29 h. ago Denmark’s Arctic commander rejects Trump’s claims of immediate Russia, China threat to Greenland

Denmark’s Arctic commander rejects Trump’s claims of immediate Russia, China threat to Greenland  politico.eu

Politics

33 h. ago Taiwan faces possible Beijing squeeze after US quits WHO and other agencies

The United States’ decision to withdraw from dozens of UN and other international organisations may have dealt another blow to Taiwan’s efforts to raise its global profile amid mounting pressure from Beijing. While Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s government has sought to play down the impact, observers have warned that Washington’s retreat could further squeeze the island’s already narrow international space. US President Donald Trump on January 7 ordered the US to exit 66 international...

Politics

33 h. ago Will US exit from world bodies deal fresh blow to Taiwan’s push to raise global profile?

The United States’ decision to withdraw from dozens of UN and other international organisations may have dealt another blow to Taiwan’s efforts to raise its global profile amid mounting pressure from Beijing. While Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s government has sought to play down the impact, observers have warned that Washington’s retreat could further squeeze the island’s already narrow international space. US President Donald Trump on January 7 ordered the US to exit 66 international...

Events

35 h. ago ‘Love yourself’ – young China’s new wellness mantra to cope with the rat race

For 26-year-old Tianjin office worker Celine Wang, it is an extra cup of milk tea. “One for me and the other for lao ji,” she said, placing the double order on a workday afternoon in January. “After going through all the difficulties from trying to be the best performer at school to surviving at my workplace, I feel tired. “I’ve decided to treat myself well ai ni lao ji,” she said, using a buzzword that took off in the gaming world and has become a mantra for personal wellness in China. The...

Politics

36 h. ago China’s AI ambitions meet the politics of global supply chains

China’s AI ambitions meet the politics of global supply chains  Modern Diplomacy

Politics

57 h. ago Carney opens Canada to Chinese EVs, China cuts canola tariffs

Carney opens Canada to Chinese EVs, China cuts canola tariffs  Politico

Politics

60 h. ago Why is China’s Xi Jinping putting the political heat back on illegal villas and resorts?

Chinese President Xi Jinping has refocused national anti-corruption efforts on illegal villas and “private resorts”, luxury developments that have come to symbolise excess and graft over the past two decades. According to newly released excerpts of a speech, Xi singled out the developments for special mention at the central urban work conference in July, highlighting them as examples of the need to improve governance, combat corruption and promote sustainable urban development. “[Officials must]...

Politics

60 h. ago Why is Xi Jinping putting the political heat back on illegal villas and resorts?

Why is Xi Jinping putting the political heat back on illegal villas and resorts?  South China Morning Post

Politics

66 h. ago US ambassador to China David Perdue to visit Hong Kong at the end of January, sources say

America’s ambassador to China, David Perdue, will visit Hong Kong at the end of January to speak at a business conference, according to sources. Perdue will address the Goldman Sachs Global Macro Conference Asia-Pacific 2026 on January 27, several people familiar with the matter told the South China Morning Post. They said the envoy was expected to spend “several days” in the city. The US consulate in Hong Kong declined to comment on the matter. But an American diplomat in the city, speaking on...

Politics

3 d. ago Nie Weiping, Chinese Go master known for dramatic victory over Japanese rival, dies at 73

Nie Weiping, a legendary Go master in China, died in Beijing at the age of 73 on Wednesday. Nie is best remembered for his dramatic victory in the first Japan-China Super Go in 1985. Few had hope that China would win because its players had long lagged behind Japanese competitors in the strategy board game. By the time it was Nie’s turn to play in Tokyo, Japan’s top player, Kobayashi Koichi, had already won six straight games against his Chinese counterparts. Nie was the only Chinese player left...

Events

3 d. ago How Chinese corruption busters are tracking down bribes paid in cryptocurrency

Beijing has revealed how its graft busters are investigating bribes paid in hard-to-trace cryptocurrencies by tracking the ways in which corrupt officials have been spending the proceeds. A documentary shown on state broadcaster CCTV on Wednesday highlighted the case of Yao Qian, the former director of the digital currency institute at the People’s Bank of China. Investigators became suspicious when Yao bought a villa in Beijing for more than 20 million yuan (around US$2.9 million) under the...

Politics

3 d. ago UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper plans fresh visit to China

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper plans fresh visit to China  politico.eu

Politics

3 d. ago Jailed Chinese AI chatbot developers appeal in landmark pornography case

In a landmark case in China, two AI chatbot developers have appealed against their convictions on pornography charges over software that generated sexual content for paid users. The Shanghai First Intermediate People’s Court began on Wednesday hearing the appeal by the two defendants against an earlier decision by a lower court to sentence one of the developers to four years and the other to 1½ years in prison for “creating pornographic material for profit”. The hearing has been adjourned,...

Events

4 d. ago US halts visas for 75 countries indefinitely; China not on the list

The administration of US President Donald Trump is halting visa processing for people from more than 70 countries, the US State Department has confirmed to the Post. “The State Department is pausing immigrant visa processing for 75 countries”, a State Department official said on Wednesday. China is not included in the list, which has countries like Thailand, a US ally, and Brazil, a close neighbour in the western hemisphere, along with Russia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, Egypt, Jordan...

Politics

4 d. ago Sovereign investors cut mainland China exposure as political sensitivities rise

Sovereign investors slashed their exposure to mainland China in 2025 amid rising political sensitivities, but experts said selective opportunities and closer bilateral ties could support the outlook. The world’s second-largest economy received US$4.3 billion in investments from sovereign wealth funds, public pension funds and central banks, down 58 per cent from US$10.3 billion in 2024, according to Global SWF, which tracks 792 such state-owned investors. “Sovereign investment activity has...

Politics

4 d. ago Growth in sovereign investors’ exposure to China slows as political sensitivities rise

Growth in sovereign investors’ exposure to mainland China in 2025 slowed amid rising political sensitivities, but experts said selective opportunities and closer bilateral ties could support the outlook. The world’s second-largest economy received US$4.3 billion in investments from sovereign wealth funds, public pension funds and central banks, down 58 per cent from US$10.3 billion in 2024, according to Global SWF, which tracks 792 such state-owned investors. “Sovereign investment activity has...

Politics

4 d. ago China warns of covert mapping by foreign forces to steal sensitive geodata

China’s top counter-espionage agency has warned that overseas entities are attempting to steal the country’s geographic data through covert mapping operations that threaten national security. Foreign “anti-China hostile forces” have been deploying “various clandestine methods” to gather, steal and exploit China’s foundational mapping and geographic information, the Ministry of State Security said in a social media article on Tuesday. It said the data, crucial for infrastructure planning,...

Events

5 d. ago China calls for efforts toward political settlement of Ukraine crisis

China calls for efforts toward political settlement of Ukraine crisis  chinadailyasia.com

Events

5 d. ago Japan’s Takaichi seeks unity with South Korea’s Lee as China tensions persist

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will push for closer ties with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at a summit on Tuesday, as Tokyo struggles to draw a line under its widening diplomatic dispute with China. Both sides will focus on security challenges and Takaichi is expected to avoid “divisive” issues, while Lee, who last week met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, will try to achieve a “neutral” stance, analysts say. Lee’s two-day visit to Nara, Takaichi’s hometown, comes at a...

Events

5 d. ago North China farmers pay heavy price this winter for Beijing’s clean air success

In the daytime the temperature in northern China often stays below freezing, but for many rural villagers the prohibitive cost of heating means that they have little choice but to endure the cold. “We dare not turn on the heating during the day,” one woman from Guan county in Hebei named Wang said. The 75-year-old’s home is around 70km (43 miles) from the centre of Beijing, but running the heating all day would cost between 60 and 90 yuan (US$8-13), an expense that could soar over the course of...

Society