Day: March 20, 2025

“We didn’t give it to China. We gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back.” Thus spoke Donald Trump shortly after BlackRock, an American investment firm, announced on March 4th that it would buy two ports on the Panama Canal from ck Hutchison (ckh), their Hong Kong-based operator. China’s initial response was strikingly muted, given the genesis and scope of the deal, which covers a total of 43 ports in 23 countries. The Economist

On March 5th China’s prime minister, Li Qiang, in his annual speech at the National People’s Congress (npc), China’s rubber-stamp parliament, promised to end “discrimination in the workplace”. He gave no specifics but Communist Party leaders, always alert to discontent in the workforce, have in recent years allowed more laws to protect workers. Since 2005 local governments have removed bans on hiring those with hiv or hepatitis b. The first sex-discrimination lawsuit was filed in 2012, and since 2023 companies found guilty of discrimination against women can be fined up…

Is it a barge? Is it a bridge? It is both. Last summer China began building several unusual vessels at its Guangzhou shipyard on the south coast. The barges had legs that could drop down to stabilise the craft in shallow water, and wielded a 100m-bridge that could extend from the bow and onto a beach. In recent weeks pictures have emerged of these mongrel ships (see photo) and of how they connect together into giant causeways. The fear is that they could one day be used to funnel troops…