China’s annual great migration is underway. Millions of people are on their way home to celebrate the transition to a new year. When the country enters the Year of the Horse on the night of February 17, glasses will be raised in villages and cities alike, and the celebrations will last until dawn.
For most, the journey home is a welcome occasion. Yet it also has a darker side, marked by sorrow, longing, and tears. Migrant workers are about to reunite with their own children—children they have not seen for a long time. Newspapers refer to them as “left-behind.” In the parents’ absence, grandparents or others have taken care of them.
fredag 13. februar 2026
Xi Jinping Is Losing Control of China’s Military
“The fact that Xi Jinping has been able to cashier so many [People's Liberation Army] elites since he assumed power...is a clear sign his position in the regime is unassailable,” James Char of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore told CNN last month, just after Xi’s removal of two senior generals from important command posts. The news outlet summarized the almost unanimous view of analysts: “Xi Has Absolute Control Over China’s Military.”
But the narrative that Xi controls the military is almost certainly wrong. The purges, taken by almost all as proof of Xi’s power, in fact show the opposite. On the 24th of last month, China’s Ministry of National Defense, in a 30-second video, announced that two generals sitting on the Communist Party's Central Military Commission, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, were placed under investigation.
But the narrative that Xi controls the military is almost certainly wrong. The purges, taken by almost all as proof of Xi’s power, in fact show the opposite. On the 24th of last month, China’s Ministry of National Defense, in a 30-second video, announced that two generals sitting on the Communist Party's Central Military Commission, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, were placed under investigation.
China's Xi Jinping makes rare reference to recent military purge
Chinese President Xi Jinping has made a rare public reference to a recent crackdown which saw the country's top military general removed.
General Zhang Youxia, who was widely seen as Xi's closest military ally, was removed from his post in January. He was accused of "serious violations of discipline and law" - typically a euphemism for corruption. Speaking in a virtual address on Tuesday, Xi said the past year had been "unusual and extraordinary", adding that the army had "undergone revolutionary tempering in the fight against corruption".
In his remarks on Tuesday, Xi also added that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) had effectively addressed "various risks and challenges", adding that many in the army had gone through "in-depth political rectification". He also said that PLA troops had been "loyal to the Party... and proven themselves capable and dependable".Since coming to power, President Xi has launched waves of anti-corruption drives, which critics say have also been used as a tool to purge political rivals.
General Zhang Youxia, who was widely seen as Xi's closest military ally, was removed from his post in January. He was accused of "serious violations of discipline and law" - typically a euphemism for corruption. Speaking in a virtual address on Tuesday, Xi said the past year had been "unusual and extraordinary", adding that the army had "undergone revolutionary tempering in the fight against corruption".
In his remarks on Tuesday, Xi also added that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) had effectively addressed "various risks and challenges", adding that many in the army had gone through "in-depth political rectification". He also said that PLA troops had been "loyal to the Party... and proven themselves capable and dependable".Since coming to power, President Xi has launched waves of anti-corruption drives, which critics say have also been used as a tool to purge political rivals.
Japan says it seized Chinese vessel amid tensions with Beijing
Japanese authorities say they have seized a Chinese fishing vessel that tried to flee when ordered to stop for an inspection, in a move that may further fuel tensions with Beijing. The boat was in Japan's exclusive economic zone off Nagasaki Prefecture in the south-west when it was intercepted and its captain arrested on Thursday, according to the country's fisheries agency. "The vessel's captain was ordered to stop for an inspection by a fisheries inspector, but the vessel failed to comply and fled," the fisheries agency said.
The seizure is the first time since 2022 that the agency has seized a Chinese fishing boat. China has yet to react to Japan's statement.
The seizure is the first time since 2022 that the agency has seized a Chinese fishing boat. China has yet to react to Japan's statement.
Spy agency says Kim Jong Un’s daughter is close to being designated North Korea’s future leader
South Korea’s spy agency told lawmakers on Thursday that it believes the teenage daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is close to being designated as the country’s future leader as he moves to extend the family dynasty to a fourth generation.
The assessment by the National Intelligence Service comes as North Korea is preparing to hold its biggest political conference later this month, where Kim is expected to outline his major policy goals for the next five years and take steps to tighten his authoritarian grip.
In a closed-door briefing, NIS officials said they are closely monitoring whether Kim’s daughter — believed to be named Kim Ju Ae and around 13 years old — appears with him before thousands of delegates at the upcoming Workers’ Party Congress, said lawmaker Lee Seong Kweun, who attended the meeting.
The assessment by the National Intelligence Service comes as North Korea is preparing to hold its biggest political conference later this month, where Kim is expected to outline his major policy goals for the next five years and take steps to tighten his authoritarian grip.
In a closed-door briefing, NIS officials said they are closely monitoring whether Kim’s daughter — believed to be named Kim Ju Ae and around 13 years old — appears with him before thousands of delegates at the upcoming Workers’ Party Congress, said lawmaker Lee Seong Kweun, who attended the meeting.
EU leaders ready countermeasures to pressure from Russia, China and Trump
European Union leaders broadly agreed Thursday on a plan to restructure the 27-nation bloc’s economy to make it more competitive as they face antagonism from U.S. President Donald Trump, strong-arm tactics from China and hybrid threats blamed on Russia.
Meeting in a Belgian castle, the EU leaders agreed an “action plan” with a strict timeline for the economic restructuring, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. “The pressure and the sense of urgency is enormous, and that can move mountains,” she said.
The plan, to be presented formally in March, would include measures to coordinate upgrading energy grids, deepen financial integration and loosen merger regulations to allow European firms to grow to better compete globally, she said.
“We need European champions,” von der Leyen said.
Meeting in a Belgian castle, the EU leaders agreed an “action plan” with a strict timeline for the economic restructuring, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. “The pressure and the sense of urgency is enormous, and that can move mountains,” she said.
The plan, to be presented formally in March, would include measures to coordinate upgrading energy grids, deepen financial integration and loosen merger regulations to allow European firms to grow to better compete globally, she said.
“We need European champions,” von der Leyen said.
People — and robots — are getting ready to celebrate the Lunar New Year in China
It’s not just people — in China, the robots are also getting ready to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Friday was dress rehearsal day for four cute humanoid robots, each about 95 centimeters (3 feet) tall at a mall in western Beijing. Curious onlookers stopped to watch. Each robot got a colorful lion costume and within minutes the moves started: Bend the knees, up, to the left, to the right, shake the mask, and do it all again!
Ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrated next week, and as part of different “fairs” and activities around Beijing, some venues have been busy setting up their stages and props.
For a second year in a row, one of the fairs will be devoted to technology and — yes, again — robots will take center stage. People will see them dancing and also them stacking blocks on top of others to make a little tower, skewering hawthorn berries onto a stick — coated with a syrup, a popular sweet snack — or playing soccer.
Ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrated next week, and as part of different “fairs” and activities around Beijing, some venues have been busy setting up their stages and props.
For a second year in a row, one of the fairs will be devoted to technology and — yes, again — robots will take center stage. People will see them dancing and also them stacking blocks on top of others to make a little tower, skewering hawthorn berries onto a stick — coated with a syrup, a popular sweet snack — or playing soccer.
Trump is gathering Latin American leaders in Florida in March, ahead of his trip to China
President Donald Trump has invited Latin American leaders to take part in a summit in Florida next month, gathering the officials at a moment when the administration is spotlighting what it sees as concerning Chinese influence in the region.
Plans for the March 7 summit were confirmed on Thursday by a White House official who was not authorized to comment publicly about the yet-to-be formally announced gathering of leaders. It will also come just weeks before Trump is expected to travel to Beijing for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The Trump administration has made it a priority to assert dominance over the Western Hemisphere, where China has long built influence through massive loans and expansive trade.
Plans for the March 7 summit were confirmed on Thursday by a White House official who was not authorized to comment publicly about the yet-to-be formally announced gathering of leaders. It will also come just weeks before Trump is expected to travel to Beijing for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The Trump administration has made it a priority to assert dominance over the Western Hemisphere, where China has long built influence through massive loans and expansive trade.
US pushes Taiwan to boost defense spending amid China threat
A bipartisan group of 37 US lawmakers urged Taiwan's parliament to approve a proposed multi-billion dollar defense spending package, warning that the threat from China "has never been greater." Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te had proposed a $40 billion (€33.72 billion) additional defense spending last year, but the proposal was stalled in the opposition-led parliament.
In the letter released on Thursday and addressed to parliamentary speaker Han Kuo-yu and party leaders, including the Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People's Party (TPP), the US lawmakers said Beijing was intensifying pressure on the island and called for higher defense outlays in line with President Lai's proposal.
"The threat posed by the People's Republic of China against Taiwan has never been greater. [Chinese President] Xi Jinping is focusing every element of the PRC's national power to control Taiwan," the letter warned, calling for a significant increase in Taiwan's defense spending.
In the letter released on Thursday and addressed to parliamentary speaker Han Kuo-yu and party leaders, including the Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People's Party (TPP), the US lawmakers said Beijing was intensifying pressure on the island and called for higher defense outlays in line with President Lai's proposal.
"The threat posed by the People's Republic of China against Taiwan has never been greater. [Chinese President] Xi Jinping is focusing every element of the PRC's national power to control Taiwan," the letter warned, calling for a significant increase in Taiwan's defense spending.
Japan has given Takaichi a landslide win - but can she bring back the economy?
Japan's prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, rolled the dice on a snap election - and it paid off. She and her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) have the kind of decisive majority - 316 out of 465 seats - that few leaders have enjoyed recently. Rather, Japan has had a revolving door of prime ministers. Now the question is what Takaichi does with it. Can she deliver what has eluded the Japanese economy for decades: faster growth?
Japan has a long list of problems: sluggish growth, public debt that is the largest in the world, and a working population that is both ageing and shrinking. Takaichi, some observers believe, has the chance to change this, reshaping how Japan runs what is the world's fourth-largest economy - and how the markets see it. She will steer Japan in the right direction, says Tomohiko Taniguchi, a policy adviser and former speechwriter for late prime minister Shinzo Abe.
"If successful, it will serve as a premier case study for ageing societies worldwide."
Japan has a long list of problems: sluggish growth, public debt that is the largest in the world, and a working population that is both ageing and shrinking. Takaichi, some observers believe, has the chance to change this, reshaping how Japan runs what is the world's fourth-largest economy - and how the markets see it. She will steer Japan in the right direction, says Tomohiko Taniguchi, a policy adviser and former speechwriter for late prime minister Shinzo Abe.
"If successful, it will serve as a premier case study for ageing societies worldwide."
How China’s ‘unruly’ speculators might be fueling the frenzy in gold market
Gold’s wild price swings in recent weeks are increasingly being linked to speculative trading in China by some analysts, with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent attributing the heightened volatility to “unruly” Chinese activity.
Gold prices jumped to a record high of $5,594 per ounce on Jan. 29 only to plummet nearly 10% the next day in its sharpest drop in decades. Since then, the yellow metal has struggled to consistently stay above the 5,000 level. While broader factors such as U.S. interest-rate expectations and geopolitical tensions continuing to drive bullion demand, some analysts believe Chinese retail and institutional investors are playing an outsized role in driving volatility.
Gold prices jumped to a record high of $5,594 per ounce on Jan. 29 only to plummet nearly 10% the next day in its sharpest drop in decades. Since then, the yellow metal has struggled to consistently stay above the 5,000 level. While broader factors such as U.S. interest-rate expectations and geopolitical tensions continuing to drive bullion demand, some analysts believe Chinese retail and institutional investors are playing an outsized role in driving volatility.
torsdag 12. februar 2026
China Releases Security Doctrine Hours After Major Critic Jailed
The Chinese government on Tuesday released a white paper outlining its national‑security framework for Hong Kong, less than a day after a court sentenced Beijing-critic and media tycoon Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison under the city’s National Security Law.
Lai, 78, a British citizen and founder of the now‑defunct Apple Dailynewspaper, received the longest sentence to date under the 2020 National Security Law. His conviction has drawn criticism from the United States, United Kingdom, and other governments, which say the law has sharply curtailed Hong Kong’s civil liberties and breached Beijing’s commitments under the “one country, two systems” framework.
Beijing and its handpicked government in Hong Kong say the measures were necessary to restore order following the monthslong pro-democracy proteststhat convulsed the special administrative region.
Lai, 78, a British citizen and founder of the now‑defunct Apple Dailynewspaper, received the longest sentence to date under the 2020 National Security Law. His conviction has drawn criticism from the United States, United Kingdom, and other governments, which say the law has sharply curtailed Hong Kong’s civil liberties and breached Beijing’s commitments under the “one country, two systems” framework.
Beijing and its handpicked government in Hong Kong say the measures were necessary to restore order following the monthslong pro-democracy proteststhat convulsed the special administrative region.
Congress Threatens China With Global Isolation If It Attacks Taiwan
A bill passed by the United States House of Representatives Monday threatens to exclude China's participation in global organizations if it moves against Taiwan.
Taiwan’s government, officially the Republic of China, fled the mainland after losing the civil war to communist forces in 1949 and now functions as a sovereign state. The government in Beijing, the People’s Republic of China, has vowed to bring the island under its control and in recent years has dramatically stepped up its military activities in the Taiwan Strait to pressure Taipei.
Taiwan is a top U.S. trade partner and a key hub in tech supply chains, accounting for roughly 90 percent of advanced semiconductor production. Washington, Taipei’s main source of arms sales, is required to help provide for the island’s defense under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act.
Taiwan’s government, officially the Republic of China, fled the mainland after losing the civil war to communist forces in 1949 and now functions as a sovereign state. The government in Beijing, the People’s Republic of China, has vowed to bring the island under its control and in recent years has dramatically stepped up its military activities in the Taiwan Strait to pressure Taipei.
Taiwan is a top U.S. trade partner and a key hub in tech supply chains, accounting for roughly 90 percent of advanced semiconductor production. Washington, Taipei’s main source of arms sales, is required to help provide for the island’s defense under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act.
Inside China’s push to feed 1.4 billion people without U.S. crops
Over the last few years in China, it’s gotten easier to buy food straight from the farm. Whether it’s boxes of apples or bags of vacuum-sealed corn-on-the-cob, online orders placed through popular e-commerce apps take just a couple of days to arrive in Beijing.
China’s food safety standards are still a work in progress. But what I’ve noticed is that even if the apples from a nearby supermarket taste artificial — the ones I can order from the countryside taste like the ones I ate in the U.S. And I can’t say it’s just as easy to get apples shipped from a New York orchard.
The economics behind this consumer experience boil down to a few key differences at the heart of the U.S.-China trade story. Over the past decade of trade tensions, the U.S. has repeatedly asked China to buy more American agricultural products. But many American farmers have lost sales under the Trump administration’s tariffs.
China’s food safety standards are still a work in progress. But what I’ve noticed is that even if the apples from a nearby supermarket taste artificial — the ones I can order from the countryside taste like the ones I ate in the U.S. And I can’t say it’s just as easy to get apples shipped from a New York orchard.
The economics behind this consumer experience boil down to a few key differences at the heart of the U.S.-China trade story. Over the past decade of trade tensions, the U.S. has repeatedly asked China to buy more American agricultural products. But many American farmers have lost sales under the Trump administration’s tariffs.
A year into Trump tariffs, Chinese factories and ports are buzzing with activity
A year after U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs spooked exporters and customers, Chinese factories and ports are buzzing with activity ahead of the Lunar New Year — even pushing freight rates higher.
Chinese factory activity typically surges at the start of the year with manufacturers racing to fulfil orders and ship out goods before the country enters an extended holiday for the Chinese New Year. This year’s pre-holiday rush appears as strong as ever despite Trump tariffs. Renaud Anjoran, founder and CEO of Agilian Technology, a Guangdong-based electronics manufacturer, said his factory was operating at nearly full capacity after a year of stop-start tariff threats: “We are very busy.”
“It’s back to the situation where it’s like tariffs don’t exist. American customers are not thinking of [buying from] other places,” Anjoran said, adding that some clients had to pay additional costs to have goods made and shipped out before the holiday.
Chinese factory activity typically surges at the start of the year with manufacturers racing to fulfil orders and ship out goods before the country enters an extended holiday for the Chinese New Year. This year’s pre-holiday rush appears as strong as ever despite Trump tariffs. Renaud Anjoran, founder and CEO of Agilian Technology, a Guangdong-based electronics manufacturer, said his factory was operating at nearly full capacity after a year of stop-start tariff threats: “We are very busy.”
“It’s back to the situation where it’s like tariffs don’t exist. American customers are not thinking of [buying from] other places,” Anjoran said, adding that some clients had to pay additional costs to have goods made and shipped out before the holiday.
US won’t abandon the Philippines in fighting China’s assertiveness at sea, Manila’s envoy says
Manila’s top envoy to Washington expressed confidence Tuesday that the United States will not abandon the Philippines as it fights Beijing’s assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea — even as Donald Trump and Xi Jinping seek more direct talks to resolve differences. Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez welcomed renewed talks between the U.S. and Chinese leaders, and said Manila should also try to “fine-tune” its relations with Beijing to allow for more trade engagement.
He said, however, that the Philippines will remain steadfast in defending its territorial interests in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety.
He said, however, that the Philippines will remain steadfast in defending its territorial interests in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety.
In blunt warning, the US says Peru could lose its sovereignty to China
The Trump administration on Wednesday expressed concern that China was costing Peru its sovereignty in solidifying control over the South American nation’s critical infrastructure, a blunt warning after a Peruvian court ruling restricted a local regulator’s oversight of a Chinese-built mega port.
The $1.3 billion deepwater port in Chancay, north of Peru’s capital of Lima, has become a symbol of China’s foothold in Latin America and a lightning rod for tensions with Washington.
The U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs said on social media that it was “concerned about latest reports that Peru could be powerless to oversee Chancay, one of its largest ports, which is under the jurisdiction of predatory Chinese owners.”
The $1.3 billion deepwater port in Chancay, north of Peru’s capital of Lima, has become a symbol of China’s foothold in Latin America and a lightning rod for tensions with Washington.
The U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs said on social media that it was “concerned about latest reports that Peru could be powerless to oversee Chancay, one of its largest ports, which is under the jurisdiction of predatory Chinese owners.”
US Sanctions Pacific Islands Political Leaders Over China Influence
The U.S. State Department has sanctioned officials from the Pacific Island nations of Palau and the Marshall Islands for corruption amid concerns over Chinese influence.
Palau and the Marshall Islands, along with the Federated States of Micronesia, make up the Freely Associated States, which rely on U.S. security guarantees and economic assistance in exchange for military access to their territory. These nations sit along the so-called second island chain, which the Pentagon considers central to containing Chinese forces in a potential conflict.
U.S. officials worry expanding Chinese infrastructure investments in the South Pacific could weaken long‑standing American advantages in the strategic region.
Palau and the Marshall Islands, along with the Federated States of Micronesia, make up the Freely Associated States, which rely on U.S. security guarantees and economic assistance in exchange for military access to their territory. These nations sit along the so-called second island chain, which the Pentagon considers central to containing Chinese forces in a potential conflict.
U.S. officials worry expanding Chinese infrastructure investments in the South Pacific could weaken long‑standing American advantages in the strategic region.
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