China

Alibaba Founder Jack Ma Returns to China, Ending Year-Long Sojourn Abroad-SCMP

Alibaba founder Jack Ma has returned to China, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on Monday, ending a more than year-long sojourn overseas that was viewed by industry as reflecting the sober mood of China’s private businesses. Ma, one of China’s best known entrepreneurs, left mainland China in late 2021 and has been seen […]

Saudi Aramco Inks $12.2 Billion China Oil Refinery, Petchem Complex Deal

Saudi Aramco signed an agreement with Chinese partners on Sunday for an oil refinery and petrochemical project in northeast China that is expected to start in 2026 to meet the country’s growing demand for fuel and chemicals. The project in Liaoning province’s city of Panjin will be Aramco’s second major refining-petrochemical investment in China and […]

China’s Baidu Scraps Public Launch for ChatGPT-Like Product

Chinese search engine giant Baidu on Monday cancelled a planned livestreamed product launch related to its ChatGPT-like “Ernie bot” that it had advertised as being open to media and the public. The webcast, scheduled for Monday afternoon, was switched to a closed-door meeting with the first batch of companies that are testing the product, Baidu […]

China’s Industrial Profits Slump Deepens on Soft Demand, High Costs

The slump in Chinese industrial firms’ profits deepened in the first two months of 2023, weighed by lacklustre demand and stubbornly high costs as the world’s second-largest economy struggled to fully shake the long-term effects of COVID. The sharp 22.9% contraction followed a 4.0% fall in industrial profits for the whole of 2022, data from […]

Predictive Agriculture Is Planting the Seeds for Sustainability

Predictive agriculture is the future of farming, utilizing advanced technologies to streamline crop management and increase yields. By harnessing the power of data analytics, machine learning, and other cutting-edge tools, farmers can now make informed decisions about everything from planting to harvest. They can better understand weather patterns, soil conditions, and plant health indicators with […]

US House Speaker Says Lawmakers to Move Forward with TikTok Bill

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy said on Sunday lawmakers will move forward with legislation to address national security worries about TikTok, alleging China’s government had access to the short video app’s user data. In the United States, there are growing calls to ban TikTok, owned by China-based company ByteDance, or to pass bipartisan […]

US Vice President Harris Promises Greater Investment for Africa

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said on Sunday that the United States will increase investment in Africa and help spur economic growth as she began a week long tour of the continent aimed at offering a counter to the influence of rival China. China has invested heavily in Africa in recent decades, including in infrastructure […]

Finding the Balance between AI Innovation and Security  

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we live and work, from chatbots and self-driving cars to personalized medical treatments and intelligent home assistants. As AI innovations continues to evolve, it’s becoming increasingly urgent to establish a regulatory framework that promotes ethical development and deployment all while ensuring national security.   But as we dive into […]

Deutsche Bank, Ubs Hit as Bank Fears Spark Stress Signals

European banking stocks fell sharply on Friday, with Deutsche Bank and UBS knocked by worries that actions by regulators and central banks have not yet contained the worst problems to face the sector since the 2008 global financial crisis. Financial market stress indicators were also again flashing warning signs more widely, with the euro falling […]

TikTok Attacked for China Ties as Us Lawmakers Push for Ban

U.S. lawmakers on Thursday battered TikTok’s CEO about potential Chinese influence over the platform and said its short videos were damaging children’s mental health, reflecting bipartisan concerns about the app’s power over Americans. CEO Shou Zi Chew’s testimony before Congress did little to assuage U.S. worries over TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance and added fresh […]