At this time of year, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po’s top priority is finalising the Hong Kong government’s budget for 2026-27, balancing requests for incentives and welfare against calls for a return to fiscal prudence. For decades, budget speeches have followed a familiar structure: a review of past performance, near- and medium-term forecasts, support measures…
WANA (Jan 31) – Press TV and Al Jazeera have reported that a joint naval exercise involving Iran, China, and Russia will be held in the coming days in the waters of the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz. The maneuver is widely seen as significant, taking place amid rising tensions between…
China’s influence in Latin America may be significantly tested by the US revival of the Monroe Doctrine, as Washington’s attack on Venezuela is set to have a chilling effect on the region’s engagement with Beijing, analysts warn. In a surprise precision operation on Saturday, the US military struck Venezuela, captured its leader Nicolas Maduro and…
In global politics, where dominance is often measured by loud declarations and displays of power, China behaves like a master of the game of Go, carefully and silently placing its stones, favoring strategic depth over superficial spectacle. At first glance, all the prerequisites for hegemony seem to be in place: the world’s second largest economy,…
For decades, New York and London have defined the flow of global capital. But while markets still chase short-term returns in US equities, the next great wave of productive investment is taking shape in East Asia, led by China’s financing, manufacturing and export of the clean technologies that are remaking the global economy. That contrast…
South Africa is looking to new export markets in Asia – particularly China – and Europe to diversify away from the United States, as its relations with Washington rapidly deteriorate. America boycotted last weekend’s Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg after Washington accused Pretoria of persecuting Afrikaner farmers, labelling the situation “white genocide” – a…
China has positioned itself as a responsible major collaborative force in AI development and governance, contrasting with a recently released survey finding that most Americans view US leadership in the field as crucial. Beijing arrived at its assessment this week as China hosted a workshop on AI capacity building, the third of its kind in…
The world today is more unsettled and volatile than ever. The war in Ukraine has become Europe’s largest conflict since World War II. Tensions between Israel and Iran cast a heavy shadow over the Middle East. Taiwan issues spark new threats almost daily. The gap between Europe and the United States is becoming increasingly evident….
The recent phone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump signals a pivotal moment in the world’s most critical bilateral relationship. While tensions between the two powers have dominated headlines, the conversation – described as “pragmatic, positive and constructive” by China’s People’s Daily – hints at an emerging reality: the US…
Prabowo had earlier decided to cancel the trip because of widespread protests at home. But he showed up for the parade in a grey suit on the morning of September 3, taking a seat at the rostrum beside Russian leader Vladimir Putin, who was to the right of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Sources said the…