Month: April 2026

American enterprises operating in China lauded improvements in the country’s regulatory environment and more “openness”, but long-standing concerns over access and Beijing’s emphasis on security continue to weigh on optimism, with expectations for US President Donald Trump’s looming China visit also muted, according to a leading business chamber. Targeted regulatory refinement in some sectors, ongoing updates to foreign investment policies and market access measures, and “incremental” advances in clarifying the governance of cross-border data were among progress cited by the American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham China) in its…

Authorities in China’s western Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region have blamed construction defects and management failures – rather than the actions of tourists – for a deadly suspension bridge failure last summer. In a report released on Thursday, investigators concluded that “legal violations, gross negligence and dereliction of duty” caused the Jiangjun Bridge at the Xiata Scenic Area in Yili to tilt, killing five people and injuring 24 others. The incident occurred at 6.15pm on August 6, when the main cable on the south side of the bridge snapped and caused…

China has released new guidelines to reduce carbon emissions across strategic sectors – including energy-intensive data centres – as Beijing pushes to secure its 2030 climate targets amid volatile energy prices triggered by the US-Israeli war in Iran. The 18-point document, issued by the ruling Communist Party’s powerful Central Committee and the State Council, China’s cabinet, called on heavy industries – including steel, non-ferrous metals and chemicals – to boost energy efficiency and accelerate the decarbonisation of industrial estates. Advertisement It also called for greener digital infrastructure through cooling system…

Also known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, the Middle Corridor is a multimodal logistics route that connects China and Europe via Kazakhstan in Central Asia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in the South Caucasus, the Caspian Sea and Turkey. Waqar Ahmad, president of Kazakhstan’s Nazarbayev University, one of Central Asia’s leading research institutions, said the route’s momentum was being driven by the urgent need for alternatives as traditional maritime paths were disrupted by the Iran conflict. Advertisement “The Middle Corridor … is experiencing massive operational momentum,” Ahmad said at a meeting…

The Iran war has delivered a systemic shock to the Gulf’s security architecture and economic miracle. Two taboos were rapidly broken. The Strait of Hormuz, which carries roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption and close to a quarter of seaborne crude, was paralysed for sustained periods. Iranian strikes reached deep into Gulf territory, hitting ports, energy terminals and airports with a frequency that exceeded attacks on Israel. War-risk insurance premiums and tanker charter rates surged across key Gulf routes. Benchmark crude prices climbed above US$110 per barrel. Maritime traffic plunged…

A senior Chinese official who oversees religious and ethnic minority affairs has called for China to “strengthen” the education, training and management of Tibetan Buddhist personnel. Li Ganjie, head of the Communist Party’s United Front Work Department and a member of the now 22-man Politburo, made the call during a trip to Tibetan areas in western China, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday. He visited several religious organisations and study institutions in the Tibetan autonomous prefectures of Gansu and Sichuan provinces this week, the report said. Xi Jinping attends…

China’s close ties with Russia should be a “disqualifying factor” in Beijing’s bid to launch talks on a free-trade agreement with the European Union, Finland’s foreign minister has said. In meetings with European leaders, Beijing has been floating the prospect of a trade or investment deal, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz last month said a pact could be possible in the future. In an exclusive interview in Helsinki on Wednesday, however, Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen poured cold water on the idea, saying that Beijing’s close ties with Moscow will block…

The United States’ depleted stockpile of munitions from its war on Iran and limited production capacity will be a critical vulnerability against stronger adversaries, according to Chinese military observers. During the 39 days of war before the ceasefire, the US is estimated to have used about half of both its Patriot air defence missiles and the longer-range Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) interceptors. Stockpiles of Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) and Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) ship-launched interceptors have also dropped significantly, according to a report published by the Centre for…