Private Enterprise

Manus quagmire: The long arm of China’s cross-border strategic reach

For the US and China, once technology has national security consequences, private deals become government business. Looking at the Manus case, academic Daryl Lim notes that while companies can leave the mainland, they cannot easily escape China’s strategic orbit.

Daryl Lim

29 May 2026

China tightens control over AI experts at private firms — will this backfire?

The global AI race is heating up as China makes a surprising move to keep top AI talents from leaving the country. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei finds out the implications.

Sim Tze Wei

28 May 2026

Manus plight: Should AI companies start in China or overseas?

Recent developments after Meta announced its acquisition of China-founded Manus has put Chinese tech companies on edge. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei notes that the labels attached to people and assets, whether tangible or intangible, are no longer neutral, but sharply defined.

Sim Tze Wei

02 Apr 2026

[Big read] AvePoint co-founder Jiang Tianyi’s tenacious spirit of self-reliance

As the son of Chinese intellects that were “sent-down” to the coal mines during the Cultural Revolution, AvePoint co-founder Jiang Tianyi knows the value of education. Lianhe Zaobao associate business editor Hu Yuanwen speaks with Jiang to learn more about how he went from being a humble paperboy to the co-founder of a cyber security company listed on NASDAQ and the Singapore Exchange. 

Hu Yuanwen

04 Dec 2025

[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

Too much love: China’s entrepreneurs and the perils of VIP treatment

In efforts to support economic recovery and development, Chinese officials have been rolling out the red carpet for entrepreneurs. However, Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Sim Tze Wei found out that Chinese businesses would rather be left alone.

Sim Tze Wei

21 Nov 2025

When good intentions fail: The rise and fall of China’s community canteens

Community canteens were meant to offer affordable meals for seniors, but poor planning, misaligned incentives, and market pressures turned a good policy idea into a cautionary tale of failed implementation. Lianhe Zaobao’s China Desk explores “big pot 2.0”.

China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao

03 Sep 2025

China’s Wahaha: When a founder’s secrets undermine a company

As scandal-hit beverage producer Wahaha grapples with intensified scrutiny from the public and the government, its survival is increasingly in question. Can Wahaha and chairwoman Kelly Zong weather the storm? Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan tells us more.

Yu Zeyuan

21 Jul 2025

The rise and fall of China’s ‘fentanyl king’ in corruption-fuelled bankruptcy

Once hailed as China’s “fentanyl king”, Ai Luming built a pharmaceutical empire from humble beginnings, only to see it unravel in a web of debt, failed financial bets and corruption scandals. Ai’s dramatic rise and fall expose the risks and realities facing China’s private sector in an era of tightening regulation and shifting fortunes.

Caixin Global

04 Jul 2025

[Vox pop] Do Chinese workers get enough benefits?

While headlines often focus on China’s intense work culture, what about the benefits that come with the job? Across industries and company types, workers in China are navigating different systems of perks and expectations. ThinkChina’s Lu Lingming and Yi Jina get people from different regions of China to share their thoughts.

Lu Lingming, Yi Jina

09 May 2025

China writes first legal rulebook to strengthen its vital private sector

Faced with the urgent need to restore business confidence amid mounting economic headwinds, China is fast-tracking its first authoritative law on the private economy, slated to receive a crucial third legislative review this month.

Caixin Global

25 Apr 2025

Can private enterprise thrive under Xi’s rule?

Was the recent symposium on private enterprises a real message to the private sector in China, or was it just lip service? Does China really have a strong enough private business sector that can keep pace with innovation in the West? EAI senior research fellow Lance Gore explores the issue.

Lance Gore

10 Mar 2025