AGP Executive Report

Digital Health: APLMS and VSee are teaming up to build an Asia-Pacific “Healthy Longevity Digital Super-Highway,” linking clinicians, clinical data, telehealth and AI tools for healthier aging across the region. Biotech R&D: Antengene will present new preclinical results for its Cos-TCE platform at SITC 2026, aiming to advance costimulatory T-cell engager science for autoimmune and cancer indications. AI Governance: New Zealand is using a lighter-touch approach to AI policy, while Microsoft is helping lawmakers and civil servants use AI tools to speed research and parliamentary work. Crypto Payments: XRP Asia has launched to push XRPL adoption across Asia, with a Seoul event lined up during Korea Blockchain Week featuring Korean banks and talks on tokenized deposits and cross-border payments. Energy Skills: The ADB approved a $100m results-based loan to overhaul Sri Lanka’s TVET system, targeting skills gaps and smoother education-to-employment pathways. Agritech: Kerala rice trials found that combining aquatic fern with compost can boost yields by about 50%, offering a low-input soil strategy for South Asia. Deep-Sea Science: A new study adds a huge set of previously unknown viruses to the Clarion-Clipperton deep-sea mining zone, building a “baseline” for future impact assessments. Sports Tech Meets Reality: Virtual taekwondo debuted at the Asian Games using VR headsets and motion tracking, with athletes competing without physical contact.

Virtual Sports Tech: Virtual taekwondo debuted at the Asian Games, letting fighters use VR headsets and motion tracking for contact-free bouts, with Singapore’s Darren Yap taking bronze. AI Safety & Mental Health: A new study links heavy chatbot use to severe harms, including addiction-like attachment and worsening mental health, reigniting “AI psychosis” concerns. Satellite Connectivity: Globe Telecom expanded Starlink direct-to-device roaming in Japan with KDDI, aiming to cut “dead zones” for travelers. AI Compute Deal: Tencent reportedly signed a $7bn, five-year lease for 100,000 Oracle AI chips in Southeast Asia to boost model training and cloud services. Semiconductor Strategy in ASEAN: Indonesia is pushing an ASEAN semiconductor roadmap focused on research, supply chains, critical minerals, and harmonized incentives to avoid unhealthy investment races. Energy & Industry Modernisation: ABB pledged support for Vietnam’s electrification, automation, data centres and energy transition as EFTA-Vietnam talks wrap up. Invasive Species Response: Ireland located and tracked Asian hornet nests in Cork and Ringaskiddy using transmitter tech, moving toward removal to protect native pollinators. Sports Spotlight: India surged with six golds at the Asian Games, including historic women’s hockey gold and Olympic qualification for LA 2028.

Biochar for Salt-Tolerant Crops: Researchers report Parthenium-derived biochar can help sorghum withstand sodium chloride stress, pointing to practical tools for dryland farming. Cancer Care Gaps: A Malaysian study finds sexual health remains largely unaddressed in advanced cancer treatment, despite its relevance to patients’ quality of life. Climate Finance for ASEAN: ERIA and Vietnam’s ISPAE convened a workshop on innovative disaster finance to shift ASEAN from risk management to resilience. Pacific Climate Push: Pacific leaders meet ahead of COP31 in Turkey, urging the world to keep 1.5°C within reach and put Pacific voices at the centre of decisions. Education Meets AI Reality: OECD data shows declining reading and maths performance as generative AI spreads, reigniting debate over how schools assess learning. Samoa Forest Restoration: A Samoa project is restoring native forests with community Rangers and early replanting milestones. India Office Demand: CBRE says India office absorption rose 8% to 66.4M sq ft in Jan–Sep 2026, led by Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Delhi-NCR. Autonomous Boats: A startup is testing solar-powered unmanned vessels across the Pacific, aiming to make maritime work safer.

Southeast Asia Gaming & Culture: Indonesian studio Agate is pitching Blades of Mirage at Tokyo Game Show, aiming to make Southeast Asia the “full package” star—temples, waterways, folklore and island life turned into a fantasy world. Logistics & Automation: Trade Winds Freight says it’s launching single-operator multimodal shipping across ocean, air, truck and autonomous cargo drones, with one platform to plan, price, carry and track. Health & Public Policy: A Lancet Global Health study estimates chewing tobacco caused about 251,000 deaths in 2023, with health loss heavily concentrated in South Asia. AI Power Demand: New research warns AI data centers could reach around 1% of global electricity use by 2030, as power needs rise sharply. Tech Hardware Supply Chain: Alliance Memory expands industrial eMMC storage with new 20GB–512GB options, while Cobalt Digital’s Pacific compression line wins two Future Best of Show awards at IBC. Climate & Disasters: Hurricane-fueled storms and moisture are driving major flood threats across the US central Plains, with multiple states under flood watch. Biodiversity Response: Ireland’s NPWS is moving into a critical phase to locate and remove an Asian hornet nest in Cork using transmitter tracking.

Semiconductors Push: Infineon opened a new Thailand backend chip facility near Bangkok, investing over €100m and adding up to 30,000 sq m of cleanroom space as Thailand targets $18bn in semiconductor investment by 2030. Cybersecurity: Keeper Security won a CybersecAsia Readers’ Choice award for quantum-safe cryptography, highlighting quantum-resistant encryption rolled out as a default safeguard. AI & Disinformation: A report warns AI can “supercharge” election manipulation in Southeast Asia, citing a Malaysia political influence operation that used AI to generate content and fake outlets. Fintech & Markets: StoneX launched a Singapore FX booking center to localize pricing and execution for APAC clients. Venture Capital: Asia VC allocations are getting more selective as limited partners focus on returns, valuations and exits, with investors increasingly choosing country- and sector-specific funds. Sports Tech Meets Training: Korean fencing’s long-running corporate backing is evolving into tech support, including an AI system using computer vision to analyze match footage. Health & Life Sciences: Emerald Clinical Trials appointed Michael Stibilj as CEO to lead its next growth phase after a major platform expansion. Remote Work Rules: A legal brief flags immigration, tax, data-security and employment-law risks for cross-border remote work across Southeast Asia.

ASEAN Security Cooperation: ASEAN law enforcement adopted a joint declaration and draft action plan to step up cross-border tracking, arrest, transfer and extradition of fugitives, with stronger legal cooperation, information sharing and capacity building. AI & Cybersecurity: At Singapore’s Asia New Vision Forum, leaders warned AI is supercharging cyberattacks via autonomous hacking agents and faster, cheaper phishing—while internal risks from generative AI and “ambient” coding grow. Climate Tech for Reefs: Scientists are testing sound-based approaches to help coral larvae find settlement spots as Super El Niño heat drives bleaching. Regional Innovation Push: China’s ambassador urged China–ASEAN to deepen ties in innovation, green energy and market openness to build resilience against trade shocks. Infrastructure Finance: Nepal’s finance minister urged AIIB to boost investment in roads, power, communications and IT, and make lending more accessible for post-disaster reconstruction. AI Infrastructure Watch: Indonesia’s West Java governor ordered BDx Data Centers to halt a major AI data-centre project over missing permits and environmental review gaps. Energy Transition Deal: AM Green won a €585m, 10-year green ammonia supply deal for Germany under H2Global’s auction, with first deliveries targeted for 2029. Tech in Schools: Sri Lanka’s education deputy minister said digital tech will be integrated into teaching, school administration and teacher transfer, alongside safety policies for students online.

AI & Innovation Finance: WIPO says AI is supercharging venture capital and R&D, with VC deal value increasingly AI-led and “deep-science” startups booming globally. Digital Governance: Malaysia plans tighter regulation for AI tech, focusing on smart glasses risks like privacy and unauthorised recording. AI Rules at the UN: Developing nations push for a bigger role in shaping AI governance, warning that rulemaking led by wealthy countries could widen inequality. Payments Infrastructure: ANZ completes a live cross-border corporate treasury payment using tokenised deposits on Swift’s blockchain ledger, aiming for near real-time 7-days-a-week processing. Health Data for Research: Flatiron Health expands AI-powered real-world cancer datasets to the UK, Germany and Japan using a shared model. Connectivity as a “Utility”: Philippines’ NTC flags unsatisfactory mobile broadband performance in the NCR and issues show-cause orders to major telcos. Innovation Rankings: Singapore stays top-five in WIPO’s Global Innovation Index, while Vietnam rises to 43rd. Asia-Pacific Tech Markets: APAC equity fundraising is on track to challenge 2021 records as AI drives chips, data centres and power demand. Higher Education Shift: Times Higher Education ranks Tsinghua above Europe’s top school for the first time, signalling a West-to-East academic power shift. Maritime Security: Japan reports a tripling of Chinese research-vessel activity around its southwestern islands.

AI & Innovation Policy: Hong Kong climbed to 14th in the WIPO Global Innovation Index 2026, citing stronger innovation inputs/outputs and a push to build an R&D-to-production ecosystem in the Northern Metropolis. AI Infrastructure Investment: Samsung is putting $1B into Helix, a specialized AI data center operator, to secure GPU-focused capacity for training and generative AI workloads. AI Agents in Dev: Agoda’s report finds 53% of Southeast Asia and India developers already use AI agents, but only 38% feel their codebases are ready for full autonomy—cost is the biggest blocker. Green Finance for Clean Tech: Bharat Housing Network raised $5M in green bonds to fund rooftop solar, electric mobility, and clean-tech MSMEs across Asia and Africa. Space & Earth Observation: Kyrgyzstan plans to launch a domestically built nanosatellite for crop monitoring and early drought detection. Smart Aviation: Reconova debuted at PTE Asia 2026 with embodied AI for baggage transfer and passenger processing, targeting airport automation across Asia-Pacific. Energy & Climate Resilience: A study links disruptive fintech and Belt and Road spillovers to green development, but with different effects across regions. Public Safety Tech: Ireland urged vigilance after confirming a single Asian hornet in Cork, saying early detection and rapid response are working.

AI Data Centers & Cooling: LG Electronics is pitching modular cooling and liquid-cooling distribution units at Data Center World Asia 2026 in Singapore, aiming to make AI data centers faster to build and easier to scale. Semiconductors & Memory R&D: China’s CXMT plans an 18b yuan push into DRAM R&D and backend testing capacity, signaling a bid to keep up in the memory race. Robotics Hardware: Sharpa unveiled three IROS 2026 flagship products—dexterous manipulation robot, tactile hand, and haptic data glove—targeting safer, more capable robot learning from human demos. Enterprise AI Jobs: Infosys says it will shift up to a third of its 320,000 staff into specialist roles and build a 6,000-strong frontier engineering team as AI reshapes IT work. Healthcare Deal: MSD will pay $400m upfront for global rights to SciBrunch’s SPR2015 KRAS G12D cancer drug, with milestones lifting total deal value to as much as $2.13b. Identity & Trust in Tech: Pacific newsrooms are urged to adopt simple, public rules for generative AI use and avoid over-dependence on overseas providers. Markets Watch: Asian equities wobbled as oil prices and bond yields rose, adding pressure to risk assets. AAM in Vietnam: EHang’s fast-track program expands to Vietnam with Hanoi’s low-altitude eVTOL sandbox testing for the EH216-S.

Climate Policy: Philippines Senator Loren Legarda cites a new UNEP report warning the world is set to miss the 1.5°C goal, with warming likely to hit 1.8°C even in best cases and over 2°C in worst pathways. Cybersecurity & AI Governance: Experts in Singapore warn rogue AI hacking is exposing two gaps—unclear AI rules and defenses built for slow, human-led attacks—urging organizations to use AI to fight AI. Space & Connectivity: SpaceX’s Starship reached orbit and deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites, but the flight was cut short after an engine shut down early; the mission targets improved global internet capacity. Enterprise AI in Asia: Meta launched an Enterprise Platform to help businesses deploy AI tools, appointing CJ Desai to lead the push. Regional Tech Cooperation: ASEAN information officials met in Vientiane to tackle digital transformation and misinformation, focusing on stronger regional media cooperation. Infrastructure Finance: The AIIB opened its 11th annual meeting in Doha under “Tomorrow’s Infrastructure: Impact and Innovation,” with emphasis on scaling financing and climate-resilient, digital projects. Malaysia Space Policy: Malaysia’s science minister says the country wants to become a leading ASEAN space player by strengthening legal frameworks and sustainable governance.

Bangladesh–China Health Tech: Bangladesh Medical University is deepening ties with China’s Yunnan and Kunming Medical University, with a roadmap spanning education, research, training, modern tech and a push toward robotic surgery. ASEAN Tourism Digitisation: Cambodia’s tourism minister urges operators to adopt AI and digital tools under a “Smart, Safe and Warm” push, alongside ASEAN hygiene and safety measures. Wearables & VR: Meta unveiled new smart/virtual reality glasses, including a camera-free audio-only model, aiming for lighter, more everyday productivity use. AI Governance in Asia: China and ASEAN officials discussed building a safer, more interoperable AI future, stressing data security, privacy and bias alongside innovation. Data Centres Under Pressure (Vietnam): Vietnam’s data-centre boom faces friction over electricity tariffs and site economics, with at least one major project reportedly shelved. Semiconductor Investing: Bosera launched a Bosera HKEX KRX Semiconductor Index ETF on HKEX, giving investors cross-market exposure to Hong Kong and South Korea chip names. Fintech Investment (Indonesia): 01F Group backed DANA to expand local digital financial services and support MSMEs. Urban Cooling Tech: Researchers propose rooftop rainwater tanks and smart sprinklers, using AI to trigger cooling at heat thresholds. Cyber Crime Focus (Malaysia): Malaysia and UNODC discussed cyber-enabled organised crime and misuse of emerging technologies. Mobile Esports Payments: Visa and MOONTON Games extended a partnership as Global Payment Partner for Mobile Legends’ M Series championships. AI Cities Index: Oxford made an inaugural AI Cities Index, highlighting its research and “operating environment.”

AIIB Doha Kickoff: The 11th Annual Meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank begins in Doha under “Infrastructure for Tomorrow: Impact and Innovation,” with talks on climate finance, digital public infrastructure, private capital, gender-responsive funding, cross-border connectivity and resilience. Bilateral Tech & Finance: India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman heads to Qatar for the AIIB governors meeting and bilateral talks, underscoring infrastructure and innovation ties. US–China Trade/AI: The US and China agreed to ease tariffs on $30B of goods and launch an AI dialogue, aiming to stabilize trade while setting a framework for AI risk-benefit discussions. Semiconductors Watch: Investors appear to be pricing a more lasting separation between China policy risk and global chip supply chains as AI demand reshapes the sector’s outlook. ASEAN EV Push: The Philippines’ electric vehicle push is being framed as an ASEAN-wide ecosystem challenge, with regional coordination central to the October summit agenda. Climate & Resilience: New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands saw earthquakes with no tsunami threat reported, while Pacific hurricane activity is being linked to El Niño—raising urgency for preparedness across island regions.

US–China Tech & Trade: Trump and Xi agreed to ease tariffs covering $60B in two-way trade and opened a new advanced AI dialogue, aiming for concrete economic and tech outcomes while key disputes remain. UN Diplomacy & AI Security: India’s Jaishankar warned of “weaponisation of everything,” pushing for responsible AI use in peace and maritime security and highlighting a “4F” crisis of food, fuel, fertiliser and finance. West Asia De-escalation: Malaysia urged UNGA parties to step back from escalation in West Asia, warning shocks could hit global energy routes and Southeast Asian living costs. Climate Risk in Asia-Pacific: UNEP says financing is the biggest barrier to scaling cooling solutions as heatwaves intensify; separate reporting links super El Niño to hundreds of thousands of heat-related deaths globally. Deep-Sea Mining Backlash: Greenpeace protesters boarded New Zealand’s Tangaroa over seabed mining concerns, with police considering charges. Data Infrastructure: Meta launched the Petal undersea cable, claiming 1 petabit-per-second capacity across 4,300 miles to meet AI-era connectivity demand. Patent Shock for Apple: A US jury ordered Apple to pay $5.7B to Taction for infringing iPhone/Watch haptic (Taptic Engine) patents. Forensics & Genetics: Chinese researchers used a ~2,000 SNP panel plus machine learning for kinship and fine-scale ancestry inference in East Asia. Education & Research Links: Kazakhstan seeks to revive ties with Malaysia via student mobility and possible Malaysian university branch campuses.

AI Governance at UNGA: Leaders warned of “colonisation by data,” pushing for fair AI regulation, tech access, and protection for languages and cultures as developing countries risk becoming dependent on rules set elsewhere. Health Systems Tech: Abu Dhabi’s Future Health convened global ministers at UNGA to shift healthcare toward prediction, prevention, and earlier intervention, stressing population data, prevention financing, delivery capacity, and trusted systems. Disaster Preparedness in the HKH: Nepal and partners outlined the “Kathmandu 10 Action Points” after the Rasuwa-Gyirong floods, focusing on early warning, emergency response, and cross-border coordination. Digital Power for Nepal: AIIB signaled support for modernising and digitally transforming Nepal’s power grid, including transmission/distribution upgrades and disaster-ready early warning. Semiconductor Geopolitics: Reporting tied US-China-Taiwan tensions to the global chip supply chain, with Taiwan’s advanced manufacturing at the center of the race. Cybercrime Crackdown: Bangladesh faces growing cyber-scam hostage networks, with calls for tech-led strategy and cross-country cooperation. Tech in Practice: Apple’s Pakistan government-affairs hire and Apple’s newly surfaced design drawings highlight how policy and product design are moving in parallel. Clean Energy at Sea: A fully electric passenger boat launched at Hog Island shows how electrification can support coastal resilience and research operations.

AI Governance in Malaysia: Asia e University’s Intelligent Age Summit in Kuala Lumpur pushed a simple message: people must stay in control of AI, with ethics and workplace governance front and centre. US–China AI Diplomacy: Xi Jinping urged China and the US to cooperate on AI standards and safety, even as Trump signalled he wants AI talks kept “where it is,” keeping the Indo-Pacific on edge. Autonomous Mobility in Singapore: Alphabet’s Waymo plans an all-electric ride-hailing launch in Singapore by 2028, with mapping and monsoon testing in 2027 to scale beyond US roads. Deep-Sea Mining Pushback: Greenpeace activists boarded New Zealand’s research vessel Tangaroa in Wellington, warning seabed mining could cause irreversible marine damage and feed military mineral stockpiles. Clean Energy in the Philippines: Aboitiz Renewables won Independent Power Producer of the Year at Enlit Asia 2026, citing solar, storage, geothermal and a growing wind pipeline. AI Skills for Workforces: An OECD-linked analysis argues Asia needs retraining, apprenticeships and labour-market reforms so AI boosts jobs instead of displacing them. Pacific Climate Media: Pacific editors in Fiji pledged stronger reporting on climate loss and damage, focusing on social and cultural impacts, not just dollars.

Green Digital Corridor: Tajikistan’s deputy minister says Azerbaijan and Tajikistan could link Asia and Europe with a “green digital corridor,” banking on Tajikistan’s hydropower and “water + AI” computing potential. Immersive Tech in Public Spaces: Long Beach’s Aquarium of the Pacific debuts the first U.S. West Coast HoloTheater, delivering 3D-style storytelling without glasses or headsets. AI-Driven Health Research: Newron says the FDA keeps a U.S. enrollment hold on its Phase 3 ENIGMA-TRS 2 schizophrenia study, while expanding screening in Europe, Asia and Latin America. Data & AI Infrastructure Expansion: Aiven launches India operations in Bengaluru to help enterprises modernise data platforms for AI and multi-cloud. Energy & Grid Skills: Sungrow’s “Master” installation competition wraps in Vietnam, aiming to standardise PV/storage installation quality across Southeast Asia. Climate Science at Sea: A solar-powered uncrewed vessel begins a 22,000km Antarctica lap to measure ocean and atmospheric carbon dioxide. Markets Watch: Asian trading is mixed as oil jumps and bond yields hit multi-year highs ahead of the Trump-Xi summit. Tech in the Real World: INVT previews modular liquid-cooled data center power and cooling at Data Centre World Asia 2026 in Singapore. Fraud Case: A “smart ring” CEO is convicted in a Ponzi and fraud scheme tied to wearable payments.