China ups the ante in hunt for foreign investment, hi-tech firms, but will Beijing follow through with actions?

A second visit to a foreign firm in less than 12 months – after Xi toured a Guangzhou-based display company in April that had received investment from South Korean conglomerate LG – was touted by Xinhua as a “further and clearer declaration of expanding high-level opening up to the world”. China’s Xi wants market-ready scientific … Read more

China’s police pledge to build ‘new quality combat capacity’ with tech aimed at preventing risks

Since then, provincial and city security forces have pledged to increase the use of big data and improve their ability to predict and prevent risks. These risks include phone scams, offshore gambling, political rumours, “harmful” online information and “disruptive and subversive activities by domestic and foreign hostile forces”, according to the public security ministry. During … Read more

Xi Jinping’s hi-tech push steals the spotlight at China’s ‘two sessions’ as Li Qiang scales back presence

He then took part in a discussion with the NPC delegation of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the People’s Armed Police Force on Thursday. Xi, who is also China’s top military commander, called on the military representatives to integrate hi-tech development with the PLA’s war capacity to “comprehensively enhance strategic capabilities in emerging areas”. … Read more