Day: August 21, 2025

China’s shipments of major fertiliser surge 600%, signalling softer export curbs

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Chinese shipments of urea – a major fertiliser and chemical used to reduce emissions – have surged after Beijing reportedly eased an export ban imposed last year to curb domestic prices and maintain food security. Advertisement Analysts said exports of the chemical – a type of nitrogen used in agriculture as well as to curb diesel and industrial emissions – may continue rising in August and September, as a large portion of the quota remained unused and shipments to India might resume. China exported 567,184 tonnes of urea in July,…

North Korea has secret military base that may pose threat to east Asia and US, new report says

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North Korea has built a secret military base near its border with China which may house Pyongyang’s newest long-range ballistic missiles, according to new research. The “undeclared” Sinpung-dong missile operating base lies about 27km (17 miles) from the Chinese frontier, the Washington-based thinktank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said in a report published on Wednesday. The facility in North Pyongan province likely houses six to nine nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and their launchers, the study said. It said the weapons “pose a potential nuclear threat to east…

China’s top political adviser hails party leadership in Tibet anniversary speech

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China’s top political adviser has stressed the Communist Party’s “strong leadership” in a speech reviewing decades of achievements to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Tibet autonomous region. Advertisement Wang Huning, also China’s No 4 official, said that since the 18th party congress in 2012, under President Xi Jinping’s guidance and comprehensive plan, “Tibet has entered its best period of development, experiencing the greatest changes and bringing the most tangible benefits to people of all ethnic groups”. Tibet has achieved “historic progress” in poverty reduction, social development,…

China’s Xi touts unity and development in surprise Tibet visit

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President Xi Jinping urged unity on a surprise visit to Tibet, appearing before 20,000 people to mark 60 years since China created the autonomous region after annexing it. In what is only his second presidential visit to the tightly-controlled region, Xi praised the local government for “engaging in a thorough struggle against separatism” – a reference to decades-old Tibetan resistance to Beijing. The visit to Lhasa, which sits at an altitude that could pose health problems for the 72-year-old, suggests a desire to stamp his authority over the region. His…

Alibaba to spin off Banma self-driving business via Hong Kong IPO

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Alibaba Group Holding plans to spin off its Banma Network Technology unit, as one of China’s largest technology behemoths moves ahead with a separate listing for its autonomous driving unit to raise capital. Advertisement Alibaba has received an initial go-ahead from the Hong Kong stock exchange for Banma’s proposed initial public offering (IPO), the company said in a statement on Thursday. The stake held by the Hangzhou-based conglomerate in Banma will drop to 30 per cent from the current 44.72 per cent after the IPO, Alibaba said. Details of the…