Xi Jinping has made the fight against corruption a central pillar of his rule since he took the reins in 2012, calling it the "biggest threat" to the party. Since then, more than two million individuals have been disciplined for cases related to "pointless formalities, bureaucratism, hedonism and extravagance", Zhang Fuhai, from the party's disciplinary commission, told a press briefing on Friday.
lørdag 31. oktober 2026
Record number of purges as Xi emphasises 'party discipline' at China political gathering
A record 33 members have been expelled from China's Communist Party as it concluded a major annual political gathering, which had the most empty seats ever seen. The fifth plenum was attended by 279 Central Committee members, compared to 315 at the fourth plenum in October 2025 and 364 at the third one in July 2024. While recent plenums focused on economic reforms or social and development issues, party discipline took centre stage at this week's gathering.
Xi Jinping has made the fight against corruption a central pillar of his rule since he took the reins in 2012, calling it the "biggest threat" to the party. Since then, more than two million individuals have been disciplined for cases related to "pointless formalities, bureaucratism, hedonism and extravagance", Zhang Fuhai, from the party's disciplinary commission, told a press briefing on Friday.
Xi Jinping has made the fight against corruption a central pillar of his rule since he took the reins in 2012, calling it the "biggest threat" to the party. Since then, more than two million individuals have been disciplined for cases related to "pointless formalities, bureaucratism, hedonism and extravagance", Zhang Fuhai, from the party's disciplinary commission, told a press briefing on Friday.
Why North Korea's 'elite' hackers are the prime suspect in major Binance hack
Two major blockchain analytics firms say they have robust intelligence pointing to a North Korean state-backed group as the likely culprits in the $6.3bn (£4.7bn) hack of Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange. The Lazarus Group, a North Korean hacking unit also known as TraderTraitor, was identified "with high confidence" by TRM Labs, as well as Chainalysis.
This incident is just the latest linked to the country, one of the poorest in the world and where access to the internet is severely restricted. Experts accuse the government of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un of relying on cybercrime to finance itself, something Pyongyang has long denied.
This incident is just the latest linked to the country, one of the poorest in the world and where access to the internet is severely restricted. Experts accuse the government of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un of relying on cybercrime to finance itself, something Pyongyang has long denied.
US jails two Chinese nationals for spying
Two Chinese nationals have been jailed in the United States after admitting to trying to recruit US military service members to spy for Beijing. Liren “Ryan” Lai, 40, and Yuance Chen, 39, were each sentenced to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a statement on Friday.The men sought to arrange “dead drop” cash payments in exchange for information related to US national security, the statement also said.
The pair operated a “long-running”, “extensive” and “brazen” scheme to undermine US national security and support Chinese intelligence operations and recruitment in the US, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A Eisenberg said.
According to court documents, Lai and Chen began acting as agents of China’s foreign intelligence arm, the Ministry of State Security, no later than May 2021.
The pair operated a “long-running”, “extensive” and “brazen” scheme to undermine US national security and support Chinese intelligence operations and recruitment in the US, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A Eisenberg said.
According to court documents, Lai and Chen began acting as agents of China’s foreign intelligence arm, the Ministry of State Security, no later than May 2021.
Why are US, Russia and China racing to put nuclear reactors on the moon?
The United States, Russia and China are racing to build nuclear reactors on the moon, as scientists warn about the possible risk of a radioactive mishap.
In January, NASA, the US space agency, announced plans to develop a nuclear reactor on the moon by the end of 2030. Russia, working with China, aims to do the same by 2036 as they strive to advance space exploration. The reactors will be needed to power mining of frozen water trapped deep in the moon’s craters, which scientists believe could supply drinking water, air, and rocket fuel for future bases. The reactors would also provide power for lunar bases.
Here is what we know.
In January, NASA, the US space agency, announced plans to develop a nuclear reactor on the moon by the end of 2030. Russia, working with China, aims to do the same by 2036 as they strive to advance space exploration. The reactors will be needed to power mining of frozen water trapped deep in the moon’s craters, which scientists believe could supply drinking water, air, and rocket fuel for future bases. The reactors would also provide power for lunar bases.
Here is what we know.
US, South Korea, Japan call for ‘complete denuclearisation’ of North Korea
The United States, South Korea and Japan have reiterated their longstanding call for North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, a move Pyongyang has repeatedly ruled out.
The three countries addressed the issue on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) meeting in the US city of Atlanta on Thursday, with their top diplomats reaffirming their “resolute commitment to the complete denuclearisation” of North Korea, according to a readout by the US Department of State.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi also pledged the “full implementation” of United Nations Security Council resolutions, including a ban on supporting revenue for North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
The three countries addressed the issue on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) meeting in the US city of Atlanta on Thursday, with their top diplomats reaffirming their “resolute commitment to the complete denuclearisation” of North Korea, according to a readout by the US Department of State.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi also pledged the “full implementation” of United Nations Security Council resolutions, including a ban on supporting revenue for North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
North Koreans being recruited into forced labour in Russia, report says
North Korean workers are being recruited into forced labour in Russia by a broker network using bogus student enrolments, according to a months-long investigation by an international law foundation. The network brings North Koreans into Russia on student visas to skirt United Nations sanctions and labour law, as part of a state-sponsored work programme that helps fund Pyongyang’s ballistic missile development, according to the Global Rights Compliance report released on Thursday.
Smoke from wildfires killed 3,500 people in Indonesia in September: Report
Toxic smoke from wildfires killed 3,560 people in Indonesia last month, according to a new report.
The study, released by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) on Thursday, found that air pollution-related deaths in Indonesia surged by 42 percent in September, rising from an estimated 3,740 people killed in August to 5,310. Toxic smoke from forest and land fires caused 3,560 deaths last month, the report said. “Chronic, non-fire emissions from urban and industrial air pollution sources” caused another 1,750 deaths, the Helsinki-based think tank found.
Toxic fire smoke accounted for 94-99 percent of air pollution-related deaths in Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo, and more than 80 percent on Sumatra, the regions worst affected by the fires, the report notes. Deaths on the southern island of Java, meanwhile, remained largely tied to urban and industrial sources, the study found.
The study, released by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) on Thursday, found that air pollution-related deaths in Indonesia surged by 42 percent in September, rising from an estimated 3,740 people killed in August to 5,310. Toxic smoke from forest and land fires caused 3,560 deaths last month, the report said. “Chronic, non-fire emissions from urban and industrial air pollution sources” caused another 1,750 deaths, the Helsinki-based think tank found.
Toxic fire smoke accounted for 94-99 percent of air pollution-related deaths in Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo, and more than 80 percent on Sumatra, the regions worst affected by the fires, the report notes. Deaths on the southern island of Java, meanwhile, remained largely tied to urban and industrial sources, the study found.
He questioned Thailand's monarchy dressed as Harry Potter. Now he's in jail for 34 years
Even before they come through the door, you can hear the prisoners walking towards the courtroom, the shackles round their ankles clinking with each step. The five who walk into the courtroom are familiar with the routine; they are facing multiple criminal prosecutions and have spent much of the past five years going back and forth to court.
One of them, a small, bespectacled man with greying hair, opens his arms to hold his three-year-old son, who has been brought to court by his partner to see him. This is Arnon Nampa, a 42-year-old human rights lawyer. His offence was to call for Thailand's powerful monarchy to be scrutinised and held accountable. He did this dressed as the eponymous young wizard at a Harry Potter-themed demonstration in central Bangkok in 2020.
One of them, a small, bespectacled man with greying hair, opens his arms to hold his three-year-old son, who has been brought to court by his partner to see him. This is Arnon Nampa, a 42-year-old human rights lawyer. His offence was to call for Thailand's powerful monarchy to be scrutinised and held accountable. He did this dressed as the eponymous young wizard at a Harry Potter-themed demonstration in central Bangkok in 2020.
fredag 30. oktober 2026
Is the Korean Peninsula moving closer to war?
Recently, Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, warned that Pyongyang could take strong retaliatory measures if Seoul continues activities it considers provocative.
To casual observers, this may appear to be just another routine exchange of verbal threats between the two Koreas. However, a closer examination of the current situation suggests that something unusually significant may be unfolding on the Korean Peninsula. Military tensions are intensifying, with renewed warnings, military deployments and threats of retaliation along the border. North Korea appears to be adopting an increasingly confrontational posture, raising concerns about the growing risk of war.
What is driving this escalation at this particular juncture?
To casual observers, this may appear to be just another routine exchange of verbal threats between the two Koreas. However, a closer examination of the current situation suggests that something unusually significant may be unfolding on the Korean Peninsula. Military tensions are intensifying, with renewed warnings, military deployments and threats of retaliation along the border. North Korea appears to be adopting an increasingly confrontational posture, raising concerns about the growing risk of war.
What is driving this escalation at this particular juncture?
China’s Belt and Road hasn’t lived up to Xi’s promise
Designed to dwarf even the Marshall Plan, the American program to rebuild Europe after World War II, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was first unveiled by President Xi Jinping in a 2013 speech at Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan.
Beijing later pledged to invest US$1 trillion, and by some estimates as much as $8 trillion, in roads, railways, bridges, ports and other infrastructure projects around the world, with an emphasis on sparking economic development in the underfinanced Global South. Originally called One Belt, One Road, the BRI was meant to usher in what Xi described in his speech as a more just world order. But on many counts, the program has not measured up to its original, world-changing ambition.
Thirteen years after its launch, many observers and analysts now see the BRI as more of a liability than an asset to China’s plan to forge a post-America-led world order.
Beijing later pledged to invest US$1 trillion, and by some estimates as much as $8 trillion, in roads, railways, bridges, ports and other infrastructure projects around the world, with an emphasis on sparking economic development in the underfinanced Global South. Originally called One Belt, One Road, the BRI was meant to usher in what Xi described in his speech as a more just world order. But on many counts, the program has not measured up to its original, world-changing ambition.
Thirteen years after its launch, many observers and analysts now see the BRI as more of a liability than an asset to China’s plan to forge a post-America-led world order.
Beijing gave Kim Jong Un the cold shoulder and here’s why
Recent reports indicate that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attempted to visit China to orchestrate a dramatic diplomatic scene akin to his June 2019 summit with US President Donald Trump at Panmunjom – but Beijing politely turned him down.
Kim’s primary motive for seeking a visit to China stemmed from mounting frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had promised to mediate future US-North Korea summits yet yielded few breakthroughs. Seeking to capitalize on his working relationship with President Trump, Kim reportedly hoped to leverage a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen – slated for November 18-19 – to nudge Beijing into facilitating another US-North Korea encounter.
Kim’s primary motive for seeking a visit to China stemmed from mounting frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had promised to mediate future US-North Korea summits yet yielded few breakthroughs. Seeking to capitalize on his working relationship with President Trump, Kim reportedly hoped to leverage a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen – slated for November 18-19 – to nudge Beijing into facilitating another US-North Korea encounter.
Mao not a dictator? Massive backlash compels Mbappé to apologise
China said Oct 28 that it took seriously an apology from the French Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappé in the aftermath of his off-the-cuff “Chinese Dictator” remark. Seen as obviously referring to Chairman Mao, the light-hearted remark provoked severe backlash from China, including its official media which ran lengthy criticisms and condemnations of him, while major Chinese brands dropped him. China’s state television suspended broadcasts of matches from Spain’s La Liga, the top-tier professional men’s association football division of the Spanish football league system.
The point was not whether or not Mao was a dictator, for no one, not even the Chinese themselves, dared to deny it. They just did not like the ugly truth being uttered or reported in public. And the backlash against Mbappé was truly massive.
Mocking the founding father of Communist China, blamed by historians for tens of millions of deaths, is taboo in China. Mao ranks among the giants of mass killers in world history and only a dictator could have accomplish that.
The point was not whether or not Mao was a dictator, for no one, not even the Chinese themselves, dared to deny it. They just did not like the ugly truth being uttered or reported in public. And the backlash against Mbappé was truly massive.
Mocking the founding father of Communist China, blamed by historians for tens of millions of deaths, is taboo in China. Mao ranks among the giants of mass killers in world history and only a dictator could have accomplish that.
One passport isn’t enough for some wealthy Chinese. Here’s where they’re looking next
For some wealthy Chinese, securing a foreign passport is becoming the ultimate trade-off: giving up their Chinese citizenship. Wealth advisors say a growing number of affluent Chinese are considering renouncing their nationality as Beijing intensifies scrutiny of offshore wealth, with concerns over taxes, geopolitical uncertainty and greater international mobility driving their interest in alternative passports.
China does not recognize dual nationality, meaning Chinese nationals seeking to acquire foreign citizenship must renounce their passports.
“We have had some clients who are willing to give up their Chinese citizenship to hold multiple passports,” said Armand Arton, CEO of immigration migration consultancy Arton Capital, who added that the choice of passports depends on their lifestyle and business needs.
China does not recognize dual nationality, meaning Chinese nationals seeking to acquire foreign citizenship must renounce their passports.
“We have had some clients who are willing to give up their Chinese citizenship to hold multiple passports,” said Armand Arton, CEO of immigration migration consultancy Arton Capital, who added that the choice of passports depends on their lifestyle and business needs.
Mongolian mining company says copper exports have dropped due to China border restrictions
The operator of one of Mongolia’s largest copper mines said Thursday its exports of copper concentrate to China have dropped by about 70% in the past two weeks due to restrictions at a border crossing.
The restrictions have raised concerns over potential revenue losses and disruptions to Mongolia’s massive mineral sector.
Oyu Tolgoi LLC, which operates Oyu Tolgoi, one of the world’s largest copper mines, said the number of truck convoys transporting copper concentrate across the Chinese border has fallen from the usual 12 to 13 per day to just around four. The restrictions affect vehicles crossing at China’s Ganqimaodu Border Port, which is adjacent to Mongolia’s Gashuunsukhait Border Port.
The restrictions have raised concerns over potential revenue losses and disruptions to Mongolia’s massive mineral sector.
Oyu Tolgoi LLC, which operates Oyu Tolgoi, one of the world’s largest copper mines, said the number of truck convoys transporting copper concentrate across the Chinese border has fallen from the usual 12 to 13 per day to just around four. The restrictions affect vehicles crossing at China’s Ganqimaodu Border Port, which is adjacent to Mongolia’s Gashuunsukhait Border Port.
China elevates a military general to the Politburo and seeks to strengthen party discipline
China’s top leaders on Thursday elevated the only remaining general on the commission that oversees the country’s military to the Politburo, the top governing body of the Communist Party. The leaders also adopted a resolution on strengthening self-governance, discipline and anti-corruption in the party, as they seek to extend their grip on power.
During a four-day closed-door meeting, top Communist Party leaders deliberated on and adopted resolutions that will guide the party in the coming years. The meeting comes about a year before President Xi Jinping is widely expected to secure his fourth five-year term as the party’s leader.
The party elected Gen. Zhang Shengmin, who currently serves as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, to the Politburo. Xi had earlier purged two of China’s top generals, leaving Zhang as the commission’s only member besides Xi himself. It also left the Politburo without any representatives from the People’s Liberation Army until Zhang’s elevation.
During a four-day closed-door meeting, top Communist Party leaders deliberated on and adopted resolutions that will guide the party in the coming years. The meeting comes about a year before President Xi Jinping is widely expected to secure his fourth five-year term as the party’s leader.
The party elected Gen. Zhang Shengmin, who currently serves as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, to the Politburo. Xi had earlier purged two of China’s top generals, leaving Zhang as the commission’s only member besides Xi himself. It also left the Politburo without any representatives from the People’s Liberation Army until Zhang’s elevation.
Why isn’t China’s AI and tech boom saving its stock markets?
The global artificial intelligence boom that has helped sustain Chinese economic momentum this year still can’t offset its domestic woes, particularly in its stock market.
Since peaking in June, key Chinese indexes have fallen more than 20%, crossing the threshold for a bear market. Beijing responded last week by pumping $19 billion into exchange-traded funds, according to Bloomberg data, its biggest intervention since early 2025, when US President Donald Trump’s tariff offensive roiled global markets.
But analysts say interventions like this may do little to arrest the persistent slide, amid weak consumer spending and concerns over a possible bursting of the AI bubble. On Thursday, China’s benchmark CSI 300 index of stocks listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen closed down 1%.
Since peaking in June, key Chinese indexes have fallen more than 20%, crossing the threshold for a bear market. Beijing responded last week by pumping $19 billion into exchange-traded funds, according to Bloomberg data, its biggest intervention since early 2025, when US President Donald Trump’s tariff offensive roiled global markets.
But analysts say interventions like this may do little to arrest the persistent slide, amid weak consumer spending and concerns over a possible bursting of the AI bubble. On Thursday, China’s benchmark CSI 300 index of stocks listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen closed down 1%.
onsdag 28. oktober 2026
Torbjørn Færøvik: Please, don't mess with Chairman Mao!
French football star Kylian Mbappé has committed the unforgivable sin of suggesting that Mao was a dictator. Now the Middle Kingdom is in uproar.
The story began with something as innocent as a doctored image on the internet. Someone had put Mbappé’s face on the body of none other than Mao himself. Images like these have become a genre of their own online. People cut and paste, poke fun at celebrities and create bizarre juxtapositions. Most are forgotten within hours. But this image took on a life of its own.
In an interview, Mbappé was asked which picture of himself he found funniest. He singled out the doctored Mao image and described the man as “some guy—I think he was a Chinese dictator”.
That was all. Mbappé made no speech about China. He demanded no political reforms, did not criticise Xi Jinping and urged no one to rebel. He simply talked about a picture that made him laugh and that he wanted to share with his friends. But in China, you cannot laugh at just anyone. Some people are above being laughed at, even if they have been asleep for half a century.
The story began with something as innocent as a doctored image on the internet. Someone had put Mbappé’s face on the body of none other than Mao himself. Images like these have become a genre of their own online. People cut and paste, poke fun at celebrities and create bizarre juxtapositions. Most are forgotten within hours. But this image took on a life of its own.
In an interview, Mbappé was asked which picture of himself he found funniest. He singled out the doctored Mao image and described the man as “some guy—I think he was a Chinese dictator”.
That was all. Mbappé made no speech about China. He demanded no political reforms, did not criticise Xi Jinping and urged no one to rebel. He simply talked about a picture that made him laugh and that he wanted to share with his friends. But in China, you cannot laugh at just anyone. Some people are above being laughed at, even if they have been asleep for half a century.
It can be lonely at the top. And that’s just how China’s leader likes it
Last week Beijing’s deputy mayor was meeting with Walmart CEO John Furner and encouraging American companies to invest in the Chinese capital. Now he has vanished from public life, the latest to be swept up in an anti-corruption campaign that has ensnared a galaxy of China’s talent: a former top judge, a spy chief, dozens of military generals – and even officials tasked with rooting out graft in the People’s Republic.
In hushed tones across China party officials are wondering who is next, as the purge continues to reach into the highest echelons of the ruling Communist Party and has even toppled those seen as being close to leader Xi Jinping. The only person who doesn’t need to worry about their future is Xi himself.
In hushed tones across China party officials are wondering who is next, as the purge continues to reach into the highest echelons of the ruling Communist Party and has even toppled those seen as being close to leader Xi Jinping. The only person who doesn’t need to worry about their future is Xi himself.
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