Storms, Armyworms and Biden's Faux Pas: Saturday Asia Briefing

It was a week to forget in China, starting with data showing the worst export decline since February 2020 and ending with the economy falling into deflation. To add to the misery, there’s an invasion of pesky plant pests.

Recent storms have caused the migration of insects and the spread of disease among key crops including rice, of which China is the world’s biggest producer. Invaders include the dreaded fall armyworm, the planthopper and the leaf roller. The United Nations says the growing threat of the pests is a result of climate change.