Although its consulate was attacked, military retaliation was not Iran's first choice against its enemy, opines Chinese academic Fan Hongda. In the absence of a peaceful resolution to the dispute, it has no choice but to retaliate militarily against Israel. In this way, Iran launched an attack on Israel on 14 April.

In times of economic uncertainty, the allure of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is stronger, despite China’s ban on cryptocurrency trading and mining since 2021. In some cases, it might even be a means for wealth transfer. NUS academic Ben Charoenwong discusses the issue.

A high roller from the UK has been found to have participated in what the British Metropolitan police described as the largest Bitcoin money laundering case in UK history, resulting in the seizure of 61,000 bitcoins, now worth approximately 31 billion RMB.

As an advocate of the 1992 Consensus, former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou has always been in support of “one China, different interpretations”. However, during his recent trip to mainland China, he continually emphasised the common Chinese ethnicity, perhaps to rouse China’s sentiments.

Jack Ma recently sent out an internal memo, affirming Alibaba’s reforms and organisational restructuring, stating that the company has returned to a healthy growth track. Meanwhile, reports suggest that Ma, having returned from obscurity, is once again deeply involved in strategic decisions. Will this be Alibaba’s foray back to the top? Lianhe Zaobao’s China Desk tells us more.

From diverse specialty blends to a new university programme in Coffee Science and burgeoning cafe scenes across the country, coffee has evolved from an exotic import to an integral part of China's food and beverage culture. With a penchant for ambience and novelty, coffee aficionados in China are reshaping the nation's coffee scene.

The earthquake that hit Hualien in Taiwan on 3 April 2024 is just the latest in a long list of earthquakes in Taiwan’s history, for example the 921 earthquake of 1999 and the earthquake of 1935 that hit Taichung. How have these earthquakes affected the people of Taiwan and shaped their psyche through the ages? Historical photo collector Hsu Chung-mao provides some insight.

Academic Fei-Ling Wang says that the competition between China and the US could become a non-zero-sum game that is mutually beneficial to the two sides and even to the world. This would depend on how the countries uphold their worldview, outlook on life and values and are able to "live and let live".

The joint military exercises that the Philippines has conducted with the US and its allies have not only failed to decrease China’s “offensives” but also incited its “aggressiveness”, says Chinese academic Peng Nian.

Academic Alessandro Arduino observes that the spike in violence along the route of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project is reviving concerns about the "three evils" — terrorism, separatism and extremism — which China, Russia and the Central Asian republics have feared since the inception of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Chinese consumer interest in Apple iPhones is waning as competitors eat away at its market share. Analysts also believe that the lack of innovation in the new releases has led to declining sales. Meanwhile, Chinese manufacturers remain an important part of the production of Apple products, with no viable replacement in sight. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Daryl Lim speaks with experts and academics to find out more about Apple’s place in China.

With young people in China seemingly less willing to date and get married, Granny Wang’s Matchmaking event in Henan province is proving to be surprisingly popular. Will such live events catch on more and spur young people to consider marriage?

The quiet support of the current administration for the tiny minority of Confucianists in Indonesia, who are mostly ethnic Chinese Indonesians, could speak volumes about not just religious but more worldly concerns.

Despite heightened tension between China and the US, the two sides are maintaining communications at all levels. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan notes that as long as the two countries remain in contact, the situation will not turn for the worse or spin out of control.

Japanese academic Rira Momma analyses China’s tactics in the Kinmen fishing boat incidents and how Taiwan may need to enhance its vigilance on the security of its remote islands.

PIIE researcher Tianlei Huang explains how local governments did not make the best of the local special bond programme, a major instrument of fiscal stimulus after the pandemic in 2020. He considers if the programme needs to be downsized, and resources possibly channelled to other areas such as building human capital.