On China, Germany offers Britain both a blueprint and a cautionary tale
By Thomas O. Falk
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, navigating the domestic minefield of his early days in office, now faces his first defining test on the global stage in 2025 – a test that could determine not only the trajectory of his government but Britain’s role in a changing world.
Given the UK’s stagnant economy and post-Brexit identity crisis, and the increasingly precarious global order, Starmer’s foreign policy will be defined by a cold, pragmatic pivot towards Beijing. This is not an ideological choice but an economic imperative. Acutely aware of Britain’s diminished leverage, Starmer knows that prosperity must come before principles if he is to deliver even a semblance of recovery.
The gamble? That engagement with China’s economic juggernaut can offer a lifeline to Britain’s beleaguered economy without compromising its democratic values. The risk? That Britain’s sovereignty, alliances and moral standing could be the collateral damage.
To grasp Starmer’s pivot, one must confront Britain’s bleak post-Brexit landscape. Promised by political charlatans as liberation from Brussels’ bureaucratic chains, Brexit has instead ushered in an era of diminished prospects.
UK goods exports to the European Union were down 11 per cent in 2023 compared to 2019 while small businesses, long the engine of British innovation, have been suffocated by regulatory uncertainty. Economic growth remains sluggish – a dismal 1.5 per cent forecast for 2025 by the International Monetary Fund – and the cost-of-living crisis continues to hollow out household incomes.
Populists and opportunists such as Nigel Farage are exploiting this disillusionment, with his Reform UK party gaining traction by offering the same false promises that led to this precipice while poisoning the well of social cohesion.
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By Thomas O. Falk
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, navigating the domestic minefield of his early days in office, now faces his first defining test on the global stage in 2025 – a test that could determine not only the trajectory of his government but Britain’s role in a changing world.
Given the UK’s stagnant economy and post-Brexit identity crisis, and the increasingly precarious global order, Starmer’s foreign policy will be defined by a cold, pragmatic pivot towards Beijing. This is not an ideological choice but an economic imperative. Acutely aware of Britain’s diminished leverage, Starmer knows that prosperity must come before principles if he is to deliver even a semblance of recovery.
The gamble? That engagement with China’s economic juggernaut can offer a lifeline to Britain’s beleaguered economy without compromising its democratic values. The risk? That Britain’s sovereignty, alliances and moral standing could be the collateral damage.
To grasp Starmer’s pivot, one must confront Britain’s bleak post-Brexit landscape. Promised by political charlatans as liberation from Brussels’ bureaucratic chains, Brexit has instead ushered in an era of diminished prospects.
UK goods exports to the European Union were down 11 per cent in 2023 compared to 2019 while small businesses, long the engine of British innovation, have been suffocated by regulatory uncertainty. Economic growth remains sluggish – a dismal 1.5 per cent forecast for 2025 by the International Monetary Fund – and the cost-of-living crisis continues to hollow out household incomes.
Populists and opportunists such as Nigel Farage are exploiting this disillusionment, with his Reform UK party gaining traction by offering the same false promises that led to this precipice while poisoning the well of social cohesion.
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Man goes on rampage with excavator in Germany before being shot dead by police
By dpa
A man was shot dead by police in southwestern Germany on Tuesday after going on a rampage with a stolen excavator, injuring three police officers.
Police in the state of Baden-Württemberg described the incident on social media as a “suspected rampage”. Further details were initially unknown but there was no danger to the public, a spokeswoman added.
The 38-year-old German man stole an excavator from a construction company in the town of Grünsfeld, south of Frankfurt, where he reportedly destroyed the entire inventory.
He then drove the vehicle to another town, a few kilometres away, damaging several patrol cars and other vehicles during the journey.
One policewoman injured during the incident was taken to hospital but has since been discharged.
The “rampage driver was stopped by gunfire” at a car showroom, the spokeswoman said.
He was resuscitated on-site but succumbed to his injuries at the scene. The incident remain under investigation.
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By dpa
A man was shot dead by police in southwestern Germany on Tuesday after going on a rampage with a stolen excavator, injuring three police officers.
Police in the state of Baden-Württemberg described the incident on social media as a “suspected rampage”. Further details were initially unknown but there was no danger to the public, a spokeswoman added.
The 38-year-old German man stole an excavator from a construction company in the town of Grünsfeld, south of Frankfurt, where he reportedly destroyed the entire inventory.
He then drove the vehicle to another town, a few kilometres away, damaging several patrol cars and other vehicles during the journey.
One policewoman injured during the incident was taken to hospital but has since been discharged.
The “rampage driver was stopped by gunfire” at a car showroom, the spokeswoman said.
He was resuscitated on-site but succumbed to his injuries at the scene. The incident remain under investigation.
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By Associated Press
New York police announced on Tuesday that they have identified the woman who died on December 22 after being set on fire while inside a New York subway train as a 61-year-old from New Jersey.
The woman, Debrina Kawam, had a Toms River, New Jersey, address, according to the NYPD.
Authorities previously said they were using forensics and video surveillance to identify the victim, who burned to death on a subway car in Brooklyn.
The man accused of lighting her on fire, Sebastian Zapeta, was taken into custody hours after police disseminated images of a suspect.
He has since been indicted on murder and arson charges.
Zapeta remains jailed. Federal immigration officials say the 33-year-old is from Guatemala and entered the US illegally.Sebastian Zapeta, suspected of burning a woman to death on a subway train, is escorted by police officers in New York on December 23. Photo: TNS
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US farmers fret over Trump’s deportation plans: ‘Americans don’t want these jobs’
By Agence France-Presse
Lifelong farmer Joe Del Bosque knows that America can’t live without immigrants, but he worries that many of his countrymen think it can’t live with them either.
“When they’re needed, they welcome them. When they don’t need them, they want to kick them out,” the 75-year-old said.
“Well, right now the country doesn’t know that they do need some of these workers.”
Farmers like Del Bosque, who grows cantaloupes and almonds in California, fear they could be at the sharp end of president-elect Donald Trump’s promise to deport millions of non-citizens.
Economists agree that a mass expulsion could leave him and others like him without enough workers to harvest food – causing shortages and sending prices skyrocketing.
“He’s talked about deportations. We don’t know yet what that means,” said Del Bosque.
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By Agence France-Presse
Lifelong farmer Joe Del Bosque knows that America can’t live without immigrants, but he worries that many of his countrymen think it can’t live with them either.
“When they’re needed, they welcome them. When they don’t need them, they want to kick them out,” the 75-year-old said.
“Well, right now the country doesn’t know that they do need some of these workers.”
Farmers like Del Bosque, who grows cantaloupes and almonds in California, fear they could be at the sharp end of president-elect Donald Trump’s promise to deport millions of non-citizens.
Economists agree that a mass expulsion could leave him and others like him without enough workers to harvest food – causing shortages and sending prices skyrocketing.
“He’s talked about deportations. We don’t know yet what that means,” said Del Bosque.
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Singaporean and Japanese bulk carriers collide in China’s Yangtze River
By Reuters
Two bulk carriers collided in China’s Yangtze River, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said on Tuesday, adding that no injuries to the crew were reported.
Vega Dream, owned and operated by Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, collided with Yangze 22, the bulk carrier sailing under the Singaporean flag, on December 30, the MPA said.
Yangze 22, whose hull was damaged by the collision, was reported to have spilled about 9 metric tonnes of fuel oil. It is currently stationed at Hengsha East Anchorage for damage assessment, Singapore’s port authority said.
Officials from Mitsui O.S.K. Lines were not immediately available for comment.
The Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) has been conducting the clean-up of the fuel oil spillage along with several support craft deployed by Yangze 22’s company, the MPA said in a statement.
The MPA did not immediately respond to a Reuters request seeking additional details on Yangze 22.
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By Reuters
Two bulk carriers collided in China’s Yangtze River, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said on Tuesday, adding that no injuries to the crew were reported.
Vega Dream, owned and operated by Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, collided with Yangze 22, the bulk carrier sailing under the Singaporean flag, on December 30, the MPA said.
Yangze 22, whose hull was damaged by the collision, was reported to have spilled about 9 metric tonnes of fuel oil. It is currently stationed at Hengsha East Anchorage for damage assessment, Singapore’s port authority said.
Officials from Mitsui O.S.K. Lines were not immediately available for comment.
The Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) has been conducting the clean-up of the fuel oil spillage along with several support craft deployed by Yangze 22’s company, the MPA said in a statement.
The MPA did not immediately respond to a Reuters request seeking additional details on Yangze 22.
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China’s efforts to bring back foreign visitors are bearing fruit, but will they be enough?
By Jane CaiSylvie ZhuangPhoebe ZhangVanessa Cai
China spent the past year opening its arms to foreign visitors in an effort to revive its sluggish economy and improve the country’s image internationally in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The easing of visa restrictions, and other measures, have helped drive an 86 per cent increase in visitor numbers in the first 11 months of the year compared with the same period in 2023, according to the National Immigration Administration.
But the 29 million trips from overseas recorded to the end of November 2024 is still 40 per cent below the figure recorded in the same period in 2019, and foreign residents and visitors alike have said there are a number of barriers that are still putting off people from coming to China.
These range from practical problems such as language barriers or the “Great Firewall” to wider international political tensions.
Over the course of the year, China has been steadily increasing the number of countries whose citizens can enjoy visa-free access for up to 30 days. It has also been easing a number of other restrictions.
Most recently it said it would allow citizens of 54 countries – including the United States, Australia, Japan and much of Europe – 10 days of visa-free transit.
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By Jane CaiSylvie ZhuangPhoebe ZhangVanessa Cai
China spent the past year opening its arms to foreign visitors in an effort to revive its sluggish economy and improve the country’s image internationally in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The easing of visa restrictions, and other measures, have helped drive an 86 per cent increase in visitor numbers in the first 11 months of the year compared with the same period in 2023, according to the National Immigration Administration.
But the 29 million trips from overseas recorded to the end of November 2024 is still 40 per cent below the figure recorded in the same period in 2019, and foreign residents and visitors alike have said there are a number of barriers that are still putting off people from coming to China.
These range from practical problems such as language barriers or the “Great Firewall” to wider international political tensions.
Over the course of the year, China has been steadily increasing the number of countries whose citizens can enjoy visa-free access for up to 30 days. It has also been easing a number of other restrictions.
Most recently it said it would allow citizens of 54 countries – including the United States, Australia, Japan and much of Europe – 10 days of visa-free transit.
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Singapore growth beats estimates, PM Wong pledges support amid global tensions
By Bloomberg
Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said the country’s economy performed better than expected in 2024, building a strong foundation for the city state to confront a more complex international environment next year.
Gross domestic product expanded 4 per cent, Wong said in his New Year’s message. That beat the trade ministry’s November forecast for an expansion of around 3.5 per cent. The strong economy will allow real incomes to rise further to outpace inflation, Wong added.
In his first New Year message since becoming Singapore’s fourth prime minister since independence, Wong pledged to help the city navigate rising global tensions and to keep tackling livelihood issues at home.
“We will provide more targeted help to those who find it harder to cope, especially older people and lower-income groups,” Wong said, according to a copy of the speech released by the government. “No one will be left behind, because we are all in this together.”
The 52-year-old Wong, who succeeded Lee Hsien Loong in May, said Singapore has overcome tough challenges in recent years, with median income rising by 2.2 per cent per annum above inflation over the past decade.
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By Bloomberg
Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said the country’s economy performed better than expected in 2024, building a strong foundation for the city state to confront a more complex international environment next year.
Gross domestic product expanded 4 per cent, Wong said in his New Year’s message. That beat the trade ministry’s November forecast for an expansion of around 3.5 per cent. The strong economy will allow real incomes to rise further to outpace inflation, Wong added.
In his first New Year message since becoming Singapore’s fourth prime minister since independence, Wong pledged to help the city navigate rising global tensions and to keep tackling livelihood issues at home.
“We will provide more targeted help to those who find it harder to cope, especially older people and lower-income groups,” Wong said, according to a copy of the speech released by the government. “No one will be left behind, because we are all in this together.”
The 52-year-old Wong, who succeeded Lee Hsien Loong in May, said Singapore has overcome tough challenges in recent years, with median income rising by 2.2 per cent per annum above inflation over the past decade.
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2 elderly residents at Hong Kong care home given Covid-19 jabs expired for 2 weeks
By Ng Kang-chung
Two elderly residents at a care home in Hong Kong were given Covid-19 shots that were nearly two weeks past their expiration date, health authorities reported on Tuesday.
The Department of Health instructed the care home and medical centre involved to step up checks, as well as vaccine management, while also temporarily banning the attending doctor involved from government vaccination schemes.
The incident came to light after a review by the department of the vaccine orders and vaccination records of the Luxe Garden residential care home in North district.
Preliminary investigations by the department found that healthcare workers from the medical organisation Health & Young visited the care home on December 18 and administered the Comirnaty XBB Covid-19 vaccine to the two residents.
“[The vaccines] were 12 days beyond the recommended use-by date,” a department spokesman said.
According to the vaccine manufacturer’s recommendation, the vaccine should be stored at between 2 degrees Celsius and 8 degrees (35.6 Fahrenheit and 46.4 Fahrenheit) after thawing, and should be used within 70 days.
The spokesman said the department was “highly concerned” about the incident and had immediately conducted an inspection at the care home.
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By Ng Kang-chung
Two elderly residents at a care home in Hong Kong were given Covid-19 shots that were nearly two weeks past their expiration date, health authorities reported on Tuesday.
The Department of Health instructed the care home and medical centre involved to step up checks, as well as vaccine management, while also temporarily banning the attending doctor involved from government vaccination schemes.
The incident came to light after a review by the department of the vaccine orders and vaccination records of the Luxe Garden residential care home in North district.
Preliminary investigations by the department found that healthcare workers from the medical organisation Health & Young visited the care home on December 18 and administered the Comirnaty XBB Covid-19 vaccine to the two residents.
“[The vaccines] were 12 days beyond the recommended use-by date,” a department spokesman said.
According to the vaccine manufacturer’s recommendation, the vaccine should be stored at between 2 degrees Celsius and 8 degrees (35.6 Fahrenheit and 46.4 Fahrenheit) after thawing, and should be used within 70 days.
The spokesman said the department was “highly concerned” about the incident and had immediately conducted an inspection at the care home.
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‘Making the impossible possible’: Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou lauds US-sanctioned firm’s 2024
By Xinmei Shen
Huawei Technologies’ chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, on Tuesday extolled the US-sanctioned company’s resilience on multiple fronts – from artificial intelligence (AI) chip development to growing adoption of its own mobile operating system, HarmonyOS – in a morale-boosting New Year’s Eve message.
Over the past six years, Huawei “experienced countless moments of darkness, uncertainty and defeat”, but has also seen “one miracle after another, making the impossible possible”, Meng, daughter of Huawei founder and chief executive Ren Zhengfei, wrote in a message published by the Shenzhen-based firm.
Meng, 52, thanked Huawei’s customers, supply chain partners and employees for a groundbreaking year. In October, she assumed for the second time the position of rotating and acting chairwoman at Huawei for a six-month tenure that ends on March 31.
She pointed out that hybrid engineering teams achieved breakthroughs – in areas of heat dissipation, power supply, high-speed transmission and chip reliability – as Huawei operated a dozen laboratories, where it worked with partners to design semiconductors, including high-bandwidth memory chips, used for training AI models.
The past 12 months also represented a “crucial” year to foster adoption of HarmonyOS Next, which no longer supports Android-based apps.
Huawei completed in just a year what took other firms 10 years in terms of developing an operating system, according to Meng.
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By Xinmei Shen
Huawei Technologies’ chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, on Tuesday extolled the US-sanctioned company’s resilience on multiple fronts – from artificial intelligence (AI) chip development to growing adoption of its own mobile operating system, HarmonyOS – in a morale-boosting New Year’s Eve message.
Over the past six years, Huawei “experienced countless moments of darkness, uncertainty and defeat”, but has also seen “one miracle after another, making the impossible possible”, Meng, daughter of Huawei founder and chief executive Ren Zhengfei, wrote in a message published by the Shenzhen-based firm.
Meng, 52, thanked Huawei’s customers, supply chain partners and employees for a groundbreaking year. In October, she assumed for the second time the position of rotating and acting chairwoman at Huawei for a six-month tenure that ends on March 31.
She pointed out that hybrid engineering teams achieved breakthroughs – in areas of heat dissipation, power supply, high-speed transmission and chip reliability – as Huawei operated a dozen laboratories, where it worked with partners to design semiconductors, including high-bandwidth memory chips, used for training AI models.
The past 12 months also represented a “crucial” year to foster adoption of HarmonyOS Next, which no longer supports Android-based apps.
Huawei completed in just a year what took other firms 10 years in terms of developing an operating system, according to Meng.
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South Korean crypto boss Do Kwon extradited to US from Montenegro
By Agencies
Montenegro said on Tuesday it completed the extradition of crypto mogul Do Kwon to the United States, Prime Minister Milojko Spajic said.
“This extradition demonstrates our unwavering commitment to international justice and the rule of law,” he said in a social media post.
Kwon was “handed over to the competent law enforcement authorities of the United States of America and agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)”, Montenegro’s interior ministry said in a statement.
He was extradited upon the decision of Montenegro justice ministry to face “criminal proceedings in the US for crimes of conspiracy to commit fraud”, the statement added.
Kwon faces charges of having deceived investors about the stability of the TerraUSD cryptocurrency and how an app used the Terraform blockchain.
Kwon is also wanted by Seoul over his firm’s multibillion-dollar bankruptcy, the country’s interior ministry said.
For months, Seoul and Washington have been seeking the South Korean’s extradition for his suspected role in a fraud linked to his company’s failure, which wiped out about US$40 billion of investors’ money and shook global crypto markets.
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By Agencies
Montenegro said on Tuesday it completed the extradition of crypto mogul Do Kwon to the United States, Prime Minister Milojko Spajic said.
“This extradition demonstrates our unwavering commitment to international justice and the rule of law,” he said in a social media post.
Kwon was “handed over to the competent law enforcement authorities of the United States of America and agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)”, Montenegro’s interior ministry said in a statement.
He was extradited upon the decision of Montenegro justice ministry to face “criminal proceedings in the US for crimes of conspiracy to commit fraud”, the statement added.
Kwon faces charges of having deceived investors about the stability of the TerraUSD cryptocurrency and how an app used the Terraform blockchain.
Kwon is also wanted by Seoul over his firm’s multibillion-dollar bankruptcy, the country’s interior ministry said.
For months, Seoul and Washington have been seeking the South Korean’s extradition for his suspected role in a fraud linked to his company’s failure, which wiped out about US$40 billion of investors’ money and shook global crypto markets.
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Why Trump’s tariff war with China is more dangerous than he thinks
By Terry Su
US president-elect Donald Trump called tariffs “the most beautiful word in the dictionary” during his campaign for re-election. Judging by his now well-known character and first-term record, he is certain to walk his talk after his inauguration on January 20 and impose tariffs across the board on all goods imported into the United States.
Amid all the discussion of a potential new “tariff war”, though, we need to make clear the tension inherent in the term as it is crucial to understanding the complexity of the current international landscape.
The use of the word “tariff” suggests the prospect of difficult trade disputes between the US and its allies, and perhaps the rest of the world too. However, a tariff “war” could turn into something far more precarious – even a hot war – with China, which is much more able to stand up to any US pressure thanks to its manufacturing prowess.
Adam Tooze, a historian and professor at Columbia University, said during an Asia Society speech last month that China’s current industrialisation “is not the industrial revolution done again. Everything prior to this was a prelude to the Chinese industrial revolution of our lifetimes”.
Trump has been described as a master deal maker, but he is ignorant of the subtleties involved in a “tariff war”. China will leave no stone unturned to prepare for such a war, while Washington’s allies will seek to play down the tariffs theme and play up the US-China war game to create more strategic wiggle room for themselves.
To America’s allies, “tariff war” is an exaggeration if not an outright misnomer. The US can in fact confidently exert pressure on them to solve its trade issues. Canada is the latest case in point. Before he has even entered the White House, Trump’s call for tariffs on imports from Canada has heaped pressure on the US’ northern neighbour. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has resigned from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government while Trudeau has faced calls to step down.
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By Terry Su
US president-elect Donald Trump called tariffs “the most beautiful word in the dictionary” during his campaign for re-election. Judging by his now well-known character and first-term record, he is certain to walk his talk after his inauguration on January 20 and impose tariffs across the board on all goods imported into the United States.
Amid all the discussion of a potential new “tariff war”, though, we need to make clear the tension inherent in the term as it is crucial to understanding the complexity of the current international landscape.
The use of the word “tariff” suggests the prospect of difficult trade disputes between the US and its allies, and perhaps the rest of the world too. However, a tariff “war” could turn into something far more precarious – even a hot war – with China, which is much more able to stand up to any US pressure thanks to its manufacturing prowess.
Adam Tooze, a historian and professor at Columbia University, said during an Asia Society speech last month that China’s current industrialisation “is not the industrial revolution done again. Everything prior to this was a prelude to the Chinese industrial revolution of our lifetimes”.
Trump has been described as a master deal maker, but he is ignorant of the subtleties involved in a “tariff war”. China will leave no stone unturned to prepare for such a war, while Washington’s allies will seek to play down the tariffs theme and play up the US-China war game to create more strategic wiggle room for themselves.
To America’s allies, “tariff war” is an exaggeration if not an outright misnomer. The US can in fact confidently exert pressure on them to solve its trade issues. Canada is the latest case in point. Before he has even entered the White House, Trump’s call for tariffs on imports from Canada has heaped pressure on the US’ northern neighbour. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has resigned from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government while Trudeau has faced calls to step down.
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Indonesia’s Prabowo wants protection from foreign interest in palm oil sector
By SCMP’s Asia desk
President Prabowo Subianto has called for tighter security to protect Indonesia’s palm oil plantations, saying the commodity is being targeted by foreign countries.
“They really need our palm oil, as it turns out, palm oil is a strategic material,” said Prabowo, who was speaking on Monday at a meeting for national development planning in Jakarta.
“Many countries are afraid of not getting palm oil,” he added, according to a report by the Tempo news website.
Prabowo asked the Indonesian military and police to help regional authorities in protecting palm oil plantations.
The president’s call comes as Indonesia and other commodity exporters are preparing to meet the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which is set to take effect on December 30, 2025, after the bloc’s authorities recently agreed to a one-year delay in its implementation.
The EUDR requires that commodities such as palm oil, timber, soybeans, coffee and cattle sold in EU markets must not come from land deforested or degraded after December 31, 2020.
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By SCMP’s Asia desk
President Prabowo Subianto has called for tighter security to protect Indonesia’s palm oil plantations, saying the commodity is being targeted by foreign countries.
“They really need our palm oil, as it turns out, palm oil is a strategic material,” said Prabowo, who was speaking on Monday at a meeting for national development planning in Jakarta.
“Many countries are afraid of not getting palm oil,” he added, according to a report by the Tempo news website.
Prabowo asked the Indonesian military and police to help regional authorities in protecting palm oil plantations.
The president’s call comes as Indonesia and other commodity exporters are preparing to meet the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which is set to take effect on December 30, 2025, after the bloc’s authorities recently agreed to a one-year delay in its implementation.
The EUDR requires that commodities such as palm oil, timber, soybeans, coffee and cattle sold in EU markets must not come from land deforested or degraded after December 31, 2020.
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Crowds gather in top spots ahead of Hong Kong’s New Year’s Eve fireworks
By Winnie WongJohnny WanEmily Hung
Thousands of residents and tourists have gathered at top Hong Kong harbourfront viewing spots hours ahead of the highly anticipated countdown fireworks on New Year’s Eve.
At the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui, one of the best locations for watching the display, excited visitors began gathering in the early afternoon on Tuesday, many equipped with cameras, tripods and picnic mats.
Among them was Slovenian tourist Wendy Lomparte, who is holidaying in Hong Kong for four days with her family. The 49-year-old lawyer said she was surprised by the large crowd and decided to stay put to secure a good spot.
“What a pity because we could have taken the time to see other attractions, [but] I think it’s worth it,” she said.
Asked what her New Year’s wishes were, Lomparte said: “Health and happiness for the family. That’s the basic thing I guess. ”
The countdown celebration, titled “The Symphony of Happiness”, will start at 11pm. It will feature four sets of opening fireworks, music and dance performances. A 12-minute fireworks display will start at midnight.
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By Winnie WongJohnny WanEmily Hung
Thousands of residents and tourists have gathered at top Hong Kong harbourfront viewing spots hours ahead of the highly anticipated countdown fireworks on New Year’s Eve.
At the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui, one of the best locations for watching the display, excited visitors began gathering in the early afternoon on Tuesday, many equipped with cameras, tripods and picnic mats.
Among them was Slovenian tourist Wendy Lomparte, who is holidaying in Hong Kong for four days with her family. The 49-year-old lawyer said she was surprised by the large crowd and decided to stay put to secure a good spot.
“What a pity because we could have taken the time to see other attractions, [but] I think it’s worth it,” she said.
Asked what her New Year’s wishes were, Lomparte said: “Health and happiness for the family. That’s the basic thing I guess. ”
The countdown celebration, titled “The Symphony of Happiness”, will start at 11pm. It will feature four sets of opening fireworks, music and dance performances. A 12-minute fireworks display will start at midnight.
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China recalls cars from Tesla, Trumpchi as safety issues emerge
By Mia Nulimaimaiti
China has issued a recall for 77,650 domestically produced Tesla electric vehicles as well as more than 88,000 vehicles from four other carmakers due to safety hazards, including GAC Trumpchi, Mercedes-Benz and Chrysler.
The State Administration for Market Regulation announced on Tuesday that the Tesla recall involves Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, as a software issue may delay the display of faults detected by the tyre pressure monitoring system.
Additionally, the market regulator recalled 63 imported Model S and Model X vehicles from the US carmaker due to a potential airbag defect.
The recall came after 1.68 million Tesla vehicles were taken off the streets in August, when Beijing asked the company to resolve an issue with the lids of front trunks on certain models.
Another carmaker facing a significant recall is China’s GAC Trumpchi, based in Guangzhou, which will need to repair 74,422 vehicles for a software issue that could prevent the display of critical information in extreme situations.
German carmaker Mercedes-Benz has also been asked to repair 4,748 imported vehicles due to potential flaws in engine testing functions or insufficiently secured parts caused by loose bolts. The German truck manufacturer MAN SE was also required by regulators to repair 418 trucks due to insufficient high-temperature resistance in the sockets.
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By Mia Nulimaimaiti
China has issued a recall for 77,650 domestically produced Tesla electric vehicles as well as more than 88,000 vehicles from four other carmakers due to safety hazards, including GAC Trumpchi, Mercedes-Benz and Chrysler.
The State Administration for Market Regulation announced on Tuesday that the Tesla recall involves Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, as a software issue may delay the display of faults detected by the tyre pressure monitoring system.
Additionally, the market regulator recalled 63 imported Model S and Model X vehicles from the US carmaker due to a potential airbag defect.
The recall came after 1.68 million Tesla vehicles were taken off the streets in August, when Beijing asked the company to resolve an issue with the lids of front trunks on certain models.
Another carmaker facing a significant recall is China’s GAC Trumpchi, based in Guangzhou, which will need to repair 74,422 vehicles for a software issue that could prevent the display of critical information in extreme situations.
German carmaker Mercedes-Benz has also been asked to repair 4,748 imported vehicles due to potential flaws in engine testing functions or insufficiently secured parts caused by loose bolts. The German truck manufacturer MAN SE was also required by regulators to repair 418 trucks due to insufficient high-temperature resistance in the sockets.
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China plans for 15% annual data industry growth as digitisation deepens
By Sylvia Ma
China’s top economic planner has unveiled its blueprint for the country’s data industry, with ambitions for over 15 per cent annual growth in the sector by 2029 as digitalisation continues across the world’s second-largest economy.
Advancing the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and achieving breakthroughs in data technology were major points in a set of guidelines issued jointly on Monday by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and five other departments.
“The data sector is at the heart of industrial transformation,” said Chen Ronghui, deputy head of the commission’s National Data Administration, at a press briefing covering the guidelines on Tuesday.
Chen called attention to the integration of data with emerging industries such as autonomous driving, embodied AI and the “low-altitude economy” to “speed up strategic planning and seize opportunities for growth.”
The guidelines encouraged industry players and internet platforms to establish independent entities for data operations, aiming to strengthen and scale up the data sector through intensive, large-scale development.
At the same time, the document called for greater support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), urging larger entities to provide SMEs with access to data, algorithms and computing power.
Lower-level government bodies were also encouraged to fund early-stage and small enterprises, as well as establish specialised funds to cultivate professional investors within the data sector.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Sylvia Ma
China’s top economic planner has unveiled its blueprint for the country’s data industry, with ambitions for over 15 per cent annual growth in the sector by 2029 as digitalisation continues across the world’s second-largest economy.
Advancing the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and achieving breakthroughs in data technology were major points in a set of guidelines issued jointly on Monday by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and five other departments.
“The data sector is at the heart of industrial transformation,” said Chen Ronghui, deputy head of the commission’s National Data Administration, at a press briefing covering the guidelines on Tuesday.
Chen called attention to the integration of data with emerging industries such as autonomous driving, embodied AI and the “low-altitude economy” to “speed up strategic planning and seize opportunities for growth.”
The guidelines encouraged industry players and internet platforms to establish independent entities for data operations, aiming to strengthen and scale up the data sector through intensive, large-scale development.
At the same time, the document called for greater support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), urging larger entities to provide SMEs with access to data, algorithms and computing power.
Lower-level government bodies were also encouraged to fund early-stage and small enterprises, as well as establish specialised funds to cultivate professional investors within the data sector.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
