Trump rebuilds his tariff wall. The Strait of Hormuz remains closed. The US and China are at a stalemate. The markets continue to go up. Investors may be happy. But voters are not. Nor are the US’ trading partners. Republicans will pay the price at the voting booth. Long term, countries look to diversify away from both the US and China.

“People think AI is going to be like air, available for as long as they want and affordable enough for them to consume as much as they need," Steven Okun told Tim Burroughs as part of his deep dive on how private equity firms approach AI adoption. Many PE firms and their portfolio companies go all in on AI but with no budget, no risk plan, and no idea what happens if it gets expensive. What if AI costs 5x more in three years? Do you still hire that many fewer analysts? Becau

For decades, companies flocked to China for cheap manufacturing at scale and speed. Now, Western governments are pushing businesses to pull production and reduce their commitments. Beijing is hitting back with sweeping new rules that critics say could make it harder for foreign firms to diversify their supply chains. China says the measures are about protecting national and economic security - as it accuses the West of protectionism. The United States and Europe have been try

Private equity firms can no longer treat government as a regulatory afterthought Steven Okun and Derek Grossman Steven Okun is CEO of APAC Advisors, a geostrategic consultancy based in Singapore. Derek Grossman is a professor of political science and international relations at the University of Southern California. Private equity and venture capital firms operating in Asia had one fewer significant constraint than counterparts in the U.S. -- they didn't need to worry about de

The eyes of the world have been fixed on Beijing this week, where what may be the most significant diplomatic recalibration of the decade is taking place. After all, it's the high-stakes summit between U.S. and China. As US President Donald Trump along with Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping conclude their summit on 15 May, they have framed the U.S. – China bond as the most consequential in the world. Steven Okun speaks with Vietnam Today

Steven Okun's analysis after day one of the Trump-Xi summit for Al Jazeera The Trump-Xi summit seems to be a success in that it has stabilized the relationship for now. But all of the core issues between the two countries remain. China's unfair trade practices all remain in place, and the US continues to work to isolate it from critical technology. And we will likely see the US increase tariffs on China in July when the US raises tariffs on countries such as Malaysia, Thailan

Steve Okun, chief executive of APAC Advisors (Singapore), predicted the Trump administration would soon raise tariffs on China, potentially to 35 percent or more. Mr. Trump, he said, “will need to be careful not to commit to taking 301 off the table at the coming summit.” Why? As the US prepares to raise tariffs on much of the world through ARTs or Section 301 tariffs for forced labor or industrial capacity, China must be included. For example, Vietnam's tariffs will soon be

Tariffs are relative. Will Trump lower China’s tariffs to close to those planned for SE Asia when either the Agreements on Reciprocal Trade or the Section 301 tariffs kick-in, either by July 24 when 122 expires? The lower the differential on tariffs between China and countries like Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, the more likely companies which left China will return, reversing in part China +1.

Authorities are investigating a prime suspect after a shooting at the White House correspondent's dinner in Washington DC. It's the latest in a series of violent episodes in US politics. Mr Steven Okun, CEO of APAC Advisors, shared more about the apparent attempt on US President Donald Trump's life and the typical security arrangements at such presidential events.

Companies need to stress-test their plans to ensure business continuity in a disrupted world where access to Artificial Intelligence could be scarce or expensive. By Steven Okun, Megan Willis, Noemie Viterale Businesses are placing massive bets on Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the assumption the investment will surely pay off. Their leaders’ decision making conflates AI with clean air – always available, in whatever quantity and quality their business needs. Businesses and

Whether the ceasefire holds or not, firms should not assume business as usual Steven R Okun Published Wed, Apr 8, 2026 · 02:19 PM US PRESIDENT Donald Trump did not follow through on his threat to end a whole civilisation in Iran. Markets went up as a result. This does not mean long-term geopolitical risk and realignment will no longer occur. Trump remains President. While he sits in the Oval Office and the Iranian Republican Guard Corps rules in Teheran, fuel prices higher th

With its shift towards green energy in recent years, China remains in good stead to weather the crisis that is gripping the world as the war in the Middle East continues. Steven Okun, CEO of APAC Advisors tells Asia News Week's Yvonne Yong why China is "basically doing better than anyone else in the region."

In this episode of Global Insight, we examine the forces shaping our world. Escalating violence in the Middle East has pushed oil prices to a four-year high and shaken global markets, forcing governments to scramble for ways to stabilize supplies. Steven Okun spoke with Vietnam Today, stating that the war ends when Iran stops fighting, not when Trump declares victory. Trump declaring victory does not mean the war with Iran will be over. That will only occur when Iran stops fi

In the spirit of International Women’s Day, we were pleased to host a timely and thought-provoking webinar exploring a critical question for today’s workforce: will artificial intelligence help propel women forward—or risk setting them back? Titled “The New Gender Divide: How AI Could Propel Women Forward – or Set Them Back,” the session brought together insightful perspectives from across APAC Advisors, featuring Senior Advisor for Responsible Investment Megan Willis, along

AI will mostly benefit those already well positioned to leverage it – men. Businesses and governments cannot afford to overlook gender as they invest in talent policies for the AI age. As Singapore celebrates early productivity gains from artificial intelligence, there’s a conversation about trade-offs that should also be taking place: who benefits, who falls behind, and what new divides may form. Without that discussion, women will bear the brunt of the costs of AI’s adoptio

As tensions escalate between Iran, Israel and the United States, the implications stretch far beyond the Middle East. Energy markets, global trade routes and geopolitical alignments are all being tested — and Asia will feel the impact. In this special live episode, Manisha Tank is joined by: Steve Okun – CEO APAC Advisors, a specialist in US–Asia relations Sam Olsen – Geopolitical analyst focusing on global power dynamics Together they discuss: • What has happened in the l

Following the State of the Union, Asia should brace for another round of tariff pressure. President Trump made his continued reliance on tariffs unmistakably clear, even as earlier legal authorities have been curtailed. With emergency powers ruled unconstitutional, the shift toward alternative, time-tested trade statutes signals that tariffs are not going away —-they are being re-engineered. The next phase is likely to involve Section 122 in the near term, followed by a retur

A US Supreme Court ruling has fundamentally shifted the economics of Trump-era tariff deals. With a uniform tariff rate now set at 15%, countries that agreed to higher rates — often alongside large investment commitments — now find themselves at a clear disadvantage. As reported by The New York Times , governments across Asia are reassessing whether moving quickly to secure deals was a strategic misstep, and whether those agreements will ultimately hold. As APAC Advisors CEO

A US Supreme Court ruling has added fresh uncertainty for countries that struck tariff deals under Trump’s emergency authorities. In a recent interview with Al Jazeera English , APAC Advisors CEO Steven Okun unpacked what this means for countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia, now caught between legacy tariff commitments and a shifting legal landscape in Washington. With Trump’s emergency tariff powers curtailed and new tariffs time-limited, leverage dynamics have changed —

In a recent ABC interview, APAC Advisors CEO Steven Okun unpacked why, under traditional FTA definitions, the answer is no — but why, in today’s fractured global trading system, that framing may be missing the bigger picture. With the rules-based order under strain, this deal could signal the emergence of a new trade architecture — one shaped without the U.S. or China as the primary architects. In that sense, it may well mark the beginning of something far bigger. Great to se