Ex-Politburo member Ma Xingrui’s corruption charges extend to end of last century

South China Morning Post - Nov 5, 2026

Former Politburo member and Xinjiang Communist Party chief Ma Xingrui has been indicted on bribery charges dating back to the late 1990s, Chinese state media reported on Thursday. As one of the 24 members of one of the party’s innermost circles, the 67-year-old Ma is among the most senior Chinese officials investigated in the country’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign. He is also the fourth Politburo member to have faced corruption charges since President Xi Jinping came to power in late...

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What’s the message for China as Japan weighs US$500 billion defence surge?
Nov 4, 2026
What’s the message for China as Japan weighs US$500 billion defence surge?

China could face a substantially more capable Japanese military over the coming years as Tokyo considers nearly doubling its five-year defence spending to as much as 80 trillion yen (US$508 billion), according to media reports in Japan. Observers said such a build-up could strengthen Japan’s ability to deter or respond to People’s Liberation Army operations around Taiwan and the East China Sea, as well as withstand attacks and sustain prolonged operations in a regional conflict. The reported...

Data centre dissent: why American voters aren’t buying Trump’s China AI pitch
Nov 4, 2026
Data centre dissent: why American voters aren’t buying Trump’s China AI pitch

Strong voter backlash in the US midterm elections against AI infrastructure projects, including data centres, indicates that framing the domestic buildout as key to competing with China failed to convince Americans and underscores the need to address local concerns, according to analysts. “The argument that we need to build more data centres to win in AI against China no longer seems to have the kind of resonance it did before, if it ever did, frankly,” said Kyle Chan, a fellow at the Brookings...

China, US defence officials agree to improve ‘communication’ to reduce risks
Nov 4, 2026
China, US defence officials agree to improve ‘communication’ to reduce risks

US and Chinese defence officials met in Washington for the first meeting of a Crisis Communications and Prevention Working Group established under an agreement announced in September when leaders of the two nations met. The two sides agreed on the importance of “advancing practical communication measures” to reduce risks between the US and China, according to a Pentagon readout of the meeting released Tuesday. Delegates also discussed “additional channels” to promote “effective” crisis...

Asian-American voters, younger turnout fuel blue wave for Democrats in midterms
Nov 4, 2026
Asian-American voters, younger turnout fuel blue wave for Democrats in midterms

Democrats scored a sweeping victory in Tuesday’s midterm elections, with Asian-Americans and other voters of colour playing a key role, according to a new voter poll released on Wednesday. The 2026 Midterm Election Voter Poll surveyed 10,141 voters, including 2,130 Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters, between October 20 and November 3. It offers insights into voting trends across racial groups. Taeku Lee, a Harvard professor of government and a researcher for the poll, said...

5 takeaways from US midterms as Democrats sweep Congress and Trump faces Iran reckoning
Nov 4, 2026
5 takeaways from US midterms as Democrats sweep Congress and Trump faces Iran reckoning

A Democratic victory that reached from Texas to Kansas changed the terms of Donald Trump’s final two years in office. When the new US Congress convenes in January, Democrats will control both chambers. They can block his legislation, challenge spending on the war in Iran and scrutinise the deals he strikes with Beijing. The day after his party lost control of Congress, Trump invited reporters to the construction site of his new White House ballroom to watch workers raise the final steel...

Chinese scientists make a toothbrush that uses mild electric shocks to reduce plaque
Nov 4, 2026
Chinese scientists make a toothbrush that uses mild electric shocks to reduce plaque

No matter how thoroughly you brush your teeth in the morning and evening, the battle against bacteria is almost certain to be lost. Within a few hours of brushing, it will return in force and rebuild a solid defence line on the surface of your teeth. From ancient times to now, humanity has essentially had only one way of dealing with it, whether it was using twigs and sticks or the first bristled toothbrushes, which date back to 10th century China. But even today’s most advanced electric brushes...

Who won in China? In the US midterms, Susan Collins and the local firefighters
Nov 4, 2026
Who won in China? In the US midterms, Susan Collins and the local firefighters

Republican Senator Susan Collins won in China on Tuesday. So did the volunteer firefighters. Voters in several small American communities with China in their names cast ballots in Tuesday’s US midterm elections. Their local contests had little to do with Beijing and a great deal to do with fire engines, budgets and paving. In China, a lakeside town in northeastern Maine, Collins outpolled Democrat Troy Jackson by 1,333 votes to 871, according to the town’s general election return. Statewide,...

US Congress welcomes record number of lawmakers of Chinese descent
Nov 4, 2026
US Congress welcomes record number of lawmakers of Chinese descent

The incoming US Congress is set to include a record six lawmakers of Chinese descent after Democrat Richard Pan won a California House race. Pan defeated incumbent Kevin Kiley in California’s 6th Congressional District by 15 percentage points, according to the latest results on Wednesday morning, adding another Chinese-American member to the House when the 120th Congress convenes in January. “I’m proud to be part of the growing Asian-American representation in Congress,” Pan said in a statement...

Mainland slams DPP for sacrificing Taiwan region's interests
Nov 4, 2026
Mainland slams DPP for sacrificing Taiwan region's interests

A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday criticized Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities for aligning with US policies, particularly in the semiconductor industry, for political gain, saying the move disregards the interests of local industries and public welfare.

China's services trade maintains growth amid push for new drivers
Nov 4, 2026
China's services trade maintains growth amid push for new drivers

China's trade in services maintained brisk growth in the first nine months of 2026 as the country moved to foster new drivers of foreign trade and promote high-standard opening up.

Wang Yi calls for new 'golden decade' of Lancang-Mekong cooperation
Nov 4, 2026
Wang Yi calls for new 'golden decade' of Lancang-Mekong cooperation

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday called on the six Lancang-Mekong countries to build on their fruitful cooperation in the past 10 years and jointly usher in a new "golden decade."

Chinese premier meets director general of WIPO
Nov 4, 2026
Chinese premier meets director general of WIPO

Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Director General Daren Tang in Beijing on Wednesday.

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