Nuclear Power

Xi in Pyongyang: Opening Asia’s frozen northeast frontier

The clearest signal delivered at Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Pyongyang visit was all in the map, says academic Hao Nan. A northern Northeast Asian corridor linking China’s northeast to the Tumen River, North Korea’s Rason, Russia’s Far East and the Sea of Japan, is now more possible than ever. 

Hao Nan

10 Jun 2026

Is China giving up on denuclearising North Korea?

On his first visit to North Korea in seven years, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke of strategic cooperation, without mentioning denuclearisation, which used to be part of the conversation. Is the topic now off the table, or merely put aside for the time being? Journalist Kang Gwiyoung finds out more.

Kang Gwiyoung

09 Jun 2026

After Trump and Putin, Xi turns to North Korea

Amid rumours of Xi Jinping visiting North Korea, analysts believe this is a calculated move by China to hold the strategic initiative and balance ties among the US, Russia and North Korea. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei finds out more.

Sim Tze Wei

22 May 2026

China may power Southeast Asia’s nuclear future

As Southeast Asian countries ponder the use of nuclear power, China looks set to be a key player, given its advantages in technology, delivery and support. Academic Zha Daojiong notes that selecting a partner in nuclear energy is a long-term decision that goes beyond financial considerations.

Zha Daojiong

21 May 2026

[Big read] Nuclear power plants: Energy security or wartime risk? 

Following major nuclear disasters including Chernobyl and Fukushima, safety measures have been ramped up on nuclear facilities, but mostly for accident scenarios during peacetime, and without internationally binding commitments. With energy needs increasing yet geopolitical tensions rising and nuclear power plants sited in potential conflict zones, what concrete steps can governments take to mitigate the risks? Lianhe Zaobao’s associate foreign editor So Geok Lan finds out more.

So Geok Lan

07 May 2026

China leads Northeast Asia’s nuclear buildout

Is Northeast Asia’s nuclear revival a response to the Iran war crisis, or the result of deeper forces already reshaping the region’s energy future? Australian researcher Genevieve Donnellon-May ponders the question.

Genevieve Donnellon-May

16 Apr 2026

[Video] Is the world entering a more dangerous nuclear era?

The collapse of the last US-Russia nuclear constraints under New START leaves the world’s nuclear guardrails in tatters, raising fears of great power friction and a renewed arms race. As limits fall away, states from Iran to North Korea are reassessing their options. With extended deterrence under strain, ThinkChina’s Lu Lingming and Yi Jina examine how this unravelling nuclear order is reshaping global and regional security.

Lu Lingming, Yi Jina

10 Apr 2026

The rise of Pakistan in the emerging diplomacy over Iran

​Pakistan, the only Muslim-majority nuclear-armed state, is now a key conduit of the Iran war. Its security ties with Saudi Arabia boost its regional clout, while its links to both the US and China show that in crises, the most important states are not the strongest, but those that other actors can still use.

Hao Nan

02 Apr 2026

[Big read] Not just nukes: Why the US won’t strike North Korea

The Iran war has sharpened Pyongyang’s sense of insecurity and bolstered its nuclear programme. Beyond weapons, any US strike risks confrontation with China and Russia and the prospect of global escalation. Journalist Kang Gwiyoung reports from South Korea.

Kang Gwiyoung

25 Mar 2026

Should South Korea build the nuclear bomb?

As North Korea advances its nuclear arsenal, Seoul faces a stark choice: develop its own bomb, rely on US deterrence or adopt a nuclear-threshold strategy to safeguard the peninsula. South Korean academic Jaeho Hwang weighs the options.

Jaeho Hwang

10 Mar 2026

Who’s winning the nuclear fusion race? 

One of the many areas where China is vying with the US is the nuclear industry, particularly nuclear fusion for energy. While the US remains ahead for now, China is also moving quickly to build its nuclear infrastructure. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Lim Zhan Ting speaks to academics and those in the industry.

Lim Zhan Ting

13 Feb 2026

New START expired: A riskier nuclear era?

With the expiration of New START, the last agreement curtailing the nuclear powers of the US and Russia is no more, ratcheting up a nuclear race that gives China a chance to catch up. Academic Alessandro Arduino explains.

Alessandro Arduino

12 Feb 2026