China is investigating senior military official Miao Hua. Will it affect the PLA?

China is investigating senior military official Miao Hua. Will it affect the PLA?

In 2017, Admiral Miao Hua was a rising general when he became a member of China’s powerful Central Military Commission (CMC) and director of its political work department. Taking over the party-building, ideology and personnel work of the world’s largest army would give Miao a significant say in senior appointments in the People’s Liberation Army … Read more

Taiwan monitoring PLA warplanes and ships after William Lai’s stopovers

Taiwan monitoring PLA warplanes and ships after William Lai’s stopovers

The defence ministry said it had detected 47 mainland Chinese warplanes near Taiwan in the 24 hours to 6am on Tuesday – the largest number since the PLA simulated a blockade of the island on October 14 in an exercise dubbed Joint Sword-2024B. The PLA sent 153 warplanes for that drill. In the latest exercise, … Read more

China’s deadly vehicle attacks spark sales boom for traffic barriers

China’s deadly vehicle attacks spark sales boom for traffic barriers

Following a series of deadly attacks in China that have shocked the nation, orders for traffic safety barriers for schools, shopping districts and other public places have soared, according to several Chinese suppliers. The companies said they had seen substantial increases in product inquiries and purchases in November compared to earlier months, with some firms … Read more

Report finds China targeted AstraZeneca in fraud probe over cancer treatment

Report finds China targeted AstraZeneca in fraud probe over cancer treatment

Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, whose China president is under investigation, was previously investigated for medical insurance fraud cases involving cancer medication sales, according to new Chinese media reports. The news comes after the British-Swedish company announced on its official website last week that its China chief Leon Wang was cooperating “with an ongoing investigation”, and its … Read more

Beijing official tells media from both sides of Taiwan Strait to advance reunification

Beijing official tells media from both sides of Taiwan Strait to advance reunification

Beijing’s Taiwan affairs chief urged members of the island’s media to contribute to the peaceful development of cross-strait relations. At the Cross-Strait Media Summit in Beijing on Thursday, Song Tao, director of Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said media professionals on both sides should “fulfil their social responsibilities, enhance mutual understanding between compatriots on both sides, … Read more

China iPhone users urged to turn off FaceTime app to stop scammers

China iPhone users urged to turn off FaceTime app to stop scammers

Police in at least two Chinese cities have called for residents to turn off the FaceTime app on their iPhones to block scams. In an article published on social media on Tuesday, police in Beijing said some scammers used FaceTime to steal money. In May, a man in Hangzhou, in eastern Zhejiang province, received a … Read more

Chinese government workers call up women to urge pregnancy in latest birth rate push

Chinese government workers call up women to urge pregnancy in latest birth rate push

Chinese grass roots government workers, who implemented decades of birth control policy, are now calling up women in their neighbourhood to urge them to get pregnant amid China’s demographic crisis. When Jane Huang picked up the phone to answer a call earlier this month, her first response to the person on the end was to … Read more

Xi Jinping makes economic-centric instructions to spur China’s growth

Xi Jinping makes economic-centric instructions to spur China’s growth

President Xi Jinping has issued a slew of economic-centric instructions in the past week, at a time all eyes are watching Beijing’s stimulus package aimed at shoring up China’s economy. The latest message from Xi was conveyed on Sunday in the northeastern city of Tianjin during an event to celebrate the 40th anniversary of China’s … Read more

Beijing hails cross-strait policies as Taiwanese visitor numbers, residence bids surge

Beijing hails cross-strait policies as Taiwanese visitor numbers, residence bids surge

Close to 300 million Taiwanese have travelled to mainland China for tourism, studies and jobs this year, according to official data from Beijing. Analysts said the surge was driven by a combination of favourable policies and economic opportunities aimed at fostering deeper ties across the Taiwan Strait. Nearly 994,000 Taiwan compatriot permits – or Mainland … Read more

‘Crush them’: are China’s local governments using unsustainable tactics to repay debt?

‘Crush them’: are China’s local governments using unsustainable tactics to repay debt?

On China’s social media platforms last week, a recording surfaced that revealed a side of the country’s debt crisis that has largely gone unreported. The recording is presented as a conversation between an unnamed representative of a medical technology company and a market regulation enforcement officer, surnamed Zhang, from Chengwu county in eastern China’s Shandong … Read more