From chips to cooking oil: Who plays the final card in US–China rivalry?

Japan’s economy faces mounting challenges as inflation rises and competitiveness declines. Liberal Democratic Party leader Sanae Takaichi is pushing to revive Abenomics policies, but with doubts over her leadership and the plan’s past shortcomings, economic recovery remains uncertain. Academic Zhang Yun examines the issue.

Despite the crackdown on corruption over the past year, the fourth plenum will not be a personnel session but a policy session centred on the 15th Five-Year Plan. Commentator Deng Yuwen notes that unless there is a sudden political upheaval in the coming days, economic and social strategy will take centre stage, while personnel issues remain secondary.

Even as flights resume and trade recovers, deep distrust — shaped by border clashes and regional rivalries — continues to define India’s relationship with China. Indian analyst Rishi Gupta explores the issue.

With Sanae Takaichi possibly becoming Japan’s first female prime minister, what domestic and international challenges might lie ahead? Researcher John Lim Chuan-Tiong explores what not only she — but any Japanese leader — will need to navigate in foreign policy, while carefully managing domestic reactions.

Israel’s digital warfare now extends from exploding pagers to cloud servers and AI tools. As global tech giants work with Israeli intelligence, academic Ma Haiyun cautions that the lines between war and civilian life — and between devices and weapons — are vanishing.

After a recent back and forth in trade restrictions, plans for a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea is now up in the air. Given the impracticality of the restrictions from both sides, Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong notes that conflicts between the two must be resolved through negotiation and compromise.

Aware that US containment of China is a persistent feature of Washington’s foreign strategy rather than a temporary political gesture, China has made sure to be prepared since US President Donald Trump’s first term. Academic Gu Qingyang observes that China is reshaping the rules of engagement, driven by shifts in the external environment and the domestic need to ensure economic recovery.

Maintaining close ties with China and Russia has always been the cornerstone of North Korea’s diplomacy. However, relying solely on these two powers is not enough to lift the country out of international isolation. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan takes a look at the role ASEAN member states Vietnam and Laos can play.

Hong Kong is embedding itself in a multipolar, collaborative network linking Asia and the Middle East, says US academic John Calabrese. For Gulf economies diversifying beyond hydrocarbons, it offers trusted legal and financial structures; for Chinese firms, a safe entry point into Middle Eastern markets; and for Gulf investors, a strategic partner facilitating informed access to Chinese assets.

Chinese parenting is often seen as strict and demanding, yet it is also rooted in profound love. As a new generation reaches adulthood and reflects on how they were raised, many are beginning to understand their parents’ choices and redefine what good parenting truly means.

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.

With China’s Politburo calling for the “forceful, orderly and effective clean-up” of local government financing vehicles (LGFVs), LGFVs are scrambling to present themselves as market-driven platforms and make the transformation stick.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s visit to North Korea ahead of President Xi Jinping’s potential meeting with US President Donald Trump in South Korea mirrors what happened six years ago — is this a coincidence or a strategic move? Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Sim Tze Wei tells us more.

Digital content company COL (中文在线) has made its name as a popular microdrama platform in China, and now it is leveraging Singapore as its international business hub to expand its microdrama offerings globally. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Thomas Li Tao speaks with COL president Tong Zhilei to find out more.

Can China, the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases and a global leader in clean energy, deliver on its first economy-wide climate pledge without undermining its economic, industrial and energy priorities? Genevieve Donnellon-May ponders the question.

China’s announcement of a K visa to attract foreign talents in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields has gotten Chinese youths worried about greater competition for limited jobs. But the impact of the K visia may be overhyped, says academic Ghulam Ali.

Hong Kong’s persistently high property prices have left hundreds of thousands of its residents with little choice but to rent subdivided units with terrible living conditions. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Tai Hing Shing speaks to residents to find out if government initiatives are helping.

China’s overcapacity crisis is pushing physical store prices below online deals, reversing the usual trend. Rising e-commerce costs, fierce platform competition and logistics expenses have made in-store shopping a surprisingly cheaper option in cities like Chengdu. Lianhe Zaobao senior correspondent Chen Jing takes a look at how China and the outside world are handling the overcapacity issue.