Today's midterm elections are dominating news around the country — and they're also drawing interest from around the world. In the Asia Pacific, there are a few election themes that people are watching with curiosity.
When it comes to greater Asia, a couple of regional themes have emerged as areas of heightened interest in this election: data centers and trade.
Japan's Nikkei News highlights the backlash against data centers as an issue it describes as having “potentially significant implications for Asian economies,” including companies in Taiwan and South Korea.
Expectations are that if Democrats win big, closer regulations on data centers may follow.
On trade, parts of Southeast Asia were hit with some of the steepest individual tariff rates imposed by President Trump.
Businesses affected will likely be watching closely for any potential movement on easing trade tensions.
The consultancy Bower Group Asia points to business relations with China as a longer-term question that could be influenced by the midterms, although likely not shifted dramatically.
It points out that the current trade truce between China and the United States is set to expire in January.
And while next steps are important, it said they will likely not be driven by partisan politics.
