This Month
China’s unspoken question: who will succeed Xi Jinping?
The Chinese leader enjoys complete domination of party and state. But to maintain stability, he also needs to signal a succession process is in place.
Xi hosts China’s tech leaders as US trade war intensifies
The Chinese president met with private-sector technology bosses as Beijing grapples with a slowing economy and escalating tech tensions with Washington.
China quietly ramps up its tech trade war with the West
Companies such as Apple contractor Foxconn have been hit by Beijing’s efforts to stop cutting-edge knowhow and equipment leaving China.
How China’s ‘six little dragons’ are disrupting AI as we know it
On the shores of Hangzhou’s West Lake, emerging companies backed by massive state support are aiming for artificial intelligence domination.
Way beyond Sputnik: China’s AI drive just the tip of the iceberg
America’s mass manufacturing revolution more than a century ago – embodied in the Ford Model T – changed everything. China is doing the same now.
January
China building ‘doomsday’ command 10 times bigger than the Pentagon
The complex would be the world’s largest military command centre and include bombproof bunkers for leaders, say US intelligence officials.
‘Vindicated’: China celebrates DeepSeek shock in US
Inside China, social media exploded on the news that a home-grown start-up had made an AI tool that was more efficient than any in the United States.
The new, very dangerous Chinese warplane that isn’t a stealth fighter
The mysterious airborne early warning and control aircraft could give the Asian nation a huge advantage in any military action against Taiwan.
Xi Jinping’s most trusted confidante has a new job: Winning Taiwan
He was fascinated by democracy as a student but Wang Huning has been the definition of a party insider for the past three decades.
December 2024
Billionaire NZ brothers turn $18,000 loan into toy empire
Nick Mowbray dropped out of college in New Zealand and moved to China with his older brother Mat to seek their fortunes.
This is how China could lift growth while cutting global emissions
A shift towards green development could help stabilise the Chinese economy while supporting the world’s energy transition.
China’s staggering manufacturing muscle needs to be seen to be believed
Since Trump was last in office, Beijing has doubled down on its efforts to gain global supremacy in electric cars, robots and rare materials. America could be toast if it doesn’t respond.
How Shanghai’s ambition to be the ‘future of finance’ fell apart
The port city was meant to be China’s answer to New York, but trade tensions and changing domestic priorities have taken a toll.
EVs to get even cheaper as price war enters ‘knockout’ round
Australia will benefit from a brutal and stepped up cost-cutting battle between China’s manufacturers.
Chinese exporters race to dodge Trump’s tariffs
Sellers from China, Canada and Mexico are rushing to front-load shipments into the US before the levies rise.
China to crack down on violent lone-wolf attacks over economic woes
A spate of deadly attacks has put pressure on officials to expand surveillance to prevent violent forces from destabilising an anxious society.
November 2024
China’s defence minister under investigation for corruption
US officials say the probe is part of a wider operation to uncover graft in the People’s Liberation Army.
China’s retail sales jump as economy shows green shoots
Stronger consumption figures suggest stimulus measures may be filtering through to household spending. But the property sector still faces major problems.
China keeps its powder dry for US tariff hit
Shares and oil prices fell as investors bet the latest stimulus package would do little to fire up a depressed property market or boost flagging consumer confidence.
China pledges $2.1trn package to shore up economy
China announced trillions of yuan to support its heavily indebted local governments, as the world’s second-largest economy faces new risks from Donald Trump.