Latest news with #BenjaminHo
CNA
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - Introducing performing arts to preschools – what should it entail?
CNA938 Rewind Play The Arts Education Programme by the National Arts Council (NAC) is taking things one step further to extend the initiative to all preschools by 2027. This means little ones may watch a performance out of the classroom, or even attend workshops conducted at their pre-school. Andrea Heng and Susan Ng find out more from Benjamin Ho, Artistic Director of Paper Monkeys Theatre.
South China Morning Post
09-04-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Will Trump's tariffs force Global South to show ‘true colours' on US and China?
China's ties with the Global South might soon face a fresh test as US President Donald Trump's tariffs could force developing countries to 'show their true colours' if pushed to choose between Beijing and Washington, according to analysts. Advertisement The assessment came after the American leader last week announced country-specific 'reciprocal' tariffs on its trading partners, including countries in Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa. Several major developing economies face additional tariffs that kicked in on Wednesday, including South Africa at 30 per cent, India at 26 per cent, and Brazil at 10 per cent. Cambodia was slapped with one of the highest tariff rates at 49 per cent. Imports from Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia will face duties of 46, 36 and 32 per cent respectively. China, now hit with a 104 per cent tariff rate, has retaliated with its own set of measures and vowed to 'fight to the end' . But most other emerging economies have so far sought to make a deal with the US. Benjamin Ho, an assistant professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies' China programme, said Trump's sweeping tariffs on the developing world meant that countries might be nudged to 'show their true colours' as the US was 'taking a big stick and hammering China'.
South China Morning Post
07-02-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Is Southeast Asia ready to embrace DeepSeek? Costs, security among concerns
Chinese start-up DeepSeek's multilingual capabilities and open-source nature serve as an attractive alternative for users in Southeast Asia, but its true potential can only be realised if security and legal concerns are addressed, according to analysts. As the US and China continue their AI rivalry, businesses and governments in Southeast Asia are taking a pragmatic approach – weighing costs, performance and regulatory concerns. While platforms such as ChatGPT and Google's Gemini are prominent among Southeast Asian users, Chinese AI models are 'steadily making inroads', according to Ali Fazeli, chief technology officer at NexVision Lab, a technology company specialising in artificial intelligence and machine-learning solutions. 'Their multilingual capabilities, such as support for Mandarin, Bahasa Indonesia and Thai, coupled with partnerships with local tech companies, give them an edge in catering to diverse regional markets.' But this did not necessarily translate into widespread adoption across the region, said Benjamin Ho, China programme assistant professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS). 'China is a ready-made alternative, and for countries in Southeast Asia, having alternatives is always a good thing. In the same way, I don't think Southeast Asians will rush to buy everything Chinese because it is cheaper, they have also got their calculations,' he said, adding that the focus ultimately hinged on which offered a better 'deal'. The logo of DeepSeek is displayed alongside its AI assistant app on a mobile phone. Photo: Reuters
