ASIA IN BRIEF Chinese academics have proposed that nuclear weapons could be the most effective method of destroying an asteroid threatening Earth, especially if it’s detected with little warning.
A study published in Scientia Sinica Technologica suggests that nukes should be considered when there is limited time to respond to an incoming space object. However, if there is ample warning, gravitational traction and laser ablation are viable alternatives.
While current international laws prohibit the use of nuclear weapons in space, the potential extinction of humanity might warrant an exception.
AI to drive datacenter growth in China
China’s datacenter services market is showing signs of recovery after a period of declining revenue, with the market valued at ¥125.01 billion ($17.64 billion) in 2023, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC).
The growth of public cloud services has slowed down significantly, with the expansion rate of the IaaS market dropping from 43.4 percent in 2021 to just 10.2 percent in 2023.
Despite an increase of 25 percent in datacenter racks, primarily from ongoing projects, new regulations have restricted the construction of new data centers, particularly in major urban areas.
However, the installation of 1.95 million datacenter racks at eight new national computing centers in China signals a shift towards regions with abundant renewable energy and land resources.
India cautious on digital currency rollout
Following a successful central bank digital currency (CBDC) pilot, the Reserve Bank of India Governor, Shaktikanta Das, emphasizes the need for a gradual approach to expanding the scheme across the financial system to fully understand its impact.
Das believes that generating user data through pilot programs is essential to assess the effects of CBDC on users, monetary policy, the financial system, and the economy before implementing it on a larger scale.
India’s CBDC pilot involved five million users across 16 banks and has programmable features that can enhance financial inclusion by delivering funds to targeted users.
Alibaba compliance monitoring concludes in China
China’s State Administration for Market Regulation has completed its three-year action to enforce compliance at e-commerce giant Alibaba to ensure fair competition. While Alibaba is no longer classified as a monopolist, regulatory oversight will continue to ensure better compliance and service improvements.
– Simon Sharwood
APNOG relocates conference from Bangladesh
The Asia Pacific Network Operators Group Regional will select a new venue for its 2025 Asia Pacific Internet Conference on Operational Technologies due to unrest in Bangladesh. The new location will be decided in October.
APAC Dealbook
Recent regional alliances and deals include:
- Samsung SDI partners with General Motors to build a $3.5 billion battery facility, aiming to produce 36 gigawatt-hours of batteries annually starting from 2027.
- Infosys collaborates with Nvidia to develop generative AI-powered telecom solutions for call centers.
- Fujitsu Uvance and Paradigm Health work together to digitize clinical trials in Japan using AI-powered platforms.
- Singtel and Hitachi expand their collaboration to develop next-generation data centers and GPU cloud solutions across Japan and the Asia Pacific region.
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