Investigation

China’s underground market for anti-corruption leaks

Self-media accounts by insiders have turned anti-corruption leaks into a profit-making industry, prompting a nationwide push to curb a new form of political information leakage. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Zhang Guanghui finds out more.

Zhang Guanghui

24 Jul 2026

From property boom to AI: China’s next corruption risk

The downfall of former Politburo member Ma Xingrui exposes how political influence and commercial interests became intertwined during China’s property boom. In the AI age, can new forms of public resources be governed without creating new opportunities for rent-seeking? Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei explores.

Sim Tze Wei

23 Jul 2026

Blacklisted and fined: The end of Chinese tech companies' heyday?

In the aftermath of the US$2.8 billion fine imposed on Alibaba, Xu Le reflects that for Alibaba, this is no big shakes as the amount makes up only a small percentage of its revenue. However, in the larger scheme of things, industry players will be saying goodbye to unregulated days of wild growth. They too will have to grit their teeth and get ready for fiercer domestic competition amid a harsh external environment. Will this mean a slowdown in China's tech and internet sectors?

Xu Le

19 Apr 2021

Is Alibaba leaving its carefree days behind?

Alibaba's name is said to be inspired by the song that goes: "Ali Baba is a happy youth!" But after the halting of Ant Group's listing and being slapped with a 18.228 billion RMB fine, Alibaba faces headwinds. In their anti-monopoly efforts, the authorities seem to have no qualms about making an example of companies like Alibaba. Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan analyses the situation.

Yu Zeyuan

12 Apr 2021