Decision comes amid growing public support for Guan Heng – who secretly filmed detention facilities in China – after he illegally entered US by boat The Department of Homeland Security has dropped its plan to deport a Chinese national who entered the country illegally, two rights activists have said, after his plight raised public concerns that if deported the man would be punished by Beijing for helping expose human rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang region. Rayhan Asat, a human rights lawyer who assisted in the case, said Guan Heng’s lawyer…
Day: December 22, 2025
China drafts law on activities and environment protection in Antarctica
China has drafted a law on Antarctic affairs, as Beijing looks to protect its interests and strengthen its role in the governance of the southernmost continent. The draft “Antarctic Activities and Environmental Protection Law” was submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the country’s top legislature, on Monday for the first review, state media reported. “The legislation on Antarctic activities and environmental protection will help better coordinate, manage and regulate Antarctic-related activities … and will also provide strong legal support for China’s participation in global Antarctic governance,”…
Russian LNG shipments to China surge 143% in November, overtaking Australia
Russia’s shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to China soared last month, consolidating Moscow’s role as the top energy supplier to the world’s second-largest economy even in the face of Western sanctions. Imports of LNG from Russia surged 142.6 per cent, year on year, to 1.6 million tonnes, displacing Australia to become one of China’s top two biggest suppliers alongside Qatar last month, according to the latest customs data. Russian LNG accounted for 23.5 per cent of China’s total shipments in November, more than doubling its 11 per cent share…
Russia and China pledge support for Venezuela as Trump ratchets up pressure on Maduro
China and Russia have expressed support for Venezuela as it confronts a US blockade of sanctioned oil tankers, while Donald Trump continues to ramp up his pressure campaign on the South American country’s president, Nicolás Maduro. Amid reports of slowing activity at Venezuelan ports, the US president again called for Maduro to leave power, and reiterated that the US would keep or sell the oil it had seized off the coast of Venezuela in recent weeks. Asked if the goal was to force Maduro from power, Trump told reporters: “I…
Second reusable rocket recovery failure in a month puts China 10 years behind US
The Long March 12A, China’s first state-owned reusable rocket, made its debut launch on Tuesday morning but the recovery of the first stage was a failure. It was China’s second failed bid this month to return an orbital-class booster to Earth, a feat that has so far only been achieved by the US. The second stage of the rocket entered its predetermined orbit after its launch at 10am, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua. Advertisement The reusable rocket, designed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology under the China…
Caviar and foie gras? China is becoming a luxury food powerhouse
China is becoming an increasingly powerful producer of luxury foods, supplying domestic consumers with once-rare delicacies and in some cases breaking into overseas markets. The world’s second-largest economy now accounts for the majority of global production and exports of caviar. It has surpassed Australia, from whom it originally imported macadamia trees, to become the second-biggest producer of macadamia nuts. China is also stepping up the farming of cherries and sale of wild truffles and produces thousands of tonnes of foie gras a year. “[Previously], many consumers who could afford it…
Global firms turn to M&A in EVs and biotech to deepen China investment: KPMG
Three in four multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in mainland China have maintained or increased their investments in 2025, according to a recent KPMG survey, despite Washington stepping up efforts to decouple from Beijing and its allies following suit. The survey published on Monday, polling 137 senior executives from global companies operating in the world’s second-largest economy between June and September, revealed that only 1 per cent reported preparing to exit the market. About 20 per cent said they may reduce investment, while the rest had yet to decide. Companies planning…
Forget the US dollar. Watch water and energy resources instead
As 2025 draws to a close, it marks an important milestone in the reconfiguration of the global economic system. Every century is defined not only by changes in technological leadership and shifts in global power, but also by the restructuring of the global financial system. The 20th century was the century of the US dollar, but with the arrival of the 21st century, the contours of the global macroeconomic system have begun to change. A recent International Monetary Fund study, “Playing with Blocs: Quantifying Decoupling”, examines how global trade is…
More H-1B visa chaos
This article is an on-site version of the India Business Briefing newsletter. To receive it in your inbox regularly, sign up if you’re a premium subscriber, or upgrade your subscription here. Good morning. There is trouble in the neighbourhood, as anti-India protests rock Bangladesh. The agitation in recent days followed the death of a young leader, Sharif Osman Hadi, who was shot during an election rally in Dhaka on December 12. He subsequently died in Singapore. India will be watching developments closely. More positively, New Delhi has concluded talks on a…
TikTok’s Chinese owner plans $23bn AI spend to keep pace with US rivals
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