1 hour ago Chinese children under 14 become latest targets of tougher US visa policies

The United States embassy in China has tightened its visa policy for children under the age of 14 years by removing an interview-free application process. The decision follows Washington’s recent threats to “aggressively revoke” the visas of Chinese students studying in the country and increase scrutiny of future applications. In a notice posted on its official visa application website USTravelDocs on Monday, the embassy said that applicants under 14 who submit a non-immigrant visa application...

Events

1 hour ago Chinese academy launches automated system to speed up chip design

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the nation’s premier science institution, has unveiled a chip design system driven by artificial intelligence (AI) that has the potential to significantly accelerate semiconductor development and replace human programmers. Developed by the State Key Laboratory of Processor and the Intelligent Software Research Centre, both under CAS, and the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the fully automated integrated circuit design system is called QiMeng,...

Politics

2 h. ago Video Shows Chinese 'Militia' Ship Near US Ally's Disputed Territory

Video Shows Chinese 'Militia' Ship Near US Ally's Disputed Territory  Newsweek

Politics

2 h. ago Apple’s most sweeping software redesign disappoints mainland Chinese consumers

Mainland Chinese consumers were left unimpressed by Apple’s most sweeping software redesign in its history, according to domestic social media posts on Tuesday, at a time when the US technology giant faces growing headwinds in the world’s largest smartphone market. Apple on Monday previewed a new software interface design, called Liquid Glass, during the company’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference held at its US headquarters in Cupertino, California. For the very first time, the new design...

Events

3 h. ago Trump–Xi call boosts Chinese president’s tough man image — and may have handed him the upper hand in future talks

Trump–Xi call boosts Chinese president’s tough man image — and may have handed him the upper hand in future talks  The Conversation

Politics

3 h. ago ‘Chaotic era’: Chinese state media say LA protests are proof of a broken America

Chinese state media have sought to portray the escalating Los Angeles protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies as proof of a broken government and the lack of social cohesion in the United States. Such a framing, alongside a mix of gloating and schadenfreude on Chinese social media, comes amid sustained US-China tariff tensions and ongoing high-level trade talks in London. The state-backed Beijing Youth Daily, in a commentary published on its social media page on Tuesday,...

Events

4 h. ago What are Hong Kong’s best deals, discounts for this year’s July 1 celebrations?

Hong Kong residents and tourists will be able to enjoy plenty of discounts, giveaways and other deals when the city celebrates the 28th anniversary of its return to Chinese rule on July 1. From Star Ferry fares to must-see museums, the Post gives a rundown of what the city has to offer for the occasion. Free transport Commuters will have a chance to win one of the 71,000 MTR tickets available in a raffle being held on July 1 via the rail operator’s mobile app. The tickets are valid until January...

Politics

4 h. ago A quantum leap: Chinese institute begins photonic chip production

An institute affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University has commenced production of photonic chips, marking a milestone in China’s semiconductor sector and providing a boost to the country’s quantum computing capabilities in spite of increased US export controls. The Chip Hub for Integrated Photonics Xplore (CHIPX), located in Wuxi in eastern Jiangsu province, now produces 6-inch thin-film lithium niobate photonic chip wafers, according to local authorities. The development underscores...

Politics

5 h. ago Thailand’s Pattaya deploys AI drones as cries grow to tackle rising crime

A city in Thailand plans to deploy AI-powered police drones to hunt down criminals and visa overstayers amid growing concerns over public safety. Authorities in Pattaya want to link the drones to a centralised AI database so they can scan faces in crowds and pick out individuals with outstanding arrest warrants or expired visas, according to local media outlet The Thaiger. The drones will be used during large-scale local events and in tourist hotspots to monitor activities and respond to...

Events

5 h. ago Extravagant Chinese TV host Li Xiang mingles with royalty, spends US$10,000 on food

A popular Chinese television host has sparked fresh online controversy after it was revealed that the sticky rice dumplings she ate during the Dragon Boat Festival cost 1,000 yuan (US$140) each. Li Xiang, 49, who was born in Hunan province, central China, first rose to fame in 1997 as the host of the hit variety show Happy Camp. In the 2000s, she won the Most Popular Host award three times and received the Golden Mic Award, the highest honour for television anchors and hosts in China. As her...

Economics

5 h. ago China backs South Africa against ‘hegemony and bullying’ amid US tensions

Beijing is ready to work with South Africa to oppose global “hegemony and bullying”, Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun said on Tuesday, amid growing tensions between Pretoria and Washington over South Africa’s ties to Russia and controversial US asylum policies. The remarks came during a meeting in Beijing with General Rudzani Maphwanya, chief of the South African National Defence Force, according to a statement released by China’s Ministry of National Defence. It was Dong’s first public...

Events

6 h. ago Chinese premier urges faster tech applications amid US export controls

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for a push to speed up the application of new advances in science and technology, as the country accelerates efforts to break its dependence on US tech and develop a world-leading industrial base. In a State Council meeting on Monday, Li called the application of new technologies the “last mile” of innovation, as it links innovation and industry and is important in driving new products and services, state-run news agency Xinhua reported. The premier’s comments...

Politics

6 h. ago Did China’s first emperor launch westwards mission to find ‘elixir of life’?

History records the Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang as sending the alchemist Xu Fu eastwards towards Japan on a quest for the elixir of immortality. However, the ancient texts make no mention of any similar expedition heading west. But according to a state media report, findings by Chinese archaeologists suggest that a western expedition for the “elixir of life” may indeed have been launched during the reign of Qin Shi Huang. Qin Shi Huang, or the “first emperor of China”, was so named because he...

Events

6 h. ago Labubu becomes bait for China’s Ping An Bank to lure young customers

Hoping the world’s trendiest monster will scare up some new customers, China’s Ping An Bank is rewarding those who open new accounts with a Pop Mart Lababu doll amid fierce competition for young customers among Chinese retail banks. New clients who open a savings account and deposit more than 50,000 yuan (US$6,954) for at least three months could receive a blind box from the first or second series of the Chinese toy retailer’s popular collectibles, according to media reports. Customers who also...

Economics

7 h. ago Chinese Stocks Drop Suddenly as Investors Await US Trade Talks

Chinese Stocks Drop Suddenly as Investors Await US Trade Talks  Bloomberg

Economics

7 h. ago China’s Liaoning and Shandong aircraft carriers sail beyond second island chain

In an unprecedented show of strength, the Chinese aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong have been conducting exercises in the western Pacific Ocean beyond the second island chain, according to the Japanese defence ministry. In a statement on Monday, the ministry said the Shandong strike group was spotted earlier that day, conducting take-off and landing operations of its jet fighters and helicopters about 500km (311 miles) southwest of Iwo Jima and north of Okinotori. It followed the...

Transport

7 h. ago Japan sights two Chinese aircraft carriers in Pacific for first time

Japan sights two Chinese aircraft carriers in Pacific for first time  Reuters

Transport

8 h. ago Pressured by US tariffs, Chinese exports expand in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia

Chinese exports to major industrial centres in Southeast Asia rose by double-digit percentages in the first five months of the year to satisfy growing consumer markets, feed offshore factory investments and offset losses from high US tariffs. Shipments to factory-magnet Vietnam increased by 18.8 per cent from January to May, compared with the same period in 2024, according to official data released on Monday. Meanwhile, exports to Thailand grew by 20.9 per cent, and Indonesia took 16.8 per cent...

Events

10 h. ago Civilian group hosts Taiwan tabletop simulation of attack from mainland China

A think tank in Taiwan has started a two-day war game with retired US and Japanese generals to simulate the island’s defence in the event of a military attack from the Chinese mainland. The Taipei School of Economics and Political Science Foundation, which organised the tabletop exercise, said the aim was to “identify the defence issues that Taiwan urgently needs to strengthen and provide recommendations for the government”. Described as the first operational-level military simulation by a...

Events

11 h. ago U.S. says it has arrested another Chinese researcher accused of smuggling biological material

U.S. says it has arrested another Chinese researcher accused of smuggling biological material  NBC News

Events