Religion

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

[Photos] I was in Israel in 1984: Where rifle and bible are one

In 1984, historical photo collector Hsu Chung-mao travelled to Israel as a young Taiwanese journalist expecting a conventional war zone, but found instead a society where military life, religion and daily existence were tightly interwoven in ways that shaped every encounter.

Hsu Chung-mao

24 Apr 2026

How civilisational politics fuels today’s wars

Academic Ma Haiyun traces the history of civilisational conflict narratives in Western strategic thinking, built on Jewish intellectual foundations, long before the rise of Samuel P. Huntington’s The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. Such approaches have had a profound effect on influencing the US’s behaviour in the Middle East and spillover effects in the region.

Ma Haiyun

22 Apr 2026

There’s no city like Singkawang: Where Hakka is the lingua franca and Cap Go Meh dazzles

In Singkawang, West Kalimantan, writer Teo Han Wue found kindred spirits, a vibrant Chinese community and a chance to witness the colourful culmination of Chinese New Year celebrations there — a spirit-medium parade, known to the locals as Cap Go Meh or Pawai Tatung.

Teo Han Wue

02 Apr 2026

Hokkien roots, Brunei soil: My father’s journey across borders and spiritual planes [Eye on Fujian series]

From wandering between homes in Malaysia to setting roots in Brunei, one would never have thought that a young rebel with just a toy car to his name would live a life in service of the gods. ThinkChina’s Josephine Hong shares snippets of the life of her father, Richard Hong Kuan Yin.

Josephine Hong

01 Apr 2026

Armageddon politics and the Iran war

Apocalyptic rhetoric invoked during the US-Israel war on Iran creates a powerful ideological bridge between Israel’s narratives and the mobilisation of American troops, observes academic Ma Haiyun. Such framing and shaping of the civilisational narrative is dangerous as it draws the US deeper into conflicts in the Middle East.

Ma Haiyun

09 Mar 2026

[Big read] Why Singapore’s Malay travellers are falling for China

From halal hotpot in subzero winters to TikTok-fuelled city breaks, Malay Singaporeans are finding a China that upends long-held assumptions — warmer, cheaper and far more welcoming than imagined. Lianhe Zaobao senior writer Wang Hwee Wen finds out more.

Wang Hwee Wen

10 Feb 2026

[Big read] Benjamin Fok: I was just an assistant to my father, Henry Fok

Benjamin Fok, son of Hong Kong legendary tycoon Henry Fok, was never one filled with business ambitions. In an interview by Lianhe Zaobao journalist Li Yaning, Benjamin speaks about his start in the family business, the advent of artificial intelligence, his hopes for his sons and his passion for skiing.

Li Yaning

27 Jan 2026

A Taiwanese boy named Thomas and the faith he made his own

Taiwanese art historian Chiang Hsun reflects on his spiritual journey, from youthful devotion to quiet estrangement, contemplating the place of Catholic faith in modern life in the wake of Pope Francis’s passing.

Chiang Hsun

12 Dec 2025

Breaking Hell’s Gate: The vanishing rituals of Taoist funeral priests

Cantonese Taoist funeral priests, or nam mou sifu, were known for their physical feats such as walking over hot coals, plunging their hands into boiling oil and climbing knife ladders. While today’s priests may no longer do all this, it is still a demanding job that not everybody can do. Lianhe Zaobao lifestyle correspondent Tang Ai Wei speaks to one of the last nam mou sifu in Singapore.

Tang Ai Wei

12 Sep 2025

The clash of civilisations has finally begun?

As the US abandons universal norms, civilisational powers are rising. Ma Haiyun warns this shift risks a new era of global conflict — not between nations, but between entire ways of life, where diplomacy gives way to identity and survival.

Ma Haiyun

10 Sep 2025

Offerings for the hungry ghosts: From ancient rituals to instant noodles

Chinese food offerings evolved from ancient sacrifices of cattle and sheep to everyday snacks like boba tea and potato chips. Rooted in practicality rather than taste, these rituals blend purity for spirits with what people can afford, reflecting the essence of Chinese popular religion. History professor Poo Mu-chou shares his research and thoughts.

Poo Mu-chou

05 Sep 2025