5 h. ago UK ‘woefully’ unprepared for Chinese and Russian undersea cable sabotage, says report

UK ‘woefully’ unprepared for Chinese and Russian undersea cable sabotage, says report  The Guardian

Politics

9 h. ago Xi to meet Central Asian leaders as both sides seek ‘stronger coordination’

Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to reaffirm Beijing’s commitment to Central Asian ties and higher quality development projects when he visits Kazakhstan for a summit next week. Xi will be in Astana from Monday to Wednesday for the China-Central Asia Summit, which is expected to focus on areas including transport, energy, security governance and the digital economy, according to analysts. It follows the first such summit in the Chinese city of Xian in 2023, when Xi vowed to strengthen...

Politics

10 h. ago US vaccine sceptics are now in charge. That’s bad news for the world

When US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jnr removed the vaccine advisory panel of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), he framed it as a move for the “restoration of public trust”. But the implications stretch far beyond domestic politics. In dismantling one of the world’s most respected sources of vaccine expertise, the United States is not just undermining its public health, it is ceding global scientific authority to China. Trump’s elevation of figures like Pete Hegseth,...

Politics

11 h. ago China’s extreme heat shield breaks thermal limit on hypersonic flight

Chinese scientists have created a carbide ceramic capable of withstanding temperatures up to 3,600 degrees Celsius (6,512 degrees Fahrenheit) in an oxidising environment, exceeding current thermal limits on hypersonic flight. The development holds significant potential for applications in aerospace, energy and other extreme high-temperature fields. Modern hypersonic aircraft and advanced engines demand materials that can maintain structural integrity under extreme thermal conditions. However,...

Politics

12 h. ago Cairo calling: why Chinese factories are moving to Egypt amid the trade war

Until recently, Jiahao’s guest house in a quiet corner of Cairo was a modest pit stop for Chinese tourists on their way to visit the Egyptian pyramids. But this spring, the hostel suddenly began to attract a different kind of client. Jiahao, the hostel’s 26-year-old owner, began welcoming groups of factory owners from across China and Southeast Asia – grizzled businesspeople whose trips were not about sightseeing, but survival. “Many business owners now book week-long stays,” Jiahao said. “I...

Events

13 h. ago Why China’s officials are braced for another round of performance inspections

Chinese officials already have to deal with a series of inspectors knocking on their doors to keep tabs on their activities, but now they will also have a new group of “performance observers” looking over their shoulders to check that they are not wasting government funds. Local officials in China are often castigated for spending money on “white elephants”, such as flashy construction projects, in the hope these will provide a quick fix for the local economy and win favour with their...

Politics

13 h. ago Chinese woman schemes to make US$1.4 million, lives with rich men, loots homes

A woman in China set up a scheme to save 10 million yuan (US$1.4 million) to buy a house by dating rich men, moving in with them and then looting their homes. Yin Xue, 24, from rural Hunan in central China, grew up in a poor family. At the age of 18, she went to the lavish wedding of one of her boyfriend’s friends, according to the mainland media outlet Guangming Net. Seeing the couple’s designer clothes, villa and private staff sparked envy and ambition in Yin. “I realised I wanted that kind...

Society

13 h. ago How a ‘Harvard International’ could boost Hong Kong as an education hub

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has invited international students worried about finishing their courses at Harvard University in the US to continue their studies at one of Hong Kong’s universities. Other universities in Malaysia and Japan have put forward similar suggestions. This comes as Hong Kong is considering how to make best use of the part of the Northern Metropolis reserved for universities to bolster its role as an education hub. That site is at the heart of our future technology...

Politics

14 h. ago Future of 8,300 public flats in northern Hong Kong uncertain as work put on hold

Hong Kong’s housing authorities have suspended a 8,300 public flat development in a northern town due to the suspected high costs of building on deep rock strata, a move lawmakers said showed serious failure at the initial planning stage. The legislators urged authorities on Sunday to invest more resources in land exploration to avoid such unexpected disruptions to housing goals that would only leave the public disappointed. The suspension of the development, including its site formation and...

Politics

14 h. ago Beijing’s top Taiwan official warns independence forces will bring ‘disaster’

Mainland China’s top official on Taiwan affairs has called on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to oppose “Taiwan independence and external interference” and promote closer integration. “Taiwan independence forces and their activities undermine national sovereignty and territorial integrity, disrupt peace and stability in our homeland, and incite confrontation and division among compatriots,” said Wang Huning, the fourth-ranking official of China’s ruling Communist Party. He made the comments at...

Events

14 h. ago Chinese media contrasts US pageantry and violence on Trump’s parade day

Donald Trump’s first large-scale military parade in decades has prompted Chinese commentators to compare and mock the contrast between the US president’s pageantry and the nationwide unrest sparked by his immigration policies. The festivities in Washington on Saturday occurred on a day marked by protests around the nation that underscored the country’s deep divisions. In China, some state media and online commentators declared Trump’s “America First” policy a failure in light of the mass...

Politics

14 h. ago ‘Setting sun’: on Trump’s parade day, Chinese media see a US in decline

Chinese state media were quick to declare the decline of the United States as protests throughout the country highlighted social divisions and overshadowed the pageantry of a large military parade in Washington on the weekend. The three-hour parade on Saturday was the first in the US in decades and staged to mark the 250th anniversary of the US Army. The event also coincided with the birthday of US President Donald Trump. But as soldiers and tanks were rolling past Trump in Washington,...

Politics

15 h. ago ‘Nothing new’: US Army parade holds no surprises for Chinese military minds

The US Army’s parade through Washington on Saturday offered no surprises, Chinese military observers said, while cautioning that the full force of American power was not on show. The parade for the US Army’s 250th anniversary showcased a range of American equipment, including Abrams tanks, Paladin artillery, robot dogs, reconnaissance drones, AH-64 Apache helicopters and Joint Light Tactical Vehicles. Most of the technology is well known, with machinery such as the Abrams tanks deployed widely...

Events

16 h. ago Study shows China’s temples act as rare sanctuaries for ancient trees

At the foot of Zhongnan Mountain in the Chinese city of Xian, the ancient Guanyin Chan Temple is home to a ginkgo tree with a history spanning over 1,400 years. As autumn approaches each year, this ancient ginkgo tree bursts into a spectacular golden display. The tree is said to have been planted by Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang dynasty (618-907) during a visit to the temple. According to a new study, temples across China – both Buddhist and Taoist – have safeguarded tens of thousands of ancient...

Politics

17 h. ago China’s Wang Yi decries ‘unacceptable’ Israeli attack on Iran, urges diplomacy

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called Israel’s attack on Iran an “unacceptable” breach of international law and urged measures to de-escalate tensions in phone calls with his Israeli and Iranian counterparts on Saturday. He told Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar that China could play a “constructive role” in the peaceful resolution of the Iran nuclear issue, saying diplomatic solutions remained viable and a peaceful resolution was still achievable, according to China’s Ministry of Foreign...

Politics

18 h. ago Opinion | Revoking the Visas of Chinese Students in the U.S. Is a Horrible Idea

Opinion | Revoking the Visas of Chinese Students in the U.S. Is a Horrible Idea  The New York Times

Politics

19 h. ago Hong Kong wants an ecotourism boom, but can its parks handle more visitors?

Amy Zhang is dressed in full sportswear, with sunglasses and a lightweight hiking backpack. She is one of many visiting Hong Kong’s Dragon’s Back following the social media craze in mainland China over “in-depth travels” in the city. “The beautiful merging horizon and skyline make good photos for my friend circle on WeChat and RedNote,” the 30-year-old education worker from Hunan province said, referring to her networks on the Chinese social media platforms. “I only wish for better toilets...

Politics

19 h. ago Gen Z’s ‘emotional consumption’ fuels surge in consumer stocks like Pop Mart

Stock investors are capitalising on the spending power of China’s Generation Z consumers, who splurge on everything from gold jewellery to low-priced drinks, delivering multifold returns on so-called new consumer stocks. The ascent of Pop Mart International Group, Mixue Group and Laopu Gold is one of the few bright spots in China’s sluggish consumer industry, which has been plagued by a weak jobs market and the deflationary trend. The robust performance has come at the cost of traditional...

Politics

20 h. ago Why Chinese firms building foreign factories are no longer focused on US market

This year’s escalation of the US-China trade war has led many Chinese companies to rethink their overseas expansion strategies, with accessing the American market no longer their top priority when considering building factories in foreign countries, industry insiders said. There had been a “drastic downshift” in inquiries from Chinese companies seeking land to rent or purchase in Mexico, one of their hottest overseas investment destinations in the past, said Jack Lee, an industrial property...

Economics

20 h. ago Hong Kong’s rent surge hits mainland students and professionals

Wang Ruoshuo, a 21-year-old student from Hefei, the capital of central Anhui province, is searching for a flat in Hung Hom in southern Kowloon, which is close to her university and the company where she interns. As a first-time renter, however, she has been taken aback by the high prices. Wang and her friends are looking for a two-bedroom unit, budgeting about HK$7,000 to HK$8,000 (US$892 to US$1,019) per person. “But when we began our search, we found that properties meeting our criteria would...

Society