By Neelam Rahim

Radio Islam International is joined by a Senior Research Associate fellow at Institute for Global Dialogue, Senusha Naidu, on this week’s Asia Pacific Report.

Japan’s silver democracy, the population, drops most in nine years, and the number over 65’s hits a record high.

The UN and the Japanese report have drastically reduced the age dynamic. And so they call it a silver democracy as it is grey-haired people now making the bulk of the population in terms of numbers.

She says this ageing dynamic is that most of the population will be of an older generation which will place a higher burden on the state in terms of development, social and economic issues, frail care and so forth. It also establishes a higher pressure on the labour market.

India is looking to shut out cheap Chinese smartphone makers like Xiaomi with a move to ban devices selling for less than US$150.

In response to questions from Radio Islam, Senusha said the Indian regulator is trying to ensure that cheaper Chinese brands do not overcrowd the market.

She says the idea behind that is also to make the Indian consumer purchase more of the Indian smartphone brands. It is part of the geopolitics and also part of tensions between Delhi and Beijing which moves into the realm of what’s going on globally in terms of the push back against China and the question of the tech tensions.

Also part of India’s ability to protect its market and producers of smartphones in the Indian market.

Meanwhile, the Taiwan bill looms, which could pose a direct challenge for the US and China. Senusha said this comes after the Nancy Pelosi visit, which caused a lot of controversies.

According to Senusha, the looming Taiwanese bill is essentially aimed at defusing that situation and discussing a peaceful unification of Taiwan into a broader greater China incorporated. It is also about how it will impact US and China relations.

Listen to the Asia Pacific Report on Radio Islam’s podcast below.