Day: May 27, 2026

China has unveiled an artificial intelligence platform for drug discovery that can screen a vast library of chemical compounds, cutting the initial drug screening phase from months or years down to tens of seconds. Developers said they expected the system to provide a novel method for identifying lead molecules to treat tumours, neurodegenerative conditions, rare diseases and emerging infectious diseases, as well as possibly speeding up drug research during public health crises. Called GalaxyVS, the platform is powered by China’s new generation of Tianhe supercomputers, the official Science and Technology…

Despite recent signs that US-China ties are stabilising, veteran China watcher Li Cheng argues that the two superpowers should not rush to sign a new joint communique, suggesting this would add little value as Washington is not upholding its previous commitments. The recent summit between President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump produced a “dramatic change” in the countries’ relationship, Li said in an interview published by Chinese news website Guancha.cn. “From viewing each other as enemies to positioning each other as friends – nothing is more dramatic…

The results of the Xi-Trump summit and their implications for regional security will take centre stage this week during Asia’s largest defence forum, the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, according to analysts. Zhu Feng, dean of Nanjing University’s School of International Studies, said US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s speech at the forum would serve as an important gauge of how much the talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump had helped stabilise bilateral relations. With the Iran war entering its fourth month, analysts said countries in…

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday said Beijing was ready to deepen cooperation with Panama City and that third countries should not influence their bilateral ties. “China has always maintained that China-Panama relations are not directed against any third party and should not be interfered with by any third party,” Wang said, according to a foreign ministry read-out on Wednesday. Wang made the remarks while meeting with Panamanian Foreign Minister Javier Martinez-Acha on the sidelines of a high-level United Nations Security Council meeting in New York. Advertisement The meeting…

While much of military AI globally focuses on autonomous weapons and large language models, a new study suggests Beijing may also be pursuing a quieter transformation: embedding artificial intelligence (AI) in the deepest layers of industrial manufacturing. A study published last month in the Chinese defence engineering journal Acta Armamentarii described how researchers developed an AI-powered “bearing design agent” – capable of autonomously designing rolling bearings in advanced machinery. The journal has long served as a leading publication platform for China’s weapons industry, covering technologies linked to aerospace, missile systems,…

South Korea’s programme to develop engines that can power flying drones to serve as loyal wingmen for fighter jets suggests that Seoul has set its sights on competing at the top level in the global market for autonomous military systems, analysts said. Hanwha Aerospace, one of the country’s largest defence contractors, announced the programme on Tuesday – a joint project with South Korean space agency Kasa to develop a 4,500-pound-class (2,040kg) turbofan engine by 2029. The engine will be suitable for collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) systems and other unmanned aerial…

Foreign spies in China have disguised themselves as wedding photographers near naval ports, or have collected mapping data using advanced radar and GPS optical lenses mounted on cars under the cover of autonomous driving research, according to China’s top body protecting state secrets. The National Administration of State Secrets Protection warned of foreign spies’ “eyes in the dark” in its latest anti-espionage documentary aired on CCTV national television on Tuesday. “In real life, the methods, tools, covertness and scope of espionage employed by foreign intelligence agencies [against China] far exceed…