The Chinese government is promising far-reaching economic reforms, but these are likely to put the financial sector under strain. Former chairman of the China Bank Regulatory Commission Liu Mingkang tells Philip Alexander how the authorities can manage the transition.

The first signs of recovery are emerging in Cyprus, and the country's president, Nicos Anastasiades, is confident that the measures and resolutions put in place by the government will see the economy return to growth by 2015.

Advanced economies such as the US and the eurozone enjoy enormous privilege as issuers of international currencies, says Taiwan’s central bank governor. This power needs to be tempered with a responsibility to promote economic stability on a global scale. 

The days of double-digit growth in China may be over, but the rest of the world has little reason to fear, says Jim O’Neill.

Supplying Asia's growing middle classes and industries with energy is a headache for governments throughout the region. However, given that 55% of the world's new residential construction from now until 2025 will occur in China and south Asia, designing smart, energy-efficient buildings will go a long way to solving this problem.

The rise of pan-European banking groups makes supervision at a European level appropriate. But crises still start locally, and local supervisors must retain adequate powers to act independently.

An ageing population and shrinking labour pool have put a strain on Singapore's economy, leading to calls for it to be restructured to raise productivity and bring about price stability. This will come through more productivity-led growth and a stronger focus on macroprudential policies.

The recently appointed National Bank of Kazakhstan governor, Kairat Kelimbetov, tells Philip Alexander that he is focused on stepping up the quality of corporate governance in the country's banking sector and financial markets.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's managing director for the southern and eastern Mediterranean region, Hildegard Gacek, explains how expertise and past experience are now enabling the EBRD to assist Egypt, Morocco, Jordan and Tunisia through a period of great economic and political change.

With Janet Yellen set to assume the position of head of the US Federal Reserve, her defining challenge will be tapering the Fed’s huge quantitative easing programme. Jane Monahan looks for clues as to her likely stance.