ThinkChina

Abandoned ‘Titanic’, failing ‘ancient towns’: Why China’s tourism boom leaves white elephants behind

Many ambitious megaprojects across the country have stalled or failed to attract visitors

DeepSeek’s rapid global rise proves that elite Chinese AI talents do not have to work for American companies to achieve massive success.

The returnees: Inside China’s AI talent reversal

A growing number of AI researchers are returning to China, reshaping careers, companies and the global balance of tech talent

An electronic board shows Shanghai stock indices as people walk on a pedestrian bridge in the Lujiazui financial district in Shanghai.

Beijing’s new red line: Offshore firms can’t ‘de-China’

Authorities signal that corporate re-domiciliation can no longer bypass the tightening national security and tax net

Visitors in the Nanjing East Road retail area in Shanghai, China, on May 1.

China’s regional slowdown: Painful but necessary?

Many regions see Q1 growth lag national averages and slow markedly compared with last year

From a poor rural boy to a property tycoon and China’s richest man, and ultimately to a prisoner, Hui Ka Yan once built an empire from nothing and rose to extraordinary heights.

Evergrande’s Hui Ka Yan: From rags to empire to prison

Over the past two years, authorities have gradually tightened their net around the series of the property developer cases

If the strait remains blocked, causing global oil prices to surge, the entire world would suffer.

Will China send warships to the Strait of Hormuz?

Trump is asking China and other countries to help by sending military ships to escort other vessels

The emergence of ride-hailing has made it exceedingly convenient for tourists.

How involution turned China’s ride-hailing drivers into part-time mahjong pros

Chinese-style involution is no longer just a domestic issue, it has become a structural risk in the era of globalisations

Smoke rises after coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes in Teheran, Iran, March 1, 2026.

Why China stays measured on US-Israel strikes against Iran

Given the severe losses to its leadership, major questions remain over how Iran can sustain its counterattacks and how long the regime can survive

The cost to operate in the NSR is currently quite high due to the requirements of special-class vessels, as well as higher insurance premiums resulting from higher risks of accidents.

When the Arctic opens, what happens to Singapore?

The Northern Sea Route is one of the Arctic routes