Poll shows transgender Singaporeans still face work bias; complaints are ‘nuclear option’
By Jean Iau
When Sarah (not her real name) told her supervisor at a security company that she was transitioning to become a woman, his immediate response was to use an expletive and ask if she had cut off her genitalia.
Sarah, a 29-year-old Singaporean, was then asked to wear a company shirt and track pants to work, remove her manicured nails and cut her hair, while there was no such dress code for her colleagues.
While she initially reported the incident to the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP), she decided not to pursue the matter after she was informed that her complaint would not be anonymous. She left the job in December.
“No LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender] person in their right mind will make known their cases. If they do, it’s like a nuclear option. You need your job, but the company only gets a slap on the wrist,” Sarah said.
Sarah, who declined to have her real name published out of fear of repercussion, is one of around 65 per cent of transgender people who took part in a recent survey and said they had negative experiences in the workplace in Singapore, including harassment and verbal abuse.
Over a third, or 36 per cent, had received unwelcome comments and questions on their “lifestyle”, sexual orientation, gender identity or sex life.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Jean Iau
When Sarah (not her real name) told her supervisor at a security company that she was transitioning to become a woman, his immediate response was to use an expletive and ask if she had cut off her genitalia.
Sarah, a 29-year-old Singaporean, was then asked to wear a company shirt and track pants to work, remove her manicured nails and cut her hair, while there was no such dress code for her colleagues.
While she initially reported the incident to the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP), she decided not to pursue the matter after she was informed that her complaint would not be anonymous. She left the job in December.
“No LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender] person in their right mind will make known their cases. If they do, it’s like a nuclear option. You need your job, but the company only gets a slap on the wrist,” Sarah said.
Sarah, who declined to have her real name published out of fear of repercussion, is one of around 65 per cent of transgender people who took part in a recent survey and said they had negative experiences in the workplace in Singapore, including harassment and verbal abuse.
Over a third, or 36 per cent, had received unwelcome comments and questions on their “lifestyle”, sexual orientation, gender identity or sex life.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Zhao Lusi shines needed light on China’s treatment of mental health
By Lijia Zhang
Actress Zhao Lusi embodies youth and beauty, her dazzling smile and smooth complexion giving no hint of life’s hardships. Yet, last month Zhao shared a deeply personal revelation on social media: she has been battling mental health issues, including depression and anxiety.
In her heartfelt post, she recounted how she began experiencing symptoms several years ago but initially ignored them, fearing she would disappoint her family, friends and fans. The relentless demands of her career took a toll on her well-being, affecting both her mental and neurological health. After undergoing treatment, Zhao’s condition has significantly improved.
Her openness has sparked widespread public discussion, shedding light on the immense pressures faced by those in the entertainment industry and, more importantly, on the urgent need for greater mental health awareness. Many people online praised her courage, seeing it as a step towards ending the stigma around mental illness in Chinese society.
I must add my voice to those applauding her. We need to talk about mental health in China.
According to a 2017 World Health Organization report, an estimated 54 million people in China suffer from depression while 41 million struggle with anxiety disorders. Further estimates suggest that around 173 million Chinese people have a diagnosable psychiatric condition.
Although China does not rank as highly in terms of prevalence compared to high-income countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, the sheer number of affected individuals presents an immense challenge. Mental health services remain severely limited: the US has about 12 psychiatrists per 100,000 people, while in China the ratio is just 1.7 per 100,000.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Lijia Zhang
Actress Zhao Lusi embodies youth and beauty, her dazzling smile and smooth complexion giving no hint of life’s hardships. Yet, last month Zhao shared a deeply personal revelation on social media: she has been battling mental health issues, including depression and anxiety.
In her heartfelt post, she recounted how she began experiencing symptoms several years ago but initially ignored them, fearing she would disappoint her family, friends and fans. The relentless demands of her career took a toll on her well-being, affecting both her mental and neurological health. After undergoing treatment, Zhao’s condition has significantly improved.
Her openness has sparked widespread public discussion, shedding light on the immense pressures faced by those in the entertainment industry and, more importantly, on the urgent need for greater mental health awareness. Many people online praised her courage, seeing it as a step towards ending the stigma around mental illness in Chinese society.
I must add my voice to those applauding her. We need to talk about mental health in China.
According to a 2017 World Health Organization report, an estimated 54 million people in China suffer from depression while 41 million struggle with anxiety disorders. Further estimates suggest that around 173 million Chinese people have a diagnosable psychiatric condition.
Although China does not rank as highly in terms of prevalence compared to high-income countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, the sheer number of affected individuals presents an immense challenge. Mental health services remain severely limited: the US has about 12 psychiatrists per 100,000 people, while in China the ratio is just 1.7 per 100,000.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Australia bans Chinese AI DeepSeek from government devices
By Bloomberg
Australia has banned DeepSeek AI services from all government systems and devices, becoming one of the first countries to take direct action against a Chinese artificial intelligence start-up that shook Silicon Valley and global markets this year.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement that all DeepSeek products, applications and services would be removed from government systems on national security grounds effective immediately. A threat assessment by the country’s intelligence agencies found the technology posed an unacceptable risk, he said.
Founded in Hangzhou only 20 months ago, DeepSeek’s technology made waves in January with a new mobile app featuring its reasoning AI chatbot – which articulates its approximation of thought process and research before delivering a response – that seemed to suggest top-tier AI could be developed without huge investments in hardware. Its appeal took it to the top of worldwide download charts. However, doubts quickly arose about the security of the service.
“AI is a technology full of potential and opportunity but the government will not hesitate to act when our agencies identify a national security risk,” Burke said in the statement on Tuesday.
Forestalling any criticisms about Australia acting against the app simply because of its Chinese origin, he added that the government’s approach was “country-agnostic and focused on the risk to the Australian government and our assets”.
The action does not extend to personal devices of private citizens, but Burke in his statement encouraged all Australians to consider how their data was used online and to take steps to “understand their online presence and protect their privacy”.
Australia is not the first country to take action against DeepSeek. Italy’s privacy regulator has ordered for it to be blocked to protect consumers’ data, while Ireland’s Data Protection Commission has asked for more information from the company. Hundreds of private companies have also taken the precautionary measure of blocking access to DeepSeek, it was reported last week.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Bloomberg
Australia has banned DeepSeek AI services from all government systems and devices, becoming one of the first countries to take direct action against a Chinese artificial intelligence start-up that shook Silicon Valley and global markets this year.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement that all DeepSeek products, applications and services would be removed from government systems on national security grounds effective immediately. A threat assessment by the country’s intelligence agencies found the technology posed an unacceptable risk, he said.
Founded in Hangzhou only 20 months ago, DeepSeek’s technology made waves in January with a new mobile app featuring its reasoning AI chatbot – which articulates its approximation of thought process and research before delivering a response – that seemed to suggest top-tier AI could be developed without huge investments in hardware. Its appeal took it to the top of worldwide download charts. However, doubts quickly arose about the security of the service.
“AI is a technology full of potential and opportunity but the government will not hesitate to act when our agencies identify a national security risk,” Burke said in the statement on Tuesday.
Forestalling any criticisms about Australia acting against the app simply because of its Chinese origin, he added that the government’s approach was “country-agnostic and focused on the risk to the Australian government and our assets”.
The action does not extend to personal devices of private citizens, but Burke in his statement encouraged all Australians to consider how their data was used online and to take steps to “understand their online presence and protect their privacy”.
Australia is not the first country to take action against DeepSeek. Italy’s privacy regulator has ordered for it to be blocked to protect consumers’ data, while Ireland’s Data Protection Commission has asked for more information from the company. Hundreds of private companies have also taken the precautionary measure of blocking access to DeepSeek, it was reported last week.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
More rice, less gas: Chinese and Swedish scientists create hybrid to cut methane emissions
By Victoria Bela
Chinese and Swedish researchers have developed a high-yield rice variety that emits up to 70 per cent less methane than normal rice after uncovering how chemicals released by rice roots influence emissions.
The scientists said their new low-methane hybrid rice offered a promising strategy to address a future rise in rice-related emissions because of global warming and an increasing global population.
“We discovered that fumarate and ethanol are two major rice-orchestrated secretions and play a key role in regulating methane emissions,” the team wrote in a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Molecular Plant on Monday.
In particular, the team found that rice that produced less fumarate and more ethanol helped reduce methane emissions. Breeding a new rice variety with these characteristics resulted in “70 per cent reductions in methane production”, they said.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with a significantly higher heat-trapping capacity than carbon dioxide, although it has a shorter atmospheric lifespan. Emissions originate from various sources, including agriculture and livestock farming, waste decomposition and the energy sector.
The cultivation of rice – a staple food for half the world’s population – alone is responsible for around 12 per cent of man-made global methane emissions, according to a press release by the journal’s publisher Cell Press.
As the global population grows and demand for rice increases, total methane emissions are only expected to rise.
Scientists have known that methane emissions from rice paddies occur when microbes break down organic compounds released by rice roots, although it was not clear which compounds were responsible.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Victoria Bela
Chinese and Swedish researchers have developed a high-yield rice variety that emits up to 70 per cent less methane than normal rice after uncovering how chemicals released by rice roots influence emissions.
The scientists said their new low-methane hybrid rice offered a promising strategy to address a future rise in rice-related emissions because of global warming and an increasing global population.
“We discovered that fumarate and ethanol are two major rice-orchestrated secretions and play a key role in regulating methane emissions,” the team wrote in a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Molecular Plant on Monday.
In particular, the team found that rice that produced less fumarate and more ethanol helped reduce methane emissions. Breeding a new rice variety with these characteristics resulted in “70 per cent reductions in methane production”, they said.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with a significantly higher heat-trapping capacity than carbon dioxide, although it has a shorter atmospheric lifespan. Emissions originate from various sources, including agriculture and livestock farming, waste decomposition and the energy sector.
The cultivation of rice – a staple food for half the world’s population – alone is responsible for around 12 per cent of man-made global methane emissions, according to a press release by the journal’s publisher Cell Press.
As the global population grows and demand for rice increases, total methane emissions are only expected to rise.
Scientists have known that methane emissions from rice paddies occur when microbes break down organic compounds released by rice roots, although it was not clear which compounds were responsible.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Fran Lu
A philanthropic man in China who has never married nor had his own kids, has emerged as a “father” to more than 700 of the country’s children.
Wang Wanlin, 80, from Hangzhou in eastern China’s Zhejiang province has been providing shelter to wandering children he found on the street since 1979.
Wang met his first “son” on the street one evening when he was 34.
The 15-year-old child was shivering in the cold weather, and told Wang he just escaped from an exploitative coal mine in another Zhejiang city.
He said he was tricked into going there from his hometown in Jiangsu province north of Shanghai. Wang took him home and bought him a train ticket a week later.
For Wang, the child’s rescue was also a salvation for himself.80-year-old Wang Wanlin has helped hundreds of young men over the last four decades. Photo: Douyin
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Equipment fault causes disruptions on East Rail Line of Hong Kong’s MTR
By Natalie Wong
An equipment fault on an engineer’s train near Hong Kong’s Tai Wo MTR station has caused disruptions on the East Rail Line service, with delays leading to intervals of up to 24 minutes at certain stops.
The MTR Corporation urged passengers on Wednesday at 8.02am to consider using other transport as longer waiting times on its platforms were expected.
Services between Sheung Shui and Lok Ma Chau stations were adjusted to 24-minute intervals, between Tai Po Market and Lo Wu stations to 16-minute intervals, and between Fo Tan and Tai Po Market stations to 8-minute intervals.
The MTR Corp said its staff were carrying out the necessary repair work and apologised for any inconvenience caused.
Crowd management measures were in place at certain stations on the East Rail Line, according to the company.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Natalie Wong
An equipment fault on an engineer’s train near Hong Kong’s Tai Wo MTR station has caused disruptions on the East Rail Line service, with delays leading to intervals of up to 24 minutes at certain stops.
The MTR Corporation urged passengers on Wednesday at 8.02am to consider using other transport as longer waiting times on its platforms were expected.
Services between Sheung Shui and Lok Ma Chau stations were adjusted to 24-minute intervals, between Tai Po Market and Lo Wu stations to 16-minute intervals, and between Fo Tan and Tai Po Market stations to 8-minute intervals.
The MTR Corp said its staff were carrying out the necessary repair work and apologised for any inconvenience caused.
Crowd management measures were in place at certain stations on the East Rail Line, according to the company.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Hong Kong’s 8 public universities amass nearly HK$140 billion in reserves
By William Yiu
The financial reserves of Hong Kong’s eight public universities rose to nearly HK$140 billion (US$18 billion) in the last academic year, an 11 per cent increase from 2022-23, according to funding authorities.
The Post obtained the figures from the University Grants Committee (UGC) on Tuesday, two days after Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said higher education institutions could make better use of their reserves. Chan is expected to announce public spending cuts in his budget later this month.
Total reserves were about HK$139.3 billion, according to the UGC, which allocates funding to the public universities.
The combined reserves equal six academic years of recurrent funding for the eight universities, given the allocation for those institutions stood at around HK$63.2 billion from 2022 to 2025.
The latest reserves figure marked an 11 per cent jump from the HK$125.9 billion recorded during the 2022-23 academic year.
“According to the universities’ financial reports, HK$17.6 billion was UGC-funded reserves and HK$121.7 billion was non-UGC-funded reserves,” the committee said.
Universities were allowed to use their reserves for long-term development or other designated purposes, and some used the funds for enhancing campus facilities and new projects, according to a Legislative Council document.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By William Yiu
The financial reserves of Hong Kong’s eight public universities rose to nearly HK$140 billion (US$18 billion) in the last academic year, an 11 per cent increase from 2022-23, according to funding authorities.
The Post obtained the figures from the University Grants Committee (UGC) on Tuesday, two days after Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said higher education institutions could make better use of their reserves. Chan is expected to announce public spending cuts in his budget later this month.
Total reserves were about HK$139.3 billion, according to the UGC, which allocates funding to the public universities.
The combined reserves equal six academic years of recurrent funding for the eight universities, given the allocation for those institutions stood at around HK$63.2 billion from 2022 to 2025.
The latest reserves figure marked an 11 per cent jump from the HK$125.9 billion recorded during the 2022-23 academic year.
“According to the universities’ financial reports, HK$17.6 billion was UGC-funded reserves and HK$121.7 billion was non-UGC-funded reserves,” the committee said.
Universities were allowed to use their reserves for long-term development or other designated purposes, and some used the funds for enhancing campus facilities and new projects, according to a Legislative Council document.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
DeepSeek vs Trump tariffs: how will China’s markets react in the Year of the Snake?
By Daniel RenZhang Shidong
Investors returning to mainland China’s markets on Wednesday after an eight-day Lunar New Year holiday have plenty to chew on – from Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) start-up DeepSeek taking the world by storm to the US slapping tariffs on Chinese goods.
While the market outlook remains cloudy because of the strained US-China ties, tech companies with a focus on AI are expected to jump on the back of developments from DeepSeek, according to analysts. Companies in export-oriented sectors such as textiles, home appliances, electronics and chemicals could take a beating, they added.
Investors may prefer to sit on the sidelines as they wait for the outcome of a call between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, as the world’s two largest economies seek to avert a full-blown trade war.
“Technology firms will be greeted with fanfare by investors because of the emergence of DeepSeek, but a rally in tech stocks will not be enough to ensure a roaring start for the overall market after the holiday,” said Ivan Li, a fund manager at Loyal Wealth Management in Shanghai, on Tuesday.
Last month, the Hangzhou-based DeepSeek released two powerful new large language models built at a fraction of the cost and computing power used by American firms. Its performance proved to be on par with ChatGPT, the generative AI chatbot developed by global leader OpenAI.
After the Trump administration unveiled a 10 per cent tariff on Chinese exports over the weekend, Beijing retaliated on Tuesday, imposing tariffs of 15 per cent on US coal and liquefied natural gas, as well as 10 per cent on crude oil, agricultural machinery, high-emission cars and pickup trucks.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Daniel RenZhang Shidong
Investors returning to mainland China’s markets on Wednesday after an eight-day Lunar New Year holiday have plenty to chew on – from Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) start-up DeepSeek taking the world by storm to the US slapping tariffs on Chinese goods.
While the market outlook remains cloudy because of the strained US-China ties, tech companies with a focus on AI are expected to jump on the back of developments from DeepSeek, according to analysts. Companies in export-oriented sectors such as textiles, home appliances, electronics and chemicals could take a beating, they added.
Investors may prefer to sit on the sidelines as they wait for the outcome of a call between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, as the world’s two largest economies seek to avert a full-blown trade war.
“Technology firms will be greeted with fanfare by investors because of the emergence of DeepSeek, but a rally in tech stocks will not be enough to ensure a roaring start for the overall market after the holiday,” said Ivan Li, a fund manager at Loyal Wealth Management in Shanghai, on Tuesday.
Last month, the Hangzhou-based DeepSeek released two powerful new large language models built at a fraction of the cost and computing power used by American firms. Its performance proved to be on par with ChatGPT, the generative AI chatbot developed by global leader OpenAI.
After the Trump administration unveiled a 10 per cent tariff on Chinese exports over the weekend, Beijing retaliated on Tuesday, imposing tariffs of 15 per cent on US coal and liquefied natural gas, as well as 10 per cent on crude oil, agricultural machinery, high-emission cars and pickup trucks.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Trump says he’s given instructions for Iran to be ‘obliterated’ if it assassinates him
By Associated Press
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he has given his advisers instructions to obliterate Iran if it assassinates him.
“If they did that they would be obliterated,” Trump said in an exchange with reporters while signing a memorandum to restore his “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran that includes efforts to drive its oil exports down to zero to stop Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
“I’ve left instructions if they do it, they get obliterated, there won’t be anything left.”
If Trump were assassinated, US Vice-President J.D. Vance would become president and would not necessarily be bound by any instructions left by his predecessor.
Federal authorities have been tracking Iranian threats against Trump and other administration officials for years.
Trump ordered the 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani, who led the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Associated Press
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he has given his advisers instructions to obliterate Iran if it assassinates him.
“If they did that they would be obliterated,” Trump said in an exchange with reporters while signing a memorandum to restore his “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran that includes efforts to drive its oil exports down to zero to stop Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
“I’ve left instructions if they do it, they get obliterated, there won’t be anything left.”
If Trump were assassinated, US Vice-President J.D. Vance would become president and would not necessarily be bound by any instructions left by his predecessor.
Federal authorities have been tracking Iranian threats against Trump and other administration officials for years.
Trump ordered the 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani, who led the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Trump calls Gaza a demolition site, wants to permanently displace Palestinians
By Reuters
US President Donald Trump proposed the permanent resettlement of Palestinians from war-shattered Gaza to neighbouring countries, calling the enclave a “demolition site” on Tuesday as he held pivotal talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump repeated his call for Jordan, Egypt and other Arab states to take in Gazans, saying Palestinians there had no alternative but to leave the coastal strip, which must be rebuilt after nearly 16 months of a devastating war between Israel and Hamas militants.
But this time Trump said he would support resettling Palestinians “permanently”, going beyond his previous suggestions that Arab leaders had already steadfastly rejected.
Just two weeks into his second term, Trump was hosting Netanyahu at the White House to discuss the future of the fragile Gaza ceasefire, strategies to counter Iran and hopes for a renewed push for an Israeli-Saudi normalisation deal.
“It’s a pure demolition site,” Trump, speaking shortly before Netanyahu arrived, said of Gaza.
“If we could find the right piece of land, or numerous pieces of land, and build them some really nice places with plenty of money in the area, that’s for sure. I think that would be a lot better than going back to Gaza.”
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Reuters
US President Donald Trump proposed the permanent resettlement of Palestinians from war-shattered Gaza to neighbouring countries, calling the enclave a “demolition site” on Tuesday as he held pivotal talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump repeated his call for Jordan, Egypt and other Arab states to take in Gazans, saying Palestinians there had no alternative but to leave the coastal strip, which must be rebuilt after nearly 16 months of a devastating war between Israel and Hamas militants.
But this time Trump said he would support resettling Palestinians “permanently”, going beyond his previous suggestions that Arab leaders had already steadfastly rejected.
Just two weeks into his second term, Trump was hosting Netanyahu at the White House to discuss the future of the fragile Gaza ceasefire, strategies to counter Iran and hopes for a renewed push for an Israeli-Saudi normalisation deal.
“It’s a pure demolition site,” Trump, speaking shortly before Netanyahu arrived, said of Gaza.
“If we could find the right piece of land, or numerous pieces of land, and build them some really nice places with plenty of money in the area, that’s for sure. I think that would be a lot better than going back to Gaza.”
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Battle of the bots: China, US scrap for top of the humanoid heap
By Luna Sun
This is the second story in a three-part series examining the future of China’s humanoid robots; competition between the US and China; and the Chinese government’s efforts to gain an advantage in this emerging arena. In this piece, we examine the state of the race for industry dominance between the world’s two largest players.
At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas on January 7 – the tech sector’s premier trade exhibition – Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang took the stage for his keynote address. During the speech, where he declared the field of robotics was nearing a watershed moment, he was flanked by 14 gleaming, waving humanoid models from industry leaders.
Weeks later, at the Spring Festival Gala – China’s annual televised Lunar New Year extravaganza, watched by over a billion people – robotics firm Unitree put on a demo of a different sort.
A group of H1 units, which the company touts as its “first universal humanoid robot”, performed a folk dance synchronised with the aid of advanced cloud computing and motion control systems powered by artificial intelligence (AI) software.
Both crowds marvelled at the spectacles. The high-profile events have set the tone for a competitive 2025, as numerous robot makers marshal their resources for mass production and global commercialisation.
Players from all over the world are eager for their share of the spoils. While no one country appears to be completely dominant in this 21st century “space race,” China and the United States are undoubtedly in the first tier.
Among the group of 14 robots onstage at CES – which included a Unitree H1 – six of their companies were based in China and four were from the United States.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Luna Sun
This is the second story in a three-part series examining the future of China’s humanoid robots; competition between the US and China; and the Chinese government’s efforts to gain an advantage in this emerging arena. In this piece, we examine the state of the race for industry dominance between the world’s two largest players.
At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas on January 7 – the tech sector’s premier trade exhibition – Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang took the stage for his keynote address. During the speech, where he declared the field of robotics was nearing a watershed moment, he was flanked by 14 gleaming, waving humanoid models from industry leaders.
Weeks later, at the Spring Festival Gala – China’s annual televised Lunar New Year extravaganza, watched by over a billion people – robotics firm Unitree put on a demo of a different sort.
A group of H1 units, which the company touts as its “first universal humanoid robot”, performed a folk dance synchronised with the aid of advanced cloud computing and motion control systems powered by artificial intelligence (AI) software.
Both crowds marvelled at the spectacles. The high-profile events have set the tone for a competitive 2025, as numerous robot makers marshal their resources for mass production and global commercialisation.
Players from all over the world are eager for their share of the spoils. While no one country appears to be completely dominant in this 21st century “space race,” China and the United States are undoubtedly in the first tier.
Among the group of 14 robots onstage at CES – which included a Unitree H1 – six of their companies were based in China and four were from the United States.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Russia’s close ties with North Korea and Iran represent diverging goals
By Hao Nan
On January 17, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty in Moscow. Touted as a milestone in bilateral relations, it deepens ties between two nations grappling with international sanctions. Just months earlier, Russia and North Korea ratified their own treaty with a strong emphasis on mutual defence.
These treaties reflect Moscow’s efforts to recalibrate its alliances amid global isolation. However, their differences reveal the Kremlin’s distinct approaches to Tehran and Pyongyang, shaped by each country’s strategic value to Moscow and its geopolitical priorities.
Both treaties are anchored in mutual respect for sovereignty, a shared opposition to unipolarity and aspirations for a multipolar world order. Yet, their objectives and commitments diverge significantly.
While the Russia-Iran treaty underscores economic and political cooperation with long-term strategic goals, the Russia-North Korea treaty focuses more on immediate defence needs. These contrasts highlight the nuanced strategies underpinning Moscow’s foreign policy as it seeks to secure alliances while navigating complex regional dynamics.
The Russia-North Korea treaty marks a striking shift in regional geopolitics. It explicitly includes mutual military aid, referencing Article 51 of the United Nations Charter while incorporating caveats requiring compliance with domestic laws. This legal framing allows both countries flexibility in their commitments, enabling Russia to avoid fully binding itself to North Korea’s defence while still projecting solidarity.
The treaty also emphasises collective security measures, including consultations during crises, further aligning the two nations against perceived Western threats. Notably, the treaty outlines an indefinite duration with termination requiring a one-year notice period from either party, adding more weight to the two sides’ mutual security commitments.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Hao Nan
On January 17, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty in Moscow. Touted as a milestone in bilateral relations, it deepens ties between two nations grappling with international sanctions. Just months earlier, Russia and North Korea ratified their own treaty with a strong emphasis on mutual defence.
These treaties reflect Moscow’s efforts to recalibrate its alliances amid global isolation. However, their differences reveal the Kremlin’s distinct approaches to Tehran and Pyongyang, shaped by each country’s strategic value to Moscow and its geopolitical priorities.
Both treaties are anchored in mutual respect for sovereignty, a shared opposition to unipolarity and aspirations for a multipolar world order. Yet, their objectives and commitments diverge significantly.
While the Russia-Iran treaty underscores economic and political cooperation with long-term strategic goals, the Russia-North Korea treaty focuses more on immediate defence needs. These contrasts highlight the nuanced strategies underpinning Moscow’s foreign policy as it seeks to secure alliances while navigating complex regional dynamics.
The Russia-North Korea treaty marks a striking shift in regional geopolitics. It explicitly includes mutual military aid, referencing Article 51 of the United Nations Charter while incorporating caveats requiring compliance with domestic laws. This legal framing allows both countries flexibility in their commitments, enabling Russia to avoid fully binding itself to North Korea’s defence while still projecting solidarity.
The treaty also emphasises collective security measures, including consultations during crises, further aligning the two nations against perceived Western threats. Notably, the treaty outlines an indefinite duration with termination requiring a one-year notice period from either party, adding more weight to the two sides’ mutual security commitments.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Donald Trump downplays China’s retaliatory tariffs and ‘in no rush’ to talk to Xi Jinping
By Robert Delaney
US President Donald Trump dismissed the implications of retaliatory measures that Beijing enacted against the United States following Washington’s imposition of 10 per cent tariffs on Chinese imports on Tuesday, adding he is “in no rush” to talk to his Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“That’s fine. It’s fine,” Trump told reporters asking about Beijing’s tit-for-tat response. “We’re going to do very well against China and against everybody else. Right now, they’ve taken advantage of the Biden administration like I’ve never seen.
“The deficit with China is about a trillion dollars. Think of it, a trillion dollars. They’re using our money to build their military,” he added.
The White House in a February 1 fact sheet stated that “in 2023 the US trade deficit in goods was the world’s largest at over US$1 trillion”.
According to US government data, America’s trade deficit with China was US$270 billion in 2024, down from US$279 billion in 2023.
China announced plans to impose retaliatory tariffs on a range of American goods from February 10, including 15 per cent duty on coal and natural gas imports and 10 per cent on petroleum, agricultural equipment, high-emission vehicles and pickup trucks.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Robert Delaney
US President Donald Trump dismissed the implications of retaliatory measures that Beijing enacted against the United States following Washington’s imposition of 10 per cent tariffs on Chinese imports on Tuesday, adding he is “in no rush” to talk to his Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“That’s fine. It’s fine,” Trump told reporters asking about Beijing’s tit-for-tat response. “We’re going to do very well against China and against everybody else. Right now, they’ve taken advantage of the Biden administration like I’ve never seen.
“The deficit with China is about a trillion dollars. Think of it, a trillion dollars. They’re using our money to build their military,” he added.
The White House in a February 1 fact sheet stated that “in 2023 the US trade deficit in goods was the world’s largest at over US$1 trillion”.
According to US government data, America’s trade deficit with China was US$270 billion in 2024, down from US$279 billion in 2023.
China announced plans to impose retaliatory tariffs on a range of American goods from February 10, including 15 per cent duty on coal and natural gas imports and 10 per cent on petroleum, agricultural equipment, high-emission vehicles and pickup trucks.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
