Red Lanterns

The “Henley Private Wealth Migration Report 2023” shows that Chinese tycoons are leaving in droves, giving China top spot for net outflow of high net worth individuals. After an economic boom that lasted between 2000 and 2017, China’s high-tech sector faces uncertainties because of Xi Jinping's policies. Singapore is the preferred destination in Asia. The quest for freedom and rights is a major factor behind the exodus.

Taiwan’s presidential race is still too close to call with just over six months to go. The DPP’s Lai Ching te is leading in the polls, but Taipei’s former mayor, Ko Wen-je, is closing in on the KMT candidate for second place. The island’s future is at stake, amid fears of war with China and “subservience” to the United States. Young voters and their unexpressed demands might tip the balance.

A joke about Xi Jinping's military motto has landed Li Haoshi in hot waters, possibly behind bars even though charges have not yet been laid. The production company he worked for has been fined almost two million dollars and has suspended its shows. China cracks the whip of censorship a bit harder around the anniversary of the start of the Cultural Revolution.

The aim is to complete the programme and make it operational by 2030 thanks to high-resolution images. An 'ambitious and significant' plan to study distant celestial bodies in space. The economic and military challenge with the United States. Zhurong's Mars mission and the launch of the cargo spacecraft Tianzhou 6.

Yu Wensheng and his wife Xu Yan detained before the meeting. Two of them, Wang Quanzhang, Wang Yu and Bao Longjun, managed to turn up for the meeting at the EU embassy. The European authorities demand their immediate release and deplore the acts of repression. A few days ago, two other well-known human rights lawyers were sentenced.

The latest case is that of investor Bao Fan. The hi-tech sector targeted. Xi Jinping does not want tycoons who are too rich to challenge his power. The best known, Jack Ma, has been missing for over two years. The supreme leader launches an 'investigation' campaign with a Maoist flavour.

The search engine Baidu has unveiled its chatbot. After the presentation it lost USD 3 billion in value on the Hong Kong stock exchange. On the other hand, the US company OpenAi is launching GPT-4, which is also capable of artificially interpreting images and no longer just texts. Tech war with Washington threatens Xi Jinping's plans.

The Chinese company pledges to follow a code of conduct adopted by the European Union. False information on the Ukraine war, often amplified by Chinese government media, is singled out. Twitter is the worst large social media platform in the fight against disinformation in Europe.

In Beijing some 40 protesters are still in prison. In late November, anti-lockdown rallies also took place in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Wuhan. In most cases, the place of detention is unknown. China's Generation Z is less "nationalistic" or "apathetic" than previously thought.

The World Health Organisation is sounding the alarm: Infections are bound to rise during Lunar New Year holidays. Although the authorities are not providing data, unofficial indicators point to an unprecedented number of deaths among seniors. Xi Jinping now risks losing face (and power).

He served in the archdiocese of the Taiwanese capital from 1989 to 2004. The faithful express admiration for his work, which coincided with a period of major political and social change on the island. His successor, Msgr. Joseph Cheng Tsai-fa, passed away last September.

Taiwanese Armed Forces invited to major Rimpac naval exercises in 2024. A $100 million per year fund created for ammunition for Taipei in the event of conflict. According to the Pentagon, Beijing could attack by 2024. However, the Ukraine war is delaying arms deliveries to the island.