4 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

6 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

7 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

8 h. ago Taiwan export control: Adds Huawei and SMIC to list; Beijing’s chip ambitions hit another wall

Taiwan export control: Adds Huawei and SMIC to list; Beijing’s chip ambitions hit another wall  Times of India

Events

8 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

8 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

10 h. ago New stablecoin law to enhance Hong Kong’s financial appeal to global issuers: Chan

The expected increase in market demand for stablecoins will encourage licensed institutions overseas to issue such cryptocurrencies in Hong Kong, boosting competitiveness, according to the city’s financial chief as it prepares for its regulatory regime to take effect in August. In his weekly blog on Sunday, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said that the city market value of stablecoins globally was estimated at around US$240 billion, with trading volume exceeding US$20 trillion last...

Politics

10 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

10 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

10 h. ago Carmakers battle to find supplies of rare earths as China tightens its grip

Carmakers battle to find supplies of rare earths as China tightens its grip  Financial Times

Events

10 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

11 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

11 h. ago Is Indonesia ready to roll the dice on casinos at the risk of social costs?

The potential legalisation of gambling in Indonesia has resurfaced as a means for higher state revenue, but opponents argue the activity risks fraying the cultural fabric of the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation. Lawmaker Galih Kartasasmita floated the idea during a meeting with the finance ministry on May 8, where he said Indonesia should follow the footsteps of the United Arab Emirates, which legalised gambling last year. “The UAE is ready to run a casino, [an] Arab country [finally] runs...

Events

12 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

13 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

14 h. ago Corporate bond defaults disappear from China’s onshore market

Corporate bond defaults disappear from China’s onshore market  Financial Times

Events

14 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

15 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

16 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

16 h. ago The Hong Kong dads breaking tradition to build ‘unforgettable’ bonds with kids

Younger generations of Hong Kong dads are increasingly eager to engage more with their children, but often face challenges due to limited time and parenting skills, an NGO has said ahead of Father’s Day on Sunday. Allen Ha Wing-on, co-founder of the DADs Network, said that traditional expectations and busy schedules posed obstacles for local fathers. “Traditionally, not just in Asia, fathers are expected to provide financially, but are not necessarily very engaged relationally,” said the father...

Politics