Family planning in China has become a complex topic of debate as the country feels increasing pressure due to its growing elderly population. Chinas current one-child policy, introduced in 1979, allows some exemptions, including those for ethnic minorities, rural farming families and parents who themselves are single children. But the social and economic costs of implementing the one-child policy have risen, and many are calling for change.

During my recent trip to Beijing, I found the city to be bustling as usual with people and energy, and on the surface, the economy seemed just as robust as it did during my last several visits. But this time I did sense a slight erosion of confidence under all the visible activity. Among executives at small- and medium-size companies I detected uncertainty caused by the slow progress in global economic recovery and the need for change to cope with it.

Chinas small companies are vibrant forces that are driving the countrys economy. Despite the challenges to investing in newer and unseasoned firms, small companies in China can present attractive long-term opportunities, and are increasingly playing a key role as China evolves as a service-oriented economy. On-the-ground research is a vital step in our investment and risk management process. This involves face-to-face visits with a firms staff to try to discern the health of a companys daily operations and the reliability of its managements claims.

China?s health care reform has seen positive changes to the industry since the government announced its US$125 billion health care reform plan in 2009. One major change has involved improvements to the intellectual property protection for new pharmaceutical products, which are broadly defined as drugs that have never been marketed in China, including ?first-to-market? generics. Demand is strong for generic drugs in China and account for 70% of all drugs prescribed. A new breed of smaller and medium-size pharmaceutical firms have become specialty players in ?first-to-market? generics.

Thanks to its abundant natural resources, Australia managed to escape the recent global financial crisis largely unscathed as it has enjoyed a wave of industrialization from emerging Asian countries. Economic ties between Australia and Asia have broadened from the resources sector to other sectors. Australian financial companies have formed joint ventures and subsidiaries in emerging Asia. One Melbourne-based insurance firm I met with on my recent trip entered into an agreement with the largest bank in China to jointly develop and distribute life insurance products there.

During a recent trip, Elizabeth Dong visited Nanjing, Hangzhou and Ningbo, second-tier cities in the Yangtze Delta region to visit factories that make such items as auto parts, optical components, processed foods and apparel. The companies, which collectively employ about 280,000 workers, are bellwethers for China's labor-intensive manufacturing sector. While some factories offer workers pleasant working conditions, many laborers operate in poor environments with noise pollution, toxic fumes and extreme room temperatures.

A combination of rising consumer demand, emerging technology, market forces and gradual regulatory reform is transforming Asia?s media landscape. Research analyst Elizabeth Dong explores the ways in which China?s publishers and local governments are pushing for reform, and India?s traditional media marketplace has been transformed by private entrepreneurs and foreign players.

During his recent visit to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Matthews Asia's Elizabeth Dong had the opportunity to compare some of Vietnam's emerging sectors, as well as some more well-established industries, including its telecommunications industry?one area in which Vietnam has surpassed its neighboring countries. The government has anchored its monetary policy on the depreciation of its currency, the dong. A depreciating currency makes goods cheaper and wages more competitive, which in turn increases foreign direct investment and promotes exports, but also causes high inflation