A record number of people are set to take China’s notoriously gruelling national civil service exam this weekend, reflecting the increasing desire of Chinese workers to find employment in the public rather than private sector. Around 3.7 million people have registered for the tests on Saturday and Sunday, which will be the first since the government increased the age limit for certain positions. The age limit for general candidates has increased from 35 to 38, while the age limit for those with postgraduate degrees has been raised from 40 to…
Month: November 2025
China’s top economic planning agency warns of rise of too many robots
Beijing has flagged risks of excessive duplication in China’s rapidly growing humanoid robot sector, vowing to strengthen guidance for an industry that officials have identified as an important engine of future growth. Driven by an influx of new capital, the number of humanoid robot companies in China has climbed to over 150 and is continuing to grow, National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) spokeswoman Li Chao told a news conference in Beijing on Thursday. “More than half of them are start-ups or cross-industry entrants, which is a good thing for…
Amrish Rau: India outshines even China on fintech
This online version of the India Business Briefing newsletter is free to read today. To receive it in your inbox regularly, sign up if you’re a premium subscriber, or upgrade your subscription here. Pine Labs went public earlier this month amid a crowded IPO calendar, listing 9.5 per cent above its issue price. The company operates in a relatively unglamorous part of the vibrant Indian fintech space: providing payment technology including point-of-sales (POS) machines. The group has ridden the wave of the country’s digital payments boom of nearly two decades, propelled by…
After Hong Kong fire, can new tech protect China’s high-rises from tragedy?
A massive fire engulfed the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Hong Kong on Wednesday, sparking discussions about the potential for new firefighting technologies to boost rescue capabilities. It was Hong Kong’s deadliest inferno in recent decades, as fire rapidly spread across seven adjoining residential blocks covered in bamboo scaffolding. Residential high-rises are closely clustered in the densely populated city. Since 2000, China has built almost 1,600 skyscrapers – 60 per cent of the… South China Morning Post
Death toll hits 94 as Hong Kong reels from worst fire in decades
Hundreds still listed as missing following blaze that tore through high-rise residential estateFinancial Times
Taiwan’s William Lai accused of stoking fear with 2027 countdown confusion
Opposition critics have accused Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te of stoking fear on the island with his suggestion that Beijing could be preparing to take Taiwan by force by 2027. The controversy erupted after Lai told a press conference on Wednesday that Beijing was pursuing a goal to “complete unification with Taiwan by force by 2027”, a line later amended on his official platforms to specify preparation for such an option rather than a scheduled assault. Advertisement Karen Kuo, a spokeswoman for Lai’s office, insisted 2027 was not a “confirmed…
UK retailers urge faster end to tax break on low-value imported goods
British retailers including Primark, Currys and Boohoo have criticised the government for waiting until 2029 to end a tax break on low-value imported goods that has allowed them to be undercut by the likes of Shein and Temu. The British Retail Consortium, which represents all the major retailers, said there were 1.6m parcels arriving in the UK every day, double the number from last year, and “businesses cannot afford any delay on scrapping the existing rules”. The “de minimis” rule allows overseas sellers to send goods valued at £135 or…
EU’s von der Leyen will not go to China with French President Macron
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will not join French President Emmanuel Macron on his state visit to China next week, the Post has learned, in a break from recent tradition. Macron has included the European Union on his last few engagements with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This was seen as an effort to “Europeanise” his dealings with Beijing. Von der Leyen went to Paris last year to meet Xi alongside Macron and also visited Beijing in 2023 alongside the two-term centrist… South China Morning Post
Death toll hits 83 as Hong Kong reels from worst fire in decades
Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. Ms Wong, a 68-year-old retired Hongkonger, was getting ready for her afternoon nap when two firefighters banged on the door of her high-rise flat, warning her of a blaze on the lower floors. “I looked out of the window and saw smoke. I was so scared I left with them immediately. I didn’t even take anything with me. Rushing down 25 floors almost killed me. But thanks to them I…
Anger swelling in Hong Kong over deadliest fire in more than 70 years
Some think leader John Lee’s focus on blaming bamboo scaffolding deflects from actual cause The inferno that engulfed Wang Fuk Court residential compound in Hong Kong is still burning, but questions are already being asked about what the deadliest fire in more than 70 years means for Beijing’s grip on power in the city. The death toll from the blaze, which tore apart seven of the eight high-rise apartment buildings in Wang Fuk Court, a residential compound home to 4,800 people, is still rising. Hundreds of people are still missing.…