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Belt and Road Initiative

Belt and Road Initiative
The initiative spearheaded by the Chinese government and endorsed by President Xi Jinping in late 2013 aims to improve trade and economic integration across Asia, Europe, and Africa.
Senior European Union official Brian Glynn (left) speaks at the Forte de Copacabana International Security Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Tuesday, as German lawmaker Roland Theis listens. Photo: SCMP
US-China relations

EU in Latin America touts itself as ‘just’ partner amid US-China rivalry

Speaking in Brazil and aiming bloc’s message at Global South, senior envoy also extols shared agenda for green and digital transition.

China-Africa relations

Egypt is replacing Cairo – and China is helping build the new capital

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Education in Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s education hub ambitions take centre stage in US, UK visits

Solar energy

Solar power boom in Pakistan undercuts coal-fired plants built by China

Pakistani think tank says China can play a leading role in country’s energy transition, but Chinese expert not so sure.

A solar panel is loaded onto a vehicle at a market in Karachi, Pakistan, in June last year. Photo: Reuters
Asia travel

Glimpse the old and new travelling the ancient Silk Road

A new book recounts the last leg of a 40,000km Silk Road odyssey, revealing the age-old sights and sounds of the Middle Kingdom.

China-Africa relations

US steps up contest with China in Africa by counting ambassadors’ business deals

New US commercial diplomacy strategy incorporates Trump administration’s ‘trade, not aid’ approach.

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Indonesia

Will Indonesia’s Whoosh extension to Surabaya be derailed by Chinese debt?

With the current US$7.3 billion rail line not projected to break even for 40 years, analysts are urging caution on an extension.

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A high-speed train leaves Tegalluar Station on the Jakarta-Bandung “Whoosh” railway line in Indonesia on May 20. Photo: Xinhua
Hong Kong politics

Hong Kong hits a high with global legal body, but now comes the hard part

Experts say more countries will sign up once word spreads about China-led mediation body that will act as ‘signpost’ to draw legal talent to city.

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Vietnam

Can Vietnam navigate China’s Mekong ambitions and regional ties?

China’s Mekong River projects pose strategic and environmental challenges for Vietnam, threatening regional influence and vital agricultural resources.

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Pakistan

Video | Why is China speeding up work on its dam in Pakistan?

The Mohmand dam, a “flagship” project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, would generate 800MW of hydropower and supply 300 million gallons of drinking water per day

Why is China speeding up work on Pakistan dam after India held Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance?
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Hong Kong

Opinion | Hong Kong cements its status as an international mediation centre

The International Organisation for Mediation will consolidate Hong Kong’s appeal as a dispute resolution hub.

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A view of the old Wan Chai Police station being converted into the International Organisation for Mediation headquarters on May 13. Photo: Stanley Shin
China debt

Time for China’s belt and road partners to pony up as debt comes due: think tank

Report by Lowy Institute finds that China has shifted from a net capital provider to developing countries to their biggest debt collector.

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Hong Kong economy

Opinion | How Hong Kong can reassert its global edge in an uncertain world

The city’s vibrancy, uniqueness, connectivity and agility make it all the more relevant in a fast-evolving global economy.

Pakistan

Pakistan intensifies Balochistan insurgency crackdown after deadly bus bombing

Islamabad also needs to end the rebellion to attract foreign funds to its vast reserves of copper and other ‘critical metals’, analysts say.

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Human rights activist hold portraits of children killed in the school bus bombing in Balochistan, during a rally in Karachi on Wednesday. Photo: AFP
Climate change

Opinion | With China’s leadership, green industry growth can smooth trade turmoil

Clean energy and climate investments are not just environmental imperatives but economic opportunities. China is already a world leader in these.

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Wind turbines stretch into the distance in Dabancheng, China’s “wind valley”, in Xinjiang on January 17. Photo: Xinhua
Middle East

China’s ‘vegetable capital’ to test farming know-how in UAE’s harsh deserts

A prominent Chinese city known for vegetable farming has agreed to build a smart agriculture centre in the UAE.

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Middle East

Opinion | How Trump’s Middle East tour revealed Gulf states’ priorities

While the Gulf states seek benefits from Washington and Beijing, Chinese leaders must deliver more tangible support to secure recent gains.

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US-China relations

Marco Rubio clashes with senators, says China will not replace US on global aid

Top US diplomat defends State Department shifts and cuts that Democrats say reduce US soft power and give Beijing a propaganda win.

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifying before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday. Photo: AP
US-China relations

My Take | China counts on 3 strategies to survive US tariff and tech war

Beijing has come up with a game plan to overcome its internal and external threats, and navigate beyond Trump’s presidency.

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Mainland China

China speeds up Pakistan dam construction after Indian threat to cut supplies

State broadcaster flags up work on ‘flagship’ project after New Delhi threatens to cut off supplies from Indus.

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Diplomacy

Opinion | By eroding US soft power, Trump is ceding the contest to China

Trump 2.0 has boosted China’s charm offensive, making its assertive foreign policy and unapologetic authoritarianism look less threatening.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Artificial intelligence

Chinese AI stalwart Zhipu eyes expansion on back of Belt and Road Initiative

Zhipu AI’s plan reflects intensifying efforts by both Chinese and US companies to widen the global adoption of their AI systems.

Zhipu AI has been pitching governments around the world to help them launch localised sovereign artificial intelligence agents. Photo: Shutterstock
US-China trade war

China’s Xi Jinping urges countries to ‘stand united’ in face of global trade war

The Chinese leader’s call for unity was heard by representatives of more than 30 Latin American and Caribbean nations in Beijing.

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Artificial intelligence

Colombia to sign on to China’s Belt and Road Initiative

President Gustavo Petro confirmed the deal as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Colombia’s Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia in Beijing on Monday.

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India-Pakistan tensions

Backed by Chinese arms, Pakistan readies for retaliation after India’s strikes

Both countries can claim victory in the tit-for-tat clash, depending on how they frame their arguments, experts say.

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Fragments of Indian missiles are displayed near damaged buildings in Muridke, a town near Lahore, Pakistan, on Wednesday. Photo: Xinhua
India

Letters | Fighting over water is a sign of failure, not strength

Readers discuss India-Pakistan tensions and the danger of weaponising water, Australia’s election results, and boosting Chinese soft power on the belt and road.

People sit on the bank of the Chenab River flowing through Chiniot, Punjab province, Pakistan, on May 6. India has halted water flow from the Chenab into Pakistan, prompting Islamabad to warn that any reduction in water would be viewed as an “act of war”. The suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, which has governed water-sharing since 1960, has escalated the conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours. Photo: EPA-EFE
China society

Opinion | How China’s modernisation offers a new path to prosperity

Focused on equity and shared development outcomes, China’s path to modernity has both distinct characteristics and global relevance.

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China-Russia relations

Opinion | Russia-China division of power in Central Asia is wearing thin

While Russia held a near monopoly over weapons sales in the region, the war in Ukraine has changed this, offering China an opening.

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