South China Morning Post - Policies & Politics

For years, aerial drones frequently buzzed above the Huangpu River in Shanghai, capturing breathtaking views of one of China’s most iconic central business districts and the lights of thousands of homes. But the spectacular aerial photos that once defined one of the world’s largest commercial drone markets have now been heavily restricted along this picturesque stretch of the ri...

The global AI race is no longer just about chips or models. Increasingly, it is also about data – namely, the language resources that feed and train them. Beijing has identified that layer as a new strategic frontier, accelerating the buildout of a national ecosystem of Chinese-language data for artificial intelligence (AI). The push covers everything from foundational text corp...

Chinese social media accounts are profiting by hinting at the downfall of corrupt officials ahead of formal announcements, state media has warned, highlighting a “grey market” around Beijing’s anti-corruption campaign. The trend had created a new challenge for Chinese law enforcement, state-run journal Banyuetan reported on Friday. One tactic involves posting an official’s resum...

Taiwan’s biggest food safety scandal in years has become a political liability for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), giving the opposition valuable ammunition ahead of November’s local elections. The latest controversy centres on soybean salad oil produced by Central Union Oil Corporation, which was found to contain excessive levels of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP). The subs...

Hundreds of rescuers are racing against incoming thunderstorms in southwestern China after a landslide struck Chongqing’s Pengshui county on Friday morning, destroying buildings and leaving residents trapped under mud and debris. The disaster is among several brought about by heavy rainfall and extreme weather to hit parts of China in recent weeks, and has resulted in senior res...