China’s Social Credit System

In early May, a little-known nonprofit offered a reward unprecedented in China’s conservation circles: 100,000 yuan ($14,000) for a single photo or video of the Yangtze giant softshell, a species so rare it may already be extinct in the wild. The post, published by the Endangered Species Fund, spread quickly…

Singapore Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat The Singapore government cuts back on its residential land sales programme, with that policy move leading today’s headline roundup. Also in the news, Malaysia’s IOI Properties plans an SGX-listed REIT and China’s COSCO joins the consortium to buy Li Ka-shing’s ports. Singapore…

To the discerning eye, other mountains are visible – giants between 23,000 and 26,000 feet high. Not one of their slenderer heads even reaches their chief’s shoulder. Beside Everest they escape notice, such is the pre-eminence of the greatest. (George Mallory, 1922) The climbing season on Mount Everest peaks in…

Home Green Marine SWS hands over final PCTC in ‘pioneering’ 8,600 CEU LNG-fueled series June 13, 2025, by Ajsa Habibic Chinese shipbuilder Shanghai Waigaoquiao Shipbuilding (SWS), part of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), has completed the 8,600 CEU LNG dual-fuel car carrier series for compatriot financial services company CITIC Financial…

Tencent's Yuanbao Credit: Toutiao Tencent launches AI tool for college application advice post-gaokao* Following the conclusion of China’s national college entrance exams (gaokao), Tencent’s AI assistant Yuanbao has rolled out a new feature offering personalized university application guidance. As of June 13, users can access the tool on mobile and…

China’s artificial intelligence (AI) market sees heightened competition, as various model providers – from SenseTime to ByteDance – step up efforts to enhance their services. Hong Kong-listed SenseTime has upgraded its Cantonese-speaking chatbot, Sensechat, with a comprehensive set of new features that include real-time audio and video-interaction capabilities, according to…

An aerial drone photo taken on June 11, 2025 shows boats sailing on Baiyangdian Lake, Xiongan New Area of north China's Hebei Province. Since the founding of Xiongan New Area, the water quality of Baiyangdian Lake has been greatly improved thanks to the systematic ecological governance. (Xinhua/Mu Yu) An aerial…

A visitor (L) looks at a humanoid robot from UBTECH at the Beijng World of Robots in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong) BEIJING, June 12 (Xinhua) -- China's capital is set to launch the world's first "4S store" dedicated to embodied artificial intelligence (AI) robots, marking…

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says a possible USA-China trade deal is positive news, but time will tell what it means for New Zealand and the rest of the world. US President Donald Trump said a deal with China is "done" after two days of high-level talks in London. Luxon welcomed…

A trade deal between Washington and Beijing “is done”, subject to final approval with the presidents of the two countries, said United States President Donald Trump yesterday. In a post on social media platform Truth Social, he said the US is “getting a total of 55 percent tariffs, China is…