‘Little emperors’ in China, Malaysia’s durian trademark: SCMP’s 7 highlights

1. China will seize global manufacturing crown from US by 2035: Beijing strategist

China will overtake the United States in hi-tech and advanced military manufacturing within a decade, according to a prominent Chinese strategist.

“It is estimated that by 2035, ‘Made in China’ will surpass the United States and become the global leader,” Lu Yongxiang, former vice-chairman of the National People’s Congress, said in an article.

2. How China’s ‘little emperors’ went from monarchs to overwhelmed caregivers

Raised without any siblings in the 1980s, China’s first batch of only children were once jokingly called “little emperors” for being the sole focus of their families. But as they have grown into adulthood and started families of their own, these former household monarchs have found themselves on the wrong end of a top-heavy population pyramid.

3. Singapore ministers slam Lee Hsien Yang’s ‘rich’ claim on father’s link to suit

Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Law Minister K. Shanmugam have sharply refuted assertions by Lee Hsien Yang, the son of founding father Lee Kuan Yew, linking a defamation case to the legacy of his late father and the city state’s first prime minister.

4. China-developed photovoltaic nuclear battery could run for centuries: scientists

Chinese scientists say they have developed a nuclear-powered battery with a photovoltaic cell that could generate electricity for hundreds of years, at an overall efficiency thousands of times higher than its closest rivals.

5. How ‘Big Short’ became ‘Big Squeeze’ as Wall Street misread China’s stock market

Wall Street is scrambling to catch up after Beijing’s surprise stimulus onslaught set off a bull run on the Hong Kong and China stock markets, catching short-sellers off guard.

6. Will Malaysian renewal of durian trademark cause a stink in China or help sales?

China’s durian consumers, the world’s biggest fans of the spiky pungent fruit, are expected to find not only consistently stable quality but also higher prices with Malaysia extending the intellectual property status of its popular Musang King variety – a move that comes as Chinese authorities have suspended some imports from Thailand.

7. Rural Indonesian women condemned for short ‘pleasure marriages’ with tourists

Poor young women in Indonesian villages are becoming temporary wives for male tourists in exchange for a bride price leading to online condemnation of the practice. Once both parties agree, they hold a quick, informal wedding ceremony, after which the men are required to pay the women a bride price as compensation.