# China
Latest news and articles about China
Total: 498 articles found
Why a Burst of High-Level US–Japan Engagement Is the Region’s New Signal
An increase in top‑level U.S.–Japan interactions is meant to demonstrate a tighter, more adaptive alliance across defence and economic domains. The moves are designed to deter rivals and reassure partners, but they also raise the stakes for crisis management and regional stability.
After Manila Declares No‑Sail Zone at Scarborough, PLA Sends a Stark Message
The Philippines declared a no‑sail zone near Scarborough Shoal, prompting Chinese commentary that the PLA responded with operations intended to ‘‘slap’’ Manila down. The episode highlights the fragile mix of routine maritime measures and high-stakes geopolitics in the South China Sea, with risks of further escalation unless diplomatic de‑escalation follows.
Schools Link by Video to Border Troops for Lunar New Year — A Soft Push for National‑Defence Education
Ahead of the Lunar New Year, schools in several Chinese provinces held synchronized flag‑raisings and video calls with border troops to send greetings and provide national‑defence education. Coordinated by veterans' affairs and military liaison offices, the events mix human stories of frontier hardship with civic ritual to foster patriotism and familiarity with military service among pupils.
Shuibei in Shock: China’s Retail Gold Market Reels as Metals Suffer Historic Single‑Day Falls
A violent repricing in precious metals on January 30 sent spot gold down more than 9% — the biggest daily drop since 1983 — and silver tumbling as much as 36% intraday. Shenzhen’s Shuibei bullion market became the frontline, with frantic selling, opportunistic buying and banks raising risk thresholds as retail investors coped with rapid losses. The shock highlights how speculative excess, thin physical liquidity and cross‑market contagion can quickly imperil even traditionally ‘safe’ assets.
China’s Marriage Registrations Rebound — But Will Babies Follow?
China saw a notable rebound in marriage registrations in 2025 after years of decline, driven by procedural reforms, local cash incentives and expanded leave policies. While the rise eases short‑term demographic anxieties, structural barriers—childcare burdens, career penalties for women and changing social preferences—mean higher marriage rates may not translate into a sustained rise in births without deeper reforms.
How Henan's Lab-Grown Diamond Boom Is Shattering Prices and Rewriting an Industry
A surge in lab-grown diamond production centred in Henan has driven global prices down more than 40% since 2022, forcing legacy players like De Beers and branded jewellers to cut prices, run down inventories and rethink strategies. The technological and scale advantages of HPHT production in China have made high-quality synthetic stones widely available and affordable, challenging the economic and symbolic value of natural diamonds.
China’s Electric Heavy Trucks Break 50% Monthly Share, Marking a Milestone in Freight Decarbonisation
In 2025 China’s new-energy heavy-truck market surged: cumulative sales hit 231,100 units (up 182%), and December saw a record 53.89% monthly penetration rate, with battery-electric trucks making up nearly half of sales. The milestone signals meaningful progress toward decarbonising freight but raises infrastructure, supply-chain and policy challenges that will determine whether the shift is sustained.
China’s Satellites Put U.S. Moves Under a Microscope as Iran Crisis Deepens
A recent Chinese-language article claims commercial Chinese satellites have captured and publicized U.S. military movements amid a U.S.–Iran standoff, intensifying the information war around the crisis. The piece argues that visible U.S. deployments may be more about signaling than sufficient force for a sustained strike, while Iran deepens ties with Russia to deter action and raise the costs of escalation.
A Young Navy Veteran’s Last Rescue: The Death of Jin Chenglong and the Echo of Civic Duty in China
Jin Chenglong, a 26‑year‑old former naval sailor and medical student, drowned on 23 January 2026 while attempting to rescue a father and son who fell through the ice on the Hun River near Shenyang. His death has reverberated nationally because it encapsulates themes of military service, volunteerism and civic duty, while also prompting practical questions about winter safety and emergency preparedness.
China Raises VAT Per‑Sale Threshold to 1,000 Yuan, Extends Relief to Small Businesses
China will raise the VAT per‑transaction threshold to 1,000 yuan from January 2026 and extend formal VAT threshold relief to registered small‑scale taxpayers (annual sales ≤5 million yuan). The rules preserve higher monthly/quarterly thresholds for periodic filers, carve out exceptions for sustained commercial activities, and strengthen withholding obligations for payers.
Nvidia’s $20bn Bet on ‘Extreme’ Inference Chips Signals a Shift from Training to Cheap, High‑Throughput AI
Nvidia’s roughly $20 billion acquisition of Groq’s technology and team marks a strategic bet that AI’s commercial future lies in low‑cost, high‑throughput inference rather than giant training clusters. Chinese startups and spin‑outs are racing to produce specialized inference chips, aiming to slash per‑token costs and capture regional markets as AI applications scale rapidly.
Saudi Neutrality Stalls U.S. Strike Plans — China’s 2023 Diplomacy Reaps Immediate Payoff
A phone call between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, backed by a clear Saudi pledge to block use of its territory or airspace for attacks on Iran, has stalled U.S. contingency plans for strikes. China’s mediation that produced the 2023 Beijing Statement provided the communication channels that enabled the de-escalatory move, underscoring Beijing’s rising diplomatic leverage in the Middle East.