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New York mayor David Dinkins (centre right) is presented with a hand-painted fan from Shanghai mayor Zhu Rongji (centre left) in the Blue Room of City Hall in New York on July 10, 1990. Photo: AP
US-China relations

Opinion | Zhu Rongji’s death a reminder of what US-China relations have lost

The current state of US-China ties shows the importance of leaders like Zhu, who was pragmatic, cosmopolitan and committed to constructive engagement.

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Zhu Rongji

As I see it | Was the late Zhu Rongji responsible for the original ‘China shock’?

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Middle East

Opinion | How Mecca defence pact changes China’s calculations in the Middle East

China economy

Opinion | Little surprise Beijing doesn’t want Western advice for its economy

The lack of forceful stimulus is not policy paralysis, as foreigners assume – China simply operates on a different set of priorities.

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An AI-themed bar in Beijing's tech district, Zhongguancun, pictured on August 9. Beijing’s priority is to build capabilities it believes will determine whether China remains vulnerable or becomes strategically resilient. Photo: AFP
An AI-themed bar in Beijing's tech district, Zhongguancun, pictured on August 9. Beijing’s priority is to build capabilities it believes will determine whether China remains vulnerable or becomes strategically resilient. Photo: AFP
Diplomacy

Opinion | A strong China is the best hope for the ‘long peace’ to endure

If China’s rise shows it rejects hegemonic ambitions, the hope is that it can make a difference and foster a more peaceful world.

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China economy

Opinion | China’s economic problems have been diagnosed. Will policymakers act?

What is missing is the willingness to redirect resources away from growth engines of the past and directly support Chinese households.

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Malaysia

Opinion | Why Malaysia’s political turmoil matters to Beijing

Malaysia shows how local battles over race and national identity could complicate China’s Southeast Asian playbook.

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Women walk past the illuminated Sultan Abdul Samad Building in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on July 26. In recent weeks, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s multi-ethnic governing coalition has suffered two consecutive defeats in state elections following campaigns dominated by racial and religious appeals. Photo: AP
Women walk past the illuminated Sultan Abdul Samad Building in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on July 26. In recent weeks, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s multi-ethnic governing coalition has suffered two consecutive defeats in state elections following campaigns dominated by racial and religious appeals. Photo: AP
China society

Being Chinese | Don’t you dare come between Chinese women and our virtual boyfriends

An unexpected game character inspired a revolt by disappointed female fans. To understand why, we need to look at Chinese digital culture.

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China’s soft power

Opinion | China’s brands must outgrow diaspora bubble to hit soft power potential

Only through commercial independence and deep localisation can Chinese firms abroad forge a durable soft power that state policy can’t produce.

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Chinese history

As I see it | The world that made Confucius – and the China he made

China’s most enduring philosophical tradition didn’t merely revere the past; it drew upon history to construct the future.

A statue of Confucius dominates the landscape in Qufu, his birthplace, in today’s Shandong province. Photo: Xinhua
China trade

Opinion | Why China’s trade partners may question value of economic integration

Both Beijing and its economic partners must ask whether expanding trade strengthens domestic productive capacity and improves long-term competitiveness.

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Shipping containers are seen at the port in Nanjing, in China’s eastern Jingsu province, early on June 9. Photo: AFP
Shipping containers are seen at the port in Nanjing, in China’s eastern Jingsu province, early on June 9. Photo: AFP
China society

Opinion | China’s baby boom depends on gender equality, not cash handouts

To arrest its falling birth rate, China must ensure women do not have to choose between motherhood and the lives they have built.

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China economy

Opinion | China’s economic shift may hinge on what migrant workers do next

Where migrant workers go, what sectors they serve and how many stay employed will shape whether productivity gains go beyond the most advanced sectors.

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Hong Kong society

Opinion | How East Asia’s internet cafes became a cheap urban refuge

An informal safety net, these cafes offer gig workers and those between jobs crucial breathing space.

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A customer at an internet cafe in Seoul, South Korea in December 2013. For years, internet cafes appeared destined for extinction. Instead, the industry reinvented itself. Photo: AP
Technology

Opinion | Can we govern AI in a fragmented world before it’s too late?

While the US, EU and China offer different approaches, all recognise that AI is too powerful and pervasive to be treated as ordinary tech.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
China economy

Opinion | How likely is Beijing to walk the talk on boosting consumption?

As long as external demand holds up, policymakers appear relatively untroubled by weakening domestic demand, despite rhetoric to the contrary.

China economy

Opinion | China’s next export is the world’s factory itself

The next phase is building factories and Chinese brands abroad as well as embedding its tech, industrial standards in global supply chains.

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US-China relations

Opinion | Will US or China win the next war? That’s the wrong question to ask

We should be asking how we can avoid conflict and work towards ending mutual threats, such as climate change and human injustice.

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A foot formation marches through Tian’anmen Square during a military parade in Beijing, China, on September 3, 2025. Photo: Xinhua
A foot formation marches through Tian’anmen Square during a military parade in Beijing, China, on September 3, 2025. Photo: Xinhua
China economy

Outside In | China’s export success is a by-product of self-reliance

But while the export surge is an accidental consequence of self-sufficiency and competitive manufacturers, the solution is not protectionism.

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China trade

Opinion | China’s exports feed the Global South’s industrial engines

Far from stifling development, China’s export portfolio indicates a positive-sum diffusion of industrial growth.

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China economy

Opinion | Can the West really decouple from China?

Instead of trying to ‘catch up’, Western economies should focus on boosting resilience in key sectors without disrupting global supply chains.

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A worker responsible for electrode technology development near a mixing container for battery production at a factory in Bavaria, Germany, on October 26, 2023. Photo: dpa
China economy

Macroscope | Upper arm of China’s K-shaped economy both a blessing and a curse

China’s two-speed economy stems from the shift to new growth engines but the export boom it has created is doing little for jobs or consumption.

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Yutong electric double-decker buses for export to the UK are driven onto a car carrier at Yantai Port in Shandong province on July 27. Photo: AFP
Yutong electric double-decker buses for export to the UK are driven onto a car carrier at Yantai Port in Shandong province on July 27. Photo: AFP
United Nations

Opinion | Can the gigacities of tomorrow keep human connection alive?

We have learned to accommodate more people in larger metropolises while losing the ability to bring those people together into families.

Artificial intelligence

Opinion | China should lean into its defining AI advantage – accessibility

Chinese systems need not top every benchmark before becoming major suppliers of the world’s artificial intelligence infrastructure.

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United States

As I see it | America declares international law for thee but not for me

While the US is seeking to dismantle the International Criminal Court, it has signed a statement upholding the Hague tribunal’s South China Sea ruling.

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends the 33rd Asean Foreign Ministers Meeting in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines, on July 23. Photo: AFP
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