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Leading Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer BYD has unveiled a new-generation battery featuring charging speeds that the company says can rival a refill at a petrol station. BYD’s Blade Battery 2.0, launched on Thursday, can be charged from 10 per cent to 70 per cent in five minutes, and to 97 per cent in nine minutes, which the company said was the world’s fastest charging speed for a mass-manufactured unit. Even in extreme weather, with temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius (minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit), it will only…

A top Chinese political adviser has sounded the alarm on forced marriages of women with mental disabilities in rural areas, calling for a prevention mechanism and a nationwide investigation campaign. Jiang Shengnan, a writer and member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China’s top political advisory body, warned that tackling the issue presented multiple challenges. There was a lack of support for such women when it came to marriage-related decision-making, Jiang told the state-run China News Service on Tuesday, ahead of the “two sessions” – China’s annual top…

Hong Kong can reinforce its role as an international financial centre by deepening integration with mainland capital markets and expanding cross-border investment channels, financial industry leaders said on Thursday during China’s annual “two sessions”. Stronger collaboration between Hong Kong and mainland exchanges would enhance the resilience of the mainland’s financial system while supporting the internationalisation of the yuan, said Tan Yueheng, permanent honorary president of the Chinese Securities Association of Hong Kong. Hong Kong’s strong market performance last year underscored growing connectivity between mainland and Hong Kong markets, said Tan,…

Hong Kong-listed Insilico Medicine has signed a cooperation agreement with the United Arab Emirates’ drug regulator to advance the use of its artificial intelligence tools in drug discovery across the region, even as geopolitical tensions escalate in the Middle East. Shares of Insilico rose as much as 12.8 per cent in morning trading on Thursday before paring gains to close 8.6 per cent higher at HK$56.10. The advance outpaced the benchmark Hang Seng Index, which edged up 0.3 per cent. The agreement was reached during the World Health Expo in…

A 4.5 to 5 per cent GDP growth target – the lowest since 1991 – was announced by Premier Li Qiang on Thursday at the opening session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislature. Advertisement He emphasised that it would “strive for better results in practice” to align with the goal of doubling the 2020 per capita gross domestic product and realising medium- to long-term economic potential. 02:16 Chinese premier sets 2026 GDP growth target at 4.5-5% Chinese premier sets 2026 GDP growth target at 4.5-5% The world’s…