Beijing’s defense exports are increasingly visible in regional conflicts, illustrating how Chinese military technology is shaping security dynamics in Southeast Asia. China has supplied VT‑4 tanks to the Royal Thai Army, based on a 2017 agreement.
onsdag 17. desember 2025
Chinese Weapons Fueling Both Sides of Neighboring Border War
Thailand is looking into guided anti-tank missiles the army captured along the border amid the fighting with Cambodia that has renewed. The GAM‑102LR is a fifth‑generation precision‑guided anti‑tank missile (ATGM) developed in China. The Royal Thai Army said the captured missiles are in its custody and will not be handed over to anyone, according to Thai Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
Beijing’s defense exports are increasingly visible in regional conflicts, illustrating how Chinese military technology is shaping security dynamics in Southeast Asia. China has supplied VT‑4 tanks to the Royal Thai Army, based on a 2017 agreement.
Beijing’s defense exports are increasingly visible in regional conflicts, illustrating how Chinese military technology is shaping security dynamics in Southeast Asia. China has supplied VT‑4 tanks to the Royal Thai Army, based on a 2017 agreement.
Who Is Xu Bo? Chinese Billionaire Allegedly Has Over 100 US-Born Babies
Chinese gaming tycoon Xu Bo's company on Tuesday pushed back against claims he had fathered more than 100 children through surrogates in the United States.
Xu's case—detailed in an investigation published Saturday by The Wall Street Journal—highlights what researchers have described as a sharp increase in Chinese intended parents. This demand has been met by an expanding network of fertility clinics, surrogates, brokers, law firms, and nanny services aiming to fast-track the transfer of these children to China.
Though China relaxed its decades-old one-child policy to two children in 2015 and then to three in 2021, surrogacy remains banned in the country over concerns it commodifies impoverished women. The rise of Chinese elites spending millions to have large families in the U.S. has raised questions about how this largely unregulated industry will shape the upbringing and well-being of the children involved.
Xu's case—detailed in an investigation published Saturday by The Wall Street Journal—highlights what researchers have described as a sharp increase in Chinese intended parents. This demand has been met by an expanding network of fertility clinics, surrogates, brokers, law firms, and nanny services aiming to fast-track the transfer of these children to China.
Though China relaxed its decades-old one-child policy to two children in 2015 and then to three in 2021, surrogacy remains banned in the country over concerns it commodifies impoverished women. The rise of Chinese elites spending millions to have large families in the U.S. has raised questions about how this largely unregulated industry will shape the upbringing and well-being of the children involved.
US Eyes New Joint Base at China Chokepoint
U.S. and Philippine military personnel conducted a joint inspection of a new Philippine forward operating base in strategic Batanes province, as the allies explore deeper cooperation amid China's threats toward Taiwan. Batanes—an island group in the northernmost part of the Philippines—sits in the strategically critical Luzon Strait. The U.S. views the area as essential to blocking the People's Liberation Army Navy from gaining access to the wider Pacific during a potential conflict.
Its proximity to southern Taiwan also positions the U.S.—which shares a Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines—could frustrate a future invasion. China claims Taiwan as its territory, to be unified with by force if necessary, and in recent years has intensified military activities around the island.
Beijing has also stepped up its coast guard presence in Manila's exclusive economic zone, adding to territorial tensions between the two neighbors.
Its proximity to southern Taiwan also positions the U.S.—which shares a Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines—could frustrate a future invasion. China claims Taiwan as its territory, to be unified with by force if necessary, and in recent years has intensified military activities around the island.
Beijing has also stepped up its coast guard presence in Manila's exclusive economic zone, adding to territorial tensions between the two neighbors.
Peter Wehner: Trump’s Inferno of Hate Is Intensifying
The actor and director Rob Reiner and his wife, the producer and photographer Michele Singer Reiner, were found stabbed to death in their home on Sunday. Yesterday, their son Nick, who has spoken about his bouts of drug addiction and homelessness, was arrested on suspicion of murder. With that news, a terrible event became doubly tragic.
Reiner was beloved by almost everyone who knew him. On social media, friends described him as generous, kind, funny, and a caring soul. The One Tree Hill actress Sophia Bush called him an “almost indescribably wonderful man.”
But none of that mattered to Donald Trump, who tore into the murdered Hollywood star.
On Truth Social, President Trump described Reiner as “a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star.” He added, without a shred of evidence, that Reiner’s death was “reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME.” And just to be sure he was clear, Trump continued: “He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump.”
Reiner was beloved by almost everyone who knew him. On social media, friends described him as generous, kind, funny, and a caring soul. The One Tree Hill actress Sophia Bush called him an “almost indescribably wonderful man.”
But none of that mattered to Donald Trump, who tore into the murdered Hollywood star.
On Truth Social, President Trump described Reiner as “a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star.” He added, without a shred of evidence, that Reiner’s death was “reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME.” And just to be sure he was clear, Trump continued: “He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump.”
Why China’s young are flocking to government jobs in record numbers
A record number of educated young Chinese are flocking to government jobs for security as the world’s second largest economy faces growing headwinds that have diminished prospects for private sector jobs. As many as 3.7 million applicants nationwide, including graduates from the country’s top universities, sat for the annual civil service exam last month. But only one in about 100 is expected to secure a place among the 38,100 entry-level government roles, starting next year.
Many were willing to take those odds as private job prospects dim amid an economic slump and worsening business sentiment. Unemployment among 16- to 24-year-old urbanites in China has stayed above 17% since July, compared to around 10% in the U.S.
Many were willing to take those odds as private job prospects dim amid an economic slump and worsening business sentiment. Unemployment among 16- to 24-year-old urbanites in China has stayed above 17% since July, compared to around 10% in the U.S.
Daughter of Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai tells CNN she is devastated by guilty verdict handed down to her father
The guilty verdict handed down this week to Hong Kong media tycoon and democracy advocate Jimmy Lai was expected but is still devastating, his daughter Claire Lai told CNN’s Jim Sciutto, blaming what she described as the city’s “highly compromised” legal system under Chinese rule.
Her father, 78, now faces the possibility of life in prison after his two-year trial under a sweeping national security law that Beijing imposed on the city following months of huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests.
Self-made billionaire Lai, founded a fiercely pro-democracy tabloid newspaper known for its blistering broadsides against the Chinese Communist Party until its forced closure in 2021.
Her father, 78, now faces the possibility of life in prison after his two-year trial under a sweeping national security law that Beijing imposed on the city following months of huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests.
Self-made billionaire Lai, founded a fiercely pro-democracy tabloid newspaper known for its blistering broadsides against the Chinese Communist Party until its forced closure in 2021.
China is building the world’s most powerful hydropower system deep in the Himalayas. It remains shrouded in secrecy
Hundreds of miles from China’s populous coastline, a sharp bend in a remote Himalayan river is set to become the centerpiece of one of the country’s most ambitious – and controversial – infrastructure projects to date. There, a $168 billion hydropower system is expected to generate more electricity than any other in the world – a vast boon for China as it hurtles toward a future where electric vehicles dominate its highways and power-hungry AI models race to out-compute international rivals.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping called for the project to be “advanced forcefully, systematically, and effectively” during a rare visit earlier this year to Tibet, a region where Beijing continues to tighten its grip in the name of economic growth and stability.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping called for the project to be “advanced forcefully, systematically, and effectively” during a rare visit earlier this year to Tibet, a region where Beijing continues to tighten its grip in the name of economic growth and stability.
China developing AI surveillance systems in minority languages, has launched a Tibetan large language model
The Chinese government is developing AI systems in the languages of the ethnic minorities in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to expand state surveillance and control, an Australian think tank has warned Dec 1. In this connection, China announced last month that it had launched a Tibetan large language model (LLM) and it would be made official after being registered with regulatory authorities.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) has said in a report published Dec 1 that Beijing was developing LLM-based public opinion analysis systems for Korean, Uyghur, Tibetan and Mongolian. The goal, it said, was to increase the state’s ability to monitor and control communications in those languages across text, video and audio.
The report, titled “The party’s AI: How China’s new AI systems are reshaping human rights,” points to a government-backed laboratory at Minzu University of China as a key driver of the effort. China’s Ministry of Education is stated to have established the National Key Laboratory of Ethnic Language Intelligent Analysis and Security Governance at the university for this purpose.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) has said in a report published Dec 1 that Beijing was developing LLM-based public opinion analysis systems for Korean, Uyghur, Tibetan and Mongolian. The goal, it said, was to increase the state’s ability to monitor and control communications in those languages across text, video and audio.
The report, titled “The party’s AI: How China’s new AI systems are reshaping human rights,” points to a government-backed laboratory at Minzu University of China as a key driver of the effort. China’s Ministry of Education is stated to have established the National Key Laboratory of Ethnic Language Intelligent Analysis and Security Governance at the university for this purpose.
China tests upgraded light battle tank for deployment in Himalayan Tibet
Both India and China have been continuing to strengthen their Tibet-border security with building and improvement of infrastructure, and deployment of various types of arms and equipment, while maintaining large bodies of troops in the wake of the Galwan Valley clashes of 2020. It has now been reported that China has upgraded its high-altitude light battle tank Type 99B with improved information-based command and communication capabilities and integrated firepower for deployment against India.
The reports about the upgraded battle tank came in the backdrop of India unveiling its indigenously developed Zorawar light tank for high-altitude mountain warfare, especially along the Tibet border, reported the scmp.com Dec 15, citing China’s state media.
The report cited state broadcaster CCTV as saying Dec 11 that the upgraded model had a raft of new features, and was shown going through testing of its driving capabilities and electronic systems in diverse terrain, as well as live-fire exercises.
The reports about the upgraded battle tank came in the backdrop of India unveiling its indigenously developed Zorawar light tank for high-altitude mountain warfare, especially along the Tibet border, reported the scmp.com Dec 15, citing China’s state media.
The report cited state broadcaster CCTV as saying Dec 11 that the upgraded model had a raft of new features, and was shown going through testing of its driving capabilities and electronic systems in diverse terrain, as well as live-fire exercises.
tirsdag 16. desember 2025
High-end car sales sink in China as its economy slows, taking a toll on European automakers
Chinese demand for foreign luxury cars is waning as customers opt for more affordable Chinese brand models, often sold at big discounts, catering to their taste for fancy electronics and comfort.
That is bad news for European carmakers like Porsche, Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz and BMW that have long dominated the upper reaches of the world’s largest auto market.nA prolonged property downturn in China has left many consumers with little appetite for big purchases. Meanwhile, the well-to-do are becoming increasingly shy about publicly displaying their wealth, said Paul Gong, UBS head of China Automotive Industry Research.
Many car buyers have been swayed by a 20,000 yuan ($2,830) trade-in subsidy offered by the Chinese government for purchasing electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. People tended to purchase cheaper, entry-level cars where the discount will count more and those cars are mostly Chinese made, Gong said.
That is bad news for European carmakers like Porsche, Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz and BMW that have long dominated the upper reaches of the world’s largest auto market.nA prolonged property downturn in China has left many consumers with little appetite for big purchases. Meanwhile, the well-to-do are becoming increasingly shy about publicly displaying their wealth, said Paul Gong, UBS head of China Automotive Industry Research.
Many car buyers have been swayed by a 20,000 yuan ($2,830) trade-in subsidy offered by the Chinese government for purchasing electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. People tended to purchase cheaper, entry-level cars where the discount will count more and those cars are mostly Chinese made, Gong said.
Jimmy Lai is a Hong Kong rags-to-riches media tycoon who became a fierce critic of Beijing
To his supporters, former media mogul Jimmy Lai is a fighter for democracy. To his opponents, he’s a traitor to his motherland. Now, he could face life in prison after being convicted of conspiracies to commit sedition and collusion with foreign forces in a landmark trial that began in 2023.
Lai, 78, is an outspoken critic of China’s ruling Communist Party who was arrested in 2020 under a national security law following massive anti-government protests that rocked Hong Kong the year before. His arrest and the closure of his Apple Daily newspaper, a tabloid-style publication that backed the democracy movement, dealt a blow to free speech in a city that was once a bastion of press freedom in Asia.
Lai, 78, is an outspoken critic of China’s ruling Communist Party who was arrested in 2020 under a national security law following massive anti-government protests that rocked Hong Kong the year before. His arrest and the closure of his Apple Daily newspaper, a tabloid-style publication that backed the democracy movement, dealt a blow to free speech in a city that was once a bastion of press freedom in Asia.
Thais bomb three Cambodian border casinos deemed military threats
Thailand’s US-supplied F-16 warplanes and Swedish Gripen jets bombed at least three Cambodian casinos during the past week in a gamble Bangkok hopes will obliterate its enemy’s alleged ability to fire armed drones from the border zone complexes and stockpile rockets, mortars and other weapons.
The big white-walled casinos are easy targets in the green forests and brown scrubland because Cambodia has no effective military air force to defend them. Cambodia has not fired its anti-aircraft weapons during the war that began in July, perhaps predicting a devastating response from militarily-mightier Thailand.
Cambodia’s casinos are some of the biggest and strongest-built buildings along the frontier, constructed with millions of dollars from gamblers’ and investors’ money. The well-equipped casino complexes could offer Cambodia’s military formidable structures, but it was not possible to independently confirm their dual use.
The big white-walled casinos are easy targets in the green forests and brown scrubland because Cambodia has no effective military air force to defend them. Cambodia has not fired its anti-aircraft weapons during the war that began in July, perhaps predicting a devastating response from militarily-mightier Thailand.
Cambodia’s casinos are some of the biggest and strongest-built buildings along the frontier, constructed with millions of dollars from gamblers’ and investors’ money. The well-equipped casino complexes could offer Cambodia’s military formidable structures, but it was not possible to independently confirm their dual use.
Broken eagle: China ‘Overmatch’ warning tests US credibility
A leaked US Department of Defense (DoD) assessment known as the “Overmatch” brief warns that the US would likely lose a high-end war with China over Taiwan under current conditions.
The classified, multiyear report, obtained by the New York Times (NYT), was prepared by the DoD’s Office of Net Assessment and delivered to senior White House officials over several years. It maps how a conflict would unfold and concludes that China now possesses the means to destroy US aircraft, large naval vessels and satellites early in a fight, while exploiting critical US supply-chain vulnerabilities.
The brief details how China’s growing missile forces, low-cost drones and cyber capabilities could overwhelm US reliance on expensive, vulnerable platforms such as aircraft carriers and advanced fighter jets, leaving US forces unable to sustain a prolonged war.
According to officials cited by the New York Times, DoD war games consistently show US defeat, with one former senior national security official describing the assessment as revealing Chinese “redundancy after redundancy” against US advantages.
The classified, multiyear report, obtained by the New York Times (NYT), was prepared by the DoD’s Office of Net Assessment and delivered to senior White House officials over several years. It maps how a conflict would unfold and concludes that China now possesses the means to destroy US aircraft, large naval vessels and satellites early in a fight, while exploiting critical US supply-chain vulnerabilities.
The brief details how China’s growing missile forces, low-cost drones and cyber capabilities could overwhelm US reliance on expensive, vulnerable platforms such as aircraft carriers and advanced fighter jets, leaving US forces unable to sustain a prolonged war.
According to officials cited by the New York Times, DoD war games consistently show US defeat, with one former senior national security official describing the assessment as revealing Chinese “redundancy after redundancy” against US advantages.
China’s big layoff wave now buffeting its tech sector
China’s long‑running wave of corporate layoffs is spreading from manufacturing and property to the technology sector, with some key firms cutting hundreds of engineering jobs as core businesses weaken and artificial intelligence (AI) growth remains uneven.
Recent job cuts at Baidu and Lenovo’s Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG), alongside years of downsizing at Alibaba Group, show technology is no longer insulated from China’s broader slowdown and job losses.China’s jobless rate for 16-to-24-year-olds, excluding college students, stood at 17.3% in October, slightly down from 17.7% the month prior, the most recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed, according to a Reuters report.
The unemployment rate for 25-to-29-year-olds, excluding students, remained unchanged at 7.2% from a month earlier, while the jobless rate for 30-to-59-year-olds fell to 3.8% from 3.9%, the data showed. It’s not immediately clear how the recent wave tech layoffs will impact those figures.
Recent job cuts at Baidu and Lenovo’s Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG), alongside years of downsizing at Alibaba Group, show technology is no longer insulated from China’s broader slowdown and job losses.China’s jobless rate for 16-to-24-year-olds, excluding college students, stood at 17.3% in October, slightly down from 17.7% the month prior, the most recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed, according to a Reuters report.
The unemployment rate for 25-to-29-year-olds, excluding students, remained unchanged at 7.2% from a month earlier, while the jobless rate for 30-to-59-year-olds fell to 3.8% from 3.9%, the data showed. It’s not immediately clear how the recent wave tech layoffs will impact those figures.
China’s military firms struggle as corruption purge bites, report says
Revenues at China’s giant military firms fell last year as corruption purges slowed arms contracts and procurement, according to a study released on Monday by a leading conflict think tank. The Chinese declines contrast with strong revenue growth globally for big arms and military-services companies, fueled by wars in Ukraine and Gaza, and global and regional tensions, the research by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute found.
“A host of corruption allegations in Chinese arms procurement led to major arms contracts being postponed or canceled in 2024,” said Nan Tian, director of SIPRI’s Military Expenditure and Arms Production Programme.
“A host of corruption allegations in Chinese arms procurement led to major arms contracts being postponed or canceled in 2024,” said Nan Tian, director of SIPRI’s Military Expenditure and Arms Production Programme.
Many more sites identified to flood Tibet with millions more Chinese tourists each year
In a move to bring many more millions of Chinese tourists to Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) each year, even as the territory remains tightly restricted for non-Chinese foreign visitors, the authorities have identified more than 58,000 tourist resources following a survey that began in 2023, reported travelandtourworld.com Dec 14. citing the regional tourism authorities. Border tourism has been cited as an emerging market in the new discoveries.
The identification and recognition of more than 58,000 tourist resources within the region have highlighted its untapped potential, with over 31,000 of these resources being newly discovered or recognized, the report said.
The information was reported to have been revealed during a recent meeting in Lhasa, where regional tourism authorities reviewed the results of an extensive survey conducted across the area.
The identification and recognition of more than 58,000 tourist resources within the region have highlighted its untapped potential, with over 31,000 of these resources being newly discovered or recognized, the report said.
The information was reported to have been revealed during a recent meeting in Lhasa, where regional tourism authorities reviewed the results of an extensive survey conducted across the area.
mandag 15. desember 2025
India: Toxic smog chokes Delhi, disrupts travel
Air quality in New Delhi continued to be in the "severe" category for the third consecutive day on Monday as a thick toxic smog engulfed the Indian capital. Air pollution in Delhi and its suburbs, which together make up the National Capital Region, has been at its worst levels in weeks.
According to government data, the averageAir Quality Index (AQI) in the region on Monday was 471, which among the worst in the world, with any measurement above 300 considered "hazardous" to health.
According to government data, the averageAir Quality Index (AQI) in the region on Monday was 471, which among the worst in the world, with any measurement above 300 considered "hazardous" to health.
For comparison, any measurement under 50 is considered "good."
On Sunday, authorities imposed the most stringent pollution-control measures, which include a complete ban on the movement of older diesel vehicles and a halt in construction activities. Schools have also been directed to conduct classes in hybrid mode. Smog is a recurring phenomenon in Delhi, especially during the winter months. The issue of air pollution in the national capital is also a heated political issue. There have been demands for a long-term solution to curb the smog.
On Sunday, authorities imposed the most stringent pollution-control measures, which include a complete ban on the movement of older diesel vehicles and a halt in construction activities. Schools have also been directed to conduct classes in hybrid mode. Smog is a recurring phenomenon in Delhi, especially during the winter months. The issue of air pollution in the national capital is also a heated political issue. There have been demands for a long-term solution to curb the smog.
How Late Architect Frank Gehry Silently Shaped Chinese Cities
On Dec. 5, American architect Frank Gehry, famous for designing landmarks such as the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and the Walt Disney Concert Hall, passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 96.
Unlike other internationally renowned architects — Rem Koolhaas, Zaha Hadid, and Tadao Ando, who designed the CCTV Headquarters, Beijing Daxing International Airport, and several Chinese museums, respectively — Gehry left no works in the Chinese mainland. He was invited to compete for, but didn’t win, the commission for the National Art Museum of China. While he was selected to design the Quanzhou Museum of Contemporary Art, his plans were so radical that it remains unknown whether they will be implemented.
But despite the mainland lacking a Gehry building, he has had a profound influence on how Chinese cities have changed in the past two decades. This influence is not due to any particular architectural style, but lies in the urban development logic that a visually striking landmark will enhance an area’s profile, drive up land values, and spark commercial activity.
Unlike other internationally renowned architects — Rem Koolhaas, Zaha Hadid, and Tadao Ando, who designed the CCTV Headquarters, Beijing Daxing International Airport, and several Chinese museums, respectively — Gehry left no works in the Chinese mainland. He was invited to compete for, but didn’t win, the commission for the National Art Museum of China. While he was selected to design the Quanzhou Museum of Contemporary Art, his plans were so radical that it remains unknown whether they will be implemented.
But despite the mainland lacking a Gehry building, he has had a profound influence on how Chinese cities have changed in the past two decades. This influence is not due to any particular architectural style, but lies in the urban development logic that a visually striking landmark will enhance an area’s profile, drive up land values, and spark commercial activity.
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