20th January, 2020.  The event broadened its scope with an online competition for students that received  2.63 lakh entries. Students from all over India and also Indian students residing abroad from 25 countries participated. The event highlighted the need to embrace challenges as stepping stones for success.

    Pariksha Par Charcha 2020

     

    2019: Growing Reach 

    On January 29, 2019, the second edition of PPC took place at the same venue, witnessing an even greater level of participation. The interaction, which lasted for over ninety minutes, saw students, teachers and parents relax, laugh, and repeatedly applaud the Prime Minister’s observations, which included a touch of humour and wit.

     

    Pariksha Par Charcha 2019

     

    2018: The Inaugural Interaction

    The first-ever Pariksha Pe Charcha was held on February 16, 2018, at Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi. There were more than 2500 students from schools and colleges who were present in Talkatora Stadium of 16th February, 2018 for the interaction and more than 8.5 Crore students from across the country viewed or heard the programme on DD/TV Channels/ Radio Channels. The Prime Minister emphasized holistic development, resilience, and the importance of maintaining balance during exams. The event’s success set the tone for future editions.

     

    Pariksha Par Charcha 2018

     

    The Impact of Pariksha Pe Charcha

     

    Over the years, PPC has evolved into an opportunity aimed at transforming exam-related stress into positive energy. By addressing real questions and offering actionable solutions, Prime Minister Modi has bridged the gap between policy and practice, empowering students to thrive under pressure. The program’s inclusivity, digital reach, and innovative approaches ensure its continued success as a cornerstone of student engagement in India. With each passing year, PPC reinforces the message that exams are not the end but a beginning!

     

    References

    Annual report 2023-24 to 2018-19. https://www.education.gov.in/documents_reports?field_documents_reports_tid=All&field_documents_reports_category_tid=All&title=&page=1

    https://innovateindia1.mygov.in/#skip-main

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2092794

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2000010

    https://pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1561793

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2100184

    Click here to download PDF

    *****

    Santosh Kumar/ Sarla Meena/ Madiha Iqbal

    (Release ID: 2101104) Visitor Counter : 84

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Go big on love, not budget

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Published: 9 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government

    For many couples, planning and paying for a wedding can feel overwhelming, but happily ever after doesn’t always have to break the bank.

    With the typical cost of a wedding rising, more couples are opting to tie the knot with the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages, a simple and stunning alternative, at just a fraction of the cost.

    In 2024 alone, the Registry helped 3,306 newlywed couples turn their dream day a reality, with wedding packages starting at just $479.

    The number choosing to celebrate their love with a Registry wedding each year is steadily rising, with 2024’s figure a 32 per cent increase on the 2500 registry weddings held in 2023.

    With a recent survey conducted by the Department of Customer Service revealing more than 80 per cent of people living in NSW are concerned about the cost of living, it’s no wonder Registry weddings are surging in popularity.

    Couples can say ‘I do’ in some of the most beautiful locations the state has on offer, like the breathtaking Pyrmont Wedding Registry, the historic Old Wollongong Court House, and the iconic Sydney Opera House, available exclusively on Valentine’s Day.

    Registry weddings are easy to plan and customise, with couples able to opt for a simple affair or choose to add all the bells and whistles like photography and flowers.

    From intimate, legal-only ceremonies to vow renewals and premium ceremonies for up to 70 guests, there’s an option to suit every couple’s needs, style, and budget.

    To find out more about getting married with the Registry, visit the BDM website: https://www.nsw.gov.au/family-and-relationships/marriages/get-married-by-registry

    Bookings must be made at least one month prior to the wedding date.

    Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, Jihad Dib said:

    “Getting married is one of life’s most memorable moments, and should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their budget. Big memories don’t need a big price tag.

    “The NSW Government offers couples the chance to make their dream day a reality, without breaking the bank.

    “With beautiful, unique locations to choose from for a wedding, these Registry options have evolved into a great alternative for those celebrating their special day.”

    Registrar for NSW Births, Deaths, and Marriages, Theresa Fairman said:

    “When the team speaks with brides and grooms, one of the main key concerns is cost. We are always looking at ways to make the perfect day achievable for every budget.

    “Whether it’s an intimate, no-fuss ceremony or something a little more extravagant, we’re here to make your special day memorable without the financial strain.”

    MIL OSI News –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy On ABC’s This Week: This Is A Red Alert Moment— Our Democracy Is At Risk

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    February 09, 2025

    [embedded content]
    WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Sunday joined ABC’s This Week with Martha Raddatz to sound the alarm on Donald Trump’s corrupt power grab and the billionaire takeover of the U.S. government. Murphy slammed Trump’s move to eliminate USAID and vowed to keep fighting to protect American democracy.
    “I think this is the most serious constitutional crisis the country has faced, certainly since Watergate,” said Murphy. “The President is attempting to seize control of power, and for corrupt purposes. The President wants to be able to decide how and where money is spent so that he can reward his political friends, he can punish his political enemies—that is the evisceration of democracy. You stand that next to the wholesale endorsement of political violence with the pardons given to every single January 6th rioter— including the most violent, who beat police officers over the head with baseball bats— and you could see what he’s trying to do here. He is trying to crush his opposition by making them afraid of losing federal funding, by making them afraid of physical violence. So yes, this is a red alert moment when this entire country has to understand that our democracy is at risk—and for what? The billionaire takeover of government.”
    Murphy blasted Trump’s plan to cut USAID, calling it a gift to billionaires and a threat to global stability: “The military tells us that if you eliminate foreign aid, you will have to double the number of bullets you buy them. Why? Because we prevent conflict around the world through things like economic development and conflict resolution. I think the American public are learning about the scale of this corruption, how our foreign policy is being turned over to billionaires like Elon Musk to help them financially. As the American people are learning how much influence the billionaires have, how corrupt our policy has become, they are turning against this handover of government to the very few economic elites.”
    He continued: “Most of what USAID is doing is employing Americans, and often foreign nationals, to try to prevent instability and conflict. They are also working to try to reduce the reasons why young people join terrorist groups overseas. They are chasing Chinese and Russian influence. I mean, listen. The major question of the next 50 years is who will control the piping of the international economy: the United States or China? It’s USAID, not the U.S. military, that is working to try to blunt Chinese influence, so it’s ultimately American and European rules that control the global economy, not Chinese rules. So USAID is out there protecting American jobs and American interests, and if you roll up USAID, it is just a massive gift to China in particular, and that is very bad for U.S. national security interests, very bad for the U.S. economy and U.S. workers.”
    Murphy argued that Democrats shouldn’t shy away from forcefully defending our democracy: “I’m not going to calm down. I had 800 people at a rally with 24 hours’ notice in Connecticut this last weekend. This is a fundamental corruption. And democracies don’t last forever, and what those who are trying to destroy democracies want is for everyone to stay quiet, for everyone to believe that the moment isn’t urgent. They want to use violence and the threat of violence and the threat of arrest to keep the opposition at home. We are not going to do this. We see this as a crisis of epic proportions. We are watching the billionaires try to steal government from the people, and I think the broad cross-section of the American public, as you have seen in the last week, is going to rise up and say, enough.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: Watered down investor visa will fail economy

    Source: New Zealand Labour Party

    Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy.

    “Dumbing down the rules for the investor visa risks watering down the economic benefits for New Zealand,” Labour immigration spokesperson Phil Twyford said.

    “Allowing people to buy residence by parking their money in a passive investment like property that won’t generate jobs or sustainable economic development for New Zealand doesn’t sit well. 

    “Kiwi venture capitalists looking for investment opportunities urged the Government to keep Labour’s rules in place, and not open up to passive investments.

    “This will stick in the craw for the hard-working migrants who have to crawl over cut glass to get residence. Giving the fast track to residence for the rich with no requirement for economic development for New Zealand, and removing the English language test for the rich but not for every day migrants, is not the Kiwi way. 

    “The focus on wealthy visitors to New Zealand in the very same week the Government has figures showing Kiwi unemployment is at record highs is absolutely tone deaf.

    “I’m surprised Winston Peters doesn’t have more to say about this. It flies in the face of what he has fought for decades,” Phil Twyford said.

    Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    February 10, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘America First’ trade policy is pushing economic self-sufficiency – but history shows this is harder than it seems

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Garritt C. Van Dyk, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Waikato

    The day he took office for his second term, United States President Donald J. Trump unveiled his “America First” trade policy, including tariffs on imported goods from Mexico, Canada (both of which have since been paused) and China.

    President Trump’s reasoning for the tariffs included revitalising the American economy by bringing manufacturing and business back within US borders. Essentially, pushing the country towards greater self-sufficiency.

    Considering the cost of the tariffs, a number of countries have begun to question their dependence on foreign trade. But there are very clear hurdles including access to precious metals and raw materials.

    In a global market that relies on international trade, is it possible to be totally self-sufficient?

    The history of self-seficiency

    The economic term for self-sufficiency is “autarky”, borrowed from the ancient Greek word autarkeia, meaning “to suffice”. Ideally, this meant that a state could supply the needs of its people without foreign trade. Autarky, in its purest form, isolates the state from foreign economic, political and cultural influence.

    There are numerous historical examples of attempts to achieve complete economic autonomy.

    In 17th century Japan the Tokugawa Shogunate closed the borders to foreigners and prohibited Japanese from travelling abroad.

    There was limited private trade with China through Nagasaki and with Europe through Dutch merchants. They were confined to an artificial island, Deshima, off Nagasaki, to ensure their isolation. These restrictions remained for 265 years, until the threat of US gunboats forced Japan to sign a trade treaty in 1854.

    Self-sufficiency was also a goal of Benito Mussolini’s fascist dictatorship, aiming to lift Italy’s post-war economy in the 1920s. One initiative was the “Battle for Wheat”, an attempt to produce enough wheat to meet domestic demand and “free the Italian people from the slavery of foreign bread”.

    Italy imported more than one third of the flour needed to make bread and pasta, the two main foodstuffs. Pasta was targeted as a “backwards” food to promote consumption of local rice and reduce agricultural imports.

    Tariffs were levied on all imported goods in 1931. These were raised again in 1935 after sanctions were imposed on Italy following the invasion of Ethiopia. Mussolini declared in 1935 that Italy “would manage alone”.

    While imports of food, machinery and raw materials dropped, oil imports increased. Mussolini recognised the limits of autarky in 1934:

    Let us not delude ourselves about autarky. All the modern nations, thanks to the prodigious development of the sciences, can move towards a partial autarky. But we, until the contrary is proven, will have to import liquid combustibles.

    In response to Donald Trump’s America First policy, countries increasingly have to consider certain levels of self-sufficiency.
    Sven Hansche/Shutterstock

    A modern push to self-sufficiency

    Even with reduced reliance on fossil fuels, the scarcity of some natural resources, such as rare earth minerals, still poses a challenge to achieving autarky.

    Even the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), a centrally planned economy subject to United Nations Security Council sanctions for its nuclear and ballistic missile testing since 2006, is not completely self-sufficient.

    China is North Korea’s largest trading partner, with plastics, tobacco, soybean oil, rubber tires and packaged medicines as the top imports. The economic isolation of North Korea also makes it more vulnerable to global price fluctuations, as the movements are magnified due to the limited number of trading partners.

    Supply chain disruptions were highlighted during the pandemic, continued in 2021 with shortages in microchips, followed by Russia’s war in Ukraine.

    Some nations, such as the US and the United Kingdom, have responded to this logistical risk by shifting to local production, or reshoring, of certain critical industries, such as semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.

    This inward turn requires significant investment and lead time and may involve higher local energy and labour costs, or additional environmental restrictions. For industries that involve national security or essential goods, reducing dependence on potential adversaries may be necessary. But for other sectors the higher costs will create inflationary pressure.

    There are also implicit costs in cutting economic ties with the outside world. Foreign investment is reduced and innovation lags as there are fewer incentives for the cross-border flow of ideas.

    Embracing friendshoring

    As the push for self-reliance increases, vulnerable countries will need new strategies to remain resilient.

    Identifying alternative supply chain relationships and increasing inventory stockpiles in advance will minimise disruptions.

    Another tactic is “friendshoring” – relocating supply chains to countries where the risk of disruption from political chaos is low.

    It is likely that geopolitical instability will increase and global fragmentation will continue. While straightforward autarky may not be possible, countries will need to consider how to survive the political and economic volatility of the next four years – and beyond.

    Garritt C. Van Dyk does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. ‘America First’ trade policy is pushing economic self-sufficiency – but history shows this is harder than it seems – https://theconversation.com/america-first-trade-policy-is-pushing-economic-self-sufficiency-but-history-shows-this-is-harder-than-it-seems-248530

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    February 10, 2025
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