By Mei-Ling Chen
Shanghai-based correspondent covering Chinese politics, economy, cross-Strait relations and the Party apparatus.
China's Multi-Pronged Strategy to Counter US Chip Export Controls
China is advancing its own extreme ultraviolet lithography machines and exploring chip stacking to circumvent US export bans. Washington sus
China's Economic Crash: The Real Estate Bust That Beijing Couldn't Dodge
China's real estate bust has led to a hidden economic crash, with youth unemployment spiking and industrial loans fueling zombie companies.
Compasses Over Maps: China's AI Focuses on Navigating Change
China's AI breakthroughs emphasize coordination and adaptation over imitation. This focus stems from a cultural tradition of navigating chan
Peter Thiel Accuses Pope of Acting as Chinese Agent Over AI Criticism
Peter Thiel accused Pope Leo XIV of inadvertently serving as a Chinese communist agent by criticizing AI. The tech billionaire argued that t
China's Housing Market in Free Fall as Buyers Wait for Lower Prices
China's home prices fell again in June 2026, with 88 of 100 major cities reporting declines. Buyers are deferring purchases, betting on furt
China's 40 Million EVs Are Becoming a Distributed AI Computing Network
China's 40 million electric vehicles, idle most of the day, could be repurposed as a distributed AI computing network. CATL's Robin Zeng out
US Supreme Court Upholds Birthright Citizenship, Rejects Trump's Executive Order
The US Supreme Court has ruled 6-3 that children born on American soil are citizens regardless of their parents' immigration status. The dec
Nvidia's Beijing Pitch Fails as China Doubles Down on Tech Self-Sufficiency
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang flew to Beijing with President Trump's delegation to sell H200 chips, but China refused. Beijing is prioritizing tec
A Father's Gamble: Sending a Westernized Son to Tsinghua Pays Off
A Hong Kong family took a gamble sending their Westernized son to Tsinghua University, despite his weak Mandarin. Four years later, he gradu
US Clinical Trial Reform: Trust, Not Speed, Key to Competing with China
The US is losing ground to China in clinical drug trials, with China accounting for 39% of global trials in 2024. The FDA's new pilot progra
Why AI Will Never Master Diplomacy: The Limits of Algorithmic Prediction
AI can process thousands of documents in minutes, but diplomacy hinges on leaders who deliberately defy patterns. From Trump's tariff revers
Asia's Space Race: China, Japan, India Challenge US Dominance
NASA's Artemis III mission marks a step toward returning humans to the Moon, but Asian powers are closing the gap. China plans a crewed luna