Day: August 12, 2025

More tension is expected in the South China Sea following a collision between two Chinese vessels, with analysts predicting the incident was likely to prompt Beijing to further increase its presence in the contested waterway. Experts also warned that the incident could push China to enhance coordination between its navy and coastguard to prevent similar accidents in future. On Monday, Manila claimed that a China Coast Guard vessel sustained severe damage to its bow after colliding with a larger… South China Morning Post

China has launched a year-long plan to offer interest subsidies for personal consumer loans as part of Beijing’s broader efforts to unlock household spending power and shore up domestic demand. Advertisement Individuals who take out consumer loans for purchases – including single transactions below 50,000 yuan (US$6,958) and higher amounts for purchases in key sectors such as cars and education – will have part of their interest costs covered by the government, according to the plan released on Tuesday by the Ministry of Finance, the People’s Bank of China and…

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 satellite navigation signals were one of its first targets. The jamming started with civilian navigation systems, but within less than two weeks, military bands had been targeted as well. All satellite navigation systems in the war zone, including the US GPS system, the European Union’s Galileo, China’s Beidou and even Russia’s own Glonass, fell victim. Western powers, led by the United States, immediately launched a counter-jamming mission to stall… South China Morning Post

The US State Department’s annual review of China’s human rights record, released on Tuesday, was pared back as part of a broader restructuring of its country reports but still retained many of its most politically sensitive criticisms of Beijing’s conduct. “Genocide and crimes against humanity occurred during the year in China against predominantly Muslim Uygurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang,” the report said in its executive summary. The China assessment,… South China Morning Post

China’s mega dam construction on the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) River uncovers the vulnerabilities of transboundary water mechanisms. With India suspending the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan and being in the process of reconsidering the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty with Bangladesh, water politics is getting more complicated day by day. This turn of events has cast doubt on the future of regional cooperation in South Asia. Even though the mega dam is China’s most ambitious hydropower project… South China Morning Post

Paraguayan lawmakers on Tuesday heard government ministers outline a proposed assembly law that would allow companies to manufacture electronic and digital goods locally using imported parts, many from China, as political debate grows over whether the country should end diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favour of Beijing. Economy Minister Carlos Fernandez Valdovinos and Industry and Commerce Minister Javier Gimenez told a Senate hearing the measure would let businesses that currently import fully… South China Morning Post