By Mei-Ling Chen
Shanghai-based correspondent covering Chinese politics, economy, cross-Strait relations and the Party apparatus.
Israel's US support erodes as generational shift reshapes American opinion
For the first time in Gallup's tracking, more Americans sympathize with Palestinians than Israelis. The shift is concentrated among young vo
US-China Summit Offers Path to Avoid Thucydides Trap
Xi Jinping's Washington visit highlighted the possibility of overcoming the Thucydides Trap. Both nations face the challenge of accommodatin
UK's new Israel sanctions fail to suspend any weapons transfers
The UK's new sanctions on Israeli settlements have not led to any weapons license suspensions. Critics say the policy is largely symbolic, w
Xi and Trump agree on AI safety, clash over Taiwan and Iran
Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump met in Washington, agreeing to cooperate on AI safety. Xi pressed for US restrain
Saddam Hussein's cinematic ambitions and Iraq's fragmented media legacy
Saddam Hussein used film to craft his image, hiring a James Bond director. Today, Iraq's media is fragmented among many actors, but press fr
China's research rise signals shift in global academic power
Nine of the top ten research institutions are now Chinese, a historic shift. This reflects China's manufacturing dominance, not just academi
Bangladesh's New Cyber Law Rebrands Old Censorship Tactics
Bangladesh's latest cyber law draft, the Cyber Protection Act, broadens censorship powers, criminalizing unverified information and loosely
Trump and Xi meet again: trade, tech, and Taiwan top the agenda
The Trump-Xi summit on Sept. 24 will revisit trade, technology, and Taiwan. AI regulation is a new focus, but transformative agreements rema
Liberal Zionism's Unresolved Contradiction in a Changing Middle East
Liberal Zionism struggles to reconcile Jewish national self-determination with liberal democratic values. Decades of occupation and demograp
China's EV and AI advances hit the wall of real-world limits
China's EV and AI sectors have made remarkable progress, but real-world limits—subsidies, market saturation, and geopolitical friction—are t
Why a US-China AI regulation deal remains out of reach
The Hugging Face incident highlighted AI risks, but US and Chinese officials still prioritize acceleration over safety. Both sides see regul
Trump says his own IQ is enough to regulate AI, alarming experts
President Trump dismissed AI guardrails, saying his 'high IQ' is enough to regulate the technology. He alleged a conspiracy tied to China, w