Hello reader, Having lived away from Northern Ireland for more than 14 years, I tend to see changes in my home country all at once when I make a visit, not gradually as someone living there might. One change that stood out on my most recent trip this summer was the presence of BYD dealerships. I even spotted a few of the Chinese firm's electric cars on the roads, something that would have been hard to imagine when I was growing up. While my perception of the pace of change at home is normally skewed, I think this time it's accurate. A quick Google search shows me that BYD only entered the market in mid-2025, but it already has three dedicated showrooms in the country. It's a reminder that Chinese trade and manufacturing usually show up in a country long before Chinese tech does, a gap today's first featured story explores. Guest writer Alec Tseung, a partner at principal investments and research company KT Capital Group, breaks down how firms like BYD and Mixue are already entrenched in Central Asia while tech giants hold back - and what that gap means for Southeast Asian tech firms eyeing the region themselves. Meanwhile, my colleague Jofie reports on used-car marketplace Carro's efforts to grow in Indonesia ahead of a potential IPO. Surprise, surprise: Chinese EVs are putting significant pressure on prices. Peter Cowan, engagement editor | 
