Day: May 20, 2025

Ageing dictators, we are told, almost always hide the true state of their declining health. Even after their deaths, courtiers jockeying for power may delay releasing the news. Advertisement It seems that such a practice has also been common among US presidents, with Joe Biden being the latest example. This shouldn’t be surprising because US presidential powers in fact resemble those of a dictator, albeit with a term limit of four years – or eight if he or she is elected a second time. However, Donald Trump has been publicly…

China’s youth unemployment rate eased in April as the nation braces for a crunch job-hunting season that will see a record number of fresh graduates enter the recruitment market. Advertisement The urban jobless rate among those aged 16 to 24 – excluding students – fell to 15.8 per cent last month, down from 16.5 per cent in March, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday. That is the lowest youth unemployment rate China has recorded so far this year, with the metric peaking at 16.9…

The C919, China’s indigenous narrowbody airliner that epitomises Beijing’s sky-high tech aspirations, will enter its third year of commercial operations next week – a feat marked by ratcheted-up services and an expanding network. Advertisement And in the lead-up to the anniversary, China’s southern economic and tech powerhouse of Shenzhen, along with the popular tourist city of Xiamen in southeastern Fujian province, have become the latest additions to the C919’s network since last week, bringing the total number of mainland cities it serves to 15. The C919 has also been shuttling…

The global economy breathed a collective sigh of relief as China and the US stepped back from the brink of a damaging trade decoupling. Advertisement The better-than-expected results from their Geneva negotiations sent ripples of confidence through financial markets. Yet beneath the surface optimism lingers the sobering reality that this is merely a 90-day reprieve rather than a lasting resolution. Given the intricate and often contentious nature of their economic interdependence, the prospect of a sweeping agreement before the August deadline remains slim. Though the US has scaled back its…

The provincial government of Zhejiang, home to Alibaba Group Holding and DeepSeek, has released a comprehensive policy package to accelerate artificial intelligence (AI) research, industrial growth and talent acquisition, in an effort to turn the region into a “global AI innovation development highland”. Advertisement Under the plan, major companies in the AI supply chain – including those responsible for large language models, cloud computing and semiconductors – are expected to generate combined operating revenues of more than 1 trillion yuan (US$138.6 billion) by 2027, according to the policy, which was…

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected claims from Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday that Washington was retreating from its long-standing commitments to humanitarian assistance and human rights or that China could replace the US as a global aid leader. Advertisement Rubio’s appearance at two congressional hearings Tuesday follows growing concern that drastic cuts to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are undermining decades of US soft power and giving China a huge global propaganda win, arguments the top US diplomat sought to counter. “China doesn’t do humanitarian aid.…

As talks between Iran and the United States reach a pivotal moment, the prospect of Washington’s investment in Iran if sanctions are lifted looms. For both Iran and the US, this evolving dynamic presents a geopolitical dilemma. Advertisement Washington’s hesitation is compounded by China’s increasing foothold in Iran. Beijing has been expanding its economic and strategic cooperation with Tehran, from long-term energy agreements to infrastructure development under the Belt and Road Initiative. Meanwhile, Tehran faces a complex balance between Chinese investment and the possibility of reintegration into the Western financial…