Agriculture
Economy
China’s seed war for food security and supply chains
China is turning seeds into a strategic frontier — balancing domestic food security needs with global ambitions in agricultural supply chains, biotech dominance and the geopolitics of food production. Researcher Genevieve Donnellon-May explains.
Genevieve Donnellon-May
27 Apr 2026
Society
[Big read] China’s rural officials are performing for attention online, with Xi’s blessing
China’s village officials are turning to livestreams, dances and short-form videos to sell rural products and boost local economies, citing President Xi Jinping’s emphasis on e-commerce to justify the shift, though it sits uneasily with expectations that officials keep a low profile. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Zhang Guanghui reports.
Zhang Guanghui
24 Apr 2026
Politics
China holds the cards: Fertiliser, fuel and the Middle East crisis
As the war in the Middle East continues, China finds itself at an advantage in terms of fertilisers and fuels, and it is up to China to decide what to do with these trump cards. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei looks at the factors at play.
Sim Tze Wei
09 Apr 2026
Economy
How agriculture anchors Vietnam-China ties
While Vietnam-China agricultural trade has shown great potential, buttressed by regional economic frameworks, issues such as regulatory frictions, trade imbalances and geopolitical risks may get in the way. Researcher Genevieve Donnellon-May explains.
Genevieve Donnellon-May
13 Jan 2026
Economy
The US-China soybean comeback that could reshape global markets
How can a single handshake in Busan reshape global soybean flows, US farm politics and China’s food security strategy all at once? Researcher Genevieve Donnellon-May analyses the implications and challenges to the latest US–China deal on soybeans trade.
Genevieve Donnellon-May
17 Dec 2025
Economy
[Big read] Liu Chang: The reluctant heiress who saved her father’s agriculture empire
As New Hope plunged into deep losses, Liu Chang faced a role she never sought. In rare candour, the reluctant heiress reflects on the strain of succession, the crisis that defined her and how she ultimately steadied her father’s agriculture empire, in an interview with Lianhe Zaobao’s Li Yaning.
Li Yaning
27 Nov 2025
Economy
Why China wants Indonesia’s palm oil
China is seeking long-term palm oil supplies from Indonesia to safeguard its food and energy security. But as trade deepens, Jakarta faces tough questions — from environmental pressures to managing domestic demand and export commitments. Researcher Genevieve Donnellon-May examines the issue.
Genevieve Donnellon-May
28 Oct 2025
Economy
Soybeans, canola and power: How China turned food into a strategic weapon
Can food trade become a tool of geopolitical strategy? For China, the answer is yes. Researcher Genevieve Donnellon-May examines how China’s agricultural imports of agricultural products like canola and soybeans are being reshaped by ongoing tensions with Canada and the US.
Genevieve Donnellon-May
22 Sep 2025
Economy
Can China save Iraq from its water crisis?
Amid Iraq’s growing water crisis, while Chinese financing and technical expertise can offer short-term relief and help plug Iraq’s infrastructure gaps, such engagement also raises the spectre of new dependencies and opaque decision-making. US academic John Calabrese looks into the issue.
John Calabrese
26 Jun 2025
Economy
[Big read] Durians, tea and livestreams: Can rural China power its 2035 modernisation dream?
Durians and livestreaming are boosting China’s rural economy, but can border trade compete with established hubs? Experts weigh in on the challenges of revitalising remote areas, from corruption to talent drain, as China aims for modernisation by 2035. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Sim Tze Wei reports from Malipo county on the China-Vietnam border.
Sim Tze Wei
04 Jun 2025
Economy
Why Chinese investors are racing to plant durians in Southeast Asia
With the growing popularity of durians in China, some Chinese are coming to Southeast Asia to start durian plantations to cater to demand. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Lim Zhan Ting speaks to durian cultivators to find out more.
Lim Zhan Ting
21 May 2025