74 m. ago Chinese ethnic minorities sing songs to solve legal disputes; case goes viral

Some courts in southwestern China’s Guizhou province have hired folk singers to work as mediators in a bid to settle legal disputes among local ethnic minorities. In a 2023 video that recently went viral on social media, a man in Rongjiang County, Guizhou province, took a woman from a neighbouring village to court after she spread a folk song she made up to defame him and his wife in several chat groups. Both parties are from the Shui ethnic group, for whom folk singing is a major way of...

Politics

1 hour ago DSE versus gaokao: more mainland Chinese pupils opting for Hong Kong system

An increasing number of mainland Chinese pupils are taking Hong Kong’s university entrance exams as a step towards more diverse opportunities in higher education, with at least two achieving flying colours as private candidates this year. Leslie Wang Ziqi, 18, a student in Shenzhen, switched from the National Higher Education Entrance Examination or gaokao, mainland China’s university entrance exam, to the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE), as a private candidate at the beginning of his final...

Politics

1 hour ago ‘Less stressful’: why mainland Chinese pupils choose Hong Kong’s DSE over gaokao

An increasing number of mainland Chinese pupils are taking Hong Kong’s university entrance exams as a step towards more diverse opportunities in higher education, with at least two achieving flying colours as private candidates this year. Leslie Wang Ziqi, 18, a student in Shenzhen, switched from the National Higher Education Entrance Examination or gaokao, mainland China’s university entrance exam, to the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE), as a private candidate at the beginning of his final...

Politics

2 h. ago Philippines weighs legal action against China over US$194,000 coral reef damage

The Philippines has publicly accused a Chinese vessel of causing more than 11 million pesos (US$194,000) in damage to protected coral reefs near Thitu Island in the South China Sea. On Monday, Manila released the results of an environmental survey showing that a Chinese ship had ran aground near Thitu Island in June. Investigators found that the vessel dragged a parachute anchor across the sensitive marine ecosystem, scarring at least 464 square metres (4,994 square feet) of reef less than 3km...

Economics

4 h. ago ‘Swayed by external forces’: the harsh reality for mainland students in Taiwan

As tensions between Beijing and Taipei rise, academia and the education sector reveal how each side is changing to adapt to – or shape – the new environment. In the second of a two-part series, we look at the situation for mainland students in Taiwan. Read the first instalment here. As a mainland Chinese student in Taiwan, John Wang felt apprehensive only once during his five months on exchange. It was December 20 and he was passing the parliament building in Taipei on his way back from a social...

Politics

5 h. ago Trump says Beijing making ‘big steps’ in controlling fentanyl

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Beijing is “making big steps” in efforts to control the flow of fentanyl, an issue that the American leader has used to justify tariffs that he has slapped on imports from China. “I think China has been helping out,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I mean, it’s been a terrible situation for many years with fentanyl, but since I came here, we’re talking to them, and they’re making big steps ... You know that they’re being penalised with...

Politics

14 h. ago Chinese state newspaper strikes friendly tone towards internet giants

A leading Chinese state media outlet has expressed support for the nation’s internet platform operators, emphasising their importance alongside hard-tech companies like chip manufacturers, as it adopts a positive tone that reflects Beijing’s friendly stance towards e-commerce companies. According to the editorial published by the Economic Daily on Wednesday, food delivery and “hard-tech” breakthroughs – such as advances in high-speed trains and aerospace technologies – represented two key...

Events

14 h. ago ‘Actionable results’ needed to get Chinese spending again, No 4 official says

The Communist Party’s chief theoretician has urged groups outside the party – including China’s eight minor political parties, industry and commerce representatives, and public figures without party affiliation – to contribute to the discussion on how to boost domestic demand, as Beijing steps up efforts to entice the public to spend more. Improving domestic demand is a strategic priority and a necessary step towards ensuring the long-term and healthy development of China’s economy, said Wang...

Politics

14 h. ago Books on President Xi’s thoughts to serve as ‘action guide’ for Hongkongers

The launch of the traditional Chinese version of three books on President Xi Jinping’s thoughts should serve as an “action guide” for residents to contribute to Hong Kong and the nation’s development, Beijing’s top official in the city has said. Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu also said on Wednesday during the books’ release that the new editions would enable residents to gain a deeper understanding of Xi’s thoughts. The three books, which centre on Xi’s thoughts on education, culture and his...

Politics

16 h. ago Baidu signs deal with Uber to deploy Apollo Go robotaxis in Asia, Middle East

Chinese search engine and AI giant Baidu and global taxi-hailing firm Uber Technologies have agreed to work together to deploy thousands of Baidu Apollo Go robotaxis in markets outside the US and mainland China, a move that comes as Tesla seeks to expand its robotaxis in the US. The multi-year deal will see robotaxis deployed in Asia and the Middle East later this year, according to a joint statement. It was unclear whether the partnership would include Hong Kong, where Baidu’s Apollo Go...

Economics

16 h. ago China family has funeral as Indian neighbours host wedding in show of communal unity

A Chinese funeral and an Indian wedding took place on the same street on the same day in Malaysia, but the two families managed to coexist and show mutual respect, winning applause online. Both ceremonies took place on July 5 in Tampin, in the Malaysian state of Negeri Sembilan. The funeral was that of the mother of a local Democratic Action Party politician of Chinese origin. On the other side of the street, an Indian family rented a hall to host a wedding. Funerals are usually considered...

Society

17 h. ago Beijing Review: Chinese and U.S. youth explore the charm of Beijing's history and modernity

Beijing Review: Chinese and U.S. youth explore the charm of Beijing's history and modernity  Laotian Times

Politics

17 h. ago China’s foreign minister urges SCO to work for more ‘equal and orderly’ world

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to push for an “equal and orderly multipolar world” and reform of the global governance system. Wang told a meeting of foreign ministers from the Eurasian security bloc’s 10 members in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin: “Hegemonism and power politics are going against the trend of the times, protectionism is surging, and regional conflicts are emerging one after another.” Against that backdrop, he said the bloc...

Politics

17 h. ago ‘Stick to the right path’: China’s Wang Yi urges SCO to back ‘multipolar world’

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to push for an “equal and orderly multipolar world” and reform of the global governance system. Wang told a meeting of foreign ministers from the Eurasian security bloc’s 10 members in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin: “Hegemonism and power politics are going against the trend of the times, protectionism is surging, and regional conflicts are emerging one after another.” Against that backdrop, he said the bloc...

Economics

18 h. ago Hong Kong minister calls for stronger moral education after AI porn case at HKU

Hong Kong universities should put more effort into instilling values and moral education among students, a minister has said, after an undergraduate was accused of using AI to generate pornographic images of his classmates and other women. Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin made her remarks on Wednesday, a day after the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data launched a criminal investigation into the law student, who had only received a warning from the University of...

Politics

20 h. ago Airbus signs fresh deal with Chinese partner amid talk of massive China order

Airbus has signed a new cooperation deal with its Chinese partner that will see the company localise more production of its A321 jet in China, with the announcement coming just a week ahead of a key China-Europe leaders’ summit. The European aviation giant will work with its partner AVIC Xi’an Aircraft Industry Group to start fuselage equipping – installing components onto the front and rear parts of an aircraft – for the A321 at its factory in Tianjin under the agreement. The programme is an...

Politics

20 h. ago Chinese county admits plagiarism after web users flag data identical to another

A county government in southern China has confirmed plagiarism in an official document and pledged to “promptly correct” the offending sections in a rare admission of such misconduct. This came after internet users flagged information almost identical to that filed by another county about 400km (250 miles) away in a neighbouring province. In a news release on Tuesday, the government of Pingle county in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region said it had detected plagiarism in “a limited number of...

Politics

21 h. ago New plants, US trade worries to drive China's 2025 naphtha imports to record

New plants, US trade worries to drive China's 2025 naphtha imports to record  Yahoo Finance

Politics

22 h. ago India’s ‘triple anxiety’—What Chinese media sees in Jaishankar’s Beijing visit

India’s ‘triple anxiety’—What Chinese media sees in Jaishankar’s Beijing visit  ThePrint

Politics

22 h. ago Former top Shell engineer leaves Britain to work on ‘cleaner’ oil tech in China

A leading engineer, who spent 20 years working for the global oil giant Shell, has left Britain to take up a position at a Chinese university to lead a team working with the petroleum industry on low-carbon technology. Jing Xudong, who was an adjunct professor at Imperial College London at the time of his departure, held a number of positions in academia and industry and collected a number of awards and honours along the way. This included his election as a fellow of Britain’s Royal Academy of...

Science