Month: November 2025

Japanese ‘One Piece’ singer stopped mid-show after China-Japan feud

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The abrupt cancellations of several Japanese music events in Shanghai – one of them midway through a song – have sparked criticism among fans, with some calling the moves “rude” and “extreme”. Maki Otsuki was halfway through the theme of hit anime One Piece on Friday when the lights and music went off, after which she was rushed off stage by two crew members. On Saturday, pop star Ayumi Hamasaki performed to an empty 14,000-seat stadium after organisers axed her concert in Shanghai, citing “force majeure”. This spate of cancellations…

Why is a former pro-Beijing rapper wanted for inciting Taiwan secession?

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In an escalation of Beijing’s campaign against perceived pro-independence agitators, mainland Chinese authorities have issued arrest warrants and offered hefty rewards for two Taiwanese social media influencers accused of “inciting secession”. The public security bureau in Quanzhou, Fujian province announced on November 13 a bounty of 50,000 to 250,000 yuan (US$7,040 to US$35,200) for tips leading to the capture of 25-year-old Chen Po-yuan, known online as “Minnan Wolf”, and his collaborator, Wen Tzu-yu. Minnan refers to Southern Min, a group of Chinese dialects spoken in Fujian and Taiwan. Advertisement The…

Australia tracking Chinese navy flotilla in Philippine Sea as Marles announces major defence overhaul

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The Albanese government has announced a major overhaul of the defence department, aimed at tackling budget and timeline blowouts, on the same day it confirmed Australia was tracking a Chinese navy flotilla in the Philippine Sea. In the biggest changes to the defence bureaucracy in Australia since the mid-1970s, Labor will merge three agencies: the capability acquisition and sustainment group, the guided weapons and explosive ordinance group, and the naval shipbuilding and sustainment group. It will establish a new independent delivery agency to manage billions of dollars of complex defence…

India gets to grips with biggest labour law shake-up in decades

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Stay informed with free updates Simply sign up to the Indian business & finance myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox. Indian businesses and states are rushing to adapt to the sudden introduction of what Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed as one of the biggest overhauls of labour rules since the country’s independence from Britain in 1947. Unions organised demonstrations in several states as well as in New Delhi after the government suddenly enacted four new legislative codes, compressing and updating 29 laws — some of which date back…

What’s next for China’s economy in 2026 – and how it plans to tackle challenges

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After a turbulent year marked by the trade war and domestic headwinds, China will head into 2026 cautiously as it grapples with structural challenges to growth. Global investors are watching closely to see how Beijing works to shore up confidence, double down on strategic industries and mitigate overcapacity, all while navigating a fast-evolving geopolitical environment. In this explainer, the Post distils forecasts from major investment banks and economists on what to expect in 2026, also the first year of the next five-year plan – a socio-economic blueprint that typically sets…

In Fukushima’s shadow: Japan’s pivot back to nuclear | FT Film

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Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. Video: In Fukushima’s shadow: Japan’s pivot back to nuclear In the wake of the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan shut down all of its nuclear power stations. Fifteen years on, the country is reconsidering that decision as the rise of AI has created massive demand for cheap low-carbon power. For a country with a traumatic history with nuclear, that is a difficult and delicate decision Financial Times

China’s scandal-hit arms firms drag down regional sales in record-breaking year

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Despite a sharp and record-breaking rise in overall global arms sales last year, the combined revenue of the eight Chinese firms listed in the weapons industry’s Top 100 fell drastically, a Swedish think tank has found. The 10 per cent fall to US$88.3 billion was also the biggest aggregated percentage drop among the countries with companies in the list, released on Monday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The performance of the Chinese weapons giants was in stark contrast with counterparts from Japan and South Korea, which saw…

Taiwan issue ‘complicated, but the way out is simple’: ex-PLA colonel Zhou Bo

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Zhou Bo is a retired senior colonel in the People’s Liberation Army and a senior fellow at Tsinghua University’s Centre for International Security and Strategy. His military career included roles in the Ministry of National Defence’s Foreign Affairs Office and as a defence attaché. Zhou is the author of the recent book Should the World Fear China? This interview first appeared in SCMP Plus. For other interviews in the Open Questions series, click here. With the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party still in power in Taiwan and intensifying US arms purchases,…

FirstFT: Chinese authorities warn against unrest after deadly Hong Kong fire

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This article is an on-site version of our FirstFT newsletter. Subscribers can sign up to our Asia, Europe/Africa or Americas edition to get the newsletter delivered every weekday morning. Explore all of our newsletters here Good morning and welcome back to FirstFT Asia. In today’s newsletter: Beijing warns ‘anti-China disrupters’ after HK fire Swiss voters reject tax on super-rich OpenAI rivals threaten ChatGPT maker’s lead We start in Hong Kong with the aftermath of the city’s deadliest fire in decades. Police said more bodies had been recovered as Chinese authorities…

China’s Xingyan ‘Star Eye’ network to track satellites and space debris

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China is launching a second satellite constellation to monitor objects in orbit to help commercial operators lower collision risks and ease the country’s long reliance on foreign tracking data. When complete, the Xingyan – or Star Eye – space situational awareness constellation will have 156 satellites up and running to identify the orbits of other satellites and debris, detect unusual movements, and provide collision warnings and maneuver advice every two hours. Its developer, Xingtu Cekong, an Anhui-based spin-off of leading geospatial data company Zhongke Xingtu, said 12 satellites would be…