Technology

China is placing greater emphasis on S&T and R&D. This picture taken on 22 September 2023 shows an employee from Chinese AR startup Rokid demonstrating an AR helmet at the company's office at the 2022 Asian Games host city Hangzhou, in China's eastern Zhejiang province. (AFP)

Can a new governance model boost China's chance for innovation-driven growth?

To overcome limitations in chokepoint technologies and improve its investment in basic research, China has rolled out a series of governance changes to the science and technology (S&T) ecosystem. Researcher Qian Jiwei examines the changes which could potentially result in a centralised leadership and decentralised fund allocation mechanism. Will it work?  
An office building in the Guomao area in Beijing. (Photo: Meng Dandan)

Vacancy at an all-time high as companies move out of Beijing’s prime office space

Despite the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, the office vacancy rate in China’s capital Beijing has not recovered, and is set to increase. From considerations such as rental cost and traffic, internet companies are opting to move out of prime central locations. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Meng Dandan tells us more.
Customers queue outside an Apple store during the first day of sale of the iPhone 15 smartphone in Beijing, China on 22 September 2023. (Andrea Verdelli/Bloomberg)

Behind Apple’s ‘insult’ of China

A photo on Apple’s customer service webpage sparked controversy in China by featuring a person with “stereotypical” Chinese looks, with slit eyes and a long braid, coming under fire for “uglifying” Chinese people. While aesthetic preferences do differ, is there something deeper under the criticism of a stranger’s looks?
An advertisement for the Huawei Technologies Co. Mate 60 series smartphone in Shanghai, China, on 17 September 2023. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)

Big Read: What is the US’s next move as China breaks through the chip blockade?

China’s Huawei suddenly launched a new smartphone, equipped with a 7 nm chip said to be made in China and with network speeds reaching 5G levels, shocking the US political circles. What far-reaching impacts will China's breakthrough in chip technology have? How will Washington respond? Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Edwin Ong takes us through the recent developments and what it means for the US’s strategy against China’s tech advancements.
A man takes a picture of robots during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on 7 July 2023. (Wang Zhao/AFP)

Why China's AI startups stand no chance in the ChatGPT race

AI is all the rage at the moment, but technology expert Yin Ruizhi warns that China's AI-related startups may not stand a chance in the current environment as big tech platforms gobble small ones, and the business know-how is firmly in the hands of industry leaders who would choose to work with the tech bigwigs.
Minister in charge of the Public Service Chan Chun Sing (left) meeting with Minister of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Organisation Department Li Ganjie ahead of the 9th Singapore-China Forum on Leadership at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing, China, on 12 September 2023. (SPH Media)

Minister Chan Chun Sing on Singapore-China relations: Mutual trust is vital to navigate a changing world

Singapore Minister for Education and Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Chan Chun Sing gave the keynote address during the 9th Singapore-China Forum on Leadership in Beijing on 12 September 2023. Minister Chan noted the importance of taking stock and exchanging notes on how countries’ approaches to governance must evolve as both the internal and external environment change, and stressed that facing the new challenges of the modern world requires cohesive leaders who work well together, not only within the government and with the people, but also with businesses and globally with international partners. Here is the edited transcript of his speech.
A couple prepare to pose for photos near the Forbidden City in Beijing, China, on 24 June 2023. (Greg Baker/AFP)

Regular phone calls and cash incentives: China goes the extra mile to encourage childbirth

Local governments in Chinese cities are taking extra measures to encourage couples to marry early and have children. However, given the youth’s shifting values and society’s tolerance for singlehood, these measures are falling short. Meanwhile, netizens are lamenting that government policies should not be coercive or objectify women.
A BYD Co. Dolphin electric vehicle at the Smart China Expo in Chongqing, China, on 4 September 2023. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)

Is China's EV rise a true success?

The EV adventure in China has been successful in some respects, not least with 5.9 million EVs sold on the Chinese market, amounting to 59% of EVs sold globally. However, as a means to reduce climate change, the effort has tended to “put the cart in front of the horse”, because EVs are not particularly environmentally friendly without a steady stream of renewable electricity supply. Academic Erik Baark lays out the factors involved.
The "Blue Supermoon", the second full moon of a calendar month, rises above the Apollo Temple in ancient Corinth, on 30 August 2023. (Valerie Gache/AFP)

The great powers’ revived interest in the moon

For mineral resources as well as various military and strategic reasons, the great powers of the world are reviving their interest in the moon. While US-China competition is strong, one should not forget that the US is actually the only country capable of establishing bases on the moon and putting its flag on large swathes of the moon in the next decade.