35 h. ago Opinion: China's new condom tax will prove no effective barrier to country's declining fertility rate

Opinion: China's new condom tax will prove no effective barrier to country's declining fertility rate  Phys.org

Politics

37 h. ago As families shrink, our primary relationship is increasingly with ourselves

More than 2,300 years ago, Aristotle mused in Politics that to live alone, a man must be a god or a beast, or words to that effect. I wonder what he would have thought of the popularity of China’s “Are You Dead?” app. For Aristotle, we are social animals, thriving in the “polis” in the company of family, friends and fellow citizens. The average mother had at least five children. Many homes housed three, even four, generations. Family life was noisy and crowded, full of companionship, contest and...

Politics

48 h. ago Opinion | From tea to TikTok: the middleman’s return is reshaping China trade

Opinion | From tea to TikTok: the middleman’s return is reshaping China trade  South China Morning Post

Politics

52 h. ago Why China’s next development priority must be secondary education

If you were asked which middle-income country has one of the lowest levels of educational attainment, very few would say China. We continually hear stories about mass university expansion, record numbers of annual graduates and elite institutions that rank among the world’s best. Despite these impressive strides, gaps in education remain a large roadblock for China’s further economic development. The country remains largely undereducated for its level of economic development: only about 31 per...

Politics

53 h. ago China’s new condom tax will prove no effective barrier to country’s declining fertility rate

China’s new condom tax will prove no effective barrier to country’s declining fertility rate  The Conversation

Politics

56 h. ago Opinion: Instead of a China pivot, how about we start building at home?

Opinion: Instead of a China pivot, how about we start building at home?  The Globe and Mail

Politics

61 h. ago An internally split Europe can never fully engage China and Asia

When contemporary Europe engages with the world, it increasingly presents as two distinct Europes operating within the same institutional framework. This duality – a Europe of strategic dependence vs a Europe of normative assertion – creates a contradiction. For partners, particularly in China and across Asia, this is not merely an abstract identity crisis but a practical geopolitical puzzle that complicates engagement and challenges assumptions about Europe’s global role. One Europe, embedded...

Politics

61 h. ago Opinion | An internally split Europe can never fully engage China and Asia

Opinion | An internally split Europe can never fully engage China and Asia  South China Morning Post

Politics

3 d. ago Without pension reform, China is leaving its rural elderly out in the cold

“Rural heating problems in Hebei cannot wait any longer” declared a recent report in Farmers’ Daily. It described a disturbing reality in parts of northern China: elderly villagers who would rather shiver through freezing temperatures than turn on their heaters, because they simply cannot afford the cost. For many urban readers, this may sound implausible. For millions of rural elderly, it is routine. On the surface, the problem appears to be a side effect of China’s well-intentioned...

Politics

3 d. ago Opinion | Without pension reform, China is leaving its rural elderly out in the cold

Opinion | Without pension reform, China is leaving its rural elderly out in the cold  South China Morning Post

Politics

3 d. ago High Seas Treaty a chance for China to lead on marine conservation

On January 17, a quiet revolution will take place across around two-thirds of the world’s oceans. A landmark United Nations agreement known as the High Seas Treaty will formally enter into force, creating the first legally binding global framework to protect marine biodiversity in international waters. For the first time, activities beyond national jurisdictions – from industrial fishing to deep-sea mining and bio-prospecting – will be subject to environmental impact assessments, marine...

Politics

3 d. ago Opinion | High Seas Treaty a chance for China to lead on marine conservation

Opinion | High Seas Treaty a chance for China to lead on marine conservation  South China Morning Post

Politics

3 d. ago Opinion: Rebuilding relations with China is a gamble Mark Carney has to take

Opinion: Rebuilding relations with China is a gamble Mark Carney has to take  The Globe and Mail

Politics

3 d. ago Opinion | Forget Trump’s Tariffs. The Real Danger Lies in China’s Trade Surplus.

Opinion | Forget Trump’s Tariffs. The Real Danger Lies in China’s Trade Surplus.  The New York Times

Politics

3 d. ago Opinion | China set to double down on property market stability

Opinion | China set to double down on property market stability  South China Morning Post

Politics

4 d. ago Opinion | Trump’s audacious imperialism will only propel China’s rise

Opinion | Trump’s audacious imperialism will only propel China’s rise  South China Morning Post

Politics

4 d. ago America’s solar manufacturing belongs in Texas, not China | Opinion

America’s solar manufacturing belongs in Texas, not China | Opinion  Austin American-Statesman

Politics

4 d. ago Can Europe rebuild its strength to trade with China without fear?

China and the European Union began 2026 with another trade clash. As the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism entered its definitive phase, Brussels tightened compliance and Beijing warned of countermeasures. However, this week, the two sides signalled progress on defusing the electric vehicle dispute; the EU issued guidance to Chinese EV exporters on submitting minimum price plans. The juxtaposition underlines the point: even when one high-profile area shifts from escalation to technical...

Politics

5 d. ago Opinion | Why the US will fail to use Taiwan to counter China

Opinion | Why the US will fail to use Taiwan to counter China  South China Morning Post

Events

5 d. ago Why timing may be right for China to press North Korea on denuclearisation

The Ukraine war and Donald Trump’s return to the White House have significantly altered northeast Asia’s geopolitical landscape. North Korea’s defence treaty with Russia and leader Kim Jong-un’s decision to deploy troops to support Moscow have shattered any remaining illusions of strategic restraint. While Russia is believed to be supplying North Korea with finance and technology, Japan and South Korea are accelerating military spending and preparing for long-term confrontation, potentially –...

Events