Supply Chain
Economy
Can Southeast Asia survive Pinduoduo’s price onslaught?
Competing with Chinese e-commerce giants on price is a losing battle for Southeast Asia. Entrepreneur Simon Lim proposes a new model that leverages global supply chains, distributed local retail networks and AI to help it gain the strategic edge.
Simon Lim
11 Sep 2026
Economy
[Big read] Is Singapore the ultimate ‘China+1’ biopharma hub?
China’s biotech industry is becoming a formidable force in drug R&D and manufacturing. For Singapore, its rise brings new competition — but also an opportunity to strengthen its role as a trusted China+1 hub for global pharma. Lianhe Zaobao senior business correspondent Lewis Ong Yong Huat speaks with industry players and government officials to find out more.
Lewis Ong Yong Huat
09 Sep 2026
Technology
China’s 582-tonne fusion magnet is not a weapon — yet
China’s 582-tonne superconducting magnet is not a weapon; it is a marker of integrated technological power. The real strategic weight lies in how its dual-use foundations could reshape energy, security and supply-chain leverage for generations to come, argues researcher Tahir Mahmood Azad.
Tahir Mahmood Azad
08 Sep 2026
Economy
Can Vietnam build an industrial powerhouse of its own?
As Chinese manufacturers accelerate their shift into Vietnam to mitigate US tariff risks, can Vietnam build an industrial ecosystem of its own, or will it remain an extension of China’s manufacturing supply chain? Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Lee Chee Yang tells us more.
Lee Chee Yang
12 Aug 2026
Economy
Why China’s biotech rise is harder to contain than AI
China is emerging as a biotech powerhouse, but its rise is entwined with US drugmakers through research, licensing and supply chains, making decoupling far more difficult than in AI. Academic Chen Xiangming and biopharma industry practitioner Leon Tang analyse the situation.
Chen Xiangming, Leon Tang
05 Aug 2026
Technology
China’s AI-driven robotics boom faces IPO reality check
China’s strides in “embodied AI” — the integration of artificial intelligence into physical systems like robots — is built on world-class manufacturing and bold investor bets. But with IPOs looming, startups must prove their robots can generate real commercial value — not just hype.
Caixin Global
31 Jul 2026
Politics
Why Britain nationalised British Steel despite Chinese outrage
The UK’s nationalisation of British Steel has drawn sharp criticism from China, but the dispute goes beyond one company. It reflects a broader shift in which national security increasingly outweighs market logic in shaping global investment decisions, says Lianhe Zaobao China news editor Yang Danxu.
Yang Danxu
22 Jul 2026
Politics
[Big read] How China weaponised its rare earth monopoly
Rare earths are only part of the story. Over three decades, China has transformed export controls from a regulatory measure into a powerful geopolitical tool, reshaping global supply chains and strategic competition. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Chen Jing explores how experts see Beijing’s strategy evolving.
Chen Jing
21 Jul 2026
Economy
How Mercedes, BMW and Audi hope to win back China
China’s EV boom has disrupted Mercedes, BMW and Audi’s dominance in China, forcing them into a radical reset. As Chinese rivals accelerate, will the German trio abandon decades of engineering tradition to match the speed of China’s auto market?
Caixin Global
17 Jul 2026
