This week, two influential world leaders are set to visit Asian countries. French President Emmanuel Macron is making a state visit to China from Wednesday, while Russian President Vladimir Putin will arrive in India on Thursday. Although the specifics of their potential bilateral agreements are not yet known, some of the outcomes could set the tone for global politics in 2026.
And people in South Korea may feel that time flies as this Wednesday marks exactly one year since former President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, which plunged the country — as well as businesspersons and diplomats in the region — into chaos.
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MONDAY
BOJ Gov. Ueda speaks
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda is scheduled to have talks and exchange views with local business leaders in Nagoya, in Aichi prefecture. He will give a speech at the opening of the gathering, and will later attend a press conference to elaborate on his findings from the event. Investors and market experts are expected to tune in, seeking clues for BOJ’s monetary policy decision due Dec. 19.
Data: Turkey GDP
WEDNESDAY
French President Macron visits China
French President Emmanuel Macron begins a three-day tour of China with a scheduled meeting with his host, Chinese President Xi Jinping, in Beijing. The two leaders are expected to discuss bilateral ties as well as global affairs. Macron will also visit Chengdu, a southwestern city known for its panda sanctuary, to where two giant pandas, which had been on loan to France, returned last month.
One-year anniversary of South Korea’s martial law
South Korea will mark the first anniversary of the declaration of martial law by then-President Yoon Suk Yeol, which sparked a sprawling political crisis that continues to reverberate.
The ousted Yoon and other top officials from his administration are on trial facing possible lengthy prison terms. The new President Lee Jae Myung has mostly restored calm to the nation’s politics and currently enjoys solid approval ratings.
Data: Australia GDP
THURSDAY
Putin visits India
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in India on a two-day state visit to attend the 23rd India-Russia annual summit and to hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The visit is significant as it comes following U.S. President Donald Trump’s imposition of punitive tariffs on India in August for purchasing Russian oil. The leaders are expected to “exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest,” according to a statement issued by India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Friday.
Data: Australia trade
FRIDAY
India monetary policy
The Reserve Bank of India is set to decide its key policy rate. Over the past year, the central bank has focused on spurring economic growth in the face of a slowdown and pressures following the imposition of U.S. tariffs on Indian exports, cutting the interest rate by 100 basis points between February and August this year. With consumer inflation coming in at a record low of 0.25% in October, the central bank now has room to cut rates further, after having paused at the 5.5% level in its August and October meetings.
SUNDAY
Hong Kong’s “patriots only” election
Hong Kong is due to hold a Legislative Council election, the second since Chinese authorities overhauled the system and imposed a strict national security law on the special administrative region. Only a small fraction of seats are directly elected, and all candidates are strictly vetted to ensure loyalty to Beijing. The deadly fire that ripped through an apartment complex in the north of the city has cast another shadow on the polls, prompting discussion about whether to postpone the voting.