Travel

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

[Video] Living in the moment: Two Singaporean artists finding home in Jingdezhen

In Jingdezhen, China’s porcelain capital, Singaporean ceramists Ken Lu and Nelson Lim have each found their own mecca — a place for Ken to put down roots, and for Nelson to continually return to. Living in the Moment, produced by Lu Lingming and Yi Jina, is ThinkChina’s first documentary film. It explores how the city reshapes Ken and Nelson’s identities as Chinese Singaporeans, while tracing their lifelong pursuit of art and craft.

Lu Lingming

[Big read] Banned or not, Taiwanese keep heading to mainland China anyway

Despite restrictions on group tours, Taiwanese continue travelling to mainland China in growing numbers, driven by demand, rising costs at home and expanding unofficial travel channels. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Chuang Hui Liang reports from Taipei.

Chuang Hui Liang

Beyond trade: The human ties reshaping Indonesia-China relations

Beyond Chinese infrastructural investment or resources extraction in Indonesia, the web of exchanges formed from building mobility, education and institutional links could help to foster a more holistic approach to building bilateral relations and make them stronger, says analyst Kevin Zongzhe Li.

Kevin Zongzhe Li

Empire in decline? Asian Americans in an age of anxiety

Amid intensified immigration enforcement, many immigrants and Asian Americans report rising fear, discrimination and uncertainty, reshaping daily life and eroding confidence in the American promise. Chinese American academic Wu Guo shares some insight on the long-term impact of ICE operations on the psyche of the Asian community.

Wu Guo

[Photos] Gulangyu: Where Lim Bo Seng studied and Hokkien tycoons built their dreams [Eye on Fujian series]

Gulangyu, a UNESCO-listed island off Xiamen, was once a haven for Hokkien tycoons from Southeast Asia. Housing gems from Lim Bo Seng’s abode in student days to grand mansions, it reflects a rich, transregional past. NUS architecture professor Chen Yu takes us through the mesmerising vistas of Gulangyu.

Chen Yu

[Vox pop] ‘Not all Chinese, but always Chinese?’ How Chinese tourists are seen overseas

Chinese tourists often spark debate in global travel circles: admired for their spending power, yet frequently criticised online for behaviour such as cutting queues or littering. ThinkChina’s Yi Jina and Lu Lingming speak with foreign travellers and mainland Chinese tourists about how these images are formed and how fair they are.

Yi Jina

[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

How gutter oil became a prized fuel for international airlines

Once scorned as a public health hazard, China’s notorious “gutter oil” or used cooking oil (UCO) has been recast as one of the world’s most sought‑after feedstocks for sustainable aviation fuel — fetching prices higher than conventional jet fuel as airlines rush to cut carbon and meet global mandates.

Caixin Global

From screen to sand: Why Chinese tourists are flocking to the Middle East

Once an exotic and faraway destination for Chinese travellers, the Middle East has become China’s new travel fascination. Driven by the combination of popular reality shows and formal tourism expos, curiosity turns into connectivity, pointing to a new phase of China-Middle East engagement, notes Middle East Institute-NUS research fellow Jing Lin.

Jing Lin

[Photos] The Yellow Land: From Dunhuang to Heidu Mountain

From ancient dunes to deserted oil fields, photographer Zhang Kechun captures the raw beauty of the desert — a landscape where nature’s grandeur meets the enduring marks of human presence.

Zhang Kechun

[Big read] Is assisted living — even overseas — the smart retirement move?

As Singapore’s population ages, the “silver economy” is booming. From luxury eldercare and AI companions to affordable overseas options, seniors are planning ahead. Lianhe Zaobao’s Vicki Loh speaks to providers and users shaping the future of retirement.

Vicki Loh