A record number of foreign students are choosing to study Mandarin in Taiwan, breaking pre-pandemic records. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Woon Wei Jong looks at the appeal of Taiwan as a Mandarin-learning hub and the impact on its international standing.
China-US competition
Economy
While naysayers have painted a doomsday scenario for Hong Kong since the plummeting of the Hang Seng Index, EAI senior research fellow Yu Hong points to Hong Kong’s strong fundamentals, the vitality of the Greater Bay Area and the knock-on effects of the recovery of the mainland economy. He notes that as long as the mainland economy continues to grow, the Hong Kong stock market will remain attractive to regional and global investors.
History
In the second of a two-part feature, historical photo collector Hsu Chung-mao looks at issues with democracy and freedom in China and the US, noting that neither is superior to the other but a product of their respective histories.
Technology
Technology expert Yin Ruizhi takes us through the latest development in generative AI technology: Sora, OpenAI’s new video creation software. How will this change the landscape, and how far will China fall behind in the AI race?
Technology
Amid China-US competition, one area of interest is the commercial aerospace industry, where China is preparing to develop its own capabilities. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Wong Siew Fong explores the issue.
Politics
Relations between Saudi Arabia and China have grown from strength to strength, observes academic Ghulam Ali. However, with China focused on economic cooperation and the Riyadh regime concerned about stability and thus reliant on the US for its security needs, there may be limits to how far the Riyadh-Beijing relationship can grow.
Politics
Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan notes that the US’s latest moves against TikTok are getting a response from TikTok as well as its users. Will TikTok survive the latest onslaught and will the Chinese government back the company?
Economy
Academic Jianyong Yue notes that if China wants to truly be part of the global economy, and not a semi-periphery nation with outward-oriented, dependent development, practising economic nationalism to protect its industries and people is critical in this process. China can then achieve autonomous development under a strong state.
Technology
The US’s “small yard, high fence” strategy of restricting key technologies from China would be difficult to effect in practice. The fact is that products such as semiconductor chips from China are essential in many downstream industries such as the automotive industry, and even security concerns would not stop their use.