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A wave of mobile apps in China is using deceptive design and opaque billing to extract small, repeated payments from elderly users, often hiding the true price behind small, pale fonts, “free” insurance pitches and automatic subscription switches. Legal and platform gaps — including weak pre-listing reviews, disputed intermediary liability and limited refund pathways through app stores — make recovery difficult and keep these practices profitable.

A 32-year-old manager at Shiyuan, Gao Guanghui, collapsed and died suddenly at home in late November. His widow says chronic overwork, a heavy workload after a transfer, and a company culture that rewarded long hours are key parts of the context; the employer has paid RMB390,000 but denies legal responsibility. The case highlights broader concerns about occupational health, overtime norms and employer accountability in China’s technology sector.

Spot gold surged past $5,500 an ounce after the Fed held rates, as markets priced a dovish pivot, central-bank buying persisted and political risks to Fed independence rose. Technical forces and ETF flows amplified the move, leaving bullion supported but likely to remain volatile through 2026.

A historic surge in gold prices above $5,000 an ounce has repriced mining stocks, particularly Chinese producers, which are reporting large profit upgrades for 2025 driven by higher prices, modest production gains and efficiency improvements. Major banks and wealth managers have lifted price targets further, while analysts caution that central-bank buying and ETF flows underpin the rally even as macro risks could prompt sharp corrections.

Jinzhongzi, an Anhui-based baijiu maker, has forecast a 2025 net loss of RMB 150–190 million, marking its fifth consecutive year in the red. Heavy dependence on low-end products and Anhui sales, combined with a prolonged leadership vacancy despite a 2022 mixed-ownership reform with China Resources, have left the company struggling to adapt to industry premiumisation and channel shift.

China's security agencies removed unauthorised meteorological stations near a military base that were run by a Sino‑foreign joint venture and linked to overseas servers. Authorities cited the dual‑use nature of high‑resolution weather and soil data and enforcement of rules banning foreign‑involved observation sites in sensitive areas.

A Chinese commentary contends that a U.S.-backed “peace commission” on Gaza, promoted by Donald Trump, is being used to pressure Pakistan into supervising Hamas’s disarmament. The piece argues that General Asim Munir faces an untenable choice: follow U.S. demands and lose domestic legitimacy, or resist and risk critical U.S. aid and economic support, with serious implications for Pakistan’s stability.

A Beijing kindergarten’s career-themed fashion show went viral after a child dressed as a chef received enthusiastic applause, prompting online praise that ‘every job deserves respect.’ The episode highlights a trend in Chinese early education to use role-play to teach vocational diversity, while also raising questions about pedagogy, social messaging and the commercialization of school events.

A small Thai military aircraft crashed and caught fire in a forest in Chom Thong district, Chiang Mai province on 29 January, killing two people. Thai authorities have launched an investigation amid questions about maintenance, training and the broader state of the military’s aviation safety.

Taiwan’s domestically built submarine prototype, Hai Kun, conducted its first submerged test on 29 January, initiating a staged programme that begins with a 50-metre dive and aims for 200 metres eventually. The milestone comes after a series of technical problems, schedule delays and public criticism over costs and performance, leaving the vessel still some way from operational readiness.

A protester interrupted Senator Marco Rubio during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, demanding an end to U.S. interference in Venezuela and Cuba and was arrested. Rubio said Washington would soon set up a diplomatic presence in Venezuela to gather intelligence and engage locally, while denying preparations for military action. The Chinese report that carried the story also appended unverified claims of a U.S. military seizure of Venezuela’s president, which are not corroborated and appear false.

President Trump’s public ultimatum to Iran and the deployment of a U.S. carrier strike group have triggered alarm across the Middle East, with Turkey, Qatar and Egypt calling for de‑escalation. Tehran says it is prepared to negotiate but will respond decisively to any attack, while Gulf states refuse to allow their airspace to be used for strikes on Iran.

A small Thai military plane crashed and burned in a forest in Chom Thong, Chiang Mai on 29 January, killing both people aboard. Authorities have begun an investigation amid wider concerns about maintenance, training and operational safety for military aviation in the region.

Kweichow Moutai shares jumped over 7% as prices for its Feitian bottles rose ahead of the Lunar New Year. The move appears driven by retailers’ pre‑holiday stocking and Moutai’s deliberate allocation strategy rather than a sudden surge in consumer demand.

China’s stock market posted a narrow gain on the Shanghai Composite as intense sector rotation lifted liquor, real estate, metals and oil names while technology chips lagged. Heavy turnover and divergent leadership, coupled with a concurrent rise in commodities and long-dated bond strength, point to rising structural volatility and mixed signals about liquidity and inflation expectations.

Cui Dongshu of the China Passenger Car Association projects China’s auto industry could reach 50 million annual vehicle sales as NEVs surge at home and in export markets. Strong BEV uptake, rapid technological progress and booming exports underpin the forecast, but uneven industry adaptation and margin pressure pose risks.

Toyota retained the world sales crown in 2025 with more than 11.3 million vehicles, extending a lead of about 2.3 million units over Volkswagen Group. Toyota’s growth, steady China performance and hybrid strength contrast with Volkswagen’s China slump and management restructuring, while BYD and Geely’s rapid rises signal a reordering of the global auto landscape.

Xiaomi is refreshing the SU7 sedan 21 months after its launch, raising prices slightly while adding advanced sensors and compute to catch up with rivals. The facelift reflects a strategic shift from single‑model blitzes to a broader, systemised approach amid internal product cannibalisation, production mismatches and a more discerning Chinese EV market.

Huawei has announced a wide-ranging Lunar New Year promotion on its official site, cutting prices across phones and other devices with headline discounts stated to reach up to ¥4,000 when combining model reductions, trade-ins and finance offers. The campaign aims to boost short-term sales, clear inventory and reinforce Huawei’s device ecosystem amid tougher market conditions and fierce domestic competition.

China’s commercial space sector is shifting focus to small‑body resource prospecting and technologies that enable in‑space resource use, with private firms and state policy aligning to develop new “space+” business models. Success will hinge on technical demonstrations, regulatory clarity and the creation of downstream markets such as propellant supply, in‑orbit services and space tourism.