Regulations

How China’s ethnic unity law targets Taiwanese identity

China’s new Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law goes beyond domestic ethnic policy, bringing cross-strait exchanges, media, education and online activity into a broader political narrative aimed at shaping Taiwanese identity and advancing unification, argues academic Chang Chun-Yen.

Chang Chun-Yen

29 Sep 2026

Is an AI slowdown for the good of man or business?

​Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei wants the AI industry to slow down. Is the call for stricter regulation purely about existential safety, or does it also protect incumbent market power? Academic Ruay-Shiung Chang analyses the issue.

Ruay-Shiung Chang

28 Sep 2026

How US curbs could split the robot world 

US restrictions on foreign-made advanced robotic devices are unlikely to hurt China in the long term, but a greater concern is the fragmentation of the global robotics industry into competing technological ecosystems, say researcher Songruowen Ma and analyst Tony Zhao.

Songruowen Ma, Tony Zhao

22 Sep 2026

China’s catch-all border laws: A deterrent or cause for unnecessary anxiety?

China’s new border rules aim to deter cross-border crimes. But vague wording and stricter border checks are sparking widespread anxiety among everyday travellers. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Chen Jing explains the ambiguity fuelling public concern.

Chen Jing

22 Sep 2026

[Big read] As Asia’s food delivery giants rejig the pie, who will win the market?

Asia-Pacific’s food delivery ecosystem is shifting as Delivery Hero retreats and giants like Grab and Meituan fight for the market. Lianhe Zaobao business journalist Thomas Li Tao speaks with market insiders to find out more.

Thomas Li Tao

17 Sep 2026

As gold goes digital, Hong Kong vies for London’s crown

As geopolitical shifts challenge London’s dominance of physical bullion, tokenised gold is reshaping how the commodity is stored, traded and used — with Hong Kong moving fast to capture the next phase of the market.

Caixin Global

11 Sep 2026

China’s autonomous driving race shifts from hype to high stakes

China is ending the Wild West ambiguity of its smart electric vehicles sector. Tough new rules for assisted and autonomous driving will expose weak systems, raise costs and force automakers into a high-stakes race for safer, smarter self-driving.

Caixin Global

04 Sep 2026

[Big read] China’s AI catch-up is forcing Silicon Valley to cut prices

China’s AI catch-up is challenging US dominance as cheaper, open-weight models spread. As both sides compete for the frontier and mass market, the lines between their AI ecosystems are hardening. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Liu Sha finds out.

Liu Sha

25 Aug 2026

Chatting alone? What AI companions reveal about human relationships

How do you manage a relationship with a machine that is not as emotionally invested as you and may learn to read you over time as a friend would? Navigating the AI companions landscape depends not just on regulation but on how these products are designed to handle emotional responsibility, says US researcher Hong Shen.

Hong Shen

21 Aug 2026

Game studios have bought into AI, but players still aren’t sold

AI is flooding gaming with cheaper, faster content — but not necessarily better games. As China embraces AI-native play and world models, the industry faces a harder test: can AI deliver real innovation without drowning players in clones?

Caixin Global

21 Aug 2026

China bans AI companions from pleasing you too much. Should Singapore?

Millions in China lost their AI confidants overnight. Days later in Singapore, chatbots were asked to introduce themselves. Behind the two responses lies a question kings once faced: what do you do about a servant who never disagrees with you? Academic Ashton Ng ponders the question.

Ashton Ng

20 Aug 2026

Fudan targeted as universities become casualties of the tech war

Fudan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University have been placed on a US national security list, while China has targeted a European university. The moves signal a new era in which academic research is increasingly treated as a security risk. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei reports.

Sim Tze Wei

18 Aug 2026