China Could Dominate the Physical AI Future

On Feb. 16, hundreds of millions of households watched as humanoid robots from four different Chinese companies danced, acted in a comedy skit, did parkour, and performed martial arts onstage at the Spring Festival Gala, China’s most-watched television broadcast. Across the country, drone shows lit up the night skies as China celebrated Lunar New Year, the synchronization of tens of thousands of drones coordinated by artificial intelligence.

The physical AI fervor has traveled across the Pacific. At the glitzy Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year, Chinese startups dominated the convention with AI-enabled hardware from smart home appliances and wearables to all kinds of robots.

While American frontier labs are battling each other across large language model leaderboards, China’s AI capabilities are showing up in physical ways—leaving screens and entering our daily lives. We’ve lived through over a decade of, in the words of venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, “software eating the world.” Now, metal and mathematics have converged and hardware is eating the world.

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Why is China Sitting Out the War on Iran

A question has become ubiquitous since President Donald Trump started the war against Iran: Why is Beijing not doing more to support Tehran? There are many answers, and they begin with a practical one. Given the intensity, pace, and scope of American and Israeli strikes, it is far from clear what assistance China could provide that would meaningfully enhance Iran’s capacity to retaliate in the short term.

But the more significant answer lies in China’s security priorities. China may have the world’s second largest defense budget, but its military modernization remains overwhelmingly oriented toward its objectives within Asia. The paramount objective for Beijing is advancing unification with Taiwan, followed by pressing its territorial claims across its disputed border with India, and across the contested waters of the East and South China Seas.

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What to Know About Trump’s 15-Point Peace Plan After Iran’s Rejection

Iran has rejected a U.S.-backed 15-point ceasefire proposal, according to its state-run English-language broadcaster Press TV, which cited an anonymous official on Wednesday. Iran has also put forward its own ceasefire proposal, calling for war reparations and sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.

Washington's proposal had been transmitted to Tehran via Pakistan, which is on a pause in its own war with Afghanistan. The rejection raises immediate doubts about the viability of a plan that the Trump Administration has been quietly advancing to halt the fighting. President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that the U.S. was talking to “the right people” in Iran to secure a deal and end the conflict, adding the Iranians were eager to do so. Iran’s reported rejection publicly undercuts that claim.

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Trump will travel to Beijing for rescheduled China trip May 14-15, after delay due to Iran war

President Donald Trump will travel to Beijing for a rescheduled summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on May 14 and 15, the White House announced on Wednesday.

Trump had been scheduled to travel to China later this month but previously announced he was delaying the trip so he could be in Washington to help steward the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran. The Republican president had announced a rescheduled trip even though the war in Iran continues and the U.S. is pressing Tehran to accept a ceasefire proposal.

The president and first lady Melania Trump also plan to host Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, for a White House visit later this year, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. Leavitt, when asked if the new dates for Trump’s trip could suggest he believes the Iran war could end soon, offered an optimistic tone that the conflict could reach an endgame before he travels.

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The worst oil crisis in history comes at a good time for China’s troubled EV giants

A historic oil shock and surging fuel prices are strengthening the case for electric vehicles. China’s EV makers are eager to deliver. The United States and Israel’s war against Iran has disrupted critical fossil fuel supplies from the Middle East, pushing up crude oil prices to as high as $119 a barrel last week. This has sparked fears of worsened inflation, or even a global recession.

But the turmoil couldn’t have come at a better time for China’s EV industry. While China manufactures and exports more electric cars than any other nation, its carmakers face fierce price competition and slowing growth at home. Chinese brands are under increasing pressure to find other markets.

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Can American car companies survive American politics?

Energy fallout from Iran war signals a global wake-up call for renewable energy

Asia embraces energy austerity as dire fuel shortages force Philippines to declare national emergency

As the war with Iran drags on, energy-starved nations in Asia –– including close US allies –– are resorting to increasingly extreme measures to keep their economies afloat.

On Tuesday, the Philippines became the first country to declare a state of national energy emergency. South Koreans have been advised to take shorter showers and charge their phones during the day to conserve electricity. While Japan will begin its biggest-ever release of emergency oil reserves this week, and told citizens there was no need to hoard toilet paper amid growing panic over potential shortages of consumer goods.

The intensifying upheaval is a grim indication of what may come for the rest of the world, as the war in Iran has choked off a critical source of crude oil and natural gas. Asian countries are heavily reliant on imports from the Middle East, which accounts for about 60% of the region’s oil supply.

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Kim Jong Un uses Iran war to justify North Korea’s decision to keep its nuclear weapons

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un has said the United States’ war with Iranproves his country made the right decision to keep its nuclear weapons. In a speech to North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly published on Tuesday, Kim accused Washington of “acts of state sponsored terrorism and aggression,” but did not mention Iran by name.

“The present situation clearly proves” that North Korea was justified in rejecting what he described as US pressure and “sweet talk” to give up its nuclear arsenal, Kim said. He added that North Korea’s nuclear status is now “irreversible.”

US President Donald Trump has previously claimed Iran posed an “imminent” threat to the US, months after declaring the US had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Trump has cited preventing Iran from building a nuclear bomb as one of his reasons for launching strikes on the country.

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Young Americans are embracing ‘Chinamaxxing’. That’s a soft power boost for Beijing

This article may be meeting you at a very Chinese time in your life.

At least, if you’ve spent enough time recently on social media, where the phenomenon of “Chinamaxxing” has swept feeds with videos of people sipping hot water, shuffling around the house in slippers and donning a viral Adidas jacket resembling historic Chinese fashion.

These things, content creators joke, will help you “become Chinese” – reflecting a growing Western fascination with Chinese culture and aesthetics.“Morning routine as a new Chinese baddie,” one TikTok creator captioned a video in which he does a series of traditional Chinese exercises. Another video, viewed more than 2.4 million times as of late February, shows the creator boiling apples to make fruit tea – a supposedly old-school Chinese elixir for gut health.

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North Korea says summit with Japan is off unless Tokyo drops ‘its anachronistic’ ways

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Monday a summit between her brother and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi won’t happen if Japan sticks to “its anachronistic” approach. Kim Yo Jong’s statement came after Takaichi told reporters last week that she had informed U.S. President Donald Trump during a summit in Washington that she had “a very strong desire” to meet Kim Jong Un.

“But this is not the one that comes true, as wanted or decided by Japan,” Kim Yo Jong said. “In order for the top leaders of the two countries to meet each other, Japan should first be determined to break with its anachronistic practice and habit.”

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Japan conveys regrets to China after arrest of soldier over alleged break-in at Chinese embassy

Japan said Wednesday it conveyed regrets to China after authorities confirmed they arrested a Japanese army soldier on suspicion of trespass, a day after China protested over an alleged break-in at its embassy in Tokyo. The case, the latest point of friction in an escalating spat between Japan and China, surfaced Tuesday after Beijing protested to Tokyo.

An individual who claimed to be a Japan Self-Defense Forces officer scaled the wall and forced his way into the embassy compound on Tuesday morning, Lin Jian, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said in a news conference in Beijing.

The Tokyo police on Wednesday told The Associated Press that they arrested a 23-year-old member of the Ground Self-Defense Force, or Japan’s army, in the alleged trespassing into the Chinese embassy on Tuesday.

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US intel doubts China will invade Taiwan in 2027

China may be preparing to take Taiwan, but not through a near-term invasion, as new US intelligence suggests it is prioritizing coercion, pressure and political absorption over outright war.

The March report, entitled 2026 Annual Threat Assessment of US Intelligence Community, says China has no fixed timetable for forcible unification and instead prefers to achieve it without force, even as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) continues to build capabilities for a cross-strait campaign.It assesses that Chinese officials view an amphibious assault as highly risky and complex, particularly given the likelihood of US intervention. China’s approach is shaped by PLA readiness, Taiwan’s domestic politics and uncertainty over US response, with conflict carrying major global economic consequences.

While China maintains its goal of unification by 2049, it appears focused on gradually shifting the strategic balance while retaining military options as a deterrent. These constraints point to the political, military and economic risks that underpin China’s reluctance to pursue a near-term invasion of Taiwan.

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‘Chinese characteristics’ and Xi Jinping’s latest purge of brass

Most Western analyses of the recent purge of two People’s Liberation Army four-star generals treat this development as something shocking. Chinese Communist Party Chairman Xi Jinping has been accused of paranoia, and the power of the Chinese Communist Party Central Military Commission (CCP CMC) is supposed to be crumbling.

Western voices tend to focus on the role of ideology within the PLA, and are quick to detect signs of internal fragmentation, but the downfall of these officers needs to be examined from the perspective of “Chinese characteristics.”

General Zhang Youxia, first vice chairman of the CCP CMC, and General Liu Zhenli, chief of staff of the Joint Staff Department of the CMC, were arrested in late January, and accused of “grave violations of discipline and law,” i.e. corruption. Both were prominent representatives of the PLA in the National People’s Congress, and Zhang Youxia had been close to Xi Jinping since their childhood as “princelings”.

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Iran’s Hormuz pain is China’s yuan gain

Say what you want about the Iranian regime, it’s a master troller in ways for which US President Donald Trump surely didn’t foresee.

Nowhere is that more apparent — or potentially impactful — than Iran’s reported plan to showcase the yuan by requiring all oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz to settle transactions in the Chinese currency. It’s enough to ruin Trump’s week — and that’s saying a lot considering the many ways the US-Israeli attack on Iran has gone sideways.Another example: Iran calling Trump’s bluff in supposed ceasefire talks. On Monday, Trump delighted markets by stating he’s postponing his 48-hour ultimatum on attacking Iran’s energy infrastructure amid “productive” negotiations to end the hostilities. Tehran’s response, essentially, was: “Uhhh, what talks?”

But the yuan wrinkle could put Trump World in quite a bind. Assuming Iran would even consider allowing US-bound tankers through the Strait, requiring payment in yuan would be a significant diplomatic concession. Among the reasons Trump was reelected was a pledge to take China down a peg, hence his tariff-fueled trade war.

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Energy fallout from Iran war signals a global wake-up call for renewable energy

The war in Iran is exposing the world’s reliance on fragile fossil fuel routes, lending urgency to calls for hastening the shift to renewable energy. Fighting has all but halted oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that carries about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas, or LNG. The disruption has jolted energy markets, pushing up prices and straining import-dependent economies.

Asia, where most of the oil was headed, has been hit hardest, but the disruptions also are a strain for Europe, where policymakers are looking for ways to cut energy demand, and for Africa, which is bracing for rising fuel costs and inflation.

Unlike during previous oil shocks, renewable power is now competitive with fossil fuels in many places. More than 90% of new renewable power projects worldwide in 2024 were cheaper than fossil-fuel alternatives, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency.

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Africa’s solar boom faces higher costs as China cuts export subsidies

China’s decision to end value-added tax rebates on solar panel exports and phase out incentives for making battery storage equipment could push up the cost of solar installations in Africa, which relies heavily on imported Chinese technology.

The changes, expected to take effect April 1 for solar panels and beginning next year for batteries, may complicate efforts to expand renewable energy to close vast electricity gaps across Africa, though experts say the impact likely will be manageable.

“We are likely to see solar panel prices increase in Africa because most of the inputs come from China,” said Wangari Muchiri, an energy analyst focused on Africa’s clean energy sector. “Removing the rebate will add to existing costs, especially when you consider shipping, logistics, and other import fees.”

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China protests to Japan over alleged break-in at its embassy in Tokyo

China says it has protested to Japan over an alleged break-in at the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo.

An individual who claimed to be a Japan Self-Defense Forces officer scaled the wall and forced his way into the embassy compound on Tuesday morning, Lin Jian, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said in a news conference in Beijing.

Tensions between the two Asian nations have escalated in recent months after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in November a Chinese miltray action against Taiwan could constitute “a survival-threatening situation” for Japan requiring the use of force. Beijing, which regards the self-governing island as part of its territory, has since stepped up diplomatic and trade reprisals against Japan.

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Torbjørn Færøvik: Isfahan - A City Loved, A City in Danger

Travelers of the past struggled to find the right words to describe the Iranian city of Isfahan. Yet one of them, the Frenchman Jean Chardin, wrote in the seventeenth century: “The city shone like a pearl in the desert and dazzled us completely with its splendor.” Another, Pietro della Valle, added: “The beauty of the city surpasses everything I have seen in the East.”

But this spring it is threatened with mutilation and death. In recent weeks, its inhabitants have lived in constant fear of the thunder in the sky.

“Our city is like a museum without a roof. Spare us!” pleads the mayor.

Isfahan is not only a historical jewel, but also an industrial and technological hub in Iran. In and around the city are several facilities linked to Iran’s nuclear program, military industry, air bases, and logistics. This makes it a potential target for airstrikes, increasing the risk of damage to both civilian and historic areas.

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Japan Is back – but not the version Washington wants

When Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi planned her visit to the Oval Office, she was hoping to showcase something familiar: Japan’s renewed commitment to defense spending, alliance coordination, and economic investment in the United States. Instead, on Thursday, she had to walk into a different conversation shaped by a widening war in the Middle East.

Following US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, Tehran has moved to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical energy chokepoint, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies pass. The crisis has sent oil prices surging and markets reeling. For Japan, which relies on the Persian Gulf for some 90% of its crude imports, the implications are immediate and severe.

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