Indonesia is well placed to share in the most significant theme shaping the world economy: the shift in the balance of economic and financial power from the West to the East. The countries that succeed in this shift will fit into one of three categories. They will have the financial resources, such as China or, say, Qatar. They will have natural resources, including water, energy and commodities and will include the likes of Brazil, Canada, and many countries across Africa.

Expatriates in Indonesia may soon be able to make the jump from being renters to owners, as the State Ministry of Public Housing announced on Thursday that it was planning changes to the law that would allow foreigners to own homes in cities and special economic zones. Housing Minister Suharso Monoarfa said expats would be able to buy houses in special economic zones, such as in Batam and Kalimantan, where overseas companies receive incentives to run factories.