24 m. ago Hotel conversions gain traction in China’s office market amid high vacancies

More economy and mid-range hotel operators in China are leasing office buildings for conversion to guest accommodation, and such flexible, mixed-use approaches are expected to increase amid a continued weakening of the office market. In some Chinese cities, the practice of multiple hotel brands co-leasing separate floors within a single building has become more prevalent, fuelled by interest from both property owners and hotel operators. In Hangzhou, the capital of eastern China’s Zhejiang...

Society

84 m. ago Did China, Russia, Iran joint naval drills in South Africa mark notable Brics shift?

Last week’s naval drills involving China, Russia, Iran and host country South Africa signalled a notable shift for Brics beyond its traditional focus on economic cooperation, analysts said, as the US noted it had closely monitored the exercise. However, observers also described the high-profile exercise as largely symbolic, calling it a diplomatic statement of intent rather than a step towards a formal military alliance. The Will for Peace 2026 drills were launched at a port in Cape Town on...

Politics

1 hour ago This year, Hong Kong must resolve to rewrite the script for retirement

Looking back at 2025, the city made meaningful strides in supporting its retirees. The government expanded the Elderly Health Care Voucher and Community Care Service Voucher schemes, and invested HK$2 billion (US$256.47 million) in an elderly and rehabilitation technology fund. It also announced 30 measures for the silver economy and formed the Working Group on Ageing Society Strategies to improve cross-bureau coordination. These efforts helped launch the long-awaited Q-Mark Silver Scheme,...

Politics

2 h. ago How Chinese ritual uses unboiled egg balancing on mirror or knife to detect spirit possession

Traditional Chinese folk superstition sees some families seek help from “egg-standing exorcists” who try to balance raw eggs on mirrors or kitchen knives to detect spirit possession. If the egg manages to stand upright, legend has it that a wandering spirit has taken over the person’s body. Traditionally, a superstition known as Cai Zhuang Ke, which is often referred to as “spirit possession”, is used to determine whether a sudden illness or extreme lethargy is caused by a wandering spirit or...

Politics

4 h. ago US stops South African school from transferring NATO military technology to China

US stops South African school from transferring NATO military technology to China  Business Insider Africa

Events

9 h. ago Britain’s China dilemma: Opposition protests Beijing's 'mega embassy' as decision deadline looms

Britain’s China dilemma: Opposition protests Beijing's 'mega embassy' as decision deadline looms  Firstpost

Events

11 h. ago Book Scene: Finding light in gig work: “I Deliver Parcels in Beijing”

Book Scene: Finding light in gig work: “I Deliver Parcels in Beijing”  Yakima Herald-Republic

Culture

12 h. ago Beijing slams US senators for ‘malicious’ bill targeting Hong Kong trade offices

Beijing’s foreign affairs arm in Hong Kong has “strongly condemned” a group of US senators for pushing what it calls “malicious legislation” that seeks to strip the city’s trade offices in the United States of their special privileges and potentially force their closure. A spokesman for the Commissioner’s Office of the Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong said the senators’ move exposed their “deep-rooted ideological prejudice” and “Cold War mentality”. “Any attempts to smear Hong Kong’s freedom and...

Events

13 h. ago CBC omits Carney’s ‘new world order’ line in spliced Beijing clip

CBC omits Carney’s ‘new world order’ line in spliced Beijing clip  Juno News

Politics

13 h. ago How US actions in Venezuela and beyond could spell opportunity for China

America’s military action in Venezuela and President Donald Trump’s talk of owning Greenland are stoking concerns that the United States is dismantling the rules-based global order. But this could also be a diplomatic opening for China as it tries to portray itself, in contrast, as a more responsible and stabilising power. Analysts said while this aligned with Beijing’s push to strengthen ties with its neighbours – a strategic move as its rivalry with Washington has intensified – concrete...

Politics

13 h. ago Snøhetta and BIAD Break Ground on Beijing Art Museum, Set to Open in 2029

Snøhetta and BIAD Break Ground on Beijing Art Museum, Set to Open in 2029  parametric-architecture.com

Politics

13 h. ago Beijing's performance arts market reports record high revenue in 2025

Beijing's performance arts market reports record high revenue in 2025  Xinhua

Politics

14 h. ago Chinese, Japanese groups issue joint call for Japan to return Tang dynasty stele

Chinese researchers and Japanese activists have renewed calls for Japan to return a Tang dynasty relic looted over 120 years ago. The effort to recover the Tang Honglu Well Stele comes amid rising regional tensions and Beijing’s ongoing national campaign to reclaim cultural heritage. Shanghai University’s Research Centre for Chinese Relics Overseas and Japanese cultural groups issued a joint declaration on Friday urging Tokyo to “correct historical errors” and return the stone monument, Chinese...

Politics

15 h. ago REPOST: The Prescient Warning Behind Ottawa’s China Influence File—and Carney’s Beijing Electric Vehicle Gamble

REPOST: The Prescient Warning Behind Ottawa’s China Influence File—and Carney’s Beijing Electric Vehicle Gamble  The Bureau | Sam Cooper

Events

15 h. ago Taiwan faces possible Beijing squeeze after US quits WHO and other agencies

The United States’ decision to withdraw from dozens of UN and other international organisations may have dealt another blow to Taiwan’s efforts to raise its global profile amid mounting pressure from Beijing. While Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s government has sought to play down the impact, observers have warned that Washington’s retreat could further squeeze the island’s already narrow international space. US President Donald Trump on January 7 ordered the US to exit 66 international...

Politics

16 h. ago Delhi eying ‘Beijing model’? CAQM proposes doubling Metro network to combat toxic air

Delhi eying ‘Beijing model’? CAQM proposes doubling Metro network to combat toxic air  The Financial Express

Events

16 h. ago As Trump urges cap on credit card rates, could China follow suit for online loans?

US President Donald Trump’s call for American credit card interest rates to be capped at 10 per cent for a year has sparked a debate in China about whether Beijing should impose a similar limit on online loans. The discussion comes as many in China – especially younger people – are being enticed by credit offers amid a weak job market and a boom in online loan services. “Apps now keep luring young people into borrowing,” a finance blogger with nearly 500,000 followers wrote in a social media...

Politics

18 h. ago China Lowers Downpayment Ratio for Commercial Property to 30%

China Lowers Downpayment Ratio for Commercial Property to 30%  Bloomberg

Politics

19 h. ago China woman, 47, shares civil servant life in Iceland, appreciates culture that respects choices

A 47-year-old Chinese woman shares her idyllic life as a civil servant in a remote town in Iceland, igniting interest and spirited discussions on social media in mainland China. The woman, known as Megan, hails from Beijing. In 2020, at the age of 42, she decided to pursue a second master’s degree in Iceland, a few years after her divorce. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting and her first master’s in business computing in the UK before transferring to a new energy major at a...

Politics

19 h. ago New carrier rocket built by Beijing company fails in maiden flight

New carrier rocket built by Beijing company fails in maiden flight  China Daily

Events