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Yi Gang

The latest news on Yi Gang, Chinese economist and former governor of the People's Bank of China, including Chinese politics news.

Born

5 Mar 1958

Industry

Business

Job Title

Former Governor, People's Bank of China

China’s YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile system has a range of 1,000 to 1,500km, a cruising speed of around Mach 6 and a terminal dive speed reaching Mach 10. Photo: Handout

China's military weapons

PLA showcases YJ-20 anti-ship missiles as US-Japan-Philippines test war moves

Video of PLA Navy strike tests emerges as US, allies take part in Balikatan 2026, marking Japan’s first-ever operational role in the drills.

27 Apr 2026 - 9:21PMvideocam

China-Middle East relations

Exclusive | Hong Kong-flagged tanker passes through Strait of Hormuz in test of US blockade

17 Apr 2026 - 9:38PMvideocam

Taiwan

What does Japan’s role in a US-Philippine military drill mean for Taiwan?

16 Apr 2026 - 10:00PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Can Iran’s small, fast-attack boats challenge US naval blockade of Hormuz?

Iran’s conventional navy might be decimated, but its large fleet of high-speed boats could well pose a threat, analysts in China say.

15 Apr 2026 - 8:13PMvideocam

“Forever in Iran’s hand”, a large billboard proclaims in Persian in a reference to the Strait of Hormuz, in Tehran on April 15. Photo: EPA

United States

The US could be moving away from precision strikes in the Iran war. Here’s why

As the conflict has intensified, more energy and civilian sites have been targeted in what is seen as a broader approach.

9 Apr 2026 - 9:26AMvideocam

Israel-Iran conflict

1 month, 2 straits, more strikes: how long will the US-Israeli war on Iran last?

With Houthi rebels entering the fray, the next maritime choke point at risk could be the Bab el-Mandeb.

28 Mar 2026 - 10:31PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

How long will US-Israel war on Iran last? Chinese analysts offer clues

Iran’s drones gaining edge as opponents burn through costly missiles, analysts note, as one labels the war a ‘serious mistake’ by US.

20 Mar 2026 - 6:00AMvideocam

Smoke and flames rise at the site of air strikes on an oil depot in Tehran, capital of Iran, on March 7. Photo: TNS

US military

A troubled US warship is moving away from Iran. Does it reflect bigger problems?

Fire damage and plumbing issues on the USS Gerald R. Ford suggest an overstretched military and ‘hollowed out’ industrial base, analysts say.

19 Mar 2026 - 6:00PM

China's military weapons

Could PLA’s new shipborne drone redefine South China Sea naval operations?

In a first, recent CCTV footage shows a lightweight uncrewed helicopter parked on the Chinese military’s Type 075 amphibious assault ship.

15 Mar 2026 - 10:00PM

Two Sessions 2026

Stability comes first: Chinese defence chief signals Beijing’s strategic caution

Dong Jun’s remarks stressing prudence as Xi-Trump summit looms and amid Iran war suggest no military action on Taiwan for now, analysts say.

10 Mar 2026 - 8:05PMvideocam

Dong Jun has served as China’s defence minister since December 2023. Photo: Reuters

China-Middle East relations

Iran attack a ‘wake-up call’ for China on electronic warfare and intelligence

Retired PLA colonel urges China to watch out for ‘internal infiltration and intelligence leaks’ and boost ‘security around critical targets’.

2 Mar 2026 - 10:36PMvideocam

An image taken from Israeli military footage shows what it says are large-scale strikes on “the headquarters of the Iranian terror regime” in Tehran on March 1. Photo: Handout

China-Middle East relations

Is China flexing its intelligence muscle by tracking US military moves near Iran?

Unusually detailed posts by commercial firm MizarVision about America’s deployments in the Middle East are grabbing attention.

27 Feb 2026 - 4:44PMvideocam

China's military weapons

Why the growing network of American MQ-9 drones is a challenge for China

Reapers can carry out both reconnaissance and strike missions and an increasing number of US allies and partners are buying them.

16 Feb 2026 - 10:00PM

US-China relations

US establishes new army foothold in Southeast Asia to ‘contain China’: analyst

US deploys new rotational force to Southeast Asian ally, a move experts say is aimed at deterring China and supporting Typhon missile system.

12 Feb 2026 - 6:51PM

Members of the US Army Rotational Force-Philippines and the Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia hold a meeting at Camp Aguinaldo in the Philippines on January 12. Photo: Handout

China’s military drills

PLA urged to find a way to operate effectively under the gaze of US and Japan

Analysts say that after rapid response to latest drills around Taiwan, military must move away from emphasis on trying to avoid detection.

19 Jan 2026 - 6:00PMvideocam

The PLA launched live-fire drills around Taiwan last month with no warning, yet the response from the US and Japan was immediate, according to a Beijing-based defence think tank. Photo: Handout via AFP

China-Latin America relations

Will Beijing look to US capture of Nicolas Maduro for lessons on Taiwan?

Analysts say US operation should serve as warning to separatist forces in Taiwan following PLA drills targeting the island’s leadership.

4 Jan 2026 - 9:01PMvideocam

China’s navy

US Navy aircraft crashes offer lessons for PLA carrier operations, analysts say

Chinese military could learn from rival’s strengths in search and rescue response, but also its weaknesses in maintenance and training.

2 Jan 2026 - 5:00PMvideocam

China's military weapons

Is China quietly preparing cargo ships to transform into military vessels?

Containers bear the words ‘plan for the maritime revival of the Chinese nation and the community of shared future for mankind in the ocean’.

26 Dec 2025 - 9:06PMvideocam

Images of a cargo ship in Shanghai carrying containerised vertical launchers, sensors and self defence systems have gone viral online. Photo: Wexin

China’s Communist Party

China’s former central bank chief loses leadership role in top advisory body

Decision affecting Yi Gang and nine other former senior officials made amid Beijing’s continuing anti-corruption campaign.

3 Nov 2025 - 5:59PM

China’s military

China ‘showed integrated combat capabilities in locking on US fifth-gen jets’

A PLA J-16 fighter reportedly chased away two foreign planes– believed to be US F-22s – from its air defence identification zone last year.

17 Oct 2025 - 6:24PMvideocam

China's military weapons

What did 3 new PLA units at WWII parade say about China’s hi-tech war plans?

Showcasing new branches signals China’s push to reshape combat strategy by integrating advanced tech for joint operations, analysts say.

7 Sep 2025 - 6:00AMvideocam

A PLA Cyberspace Force formation takes part in the military parade in Beijing on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of victory in the “Chinese people’s war of resistance against Japanese aggression and the world anti-fascist war”. Photo: Xinhua

US-China relations

My Take | How will China fight a new trade war under Trump 2.0?

With hindsight from Trump’s first term, Beijing could adopt a different approach this time around.

10 Dec 2024 - 7:00AM

US President Donald Trump meets Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan in June 2019. Photo: AP Photo

China trade

‘Never a good choice’: China’s retaliation for US curbs may be just starting

An expected escalation of the US-China trade war, and the Chinese public’s demand for a response, could light a fire under Beijing’s policymakers, former PBOC head says.

4 Dec 2024 - 7:59PM

China's economic recovery

China must act to avoid crisis, former Japanese central banker warns

Former central bank governors have raised the alarm over deflation and slowdown, both of which were symptoms in Japan’s ‘lost decades’.

6 Sep 2024 - 10:58PMvideocam

China's economic recovery

China’s AI gains will fuel economy as windfall swells into trillions: McKinsey

It’s been one year since the public release of ChatGPT, kick-starting an AI race that is commanding vast resources by Chinese firms looking to cash in on ‘frontier tech’.

29 Nov 2023 - 6:00AM

Chinese companies are investing big in artificial intelligence. Photo: EPA-EFE

China digital currency

China’s digital yuan ‘at forefront globally’, ex-central bank governor says

Former central bank governor Yi Gang gave two recent lectures of his tenure in Beijing and Singapore, saying China’s digital yuan could facilitate a wide range of domestic retail payments, including by foreign visitors, while it also has overseas use.

4 Aug 2023 - 11:00PM

China was the one of the first major economies to study a central bank digital currency, with a research institute charted under the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) in 2016. Photo: VCG via Getty Images

Banking & finance

China names new central bank governor as twice-a-decade finance conference nears

Analysts say Pan Gongsheng’s many years of experience at the People’s Bank of China give him a critically important vantage point from which to tackle financial risks and shore up economic growth.

26 Oct 2023 - 6:13PMvideocam

Yuan

China’s yuan to stay flexible, but Beijing downplays West’s devaluation concerns

Authorities use down-to-Earth language to ease minds and shore up markets at a time when the economy is sputtering and the yuan has again dropped below the key psychological point of 7.0 against the US dollar.

14 Jul 2023 - 10:30PMvideocam

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Yi Gang

PLA showcases YJ-20 anti-ship missiles as US-Japan-Philippines test war moves

Video of PLA Navy strike tests emerges as US, allies take part in Balikatan 2026, marking Japan’s first-ever operational role in the drills.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Exclusive | Hong Kong-flagged tanker passes through Strait of Hormuz in test of US blockade

What does Japan’s role in a US-Philippine military drill mean for Taiwan?

Can Iran’s small, fast-attack boats challenge US naval blockade of Hormuz?

Iran’s conventional navy might be decimated, but its large fleet of high-speed boats could well pose a threat, analysts in China say.

The US could be moving away from precision strikes in the Iran war. Here’s why

As the conflict has intensified, more energy and civilian sites have been targeted in what is seen as a broader approach.

1 month, 2 straits, more strikes: how long will the US-Israeli war on Iran last?

With Houthi rebels entering the fray, the next maritime choke point at risk could be the Bab el-Mandeb.

How long will US-Israel war on Iran last? Chinese analysts offer clues

Iran’s drones gaining edge as opponents burn through costly missiles, analysts note, as one labels the war a ‘serious mistake’ by US.

A troubled US warship is moving away from Iran. Does it reflect bigger problems?

Fire damage and plumbing issues on the USS Gerald R. Ford suggest an overstretched military and ‘hollowed out’ industrial base, analysts say.

Could PLA’s new shipborne drone redefine South China Sea naval operations?

In a first, recent CCTV footage shows a lightweight uncrewed helicopter parked on the Chinese military’s Type 075 amphibious assault ship.

Stability comes first: Chinese defence chief signals Beijing’s strategic caution

Dong Jun’s remarks stressing prudence as Xi-Trump summit looms and amid Iran war suggest no military action on Taiwan for now, analysts say.

Iran attack a ‘wake-up call’ for China on electronic warfare and intelligence

Retired PLA colonel urges China to watch out for ‘internal infiltration and intelligence leaks’ and boost ‘security around critical targets’.

Is China flexing its intelligence muscle by tracking US military moves near Iran?

Unusually detailed posts by commercial firm MizarVision about America’s deployments in the Middle East are grabbing attention.

Why the growing network of American MQ-9 drones is a challenge for China

Reapers can carry out both reconnaissance and strike missions and an increasing number of US allies and partners are buying them.

US establishes new army foothold in Southeast Asia to ‘contain China’: analyst

US deploys new rotational force to Southeast Asian ally, a move experts say is aimed at deterring China and supporting Typhon missile system.

PLA urged to find a way to operate effectively under the gaze of US and Japan

Analysts say that after rapid response to latest drills around Taiwan, military must move away from emphasis on trying to avoid detection.

Will Beijing look to US capture of Nicolas Maduro for lessons on Taiwan?

Analysts say US operation should serve as warning to separatist forces in Taiwan following PLA drills targeting the island’s leadership.

US Navy aircraft crashes offer lessons for PLA carrier operations, analysts say

Chinese military could learn from rival’s strengths in search and rescue response, but also its weaknesses in maintenance and training.

Is China quietly preparing cargo ships to transform into military vessels?

Containers bear the words ‘plan for the maritime revival of the Chinese nation and the community of shared future for mankind in the ocean’.

China’s former central bank chief loses leadership role in top advisory body

Decision affecting Yi Gang and nine other former senior officials made amid Beijing’s continuing anti-corruption campaign.

China ‘showed integrated combat capabilities in locking on US fifth-gen jets’

A PLA J-16 fighter reportedly chased away two foreign planes– believed to be US F-22s – from its air defence identification zone last year.

What did 3 new PLA units at WWII parade say about China’s hi-tech war plans?

Showcasing new branches signals China’s push to reshape combat strategy by integrating advanced tech for joint operations, analysts say.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}My Take | How will China fight a new trade war under Trump 2.0?

With hindsight from Trump’s first term, Beijing could adopt a different approach this time around.

‘Never a good choice’: China’s retaliation for US curbs may be just starting

An expected escalation of the US-China trade war, and the Chinese public’s demand for a response, could light a fire under Beijing’s policymakers, former PBOC head says.

China must act to avoid crisis, former Japanese central banker warns

Former central bank governors have raised the alarm over deflation and slowdown, both of which were symptoms in Japan’s ‘lost decades’.

China’s AI gains will fuel economy as windfall swells into trillions: McKinsey

It’s been one year since the public release of ChatGPT, kick-starting an AI race that is commanding vast resources by Chinese firms looking to cash in on ‘frontier tech’.

China’s digital yuan ‘at forefront globally’, ex-central bank governor says

Former central bank governor Yi Gang gave two recent lectures of his tenure in Beijing and Singapore, saying China’s digital yuan could facilitate a wide range of domestic retail payments, including by foreign visitors, while it also has overseas use.

China names new central bank governor as twice-a-decade finance conference nears

Analysts say Pan Gongsheng’s many years of experience at the People’s Bank of China give him a critically important vantage point from which to tackle financial risks and shore up economic growth.

China’s yuan to stay flexible, but Beijing downplays West’s devaluation concerns

Authorities use down-to-Earth language to ease minds and shore up markets at a time when the economy is sputtering and the yuan has again dropped below the key psychological point of 7.0 against the US dollar.

Exclusive | Hong Kong-flagged tanker passes through Strait of Hormuz in test of US blockade

My Take | How will China fight a new trade war under Trump 2.0?