2 h. ago What does China’s PLA gain from operating 2 carriers in second island chain?

In sending two aircraft carriers to the western Pacific concurrently for the first time, Beijing is learning to coordinate the vessels in open ocean, a tactic it would likely use to deter US forces in a Taiwan conflict, according to defence analysts. The two carriers – the Liaoning and Shandong – were spotted in the waters, having entered the western Pacific via separate courses over the past two weeks. They are believed to have practised dispersing, concentrating and communicating in the...

Politics

3 h. ago Smiling, friendly China a perfect antidote to Trump’s angry America

Following the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, China experienced a sharp drop in the number of international visitors and many foreign residents left the country. International tourism was still below pre-pandemic levels as late as 2024. When tourists did not return in large numbers after it reopened its borders in 2023, China began to take measures to reverse the trend and bring foreigners back, rolling out a unilateral 30-day visa-free entry scheme, which now encompasses 47 countries,...

Politics

5 h. ago China and India to work to bring back direct flights between two countries

China and India have agreed to work towards the resumption of direct flights and take other moves to boost exchanges as the latest step in their efforts to stabilise relations. The measures were announced after Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri held talks with Chinese foreign vice-minister Sun Weidong, who was on a two-day visit to India. New Delhi’s statement released on Friday said the two sides had reviewed developments since their last meeting in January and “agreed to continue to...

Politics

12 h. ago China’s car industry runs on empty as supply chain bills go unpaid

China’s car industry runs on empty as supply chain bills go unpaid  Financial Times

Politics

26 h. ago Sending two carrier groups through First Island Chain shows China's 'growing capability': Analysts

Sending two carrier groups through First Island Chain shows China's 'growing capability': Analysts  Breaking Defense

Politics

28 h. ago India in touch with China about supply chain predictability after rare earths curbs

India in touch with China about supply chain predictability after rare earths curbs  Reuters

Politics

30 h. ago Japan ‘selfie grandma’, Kimiko Nishimoto, dies at 97, famous for quirky photos

A woman known as Japan’s selfie grandma who redefined ageing with her quirky self-portraits, has died, aged 97. Despite taking up photography late in life, nonagenarian Kimiko Nishimoto started learning the skill at the age of 72. She showed an uncanny ability to entertain and delight with her images. She held her first solo exhibition in 2011 and published her first book of photos in 2016. After joining social media in 2018, she quickly gained more than 400,000 followers. Nishimoto was born in...

Events

31 h. ago Ant International and Ant Digital to seek stablecoin licences in Hong Kong

Singapore-based Ant International and the Hangzhou-based Ant Digital, two affiliates of Chinese tech giant Ant Group, have announced plans to apply for stablecoin issuer licences in Hong Kong once the new ordinance governing fiat-backed cryptocurrencies takes effect in August. “We welcome the passage of the Stablecoins Bill and hope to contribute more to the city’s vision as a global hub for next-gen finance,” Ant International, a spin-off of Ant’s global operations, said in a statement on...

Politics

36 h. ago China's racing to build its AI ecosystem as U.S. tech curbs bite. Here's how its supply chain stacks up

China's racing to build its AI ecosystem as U.S. tech curbs bite. Here's how its supply chain stacks up  CNBC

Politics

36 h. ago China's racing to build its AI chip ecosystem as U.S. curbs bite. Here's how its supply chain stacks up

China's racing to build its AI chip ecosystem as U.S. curbs bite. Here's how its supply chain stacks up  CNBC

Politics

37 h. ago Chery’s stock to debut in third quarter in carmaker’s Hong Kong IPO

Chery Automobile, China’s second-largest automobile maker by volume, is aiming to complete its initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong in the third quarter of this year, said its chairman. The company, based in Wuhu city in eastern China’s Anhui province, has filed its intention to list on the Hong Kong stock exchange and use the city as its springboard for venturing into the global market, said Yin Tongyue during the 2025 Automotive Expo in the city. “We hope to have more of our...

Politics

37 h. ago Chery to debut in third quarter as carmaker uses Hong Kong as a springboard

Chery Automobile, China’s second-largest carmaker by volume, is seeking to complete its Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) in the third quarter of this year, its chairman said. At the 2025 International Automotive & Supply Chain Expo in Hong Kong on Thursday, Yin Tongyue said the company was seeking to use the city as a launching pad into the global market. Chery, based in Wuhu in eastern Anhui province, has filed its intention to list on the Hong Kong stock exchange. “We hope to have more...

Politics

38 h. ago The case of Hong Kong vs Singapore: unlimited potential for collaboration

From Hong Kong Disneyland and Universal Studios Singapore to Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines, there is this never-ending comparison between Hong Kong and Singapore. Insofar as our legal systems and the legal markets are concerned, there are also interesting similarities and differences. Both Hong Kong and Singapore are common law jurisdictions with developed and efficient legal systems. We are both in strategic locations with world-class legal infrastructure and vibrant legal communities....

Politics

39 h. ago With early stablecoin law, Hong Kong looks to keep edge as finance hub

With the passage of one of the world’s most comprehensive stablecoin laws two weeks ago, Hong Kong is looking to stay at the forefront of global finance while addressing lessons from past industry setbacks, according to analysts. Being a “first mover” in stablecoin legislation “reflects the determination” of the city’s government to “unlock value that they see in this sector, given the number of hurdles from past incidents”, said Melvin Deng, CEO of digital asset trading firm QCP Capital. Hong...

Politics

40 h. ago US venture capital firm to unload stakes in 40 Chinese tech start

Shares of a few dozen China-based start-ups may be up for grabs as their investor, US venture-capital firm Eight Roads, plans to exit its Chinese technology holdings. The move, reported by Bloomberg on Tuesday, comes as geopolitical tensions and a sluggish Chinese economy prompt some global investors to retreat. Domestic and government-backed funds and financing products would increasingly drive start-up funding in the world’s second-largest economy, analysts said. Fidelity Ventures-backed Eight...

Politics

51 h. ago Why US defence chief’s attack on China won’t find favour in Southeast Asia

After listening to US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth’s all-out attack on “communist China” at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, some might have wondered what the Chinese people would make of it. But as a Chinese delegate listening to him live, I was wondering what Hegseth’s boss, US President Donald Trump, would think. In February, Trump called US Vice-President J.D. Vance’s speech in Munich bashing European allies “brilliant”. This time, we haven’t had his thoughts. I wondered, not only...

Events

56 h. ago China Releases Photos of Aircraft Carriers Beyond First Island Chain

China Releases Photos of Aircraft Carriers Beyond First Island Chain  Newsweek

Transport

57 h. ago Siji Minfu, famous for its Peking Duck, coming to S'pore in partnership with Jumbo

Siji Minfu, famous for its Peking Duck, coming to S'pore in partnership with Jumbo  Mothership

Politics

65 h. ago ‘Making a dent’: race is on to reap rare earths elsewhere amid China’s dominance

Beijing’s imposition of rare earth export restrictions from April – playing its trump card in the face of Washington’s intensifying tariffs and tech curbs – helped send a message to Washington ahead of this week’s discussions over bilateral export-control issues. Considered a trump card because rare earths have an outsized impact on auto, electronics and defence industries, and China dominates the supply chain, the trade in such critical minerals is widely expected to be among the key topics...

Politics

68 h. ago China, US officials agree to ‘framework’ that will need approvals by Xi, Trump

China and the United States wrapped up two days of high-level trade talks in London with an agreement “in principle to a framework” that each side will bring home for review by their top leaders. “The two sides agreed in principle a framework for implementing the consensus” that Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump reached in their phone call last week, and the consensus of high-level bilateral negotiations in Geneva last month, China’s top trade negotiator Li Chenggang...

Politics