Author: Media Library

Constructed around 256 BC, Dujiangyan is the world’s oldest irrigation system that is still in use today. Long before the invention of gunpowder, the system was using natural topographic and hydrological features to divert water from the Min River for irrigation and flood control without the use of dams. To this day, the ecological engineering feat irrigates 668,700 hectares of farmland in the Chengdu plains of southwestern China. It was in the tranquil, lush mountains surrounding Dujiangyan that Chinese President Xi Jinping chose to conclude French President Emmanuel Macron’s three-day…

Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard on Monday defended Mexico’s decision to impose new tariffs on imports from China and other Asian countries, describing the move as a necessary step to protect hundreds of thousands of domestic jobs rather than a provocation to any trading partner. Affected imports span 17 sectors, including textiles, footwear, steel, aluminium, plastics, automobiles, auto parts and household appliances, something officials argue will help stabilise Mexico’s manufacturing base, which has come under pressure from a growing influx of cheaper Asian goods. Advertisement According to the Economy Ministry, Mexico…

China’s latest long-endurance stealth unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the CH-7, has completed its maiden flight, further expanding Beijing’s rapidly growing arsenal of autonomous weapons. State broadcaster CCTV said on Monday that China’s new high-altitude, high-speed, long-endurance CH-7 had recently completed its first flight. The drone offered long endurance, stealth and high cruising speed, meeting the needs of ground observation, data support and communication under complex conditions, the report said. 01:29 China’s first 076 ‘drone carrier’ amphibious assault ship begins sea trials China’s first 076 ‘drone carrier’ amphibious assault ship begins…

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Tokyo spells out part position on Taiwan in bid to ease tension with Beijing The Japanese government has spelled out its position on Taiwan – although only in part – based on the 1972 document that normalised diplomatic ties to ease tensions, but insists the Taiwan issue should be resolved “peacefully through dialogue”. 2. Sci-fi writer Liu Cixin on why he’ll be happy if…

At a sprawling industrial complex in the Inner Mongolian city of Baotou, workers feed bag after bag of rare-earth additives into roaring furnaces, turning ordinary steel into a high-performance alloy worth twice as much. This is the front line of a technological leap being powered by China’s dominance in critical minerals and its strategic industrial policy. The advanced rare-earth steel being produced is used in the country’s most ambitious engineering projects – from high-speed railways to wind turbines and the world’s largest hydropower dam being built in Tibet, according to…