China has moved to consolidate its influence in Latin America by strengthening political and economic ties with Cuba and Uruguay, while adopting a markedly firmer stance toward Panama amid a growing dispute over strategic infrastructure. The contrasting approaches underline Beijing’s efforts to secure
China’s ruling Communist Party is rapidly intensifying its ability to monitor and shape the behavior of its population as new research shows artificial intelligence is being deeply woven into nationwide systems of surveillance and censorship. A new report from the Australian Strategic Policy
Party journal signals stronger policy intervention China’s leadership is being urged to take a more forceful and coordinated approach to stabilising the country’s struggling property market, according to a new commentary published by Qiushi, the Communist Party’s leading theoretical publication. The article calls
Cities Take a Preventive Approach As the year draws to a close, authorities across multiple Chinese cities have moved to curb large scale New Year’s Eve countdown events, citing public safety and order as their top priorities. Police departments issued coordinated notices stating
A Modest Tax Cut Aimed at Boosting Activity China has introduced fresh tax relief for the housing market by lowering value added tax on individual home resales starting January 1. The move is designed to reduce transaction costs and encourage market activity at
Five taxi drivers in Hong Kong have been arrested over allegations that they exploited a free ride initiative meant to assist victims of a recent residential fire. The arrests have raised concerns about abuse of emergency relief measures and highlighted the challenges authorities
For frequent travelers across Asia, air travel is no longer only about delays or lost luggage. A quieter but increasingly troubling threat has taken hold inside aircraft cabins themselves. In-flight theft, particularly targeting passengers’ carry-on belongings, has become a recurring concern on regional
A Hong Kong property manager who exploited his position of trust to siphon tens of millions of dollars from a residential estate has been sentenced to 18 years in prison. The case has drawn widespread attention for both the scale of the fraud
China’s highest judicial authority has signaled a clear shift in how the country approaches digital transactions and virtual assets. The Supreme People’s Court of China has stressed the need to strengthen and modernize laws governing digital currencies and virtual property, responding to a
A shift away from debt driven infrastructure growth Several Chinese cities are facing delays to planned subway expansions as central authorities tighten oversight on public spending and local government debt. Analysts say the slowdown reflects a broader policy shift away from the debt
