https://www.scmp.com/rss/523841/feed The latest news and top stories on George Washington University. A Washington, DC-based private, federally chartered research university, George Washington University (GWU) is dedicated to educating individuals across liberal arts, sciences and various professions, alongside conducting scholarly research. Its main areas of focus include international affairs, political science, business and health sciences. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Shi Huang Shi Huang For mathematical genius Wan Daqing, life is no longer a competition between China and the United States. Instead, he has encountered the rivalry of universities within China seeking to appoint him. Wan, winner of China’s highest mathematics prize, retired from the University of California at Irvine (UCI) in July and returned to China to take up his new role in December, he confirmed in an email to the South China Morning Post. The International Congress of Chinese Mathematicians (ICCM) Medal is... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3345925/chinas-award-winning-mathematician-wan-daqing-leaves-california-chongqing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3345925/chinas-award-winning-mathematician-wan-daqing-leaves-california-chongqing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 04:29:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse President Donald Trump has plunged the United States into its most significant conflict in decades over a “feeling”. It is not his political opponents saying this, but the White House itself. Throughout the first week of the war with Iran, the US president has prioritised impulse and emotion over explanations and reasoning. “I hope you’re impressed,” Trump, a former reality TV host, told an ABC News reporter on Thursday. “How do you like the performance?” Official government accounts are posting... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345801/trumps-feeling-driven-iran-war-cops-criticism-arrogant-messaging?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345801/trumps-feeling-driven-iran-war-cops-criticism-arrogant-messaging?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 07:42:16 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China has placed its nationals on high alert following a series of rebel attacks targeting the US$4.5 billion Niger-Benin oil pipeline and an Islamic State raid on the Nigerien capital’s international airport on January 29. On Monday, the Chinese embassy in Niamey urged citizens to avoid high-risk areas and instructed firms to implement emergency response plans as insurgent groups increasingly target Chinese-managed infrastructure. The warning follows recent attacks on the pipeline and a predawn... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344831/why-beijings-us45-billion-niger-benin-oil-pipeline-being-attacked-rebels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344831/why-beijings-us45-billion-niger-benin-oil-pipeline-being-attacked-rebels?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 10:30:00 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Malaysian tour guide Syazni Nabilah Che Kamarudin and her family have immersed themselves in this year’s Lunar New Year festivities, handing out red packets and dressing up in traditional Chinese attire. “This year is especially meaningful for me because it is my first time giving hongbao to my Chinese friends after getting married. I’m happy to follow this beautiful custom,” the Kuala Lumpur resident said of the long-standing Chinese tradition. “As Malay-Muslims, we enjoy the cultural... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344396/why-southeast-asias-non-chinese-embrace-lunar-new-year-celebrations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344396/why-southeast-asias-non-chinese-embrace-lunar-new-year-celebrations?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 02:40:17 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China has appointed a new ambassador to Libya after its embassy in Tripoli reopened in November, more than a decade after it was shuttered over security concerns. Ma Xueliang’s appointment was confirmed when he met Libyan charge d’affaires Khaled al-Sayeh in Beijing on January 27 in his new capacity before he left for Tripoli, according to the state-owned Libyan News Agency. China had closed its embassy in Tripoli in 2014 and moved its diplomatic mission to Tunisia because of the security... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342900/china-sends-envoy-libya-after-embassy-shuttered-more-decade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342900/china-sends-envoy-libya-after-embassy-shuttered-more-decade?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:00:08 +0000 Alcott Wei,Seong Hyeon Choi Alcott Wei,Seong Hyeon Choi The first close-up image of the Chinese PL-17 long-range missile – one of the most mysterious weapons in the PLA Air Force’s arsenal – appears to have surfaced online. Analysts say the PL-17 may be the world’s longest-range air-to-air missile, posing a threat to US air superiority in the western Pacific. A photo believed to show the PL-17 has recently been making the rounds on Chinese social media. The date and location of the photo are unclear, although the angle of view is extremely close. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341883/has-chinas-pl-17-missile-likely-pacific-game-changer-finally-been-seen-close?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341883/has-chinas-pl-17-missile-likely-pacific-game-changer-finally-been-seen-close?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 14:00:15 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Jeffrey Ding is an assistant professor of political science at George Washington University. He is the author of Technology and the Rise of Great Powers, an award-winning book exploring the impact of technology on geopolitical competition, as well as the founder of the ChinAI newsletter, which tracks developments in China’s artificial intelligence (AI) industry. In this interview, Ding explains why “diffusion”, not innovation, will determine whether China or the US will prevail in the AI race,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340976/jeffrey-ding-why-diffusion-not-innovation-secret-victory-ai-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340976/jeffrey-ding-why-diffusion-not-innovation-secret-victory-ai-race?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 22:00:16 +0000 Bochen Han Bochen Han Look for the US and Canada to move farther apart on China policy, even in areas where they were previously aligned, analysts say, days after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a multifaceted deal with Beijing. In recent years, Washington and Ottawa had drawn closer together when it came to dealing with Beijing, from electric vehicle tariffs and research security to investment screening. But that convergence is now fraying, analysts say, as Canada signals a greater willingness to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3340910/us-and-canada-drift-apart-china-ottawa-rethinks-beijing-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3340910/us-and-canada-drift-apart-china-ottawa-rethinks-beijing-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 20:04:17 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Jeffrey Ding is an assistant professor of political science at George Washington University. He is the author of Technology and the Rise of Great Powers, an award-winning book exploring the impact of technology on geopolitical competition, as well as the founder of the ChinAI newsletter, which tracks developments in China’s artificial intelligence (AI) industry. In this interview, Ding explains why “diffusion”, not innovation, will determine whether China or the US will prevail in the AI race,... https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3340790/artificial-intelligences-practical-uses-not-race-agi-what-counts-jeffrey-ding-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3340790/artificial-intelligences-practical-uses-not-race-agi-what-counts-jeffrey-ding-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 06:30:13 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin Beijing and Ottawa reached a “landmark” trade agreement last week, slashing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, in a move analysts said further cements China’s dominance and suggests the US decline in the global EV market. The deal will open Canada up to Chinese EVs, signalling a thaw in diplomatic relations and a major break from the US. The bilateral partnership marks a shift in direction for Canada’s automotive industry, coming during a month that saw China’s BYD topple Tesla as the world’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340746/beijing-ottawa-deal-reinforces-chinas-dominance-ev-industry-expense-us-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340746/beijing-ottawa-deal-reinforces-chinas-dominance-ev-industry-expense-us-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 20:11:32 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China is rolling out hundreds of activities across Africa, including study trips and AI competitions, as part of what experts have described as a “soft power” charm offensive designed to deepen its influence across the continent. In moving beyond its traditional focus on infrastructure and high-level finance, Beijing is expanding its engagement through the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges – an initiative dedicated to cultural and social diplomacy. Announced by Chinese Foreign... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340092/how-china-stepping-africa-charm-offensive-boost-cultural-ties-deepen-influence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340092/how-china-stepping-africa-charm-offensive-boost-cultural-ties-deepen-influence?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 12:00:18 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan In 2025, even as US President Donald Trump sought to stabilise trade ties with Beijing, two Republican-led states were moving in the opposite direction, securing nearly US$50 billion in federal lawsuits for what they say was economic damage caused by China’s deliberate stripping of US hospitals and businesses of essential Covid-19 supplies. Using a new reading of the “commercial activity” exception to a 50-year-old US law that generally blocks lawsuits against foreign governments, a federal... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339384/why-lawsuits-wont-cure-pandemics-financial-ills-between-us-states-and-chinese-government?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339384/why-lawsuits-wont-cure-pandemics-financial-ills-between-us-states-and-chinese-government?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:59:08 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin After years of competing head-to-head with China in electric vehicles, the United States is now widely seen as falling behind – a reality increasingly acknowledged even within Detroit. When asked about the topic recently on a podcast, US carmaker Ford’s own CEO said: “There’s no real competition from Tesla, GM or Ford with what we’ve seen from China. It is completely dominating the EV landscape globally and more outside China.” For much of the past decade, the global electric vehicle market was... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3339104/byds-win-teslas-defeat-fords-pivot-widening-gap-us-china-ev-markets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3339104/byds-win-teslas-defeat-fords-pivot-widening-gap-us-china-ev-markets?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 19:49:15 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage More than six centuries ago, roughly 80 years ahead of Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, Chinese admiral Zheng He reached the eastern coast of Africa with a massive fleet and a crew of more than 20,000 under his command. The Ming dynasty ships braved formidable waves and traversed vast distances on seven epic maritime expeditions to reach the shores of Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia and finally the eastern coast of Africa. Despite his achievements, Zheng He remains largely absent from... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3337689/exhibition-traces-chinas-long-links-kenya-admiral-zheng-he-belt-and-road?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3337689/exhibition-traces-chinas-long-links-kenya-admiral-zheng-he-belt-and-road?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 12:00:10 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China is cementing its image as a lasting partner across Africa by gifting high-profile infrastructure, such as presidential palaces and parliament buildings. A key example is the new US$32 million Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) headquarters in Abuja. Funded by China and set for handover by the end of January, this centralised complex for the 15-member bloc aims to boost staff productivity and cut operational costs. On December 4, Chinese ambassador to Nigeria Yu Dunhai... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335984/china-built-headquarters-15-member-economic-bloc-strengthens-ties-west-africa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335984/china-built-headquarters-15-member-economic-bloc-strengthens-ties-west-africa?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Dec 2025 08:00:13 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Chinese Premier Li Qiang will arrive in the Zambian capital Lusaka on Wednesday, with a US$1.4 billion railway modernisation deal high on his agenda. But Li could also face political fallout from a toxic spill at a copper mine in the country’s north. Two Chinese mining firms have been sued over the incident that has been described as an “ecological catastrophe” by farmers. It will be the first visit to Zambia by a top Chinese leader since 2007, and Li’s first trip to sub-Saharan Africa. He will... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3333373/railway-deal-and-toxic-spill-likely-top-agenda-chinese-premier-visits-zambia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3333373/railway-deal-and-toxic-spill-likely-top-agenda-chinese-premier-visits-zambia?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 07:00:09 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng A renowned mathematician who is also part of China’s Qian clan – a surname linked in the annals of Chinese scientific history to national pioneers in science and engineering – has become the latest US-based scientist to return to China. After more than 40 years in the United States, Qian Hong has left his endowed professorship at the University of Washington to join the prestigious and private Westlake University in eastern China. Qian’s appointment last month as a full-time chair professor with... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3333087/mathematician-qian-hong-son-chinas-leading-scientific-clan-reverses-us-brain-drain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3333087/mathematician-qian-hong-son-chinas-leading-scientific-clan-reverses-us-brain-drain?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 12:00:12 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage A Chinese naval fleet including a guided-missile destroyer, missile frigate and comprehensive supply ship set sail earlier this month from a port in eastern Qingdao, heading to the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters. It was the 48th escort task group to be sent to the region in a Chinese navy programme that has been helping to protect commercial ships and counter Somali piracy since 2008, when there were numerous attacks by Somali pirates. Since 2013, however, there have been very few Somali pirate... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3330194/why-does-chinas-navy-still-sail-gulf-aden-despite-lack-somali-pirate-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3330194/why-does-chinas-navy-still-sail-gulf-aden-despite-lack-somali-pirate-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 07:00:08 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang US artificial intelligence start-up Anthropic’s ban on China-backed entities’ access to its models was not expected to deter mainland firms nor hamper their progress in the field, according to industry experts and analysts. “When it comes to the impact on China’s [AI] competitiveness and development, I don’t think it will move the needle very much,” said Ben Reynolds, a Rhodium Group analyst specialising in US and China semiconductor competition. While noting that the move was consistent with... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3328121/impact-anthropics-china-ban-unlikely-move-needle-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3328121/impact-anthropics-china-ban-unlikely-move-needle-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 10:00:18 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Facebook parent Meta Platforms, a major proponent of open-source artificial intelligence (AI) models with its Llama family, has indicated it would be more “careful” going down the open-source road, a move that contrasts with China’s embrace of open-source. In fact, China has probably found the path to “surpass the US in AI” thanks to the momentum in the country’s vibrant open-source AI ecosystem, according to Andrew Ng, a renowned computer scientist known for his work in AI and the field of deep... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3320523/meta-changes-course-open-source-ai-china-pushes-ahead-advanced-models?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3320523/meta-changes-course-open-source-ai-china-pushes-ahead-advanced-models?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Aug 2025 23:00:08 +0000 Bochen Han Bochen Han A new book contending that Apple went too far in consolidating its operations in China is prompting debate among analysts of the country – some of whom say the company may have had no realistic alternatives. “If they were to have it to do over again, would they have done anything differently?” asked Meg Rithmire, a Harvard Business School professor, during an event Wednesday at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank. Probably not, she said. There has been... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3316716/has-apple-been-trapped-china-not-so-fast-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3316716/has-apple-been-trapped-china-not-so-fast-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 21:23:56 +0000