An unprecedented attempt in Taiwan to unseat 24 “pro-China” opposition politicians and give a parliamentary majority to the ruling party appears to have failed, with early results indicating voters in every seat had rejected the notion. Polls opened on Saturday morning for the first 24 of 31 targeted seats, with voters asked to agree or disagree with a proposal to recall the local legislator and hold a byelection. Polls closed at 4pm local time and within a couple of hours the early results emerged. By 7pm the central election commission…
Month: July 2025
China’s navy submarine academy recruits first female students in 72-year history
For the first time in 72 years, China’s top training institution for navy submarine personnel recruited 10 women for its bachelor’s degree programme. Advertisement The 10 students, who achieved top scores on this year’s university entrance exams, were accepted by the PLA Naval Submarine Academy, according to a social media post by the institution on Thursday. Among the students were Wang Chenyue, from the village of Qianhe in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, who scored 647 out of 750 on her exam. As the academy delivered her acceptance letter, she said…
Hong Kong issues arrest warrants for 19 activists based overseas
Hong Kong’s national security police have issued arrest warrants for 19 activists based overseas, accusing them of subversion under a stringent national security law, marking the largest such tally yet. They are accused of organising or participating in the Hong Kong Parliament, a pro-democracy group that authorities in the Asian financial hub say intended to subvert state power, under the law Beijing imposed in 2020 after months of pro-democracy protests in 2019. The activists are accused of having launched a referendum or run as candidates in the unofficial Hong Kong…
Chinese military blacklists aerospace institute over bid rigging
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has barred a Chinese aerospace institute from bidding on tenders amid claims of bid rigging – the latest suspension in a year-long crackdown on military suppliers. Advertisement In a notice on Thursday, the PLA’s procurement oversight department said the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) was suspended from taking part in military procurement for goods, projects, and services. The notice said the suspension was a penalty for bid rigging and collusion, but did not say how long the ban…
AI experts urge US-China collaboration at Shanghai conference
Renowned scientists and business leaders from the US and China are calling for greater collaboration in the field of artificial intelligence amid growing concerns that humanity might lose control of the rapidly evolving technology. Advertisement In his talk, Hinton acknowledged the challenges of international cooperation owing to divergent national interests on issues such as cyberattacks, lethal autonomous weapons, and the creation of fake videos that manipulate public opinion. However, he emphasised a critical common ground: “No country wants AI to take over”. Hinton warned that AI was akin to a…
Photos: Civilians displaced on both sides of Thai and Cambodian border conflict
Cambodia and Thailand traded accusations Saturday of fresh attacks as deadly border clashes entered a third day, leaving at least 33 people dead and more than 168,000 displaced, as international pressure mounted on both sides to reach a ceasefire. As of Saturday, Thailand said seven soldiers and 13 civilians had been killed in the clashes, while in Cambodia five soldiers and eight civilians had been killed, said Defense Ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata. cambodia-thailand-fighting-border Juam, 50 sits next to her dog “Krati” inside a temporary shelter in Sisaket province,Thailand, July 26,…
Cheap chocolate pie has middle-class Sam’s Club members in China up in arms
Sam’s Club, the US membership-only bulk retailer owned by Walmart, has long been seen as one of the foreign supermarkets most attuned to the needs of China’s middle class. Advertisement Each year, millions of urban Chinese families pay a 260 yuan (US$36.28) annual fee in exchange for what they see as access to a globally curated, quality lifestyle – featuring products like Scotch whisky, Chilean dried prunes, and chilled beef from the United States and Australia. That selection has come to symbolise a middle-class sensibility attuned to globally focused consumption.…
China proposes global body to govern artificial intelligence
Stay informed with free updates Simply sign up to the Artificial intelligence myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox. China has unveiled a sweeping plan to expand its role in artificial intelligence governance including the creation of a global co-operation organisation as Beijing vies with Washington for technological leadership. Speaking at the opening of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai on Saturday, Chinese premier Li Qiang said AI innovation was hindered by “bottlenecks” such as the supply of computer chips. Without explicitly mentioning the US, he took…
China’s Li Qiang calls for global AI centre as US tech rivalry intensifies
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for the establishment of an international centre to better coordinate global cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI) and address the current “fragmented trend”. Advertisement The move comes as China looks to expand its influence in the new but rapidly evolving sector amid a bitter tech competition with the United States. Opening the annual World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on Saturday, Li said: “Currently, global AI governance is showing a fragmented trend overall, particularly with significant differences among nations in regulatory approaches, institutional frameworks and…
PLA Daily outlines corruption clean-up checklist for political officers
China’s official military newspaper has urged the force’s political officers to rebuild their image by showing more loyalty to the top leadership, honesty in their work, and integrity in how they promote soldiers. Advertisement The series of commentaries in the PLA Daily follows Beijing’s new disciplinary guidelines released on Monday to “eliminate toxic influences” in the work of political officers, after a string of high-profile military crackdowns. The latest events include the removal last month of top general Miao Hua from the Central Military Commission (CMC), China’s highest military command.…