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Articles by James Loo
How did a plane breach China’s most protected airspace?
China’s national flag flutters in the wind with the CITIC tower visible in the background in Beijing, China, on 12 May 2026.(Maxim Shemetov/Reuters) At 5:55 pm on 26 June, at the peak of rush hour in Beijing’s East 3rd Ring Road Central Business District, the glass facade of the 528-metre CITIC Tower — Beijing’s tallest building, also known as China Zun — was bathed in the golden rays of the setting sun.
Why more Hong Kong youths are opting out of work
Pedestrians wait to cross a street in front of an electronic sign board showing the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong on 8 June 2026.(Peter Parks/AFP) With June comes the summer break for Hong Kong’s tertiary institutions. Over a meal with some younger students last week, one mentioned she was looking for a part-time job. When I asked if this was due to financial pressure, she sheepishly admitted it was not — she wanted to save up money so she could travel to meet her favourite idols.
From HK department store heir to outback cattleman: Inside Bruce Cheung’s US$130m wagyu gamble
Pardoo Wagyu founder Bruce Cheung.(Darwis Sunaryo/SPH Media) One day in 2014, Singaporean businessman Bruce Cheung sat in the office of Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett for a ten-minute meeting, arranged through intermediaries. He was there to persuade the premier to agree to one thing. He spoke about his ambitious plans to invest in cattle stations — an undertaking potentially worth hundreds of millions of Australian dollars that would bring significant economic benefits to the region.
Is China giving up on denuclearising North Korea?
This picture taken on 8 June 2026 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on 9 June 2026 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with his wife Ri Sol Ju and China's President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan attending a welcoming ceremony at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang.(KCNA vis KNS/AFP) Chinese President Xi Jinping visited North Korea for the first time in seven years, but unlike his 2019 trip when he repeatedly mentioned denuclearisation of the Korean...
[Big read] After Xi-Trump summit, a jittery Taiwan takes stock
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te holding a two-volume autobiography of TSMC founder Morris Chang, at a reception celebrating the upcoming US Independence Day, in Taipei, Taiwan, on 27 May 2026.(Ann Wang/Reuters) On 20 May, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te delivered a speech marking the second anniversary of his inauguration, formally opening the second half of his four-year term.
Mythos vs DeepSeek: Why cheap AI could tip the US-China tech race
While US AI platforms such as Claude may be more sophisticated or advanced than Chinese products such as DeepSeek, perhaps one key advantage of Chinese technology is that it is much cheaper, which may make all the difference in the long term. Technology expert Yin Ruizhi weighs in. This photo taken on 1 September 2025 shows the letters AI for Artificial Intelligence on a laptop screen next to the logo of the Deepseek AI application on a smartphone screen in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
[Video] US–China tech ties revealed at Xi’s power banquet
A carefully curated guest list at the high-profile state banquet during the Trump-Xi summit placed American and Chinese tech titans side by side, revealing not just diplomatic optics, but a supply chain that remains deeply intertwined despite rising geopolitical tension. ThinkChina’s Yi Jina finds out more.
Why China must reject Trump’s ‘G2’ narrative
In transitions of world order, an incumbent hegemon typically seeks to defend its supremacy through bilateral, one-on-one dealings with the rising power, while the latter often attempts to mobilise other actors to counterbalance pressure from the hegemon. This was true 80 years ago, and it is true now. Eighty years ago, the UK and the US held differing visions of the postwar world order.
[Big read] The northbound drift: Hong Kong’s quiet exodus to the Greater Bay Area
(Edited and refined by Candice Chan, with the assistance of AI translation.) For most of her life, Sister Chun, 66, lived in public housing in Hong Kong. After retiring two years ago, she heard from friends that buying property in Zhongshan, a prefecture-level city in Guangdong, was very affordable and conveniently connected by transport. She joined a weekend property-viewing tour to Zhongshan and immediately fell in love with the place, deciding to move there with her husband.
How AI is mining worker data to reshape the labour market
China’s AI boom is entering the office: companies are increasingly turning employees’ habits, decisions and workflows into digital workers — fuelling fears that staff are quietly training their own replacements. Are employees training their own digital replacements?
Trump–Xi summit delivers a triple win
While the US has unsuccessfully sought to suppress China, the latter has responded calmly and effectively to signal that it is not to be taken for granted. The latest meeting between the US and Chinese leaders may mark a new chapter of greater stability, both bilaterally and globally. Academic Gu Qingyang gives his analysis. US President Donald Trump (right) greets Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People on 14 May 2026, in Beijing, China.
Deflation: Beijing’s blind spot or its strategy?
China’s deflation is often framed as a policy failure — but that diagnosis may be only half right. A growing consensus among Western institutions holds that China is sliding into a self-inflicted deflationary trap. Eurasia Group ranks it among the top global risks for 2026, while the IMF’s 2025 Article IV assessment has called for more forceful and urgent macroeconomic stimulus.
China’s forgotten role in shaping Japan’s pacifist constitution
Japan designates 3 May as Constitution Memorial Day, a public holiday. The Constitution of Japan was promulgated on 3 November 1946 and came into effect on 3 May 1947, meaning that 2027 will mark its 80th anniversary. While the Sanae Takaichi government has shown a willingness to pursue constitutional revision, there has yet to be sufficient debate over which specific provisions should be amended and how. Even so, support for constitutional revision is gaining momentum within Japan.
Trump-Xi summit delivers deals — and exposes fault lines
At the US-China Summit in Beijing, while China focused on pushing a “constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability”, the US looked to advance business deals and kept the Taiwan card close to its chest. While both sides want some kind of stability, it is anyone’s guess when the house of cards would topple. Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong weighs in on the issue.
Trump in Beijing: Why even limited success is remarkable
Pomp and pageantry aside, the US-China summit focused on business and trade deliverables, with upbeat atmospherics masking deeper tensions. US academic Zhiqun Zhu explains why even limited progress is notable in a relationship defined by rivalry, mistrust and deep structural tensions. China's President Xi Jinping (right) and US President Donald Trump shake hands as they attend a state banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on 14 May 2026.
[Big read] Banned or not, Taiwanese keep heading to mainland China anyway
Travellers pass through Xiamen customs during the Qingming Festival break, April 2026. (CNS) Despite restrictions on group tours, Taiwanese continue travelling to mainland China in growing numbers, driven by demand, rising costs at home and expanding unofficial travel channels. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Chuang Hui Liang reports from Taipei. (Edited and refined by Candice Chan, with the assistance of AI translation.) Cross-strait tourism is once again caught in the middle of Beijing-Taipei tensions.
How Peking duck went from imperial Beijing to Singapore’s kopitiams
Once a delicacy savoured at imperial banquets, Peking duck has shed its exclusivity and reinvented itself for the masses — evolving in style, price and ritual as it finds an unexpected new home in the heartlands. Lianhe Zaobao lifestyle correspondent Tang Ai Wei finds out more. Max Tham provides tableside carving for the Peking duck he serves at his stall.
America is running out of China experts
A retiring generation of leading sinologists and declining student interest in China studies are creating a widening expertise gap in the US, prompting warnings of an academic generational rupture, says US academic Wu Guo. A US flag flies in the wind outside St. Patrick's Cathedral along 5th avenue in New York City, US, on 6 April 2026.
Private guns for China’s shipping lanes as chokepoint risks mount
China’s private security companies are rapidly expanding their capabilities and projecting power precisely where it counts most: the sea lanes of communication. This is especially significant when recent global conflicts are centred on the Strait of Hormuz and other maritime chokepoints of the world. Academic Alessandro Arduino analyses the situation.
Trump in Beijing: Why China may miss Trump after 2029
Even as US-China rivalry deepens, Beijing may look back on Trump’s transactional unpredictability as a rare stabiliser in an increasingly ideological and uncertain post-Trump world, argues Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei. Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump visit the Temple of Heaven in Beijing on 14 May 2026. (Brendan Smialowski/Pool via Reuters) After nine years, Donald Trump is back in Beijing as US president.
Xi and Trump set for a second-best outcome in Beijing
As Trump makes his way to meet Xi in Beijing, the friction between the two countries will be difficult to resolve, and observers believe that the talks are unlikely to produce any major breakthroughs. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei finds out from academics that stability and guardrails for bilateral relations is the least one might expect for a positive outcome of the summit.
China may be the biggest winner from UAE’s OPEC exit
The true drivers of the UAE’s decision to exit OPEC hinge on the shifting alliances of the Arabian peninsula, centred on the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, says Middle East Institute-NUS fellow Jing Lin. China stands to benefit, not only in oil supplies but in wider aims like the internationalisation of the RMB — but only if it plays its cards right in balancing between the two regional heavyweights.
Why Southeast Asia wants a boring Trump-Xi summit
As US President Trump and Chinese President Xi prepare for their upcoming meeting later this week in Beijing, both the bilateral relationship and the broader geopolitical context are fraught. Trade issues, ranging from tariffs, technology and critical minerals, will be front and centre while sensitive geopolitical topics, such as Iran and Taiwan, will also be discussed — although meaningful outcomes in either area are unlikely.
Why the Strait of Malacca is not another Hormuz
Concerns that similar distress seen in the Strait of Hormuz could happen in the Strait of Malacca during geopolitical conflicts are not so straightforward. The latter’s military geography is not the same. Not only that, the US and China have a whole other agenda in the region and the littoral states there are wired differently to guard their interests. Academic John Bradford analyses the situation.
Will China’s drone crackdown stall the low-altitude economy?
China has tightened regulations on drones, leading to a decline in sales. However, Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Liu Liu finds out from drone enthusiasts and industry experts that while the consumer market may be affected in the short term, the low-altitude economy is slated for growth in the long run. A woman walks past a DJI store at a mall in Beijing on 28 April 2026.
Timeless treasures: How wuxia captured generations on print and screen
From rare, handwritten manuscripts surviving only in Singapore to the multibillion-view world of modern xianxia, wuxia remains a cultural powerhouse. Lianhe Zaobao senior correspondent Lim Fong Wei gives us a glimpse of a special exhibition from this year’s City Reading @ SG festival, tracing how these legendary martial arts tales evolved from newspaper serials into global screen phenomena.
[Video] Lim Siong Guan: Can Singapore survive?
Singapore’s rise from “unwanted independence” to a trusted global brand was no accident. Former head of the civil service Lim Siong Guan reflects on working with Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Keng Swee in an interview with ThinkChina’s James Loo, and explains why small states must think long term in a world of unknown unknowns, as well as how culture, trust and a stellar civil service matter more than ever as Singapore navigates great power rivalry and rapid technological change.
A watershed in Hormuz: Can US hegemony hold?
The Strait of Hormuz crisis is testing US hegemony as Iran pressures energy flows and Gulf states hedge their bets. Amid rising tensions, China is reassessing its maritime role, weighing security exposure against new strategic and economic opportunities. Lianhe Zaobao’s China news editor Yang Danxu analyses the situation. A man reads a newspaper with a front page article referring to anticipated US-Iran peace talks, at a stall in Islamabad on 22 April 2026.
Xi-Cheng meeting and the limits of peace in the Taiwan Strait
For the Taiwanese people, the question has never been whether Beijing would talk about peace, but whether its governance record is strong enough to convince people that such promises would be honoured institutionally. Taiwan-based Malaysian columnist Ngo Jian Nam assesses what would make for a successful cross-strait peace agreement.
[Big read] China’s young workers pay the price of AI before reaping the gains
Artificial intelligence (AI) is taking over many tasks, while young people find it difficult to hold their jobs. (Image: Loo Fang Kai) Jobs are not only being replaced by artificial intelligence, those seemingly secure will be restructured, with different tasks or a cut in pay. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Li Kang speaks with Chinese employees who are feeling the impact to find out what they are doing to secure their future.
Xi’s message on Taiwan: Confidence on a different level
China’s announcement of establishing and promoting cross-strait communications and exchanges following the meeting with the Kuomintang leader portrays China as pursuing peace. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Chuang Hui Liang notes aside from promoting cross-strait peace, China’s move could give it more leverage against the US.
Fighting cigarettes hits the state’s wallet: Can China crack down on smoking?
In China, stepping off a high-speed train in a new city often means being greeted not by fresh urban air, but by a pungent blast of cigarette smoke. Stationary smokers are easy enough to avoid — a few quick steps and you are past them. But when someone is puffing away as they walk, you are left trailing behind, involuntarily inhaling secondhand smoke.
Cheng Li-wun’s mainland visit: A test of the KMT itself
Observers are carefully watching the potential meeting between the leaders of the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party not only for its impact on cross-strait relations, but also the implications for the KMT’s internal power structure. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Miao Zong-Han takes a look at the significance of this meeting. Kuomintang Chairperson Cheng Li-wun arrives to speak to the media ahead of her trip to China, in Taipei, Taiwan, on 7 April 2026.
Xinjiang’s rising job market: A blessing and a burden?
In some sectors, Xinjiang has generally outpaced the national average, but such positive indicators may not align with the actual employment experiences for some groups, especially the minority groups. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Li Kang speaks with youths from Xinjiang to find out more. A shot of a public service employment campaign at Xinjiang Agricultural University in Urumqi on 29 March 2026.
China visit before Trump: Can Cheng Li-wun rescue the Kuomintang?
Ahead of Trump’s visit to Beijing, Kuomintang chair Cheng Li-wun has accepted Chinese President Xi Jinping’s invitation to visit the mainland next month, raising questions about whether her peace-politics gambit can unify a divided KMT, navigate internal rivalries and election pressures, and advance cross-strait peace. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Chuang Hui Liang dives into the issue.
[Big read] China’s ‘fur kids’ fuel a billion-dollar pet boom
People visit a pet fair in Beijing on 19 March 2026. (Wang Zhao/AFP) China’s growing love for pets has created a billion-dollar industry, with smart devices, AI services and full life-cycle care. Local governments are also backing the trend to boost domestic consumption. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Zeng Shi speaks to industry players to find out more about the shift in social attitudes and policies that have led to this growth.
With Japan less than welcoming, where do the Chinese ‘run’ to?
Amid “involution” and competition in China, some Chinese are opting to migrate to Japan. However, given the current political tension between China and Japan, things are not as rosy as they had hoped. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Lim Zhan Ting speaks to some Chinese in Japan to get their views. Onlookers watch a lion dance performance as part of Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations in Chinatown in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, Japan, on 17 February 2026.
Planes, missiles, submarines: Southeast Asia’s quiet arms race?
A slew of arms procurement deals in Southeast Asia has raised eyebrows on whether the region is engaged in an arms race. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Claudia Liao finds out from academics that these military upgrades may have more to do with prestige than capability.
China’s nuclear submarines and bombers could shift Asia’s balance
China’s military capabilities are back in the spotlight, as the US reports on the PLA Navy’s growing submarine fleet, and observers take notice of signals of the launch of new submarine types and strategic bombers. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan takes a look at the recent developments that have caught the world’s attention.
AI salaries soar, but China can’t find enough experts
China’s AI sector is booming, with top salaries reaching millions of RMB, yet companies still struggle to fill roles. Lianhe Zaobao’s Liu Liu examines how firms are wooing talent and whether universities can keep pace. A person visits the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, China, on 26 July 2025.
[Big read] US-China push-pull over Taiwan strengthens Beijing’s hand
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping talk as they leave after a bilateral meeting at Gimhae International Airport, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, in Busan, South Korea, on 30 October 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters) US-China tensions over Taiwan are deepening, but Washington’s reluctance to make firm commitments may be giving Beijing room to tighten its grip, even as trust in the US declines and regional risks grow.
China’s confidence campaign: Can slogans solve economic woes?
Beijing urges the media to “sing loudly” about growth, but empty malls, job struggles and property woes show confidence must rest on real economic fundamentals, not rhetoric, says Lianhe Zaobao China news editor Yang Danxu. An electronic board shows Shanghai stock indices as people walk on a pedestrian bridge in the Lujiazui financial district in Shanghai, China, on 2 March 2026.
Will China send warships to the Strait of Hormuz?
US President Donald Trump has drawn various comments and views for launching an offensive on Iran, leading to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Now, Trump is asking China and other countries to help by sending military ships to escort other vessels. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Lim Zhan Ting tells us more.
Iran war strengthens Japan’s push for rearmament
The war in Iran is reinforcing the Takaichi administration’s push to revise Japan’s security strategy, pursuing AI-driven combat systems, drone defence and counterstrike capability amid fears of a widening global war. Writer Foo Choo Wei notes that such moves could worsen the regional security environment while placing new fiscal and economic strains on Japan.
Mandarin first: China’s new push for ethnic unity
The recent National People’s Congress passed the Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law, which requires Mandarin to be prominently featured whenever minority languages are also used. Would this open the door to other similar regulations in future, where minorities have to assimilate to show loyalty? Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yush Chau finds out more.
From Nepal to Kazakhstan: Why Chinese students study in unlikely destinations
Amid the fierce competition in China’s higher education, many Chinese youths are choosing to stay off the beaten — and more expensive — path to further their studies in less popular countries such as Nepal and Kazakhstan. However, Lianhe Zaobao journalist Lee Chee Yang finds out that notwithstanding the challenges of language and academic pressure, there is no guarantee of improvement in prospects for these students.
Can China win the AI race with cheap power?
China is rapidly building AI data centres powered by low-cost electricity and state-led planning. Yet shortages of top-end chips and misaligned infrastructure risk leaving much of this computing capacity underused. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Liu Sha explains. The world’s first “offshore wind direct-linked” underwater data centre in Shanghai. (CNS) Out in the waters near Shanghai’s Lin-Gang Special Area, with its abundance of wind resources, rows of white turbine blades turn slowly and rhythmically.
The Buddha’s lesson for robots: Who’s real, who’s not?
The recent showcase of the ability and appearance of humanoid robots during China’s Spring Festival Gala has set off a storm of discussion on whether robots that are indiscernible from humans are welcomed or not. Academic Zhang Tiankan notes that while robots can take over menial work, it must never hold a higher status than humans. Actress Cai Ming beside a replica humanoid robot of her, pictured at CCTV’s 2026 Spring Festival Gala.
When AI replaces workers, who pays the taxes?
As artificial intelligence (AI) displaces human labour, the foundations of public finance begin to shift. If fewer workers earn wages, governments may need to tax productive systems and intelligent capital instead, says entrepreneur Simon Lim. People walk across Third Avenue in the Manhattan borough of New York City on 25 February 2026. (Charly Triballeau/AFP) How can governments avoid going bankrupt if they no longer have sufficient tax revenue?
Supreme Court ruling weakens Trump ahead of China visit
The US Supreme Court has struck down Trump’s tariffs, limiting his leverage and signalling rising domestic opposition. Ahead of his visit to China, his ability to secure favourable trade and political concessions is under pressure, says Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan. US President Donald Trump during a governor’s dinner in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on 21 February 2026.
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