Day: August 24, 2025

The People’s Liberation Army is arguably the world’s most rapidly evolving military, yet it remains the least understood by outsiders. Advertisement The PLA has not engaged in a war in more than four decades and has left no footprint in actual combat in that time, but the intensity of its exercises and expansion of its arsenal have attracted global attention. As China prepares for a major military parade next month to mark the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II, the PLA is expected to showcase its newest…

A booming market for miniature clothing has become the latest growth driver in China’s “doll economy” – fuelled by Gen Z’s passion for the toys and the emotional comfort they provide. Advertisement “Loving ball-jointed dolls is as natural as breathing,” said 21-year-old Clementine Cai from Zhejiang. Two years after falling in love with the toys, she had spent over 3,000 yuan (US$417) on outfits alone – a sizeable amount given her roughly 2,000 yuan in monthly expenses. Unlike the wildly popular Labubu vinyl plush toys, ball-jointed dolls are typically made…

Da Wei is director of Tsinghua University’s Centre for International Security and Strategy in Beijing. His research focuses on China-US relations and US security and foreign policy. In this interview, he discusses the prospects for a trade deal between Beijing and Washington and examines China’s role on the global stage in light of America’s current foreign policy. Advertisement This interview first appeared in SCMP Plus. For other interviews in the Open Questions series, click here. China and the United States have held several rounds of high-level trade talks recently, and…

When Sama Bilbao y León, director general of the World Nuclear Association – a global industry body based in London – toured China’s nuclear facilities this summer, she was left speechless. Advertisement “I couldn’t close my mouth in amazement,” she admitted, stunned by China’s advanced capabilities and “incredible” industrial scale. This awe-inspiring progress exists despite stringent US sanctions – including the 2019 blacklisting of China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) and the recent suspension of equipment licences – imposed over national security concerns. Ironically, these very restrictions have backfired spectacularly.…

Geopolitical tremors from Washington’s trade wars against its closest allies – the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Canada and Australia – might have convinced Beijing of an impending realignment. China has seized the moment with a charm offensive, urging pragmatic cooperation amid tariff spats. Advertisement Beijing rightly condemns Washington for shredding the very World Trade Organization rules and post-war liberal order it crafted, calling for collective action against US coercion. Yet despite the tangible frustration – seen in the EU’s retaliation threat and Japan’s rhetorical condemnation – no ally has…

Advertisement According to photos and footage circulating online, the uncrewed vessel was transported on a heavy semi-trailer and features a number of obvious stealth designs, including angled surfaces, a faceted hull and concealed superstructure. Online commenters said the structure would also have concealed antenna and radar, all aimed at reducing infrared, visual, and acoustic signatures. The vessel appeared to be painted in the Chinese navy’s white-grey-blue camouflage and did not have a hull number. It is unclear if it is covered with radar-absorbent materials. It has windows on its cockpit,…

US aid to China during World War II was driven by Washington’s self-interest, and the dynamics between the two nations before 1949 was that of “coloniser and oppressed”, according to a top Chinese government-backed historical journal. Advertisement Another paper in the same issue of the periodical characterised Moscow’s wartime support as “offering fuel in snowy weather” while accusing the United States and its Western allies of trying to “erase” the Soviet Union’s contribution to the anti-fascist struggle. The comments came two weeks before celebrations to mark the 80th anniversary of…

The evolving dynamics between China and India, the world’s most populous nations and rising economic powers, are at a critical juncture. Recent developments have shown encouraging signs in bilateral relations, with both sides expressing a willingness to re-engage constructively. Advertisement Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently visited New Delhi, where he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. This has renewed the momentum of high-level exchanges and paved the way for Modi’s visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit…