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  The Merlion statue in Singapore, on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. Photographer: Lionel Ng/Bloomberg via Getty Images Lionel Ng | Bloomberg | Getty Images Singapore’s central bank left its policy unchanged on Monday in its first quarterly monetary policy decision of 2024, as expected. The Monetary Authority of Singapore said it will also maintain its exchange rate policy band known as the Singapore dollar nominal effective exchange rate or S$NEER. “MAS will closely monitor global and domestic economic developments, and remain vigilant to risks to inflation and growth,” the central bank said in a  policy statement. Unlike other central banks that tweak their domestic lending rates, MAS opts to tweak the exchange rates of its currency. The central bank strengthens or weakens its currency against those of its main trading partners, thus effectively setting the S$NEER. The exact exchange rate is not set, rather the S$NEER can move within the set policy band, the precise levels of which are not d

  Taiwan’s President-elect Lai Ching-te (left) gestures beside his running mate Hsiao Bi-khim during a rally outside the headquarters of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Taipei on January 13, 2024, after winning the presidential election. Yasuyoshi Chiba | AFP | Getty Images TAIPEI — Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party won an unprecedented third-straight presidential term, as incoming leader Lai Ching-te pledged to stay open-minded in his approach toward governance, while committing to forging consensus in a split legislature. The outcome of the presidential election on Saturday riled Beijing, which has repeatedly labeled Lai as a “ stubborn worker for Taiwan independence ” and a dangerous separatist. There are also fears this could in turn influence frosty China-U.S. relations and security in the broader Indo-Pacific region, with China having escalated military activity in the Taiwan Strait and  other nearby waters . “As president, I have an important responsibility