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China’s crackdowns

China’s crackdowns
Beijing has launched wide-ranging regulatory crackdowns in sectors such as technology, education and entertainment.
Premier Li Qiang delivering the government work report on Thursday, in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Photo: Reuters
Two Sessions 2026

China pledges ‘iron discipline’ to tackle debt as US borrowing surges

Global debt reached a record high in 2025 and rose in the world’s two largest economies.

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Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign

Chairman of China’s second-largest liquor producer under corruption probe

Banking & finance

China puts another big bank under stricter watch – why now?

Regulation

China charges former AstraZeneca executive – a sign of the times?

Foreign drug makers face pressure in the Chinese market, from tighter regulatory oversight to growing local competition.

In January, AstraZeneca announced plans to invest US$15 billion in China, its second-largest market. Photo: Shutterstock
Banking & finance

Gold rush backlash: why China is clamping down on ‘get rich’ promises

Regulators intervene to contain fallout after volatility in global prices sparks market turmoil at home.

Banking & finance

Farmers’ son banker Xu Yiding under probe by China’s anti-corruption watchdog

The Agricultural Development Bank of China vice-president was once held up as a model figure for finance-driven poverty reduction.

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China’s private sector

China’s gold trading hub on edge: what is happening – and why now?

Uncertainty spreads in Shuibei as second platform falters, spooking investors.

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Chinese retail investors had rushed to capitalise on the unprecedented rally in global gold prices in recent months, leading many to put their funds into the online metals trading platform JWR. Photo: Xinhua
Icons and Influencers

China targets wealthy influencers with audits, fines as fiscal pressures rise

Big data is used to flag income gaps for top online stars and overseas earners, as regulators recover billions in unpaid levies amid slumping land sales and value-added tax revenue decline.

Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign

Newcomers in charge at PLA’s corruption-hit command overseeing Taiwan

State media shows Yang Zhibin and Zhang Jichun at official event, suggesting they are heading the Eastern Theatre Command.

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China's economic recovery

China warns internet platforms not to shift tax burden onto gig workers

Celebrities and high-profile influencers also under scrutiny, with regulators pursuing hundreds of such cases in recent years.

The gig workforce in China includes food delivery drivers, an industry known for its intense demands. Photo: Getty Images
China’s Communist Party

Chen Weijun joins list of senior Xinjiang officials investigated for corruption

Party journal Qiushi republishes speech by President Xi Jinping in which he urged greater effort in the push for ‘self-revolution’.

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Chen Weijun, once regarded as a promising political star, is under investigation for suspected “serious violations of discipline and law”. Photo: Handout
Internet

Are China’s stars leading fans to be more nationalist – or the other way round?

Study out of the US and Britain looks at how nationalism flows and influences others on Chinese social media.

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ByteDance

China warns ByteDance, Alibaba platforms in latest content crackdown

The internet regulator accuses ByteDance’s Jinri Toutiao and Alibaba’s UCWeb of displaying undesirable content.

Censorship in China

Kuaishou, Weibo warned as China cracks down on trending topics

The cyber regulator’s actions follow similar actions targeting lifestyle social media platform RedNote.

Kuaishou is China’s second-most popular short video platform. Photo: Shutterstock
Health in China

China cracks down on fake medical advice with new rules for health influencers

Industry suggests more than 92 per cent of China’s 1.07 billion short-video users consume health-related information online.

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Authorities in China say they are concerned by blurred lines between medical advertising, genuine health education and medical information. Photo: Getty Images
China exports

China’s shipments of major fertiliser surge 600%, signalling softer export curbs

Demand for the chemical is set to grow further in the coming months, as Beijing’s thaw with India paves way for exports to resume.

China's economic recovery

China expands regulatory arsenal in fight against solar industry price wars

Beijing vows more concrete measures to tackle aggressive competition after July meeting failed to stop falling prices.

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China consumption

Beijing urged to curb ‘free milk tea’-style cash burn in e-commerce battle

Instant retail has potential to boost domestic demand, but more government policy support needed to end excessive competition, central bank adviser says.

Ele.me food deliveryman and a Meituan food deliveryman ride on the street on May 14, 2025 in Yancheng, Jiangsu province of China. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
China's economic recovery

‘Progress’: China’s campaign to ease local government debt scores first big win

Local authorities turned to heavy borrowing after the 2008 financial crisis, forcing Beijing to take action.

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China trade

China toughens import rules on Vietnamese durians after detecting health risks

Vietnam competes with Thailand as the top exporter of the fruit to China – but tighter customs inspections are slowing exports, analysts say.

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China trade

China steps up to protect trade war edge as rare earth smugglers get creative

A zero-tolerance crackdown has swooped up illegal traders, and foreign violators will be added to the country’s export blacklist, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

China’s dominance in the rare earth supply chain has become a trump card in trade negotiations with the United States. Photo: US Critical Materials
China consumption

Involution to evolution? China urged to spur new demand, innovation-led growth

To turn excessive competition into a positive, analysts say Beijing needs to focus on demand-side solutions.

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Liu Lijie, a food delivery rider from Ele.me eats his meal at Yushiji restaurant in Beijing on March 18, 2025. Photo: AP
China's economic recovery

Explainer | Why China’s fight against cutthroat competition is different this time

Private firms, weaker growth and limited fiscal space will make it difficult for Beijing to rein in ‘neijuan’, analysts say.

China consumption

Why China’s luxury hotels are selling street food to survive

High-end hotels ditch banquets for fried rice amid weak consumption and tighter controls on lavish official spending.

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China-EU relations

EU urges China for rare earth access amid US tariffs, growing supply worries

European officials demand action to reduce dependency – but analysts warn more time needed to implement strategy.

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EU and Chinese flags on March 20, 2025. Illustration: Reuters/Dado Ruvic
US-China trade war

US ‘remains dependent’: why China’s rare earth dominance is far from over

Beijing’s long-term strategy pays off as Washington scrambles to respond, a new report finds.

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Rare earth elements over a map of China. China is the dominant global supplier of rare earths, 17 minerals that are indispensable to the manufacturing of smartphones, electric vehicles and military equipment. Photo: Shutterstock Images
US-China trade war

Rare earth dominance: why China still holds the cards despite global pushback

From Ukraine to Kazakhstan, new investments target Beijing’s grip on critical minerals – but analysts warn it could still lead for years.

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China society

My Take | Is China a just society? Economic woes erode public perception of fairness

The case of Chinese actress Nashi, who was found to have used subterfuge to get ahead in her studies, touched a raw nerve on the mainland.

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