Chinese Curbs Threaten Hong Kong Home-Buying Spree
Chinese government restrictions are reportedly jeopardizing a record-breaking surge in home purchases in Hong Kong, according to a Bloomberg report.
71 stories found
Chinese government restrictions are reportedly jeopardizing a record-breaking surge in home purchases in Hong Kong, according to a Bloomberg report.

The Chinese government has issued new regulations that, while granting independent decision-making, include provisions for investigations and sanctions on asset transfers deemed to affect national security.
Former Southern California mayor Eileen Wang has pleaded guilty to secretly acting as an agent of the Chinese government. This development follows her arrest and has intensified fears of Beijing's influence within a Chinese enclave in Southern California.

Chinese government critic Dong Guangping, 68, is facing an uncertain future after a 'spectacular escape' to South Korea, where he is now seeking asylum. South Korean media reports indicate that it is unclear whether he will be released into freedom.

Conservative MP Michael Chong stated his trip to Taiwan this week is intended to assert Canadian sovereignty and defy warnings from the Chinese government against sending parliamentarians to the region.
Six Chinese government departments have jointly issued new policies aimed at streamlining outbound tax refunds and stimulating inbound consumption to support economic activity.

CEOs from major US banks Citigroup and Goldman Sachs held discussions with Chinese government representatives in Beijing. The meetings focused on business consultations between the financial leaders and officials.
A man in New York City has been convicted for operating a clandestine police station linked to the Chinese government.

A Californian mayor, Eileen Wang of Arcadia, has admitted to acting as an agent for the Chinese government and subsequently resigned from her position. She faced charges related to her activities while serving as mayor.

Ranko Mimović, known for his bid for Russian capital in NIS, has reportedly registered 15 tons of gold from Switzerland, German and Chinese government bonds, and shares in a Bulgarian company with the Serbian Business Registers Agency.
Charles Lieber, a scientist convicted in the US in 2021 for lying about his ties to the Chinese government, has established a brain computing research laboratory in China with potential military applications after his release.
The Chinese government has unveiled a comprehensive plan aimed at developing the 'silver economy,' focusing on services and products for its aging population.

A lawyer for former Mountie William Majcher argued that the Crown has not proven his client threatened an alleged B.C.-based fraudster at the behest of the Chinese government during his foreign influence trial.

A former Canadian Mountie has pleaded not guilty at the start of his trial, where he is accused of acting on behalf of the Chinese government to induce a Chinese expat to return to China.

The Chinese government has implemented stricter rules to curb illegal drone use, a move that some users argue is now overly restricting legitimate flights and impacting the world's largest drone industry.
Yields on China’s government debt have marginally decreased since the start of the conflict, positioning them as a unique safe haven compared to the rising yields observed in other major economies.

The Chinese government is reportedly pressuring foreign companies to manufacture their goods locally within China, subtly indicating that non-compliance could lead to disadvantages in bidding processes.

A Chinese government adviser noted that international capital is increasingly flowing into China, which offers certainty amidst growing geopolitical turbulence, particularly during the Iranian conflict, as the central bank governor reaffirmed commitment to economic reforms.

A group of Tibet supporters held a picket outside the Chinese Embassy in Vilnius, aiming to draw public and political attention to the deteriorating situation in Tibet and human rights violations by the Chinese government.
The Chinese government is set to provide strong support for new and emerging forms of employment, indicating a focus on labor market innovation.

China’s sovereign debt is emerging as a strategic alternative to US Treasuries as global investors look for geopolitical hedges, though greater market liquidity and deeper yuan internationalisation are still needed to cement its status as a global safe haven, an economist at a Chinese government think tank has said. “[These bonds] circumvent the restrictions of the non-convertibility of the renminbi,” said Xu Qiyuan, deputy director of the American Studies Institute at the Chinese Academy of...

Ahead of China’s annual legislative meetings – typically a window into Beijing’s top-level policy agenda – this is the fifth entry in a series examining the complex economic recalibration driving China’s growth philosophy and its wide-ranging implications for local governments, financial investors and private enterprises. Chinese government and industry officials are likely to discuss plans to control domestic electric-vehicle (EV) makers’ output, while encouraging them to prioritise...

The Chinese government has blocked exports of dual-use technology to 20 Japanese companies, citing their involvement in Tokyo's military rearmament efforts.
Texas has filed a lawsuit against TP-Link, alleging that the Chinese government has access to its devices.

A Chinese tech firm, Geedge Networks, is selling a commercial version of surveillance and censorship software, similar to that used by the Chinese government, to profile citizens and predict 'potential' risks.
The arrest of a mayor in a Southern California Chinese enclave has fueled concerns about potential Chinese government influence. The incident has sparked discussions about foreign interference in local politics.
The Chinese government has pledged to address pollution at local levels as part of its initiative to build a 'Beautiful China', focusing on environmental protection efforts.

Thomas Pauken II, an American journalist and political commentator who has lived in China for over a decade, faces criminal charges in the U.S. on suspicion of acting as an agent for the Chinese government.
Nigeria’s traders association appeals to the Chinese government for China visa support and greater trade opportunities to strengthen economic ties. Read More:…

The Chinese Government is offering a fully funded 'Silk Road' Scholarship program, providing full sponsorship for Malaysian undergraduates and postgraduates to study in China.

Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend their ceasefire for an additional 45 days, following two days of intense US-mediated negotiations. The extension aims to maintain a truce and pave the way for future talks between the two nations.

This article provides an explanation of the long-standing dispute over Taiwan's independence, noting that the Republic of China in Taipei claimed to be the legitimate Chinese government for decades until Beijing took over China's UN seat in 1971.

A former mayor from Arcadia, California, Eileen Wang, has pleaded guilty to charges of acting as an illegal Chinese government agent, prompting calls for a broader review of such cases. She faces potential prison time for her actions.
The Chinese government has reportedly advised its startups to decline funding from US firms, particularly after the Meta-Manus deal. This move reflects ongoing tensions and concerns over foreign influence in China's technology sector.
The Chinese government has accused Western governments and organizations of promoting the 'tang ping' (lying flat) phenomenon among the country's youth, which involves rejecting exhausting work.
The Chinese government is cautioning teenagers that the "lying flat" phenomenon, a slacker culture, could be influenced by foreign forces. This warning comes as youth in China and elsewhere embrace the trend.
The Chinese government is actively promoting initiatives aimed at developing and supporting youth-friendly cities across the country.
Six Chinese government departments have jointly released a list of key invasive alien species to be controlled at ports, marking the first such comprehensive effort.
The Chinese government has initiated a crackdown on illegal data collection, signaling a strengthened effort to protect personal information and regulate digital practices.

The Chinese government intends to prohibit citizens from leaving cremated family remains in empty apartments, a practice that serves as an alternative to costly burial plots.

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed that US-Iran 'indirect talks' are taking place through messages relayed by Pakistan, with Pakistan successfully intervening to prevent Israel from targeting senior Iranian officials Abbas Aragchi and Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf.
The mayor of Chongqing, China, is reportedly under investigation by the country's anti-graft watchdog. This move signals a continued crackdown on corruption within the Chinese government.

A protest organized by Tibet supporters is taking place in Vilnius on Tuesday, gathering in front of the Chinese embassy to draw public and political attention to the deteriorating situation in Tibet and human rights violations by the Chinese government.

The Chinese government has unveiled its five-year plan, setting its lowest economic growth target in decades, while also focusing on AI integration and increasing its military budget.
OpenAI alleges China's government is weaponizing ChatGPT for cyber operations, including polishing internal reports for influence campaigns targeting dissidents and foreign leaders.
A reception for the Japanese Emperor's birthday in Beijing saw no Chinese government officials attend, reflecting the current strained relations between the two countries.

The Chinese government has announced sanctions against 40 Japanese companies and entities, primarily those linked to defense, citing Japan's 'remilitarization' as the reason for the escalating measures.
China's Debt Model Creates Danger Of Stagnation Authored by Daniel Lacalle, The latest social financing figures from China show an economy that is increasingly relying on government debt while private demand for credit remains weak. The strength of the Chinese technology sector and its exporting companies gives enough room for leverage. However, behind the weak private sector credit demand lies an evident economic slowdown that the Chinese government acknowledges, challenging consumption patterns, a significant overcapacity problem, and the depth of the housing crisis. The current economic model, focused on delivering 5% real economic growth, requires larger doses of debt to achieve smaller increments of growth, especially productive sector growth. The government has focused on reducing debt and overcapacity imbalances while reorienting its exports and financial system to lessen dependence on the US dollar; however, the main challenge for the Chinese economy remains boosting consumer demand, despite rate cuts and easing financial conditions. To understand the intensity of debt of the Chinese model, we must go to the year 2000 and see the acceleration in the flow of debt, not just the current stock. At that time, real GDP growth was around 8–9%, so each percentage point of growth came with roughly 13–16 points of debt‑to‑GDP. Government debt was very low, at around 25% of GDP, and most leverage sat in the state-owned corporate sector with modest household debt. China was able to deliver near‑double‑digit growth with a total non‑financial debt ratio barely above 120% of GDP. By 2023, non‑financial sector debt had risen to about 285% of GDP, more than doubling its level of 2000. Chinese think‑tanks and official commentators put the “macro leverage ratio” closer to 300% of GDP by 2025, according to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The macro leverage ratio rose by 11.8 percentage points to 302.3 percent in 2025, exceeding the 10.1-point increase reported in 2024. Over the same period, the trend of real GDP growth has slowed to roughly 4–5%, so each percentage point of growth now requires around 60–75 points of debt‑to‑GDP, more than three times the debt per point of growth required in 2000. Furthermore, it comes mostly from government debt. In January 2026, aggregate social financing jumped by 7.22 trillion yuan, significantly higher than in the same month of 2025 and above market expectations, consistent with 5% annual GDP growth and a larger composition of the public sector in the mix. Outstanding social financing reached 449.11 trillion yuan at the end of January, rising 8.2% year‑on‑year, while money supply (M2) rose by 9%. New yuan bank loans were 4.7 trillion yuan, about 420 billion less than a year earlier and significantly below consensus, showing the weak private‑sector credit demand and the prudent approach of Chinese customers and businesses to debt addition. RMB loans outstanding stood at 276.62 trillion yuan, up only 6.1% year‑on‑year, clearly below the pace of overall financing and money growth. The driver of credit growth in China is no longer households and private firms but the government and state-owned companies. The real estate problem has impacted Chinese families in numerous ways. Not only did most of them see the value of their homes decline, but many families invested in the attractive yields of real estate developers’ commercial paper, which led to large losses and even the wipe-out of savings for many. Additionally, despite the excess in supply of houses, prices have not fallen enough to warrant enough appetite for new mortgages, as affordability remains an issue and the traditional prudence of Chinese citizens when it comes to consuming and borrowing adds to the challenge. Beijing plans to issue 4.4 trillion yuan in local government special‑purpose bonds in 2025, 500 billion more than in 2024, looking to boost government investment and a “proactive fiscal policy,” knowing that raising taxes would be exceedingly negative for growth and consumption. Local governments are expected to issue more than 10 trillion yuan in bonds in 2025, including refinancing, general bonds, and new special bonds. The Chinese government knows that it can manage more debt but also sees the weak investment and household spending and acknowledges that large tax increases would be counterproductive. However, to prevent future debt-driven stagnation, a focus on productivity is necessary. The official budget sets a deficit of 4% for 2025. However, once all budget items are consolidated, including government funds, special bonds, and off‑budget vehicles, this true fiscal deficit in 2025 is closer to 9%, up from 7.7% in 2024, according to Rhodium Group and JP Morgan. China increasingly relies on hidden or almost fiscal borrowing to support growth. With outstanding social financing now around 449 trillion yuan and real growth around 4–5%, each incremental point of GDP is increasingly linked with a much larger stock of debt than a decade ago. This rising credit intensity of growth may prevent a significant slowdown but may create a significant fiscal challenge in the future. The Chinese model demands high growth and low taxes; any change to the fiscal system will be negative. For years, local governments relied on the sale of land for property development to collect tax receipts. Thus, the drag from real estate is evident in the economy and in fiscal sustainability. Real estate development investment fell 13.9% year‑on‑year in the first three quarters of 2025, with residential investment down 12.9%, the steepest drop since 2021, according to official figures. Property investment and sales both posted double‑digit declines in 2024, and forecasters expect real estate investment to fall another 11% and sales to drop 7.5% in 2025, according to Reuters, with further declines in 2026 before stabilizing only in 2027… if it happens as fast as consensus estimates. The property sector, once a key engine for economic growth and tax receipts, absorbs new credit to stabilize its accounts without boosting growth or creating a multiplier effect. Additionally, China’s industrial capacity utilization remained at 74.9% at the end of 2025, well below the 78.4% peak reached in 2021. Overcapacity is clear in steel, autos, legacy chips, and parts of sectors like green tech, where expansion has surpassed domestic and external demand. Thus, the purchasing managers’ indices show weak new orders and foreign demand, while bankruptcies and insolvencies have risen, although not to levels that would indicate a financial crisis. The Chinese economy needs to reopen, improve investor and legal security and allow the housing slump to materialize fully to see the type of productive economic growth it needs to avoid much larger increases in debt. Otherwise, the risk of stagnation will likely be elevated as population growth stalls, overcapacity remains, and the stock of unsold property becomes a larger liability. Tyler Durden Mon, 02/16/2026 - 22:25
An article explores the reasons behind the high degree of trust the Chinese populace reportedly has in its government.

The US is involved in various international matters, including a trade probe into Vietnam's intellectual property, considering missile sales to Malaysia, and calling for the release of an Indigenous leader in Nicaragua. Domestically, the country is dealing with a 'vomit bug' outbreak and a former mayor pleading guilty to acting as a Chinese agent.

A prominent Chinese government critic successfully fled China, surviving a 30-hour journey in an inflatable boat to reach South Korea. His dramatic escape highlights the lengths dissidents will go to for freedom.

Gerald Eddie Brown, 63, a former US Air Force pilot, was arrested in February after returning to the US from China, facing accusations of helping the Chinese government.
AFP Fact Check has debunked an AI-generated video clip circulating online that falsely depicted the 'Chinese government tearing down a Tibetan temple'.

America's medicine supply chain is identified as a national security vulnerability, with concerns raised about the Chinese government's tightening grip on American investment in its artificial intelligence sector.

Following his interactions with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Donald Trump commented on a range of topics including trade deals, Iran's nuclear program, Taiwan arms sales, and the unlikely release of Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai. He also reflected on the overall dynamic and potential for lifting sanctions related to Iranian oil.

A B.C. Supreme Court judge acquitted former Mountie William Majcher of foreign interference, ruling that the Crown failed to prove he acted on behalf of the Chinese government in targeting a Chinese fraudster.

China's inflation has risen to its highest level since 2022, which is seen as good news for the Chinese government aiming for a 2% price increase, but poses a risk for Western economies and central banks.

Standup comic Chizi, who got into trouble for jokes critical of the Chinese government, now lives in self-imposed exile and is finding that freedom presents its own constraints as he seeks to be more than just a 'rebel comedian'.

The Chinese government has agreed to cooperate with Australian businesses on jet fuel shipments, according to Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong. This suggests a potential easing of trade tensions between the two nations.
The Chinese government has announced its decision to prohibit the acquisition of Chinese AI companies by the American company Meta (formerly Facebook), demanding the withdrawal of the transaction.
The Chinese government is reportedly tightening its grip on artificial intelligence companies attempting to shed their Chinese ties, exemplified by a probe into Meta-acquired Manus AI. This action signals a new "red line" for foreign-linked tech firms operating in China.
The Chinese government is reportedly considering providing financial assistance to its airlines, which have been significantly impacted by a recent surge in oil prices.
The Chinese government has issued a warning regarding a dangerous artificial intelligence application named 'De Kreeft' (The Lobster), as the country experiences a surge in AI-related activity.
China Daily reports that the well-being of its people is among the top priorities for the Chinese government, indicating a focus on improving citizens' quality of life.
Strætó, Iceland's public transport company, maintains that there is little likelihood of the Chinese government taking over or disabling its 15 Yutong buses, as stated in a response from the Minister of Infrastructure to a parliamentary inquiry.

A leading Chinese government adviser suggests Beijing should move beyond rigid non-intervention to protect its vast interests abroad, as the Strait of Hormuz has been weaponized in the Iran crisis, signaling a new age of disorder.
By Mary Yang New mother Zhang Xiaofei wanted to be financially secure before having a baby, wary of high childcare costs that have been softened only a little by Chinese government cash incentives to boost record-low births. The world’s second-most populous country is threatened with a demographic crisis after its birth rate halved over the […]
Chinese government procurement and tender records on Iran show contracts issued in recent months, pointing to the vibrant commercial engagement of the two nations.
OpenAI publishes a report detailing China's "cyber special operations" that target critics online. Anna Barclay/Getty Images OpenAI published a report detailing China's "cyber special operations" that target critics online. The report followed OpenAI's findings and removal of a ChatGPT account belonging to the CCP. Bluesky said it recently removed a small number of accounts for "inauthentic coordinated activity." It turns out that even the Chinese government uses ChatGPT — at least accordin...

Beijing has called for all hands on deck to work out what ever-unpredictable US President Donald Trump might demand when he sits down with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in a few weeks. Several sources, all speaking on condition of anonymity, said various Chinese government departments had been told to research and assess the US leader’s potential demands and come up with possible concessions Beijing could put on the table. According to the sources, the entities included China’s Ministry ...
Texas has filed a lawsuit against TP-Link, accusing the company of allowing the Chinese government access to its devices, raising national security and data privacy concerns.