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Scientists have found critical gaps in Nasa’s development of space life support systems that could prevent the United States from competing with China in the pursuit of long-term manned space exploration and habitation. Advertisement While Beijing and Moscow have joined forces to establish a lunar research base, Washington’s limited support for bioregenerative life support research puts its space competitiveness at risk, a team of scientists including Nasa researchers has found. The team said that past research and policy decisions – such as funding and programme cuts – had created “critical…

The memorandum of understanding signed earlier this year between Hainan province and Hong Kong is more than a mere policy document. It’s a signal that two of China’s key gateways have entered a new phase of two-way coordination and shared ambition. Spanning multiple sectors such as finance, trade and investment, data, tourism and talent exchange, the memorandum underscores the deeply intertwined future of both places. Advertisement In August, China launched a cross-border asset management pilot in the Hainan Free Trade Port, giving overseas institutions and individuals access to financial products…

A popular mainland Chinese military magazine has detailed plans to counter Taiwan’s most advanced weapons in a conflict – including its newly acquired US-made Himars multiple rocket launcher – a weapon it says does not change the battlefield. Ordnance Science and Technology published an analysis article in August that focused on the performance of three weapons showcased by Taiwan during the annual Han Kuang military exercises – and potential countermeasures that could be used by the People’s… South China Morning Post

Beijing has warned against “unilateral actions” targeting Chinese interests, as the US intensifies pressure on Western allies to impose steep tariffs on China and India for allegedly “enabling” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by continuing to buy Russian oil. Advertisement US President Donald Trump issued a letter to Nato members on Saturday, urging them to stop buying Russian oil and jointly impose major sanctions on Russia to help end its war in Ukraine. Trump also proposed that Nato collectively impose 50 per cent to 100 per cent tariffs on China, which…

China on Saturday announced an anti-dumping probe into imported American analog integrated circuit chips and also initiated an anti-discrimination investigation over Washington’s handling of Chinese semiconductors. Advertisement The decisions come just one day ahead of a scheduled meeting between Chinese and US trade delegations in Madrid, Spain. South China Morning Post

Shock, disbelief and sympathy. Advertisement Those were just some of the reactions Chinese social media users expressed in the aftermath of two murders in a politically polarised United States. The most recent of the two was the high-profile shooting of conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk on September 10. Kirk was a familiar figure to many younger Chinese, with his videos shared on Chinese social media accounts in recent years. The second incident was the fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska last month, a death that received little attention at…

China’s State Council has vowed to remove hidden barriers holding back private investment and also address the concerns of private entrepreneurs, as the world’s second largest economy intensifies efforts to meet its annual growth target and stabilise the job market. Advertisement The council – China’s cabinet – held an executive meeting on Friday chaired by Premier Li Qiang. The meeting emphasised the goal of creating a fair and competitive market environment, where private enterprises could invest “confidently and profitably”, state news agency Xinhua reported. “Private investment is key to stabilising…