China

The editor-in-chief of AsiaNews recounts his trip back to the Chinese capital, which he had to forcibly leave in 2011 when his visa was cancelled in one of the moments of friction between China and the Holy See. The tale of "a great modern metropolis which, like it or not, shares the uncertainty of a generation struggling to survive with many other cities in the world. A social and existential emergency that transcends the boundaries of political systems and ideologies".

The meeting of the economic ministers of the body that brings together Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa was held in Moscow and recently expanded to include Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates. Common criticism of "green protectionism" while talks continue on "an inclusive system of faster and cheaper interstate payments".

China condemns the raid that led to the death in Tehran of the Hamas leader. Only a few days ago, Beijing brokered a deal among Palestinian factions. Caught between Israel and Iran, India has remained silent. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was harsh, saying that such a crime was only possible “in an environment of utter impunity.”

In large language models, the censorship axe examines chatbot responses to ‘adapt’ them to ‘fundamental socialist values’. Also blocked is the use of Hugging Face, a popular open source platform used by AI developers around the world to share models and datasets. And despite the large number of indigenous algorithms developed, doubts about the effectiveness of the so-called ‘war of a hundred models’ are emerging in China's own high-tech circles.

At the Guangzhou headquarters of the e-commerce giant for made-in-China products, hundreds of shopkeepers staged a protest that led the company to request police intervention. At the root of the discontent are trade policies that impose heavy penalties for products criticised by consumers and the policy of refunds without returns that passes the entire cost on to suppliers.

In May 2025, Taiwan could become the first East Asian country with no nuclear energy, upholding a pledge made after Fukushima. However, tensions with Beijing have raised concerns about supplies. Opposition parties are pressing to reopen the issue. Meanwhile, the People's Republic of China has started work on two new reactors, for a total of 26 under construction.

For years, China has been focusing on “minor” sports to get as many gold medals as possible. In Tokyo it won 38 against 39 for the United States. Most successes came in only six sports and mainly by women. This strategy is still pursued today in a highly centralised system with doping casting its long shadow.

Averted until yesterday in commercial traffic between the East and Europe due to its too high costs, today the Transcaspian route with the blockade of relations with Russia due to the Ukrainian conflict has become the most viable solution. The World Bank estimates that 11 million tonnes of goods will transit it by 2030. But on its growth much will depend on Beijing's choices.

At the end of three days of talks involving Hamas, Fatah and 12 other groups, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced today an agreement for an "interim national unity government" in post-war Gaza. But the official Palestinian News Agency makes no mention of this in reporting the deal. Meanwhile, the United States, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates are once again talking to each other about an international mission with a role for the latter in Gaza.

In the first months of 2024, a drop of almost 10% compared to last year. The difficulties and new lifestyles of the one-child generation. Authorities worried about the consequences that the boom in singles could have on social stability. But alongside cities building new romantic parks, there are also ‘technological’ responses.

Today's news: at least 32 killed in student protest in Bangladesh, state TV set on fire; Police investigate cyanide used in the murder-suicide of six Vietnamese men in a Bangkok hotel; Consensus reached between Tokyo and Pacific Island leaders on releasing Fukushima waters into the ocean; Monsoons in Nepal caused 125 deaths in little over a month.

The government plans to raise the retirement age to 65 by 2045. But China’s pension system is already not working. While white collar employees and civil servants benefit from social security coverage, rural migrants in the cities are subjected to various forms of discrimination. Young people are also concerned about high levels of unemployment.