Australia will refuse any US request to join a “hypothetical” conflict with China over Taiwan and won’t make any advance commitment, the defence industry minister, Pat Conroy, has said, amid reports Washington is seeking such promises in discussions over the Aukus submarines. Conroy called on China to be more transparent about its military buildup, but said any commitment to war would be the sole power of the Australian government of the day. It came after multiple reports this week that the Pentagon was seeking guarantees from Australia and other allies…
Day: July 12, 2025
Maths star Hong Wang targeted by China’s cyber nationalists for English lectures
It was a golden opportunity for academic exchange when Chinese mathematician Hong Wang, a contender for a top award, gave lectures at universities in Beijing last month, but instead her overseas experience and use of English made her an unexpected victim of rising nationalism in China. Advertisement The 34-year-old mathematician earned global attention last year when a paper she co-authored solved the three-dimensional Kakeya conjecture – a century-old problem in geometric measure theory. The study, with implications for imaging, data processing, cryptography and wireless communication, makes her a leading contender…
A few small steps for Hong Kong, a giant leap for China’s space sector
The idea that Hong Kong could play a leading role in the global space economy was greeted with scepticism when I raised the possibility with Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu earlier this month. However, critics fail to realise that space technologies have permeated many aspects of our lives – from checking the weather and ordering our meals on our mobile phones to navigating our daily commutes and settling stock transactions in real time. Advertisement A report published by the American consultancy firm McKinsey in 2024 forecast that the space economy…
What are China’s ‘future industries’? And why they count in the global tech race
As the dust barely settles on “Made in China 2025”, Beijing is intensifying its quest for technological supremacy with a focus on “future industries” amid its escalating rivalry with the United States. Advertisement Authorities are pushing boundaries in their pursuit of a new growth model centred on technological breakthroughs and industrial upgrades. What are “future industries”? First introduced by President Xi Jinping in 2020, the term refers to sectors with foundational technologies still in their infancy but expected to possess enormous potential. The 2021-25 Five-Year Plan highlighted brain-inspired intelligence, quantum…
Vietnam got a Trump trade deal early. Was it worth it?
For Thanh Cong Garment, a Vietnamese supplier to apparel companies including Adidas, Calvin Klein and Columbia, a trade deal to avoid the worst of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs should have been a huge relief. Vietnam was one of only two countries that Trump said has clinched a deal with the US by a July 9 deadline to avoid his so-called reciprocal tariffs. This week, many of its neighbours received letters from the White House threatening, in some cases, higher levies. But the company was left puzzling over the lack…
AI is worsening China’s population decline. But is it all bad news?
For 32-year-old Tracy Li, marriage and childbearing have never been essential life choices. Instead of following the traditional path of starting a family like most of her elders, the human resources manager at a Beijing-based company prefers the solitary life. Advertisement “The cost of giving birth is apparently too high for women, which is leading to a low birth rate in contemporary society,” Li said, referring to child care and educational spending, as well as the time and energy required to raise a family. Thanks to technological advancements, her determination…
World must be more wary than ever of China’s growing economic power
China is pulling every lever at its disposal to counter Donald Trump’s economic blockade, and it’s working. Trade is recovering after the massive hit from Washington’s wide-ranging tariffs on Beijing’s exports. According to data provider Macrobond and Beijing-based consultancy Gavekal Dragonomics, exports to the US were down by about $15bn (£11bn) in May, but up by half that figure to other countries that trade with the US. Exports to African countries have also risen sharply. Meanwhile, Chinese officials are poised to strike deals to deepen economic cooperation with countries ranging…
What are China’s plans for deep space exploration … and beyond?
The US Senate has approved an extra US$10 billion for Nasa’s Artemis moon exploration programme, giving a major boost to contractors such as Boeing. Advertisement While many see it as a domestic win over newer space players including SpaceX, it also signals the Trump administration’s determination to stay ahead of China in an intensifying space race. Here we look at how China is expanding its deep-space ambitions, from putting astronauts on the moon to returning rocks from Mars, and how it is posing the most serious challenge to US space…
Wang Yi says deeper China-US dialogue on the cards after talks with Rubio
Advertisement Speaking to Chinese media on Saturday, Wang said the talks had helped to manage US-China differences as the rival powers seek to manage tensions amid rising trade frictions. Both sides recognised that they represented the most important bilateral relationship in the world, with an impact beyond their respective borders, he added. “The meeting was constructive, with both sides engaging in equal dialogue in the spirit of mutual respect,” Wang said, according to a statement from his ministry. “I believe that it has enhanced the US’ understanding of China and…
Debate rages over ancient crater after China returns rocks from moon’s far side
A year after China returned the first rock samples from the moon’s far side, scientists are debating whether the mission has answered a central question in lunar science – and whether the country’s rising scientific dominance is challenging who gets to tell the story of the moon’s past. Advertisement While a team of Chinese researchers believes they may have nailed down the age of the moon’s largest and oldest crater – a colossal impact basin that could hold clues to the early solar system – other scientists, mostly from the…