14 h. ago As Trump urges cap on credit card rates, could China follow suit for online loans?

US President Donald Trump’s call for American credit card interest rates to be capped at 10 per cent for a year has sparked a debate in China about whether Beijing should impose a similar limit on online loans. The discussion comes as many in China – especially younger people – are being enticed by credit offers amid a weak job market and a boom in online loan services. “Apps now keep luring young people into borrowing,” a finance blogger with nearly 500,000 followers wrote in a social media...

Politics

18 h. ago Scam and corruption cases spark debate in China over cryptocurrencies’ future

The seizure of enormous cryptocurrency caches in two high-profile criminal cases in China – a former head of the central bank’s digital currency research institute accused of corruption, and an alleged scam centre kingpin linked to about US$15 billion in bitcoin – have sparked questions in the country about the safety and future of virtual money. But analysts said the long-term trend for the assets, especially bitcoin, depended on institutional capital, interest rate expectations and the...

Politics

50 h. ago China Offers Leniency if Cronies of Accused Scam Boss Surrender

China Offers Leniency if Cronies of Accused Scam Boss Surrender  The China-Global South Project

Politics

3 d. ago China entrepreneur promises football team players a car each, retracts offer after landmark win

An entrepreneur in China has come under fire for promising to gift a car to every member of a city’s football team if they won an important competition, then reneging on her promise when they did. While many people criticised the woman, the local football association said it would not push the woman to fulfil her promise, saying they understood her financial predicament. The response was viewed 22 million times on one mainland social media platform alone. It also attracted praise from the state...

Sport

4 d. ago Tariff dispute: EU makes offer to electric car exporters in China

Tariff dispute: EU makes offer to electric car exporters in China  European Newsroom

Politics

4 d. ago China girl, 12, pens essay to thank ‘second dad’ for support, offers him US$140 after job loss

A heartfelt essay by a 12-year-old girl to the uncle who adopted her after her father died has moved many people online. The essay, titled “My Second Father”, went viral after her uncle, Wei Yi, read it on his social media account. Wei, 33, and his wife, surnamed Lu, adopted Lu’s niece Jia Jia after her father died from liver cancer in 2024. Jia Jia’s mother is disabled and could not look after her well. Lu’s mother, Jia Jia’s grandmother, was also not in good health, prompting the couple to...

Economics

4 d. ago China girl, 12, pens essay to thank ‘second dad’, offers him US$140 after job loss

China girl, 12, pens essay to thank ‘second dad’, offers him US$140 after job loss  South China Morning Post

Economics

5 d. ago China offers Beijing visit to Somali president, reaffirms support for his country’s unity

China offers Beijing visit to Somali president, reaffirms support for his country’s unity  Garowe Online

Politics

8 d. ago China SXT Pharmaceuticals Inc. Announces $10 Million Registered Direct Offering

China SXT Pharmaceuticals Inc. Announces $10 Million Registered Direct Offering  GlobeNewswire

Economics

8 d. ago China says it is still ‘deeply committed’ to Venezuela as ambassador meets new leader

China said on Friday it would continue to offer its firm support to Venezuela after its ambassador met the country’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez. She described her meeting with Chinese ambassador Lan Hu as “cordial” and thanked Beijing for its condemnation of the abduction of former leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. “We value China’s firm and consistent stance in strongly condemning the serious violation of international law and Venezuelan sovereignty,” Rodriguez...

Politics

8 d. ago MiniMax and Zhipu’s stellar Hong Kong IPOs supercharge China’s AI ambitions

The red-hot Hong Kong initial public offerings (IPOs) of Zhipu AI and MiniMax Group, two of China’s hopefuls to take on US giants like OpenAI and Anthropic, have given a boost to Beijing’s ambitions in the artificial intelligence sector, according to executives and industry watchers. While Zhipu’s valuation of about US$9 billion and MiniMax’s market cap of US$14 billion remain tiny compared with the US giants – OpenAI is worth about US$500 billion and Anthropic’s valuation is estimated at about...

Politics

8 d. ago China ‘instant reply providers’ offer solace by promptly responding to client ventings online

A new profession known as “instant reply providers”, or miao hui shi in Chinese, has trended on mainland social media. For a price, people who do the job offer quick and soothing replies for those who are angry, upset or in need of an emotional outlet. Not only do they respond very quickly, so-called instant reply providers are good listeners and offer emotional support. They can earn as much as 10,000 yuan (US$1,400) a month, according to a report by Guangming Daily. The charges for their...

Politics

8 d. ago China ‘instant reply providers’ offer solace by responding to angry clients online

China ‘instant reply providers’ offer solace by responding to angry clients online  South China Morning Post

Politics

9 d. ago Exclusive: China's Anta Sports has offered to buy Pinault family's 29% Puma stake, sources say

Exclusive: China's Anta Sports has offered to buy Pinault family's 29% Puma stake, sources say  Reuters

Politics

9 d. ago China ups the ante on trade front and then offers a glimmer of hope

China ups the ante on trade front and then offers a glimmer of hope  The Japan Times

Politics

9 d. ago Cambodia dissolves accused scam tycoon Chen Zhi’s Prince Bank

A Cambodian bank founded by accused scam boss Chen Zhi, who has been indicted by the United States over a multibillion-dollar fraud and extradited to China, was ordered liquidated on Thursday, Cambodia’s central bank said. Prince Bank “has been placed under liquidation in accordance with the laws of the Kingdom of Cambodia”, the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) said in a statement. Prince Bank has been “suspended from providing new banking services, including accepting deposits and providing...

Politics

1 week ago Venezuelan Oil Shunned by China as Offers Get More Expensive

Venezuelan Oil Shunned by China as Offers Get More Expensive  Bloomberg.com

Politics

1 week ago ADB: China's market offers ample opportunities for foreign companies

ADB: China's market offers ample opportunities for foreign companies  China Daily

Politics

1 week ago China ski resort offers US$700 birthday service where instructors carry women guests down slope

A ski resort in northeastern China has ignited online controversy over videos showing an instructor carrying a woman guest “princess-style” down a slope as part of a birthday package. A woman identified as Zhao recently posted online about celebrating her birthday at the Northeast Asia Ski Resort in Shenyang, Liaoning province. The venue is the largest in the province and has the most ski runs. In her video, an instructor in white carries her down an outdoor slope as she smiles, holds red...

Politics

1 week ago The ‘biology winter’ thaws: why investors are piling into Hong Kong’s biotech IPOs

Hong Kong’s biotech fundraising momentum is expect to extend into 2026, as licensing deals and strong post-initial public offering (IPO) trading last year persuaded investors that China’s drug developers are worth backing again – even before they generate revenue. “Chinese innovation drugs expanding into overseas markets have become the industry mainstream, indicating the domestic innovation sector has entered its harvest phase,” said Felix Huang, head of equity at Oakwise Capital. “New trends...

Economics