Standing inside the temple armed with buckets of rice, the villagers gaze out at police officers armed with riot shields and sticks, the sound of shouting audible over banging drums. Then the tension erupts. A scuffle breaks out, some villagers throw handfuls of rice at the officers, a traditional custom for dispelling evil, while others hoist religious artefacts onto their shoulders and march away, past groups of police and other officials. The showdown happened last month, apparently caused by the planned demolition of a small local temple in a village…
Category: Pl
China jails smugglers of weapon metal antimony, taking tough stance on critical minerals
A Chinese court has convicted 27 individuals of smuggling more than 166 tonnes of antimony, a critical mineral used in weapons, semiconductors and flame retardants, in a significant enforcement action under Beijing’s tighter export controls for dual-use items. The Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court in Guangdong province ruled that the group had illegally shipped the critical mineral without obtaining export licences, according to a statement released on Tuesday. Lead defendant Wang Wubin was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined 1 million yuan (US$142,000), while the others received penalties ranging…
China’s military accuses Japan of raising ‘space arms race’ risk
China’s military mouthpiece aimed its rhetoric at Japan’s space ambitions and its new intelligence unit on Thursday, accusing Tokyo of embarking on a space arms race and undermining regional security. The criticism in two articles in the PLA Daily is the latest salvo in a diplomatic dust-up over the past month that has involved near-daily rebukes from Beijing. In one of the articles, two researchers from the People’s Liberation Army’s Space Engineering University in Beijing accused Japan of seeking to militarise space. Advertisement “Japan’s accelerated push towards the militarisation of…
As trade deficit mounts, is EU offering China what it wants to buy?
Facing an ever-increasing trade deficit with China, Europe has limited options to balance the situation in the short term even though it still holds an edge in key sectors including pharmaceuticals, machinery and components, analysts said. A lot of China’s redirected exports went to the European Union, adding to pressure following a €305 billion (US$357.9 billion) trade deficit with China last year – before Trump launched his tariff war. Advertisement “The trade imbalances will get much, much, much worse,” said Jacob Gunter, lead analyst for economic research at the Mercator…
China FM Wang Yi reaffirms Beijing’s backing for Venezuela as US pressure grows
China extended its support to Venezuela and opposed “unilateral bullying” in a foreign ministers’ phone call on Wednesday amid rising US pressure on the South American country. Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Venezuelan counterpart Yvan Gil that China and Venezuela were strategic partners and that mutual trust and support were a tradition of bilateral ties. In a veiled swipe at the US, Wang said “China opposes all forms of unilateral bullying and supports countries in safeguarding their sovereignty and national dignity”, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement. Advertisement…
After year of shocks, EU faces crunch talks on Ukraine, China and its economic future
Late last year, as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen began her second term in office, a giant purple banner was draped over the side of the EU executive arm’s headquarters, declaring: “United for our Future, 2024-2029.” Its leaders will gather on Thursday to try to round off the year with a collective bang, but there is growing fear it will end with a series of disparate whimpers. Advertisement European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a debate on the bloc’s position on a proposed peace plan…
China’s jobless rate for young people eases to 16.9% as graduates settle for less
China’s youth-unemployment rate ticked lower in November, though competition remains fierce for university graduates trying to find work that matches their qualifications. The jobless rate for those aged 16 to 24, excluding students, fell to 16.9 per cent in November from 17.3 per cent in October, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday. Advertisement The job market, weighed down by deflationary pressure and external risks, remains plagued by a mismatch between skills and vacancies, pushing many graduates to settle for blue-collar jobs or gig work.…
China offers ‘wonderful opportunity’ for scientists, leading European neurologist says
China is emerging as a rising powerhouse for scientific innovation at a time when scientific research in the United States faces growing funding instability, according to Belgian neurologist Steven Laureys. “There’s a wonderful opportunity for me to work with China. And I’m very happy that China is investing in science in these challenging times with [Donald] Trump, because I’m also an invited professor at Harvard. It’s good to see that we benefit from funding there,” he said. Advertisement “That’s the power of China – to have this political organisation where,…
Trump gives himself high marks in 2025 report card, with his eyes on 2026 fight
US President Donald Trump addressed the nation on Wednesday, highlighting what he described as his administration’s achievements in 2025 and promising to build on his “Make America Great Again” agenda in the next year. In a defiant 18-minute address from the White House, Trump awarded his administration straight A’s for what he hailed as a year of unprecedented American greatness. “We are making America great again tonight, after 11 months, our border is secure. Inflation has stopped. Wages are up, prices are down. Our nation is strong. America is respected,…
China’s military calls for tip-offs as it targets corruption in air force procurement
The People’s Liberation Army has made a rare public appeal for tip-offs about procurement problems in its air force, as Beijing presses ahead with its anti-corruption campaign in the military. The announcement was posted on Monday on the PLA’s official procurement website – the main bid information platform for suppliers – seeking information about “irregular” procurement activities organised by air force units. It is the first time such a request has been made about a specific branch of the military, which comprises the ground force, navy, air force and rocket…