99 m. ago Russia vows to work with China in the Arctic, Beijing pledges AI cooperation

Russia has pledged to deepen Arctic cooperation with China, while Beijing said it was ready to work with Moscow on artificial intelligence (AI), in a continued deepening of ties days after the leaders of the two countries met in the Chinese capital. At the Eastern Economic Forum in its eastern economic hub of Vladivostok, Russia also pledged to deepen its energy and financial infrastructure ties with China and offer a mutual visa-free travel agreement. According to Russian news agency Tass,...

Politics

2 h. ago ‘Deeply concerned’: South Korea vows to support citizens arrested in US raid

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung ordered all-out efforts on Saturday to respond to the arrests of hundreds of the nation’s citizens in a US immigration raid on a Hyundai Motor car battery factory. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said the government had set up a team to respond to Thursday’s arrest of more than 300 Koreans at the facility in the southern state of Georgia, and that he could go to Washington to meet officials if needed. “I am deeply concerned. I feel heavy responsibility for the...

Events

3 h. ago China plotting mission to defend Earth from asteroids: top space researcher

China is planning an advanced mission to strike an asteroid and alter its orbit with a spacecraft to mitigate the threat of an impact, according to a top space researcher. If successful, China will become the second country after the United States to achieve this ability. Wu Weiren, the chief designer of China’s lunar exploration programme and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, revealed this “kinetic impact demonstration mission” on Friday, saying it would test the feasibility...

Events

3 h. ago China designing mission to defend Earth from asteroids: top space researcher

China is planning an advanced mission to strike an asteroid and alter its orbit with a spacecraft to reduce the risk an impact, according to a top space researcher. If successful, China will become the second country after the United States to achieve this ability. Wu Weiren, the chief designer of China’s lunar exploration programme and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, revealed this “kinetic impact demonstration mission” on Friday, saying it would test the feasibility of...

Events

4 h. ago ‘Mosquito’s eyes’ video of China toddler’s daily antics viewed 360 million times

A video featuring a two-year-old girl in China, filmed from a “mosquito’s-eye view” perspective, has garnered 360 million views and 41 million likes, with many internet users declaring it the cutest clip in the world. The footage was initially published in April by the toddler’s mother, who lives in Beijing, before being shared by a domestic camera producer on Instagram, as reported by the Shenzhen-based news portal Dute News. What sets this clip apart from many others showcasing children’s...

Politics

6 h. ago Shanghai spirit for new world order needs to be matched by the West

This time, it was not America’s Franklin D. Roosevelt, Britain’s Winston Churchill and the Soviet Union’s Joseph Stalin meeting in the Crimean city of Yalta to carve up a defeated Germany and reshape the post-war European order. Instead, it was China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and India’s Narendra Modi at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in the Chinese city of Tianjin to consider the implications of a new and non-US-dominated global order. It was a historic occasion...

Politics

6 h. ago Israel’s army urges Gaza City residents to move to ‘humanitarian zone’

The Israeli military said on Saturday that Palestinians in Gaza City, the enclave’s largest urban area, should leave for the south, warning that the military was operating throughout the city. Israeli forces have been carrying out an offensive on the suburbs of the northern city for weeks after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to capture it. Netanyahu says Gaza City is a Hamas stronghold and capturing it is necessary to defeat the Palestinian Islamist militants,...

Politics

7 h. ago The story behind China refusing BRI funds to Pakistan: Unpaid $1.5 bn power bill, attacks on Chinese nationals

The story behind China refusing BRI funds to Pakistan: Unpaid $1.5 bn power bill, attacks on Chinese nationals  Firstpost

Economics

7 h. ago Another Hong Kong homeowner convicted over illegal structures, fined HK$150,000

Another homeowner in Redhill Peninsula has been found guilty of carrying out unauthorised building works and fined HK$150,000 (US$19,230), marking the 12th conviction after Hong Kong authorities’ crackdown on illegal construction. The owner of a detached home in the private housing estate on Hong Kong Island pleaded guilty at Eastern Court on Friday to knowingly undertaking building works without prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department. “Investigations found that the owner of...

Events

8 h. ago China, US, Japan race to control African rail routes in critical minerals fight

A geopolitical contest is unfolding in central-southern Africa, where major global powers are vying for control of key logistical routes amid a global race to secure critical minerals for the green energy transition. At the centre of this rivalry lies the small town of Kapiri Mposhi in central Zambia, a strategic hub where three competing corridors – China’s Tazara, the US-backed Lobito Corridor and Japan’s Nacala Corridor – converge. Observers say the race to build these corridors is not just...

Sport

8 h. ago China firm offers annual weight loss bonus; 1 person earns US$2,800 for losing 18kg

A Chinese company has triggered widespread discussion online by offering a one-million-yuan (US$140,000) bonus to encourage weight loss among employees, with one staff member receiving 20,000 yuan after shedding over 20kg in just 90 days. On August 12, Shenzhen-based tech firm Arashi Vision Inc., more commonly known as Insta360, made headlines with its annual “Million Yuan Weight Loss Challenge.” This initiative, held each year, aims to motivate employees to adopt healthier lifestyles by...

Economics

9 h. ago How Thailand’s local talent is fuelling global film productions

From the ready-made “dystopia” of Bangkok’s skyline to the moody limestone cliffs of Krabi, Thailand has for decades served as the backdrop for foreign filmmakers’ flights of fancy. Now, the country is looking to fly even higher by luring in global streaming platforms with a combination of generous tax breaks and highly skilled local production crew. Its largest and most recent catch is the sci-fi series Alien: Earth on Disney, created by Noah Hawley with Ridley Scott serving as one of the...

Politics

9 h. ago Xi, Putin video on ‘living to 150’ dropped as Chinese TV pulls permission

Xi, Putin video on ‘living to 150’ dropped as Chinese TV pulls permission  Al Jazeera

Politics

10 h. ago Hong Kong tutor centres feel squeeze as mainland Chinese firms eye slice of pie

Two major mainland Chinese tutorial school operators are expanding their Hong Kong footprint, increasing the competition for local counterparts already facing challenges caused by a shrinking student population and a curriculum revamp, the Post has found. The moves by the firms come amid rising demand from mainland students to sit Hong Kong’s university entrance exams, with the surge in interest also prompting local tutorial chains to extend their operations across the border. The number of...

Politics

12 h. ago Chinese firms 'building trust' overseas through global opinion leaders, original video

Chinese firms 'building trust' overseas through global opinion leaders, original video  China Daily

Politics

13 h. ago Young Chinese are trying out the simple life. Am I missing out?

When my friend Lee first lost his job in 2023, he was terrified. From the moment he graduated in 2016, he had been working nonstop. He had changed jobs a couple of times, but always had a choice – he had never been kicked out of the job market like this. Lee worked in the traditional publishing business, editing children’s books. The industry has been tanking, with the rise of digital books, and the post-pandemic slump doesn’t help. He was laid off with half of his colleagues, with a small...

Events

13 h. ago Being Chinese | Young Chinese are trying out the simple life. Am I missing out?

Being Chinese | Young Chinese are trying out the simple life. Am I missing out?  South China Morning Post

Events

13 h. ago ‘It’s tough, but good luck’: China eatery refunds meal payment to job

A street snack eatery in Shenzhen refunded 13 yuan (US$2) to uplift two young university graduates new to the city, and the gesture moved many people online. The two young women, Liu and Song, hailing from Hunan and Jiangxi provinces respectively, travelled to Guangdong in southern China for better job opportunities on August 15. On August 16, they visited a branch of Shaxian Delicacies, a well-known street snack chain in Longgang District, where they ordered food totalling 13 yuan and discussed...

Politics

13 h. ago Reflections | After Fan Bingbing’s Malaysia award, a history of Chinese official honours

Reflections | After Fan Bingbing’s Malaysia award, a history of Chinese official honours  South China Morning Post

Politics

14 h. ago ‘Fox in the henhouse’: New report shows Pentagon funds helped Chinese military

‘Fox in the henhouse’: New report shows Pentagon funds helped Chinese military  Straight Arrow News

Events