Author: Media Library

From cash handouts to reimbursed procedures, local governments across China are throwing money at in vitro fertilisation and related fertility treatments in a bid to coax couples into having children. But some experts warn that the hi-tech push ignores the low-tech reality: raising a family is simply too expensive, and fertility subsidies cannot reverse China’s demographic decline. Jingmen, a city in central Hubei province, is the latest to join the fray, announcing subsidies of up to 10,000 yuan (US$1,419) for IVF and 3,000 yuan for artificial insemination, effective January 1.…

Retrenchment appears to be the buzzword following the Trump administration’s release of its new National Security Strategy (NSS). Under the heading “Balance of Power”, the report states that “the US rejects the ill-fated concept of global domination for itself”. And under “burden-sharing and burden-shifting”, it says that “the days of the US propping up the entire world order like Atlas are over”. The document asserts a “‘Trump corollary’ to the Monroe Doctrine” and vows to “restore American pre-eminence in the Western Hemisphere”, effectively reaffirming the Americas as the US’ sphere…

One of China’s newest main battle tanks, the Type 99B, is an upgraded model designed to perform better in high-altitude and cold weather operations, according to state media – suggesting it could be sent to the Himalayan border with India. The tank is the latest of the Type 99 armoured vehicles and was among the military hardware unveiled during China’s huge Victory Day parade in Beijing in September. State broadcaster CCTV reported on Thursday that the upgraded model has a raft of new features. It was shown going through testing…

The global air travel market has bounced back to pre-pandemic levels, with the industry upbeat about 2026 and the Asia-Pacific region expected to lead worldwide traffic growth, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Monday. Load factors in Asia-Pacific were projected to hit an all-time regional high of 84.4 per cent next year, according to IATA, which represents some 370 airlines, accounting for more than 80 per cent of the world’s air traffic. Advertisement Direct flights between China and India, the world’s two most populous countries, resumed in late…

Shenzhen’s main railway station handled a record 116.6 million passengers in the first 11 months of 2025, as China’s major cities continue to see a boom in rail ridership and travel between Hong Kong and mainland China picks up steam. The total passenger flow at Shenzhen North Railway Station between January and November was up 8.8 per cent compared with the same period last year, according to data from China State Railway Group cited by local media. Shenzhen North is one of the two largest high-speed rail hubs in China’s…

Saudi Arabia has pledged to deepen hi-tech cooperation with China in areas such as new energy and artificial intelligence (AI). “Saudi Arabia is willing to further deepen cooperation with China in areas including oil and gas, new energy, artificial intelligence and high technology, to bring greater benefits to the peoples of both countries,” Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said, according to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The pledge comes at a time when the kingdom is facing growing scrutiny from the United States over its technology cooperation with Beijing. Advertisement…