74 m. ago China steps up global aviation expansion as Comac bids for Laos carrier

The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) has reportedly bid to take a majority stake in the flag carrier of Laos, as the state-owned Chinese aviation firm continues its push to expand its market in Southeast Asia. The deal – which is pending approval by the Lao authorities – would see Comac help Lao Airlines overhaul its operations and stem its losses in exchange for the carrier agreeing to use the Chinese company’s passenger jets, Vientiane Times quoted Prime Minister Sonexay...

Politics

2 h. ago Cheerleaders to critics: German machinery makers call for EU action on China

Germany’s iconic machine makers used to be among the loudest cheerleaders for ever-closer economic ties between China and Europe. Now, as exports dwindle and facing “increasingly strong [Chinese] competitors” beefed up by “unfair state subsidies”, the industry is demanding that Brussels put in place trade barriers to protect it. A new position paper published on Thursday by the Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA), representing medium-sized manufacturers that help constitute...

Politics

7 h. ago Study suggests pigs may have been domesticated in China as early as Neolithic

Research by archaeologists from Chinese and US institutes suggests that pigs were already domesticated in southern China around 8,000 years ago. The team, which included researchers from Dartmouth College and the Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, analysed two early Neolithic sites in the province’s Yangtze Delta region. The study – published on June 9 in the prestigious international journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) – “is the first to...

Politics

7 h. ago Pigs may have been domesticated in China as early as Neolithic era: study

Research by archaeologists from Chinese and US institutes suggests that pigs were already domesticated in southern China around 8,000 years ago. The team, which included researchers from Dartmouth College and the Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, analysed two early Neolithic sites in the province’s Yangtze Delta region. The study – published on June 9 in the prestigious international journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) – “is the first to...

Politics

11 h. ago Trump cannot hope to solve a China ‘problem’ he has misdiagnosed

Amid a US-China trade truce, negotiators in London reached a “framework” agreement to activate the Geneva deal, raising hopes for an immediate alleviation of the trade conflict, including potentially a US commitment to revoke some of its tech embargoes in return for China’s relaxation of rare earth export restrictions. The full details of the London agreement are expected to be available after both US President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping have approved it. The two-day London...

Politics

11 h. ago Trump’s fundamental mistake is in seeing China as America’s problem

Amid a US-China trade truce, negotiators in London reached a “framework” agreement to activate the Geneva deal, raising hopes for an immediate alleviation of the trade conflict, including potentially a US commitment to revoke some of its tech embargoes in return for China’s relaxation of rare earth export restrictions. The full details of the London agreement are expected to be available after both US President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping have approved it. The two-day London...

Politics

19 h. ago Nvidia CEO says Huawei has everyone ‘covered’ if US chip ban on China stays

Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang said his company’s technology remained a generation ahead of those developed by China, but warned that Huawei Technologies was in a position to expand its semiconductor business should US chip export curbs stay in place. In an interview with US broadcaster CNBC on Thursday, Huang appeared to echo recent published remarks made by Huawei founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei, who said the Chinese company’s Ascend artificial intelligence (AI) processors lagged behind...

Politics

19 h. ago How LA protests might force China to rethink its approach to US ties

The unrest in Los Angeles has revealed US domestic tensions that could momentarily divert Donald Trump’s attention from his China policies, potentially requiring a recalibration of Beijing’s approach towards Washington, according to Chinese analysts. One international relations expert urged Beijing to adopt a more pragmatic approach towards US ties and shift its focus to adapt to the conservative turn in American politics. After days of demonstrations in downtown Los Angeles over citywide US...

Events

24 h. ago Philippines’ Marcos softens stance amid economic pressures but will China bite?

President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s recent call to Filipino-Chinese businessmen to boost Manila’s bilateral ties with Beijing has raised the possibility that the Philippine leader is softening his stance on China. However, while the president’s sudden pivot could signal a recalibration of his approach, observers say the move is unlikely to yield any results in the near term because of his earlier hardline policy, including a statement earlier this month by his defence chief at a major security...

Economics

24 h. ago Nvidia bets on European AI push amid shrinking China revenue

Nvidia is trying to woo European markets with new partnerships and a pledge to build 20 new artificial intelligence (AI) factories across the continent, as the US chip giant grapples with declining sales in China amid Washington’s tightening export controls. CEO Jensen Huang, speaking at the annual VivaTech conference in Paris on Wednesday, said the company was building the world’s first “industrial artificial intelligence cloud” for European manufacturers. The Germany-based facility, a key part...

Politics

31 h. ago China approves world’s biggest amphibious plane, AG600, for mass production

China’s home-grown AG600, the world’s largest amphibious aircraft, has been given the green light for mass production, marking a step forward in building an independent and globally competitive aviation industry. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) certified the plane on Wednesday, confirming that its developer, the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (Avic), has established a reliable system to consistently produce aircraft that meet safety standards, according to...

Politics

32 h. ago Mainland China scientists build electronic war game for Taiwan and nearby waters

A PLA mobile electronic warfare platform deployed southeast of Taiwan activates its emitter, shattering the electromagnetic silence with powerful pulses, which are initially blocked by the island’s towering central mountain range. But while the key eastern military bases are unaffected at first, gradually the signals navigate the complex terrain, reflecting like mirrors off slopes and scattering across rough surfaces. Eventually, they cross the peaks to blanket the entire island and its...

Events

35 h. ago Beijing’s ties with Moscow and Kyiv should be leveraged for peace

The International Organisation for Mediation launched in Hong Kong late last month, counting 32 countries as founding signatories. An institution designed to supplement and actualise Article 33 of the United Nations Charter is something the world increasingly needs as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drags into its fourth year. Recent peace talks in Istanbul produced no appreciable progress, while swings on the battlefield have long since given way to a grinding impasse. Neither side appears capable...

Politics

38 h. ago US Treasury chief slams ‘unreliable’ China at House hearing on Trump trade policy

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent slammed Beijing on Wednesday for its aggressive export policies, urged it to be a more dependable partner and depicted China’s disjointed economic structure as hurting not only the US but the entire globe. “China currently has the most unbalanced economy in the history of the world,” Bessent, a former hedge fund manager, told the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. “They cannot be allowed to export their way back to prosperity, not only for working...

Politics

41 h. ago Viewed from China, Trump’s crackdown on LA unrest a risky ‘political gamble’

Chinese analysts have been closely monitoring the Los Angeles unrest, which they said had been exploited by US President Donald Trump for political theatre, jeopardising public safety and stability. One high-profile commentator also predicted that Trump’s heavy-handed tactics could escalate into a constitutional crisis. The remarks followed days of protests in Los Angeles over immigration raids, which led to a curfew in some downtown areas of the city aimed at cracking down on vandalism. The...

Politics

44 h. ago Why US defence chief’s attack on China won’t find favour in Southeast Asia

After listening to US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth’s all-out attack on “communist China” at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, some might have wondered what the Chinese people would make of it. But as a Chinese delegate listening to him live, I was wondering what Hegseth’s boss, US President Donald Trump, would think. In February, Trump called US Vice-President J.D. Vance’s speech in Munich bashing European allies “brilliant”. This time, we haven’t had his thoughts. I wondered, not only...

Events

45 h. ago China grants export permits to rare earth giant for US, Europe shipments

A top Chinese rare earth exporter, which hosted President Xi Jinping during a 2019 inspection, said it had obtained export permits for several destinations, including the United States. Investors welcomed the news, sending the company’s shares higher. JL MAG Rare-Earth said on Wednesday that it had also been granted licenses for Europe and Southeast Asia, and that it would export magnetic materials, components and motor rotors. “After the export controls imposed on medium and heavy rare earth...

Politics

45 h. ago China ‘respects Panama Canal neutrality’ as CK Hutchison ports deal looms

China’s foreign ministry has said it respects Panama’s sovereignty and recognises its canal as a neutral international waterway, after the head of the strategic channel warned that the CK Hutchison ports deal could jeopardise its impartiality. Panama Canal Authority administrator Ricaurte Vasquez said in an interview published on Tuesday that the US$23 billion deal between CK Hutchison Holdings and a consortium led by BlackRock and MSC could result in a concentration of operators that would be...

Politics

45 h. ago China ‘respects Panama Canal neutrality’ amid warning over CK Hutchison deal

China’s foreign ministry has said it respects Panama’s sovereignty and recognises its canal as a neutral international waterway, after the head of the strategic channel warned that the CK Hutchison ports deal could jeopardise its impartiality. Panama Canal Authority administrator Ricaurte Vasquez said in an interview published on Tuesday that CK Hutchison Holdings’ US$23 billion deal to sell its overseas ports to a consortium led by US investment giant BlackRock and shipping firm MSC could...

Events

47 h. ago US$900 million seized as China helps Malaysia dismantle Tedy Teow’s scam empire

Chinese and Malaysian police have seized over 3.8 billion ringgit (US$900 million) of assets – including yachts and property – from a syndicate alleged to have duped millions of people throughout the Asia-Pacific with promises of high-return investments. The Ponzi scheme, which operated mainly in Penang state, is believed to be linked to the MBI Group, started by Malaysian Tedy Teow Wooi Huat, who was extradited to China last year after hiding in Thailand. Seventeen people were arrested last...

Economics