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Politics
APEC Summit: Can Beijing pull off a Trump-Xi-Putin meeting?
Bringing together the leaders of China, Russia and the US during the APEC summit in November is one thing, but getting them to the same negotiating table is another. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei takes a look at how Shenzhen could become host to high-stakes diplomacy.
Sim Tze Wei
05 Oct 2026
Politics
Popular at home, friction abroad: The limits of Japan PM Takaichi’s appeal
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s leadership style has won over the public, but navigating relations with China and building trust with world leaders remains her toughest test. Japanese academic Shin Kawashima analyses the first year of her premiership.
Shin Kawashima
05 Oct 2026
Technology
China’s second Belt and Road may be built on AI
Al lies at the heart of China’s second Belt and Road. The Global South provides users, workloads, scale and revenues that flow through the Chinese AI stack and help finance its next climb up the technology ladder. Researcher Hao Nan explains.
Hao Nan
05 Oct 2026
Economy
Hong Kong’s capital hub moment: Can it fuel broader economic growth?
Hong Kong is back at the centre of Asian capital formation, with Chinese tech firms’ IPO boom, record Stock and Bond Connect flows, and a more flexible listing regime. But the real test is if the capital hub’s growth momentum can be sustained beyond a few trending themes, says EAI senior research fellow Yu Hong.
Yu Hong
01 Oct 2026
Technology
Why China doubts US calls to pause AI
Sentiment among Chinese AI companies that they cannot be sure if American companies are slowing down shows that in AI pacing, credibility is key. Before restraint can become reciprocal, it has to become observable, says Chinese researcher Sun Chenghao.
Sun Chenghao
25 Sep 2026
Politics
Can Trump-Xi personal diplomacy keep rivalry in check?
Strategic competition between China and the US is here to stay, but frequent engagement between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump could help keep rivalry from sliding into confrontation, while opening new avenues for cooperation on trade, technology and AI. Chinese academic Zhu Feng analyses what is in store.
Zhu Feng
23 Sep 2026
Politics
Trump-Xi summit: What can the US and China actually agree on?
US and Chinese officials meet in New York to tackle a range of issues, including trade and AI, laying the groundwork for concrete deliverables for the expected Trump-Xi summit in Washington DC. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Liu Liu tells us more.
Liu Liu
21 Sep 2026
Politics
China’s new tech diplomacy: Foreign journalists get a front-row seat
China is reshaping its external communication strategy. By training foreign journalists in AI and tech integration, Beijing aims to build global connections and challenge Western narrative dominance. Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong tells us more.
Han Yong Hong
11 Sep 2026
Economy
Beijing unleashes confidence campaign to reassure markets
Chinese authorities are using commentaries to reshape the country’s economic narrative, manage expectations and rebuild market confidence ahead of key political events. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei speaks with academics to analyse the matter.
Sim Tze Wei
25 Aug 2026
Politics
Japan and Taiwan’s strategic convergence in the Indo-Pacific
Japan’s updated Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy and Taiwan’s expanding diplomatic vision are helping to foster an increasingly aligned approach while avoiding unnecessary confrontation with China. Japanese academic Madoka Fukuda tells us more.
Madoka Fukuda
04 Aug 2026
Politics
Not just about China: New Japan-India synergies
Japan’s approach to India used to be tinted by its relations with China, hence the phrase “hot politics, cool economics”. Not anymore, as Trump 2.0 policies and energy security worries now mean greater scope for working with India, says Japanese academic Toru Ito.
Toru Ito
20 Jul 2026