• Trump’s Taiwan tightrope: Beijing seeks clarity for possible China summit, expert says
• China’s top diplomat on Ukraine war, US-Vietnam deal in spotlight: SCMP daily highlights
• Philippines-China sea dispute moves to legal battlefield with cyber libel suit
• Could hi-tech China revive the US rust belt – and steady superpower ties?
• China tells India to stop using Tibet to interfere in Beijing’s affairs
• Photos of China’s J-20A stealth fighter spark speculation about military parade debut
• China TV host faces backlash for serving men drumsticks, women chicken wings, revealing bias
• China’s ‘moving Great Wall’ basketballer makes senior team debut
• China unveils support for medical uses of brain-computer interface technology
• Tools unearthed in China are first evidence of East Asia’s ‘Wood Age’
• How is China using Shandong’s visit to Hong Kong to boost patriotism, reflect power?
• Rare earth exports should never come between China and EU, Wang Yi says on Europe tour
• China to levy anti-dumping tariffs on European cognac
• As China, EU eye warmer ties, Brussels seeks to protect its crown jewel - manufacturing
• South China Sea: US aircraft carrier marks American commitment but also ‘crowded’ region
• Chinese model lured to Myanmar with scam job rescued after sister raises alarm in Thailand
• Cochlear takes fast lane as it brings new hearing device to Chinese market
• China reacts to US-Vietnam trade deal, Philippines’ tourism woes: SCMP’s 7 highlights
• China’s Shandong aircraft carrier welcomes hundreds of eager guests in Hong Kong
• Chinese woman suffers 6cm scar on chin after botched fat-grafting cosmetic work
• Human heart structure beats 21 days in pig embryo, Chinese chimera research team says
• As China vows once again to tackle solar panel oversupply, will this time be different?
• What to expect as 2 Chinese universities founded by tycoons enrol first undergraduates
• China urged to restore local fiscal capabilities with 30-trillion-yuan debt swap

Trump’s Taiwan tightrope: Beijing seeks clarity for possible China summit, expert says

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317028/trumps-taiwan-tightrope-beijing-seeks-clarity-possible-china-summit-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed

US President Donald Trump’s stance on Taiwan will be pivotal to the success of a long-awaited potential next visit to Beijing, according to a prominent Chinese scholar.

When he is in China, Trump “should say very clearly that the US does not support Taiwan independence”, said Wu Xinbo, dean of the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, who added it would not be new for a US president to say that.

Wu said that the national security teams from both Washington and Beijing should meet face-to-face as soon as possible to pave the way for a summit.

Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. Most countries, including the United States, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-governed island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.

Still, the US State Department in February removed a phrase on its official website that the country does not support Taiwan independence, describing the change as a “routine” update.

“Trump has to clarify the US position on this very important issue when he comes to China. Without that, I don’t think his visit will be successful,” Wu said on Friday during Tsinghua University’s World Peace Forum in Beijing, jointly organised with the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs.

He also said that if Washington did not want to go to war with mainland China over Taiwan, the American leader should stress that the US supported China’s peaceful reunification.

“Think about the future of the Taiwan issue, either reunification by the use of force or by peaceful means, what would you prefer? Peaceful unification is in the interests of all sides,” he said.

“Trump is a smart guy. He knows how to make a big deal for the sake of US national interests. He will say the right thing when he is in Beijing.”

Wu made the remarks as tension continued to simmer between the world’s two largest economies, which have recently stepped up efforts to reach a truce in their trade war.

Both sides were “intensively” working to turn the framework on trade reached during their talks in London last month into action, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said on Friday.

American officials have informed their Chinese counterparts that a series of restrictive measures on Chinese goods will be lifted, while Beijing is reviewing and approving qualified applications for exports of controlled items to the US, according to the ministry.

Chinese Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Ma Zhaoxu met with the top US envoy to China, David Perdue, during Independence Day celebrations at the US embassy on Thursday to discuss bilateral relations. Meanwhile, a long-awaited meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart has yet to be confirmed.

During a phone conversation last month, the two leaders exchanged invitations to visit each other’s countries and also discussed Taiwan and the troubled US-China trading relationship.

Wu said he had seen “positive signs” that both Beijing and Washington had “got the ball rolling”.

“What we need to do is not only keep delivering on trade and economic issues, but also let the national security teams from both sides reconnect,” he said.

“I think now it is time for [Chinese Foreign] Minister Wang Yi to meet his counterpart, maybe in [a third-party] place,” Wu said, adding that law enforcement agencies from both countries should start dialogue on fentanyl.

Wu said he expected that an Apec summit in South Korea later this year would provide a potential window for a visit to China by Trump.

“If we are going to make this happen, we need to make preparations as soon as possible and time is running out,” he said.

“You cannot just let two economic teams arrange the state visit or the summit. That is impossible.”

Wu added that the two countries should make progress at this stage on trade, on the fentanyl issue and on contacts between the nations’ national security and diplomatic teams.

“Then we can start to prepare for the summit,” he said.

China’s top diplomat on Ukraine war, US-Vietnam deal in spotlight: SCMP daily highlights

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3317022/chinas-top-diplomat-ukraine-war-us-vietnam-deal-spotlight-scmp-daily-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider .

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the European Union’s top diplomat on Wednesday that Beijing did not want to see a Russian loss in Ukraine because it feared the United States would then shift its whole focus to Beijing, according to several people familiar with the exchange.

The passage of a sprawling budget bill has raised concerns over the long-term debt of the United States, which analysts said could compound already heightened worries over the reliability of the country’s currency as a safe-haven asset.

China has decided to levy anti-dumping tariffs on European brandy, mostly produced in France, for the next five years – an announcement made while Foreign Minister Wang Yi is on his European tour seeking to resolve trade disputes and improve ties amid a reshuffle of global trade dynamics introduced by the United States.

The inclusion of a 40 per cent tariff on transshipped goods could “open up a can of worms” for the whole region, analysts have said.

The earliest tools used by humans were made of stone, followed by bronze, then iron, and finally steel. But was there a “Wood Age”?

China has unveiled policies to support the development of the medical use of brain-computer interfaces (BCI), technology that enables brain signals to control external devices.

A Chinese model from the southern province of Guangdong has been rescued from Myanmar after he was lured under the pretext of an overseas job last month, according to the Chinese embassy in Thailand.

Philippines-China sea dispute moves to legal battlefield with cyber libel suit

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317042/philippines-china-sea-dispute-moves-legal-battlefield-cyber-libel-suit?utm_source=rss_feed

The Philippines’ maritime dispute with China has spilled into the courts after a top coastguard official filed a cyber libel case against a pro-Beijing influencer over explosive – and, he claims, baseless – allegations that he is a paid asset of the United States.

Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesman for Philippine Coast Guard operations in the West Philippine Sea, lodged a complaint on Friday at the Manila prosecutor’s office against Sass Rogando Sasot, a popular vlogger currently based in Beijing.

The case is unprecedented: the first known libel lawsuit arising directly from the online information war surrounding the Philippines’ increasingly fraught stand-off with China in the contested South China Sea.

According to Tarriela’s complaint, Sasot falsely accused him on social media of receiving a US$4 million “talent fee” from Washington, and of collecting bags of cash from the residence of House Speaker Martin Romualdez as payment for criticising Beijing’s actions in the West Philippine Sea – Manila’s term for the part of the South China Sea it claims as its own.

She also alleged he had been expelled from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) for cheating.

In an interview with This Week in Asia, Tarriela said the accusations had taken a deep personal toll. “Absolutely,” he said, when asked if the claims had affected his family.

“If I won’t challenge such a post of Sasot in the social media, my children would perceive me as though I am not defending our flag, but rather that I was compensated by the US government,” he said. “Their friends might view them as the kids of someone who betrays our national interests, rather than seeing me as a patriot.”

Representing Tarriela in the case is Antonio La Viña, former dean of the Ateneo de Manila University School of Government, who said he took on the case pro bono because “national interest is at stake”.

“Disinformation itself is bad,” La Viña said, “but when used to attack a patriot and to undermine a core national interest like our territorial integrity, we have to help.”

Tarriela told a congressional probe on February 18 that pro-China trolls had sought to discredit the coastguard’s transparency campaign by “attacking the messenger”. He said they amplified his past dismissal from the PMA and portrayed his Washington fellowship as evidence he was “a pro-US lapdog” and “even a CIA recruit”.

He dismissed the claims – including one that he received a US$4 million payment from the US embassy – as “absurd”, saying he remained “committed to my role in exposing Chinese aggression and raising awareness among the Filipino people”.

Sasot, who is in Beijing pursuing a doctorate in international relations under an Asean-China scholarship, posted a response to the lawsuit on Facebook.

“Under our judicial system, Commodore Jay Tarriela has all the right to file a case against anybody,” she wrote. “His legal complaint must be legally served in order for me to answer it legally. I will wait where I live, which is outside the Philippines, to receive it legally and thereby answer it legally.”

She also posted a video of Tarriela’s testimony in Congress, in which he admitted being dismissed from the PMA for violating the honour code and said, “Tarriella, this is under oath.”

Even if Sasot does not return to the country, the long arm of the law may still be able to reach her, according to Barry Gutierrez, criminal law professor at the University of the Philippines.

“There are provisions under the rules of court for extrajudicial service of summons. So I’m sure Commodore Tarriela’s lawyers will be working closely with the prosecutor’s office to choose the best mode – whether personal service abroad via a courier or something similar, or publication, both of which can be possible options,” Gutierrez told This Week in Asia.

Gutierrez said under Philippine law, Sasot could not claim that she had obtained her information from sources she could not identify.

“The protection from revealing confidential sources … still requires that the person concerned be affiliated with a mass media organisation. So I doubt an independent blogger will be covered,” he said.

Should the prosecutor find probable cause, Gutierrez said the court would issue a warrant of arrest, which would have to be served within 10 days.

“If not, a return will be made to the court. An alias warrant can, however, be reissued at any time after upon application of the prosecution – for instance, if they learn she returned to the country,” Gutierrez said.

Dr Sherwin Ona, a security and cyber defence policy expert at De La Salle University, told This Week in Asia the accusations could damage Tarriela’s reputation and affect his position as the spokesman for coastguard operations.

“If the accusation has something to do with his background, like the PMA case, then it can. It can be used to create more ammunition against him,” Ona said.

Veteran journalist and retired BusinessWorld publisher Vergel Santos is convinced that the attacks are connected to Tarriela’s spokesman role for the West Philippine Sea.

Santos voiced suspicions that since Sasot was currently in China under a state scholarship, “the logical, reasonable suspicion is that China is behind the attacks against Tarriela who is known to have taken an open and bold stand because he’s a spokesperson”.

To prove that Sasot’s accusations were motivated by “malice” – a key element in a defamation suit – Santos told This Week in Asia that “all you need to do is see who’s paying Sasot. And if the connection can be established that Sasot’s principal has something against Tarriela, that’s the end”.

The lawsuit is being carefully watched by Sigla Research Centre in Manila that monitors influence operations online.

Its managing director Rossine Fallorina told This Week in Asia: “It will be interesting to see how much political will the administration demonstrates in cracking down against what they consider as bad actors [in] uncharted territory.”

He said Sasot represented “influencers beyond borders” – people based overseas “who exploit jurisdictional gaps to evade local legal accountability, and are able to operate in online platforms with impunity”.

However, Fallorina cautioned that government tools to address disinformation online risked “overstepping civil liberties”.

While the political influencers might be the ones “being hunted now”, Fallorina warned that others such as civil society advocates and journalists could also be affected in the future.

Could hi-tech China revive the US rust belt – and steady superpower ties?

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3316995/could-hi-tech-china-revive-us-rust-belt-and-steady-superpower-ties?utm_source=rss_feed

China could draw on its innovation in advanced manufacturing to improve business – and overall – ties with the United States amid a fragile trade truce, according to a prominent American political scientist.

In an interview, Robert Pape, a professor at the University of Chicago, also said China could “rise peacefully” to be the world’s leading superpower through its strength in innovation if it continued “moderate responses” to US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy – while America grappled with domestic fractures and a rise in political violence.

Pape, who specialises in international security affairs, pointed to what he called the “Wuhan model” – integrated university-industry clusters in second-tier Chinese cities that focus on advanced manufacturing, which he said opened up possibilities for reinvigorating rust-belt cities in the US.

“They’re integrating university research in private industry. But it’s not just happening in Stanford and Silicon Valley or Harvard, MIT and the Boston area. This is happening in a second-tier city,” Pape said.

He made the remarks after a 10-day trip to China last month when he visited some of the country’s big tech firms in cities including Wuhan, Hangzhou and Shenzhen.

Wuhan – capital of central Hubei province and home to a hi-tech manufacturing cluster known as Optics Valley – has traditionally been seen as a second-tier city but in recent years has moved into the ranks of the “new first-tier cities” as its innovative and industrial strength has grown.

Pape’s visit took place amid a temporary de-escalation of the US-China trade war following separate talks in Geneva and London in June.

He said the future of US-China ties hinged on how the business relationship could benefit blue-collar workers in the United States – the political base that fundamentally shapes Trump’s domestic and foreign policies.

“So the opportunity is not for China to focus on [punitive tariffs against] Iowa farmers. It is to focus on whether or not the Wuhan model can be transposed to Pittsburgh, to Saint Louis, to Kansas City, to other American blue-collar rust-belt cities,” he said.

“Obviously, this is not China’s number one responsibility. But if China is looking for a way to build positive relationships, this is what I think would matter to [Treasury Secretary] Scott Bessent and to Trump because this is what they are focused on.”

He said it would take “some new constructive ideas” for this to happen.

Pape also said he was “stunned” to see “a tremendous amount of massive advanced growth” in China that had not taken place in the US, saying it was as if America was “stuck in a world of 1980” while China was “moving to the world of 2030 or 2040”.

He said that under the Trump administration, America’s biggest enemy was not China but domestic liberals and that the US was undergoing huge social change that was “pulling it apart” and fuelling “turbulent politics”.

The result was that there were “dramatic problems in investing in the future … [for] the good of people in the US”, he added.

“It is not just that America is having problems investing in technology. It is that we’re in the midst of going from a cultural debate and political polarisation to true major political violence in ways we have not seen since the 1960s. And this is what is underneath all of the problems in the United States, and the world is seeing the reverberations of this.”

The US has seen a spate of political violence since Trump’s return to the White House in January, including assassination attempts, targeted attacks and other violent threats on political figures, and riots breaking out alongside peaceful protests.

In the past few weeks, millions of Americans nationwide protested in opposition to the excesses of Trump’s administration, including the “No Kings” protests on Trump’s birthday and a series of demonstrations against immigration raids. Trump deployed National Guard troops and military forces to the Los Angeles area in response to the protests there.

Pape said the Trump administration had dismantled the post-World War II liberal international order and replaced it with a new “war-prone” one, adding that the US attacks on Iran last month showed the president was “reckless” in using military force.

In the new order, he said China had “a realist interest to rise peacefully. And that interest is that its power is its innovation, and its innovation is 90 per cent domestic-driven.”

Pape said Chinese President Xi Jinping had been “a model of moderation” and “really shrewd” in how he handled the Trump administration.

“[Xi] has stood up to the bullying tactics, but he has not tried to [wind them up]. He is trying to be firm without making matters worse. And I think that’s what it means to have moderate responses to America’s foreign policy. That’s the big lesson for Asia going forward,” he said.

“In the long run, what will matter to China is its innovation,” which he described as the key to power in the 21st century.

“The Trump tariffs are not going to stop it,” he said. “I’m not saying they’re not a problem – obviously they are – but they’re not a direct hit on the most advanced industries in China.”

He said ego-stroking by some Western Europeans in dealing with Trump was likely to end in disappointment and would not go far compared to “actual material benefit” to Trump’s political base.

China tells India to stop using Tibet to interfere in Beijing’s affairs

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317008/china-tells-india-stop-using-tibet-interfere-beijings-affairs?utm_source=rss_feed

China has urged India to stop using Tibet issues to interfere in domestic affairs, again spelling out Beijing’s position on the succession of the Dalai Lama.

The Chinese foreign ministry made the call on Friday, a day after a senior Indian minister said that only the Dalai Lama and the trust he set up had the authority to identify his successor as the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism.

The comment is in opposition to China’s long-held position that the succession should be in line with tradition and Chinese law.

“We hope India can fully recognise the high sensitivity of issues related to Tibet, and clearly see the anti-China and separatist nature of the 14th Dalai Lama,” ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.

“India should honour its commitments on Tibet-related matters, exercise caution in word and deed, stop using Tibet-related issues to interfere in China’s internal affairs, and avoid undermining the improvement and development of China-India relations.”

The comments were in response to a rare statement on the succession from Kiren Rijiju, India’s minister of parliamentary and minority affairs.

Local media quoted Rijiju as saying that only the Dalai Lama and his institution, the Gaden Phodrang Trust, had the authority to decide his successor.

“No one has the right to interfere or decide who the successor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be,” he said.

“Only he or his institution has the authority to make that decision. His followers believe that deeply. It’s important for disciples across the world that he decides his succession.”

Rijiju made the statement ahead of a visit to the Dalai Lama’s base in the northern Indian town of Dharamsala for the spiritual leader’s 90th birthday, which takes place this Sunday.

India has hosted the Dalai Lama and Tibet’s government-in-exile in Dharamsala since 1959. New Delhi formally recognised Tibet as part of China in 2003.

Relations between India and China hit a low point after a deadly border clash in 2020 but have slowly improved, with the two sides reaching a border agreement late last year.

That was reflected in the announcement from China earlier this year that it would allow Indian pilgrims to return to the Tibet autonomous region this summer after a five-year suspension. The first group of Indian pilgrims crossed the mountainous border into the region last month.

Beijing has insisted that the reincarnations of the Dalai Lama must follow “strict religious rituals and historical conventions”.

In her statement on Friday, Mao said they should follow the “golden urn” process and approval by the central government in accordance with domestic legal procedures.

“The reincarnation of the Dalai Lama must adhere to these principles, follow religious rituals and historical conventions, and be handled in accordance with national laws and regulations,” she said, stressing Beijing’s position for the second time in a week.

She also noted that the 14th Dalai Lama was confirmed and enthroned through this process with the approval of the then central government of China in 1940.

The Dalai Lama, who fled to India in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule, said on Wednesday that upon his death he would be reincarnated as the next spiritual leader and that only the Gaden Phodrang Trust would be able to identify his successor. He previously said the person would be born outside China.

“I hereby reiterate that the Gaden Phodrang Trust has sole authority to recognise the future reincarnation; no one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter,” he said in a statement. Hours later, Beijing swiftly rejected his succession plan.

Photos of China’s J-20A stealth fighter spark speculation about military parade debut

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3317018/photos-chinas-j-20a-stealth-fighter-spark-speculation-about-military-parade-debut?utm_source=rss_feed

New images of China’s J-20A stealth fighter have begun circulating on Chinese social media, with the photographer claiming the jet, also known as the Mighty Dragon, is rehearsing for a September military parade debut.

The photos of the J-20A were shared on Wednesday alongside photos of the J-35, another fifth-generation Chinese stealth fighter. In recent weeks, advanced aircraft have repeatedly been seen flying in formation across the country, including several identified as J-20A jets, according to social media posts.

China will hold a grand military parade on September 3 in Beijing to mark the 80th anniversary of its victory in World War II. It is expected to unveil new weapons at the event, including aircraft not seen in public before.

An earlier sighting of the fighter, reported by The War Zone last September, showed the clearest image yet of a J-20A prototype bearing serial number 2052 in characteristic yellow primer paint on a Chengdu Aircraft Corporation runway in southwest China.

According to the defence news site, this confirmed earlier speculation that the jet had undergone its most significant upgrades yet, with the installation of domestically developed WS-15 turbofan engines.

The images shared this week show the fighter using modified diverterless supersonic inlets (DSI) – a type of jet engine air intake – with smaller compression bumps than earlier versions, optimised for the advanced airflow characteristics of the WS-15 engines. These smaller bumps are expected to improve both stealth and aerodynamic performance while supporting the engine’s higher pressure ratios and greater mass flow demands.

They also showed the aircraft’s enlarged spine, which is believed to house additional fuel and avionics, centred around a new active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar with dramatically increased detection range thanks to domestically produced silicon carbide semiconductors.

An earlier video that surfaced online in June 2023 suggested the same prototype made its maiden flight that month.

The WS-15 engine reportedly produces up to 18.5 tonnes of thrust with afterburner, giving the J-20A a supercruise capability at Mach 1.8 without afterburners and a top speed of Mach 2.5 to 2.8, with a combat radius exceeding 2,000km (1,243 miles), extending well beyond the first island chain.

These figures place the WS-15 in elite company with the most advanced American stealth fighters. The engine’s 18.5 tonnes of thrust surpasses the roughly 16 tonnes delivered by the F-22’s F119 engines and is comparable to the thrust generated by the F-35’s F135 engines.

Earlier J-20 prototypes and initial production runs used imported Russian Saturn AL-31F engines before switching to the domestic Shenyang WS-10C in 2019. The Russian engines left the aircraft underpowered for its size, preventing it from true supercruise, a hallmark of modern fifth-generation fighters.

Other J-20 variants include the J-20S, a tandem-seat version officially revealed at the 2024 Zhuhai air show alongside the J-35A. The twin-seat model is expected to enter service with the Chinese air force this year.

The J-20S features a redesigned forward fuselage and larger tail fins and is powered by WS-10C engines. It is widely believed to be configured for special missions, such as electronic warfare or functioning as a mini airborne command post with enhanced situational awareness from radar surveillance and control systems, drones and other combat aircraft.

The second crew member could serve as a dedicated air battle manager, potentially coordinating a swarm of combat drones such as the GJ-11 and WZ-7 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into enemy airspace.

Senior US officials, including the commander of Indo-Pacific Command and the US Air Force secretary, have warned in recent US Senate hearings about China’s expanding ability to deny American air superiority.

China TV host faces backlash for serving men drumsticks, women chicken wings, revealing bias

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3315516/china-tv-host-faces-backlash-serving-men-drumsticks-women-chicken-wings-revealing-bias?utm_source=rss_feed

A renowned Chinese TV host ignited a heated online controversy after openly expressing her preference for boys over girls and presenting drumsticks to two young men instead of a young woman during a show.

Zhu Dan bizarrely justified it by stating that “boys need more nutrition to grow.”

Zhu, 44, hailing from Zhejiang province in eastern China, is celebrated for her work on popular TV programmes like Do You Remember and The X Factor.

She is a mother to a daughter and a son with her husband, actor Zhou Yiwei, whom she married in 2017.

In 2019, she faced widespread backlash following a significant verbal blunder at a fashion event, where she confused the names of several celebrities – an error deemed unacceptable for a prominent and professional host.

The recent controversy erupted during the variety show Wonderland, when Zhu, while preparing chicken soup, remarked that the chicken drumsticks should be given to the two male guests, Zhou Yiran and Dong Sicheng, aged 25 and 28, respectively.

In China, there is a common cultural perception that drumsticks are a more desirable cut of meat, typically reserved for favoured guests.

She explained: “The two young men are still growing and need more nutrition to develop.”

She then suggested that the chicken wings be given to another female guest, 21-year-old Ouyang Didi, despite her being younger than the men.

When another participant of the show, actress Ning Jing, later asked Zhu if she “particularly favoured boys”, Zhu candidly replied, “A little”.

Adding further fuel to the fire, Zhu later asserted that “heterosexual attraction” instinctively leads parents to favour children of the opposite sex. For example, fathers typically prefer daughters, while mothers tend to favour sons.

These comments highlight a sensitive and historically rooted aspect of Chinese cultural preference for male offspring, which remains a deeply entrenched issue in some mainland regions today.

The incident sparked a wave of criticism across mainland social media, with many netizens expressing disbelief and anger.

One person sarcastically asked: “So she thinks that girls don’t need nutrition to grow up?”

Another commented: “The most ridiculous thing is that she doesn’t even realise it’s inappropriate to say such things on a show. As a host who literally works with her mouth, shouldn’t she at least know what’s appropriate to say? I honestly don’t understand how she became a nationally famous host.”

A third added: “This just shows that Zhu Dan must have grown up in an environment where boys were favoured over girls, making these attitudes and behaviours seem natural to her.”

In response to the backlash, Zhu issued a public apology on June 18, stating that she “had seen all criticisms and suggestions,” while expressing gratitude for the feedback, saying it would help her “correct and grow”.

China’s ‘moving Great Wall’ basketballer makes senior team debut

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3316954/chinas-moving-great-wall-basketballer-makes-senior-team-debut?utm_source=rss_feed

China’s up-and-coming basketballer Zhang Ziyu made her senior team debut in a warm-up match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in June. Many named Zhang the new “moving Great Wall” for her agility and outstanding offensive abilities.

China unveils support for medical uses of brain-computer interface technology

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3316964/china-unveils-support-medical-uses-brain-computer-interface-technology?utm_source=rss_feed

China has unveiled policies to support the development of the medical use of brain-computer interfaces (BCI), technology that enables brain signals to control external devices.

The National Medical Products Administration said on Thursday that it would introduce supportive policies for medical devices based on the technology, which could allow people with missing or damaged body parts to control computers and robotic limbs using their thoughts.

The support for medical applications of brain-computer interfaces is among a range of innovation-boosting measures proposed by the agency, which regulates medications and medical devices.

“[We will] strengthen the standardisation research of new biomedical materials, including medical materials for additive manufacturing, flexible electrodes for brain-computer interfaces, and gene-engineered synthetic biomaterials,” it said.

The agency added that it would promote “research on safety and efficacy evaluation methods for medical devices based on brain-computer interface technology”.

Research is under way in healthcare and medical sciences on how the technology can be used to repair or reinstate functions for people with impairments caused by neuromuscular disorders such as stroke and spinal cord injuries.

There are also hopes that it could be an effective treatment for movement disorder cerebral palsy or the rare neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The technology might also help to restore damaged sight or hearing.

“Medical robots, advanced medical imaging equipment, artificial intelligence medical devices and new types of biomedical materials are key areas that shape the new quality productive forces of medical device manufacturing,” the agency said.

“[We should] promote the application of more new technologies … in the healthcare sector to better meet the health needs of our people and enhance the international competitiveness of China’s advanced medical devices.”

The agency also said that it would accelerate the development of general standards and establish standardisation technical organisations for medical robots and AI-powered devices. Approval procedures for equipment with high clinical application value will also be streamlined.

“[We will] continue to implement special innovative reviews for high-end medical devices that are the first of their kind in China, top in the world and have significant clinical application value,” the agency said.

“[We will also] strengthen communication between applicants and review experts, and enhance technical guidance for the research, development and registration of innovative medical devices.”

Research on BCI technology began in the 1970s when scientists showed that brain signals could be recorded and translated into commands, allowing users to control machines with their thoughts.

While early research focused on helping people with disabilities, today’s BCIs have expanded into a wide range of applications, from wearable devices for gaming to hands-free drone control.

In February, Tianjin and Tsinghua University researchers said they had developed the world’s first two-way adaptive brain-computer interface, allowing the brain and device to learn from each other.

The team said the system could eventually be integrated into portable and wearable BCI devices, making it suitable for consumer and medical applications.

---

Tools unearthed in China are first evidence of East Asia’s ‘Wood Age’

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3316993/tools-unearthed-china-are-first-evidence-east-asias-wood-age?utm_source=rss_feed

The earliest tools used by humans were made of stone, followed by bronze, then iron, and finally steel. But was there a “Wood Age”?

This question has been difficult to answer as wood decomposes easily, leaving behind little evidence of ancient wooden tools – especially in East Asia. However, a study published in the top journal Science on Friday suggests that wooden tools were widely used in southwest China 300,000 years ago.

These wooden tools, unearthed during excavations in 2015 and 2018, were the first ever found at a Palaeolithic – or early Stone Age – site in East Asia. The Palaeolithic age spans from around 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago.

Corresponding author Gao Xing, of the Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told China News that the dozens of wooden artefacts unearthed at the Gantangqing site in Yunnan province represented a “world-class archaeological discovery”.

Gantangqing is situated at the southern edge of Fuxian Lake, near Yunnan’s provincial capital, Kunming. Excavations at the site uncovered many relics, earning Gantangqing a place among China’s top 10 archaeological discoveries in 2015.

“This discovery fills a gap in the study of Chinese Palaeolithic wooden tools,” said Liu Jianhui of the Yunnan Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology in a paper in 2015. Liu is first author of the most recent study and led the second excavation at Gantangqing in 2018.

The site yielded nearly 1,000 wooden artefacts, including 35 tools that showed clear evidence of intentional shaping and use.

Evidence of wooden tools from the Early and Middle Pleistocene – a period from 2.58 million to 130,000 years ago – is scarce. Evidence of these tools had previously only been found in Africa and western Eurasia, with the most extensive collection before the Gantangqing discovery found in Schoeningen, Germany.

Compared to Schoeningen, the Gantangqing site featured a more diverse range of tools, especially small ones, particularly wooden tools used for plant collection and gathering.

The wooden implements unearthed at Gantangqing were predominantly for digging, while those found at the German site were mostly used for hunting, such as spears and throwing sticks.

Most of the tools found at the Gantangqing site were probably digging sticks used to access plant resources, according to the study. Residue analysis, which showed starch grains from tuber plants, suggested they were used for digging up aquatic plant rhizomes at ancient lake edges.

Most of the tools were made of pine, but a small percentage of the tools were made from harder wood. Scientific dating confirmed these tools were made around 361,000 to 250,000 years ago.

Four soft hammers were also discovered, representing the earliest known wooden hammers found in East Asia. One was in the form of a wooden stick, while the others were made of wood and deer antler fragments.

Some stone tools were also found at the site, but they were relatively simple, according to the study.

The scarcity of large stone raw materials might explain the presence of small and simple stone tools at the site, indicating that the inhabitants relied on wooden tools for collecting plants.

Gantangqing’s location near Fuxian Lake – the largest in Yunnan and the third-deepest lake in China – might explain how these wooden tools were able to be preserved.

The site features lake sediment deposits. Analysis of the rock layers showed that the lake’s water level fluctuated, causing early humans to migrate in response to these changes. Tools and fossilised plant and animal remains in the area were rapidly covered and buried.

A humid burial environment and deposits of fine clay particles shielded the artefacts from the air, preventing oxidation and preserving organic remains.

Liu noted that the sophistication of these wooden tools highlighted the importance of organic artefacts for understanding early human behaviour, especially in regions where stone tools alone suggested a less complex technological landscape.

The study was led by researchers from the Yunnan Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, the Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the University of Wollongong in Australia.

---

How is China using Shandong’s visit to Hong Kong to boost patriotism, reflect power?

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3316967/how-china-using-shandongs-visit-hong-kong-boost-patriotism-reflect-power?utm_source=rss_feed

As Hong Kong celebrates the 28th anniversary of its return to Chinese rule, Beijing has once again deployed a powerful naval fleet, this time spearheaded by the aircraft carrier Shandong, highlighting both symbolic significance and strategic resolve amid escalating geopolitical tensions.

China’s first domestically built aircraft carrier and its fleet arrived in Hong Kong on Thursday morning, embarking on a five-day visit, which is set to include public tours this weekend.

The Shandong is accompanied by three other domestically designed warships – the destroyers Yanan and Zhanjiang, and the frigate Yuncheng – as well as a dozen advanced J-15 carrier fighters and helicopters.

The visit echoes the highly publicised arrival of the Liaoning carrier strike group eight years ago. But according to military analysts and political observers, the Shandong’s visit holds greater significance due to current geopolitical sensitivities and historical context.

“The primary purpose of sending China’s first home-built carrier to Hong Kong is to offer a direct, profound insight into the nation’s comprehensive strength, military modernisation and armed forces development,” said Song Zhongping, a former People’s Liberation Army (PLA) instructor.

The military expert also described the event as “a unique exercise in patriotic and national defence education”.

The timing is also significant as it takes place just weeks ahead of the official 80th anniversary commemorations of the victory in the war against Japan, recalling Hong Kong’s historic role.

Before the Japanese occupation in 1941, the city served as a vital gateway for international aid. During the occupation, the East River Column, a guerilla force put together by the Communist Party to fight the Japanese during the Second World War, maintained steadfast resistance.

The port call aimed to “impress upon the Hong Kong public Beijing’s, or more precisely, the ruling CCP’s [Chinese Communist Party] quest for building what’s termed as the status of a maritime great power”, said Collin Koh, senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies based in Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University.

He added that the visit sent a strong domestic message, countering perceived foreign interference and underscoring Beijing’s authority.

Koh also highlighted the geopolitical resonance of the visit, especially as Britain’s HMS Prince of Wales carrier strike group concluded a week-long deployment to Singapore while notably bypassing the South China Sea.

“It could be seen as a political signal, given Hong Kong’s history as a British colony,” he said.

This shift, from historical visits of British and American carriers to the exclusive presence of Chinese ones, symbolises the changing power dynamics in the region.

After the passage of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act amid the 2019 citywide unrest, Beijing indefinitely suspended US Navy port calls, halting American carrier visits to the city.

The act, signed into law by US President Donald Trump in November 2019 during his first term, mandates annual reviews of Hong Kong’s political autonomy to justify the city’s since-revoked special trade status and empowers Washington to sanction officials deemed to have violated human rights.

Anthony Wong Tong, senior military researcher and president of the Macau International Military Association, said the previous US visits reinforced a “colonial mindset” among some Hong Kong residents.

“To purge lingering colonial sentiments, China’s own carriers must now occupy this symbolic space,” Wong said.

Song, meanwhile, said that eight years ago, the Liaoning made a special trip to Hong Kong, with its preparations largely focused on a display mission.

But the Shandong has arrived in the city in a fully operational posture after a successful dual carrier far-sea combat exercise with the Liaoning in the Western Pacific last month.

It crossed the so-called second island chain for the first time, challenging decades of US strategic containment and military doctrine.

“When touring the battle-ready Shandong, Hong Kong citizens will see the difference,” Song said. “It carries the scent of gunpowder from recent operations, making it appear battle-hardened.”

Hong Kong-based military analyst Leung Kwok-leung highlighted the significance of this operational readiness.

“This speaks volumes about the vessel’s quality and the crew’s high-level training. For me, this is deeply reassuring,” he said.

Leung described the aircraft carrier as “the ultimate symbol of comprehensive national power”, emphasising the opportunity for international observers, including foreign diplomats and, particularly, Taiwanese residents in Hong Kong, to witness the PLA’s strength first-hand.

With tensions rising over Taiwan, the deployment of the Shandong also sends a stark message. While not explicitly linked to any Taiwan-related contingencies, its presence signals preparedness.

“Seeing is believing,” Leung said. “Docking a fully operational carrier in Hong Kong serves as powerful propaganda, countering negative Western narratives more effectively than advertisements in New York’s Times Square.

“Its design philosophy and standard of craftsmanship are now open to direct scrutiny from both Chinese and foreign observers, experts and the general public alike. This demonstrates a high level of strategic confidence and military pride on China’s part.”

Tensions across the Taiwan Strait have surged, particularly after the 2024 election of the island’s leader, William Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing brands a “dangerous separatist”.

Since then, Beijing has intensified military activity around the island, including frequent incursions into Taiwan’s so-called air defence identification zone, while pledging eventual reunification as a core national objective.

Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is committed to providing arms for the island’s self-defence and opposes any use of force to alter the cross-strait status quo.

The rivalry between China and the United States is deepening, with Washington imposing fresh tariffs while continuing the previous administration’s Section 301 investigation aimed at undermining the Asian country’s shipbuilding sector.

Wong said Hong Kong’s significance stems from its traditional role as “a meeting point for Eastern and Western cultures, and its status as an international, open port city.”

“With the trend of ‘the East rising and the West declining’, and the gradual deterioration of Sino-foreign relations, China now knows it can do as it pleases,” he said. “It has evolved to the point where it is using Hong Kong as a platform, an international stage, to project its image as a great power, including its military image.”

Wong added that, from a strictly military perspective, relying on a single vessel to make a breakthrough was unrealistic.

“In terms of tonnage and performance, there is still a considerable gap with the Americans … but in terms of scale, China’s navy is the largest in the world, something even the US cannot afford to ignore,” he said.

“Plus, politically, it sends the message: Do not look down on me any more.”

Wong added that the average person would struggle to grasp the true naval gap between China and the US.

He also said he observed that morale in Hong Kong was currently very low and that the economic environment was poor.

“Nationalism is the most potent tool, and for nationalism, military hardware and weapons provide the best image,” he said.

“Whether they fight well or not is another question, but at least they look impressive now. In the past, you would not even give them a second look … But now, at the very least, they are impressive even without a fight.”

Wong said Beijing also hoped to show people in mainland China that Hong Kong remained prosperous and strong.

“Look at all the patriotic Hong Kong citizens who spontaneously fought online for tickets to see the Shandong. This time, even more Hong Kong people want to see it than when the Liaoning came eight years ago,” he said.

Wong predicted that visits by Chinese aircraft carriers would become a tradition.

“Every new class of aircraft carrier will probably visit Hong Kong,” he said. “You can already see the trend. Hong Kong can probably look forward to the Fujian visiting one day – it is bound to come.”

Rare earth exports should never come between China and EU, Wang Yi says on Europe tour

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3316937/rare-earth-exports-should-never-come-between-china-and-eu-wang-yi-says-europe-tour?utm_source=rss_feed

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has downplayed EU concerns over restrictions on rare earth exports and offered assurances that the needs of European companies will be met if they adhere to proper application procedures.

Controlling dual-use goods was a sovereign right and an international responsibility for all nations, Wang said during a news conference with his German counterpart in Berlin on Thursday. He was responding to a question about European companies’ unease over Beijing’s export controls.

“Rare earth exports have never been – and should never become – an issue between China and Europe,” he said, speaking while on a tour that aims to pave the way for a China-EU summit later this month.

“As long as export control regulations are followed and due procedures fulfilled, the normal needs of European enterprises will be guaranteed.”

China’s policies were in line with international norms and also helped maintain world peace and stability, the top diplomat said, adding that “those who are deliberately hyping the issue” between China and Europe had hidden agendas.

Wang said Chinese authorities had created a “fast-track channel” for European companies.

Last week, China’s Ministry of Commerce said the country had been accelerating its review of rare earth export licence applications and had already approved a number of them.

Ministry spokesman He Yadong said China would further strengthen the review and approval process for such applications and was willing to improve communication and dialogue with relevant countries on export controls while actively allowing compliant trade.

He’s remarks came weeks after the European Union urged China to ease export controls imposed on seven rare earth minerals, which were introduced amid the trade dispute with the United States and had triggered supply chain turmoil, particularly in the car industry.

In a meeting with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao last month, EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic said the issue was a “priority”.

“I informed my Chinese counterpart about the alarming situation in the European car industry, but I would say industries as such because clearly rare earths and permanent magnets are absolutely essential for industrial production,” Sefcovic said at the time.

The EU trade chief also proposed transitioning from the current case-by-case licensing system to an annual bulk approval mechanism for companies, which could reduce bureaucratic delays and ease pressure on affected industries, Sefcovic said.

During their meeting on Thursday, Wang Yi and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul also discussed key global issues, including the Ukraine conflict, Iran’s nuclear programme and the Middle East situation.

The two sides pledged to maintain close communication, improve coordination and push for ceasefires, de-escalation and peaceful conflict resolution, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.

Wang further urged Germany to uphold its commitment to multilateralism and take a leading role in advancing international cooperation.

“This year marks the 50th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic relations. China looks forward to hosting a series of high-level engagements, including the China-EU summit,” Wang said.

“We hope Germany will play an active role within the EU to promote stronger coordination and deeper cooperation between China and Europe, jointly contributing to global governance.”

He said that the more complex the international landscape became, the more essential it was for major countries to improve coordination.

“The greater the risks and challenges we face, the more imperative it is for nations to strengthen cooperation.”

China to levy anti-dumping tariffs on European cognac

https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3316945/china-levy-anti-dumping-tariffs-european-cognac?utm_source=rss_feed

China has decided to levy anti-dumping tariffs on European cognac, mostly produced in France, for the next five years, effective from Saturday.

“There is dumping of related imported brandy from the EU, the domestic brandy industry faces a material threat of injury, and there is a causal relationship between the dumping and the material injury threat. The determined dumping margins range from 27.7 per cent to 34.9 per cent,” China’s Ministry of Commerce said in a statement.

The decision was announced on the day Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was set to visit Paris on his Europe tour, and one day before the July 5 deadline when China’s anti-dumping investigation was supposed to conclude.

There will be no retroactive imposition of anti-dumping duties on imports of the relevant brandy originating from the EU, from October 11 up to and including Friday.

More to follow …

As China, EU eye warmer ties, Brussels seeks to protect its crown jewel - manufacturing

https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3316955/china-eu-eye-warmer-ties-brussels-seeks-protect-its-crown-jewel-manufacturing?utm_source=rss_feed

Hopes for a long-awaited recovery of factory activity in Europe’s manufacturing powerhouse were uplifted this week as a key indicator of the sector’s health surged to a 34-month high in Germany.

But the fact that the country’s manufacturing purchasing managers’ index for June still remained at 49.0 – when a reading below 50 suggests a contraction in the sector – underscores the uphill challenge that Germany is facing in trying to regain growth and past glory in its manufacturing activities.

The data release came as Foreign Minister Wang Yi of China, the world’s largest manufacturer, was halfway through his European tour of Brussels, Berlin and Paris in preparation for the China-EU summit later this month. Both sides are seeking to resolve trade disputes and improve ties amid a reshuffle of global trade dynamics introduced by the United States.

Analysts and industry insiders say that while there is increasing urgency for both China and Europe to seek better ties, the key factor determining the dynamics between Brussels and Beijing is Europe’s underlying concern over China’s threat to the EU’s manufacturing prowess – a jewel in the continent’s crown.

“Europe wants to rebuild its manufacturing sector, so it cannot afford to have a lot of cheap imports from China,” said Sacha Courtial, a researcher specialising in economic governance in Europe and China, at the Paris-based Institut Jacques Delors think tank.

The EU remains one of the world’s biggest manufacturing bases, with a net output of US$2.72 trillion in 2024. That was roughly on the same level as the US, which had an output of US$2.91 trillion, but trailed China’s US$4.66 trillion, according to World Bank data.

Yet, the 27-member bloc is facing multiple challenges related to energy costs and private-sector spending on innovation, amid geopolitical shifts. About half of European companies flagged energy costs as a significant barrier to investment last year, according to findings in the so-called Draghi report published by the European Commission in September.

Philippe Le Corre, head of the Asia Programme at the ESSEC Business School in France, said Europe’s economic situation was problematic, “and today’s generation of young people are wondering about their future – about what they are going to do professionally”.

Meanwhile, Courtial said, the EU has adopted a more realistic approach towards its trade relations, with a heavier focus on building and protecting its own industries, especially in areas where it aims to catch up, such as electric vehicles (EVs).

“If China continues to export … as it does today, Europe will automatically create systems of barriers to ensure a levelled playing field,” he said, specifically pointing to EVs.

European exports to China made up 8.3 per cent of the EU’s total exports in 2024, while its imports from China made up 21.3 per cent of its total imports – 97 per cent of the EU’s imports from China are manufactured goods, according to official EU data.

Europe is likely to continue asking Chinese companies to produce more in Europe and with European partners, to protect manufacturing on the continent, but unlike Americans, the Europeans will do so in accordance with World Trade Organization regulations, Courtial said.

“I know that, from Beijing’s point of view, it’s complicated because China will perceive this as Europe following the United States – putting up barriers to its market – when it’s not the same thing,” he said.

The European automotive supply industry perfectly showcases this concern, as it faces a multilayered storm: declining car sales across the continent, Europe’s slow embrace of EVs, and increasing competition from Chinese EV makers.

“There is a lack of demand in Europe, and suppliers are impacted because carmakers are cutting costs,” said Beatrix Keim, director of Centre Automotive Research, a German automotive think tank. “It’s a downward spiral.”

Annual passenger car sales in the EU dropped from 13 million in 2019 to 10.6 million in 2024, as the European market never recovered to its pre-pandemic peak, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association.

Up to 62 per cent of European suppliers are grappling with overcapacity and unsustainable fixed costs, according to a recent report published by the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (EAAS). It said that, in the first three months of the year, the sector announced 10,000 job cuts, and that “the next wave of job losses is imminent”.

And three-quarters of the bloc’s automotive suppliers were expecting profit margins below 5 per cent for 2025 – a crucial threshold considered the minimum needed to sustain long-term investments, according to the EAAS report.

German companies, which have benefited handsomely from the Chinese market, are now facing fierce competition from China’s rising EV brands, adding to their struggles, according to Stefan Bratzel, director of the Centre of Automotive Management, another German think tank.

“Now that Chinese EV makers are coming to Europe, it will be another challenge to European suppliers,” he said.

Analysts say China needs a new way of doing business with the EU – one in which Chinese investments aim to not only expand their presence in the European markets, but also to create job opportunities in EU countries while helping their companies advance.

“The question is whether China, which has benefited quite a lot from European investment in China and technology transfers, is capable of going in the opposite direction and participating in the re-industrialisation of Europe with Chinese capital,” Le Corre said.

Foreign Minister Wang, in a meeting with EU representatives in Brussels on Wednesday, urged the bloc to “truly foster a rational understanding” of China.

“China and Europe have different histories, cultures and values. We should not regard each other as opponents just because of differences, nor should we seek confrontation just because of disagreements,” Wang told the EU delegation led by the bloc’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas.

“Europe is currently facing various challenges, but none of them came from China in the past, present or future.”

---

South China Sea: US aircraft carrier marks American commitment but also ‘crowded’ region

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3316925/south-china-sea-us-aircraft-carrier-marks-american-commitment-also-crowded-region?utm_source=rss_feed

The presence of the USS George Washington aircraft carrier in the South China Sea this week and its port call at Manila signals renewed American commitment to the Philippines, though observers warn that Beijing could view the move as a “containment” effort and ramp up its own naval activity in the disputed waters.

Flight deck operations were opened to the media aboard the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered vessel, with commanding officer Captain Timothy Waits telling reporters his ship’s mission marked the United States' focus on a free and open Indo-Pacific.

“We know the importance of this theatre or this region. It’s a vast region, many nations. Most of them will be on the coastline. The importance of the open and free sea lanes, just from a commercial aspect alone, is important to them. It’s important to us. And in that way, we share those values so that our being out here,” he said on Wednesday.

Currently docked off Manila Bay, the presence of the US vessel comes just days after China deployed two of its own aircraft carriers to the Western Pacific for military drills.

The exercises prompted senior leaders, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Japan’s Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, to raise serious concerns over the situation in the East and South China Seas.

Beijing claims most of the South China Sea, rejecting rival claims from other countries, including the Philippines, and a 2016 international ruling that its assertion over the waterway has no legal basis.

Last month, Manila accused China’s coastguard of water canoeing a civilian vessel from the Philippines’ Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources while delivering supplies to Filipino fishers near Scarborough Shoal – one of several contested areas in the South China Sea.

Observers note that the USS George Washington’s presence is to reassure regional partners that maintaining “free and open” sea lines remains an American priority.

Vina Nadjibulla, vice-president of research and strategy at the Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada, told This Week in Asia that the aircraft carrier’s visit signalled Washington’s commitment to the region despite crises in the Middle East and Europe.

She added that the move was consistent with a steady uptick in US–Philippines defence cooperation, such as expanded access to Philippine bases under the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement, larger Balikatan or joint exercises, and more frequent joint patrols.

“Beijing will view the port call as further evidence of US containment and justification for China’s stepped-up naval activity, including ‘grey-zone’ tactics designed to pressure US regional allies,” she warned.

Dr Anita Abbott, chair of New Zealand-based Asia-Pacific Security Innovation Forum, shared the same view, saying: “Interestingly, the port call occurred with the presence of [mainland] China’s Shandong aircraft carrier in Hong Kong. So this also demonstrates the US message of deterrence and freedom of navigation.”

Muhammad Faizal Abdul Rahman, a research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said the American message was more than just about regular patrols and commitment to allies.

“Commitment has to be demonstrated through appropriate power projection to maintain or alter the balance of power. In that regard, the US would realise that it has to deploy more resources to counter the permanent presence of China’s aircraft carriers in the region,” he told This Week in Asia.

He noted growing doubts about the US security commitment to the region, citing the USS Nimitz’s cancelled June visit to Vietnam’s Da Nang and its redeployment to the Middle East, which some see as prioritising Israel over regional allies.

“This perception is reinforced by the recent cancellation of US State Secretary Marco Rubio’s visit to South Korea and Japan to focus on the Middle East,” Muhammad Faizal said.

Abbott said the region could expect counter moves from China: “We will, consequently and expectedly, see the increase of China’s naval deployment to contest the presence of the US … So, you can see the pattern here; signalling and counter signalling, deterring and counter deterring.”

Muhammad Faizal agreed, saying: “This could buttress Chinese thinking that the PLA Navy should conduct more combat drills at the near and far seas to improve the operational capabilities of its aircraft carrier battle groups.”

Last month, Beijing launched a military drill in the Western Pacific and near Japan’s easternmost islands, involving two of its aircraft carriers – the Shandong and Liaoning. The drills focused on reconnaissance and early warning, defensive and counterstrike operations, anti-surface assaults, air defence and day-and-night tactical flights.

Nadjibulla said Beijing often scheduled port calls or drills to counter-message US moves, and Shandong’s arrival in Hong Kong allowed it to showcase its own blue-water capabilities to a domestic and regional audience.

“The back-to-back images of duelling carrier diplomacy underscore how crowded – and contested – the regional maritime landscape has become,” she said.

In 2014, the USS George Washington took part in joint naval exercises with the Philippine Navy where both sides rehearsed ship manoeuvring, communications, and gunnery operations.

The USS George Washington and its strike group first visited the Philippines in 2013, providing crucial humanitarian assistance and disaster relief following Typhoon Haiyan, which left over 6,000 dead.

Chinese model lured to Myanmar with scam job rescued after sister raises alarm in Thailand

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3316960/chinese-model-lured-myanmar-scam-job-rescued-after-sister-raises-alarm-thailand?utm_source=rss_feed

A Chinese model from the southern province of Guangdong has been rescued from Myanmar after he was lured with the pretext of an overseas work opportunity last month, according to the Chinese embassy in Thailand.

“The Chinese citizen surnamed Zhong has been rescued under the collaborative efforts of all parties,” the embassy said in a statement on Friday.

“We once again warn Chinese citizens to beware of overseas ‘high-paying job’ scams. Foreign nationals need proper work permits for employment in Thailand,” it said.

After landing at Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok in the early hours on June 9, Zhong, who had travelled to Thailand supposedly to shoot a magazine cover, went missing, state broadcaster CCTV said.

The 25-year-old had accepted a job offer from his former employer, who had claimed the work was in Thailand.

On June 13, Zhong made a video call to his sister and said he had been tricked into going to Myanmar.

On the morning of July 3, his sister posted details of the incident on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, sharing their chat history and Zhong’s travel information, in the hope of getting help and raising public awareness about her brother’s plight.

Zhong’s sister said his exact location was not revealed and he was apparently under surveillance. She told media contact was lost after the June 13 call in which her brother had appeared frightened.

She said she had immediately reported the matter to the police and had travelled to Thailand to get help from local police and the Chinese embassy. Police in both countries investigated.

Telecoms fraud in several southeastern Asian countries is an increasing problem, with many people, including from China, lured abroad through offers of overseas travel or high-paying jobs in recent years. Victims are tricked into going to Thailand, Laos and neighbouring countries before being trafficked into compounds in Myanmar where they disappear.

In January, Chinese actor Wang Xing was kidnapped and sent to a Myanmar compound after being lured with the promise of filming in Thailand. His girlfriend quickly pieced together his timeline and posted it to Weibo seeking help, ultimately leading to his rescue.

After his return, the circulation of Wang’s image showing a shaved head and hollow stare sparked widespread discussion about suspected abuse.

The Civil Society Network for Human Trafficking Victims Assistance, a Thailand-based non-governmental organisation, estimates that at least 6,000 victims from 21 countries – including nearly 4,000 Chinese citizens – are being held in Myawaddy, southern Myanmar, by fraud-trafficking gangs.

The United Nations’ Human Rights Office reported in 2023 that at least 120,000 people across Myanmar might have been forced into online scams via transit points in countries such as Thailand, Laos and the Philippines.

Cochlear takes fast lane as it brings new hearing device to Chinese market

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3316832/cochlear-takes-fast-lane-it-brings-new-hearing-device-chinese-market?utm_source=rss_feed

With a growing number of Chinese affected by hearing loss, an Australian implant maker is leveraging the special medical tourism zone in Hainan to provide faster access to its latest device.

Cochlear introduced its new smart system in China in June, making the country one of the first global markets to launch the technology – through Hainan, the southern island province, and Hong Kong.

Introducing it via the Boao Lecheng international medical tourism pilot zone has meant patients can receive implants in the initial launch phase instead of waiting years for the foreign medical device to enter the Chinese market.

Unlike hearing aids that amplify sound, the implant bypasses damaged hair cells in the inner ear and directly stimulates the auditory nerve with electrical signals from an external processor equipped with a noise-cancelling microphone.

Chief technology officer Jan Janssen said the implant best helped users with severe and profound hearing loss for whom traditional hearing aids were no longer effective.

“Merely amplifying or cleaning up the sound … is no longer delivering an optimal [solution] for the user,” he said. “It is because the hair cells that transfer incoming acoustic vibrations into stimulation of the hearing nerve are no longer functioning, or too many of them are damaged.”

He said after an implant operation, it could take a few weeks to several months for the brain to relearn hearing and adapt to converting electrical stimulation into speech comprehension.

In a new upgrade, the implant is equipped with internal memory and upgradeable firmware – meaning it can receive software updates throughout its design lifetime of 75 years and measure how nerves respond to stimulation.

Janssen said the new internal memory stored a copy of a patient’s stimulation needs, which was previously only kept in the external sound processor.

“For people who have received the Cochlear implant, losing the processor, which happens quite regularly, or if it is broken or a dog is chewing on it, would mean an emergency,” he said.

“Imagine that you are a professional who relies on spoken communication. You probably have to put everything that you’re doing for the rest of the day on hold until you hear again.”

He said that in the past the wearer would have to seek help from an audiologist to set up a new processor, but the new system meant a replacement processor could be couriered to or picked up by the user “who will be back on air in 20 seconds” once they put it on.

Hearing loss is a growing public health concern in China. Around 40 per cent of the Chinese population – or 561 million people – will have hearing loss by 2034, Harbin Medical University researchers projected last year.

In 2019, nearly 430 million people in China experienced hearing loss, with more than 95 million having moderate-to-complete hearing loss, according to the study published in the peer-reviewed journal Public Health.

The researchers said ageing was a key factor in hearing loss for adults, while ear infections were the main cause for children aged under 10.

In older adults, losing the ability to hear has been linked to social isolation, depression and a higher risk of falling, among other health issues.

Hearing loss has also been identified as a risk factor for dementia. While the condition is often untreated, scientists have found growing evidence that treating hearing loss decreases the risk of dementia, according to the 2024 Lancet Commission on dementia.

The researchers recommended to “make hearing aids accessible for people with hearing loss and decrease harmful noise exposure to reduce hearing loss”.

In a 2022 study, Fudan University researchers in Shanghai found that hearing impairment was related to cognitive decline, brain atrophy and accumulation of tau protein, a hallmark pathology of Alzheimer’s disease.

Around 50,000 people in China have received the Cochlear implant since the company entered the Chinese market 30 years ago – accounting for more than half the implant recipients in the country, according to the company.

But that is only a fraction of those who might benefit from a hearing implant.

Li Xinyu, general manager of Cochlear China, said the company estimated that at least 10 million people in the country experienced severe, profound and complete hearing loss, and that number was expected to rise given the rapidly ageing population.

“The penetration is very low,” Li said. “We hope, as an industry with all the relevant key stakeholders being aligned and engaged, we can fast-track China’s progress in terms of cochlear implant penetration percentage to be close enough to advanced countries’ level [at] about 10 to 15 per cent in the next five to 10 years.”

Around 10.5 per cent of potentially eligible adults in Australia have received cochlear implants, according to a paper published by scientists at the Ear Science Institute Australia in May.

Li said the high uptake of hearing implants in children in China created a “parallel world” compared to the low levels seen in adults.

Thanks to nationwide newborn hearing screening and financial support, the proportion of hearing-impaired students in mainstream education grew from a quarter to more than half from 2001 to 2020, according to an article published in February in the China CDC Weekly.

More than 10 regions – including Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang – have gradually included cochlear implants in their basic medical insurance coverage, the research team led by Shanghai Jiao Tong University said.

“The first centralised procurement programme will significantly reduce cochlear implant costs from over 200,000 yuan (US$27,915) to approximately 50,000 yuan after March 2025, substantially improving intervention accessibility for hearing-impaired newborns,” they said.

Li said Hainan’s special health zone “significantly shortens” the delay in China receiving the latest medical technologies compared to Western countries. For now, those who wish to receive the new implant will have to travel to Hainan for the one-hour operation.

“It is certainly a very powerful platform companies can leverage in terms of accelerating new product introduction, especially the latest global technology, into China,” Li said.

He said Chinese regulatory approval usually came at least two years after approvals were granted by the European Union, United States and Australia.

“Launching products first in the special zone gives us the opportunity to prepare our clinical atlas ... which is typically required by the National Medical Products Administration for the mainland approval.”

China reacts to US-Vietnam trade deal, Philippines’ tourism woes: SCMP’s 7 highlights

https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3316785/china-reacts-us-vietnam-trade-deal-philippines-tourism-woes-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed

We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider .

Chinese manufacturers in Vietnam breathed a sigh of relief on Wednesday, after Washington and Hanoi agreed a “better than expected” trade deal that will reduce US tariffs to 20 per cent and bring an end to three months of uncertainty.

When Beijing stages a grand military parade this autumn, observers will be watching for signals being sent towards Taiwan, with both military hardware and historical connections sending both public and political messages.

China may be on the verge of placing another lucrative order with European aerospace giant Airbus, potentially for at least 100 to 200 new aircraft – even as some Chinese airlines remain heavily reliant on US rival Boeing’s jets.

A viral social media thread lamenting the Philippines’ seventh-place ranking for tourist arrivals in Southeast Asia has sparked soul-searching among Filipinos, who blame poor infrastructure, high costs and weak accessibility – even as experts say the country is quietly shifting towards a more sustainable, higher-value model of tourism.

A 36-year-old Hong Kong seafood restaurant chain has abruptly shut down its last remaining branch, leaving about 50 employees in limbo as they sought to recover about HK$6 million (US$764,000) in unpaid wages and dismissal compensation.

In a study of crab-eating macaques, the team from China and the United States found that a gradual deficiency in a protein vital to receptor cells in the ear was a characteristic of cochlear ageing in primates.

Police in northeastern China are investigating the case of a China Southern Airlines captain who stabbed two of his colleagues before jumping to his death on Tuesday.

---

China’s Shandong aircraft carrier welcomes hundreds of eager guests in Hong Kong

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3316904/chinas-shandong-aircraft-carrier-welcomes-hundreds-eager-guests-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed

Hundreds of guests have embarked on a special tour of the Shandong in Hong Kong, getting a rare chance to explore the Chinese 70,000-tonne aircraft carrier and its fleet.

China’s first home-grown aircraft carrier arrived in the city on Thursday for a five-day port call, accompanied by missile destroyers Yanan and Zhanjiang, and the missile frigate Yuncheng, as well as a dozen advanced J-15 carrier fighters and helicopters.

Students and their adult companions, including visitors from across the border and Macau, gathered in Mei Foo and Central on Friday to catch connecting shuttles to get aboard the warships docked on Stonecutters Island and at the western anchorage of Victoria Harbour.

Among those queuing were students from Ilha Verde Secondary School of the Macau Commercial Association, who crossed the border in the morning.

“We are very honoured as we are among the only three schools from Macau which have this opportunity,” teacher Lai Heng-na said. “Through this trip, we hope to let students see what an aircraft carrier really looks like and improve their sense of belonging to the country.”

She also said that the students were especially excited to see the fighter jets.

Lee Ming-yau, a Form Four pupil at Sheng Kung Hui Tsang Shiu Tim Secondary School, said that her group, Association of Hong Kong Flag-Guards, was invited to visit the Ngong Shuen Chau Barracks on Stonecutters Island.

“I’m very much looking forward to it. I hope to see the equipment and perhaps some drills by soldiers,” she said.

But Lee said she was told to keep her activities inside the barracks secret.

Members of the Junior Police Call and the Rehabilitation Pioneer Project were also seen queuing at the bus stop.

One member, surnamed Chui, said she was very excited to visit the vessels.

While she had no idea of the detailed activities, she said the group was going to visit the frigate Yuncheng and destroyer Zhanjiang.

According to mainland Chinese media, Hong Kong students will go on a special tour of the Shandong.

The event is part of the five-day visit of the Shandong and its fleet, with the carrier hosting a series of open tours and cultural exchange activities in the city until Monday.

The tour will be followed by a national defence-themed lecture delivered by the fleet’s officers at the barracks.

Anchored outside Victoria Harbour in the west, the Shandong will open to the general public on Saturday, while the Zhanjiang and Yuncheng will receive visitors on Sunday at Stonecutters Island.

The 10,000 free tickets distributed by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)’s Hong Kong Garrison for the tours were snapped up within one minute, including 2,000 for the Shandong.

The Shandong, commissioned in 2019, is China’s first independently designed, built and equipped aircraft carrier, marking the navy’s official entry into a new era at the forefront of global naval power.

The Shandong is the first Chinese carrier to call at Hong Kong since the Liaoning visited in July 2017 to mark the 20th anniversary of the handover.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong police arrested a 35-year-old man on Thursday night in Tsing Yi on suspicion of violating the Small Unmanned Aircraft Order by operating a drone.

The force said during the operation, officers confiscated the drone while the arrested man was being held for questioning.

Police also reminded the public that as the Shandong fleet was visiting Hong Kong until Monday, a temporary restricted flying zone had been established around the East Lamma Channel, the western anchorage of Victoria Harbour, and the Tathong Channel.

---

Chinese woman suffers 6cm scar on chin after botched fat-grafting cosmetic work

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3315959/chinese-woman-suffers-6cm-scar-chin-after-botched-fat-grafting-cosmetic-work?utm_source=rss_feed

A woman in eastern China is seeking one million yuan (US$140,000) in compensation from a cosmetic surgery clinic after a botched procedure left her with a six-centimetre-long scar on her chin.

The woman, identified as Ding, who lives in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, underwent a fat-grafting operation on her face in South Korea several years ago, after which her face became swollen.

She then had facial liposuction surgery at a clinic in Beijing, which slightly relieved the problem, the Yangtze Evening News reports.

At the beginning of this year, Ding saw the Xuzhou Yumei Cosmetic Surgery Institute in Jiangsu advertised.

The company boasted that it had patents for chin repair and promised it could return Ding’s to its original appearance.

In February, she underwent chin repair surgery at the institute, which cost 20,000 yuan (US$3,000).

However, three days later, her chin developed massive blisters.

A doctor at the clinic told Ding it was normal and sent her some ointment.

The problem worsened, with the wound splitting wider and scabs forming.

When Ding visited the institute days later, a doctor used scissors to cut away the scabs before applying more ointment.

The doctor told Ding to deal with the wound the same way when she got home, assuring her it would heal soon.

Ding followed the advice, but the wound became swollen and festered.

When Ding sent photographs of her chin to the clinic, they claimed it was “a normal situation” and urged her to stick to their advice.

After six months, her condition had still not improved.

Ding went to a major hospital in Nanjing where doctors found her wound had become severely infected.

They also told her that the advice the institute had given her was mistaken and dangerous.

Her wound was stitched up and the whole process left a six-centimetre scar.

“This incident has destroyed my life,” Ding was quoted as saying.

She said she was tortured physically and mentally, and as a result, she was forced to close down her company and lay off all her employees. Her boyfriend also broke up with her.

Ding said she dares not look in the mirror and has to wear a face mask when she leaves home. She also suffers from depression.

She reported her case to the health supervision authority in Xuzhou, which is investigating.

Ding is seeking one million yuan from the Xuzhou Yumei Cosmetic Surgery Institute.

Human heart structure beats 21 days in pig embryo, Chinese chimera research team says

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3316851/human-heart-structure-beats-21-days-pig-embryo-says-chinese-chimera-research-team?utm_source=rss_feed

Chinese scientists have, for the first time, cultivated a beating heart structure with human cells in a pig embryo, reporting that the heart continued to beat for 21 days unaided.

The study, led by Lai Liangxue’s team from the Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was announced at the International Society for Stem Cell Research’s annual meeting in Hong Kong on June 12.

Previously, the team had cultivated human kidneys in pigs for up to 28 days.

According to a report in Nature on June 13, the team reprogrammed human stem cells by introducing genes to prevent cell death and improve their survival in pigs.

At the early blastocyst stage – early in pregnancy when a ball of cells forms – they implanted pre-modified human stem cells into pig embryos, which were then transferred to surrogate sows.

Researchers observed embryonic hearts growing to a human-equivalent size, comparable to a fingertip, at the same developmental stage – and still beating, according to the Nature report.

Using prelabelled luminescent biomarkers, the researchers reported detecting light from human cells coinciding with an embryonic heartbeat.

Nature quoted Lai as saying that modified embryos developed typically sized beating hearts, but the report did not say what proportion of the hearts were human cells.

The embryos survived only 21 days. Lai suggested at the meeting, “human cells may disrupt pig heart function”.

In September 2023, Lai’s team generated early human kidneys in pig embryos with 70 per cent human cells, in a study featured as a cover story in Cell Stem Cell.

Their technology could revolutionise organ transplants. However, clinical applications may take years to develop.

At the same conference, a research team led by Shen Xiling from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre announced it had integrated human cells into mouse embryo intestines, livers and even brains.

Unlike the technical approach used by Lai’s team, the Anderson Cancer Centre team first reprogrammed human stem cells and directly cultivated organoids – or miniature versions of organs grown from stem cells – of the intestine, liver and brain in culture dishes.

One month post-birth, around 10 per cent of mice had human intestinal cells; incorporation into the liver and brain was lower.

Transplants treat organ failure, but accessibility is limited by a shortage of donor organs.

Pigs are suitable donors because they have anatomical similarities to humans, but immune responses that cause human rejection prevent their direct use. Growing human organs in pigs offers a potential solution.

This research direction is known as human-animal chimeras, referring to the combination of human and animal cells or tissues within a single organism. However, research on human-animal chimeras has sparked ethical controversies.

China introduced regulations last year, stating that human cell transplants into non-human animals for research purposes could only be conducted when other methods could not resolve the research issues.

At the conference, Stanford University’s Hiromitsu Nakauchi urged further analysis to confirm human origin of the cells in the pig embryo experiment, noting that the localisation of fluorescent cells in the heart made integration with pig cells unclear.

Hideki Masaki of the Institute of Science Tokyo added: “For transplantable hearts, organs must be exclusively human to prevent immune rejection.”

On June 16, Nature published commentary that alluded to prospects in the field: “Human-animal chimeras are an exciting yet challenging area of research. Human cells are coaxed to grow in animal embryos, allowing researchers to study human tissue development. The long-term goal is to grow human organs that can be harvested for transplantation.”

As China vows once again to tackle solar panel oversupply, will this time be different?

https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3316893/china-vows-once-again-tackle-solar-panel-oversupply-will-time-be-different?utm_source=rss_feed

China has vowed to reduce excessive competition and oversupply in its solar photovoltaic (PV) industry, which is continuing to explore global markets.

Industry and Information Technology Minister Li Lecheng told 14 representatives from solar PV manufacturers and industry associations on Thursday that the “industry must be governed in accordance with laws and regulations, and disorderly low-price competition should be comprehensively addressed”, the ministry said in a statement released after their meeting in Beijing.

“Companies should be guided to improve product quality, promote the orderly phase-out of outdated production capacity, and achieve healthy and sustainable development,” Li said.

On Tuesday, at a meeting of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission, the country’s top economic decision-making body, President Xi Jinping took aim at “disorderly low-price competition” and ordered the removal of excess industrial capacity.

At Thursday’s meeting with Li, PV industry representatives talked about the difficulties they faced in production, innovation and competition, and offered suggestions for possible policy support, the ministry said.

Li urged those present to have a “comprehensive and objective view of the development landscape of the photovoltaic industry” to “further consolidate and enhance” China’s advantages in the industry.

China has become the world’s dominant PV manufacturer in the past decade. A report by the International Energy Agency in July 2022 said the country was home to the world’s top 10 suppliers of solar PV manufacturing equipment and its market share in all the manufacturing stages of solar panels – from polysilicon, ingots and wafers to cells and modules – exceeded 80 per cent.

Its success has significantly reduced the cost of solar energy and helped China expand rapidly in the sector. The country installed a record-breaking 277 gigawatts of solar energy last year. Together with wind capacity, they accounted for 42 per cent of China’s total installed power capacity, surpassing coal for the first time, according to a report from German clean energy think tank Agora Energiewende.

Sacha Courtial, a China researcher at the French think tank Jacques Delors Institutes, said Europe had accepted China’s dominance in solar PV manufacturing and had moved on to pursue opportunities in solar energy installation and maintenance.

However, China has also been struggling to fix overcapacity concerns in its PV manufacturing industry.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has made multiple attempts to guide the industry to scale down production.

Late last year it published a revised solar PV industry standard with the aim of forcing “the accelerated exit of outdated production capacity to reduce excessive internal competition within the industry”.

What to expect as 2 Chinese universities founded by tycoons enrol first undergraduates

https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3316818/what-expect-two-chinese-universities-founded-tycoons-enrol-first-undergraduates?utm_source=rss_feed

As China’s university admissions season kicks off, some newly established, tycoon-funded universities are attracting national attention as they enrol their first undergraduate students.

Fuyao University of Science and Technology (FYUST) founded in Fuzhou, Fujian province, by glass tycoon Cao Dewang, and Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT), founded in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, by semiconductor magnate Yu Renrong, will welcome their first undergraduates this summer.

They are part of a new form of philanthropic endeavour among Chinese entrepreneurs that is focused on promoting China’s national strategy of “scientific self-reliance” through education.

Industry observers and parents predict that the research-focused institutions may soon rival top public universities in selectivity. Though still trailing elite institutions such as Beijing’s Tsinghua and Peking universities, their appeal is becoming apparent.

“These founders are some of the most high-profile entrepreneurs and billionaires in China right now, so it’s no surprise that parents and students are paying close attention,” said Kent Cai, founder of Zhejiang Newway, an international education consultancy in Zhejiang. “Many are wondering whether they should be among the first to take the plunge.

“With only a few dozen spots available, the admission scores are expected to be competitive.”

Simon Zhao, an associate dean at Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College, said: “The first few cohorts must benefit from being pioneers, but long-term success depends on whether they can consistently cultivate high-level research talent at scale.”

China has approved the establishment of several similar universities in key economic hubs in recent years, including Westlake University in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, and Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology and Greater Bay University in Dongguan, both in Guangdong province. They all emphasise research core fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductor chips and intelligent manufacturing.

FYUST will enrol 50 undergraduate students and offer majors in computer science, intelligent manufacturing, vehicle engineering and materials science – fields closely aligned with national strategic priorities.

EIT aims to recruit around 70 undergraduate students, focusing on AI, integrated circuits, intelligent manufacturing and mathematics.

Both universities tout global faculty, cutting-edge laboratories and generous financial aid. FYUST will charge just 5,460 yuan (US$762) in annual tuition fees, while EIT’s inaugural students will receive full scholarships valued at 96,000 yuan.

At EIT’s recent open day, assistant professor Huang Yuanlong said that undergraduate students could join top Chinese research teams as soon as they enrol. “The batteries used in future electric vehicles may come from our solid-state battery lab,” he said.

The new wave of billionaire-backed education initiatives is a direct response to China’s pressing demand for talent in critical technological fields.

The Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily reported in March that the domestic semiconductor industry faces a talent shortfall of 300,000 people. Data from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security indicates a gap of over 5 million AI professionals, with a supply-to-demand ratio of just 1:10.

Still, concerns linger. Some families remain wary of careers outside the public sector, and experts caution that it will take time for new universities to gain social recognition and prove their long-term sustainability.

“These private universities are suited for students from well-off families who are truly committed to research,” said Levi Tan from southern China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

His nephew opted for a public university in Shenzhen, despite scoring high enough in the national college entrance exam to be admitted to one of the new universities. “For a big number of Chinese families whose children aim to become civil servants or work in state-owned enterprises, these schools still carry uncertainty,” Tan said.

Zhao said that because the newly established universities had yet to produce any graduates, their quality was yet to be proved, adding that “it will take time to earn broad social recognition.”

He said the founders’ willingness and capacity for sustained investment would be crucial to the universities’ future: “There’s still a long way to go for the investors.”

The rise of private universities comes as China’s higher education sector faces demographic headwinds.

This year’s national college entrance exam had 13.35 million registrants, down from a record 13.42 million last year and the first decline in nearly eight years. But only 9.54 million births were recorded last year, pointing to empty lecture theatres down the track.

The full impact of the demographic decline on university admissions across the country is expected to be felt from around 2037.

Against that backdrop, the rise of institutions like FYUST and EIT is more than just a personal experiment by the tycoons, Zhao said, because its offers a revealing case study of China’s higher education reform.

But he said that whether such universities can blaze a new trail for private education and produce the next generation of technology leaders remains to be seen.

China urged to restore local fiscal capabilities with 30-trillion-yuan debt swap

https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3316839/china-urged-restore-local-fiscal-capabilities-30-trillion-yuan-debt-swap?utm_source=rss_feed

China should issue 30 trillion yuan (US$4.2 trillion) in treasury bonds to swap local governments’ hidden liabilities to re-energise growth momentum and cut off financial risks at their root, a Beijing-based think tank has proposed.

Such a move, combined with a few trillion yuan worth of additional bonds to shore up the property market, boost consumption and remove excessive industrial capacity, would be a strong step toward resolving China’s local-level debt and real estate crises once and for all, according to a report released by Tsinghua University’s Academic Centre for Chinese Economic Practice and Thinking (Accept).

“The economy is beginning to show signs of stabilisation, but significant risks still remain beneath the surface,” Liu Peilin, the centre’s chief research fellow, said while discussing the report at a macroeconomic forum hosted by the institute on Wednesday. “At the root of the problem is high local government debt, which has disrupted economic and financial operations.

“What’s needed is a comprehensive policy package – more specifically, a package of more proactive fiscal measures.”

China rolled out a 12 trillion yuan (US$1.67 trillion) debt swap in late 2024 – a move that significantly eased the repayment pressure on local authorities, as the Ministry of Finance had identified a total of 14.3 trillion yuan in local government hidden debts by the end of 2023.

However, there are still tens of trillions of yuan worth of local-level debt unidentified by the ministry as government liabilities, but they remain a ticking debt bomb because they are owed by state-owned enterprises, local financing vehicles or exist in other forms.

According to Liu, the large-scale debt-swap plan would not raise China’s overall leverage ratio, as the debt is already on the books. It would simply involve the central government issuing bonds to assume the liabilities from local governments, effectively shifting the debt burden to a different entity.

Meanwhile, the move would also allow high-cost debt to be replaced with lower-interest bonds, which could help revive economic activity.

Specifically, the report proposed issuing 4 trillion yuan in treasury bonds to clear unsold housing inventory by converting it into affordable housing, as well as trillion-yuan bonds to help absorb industrial overcapacity and to boost domestic consumption.

“If the 4 trillion yuan treasury bonds are issued to buy half of the real estate inventory and convert it into affordable housing for migrant workers, it would effectively revitalise the property market,” Li Daokui, director of Accept and a former adviser to China’s central bank, said at the same forum.

China’s economy has maintained an upwards momentum in 2025, with GDP growing by 5.4 per cent in the first quarter. Despite US tariff hikes, China’s export growth stood at 7.2 per cent during the January-May period.

However, with a weak job market, particularly for the youngest workers, as well as a staggering real estate sector, deflationary pressures and declining manufacturing profits due to intense competition, economists at the forum warned that the economy still faces significant long-term risks.

The fiscal capabilities of provincial and municipal governments, in the face of falling land-sale revenue and rising expenditure responsibilities, remain a concern, and the Tsinghua centre called for a change in the financing model.

Since local governments typically borrow funds for long-term infrastructure projects and then face shorter repayment terms, this is especially challenging for them, because land-sale income and tax revenue have sharply declined amid the prolonged property woes. As a result, they have to collect extra fees and increase non-tax revenues to maintain operations and pay off the debt.

Such a pattern – in which local governments face short-term pressure to repay public debt – should shift to a “public finance” model, where safe and liquid instruments such as treasury bonds are used to fund infrastructure projects, Accept director Li said.

“Treasury bonds are even safer than holding cash, and this is exactly what China’s financial system needs most,” Li added. “Yet, the volume of government bonds is far from sufficient, accounting for just over 25 per cent of GDP.”

He said China should embrace the concept of “public finance” and move away from the mindset of managing the national accounts like a cash register: i.e. treating each transaction in isolation, trying to cover debts in the short term, and rushing to repay as soon as funds are needed.

“Issuing ultra-long-term treasury bonds allows us to roll over the debt when it matures,” Li said. “This is how the state should manage its accounts and long-term investments, especially in infrastructure – through financial instruments.”