China
What Is Quantum Computing and Why Nations Are Racing to Control It
As French startup Pasqal targets a $2 billion SPAC listing, the global race to achieve quantum advantage intensifies across competing hardware platforms and trillion-dollar applications.
Trump’s Miami Summit Splits the Hemisphere Along Ideological Lines
The Shield of the Americas gathering excludes Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia while embracing right-wing leaders, testing US influence as China deepens trade ties across Latin America.
Strait of Hormuz Closure Triggers Oil Shock as China Sets Lowest Growth Target on Record
Energy markets convulse while Beijing pivots to self-reliance, semiconductor supply chains fracture, and labour data turns negative for the first time since 2020.
Beijing Absorbs Hong Kong Into China’s Financial Security Architecture
Under Xi's 'strong financial nation' doctrine, the city is being repositioned from neutral capital gateway into a strategic instrument for dedollarization and sanctions evasion.
Huawei Dominates MWC 2024 Despite Western Bans, Exposing EU Policy Disconnect
Chinese tech giant showcases 5.5G leadership while securing Middle East deals, as fewer than half of EU states enforce restrictions on its equipment.
China Commits to Easing Cycle as Property Crisis Forces Monetary Divergence
PBOC signals explicit support for RRR and rate cuts in 2026, departing from Western tightening as domestic demand crisis deepens.
Beijing Sets Lowest Growth Target on Record as Policy Pivot Takes Shape
China's Two Sessions unveil a 4.5-5% GDP target and RMB 12 trillion fiscal deployment—signaling restraint amid trade tensions and the launch of a manufacturing-first industrial strategy through 2030.
Beijing Doubles Down on Self-Reliance as 15th Five-Year Plan Targets Tech Independence Amid US Tensions
China's 2026-2030 blueprint prioritizes semiconductors, AI and domestic consumption over stimulus, setting a 4.5-5% growth target as trade frictions and property slump reshape economic strategy.
US-Venezuela Reset Reshapes Oil Markets and Regional Power Balance
The thaw follows Maduro's capture and could unlock 303 billion barrels while challenging China's $60 billion Latin America foothold.
FBI Investigates Breach of Internal Surveillance Network Managing Wiretap Warrants
Hackers compromised a sensitive system used to manage wiretaps and foreign intelligence surveillance warrants, raising questions about exposure of investigative methods and connections to ongoing Chinese espionage campaigns.
Congress Moves to Block Trump’s Nvidia Deal as AI Chip Controls Fragment Washington
The AI Overwatch Act would grant lawmakers veto power over semiconductor sales to China, directly challenging the Commerce Department's case-by-case licensing regime for Nvidia's H200 chips.
OpenAI’s Pentagon Deal Hands Anthropic a Market Opening as Defense Tensions Test AI Strategy
ChatGPT uninstalls surged 295% after Sam Altman's rushed Defense Department agreement, while Claude overtook it in app rankings—a competitive shift with implications for US AI sovereignty and China competition.