China wants workers to pay 'social insurance' but many can't afford it
Beijing wants to build a "more optimised and sustainable social security system" as China's population aged 60 and over is expected to reach 390 million by 2030.
· Iris Zhao
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Foreign-student spending in Japan hits $4.3bn amid soft yen
Lower tuition, living expenses help widen gap with Japanese students overseas
· Staff Writer
Putin seizes control of Japan Tobacco units as Moscow-Tokyo ties fray
Cigarette giant likely caught up in Moscow pressure campaign over sanctions
· Staff Writer
Democratic sweep raises the stakes for Trump's Ukraine diplomacy - Asia Times
Subscribe now with a one-month trial for only $1, then enjoy the first year at an exclusive rate of just $99. Japan clings to Washington as South
· Asia Times staff
Financial crime watchdog keeps North Korea on blacklist, urges countermeasures
A leading financial crime watchdog, The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), has kept North Korea on its list of high-risk countries for the 16th consecutive year.
· Jiha Ham
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Japan contractor's AI-guided tunnel boring outperforms human operators
Taisei automates high-precision work to help address labor shortages
· Staff Writer
DOF advances regional disaster insurance initiative to protect public assets
DEPARTMENT of Finance (DOF) International Finance Group (IFG) Undersecretary Joven Balbosa, together with Deputy Vice-Minister of International Affairs of the Japan Ministry of Finance Daisaku Kihara, co-chaired the Southeast Asia Disaster Risk Insurance Facility – Sovereign Asset and Fiscal Empowerment (Seadrif-SAF…
· The Manila Times
USFK chief, Japanese defense minister discuss regional defense cooperation
WASHINGTON, Nov. 5 (Yonhap) -- The commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) has met...
· Chang Dong-woo
Toyota posts profit surge and lifts annual outlook
TOKYO — Toyota on Thursday booked its first profit gain in six quarters and lifted its annual outlook by 15 percent, as a weaker yen and robust demand for higher-margin hybrid vehicles offset a slide in sales in China and the Middle East.
· Reuters
Asian stocks plunge after Nasdaq enters correction territory on AI fears | The National
Japan's Nikkei index slumped 7%, while South Korea's Kospi and Taiwan's benchmark index fell more than 8%
· Shweta Jain
PH to showcase "Tropical Flavors" in Shanghai Expo
SHANGHAI — The Philippines is expected to showcase its tropical flavors to the Chinese market as it participates in the 9th China International Import Expo (CIIE) from November 5-10.
· Red Mendoza
After US$474m gamble flops, what happens now to Elon Musk’s Tesla, SpaceX and China ties?
Elon Musk bet nearly half a billion dollars that political spending could keep Washington friendly to his sprawling business empire. On Tuesday, that bet came up short. As Democrats recaptured control of the US Congress in the midterm elections, the world’s richest man found himself facing an abruptly altered politi…
· Chong Ming Lee
Kremlin Seizes Japan Tobacco International’s Russian Assets
The move against the Japanese tobacco giant comes amid a sharp deterioration of relations between Japan and Russia.
· The Moscow Times
What does Trump’s midterm humbling mean for Bessent ahead of talks with He Lifeng?
As US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent prepares to sit down with Vice-Premier He Lifeng, his Chinese counterpart, in Shenzhen later this month for trade talks ahead of the Apec summit, he will do so with weakened party support at his back following the landslide victory of the Democrats in this week’s midterm electi…
· Alice Li
Iran Carves Out Strait Of Hormuz Exemptions For China, India, Iraq, Qatar
Iran Proves Willingess To Re-Engage In Nuclear Talks, Despite Public Stance: NYT Update(1219ET): Tehran has made clear it will not stop the war, or the assaults on internatinal shipping in the Strait Of Hormuz, unless its 'seven conditions' are met. It has also said time and again that the nuclear file is an issue f…
· Tyler Durden
Chinese AI lab Moonshot turned to Europe for Nvidia Blackwell access amid U.S. China curbs, sources tell CNBC
Moonshot AI has sought leasing agreements with neoclouds for advanced chips in Europe, as U.S. export controls restrict their import to China.
· Kai Nicol-Schwarz
Chinese chipmaker Hua Hong bets big on silicon photonics amid AI boom
China’s second-largest contract chipmaker, Hua Hong Grace Semiconductor, is aggressively expanding into silicon photonics, as the company looks to capture the next wave of the global artificial intelligence infrastructure boom. Speaking on an earnings call with analysts on Thursday, Hua Hong chairman and president B…
· Ann Cao
China’s Wang Xinyu says ‘it’s been a challenging year’ as her season ends at Hong Kong Open
It was not just the “basic stuff” on the court: Wang Xinyu also wants to improve the mental side after her season ended on Thursday at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open. Tournament sixth seed Wang did not look at her best throughout the match as she lost 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 to Antonia Ruzic, failing to get past the sec…
· Mike Chan
Progressive wave in US midterm elections poised to test Democratic Party’s unity | South China Morning Post
Surging membership for the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and high-profile progressive wins set the stage for a clash with Democratic moderates.
No Intel, no Qualcomm: Huawei unveils desktop built entirely with China-made components
Huawei Technologies has launched its first desktop computer powered by its proprietary operating system, HarmonyOS, touting the device as “100 per cent domestically made” in its latest push for technological self-reliance. The Shenzhen-based company on Thursday unveiled its Qinyun HM650 series desktop computers for …
· Iris Deng
Lithuania builds world’s biggest ultra-fast laser factory amid China tensions
Amid tensions with China, a small European country is anchoring itself at the centre of the global semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) hardware supply chain as a laser powerhouse. The latest sign of Lithuania’s growing footprint in the sector came last month, when laser maker Litilit launched a new factor…
· Holly Chik
(2nd LD) Cheong Wa Dae says U.S. midterm results unlikely to affect S. Korea-U.S. alliance
SEOUL, Nov. 5 (Yonhap) -- Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday it does not expect the res...
· Yi Wonju
The US-China tech contest has moved – to the gatekeeping product testers
The latest front in the US-China technology contest is not advanced chips, artificial intelligence (AI) or telecommunications equipment. It is the laboratories that certify whether an electronic product may enter the American market. On October 29, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to stop recogni…
· Tan Poh Hwee
O que a China espera de cúpula com Trump e Putin sobre a Ucrânia?
Enquanto Trump tenta reativar negociações de paz, Moscou articula reunião com EUA e China sem Ucrânia e UE. Analistas avaliam os interesses estratégicos de Pequim e o impacto para a Europa.
· Asja Lokina, Roman Goncharenko, Ismi Aghayev
N. Korean fishing boat found in waters off Ulleungdo
South Korean military said Thursday that a fishing boat from North Korea has been found in the East Sea and is currently under investigation. The Korea Coast Guard and the military discovered the boat drifting in international waters north of Ulleungdo on Tuesday, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The military…
· Yoon Min-sik
Facing 2 years as a lame duck, what can Trump do to stay in control?
Following disastrous midterm elections that cost Republicans congressional control, US President Donald Trump could spend the rest of his term as a “lame duck” and battling constant resistance to his agenda. The loss is expected to steer the White House towards a more aggressive foreign policy and even greater relia…
· Carol Yang
Burnt-out Chinese youth wear laid-back emperor’s robe to resist overtime
Burnt out by the relentless grind, some young people in China have rallied around an unlikely patron saint: a famously indolent Ming dynasty (1368–1644) emperor. This autumn, across office towers, universities, and streets in China’s tier-one cities, young people have begun sporting black Taoist robes modelled on th…
· Zoey Zhang
China blocks SoftBank’s US$5.4 billion takeover of ABB’s robotics division
China’s state planner has told Japanese investor SoftBank it will not allow the US$5.4 billion acquisition of the robotics segment of engineering group ABB to go ahead, the Swiss firm said on Thursday. The case marks the second major deal blocked by China this year after Meta Platforms was ordered to unwind its US$…
· Reuters
AI disruption, geopolitics and partnerships in focus at Hong Kong business summit
Technology-driven disruptions, superpower rivalry and global partnerships were among the topics that dominated a closed-door summit in Hong Kong, as countries and tech giants seek to boost growth and lead the race in artificial intelligence. About 100 business owners, executives and academics from the United States,…
· Kolette Lim
China proves a cut above with world-first precision laser experiment in space
China’s space scientists have become the first to carry out precision laser cutting in orbit, slicing a piece of “large-scale equipment” with a robotic arm fixed to the outside the Tiangong space station. The official Science and Technology Daily reported on Wednesday that millimetre-scale cuts were made by a laser …
· Victoria Bela
Doctors demand protective measures after knife attack on psychiatrist
South Korea's largest association of doctors on Thursday called for effective measures to protect the safety of medical staff, in light of the recent knife attack against a psychiatrist. "The government and the National Assembly must diverge from the current method of ‘patching things’ up, focusing on punishment aft…
· Yoon Min-sik
China blocks SoftBank's $5.4bn deal for ABB robotics division
Move marks Beijing's latest intervention in a sale of key tech
· Staff Writer
Joshua Wong jailed for 10 years over bid to instigate sanctions on Beijing, Hong Kong | South China Morning Post
Latest sentence handed down after jailed activist admitted conspiring with Nathan Law and others to lobby West for sanctions after 2019 protests.
China’s Yutong Bus expands overseas as new-energy bus exports surge
China’s Yutong Bus, the world’s largest electric bus manufacturer, is seeing its overseas shipments climb steadily, with demand growing rapidly in countries such as Australia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Morocco. Based in Zhengzhou in central China’s Henan province, the company now generates more than half of its tot…
· Zhu Wenqian
Wales opt for centre power pair against Japan
Wales head coach Steve Tandy has selected Max Llewellyn alongside Eddie James in midfield to face Japan in the Nations Championship on Saturday.
· Bbcsport
Chinese and North Korean officials step up diplomatic drive in wake of Kim Jong-un visit
Senior Chinese and North Korean officials met on Thursday in the wake of Kim Jong-un’s recent cross-border visit and a renewed drive by the two sides to deepen their relationship. China’s top diplomat Wang Yi struck an upbeat tone on the relationship between the two countries when he hosted a visiting delegation led…
· Orange Wang
China sees nearly 10% decline in marriages in 2026 so far, foreshadowing lower birth rate
China has witnessed a nearly 10 per cent drop in the number of marriages in the first three quarters of the year, signalling a possible full-year fall in 2026 after a rebound in 2025. The country recorded 4.648 million marriage registrations in the first nine months, down 504,000 from a year earlier, data released o…
· Mandy Zuo
S. Korea eyes sustainable growth beyond chip-led boom: finance minister
SEOUL, Nov. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is seeking to turn the current economic bo...
· Kang Yoon-seung
Japan denies seeking Myanmar’s removal from blacklist
Myanmar was put on the Financial Action Task Force blacklist in 2022 as the country was plunged into turmoil and civil war following a military coup.
· No Author
Toyota ready to 'regain market share' in China on expanded local sourcing
Auto giant raises profit forecast for fiscal 2026 with strong hybrid sales
· RYOHTAROH SATOH
How Trump’s weakened grip on Congress complicates talks with China
The Democratic sweep of the US midterm elections has transformed the political balance in Washington, but it has not transferred control of foreign policy from the White House to Congress. When the new Congress convenes in January, Democrats will control both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Their victor…
· Juan Fernando Herrera Ramos
'The Devil’s Plan' Season 3 reunites champions, controversial winners
Forget rookies, the masters are back. Netflix Korea's entertainment show franchise "The Devil’s Plan" took global Netflix charts by storm in 2023 with a simple, unique premise: Throw lawyers, gamers, science YouTubers, and K-pop idols into an intellectual war zone and see who survives. Previous seasons pitted promin…
· Lee Yoon-seo
Kakao delays split, speeds up W150b share buyback
Kakao has pushed back its planned corporate split by one month to February 2027, as a preliminary relisting review by the Korea Exchange takes longer than expected, while accelerating a 150 billion won ($112 million) share buyback and cancellation plan to bolster shareholder confidence ahead of the restructuring. Th…
· Jie Ye-eun
Seoul vows close consultation with Washington after midterms for key talks
SEOUL, Nov. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will continue to work closely with the U.S...
· Oh Seok-min
From tanks to drones: South Korea’s defense firms face a new battlefield test
South Korean defense stocks rode a wave of global rearmament for the past two years, but they have plunged in 2026.
· Lim Hui Jie
China's top diplomat meets visiting N.K. party secretary
BEIJING/SEOUL, Nov. 5 (Yonhap) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday m...
· Song Sang-ho