https://www.scmp.com/rss/321621/feed Jane Cai, CFA, is the Beijing Bureau Chief of the Post. She has been covering China's economic, financial, business and political news since the early 2000s. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Jane Cai Jane Cai For millennia, the wisdom of Chinese strategist Sun Tzu has guided leaders. His sayings, most famously collected in The Art of War, emphasise deception, careful preparation and understanding both your enemy and yourself. “Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.” “Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.” Today, a new master strategist has arisen, though his aphorisms emphasise careless blundering. “If you do not know what... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349792/you-cannot-lose-if-you-do-not-have-goal-viral-wisdom-don-tzu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349792/you-cannot-lose-if-you-do-not-have-goal-viral-wisdom-don-tzu?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 11:00:07 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai “I can’t wait to watch the game – it’s Lion’s Head Meatballs versus Hairy Crab!” Liu Jieling, a 42-year-old company executive from Suzhou, joked about a derby clash pitting a side inspired by her city’s signature crustacean cuisine against one by Yangzhou’s steamed meatballs. The 2026 season of the Jiangsu City Football League – popularly known as the Su Super League – kicks off on Saturday, and the amateur tournament in Jiangsu, a province in eastern China, is already generating huge buzz... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349732/winners-chinas-growing-intercity-football-rivalries-may-surprise-you?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349732/winners-chinas-growing-intercity-football-rivalries-may-surprise-you?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 08:00:17 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai When the American sitcom Growing Pains was first broadcast in China in the 1990s, it was the first window for many in the country into American middle-class life. In the series, a doctor father, a journalist mother and four children live in a spacious suburban home with room for mistakes and second chances. While the show lightly touched on serious social issues, it projected a picture of health, stability and security. However, Chinese viewers have had a chance to rethink the show since state... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349077/growing-pains-meets-kill-line-new-chinese-hot-take-american-dream?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349077/growing-pains-meets-kill-line-new-chinese-hot-take-american-dream?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:00:10 +0000 Jane Cai,Alcott Wei Jane Cai,Alcott Wei Beijing should shift its strategy and improve ways to attract and retain top Chinese AI professionals as America’s accelerating integration of artificial intelligence into military and national security systems puts such talent in a bind. As geopolitical tensions rise, many highly skilled Chinese researchers working at US tech and research institutions are confronting a painful dilemma, according to Dai Mingjie, a researcher at the Institute of Public Policy at the Guangzhou-based South China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349047/how-can-beijing-attract-top-tier-chinese-ai-professionals-based-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349047/how-can-beijing-attract-top-tier-chinese-ai-professionals-based-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 04:00:18 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai As the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran continues, Chinese social media is buzzing with condemnations of Washington, expressions of sympathy for Tehran and an outpouring of unsolicited strategic advice. The conflict, which began with the February 28 air strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has dominated the list of trending topics on the country’s main platforms, such as WeChat, Weibo and Douyin. Social media is tightly controlled and most of the comments... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347475/chinese-social-media-awash-criticisms-us-it-possible-go-too-far?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347475/chinese-social-media-awash-criticisms-us-it-possible-go-too-far?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai Beijing has set a relatively cautious yet pragmatic economic growth target for 2026 amid persistent domestic headwinds and escalating external pressures. 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. In delivering his annual government work report, Li reaffirmed Beijing’s aim for stronger economic growth where conditions allowed. He emphasised... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345621/china-targets-lowest-growth-range-1991-realistic-move-pressures-rise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345621/china-targets-lowest-growth-range-1991-realistic-move-pressures-rise?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:30:20 +0000 Holly Chik,Jane Cai,Shi Jiangtao,Meredith Chen,Amber Wang Holly Chik,Jane Cai,Shi Jiangtao,Meredith Chen,Amber Wang This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. The US-Israel joint military campaign against Iran, now on day 3, has widened rapidly, with Iranian retaliatory missile and drone waves hitting Israel, American bases and Gulf states. Casualties include at least 555 people in Iran, four US service members killed, at least nine Israeli civilians dead, three in the United Arab Emirates and dozens in Lebanon.... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345089/iran-strikes-day-3-markets-open-sharp-sell-futures-and-asian-shares?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345089/iran-strikes-day-3-markets-open-sharp-sell-futures-and-asian-shares?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 04:39:58 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai After a months-long war of words between an online influencer and a restaurant chain owner, a Communist Party mouthpiece has taken the unusual step of direct intervention – underlining China’s desire to rein in internet celebrities and social media platforms. Since Sunday, People’s Daily has published four commentaries about the restaurant chain Xibei, which says it expects to lose 500 million yuan (US$71.8 million) following an influencer’s online complaints about pre-made dishes. “This is... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341119/xibei-vs-influencer-why-beijing-called-time-chinese-restaurant-food-feud?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341119/xibei-vs-influencer-why-beijing-called-time-chinese-restaurant-food-feud?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 04:00:13 +0000 Jane Cai,Bob Zhao Jane Cai,Bob Zhao For 26-year-old Tianjin office worker Celine Wang, it is an extra cup of milk tea. “One for me and the other for lao ji,” she said, placing the double order on a workday afternoon in January. “After going through all the difficulties from trying to be the best performer at school to surviving at my workplace, I feel tired. “I’ve decided to treat myself well … ai ni lao ji,” she said, using a buzzword that took off in the gaming world and has become a mantra for personal wellness in China. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3340250/love-yourself-young-chinas-new-wellness-mantra-cope-rat-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3340250/love-yourself-young-chinas-new-wellness-mantra-cope-rat-race?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 10:00:15 +0000 Orange Wang,Jane Cai,Meredith Chen Orange Wang,Jane Cai,Meredith Chen Zheng Yongnian is a leading Chinese political scientist and government adviser, with a focus on the country’s transformation and foreign relations. In his third interview for the Open Questions series, Zheng discusses the “Donroe Doctrine” and its implications for the existing world order – and an emerging one. For other interviews in the series, click here. On Venezuela, you have noted that the US pivot to Latin America could reshape the regional order and that Donald Trump’s warnings to other... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339480/zheng-yongnian-trump-venezuela-and-why-china-doesnt-want-separate-kitchen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339480/zheng-yongnian-trump-venezuela-and-why-china-doesnt-want-separate-kitchen?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Jan 2026 22:00:31 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai A series of social media posts highlighting the economic insecurity facing ordinary Americans has triggered an intense debate in China about social problems in the United States and shattered some long-held perceptions. Many of the posts from influencers described the vulnerabilities as a “kill line”, a term used by Chinese video gamers to describe the health threshold below which a character can be instantly defeated. The term has now been repurposed to describe a financial and social tipping... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3338633/us-kill-line-shocks-chinese-social-media-economic-woes-shatter-illusions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3338633/us-kill-line-shocks-chinese-social-media-economic-woes-shatter-illusions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jan 2026 12:00:11 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai A little over a decade ago, a diplomatic row with Japan would have been enough to bring people out into the streets in China or at least stir a patriotic retail boycott. In 2012, for instance, tensions boiled over after Tokyo bought and then nationalised three of the Diaoyu Islands, a group of eight uninhabited islands in the East China Sea that Japan calls the Senkakus. China and Japan have a long-running territorial dispute over the islands and authorities appeared to tolerate the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338502/why-china-turning-down-nationalist-heat-its-row-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338502/why-china-turning-down-nationalist-heat-its-row-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jan 2026 22:00:09 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai As Beijing prepared to mark the 88th anniversary of the Nanking massacre, China’s military mouthpiece warned on Friday that provocative actions by right-wing Japanese politicians risked plunging Asia into peril. PLA Daily published the warning in a commentary the day before sirens will sound out across Nanjing, the capital of eastern Jiangsu province, at 10.01am during national commemorations led by the Communist Party’s Central Committee and the State Council. According to China’s official... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336248/provocative-japanese-actions-risk-plunging-asia-peril-chinas-pla-daily?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336248/provocative-japanese-actions-risk-plunging-asia-peril-chinas-pla-daily?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 10:15:24 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai Japan is likely to become the “most serious and direct” threat to both China and Russia in the Asia-Pacific, a former Chinese diplomat and foreign ministry official has warned. Wu Hailong, assistant minister of foreign affairs from 2009 to 2011, now heads the semi-official China Public Diplomacy Association. Russia should factor in the challenge from Japan, he told a forum in Beijing last week. “When discussing China-Russia relations, I cannot avoid mentioning the Japan factor,” Wu said,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335782/china-and-russia-must-be-guard-stop-japan-causing-trouble-chinese-ex-diplomat-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335782/china-and-russia-must-be-guard-stop-japan-causing-trouble-chinese-ex-diplomat-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 01:00:14 +0000 Jane Cai,Sylvie Zhuang Jane Cai,Sylvie Zhuang Computer science graduate Alain Saas is hoping a fourth time would be the charm to make his China dream come true. As a youngster growing up in a small town in eastern France, the distant Asian country seemed a magical place. But trying to land a job in China has proved anything but enchanting. Over the past 15 years, Saas has tried three times to find a suitable tech job in China, but in vain. The reasons ranged from low pay offers, visa issues or simply poor geopolitical timing. But he has... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3333714/china-betting-k-visa-magnet-top-tech-talent-will-it-be-enough?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3333714/china-betting-k-visa-magnet-top-tech-talent-will-it-be-enough?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Nov 2025 10:24:47 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai Defying global geopolitical currents, China’s business schools are actively resisting the mounting risks of decoupling from the West, according to a leading accreditation body. Instead of retreating into isolation amid rising US-China tensions, Chinese institutions remained deeply committed to internationalisation as they prioritised global talent and diverse cultural backgrounds to boost their competitive edge. “No [Chinese business] school that I visited expressed resistance to international... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332217/defying-politics-how-chinas-business-schools-are-innovating-keep-talent-pipeline-open?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332217/defying-politics-how-chinas-business-schools-are-innovating-keep-talent-pipeline-open?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Nov 2025 12:00:11 +0000 Dannie Peng,Jane Cai Dannie Peng,Jane Cai This is the official English translation of the original Chinese document as released by Xinhua. https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3330775/chinas-15th-five-year-plan-industry-and-technology?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3330775/chinas-15th-five-year-plan-industry-and-technology?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 09:40:30 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai Digital currency is emerging as a powerful, disruptive tool in global geopolitics, fundamentally reshaping the financial battlefield in times of conflict, according to a commentary in a key Communist Party publication. Nations are increasingly leveraging digital assets to bypass international sanctions, mobilise vital resources and maintain economic stability during regional conflicts, according to the author of an article published on Monday in Study Times, the official newspaper of the Central... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330105/could-china-militarise-cryptocurrencies-sanction-proof-its-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330105/could-china-militarise-cryptocurrencies-sanction-proof-its-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Oct 2025 15:55:08 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai The Chinese people have been urged to stay “calm and objective” about the country’s advances in cutting-edge weapons by a veteran rocket scientist, who warned that “a lot of effort” was still needed. An array of advanced rockets, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, featured in last month’s Victory Day parade in Beijing along with other hi-tech weapons. The spectacle generated considerable public enthusiasm. In an interview for a popular video account, Zhao Ruian, 84, a former... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3329774/why-leading-chinese-scientist-warned-public-against-hubris-over-countrys-advances?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3329774/why-leading-chinese-scientist-warned-public-against-hubris-over-countrys-advances?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 09:00:16 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai China’s economic and technological advances are being unfairly dismissed in the United States and other parts of the West as a result of hierarchical thinking, according to a theory dubbed “winology” that is taking hold among some online commentators. The term winology was coined by Chinese academics and refers to ways in which countries can both become a global leader in certain areas and be recognised as such. However, the theory argues that the West relegates China to the lowest tier of a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3329673/what-winology-theory-about-unfair-western-views-china-sweeping-social-media?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3329673/what-winology-theory-about-unfair-western-views-china-sweeping-social-media?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 03:00:07 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai China is harnessing an ancient mental calculation technique to train soldiers as “human abacuses” for high-stakes combat scenarios where advanced technology might fail. The initiative reflects China’s strategic push to blend traditional methods, such as the abacus and paper-based calculations, with modern warfare tactics. As an example of the approach, CCTV highlighted the feats of Captain Xu Meiduo, a stand-out in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) land forces. The state broadcaster showed a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3328943/how-chinese-military-uses-human-abacuses-counter-smart-device-failures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3328943/how-chinese-military-uses-human-abacuses-counter-smart-device-failures?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Oct 2025 11:00:09 +0000 Jane Cai,Zhang Tong Jane Cai,Zhang Tong Shing-Tung Yau, one of the world’s most influential mathematicians, is chair of Tsinghua University’s Qiuzhen College, which is fast-tracking talented young students through a programme of his own design. Born in the southern province of Guangdong and educated in Hong Kong and the US, the 76-year-old shared his ideas on science and education, key to China’s 15th five-year plan (2026-2030), which is expected to focus on the development of an innovation-driven economy. Speaking solely in a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3328659/maths-guru-shing-tung-yau-what-china-needs-global-leadership-science?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3328659/maths-guru-shing-tung-yau-what-china-needs-global-leadership-science?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 22:00:17 +0000 Jane Cai,Zhang Tong Jane Cai,Zhang Tong Shing-Tung Yau, one of the world’s most influential mathematicians, is chair of Tsinghua University’s Qiuzhen College, which is fast-tracking talented young students through a programme of his own design. Born in the southern province of Guangdong and educated in Hong Kong and the United States, the 76-year-old shares his ideas on science and education, key to China’s 15th five-year plan (2026-2030), which is expected to focus on the development of an innovation-driven economy. Speaking solely... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3328359/top-mathematician-chinas-talent-gap-role-pure-science?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3328359/top-mathematician-chinas-talent-gap-role-pure-science?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Oct 2025 08:35:07 +0000 Jane Cai,Sylvie Zhuang,Nora Mankel Jane Cai,Sylvie Zhuang,Nora Mankel This year marks half a century of formal diplomatic relations between China and the European Union as well as the 25th anniversary of the founding of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. A part of a series of reports examining ties between the two powers, Jane Cai, Sylvie Zhuang and Nora Mankel look at a shift under way in the attitudes of younger Europeans towards China and the opportunities it offers. More than two years after stringent Covid-19 restrictions prompted an exodus of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324879/enduring-opportunity-why-younger-europeans-can-see-their-futures-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324879/enduring-opportunity-why-younger-europeans-can-see-their-futures-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 14:00:09 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai When Beijing company executive Lillian Zhu saw the Tianjin Museum’s exhibition of Kazakhstan artefacts earlier this year, she was captivated by the vibrant culture of Central Asia and was determined to find out more. “It struck me how little I knew about the Silk Road countries beyond China. The fusion of nomadic and settled lifestyles is so intriguing,” she said. Inspired by the display of nearly 200 artefacts from Kazakhstan’s National Museum, Zhu booked a 15-day study tour this summer to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3325479/central-asia-draws-chinese-tourists-chinas-belt-and-road-plan-revitalises-region?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3325479/central-asia-draws-chinese-tourists-chinas-belt-and-road-plan-revitalises-region?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 04:00:33 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai China and the US should manage their differences and expand cooperation through “equal dialogue and consultation”, senior Chinese trade negotiator Li Chenggang said during a visit to the United States amid a trade war truce between the two powers. Li wrapped up his three-day visit on Friday after meeting with officials from the US Department of the Treasury, the Department of Commerce and the Office of the US Trade Representative, according to a statement from the Chinese commerce ministry on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323753/chinas-senior-trade-negotiator-calls-equal-dialogue-during-us-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323753/chinas-senior-trade-negotiator-calls-equal-dialogue-during-us-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Aug 2025 15:00:08 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai Ahead of the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, marking the end of the Sino-Japanese war and the global fight against fascism, we look at the profound changes of the post-war period and how they continue to affect China’s place in the world. Part one of this series examines how the Chinese sacrifices of the conflict underpin Beijing’s determination to uphold global norms. An estimated 35 million Chinese soldiers and civilians died as part of their country’s sacrifice as a key Allied power, yet 80... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323368/80-years-wwii-has-china-become-main-guarantor-post-war-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323368/80-years-wwii-has-china-become-main-guarantor-post-war-order?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Aug 2025 22:00:07 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai Ten years have passed since President Xi Jinping, who is reported to be a fan of the game, unveiled a plan to make China a “world football superpower” by 2050. Since then, the men’s national team has been overshadowed by its consistently excellent women’s counterpart, while falling in the world rankings from 2016’s 81st place to 94th in April. The scandal-stricken football sector has also become a focus of Xi’s anti-corruption campaign in recent years. Yet China has not missed all its... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3313480/china-puts-down-strong-grass-roots-its-way-football-superpower-status?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3313480/china-puts-down-strong-grass-roots-its-way-football-superpower-status?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jun 2025 02:00:17 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai China’s doctoral education has long been under attack for overemphasising the number of published papers, along with their lack of groundbreaking research findings. At a recent forum in Beijing, a noted academic blamed the system for shackling talent and hindering innovation. “Can you imagine the emergence of DeepSeek, if its founder Liang Wenfeng had pursued a PhD instead?” That was the question raised by Wang Shuguo, president of eastern China’s Fuyao University of Science and Technology, at... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3312462/china-needs-academic-shake-if-it-wants-more-innovations-deepseek-scholar-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3312462/china-needs-academic-shake-if-it-wants-more-innovations-deepseek-scholar-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 May 2025 12:00:08 +0000 Jane Cai,Meredith Chen Jane Cai,Meredith Chen America’s top diplomat Marco Rubio has made clear that he does not trust Beijing’s English translations of Chinese officials’ words – he says they are “never right”. The China hawk has instead urged his colleagues to go back to the original Chinese version of statements put out by Beijing to get a more accurate understanding of what is going on. Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, appears to be the most powerful diplomat under President Donald Trump. He is the first person since Henry Kissinger... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3311936/never-right-why-theres-war-words-over-beijings-english-translations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3311936/never-right-why-theres-war-words-over-beijings-english-translations?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 May 2025 22:00:09 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai In a nationalist-inspired music mash-up, Chinese children’s songs are getting the rock treatment to project the “hardcore” nature of China’s military. Using the hashtag “People’s Liberation Army hardcore songs”, state media has launched at least three of the songs since April 20, all with video showing Beijing’s military muscle – from submarines and aircraft to tanks – on Chinese social media platforms. But not everyone is happy with the military makeover. While the popular songs keep their... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3311543/twinkle-twinkle-little-y-20-chinese-childrens-songs-get-military-makeover?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3311543/twinkle-twinkle-little-y-20-chinese-childrens-songs-get-military-makeover?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 May 2025 00:00:09 +0000 Fan Chen,Jane Cai Fan Chen,Jane Cai China has reported a drop in consumer prices in April, unwelcome news as the country scrambles to battle deflation wrought by sky-high tariffs levied on shipments between the world’s two largest economies. The national consumer price index (CPI), a key gauge of inflation, edged down by 0.1 per cent year on year last month, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Saturday. That was nearly the same as the 0.09 per cent fall predicted by economists in a Bloomberg poll.... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3309834/chinas-consumer-prices-fall-april-fuelling-fears-deflation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3309834/chinas-consumer-prices-fall-april-fuelling-fears-deflation?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 May 2025 03:35:34 +0000 Jane Cai,Meredith Chen Jane Cai,Meredith Chen China’s economic leapfrog into global second place, along with its eradication of extreme poverty, has been achieved through an array of plans covering the long and short term, while ranging from specific industries to the country as a whole. The best known of these blueprints is the five-year plan for national economic and social development, which sheds light on Beijing’s priorities for the medium term and features some quantifiable and comprehensive goalposts. This is the last year of China’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3308784/how-did-chinas-5-year-plans-deliver-economic-miracle-and-whats-next?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3308784/how-did-chinas-5-year-plans-deliver-economic-miracle-and-whats-next?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 May 2025 08:00:09 +0000 China’s development prospects are expected to be severely dimmed by the intensifying tariff war between Washington and Beijing, with many Chinese anticipating economic hardship as the country bears the brunt of a conflict that risks plunging the world into recession. Unlike the trade war in the first Donald Trump administration when Chinese people, including officials and academics, were largely divided on whether Beijing should stand tough or strike a quick deal, the new tariffs – which have... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3305938/bring-it-trump-were-ready-chinese-stand-firm-tariff-war-despite-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3305938/bring-it-trump-were-ready-chinese-stand-firm-tariff-war-despite-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Apr 2025 06:00:19 +0000 China, plagued with famine six or seven decades ago, is facing an obesity crisis, prompting warnings that more than 65 per cent of adults could be overweight or obese by 2030. Beijing is racing against time before chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular problems place further pressure on the country’s healthcare system. Last year, the National Health Commission (NHC) and other government departments launched a three-year plan to tackle the problem, which includes diet... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3305364/china-facing-obesity-crisis-forecasts-predict-65-cent-will-be-overweight-2030?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3305364/china-facing-obesity-crisis-forecasts-predict-65-cent-will-be-overweight-2030?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Apr 2025 04:00:14 +0000 At 33, he was the first Chinese winner of the Fields Medal – one of the top honours in mathematics. Today, after decades in the US, Shing-Tung Yau is chair of Tsinghua University’s Qiuzhen College, which is fast-tracking talented young students through a programme of his own design. Yau, who was born in the southern province of Guangdong, was educated in Hong Kong and the US. Now aged 75, he left his position as Harvard University’s William Caspar Graustein professor of mathematics in 2022, to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3303740/china-ready-start-producing-its-own-top-mathematicians-shing-tung-yau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3303740/china-ready-start-producing-its-own-top-mathematicians-shing-tung-yau?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Mar 2025 22:00:11 +0000 This latest interview in the Open Questions series features Shing-Tung Yau, China’s first recipient of the Fields Medal for mathematics in 1982, who was a Harvard University distinguished professor and director of its Center of Mathematical Sciences and Applications. Born in Shantou, Guangdong province, Yau serves as dean of Tsinghua University’s Qiuzhen College to nurture young talent. A founder of mathematical institutes in China, Yau sees the return to China of academics and scientists as a... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3303978/exodus-researchers-us-seen-boon-chinas-maths-progress?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3303978/exodus-researchers-us-seen-boon-chinas-maths-progress?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Mar 2025 06:00:14 +0000 A naval fighter jet crashed during a training exercise in southern China, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said on Saturday. The jet from the Southern Theatre Command crashed in an open space near Jialai town in the southern island of Hainan around 1.30pm. The pilot successfully ejected from the plane and no damage was caused on the ground, the PLA Navy said in a statement on social media. The PLA said it was organising forces to deal with the aftermath of the accident, adding that it would be... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3302528/chinese-navy-fighter-jet-crashes-during-training-exercise-pilot-escapes-unhurt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3302528/chinese-navy-fighter-jet-crashes-during-training-exercise-pilot-escapes-unhurt?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Mar 2025 11:31:14 +0000 Two starkly divergent views of the future were laid out on opposite sides of the Pacific on Wednesday, as Chinese Premier Li Qiang pledged more aggressive spending to drive growth, while US President Donald Trump vowed to scale back the federal government to balance the books. As Trump effectively announced a global tariff war on “friends and foes” starting on April 2, Li said China would open more to the world and uphold the multilateral global order. “We will stay committed to an independent... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3301120/trump-pursues-isolationism-china-vows-spend-more-and-open-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3301120/trump-pursues-isolationism-china-vows-spend-more-and-open-world?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Mar 2025 06:03:08 +0000 China has set a GDP growth target of around 5 per cent for this year as it grapples with a trade war with the US. At the Wednesday opening of the annual meeting of China’s top legislature, the National People’s Congress, Premier Li Qiang said all parties should work hard to achieve the “very challenging” goal, given an “increasingly complex” external environment. 1. Fiscal spending expansion To pump up the economy, China will issue a total of 1.3 trillion yuan (about US$182 billion) of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3301091/6-top-takeaways-premier-li-qiangs-work-report-chinas-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3301091/6-top-takeaways-premier-li-qiangs-work-report-chinas-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Mar 2025 02:35:13 +0000 China’s focus on expertise and innovation have been powerful drivers of growth over the past year and look set to remain so despite the “profound” changes around the world. That was the message Liu Jieyi delivered on Monday ahead of the annual session in Beijing of the country’s top advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Addressing the media, Liu, the CPPCC’s spokesman for the session, said China’s vast market had potential to unlock fresh spending and was... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3300877/two-sessions-2025-talent-and-tech-tipped-drive-chinas-growth-top-advisory-body-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3300877/two-sessions-2025-talent-and-tech-tipped-drive-chinas-growth-top-advisory-body-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Mar 2025 12:11:24 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai At the beginning of 2025, few were fully optimistic about China’s development prospects in the shadow of the US-China rivalry in trade, tech, security and other aspects. The world’s second-largest economy remained in the doldrums throughout most of 2024 until Beijing launched an array of stimulus policies in September. In the end, GDP expanded 5 per cent from 2023, meeting the official target of “around 5” per cent, according to official data. However, a sluggish job market, a protracted... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3300576/chinese-inspired-ne-zha-2-deepseek-and-tech-trailblazers-see-signs-brighter-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3300576/chinese-inspired-ne-zha-2-deepseek-and-tech-trailblazers-see-signs-brighter-future?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Mar 2025 02:00:10 +0000 Local governments across China have rushed to apply artificial intelligence in their daily operations following the launch of the DeepSeek AI model, but it has generated mixed feelings from the public. Among the first adopters, Futian district in Shenzhen announced last Monday that it had launched 70 AI-powered units with 11 types of functions, including processing documents, scrutinising investment projects and assigning tasks to various departments, based on the DeepSeek-R1 model. DeepSeek,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3299432/china-welcomes-its-new-ai-civil-servants-not-everyone-happy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3299432/china-welcomes-its-new-ai-civil-servants-not-everyone-happy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Feb 2025 04:31:47 +0000 DeepSeek’s AI leap is a milestone innovation breakthrough for China but it does not change the overall leading position of the United States in the field of artificial intelligence, a prominent adviser to Beijing said. While the rise of DeepSeek has “naturally spawned a wave of strong nationalist sentiment”, Beijing should be sober that it still lags far behind the US in tech and data quality, warned Zheng Yongnian, dean of the school of public policy at the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3299752/china-right-celebrate-deepseek-success-ai-race-isnt-over-warns-academic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3299752/china-right-celebrate-deepseek-success-ai-race-isnt-over-warns-academic?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:00:08 +0000 Chinese state news agency Xinhua said it would deepen cooperation with Japan’s Kyodo News as Beijing aimed to create a “favourable public opinion environment” for Sino-Japanese ties. Xinhua’s president, Fu Hua, met his Kyodo counterpart Toru Mizutani in Tokyo on Monday. Fu said Beijing was willing to “further strengthen exchanges and cooperation” between China’s official news agency and Kyodo, especially in new media and technology, according to a Xinhua report on Monday. “As important media... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3299204/chinas-xinhua-seeks-cooperation-japans-kyodo-news-amid-push-boost-views-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3299204/chinas-xinhua-seeks-cooperation-japans-kyodo-news-amid-push-boost-views-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Feb 2025 12:38:28 +0000 Mainstream US media houses risk losing millions of dollars in government subscriptions as the Trump administration sets out to cut “wasteful” federal spending. Major news organisations including The New York Times, Washington Post and Associated Press are in the spotlight after social media posts accusing them of receiving huge annual sums from US government agencies went viral in recent days. On Wednesday, the White House singled out Politico, a noted source of political news. It said... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3297666/trump-20-gunning-us-mainstream-media-politico-first-line-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3297666/trump-20-gunning-us-mainstream-media-politico-first-line-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Feb 2025 13:04:35 +0000 Dozens of officials in China’s southern Guangdong province have been punished over a highway collapse last year – the country’s deadliest such incident in over a decade. At least 52 people were killed and 30 others injured when a section of the Meizhou-Dabu highway in Guangdong collapsed on May 1 after weeks of downpours. Around 18 metres (59 feet) of a mountainous stretch of the highway in Meizhou city crumbled into the forested slope below, along with dozens of vehicles holding mostly... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3296271/china-punishes-officials-over-deadly-may-day-highway-collapse-rain-hit-guangdong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3296271/china-punishes-officials-over-deadly-may-day-highway-collapse-rain-hit-guangdong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Jan 2025 12:30:07 +0000 China has pledged all-out efforts this year to stabilise foreign trade and draw overseas investment, as it tries to defuse external risks and support its ailing economy. The Ministry of Commerce outlined its key goals for 2025 on Sunday, including opening up the China market wider, deepening international collaboration on supply chain building, and stabilising foreign trade and capital flows. In a statement on its website following a two-day annual meeting, the ministry also pledged to boost... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3294453/china-vows-all-out-efforts-trade-and-fdi-fresh-bid-kick-start-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3294453/china-vows-all-out-efforts-trade-and-fdi-fresh-bid-kick-start-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Jan 2025 14:38:03 +0000 China has held its first science and technology-themed New Year gala, rallying support for its pursuit of innovation prowess amid the ongoing tech war with the United States. While end-of-year shows on Chinese TV are usually focused on entertaining audiences with singing and dancing performances, on Sunday, state broadcaster CCTV aired the science-focused programme to update the public on China’s progress on everything from artificial intelligence (AI) to quantum technology. It was then followed... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3293241/new-year-gala-praises-chinas-science-achievements-us-tech-war-shows-no-signs-ending?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3293241/new-year-gala-praises-chinas-science-achievements-us-tech-war-shows-no-signs-ending?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Jan 2025 01:00:15 +0000 Jane Cai,Sylvie Zhuang,Phoebe Zhang,Vanessa Cai Jane Cai,Sylvie Zhuang,Phoebe Zhang,Vanessa Cai China spent the past year opening its arms to foreign visitors in an effort to revive its sluggish economy and improve the country’s image internationally in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The easing of visa restrictions, and other measures, have helped drive an 86 per cent increase in visitor numbers in the first 11 months of the year compared with the same period in 2023, according to the National Immigration Administration. But the 29 million trips from overseas recorded to the end of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3292903/chinas-efforts-bring-back-foreign-visitors-are-bearing-fruit-will-they-be-enough?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3292903/chinas-efforts-bring-back-foreign-visitors-are-bearing-fruit-will-they-be-enough?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Dec 2024 14:00:08 +0000