China

November 17, 2024 10:05 AM

Why Russia – North Korea friendship upsets China

There’s bromance in the air and it’s between two unlikely pals — Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin. But, it has upset some, including, guess who, Xi Jinping. The Kim — Putin Bromance is the subject of much discussion and speculation. Kim’s 3 a.m. hug of Putin on the tarmac; gifting him two Pungsan dogs; and Putin in turn presenting Kim with a Russian-make Aurus limousine and taking Kim for a spin in it: Their carefully-choreographed appearances project a sense of camaraderie and bonhomie...

November 13, 2024 5:05 PM

India set to become ‘major producer’ of electric vehicles like China: Mark Mobius

India, which began its electric vehicle (EV) journey with two-wheelers, is set to become a “major producer" of electric vehicles like China in years to come, ace global investor Mark Mobius has said. The EV sales have seen a record surge under the PM E-DRIVE scheme, reflecting the growing momentum of EV adoption. Through initiatives like the Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme (EMPS) and the PM E-DRIVE schemes, electric two-wheelers (e-2W) sales surged to 5,71,411 units in 2024-25. During the...

November 12, 2024 9:07 AM

US President-elect Trump selects Florida rep Waltz as national security adviser: Sources

US President-elect Donald Trump has selected Florida representative Mike Waltz as his national security adviser, Reuters reported, citing sources on Monday. Waltz, a former Army Green Beret and a prominent critic of China, has criticized their activity in the Asia-Pacific. He also voiced the need for the United States to be ready for a potential conflict in the region. He will be responsible for briefing Trump on key national security issues and coordinating with different agencies, Reuters repo...

November 9, 2024 2:51 PM

Apple plans 1st-ever research subsidiary in India amid diversification push

Strengthening its presence in India as part of a diversification effort away from China, Apple has established a new research and development (R&D) subsidiary in the country. The R&D facility will reportedly focus on research, design, testing, and providing support to third-party manufacturers. The move to set up an R&D facility in India is significant, as it will enable the tech giant to better connect with the local manufacturing ecosystem, players, and original equipment manufac...

November 9, 2024 10:43 AM

China unveils $1.4 trln local debt package but no direct stimulus

China unveiled a 10 trillion yuan ($1.40 trillion) debt package on Friday to ease local government financing strains and stabilise flagging economic growth, as it faces fresh pressure from the re-election of Donald Trump as U.S. president. The measures confirm last week's Reuters report, and mark a departure from the all-out stimulus strategies to revive growth China has deployed in the past. They aim to repair municipal balance sheets as a longer-term objective, rather than directly inject mon...

November 1, 2024 11:51 AM

Chinese researchers develop AI model for military use on back of Meta’s Llama

Top Chinese research institutions linked to the People's Liberation Army have used Meta's publicly available Llama model to develop an AI tool for potential military applications, according to academic papers and analysts. In a June paper reviewed by Reuters, six Chinese researchers from three institutions, including two under the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) leading research body, the Academy of Military Science (AMS), detailed how they had used an early version of Meta's Llama as a base f...

October 30, 2024 9:44 PM

Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh hails India-China Border disengagement as ‘significant achievement’

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the recent India-China border disengagement as a “major achievement” after years of diplomatic and military efforts. Addressing soldiers at Meghna Stadium in Tezpur, Assam, Singh emphasized that the success was made possible by the dedication and bravery of India’s armed forces. Singh, who is celebrating Diwali with troops in Tezpur, shared meals and lit diyas with the soldiers. Reflecting on the breakthrough, he said, “This is not a small develo...

October 30, 2024 8:02 PM

India, China complete troops pull-back from border face-off points, Indian official says

India and China have completed pulling back their troops from two face-off points on their disputed Himalayan frontier as planned, an Indian defence official said on Wednesday. The nuclear-armed neighbours reached a deal last week on patrolling the frontier in the Ladakh to end a four-year military stand-off, paving the way for improved bilateral political and business ties. The disengagement that began last week has been completed and verification of the process is in progress, the Indian off...

October 30, 2024 3:19 PM

Cryptocurrency promoters intensify Beijing’s propaganda on X

Cryptocurrency-linked accounts on the social media platform X are increasingly amplifying Beijing’s propaganda, with investigations revealing their connection to "Spamouflage," a covert Chinese disinformation campaign targeting Western audiences. According to a report by Voice of America (VOA), these accounts, which primarily focus on cryptocurrency-related content, have been found promoting messages aligned with China’s interests. Spamouflage, a network of bots posing as legitimate informa...

October 30, 2024 10:43 AM

Investors take cover in Asia ahead of US election

Investors are selling yen and taking shelter in cash, India, pockets of China's markets and Singapore dollars ahead of a U.S. election that could shake out global money and trade flows. Asia's financial markets stand on the front line of what could be a wild ride when votes are tallied and in the months ahead since the region is an export powerhouse and shares and currencies are sensitive to changes in U.S. trade policies. That has money managers shying away from outright wagers on the outcome...