ASEAN-China

I went to Nanning to find the pyramid schemes that lured Singaporeans

After 52 Singaporeans were arrested in Guangxi, Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei travelled to Nanning to trace the pyramid schemes said to have lured them in — and found a city where real policies and projects can be repackaged as fake investment opportunities.

Sim Tze Wei

07 Sep 2026

China has led nearly 300 green initiatives. Is it a climate leader?

A new study reveals China has led 291 environmental initiatives since 2000. However, with questions remaining over their real-world impact, can Beijing truly lead as the US retreats from global climate governance? Lianhe Zaobao’s China news correspondent Lim Zhan Ting finds out more.

Lim Zhan Ting

01 Sep 2026

Zhu Rongji: A legacy of transforming China’s economy and forging relations with ASEAN

A key standard-bearer of 1990s economic reform, former Premier Zhu Rongji, who passed away on 12 August, leaves a lasting imprint on China’s taxation, state-owned enterprises, accession to the World Trade Organization, and even on ASEAN. Lianhe Zaobao’s Sim Tze Wei and Tan Ke-Yang take a look at his legacy.

Sim Tze Wei, Tan Ke-Yang

13 Aug 2026

Ten years after the South China Sea ruling: Is China’s position better or worse?

The reality of the South China Sea is increasingly being shaped by Chinese power. This is the outcome that could matter more than 2016’s arbitral ruling and the countries rallying around it, says commentator Deng Yuwen.

Deng Yuwen

16 Jul 2026

Who governs food security now? Why Beijing’s answer matters most

Global food governance is increasingly dispersed across overlapping institutions and frameworks. Few countries are better positioned than China to bridge them, but whether Beijing chooses to do so remains the defining question, says researcher Genevieve Donnellon-May.

Genevieve Donnellon-May

10 Jul 2026

What China’s submarine missile test reveals about its nuclear strategy

China’s submarine launch shows that Beijing intends to remove strategic vulnerability before accepting strategic constraint. But showing its ability for a second-strike capability does not guarantee stability in Asia, says academic Hao Nan.  

Hao Nan

09 Jul 2026

China’s G2 reality and Hormuz’s new normal

As the world increasingly sees China and the US as a de facto G2, experts debate China’s global role while warning of a new normal in the Strait of Hormuz. Lianhe Zaobao China news correspondent Edwin Ong highlights key takeaways from the eighth Singapore-China Forum.

Edwin Ong

07 Jul 2026

Are China-Philippines tensions sinking the South China Sea Code of Conduct?

Recent remarks by the Philippines suggesting that China may be a stumbling block to the conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) drew a harsh response from the latter. Why are these tensions resurfacing now, and what real impact does it have on the negotiations on the COC? Researcher Chau Do gives her take.

Chau Do

23 Jun 2026

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

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

Lawrence Wong: China at the heart of Asia’s stability and prosperity

China’s growing economic scale, technological innovation and active engagement in trade and regional initiatives make it a crucial force in shaping Asia’s stability, growth and prosperity over the next 25 years. This is the transcript of the speech delivered by Singapore’s Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong at the 2026 Bo'ao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference on 26 March 2026.

Lawrence Wong

26 Mar 2026

[Big read] He Dong: Trump’s tariffs could spur ASEAN integration

He Dong, AMRO chief economist, tells Lianhe Zaobao business editor Shen Yue how US tariffs could push ASEAN to tear down trade barriers, integrate payment systems, coordinate resources and move up the industrial value chain. This conversation is part of Lianhe Zaobao’s Future 365 interview series.

Shen Yue

18 Mar 2026