China News Live: Chinese experimental satellite reportedly attempting first on-orbit refueling

China's experimental SJ-25 satellite appeared to be attempting what is potentially its first-ever on-orbit refueling, an event observed "last week" (relative to June 19, 2025) by Slingshot Aerospace, Breaking Defense said in a report.

Hong Kong has seen the deployment of its first artificial intelligence system designed to detect loose or tilting scaffolding in construction projects, South China Morning Post said in a report. Sun Hung Kai Properties announced on Thursday its subsidiary developed the TIE.Ai (Tension and Tilting Inspection Engine AI) system over six months at a cost of HK$1 million (US$127,390). This system, now active in a local project, can be applied to bamboo, metal, and mixed scaffolding and was introduced following a series of fatal construction accidents in recent years.

Concerns over 'global non-market overcapacity' attributed to China are increasingly central to Europe's economic discussions and its relationship with Beijing, South China Morning Post says in a report. This issue, referring to Chinese industries allegedly producing more goods than markets can absorb due to state subsidies and then exporting them at low prices, was the focus of a European Commission-organized conference in Brussels in November involving European and US officials. The debate aims to find solutions to the perceived problem of China's industrial overcapacity and its effects on European industries and markets, reflecting broader EU and US concerns about unfair competition and the impact of China's state-led economic model.

Oaktree co-founder Howard Marks has urged China to increase its openness to foreign investors and expressed an upbeat view of the world's second-largest economy, Financial Times said in a report on June 18, 2025. The distressed debt specialist's comments highlight his perspective on the potential benefits of greater foreign capital involvement in China.

Zhenhao Zou, a Chinese student, was sentenced on Thursday to 24 years in prison by a London court, Reuters said in a report. Zou was convicted of drugging and raping 10 women whom he met through online platforms and dating apps. He would invite the women to his home under the pretext of having drinks or studying, then drug them before filming himself raping and sexually assaulting them in incidents occurring in both Britain and China.

Chinese on-demand delivery giant Meituan reportedly continues to hold a dominant 70% share of the domestic food delivery market, with daily orders recently reaching 90 million, South China Morning Post said in a report citing Chinese tech media outlet Leiphone.com's internal data. This sustained market leadership persists despite intensifying competition from rivals such as JD.com and Alibaba Group Holding’s Ele.me. Meituan has not commented on the reported figures, which, if confirmed, would highlight the difficulties competitors face in shifting consumer habits in China's food delivery landscape.

The Economics and Management School (EMS) of Wuhan University (WHU) in China has successfully gained a five-year re-accreditation from EQUIS (EFMD Quality Improvement System), marking the first time the school has received this highest accreditation period, AP said in a report. This achievement, formally communicated by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD), follows the school's initial EQUIS accreditation in 2016 and comes after an EQUIS peer review conducted in March 2025.

A video of a secondary school student, surnamed Liu, walking home alone from Guanyang County No 2 Senior High School in Guilin, Guangxi province, after completing the gaokao, China’s college entrance exam, has gone viral, inspiring many online, South China Morning Post said in a report. The footage shows Liu, dressed in simple clothes, carrying a bamboo pole balancing two large, overstuffed bags.

China is set to lead the construction of an extensive ground-based space weather monitoring and warning network, known as the International Meridian Circle Programme (IMCP), South China Morning Post said in a report. This network will comprise observatories across more than 10 countries and regions, and aims to build a matrix of surveillance stations to better understand and forecast solar activity, such as solar storms, which can severely disrupt satellite communications.

China's Cross-border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) has enlisted six new financial institutions from Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East as direct participants, a move formalized in a ceremony in Shanghai on Wednesday, South China Morning Post said in a report. This development is part of Beijing's accelerated efforts to promote the global use of the yuan and establish CIPS as an alternative payment system, particularly amid ongoing tensions with the United States.

Some Hong Kong legislators have voiced concerns that a recently approved legal amendment, the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2025, intended to protect part-time workers, might still contain loopholes allowing employers to avoid providing benefits, according to a report in South China Morning Post. These concerns, particularly impacting sectors like minibus owners, were raised on Thursday, June 19, 2025, a day after the Legislative Council approved the bill in an 84-3 vote; the amended law is set to take effect on January 18, 2026.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on Thursday, June 19, 2025, directed defense and security units to enhance their monitoring and intelligence gathering concerning China's military activities, which he stated have persisted despite rising tensions in the Middle East, Reuters said in a report. Taiwan, which China considers its territory, along with Japan, has reportedly been observing the movement of two Chinese vessels.

Chairman Xu Guanju of China's Transfar Group was an invited speaker at the 2025 Energy Asia Conference held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from June 16 to 18, 2025, AP said in a report. The conference, hosted by PETRONAS at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, centered on the theme 'Delivering Asia's Energy Transition' and gathered policymakers, industry leaders, and energy professionals from over 60 countries to discuss solutions and collaboration for accelerating the region's energy shift. Xu Guanju spoke on June 16.

Ng Sing-yiu, a 65-year-old chef at a Hong Kong Buddhist monastery, was sentenced to 160 hours of community service by the West Kowloon Court on Thursday for animal cruelty, South China Morning Post said in a report. He had pleaded guilty earlier in June 2025 to three counts of animal cruelty for wrapping two stray dogs in nylon bags and abandoning them in the wild in 2024. The court spared Ng from a jail sentence after a probation officer reported his genuine remorse and a strong desire to reform.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin jointly criticized Israel's recent attacks on Iran and called for de-escalation in the Middle East, Al Jazeera said in a report. The leaders further stated their shared position that there is no military solution to the long-standing dispute over Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Xia Baolong, director of China's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, met with the heads of several Hong Kong universities on Thursday, 2025-06-19, marking the first publicly known meeting of this nature, according to a report in the South China Morning Post. This engagement occurred on the third day of Xia's fact-finding visit to the city, during which he also visited Kai Tak Sports Park and met with politicians. The discussions with university leaders followed reports of six publicly funded universities in Hong Kong recently improving in academic rankings.

Chinese e-commerce giants Alibaba Group Holding and JD.com reported record user participation and growing sales during the recent 618 shopping festival, fueled by government subsidies and new artificial intelligence (AI) tools, South China Morning Post said in a report. Alibaba announced on Thursday that over 453 brands, including international names like Apple, each achieved more than 100 million yuan (US$14 million) in gross merchandise value (GMV) on its Taobao and Tmall platforms during the weeks-long event.

Former Chinese central bank chief Zhou Xiaochuan has expressed concerns that US dollar-backed stablecoins could hasten the "dollarisation" of the global monetary system, potentially strengthening the US dollar's dominance, South China Morning Post said in a report. This warning comes as major economies assess the impact of stablecoins and reflects the Chinese government's ongoing interest in the underlying technologies of cryptocurrencies and their potential for cross-border transactions amidst the sector's rapid growth.

Huawei Technologies’ Ascend chips, supported by the company's advanced CloudMatrix 384 data centre architecture, have reportedly surpassed Nvidia’s H800 graphics processing units (GPUs) in performance tests involving DeepSeek’s R1 artificial intelligence (AI) model, according to a report in South China Morning Post. The findings were detailed in a technical paper co-authored by researchers from Huawei and Chinese AI infrastructure start-up SiliconFlow, which described CloudMatrix 384 as a specialized "AI supernode" designed for extensive AI applications.

The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac), developing China’s first home-grown widebody passenger jet, the C929, is targeting its maiden commercial flight by 2035, foreign partners were informed at this week’s Paris Air Show, South China Morning Post said in a report, citing a person familiar with the discussion. This timeframe, although longer than previous estimates, is reportedly in line with the development periods for initial widebody aircraft from Boeing and Airbus and reflects Comac's "prudence."

Hong Kong SAR has advanced two places to be ranked the world's third most competitive economy, marking its second consecutive two-place improvement and achieving its highest position since 2019, AP said in a report. The World Competitiveness Yearbook 2025, published on June 17 by the Swiss-based International Institute for Management Development (IMD), assessed 69 economies worldwide, with Hong Kong reportedly demonstrating gains across all factors of competitiveness.

Authorities in China have initiated a significant cleanup operation in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, popularly associated with the 'Avatar' films, The New York Times said in a report. This action was taken after videos, attributed to a cave explorer and documenting mountains of garbage accumulated over ten years within the park, gained widespread attention online, prompting the official directive for the large-scale cleanup.

Taiwan, responsible for a majority of the world's advanced computer chip production, confronts significant energy security challenges due to its dependence on imports for over 97% of its energy, primarily fossil fuels, as per a report in The New York Times. This reliance is increasingly seen as a vulnerability because of China's heightened military activities and other coercive measures in the region, which could potentially disrupt Taiwan's essential energy supplies. Such disruptions would not only affect Taiwan but also have considerable repercussions for global technology supply chains, with China's actions being a central factor in these concerns.

Chinese researchers have developed a portable neutron gun powered by a hydrogen-lithium nuclear reaction, achieving controlled reactions in a compact device for what is reportedly the first time and marking a significant breakthrough in neutron generation technology, South China Morning Post said in a report. This advancement, originating from China’s northwestern military-industrial hub, has implications for scientific, industrial, and defence applications and utilizes a novel electromagnetic technique, distinguishing it from previous designs that required massive accelerators.

Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) start-up MiniMax, with investors including Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings, is reportedly moving towards an initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong, potentially as early as this year, according to a report in South China Morning Post. The Shanghai-based company, which was valued at US$2.5 billion in its March 2024 funding round, is said to be in the early stages of preparation for the listing, based on information from unnamed sources cited by Shanghai-based news outlet The Paper on Wednesday.

Ride-hailing firm Uber has warned its 1.5 million users and 30,000 drivers in Hong Kong about potentially higher fares, longer wait times, and possible income loss for drivers due to new government regulations being considered for online platforms, South China Morning Post said in a report. In an email sent on Thursday, the US-based company stated that Hong Kong authorities are contemplating rules that might restrict the number of ride-sharing drivers or vehicles available on the road.

Analysts have monitored a series of cyber intrusions attributed to China targeting Russia, aimed at stealing information about weaponry and warfighting tactics since the war in Ukraine commenced, The New York Times said in a report. The alleged espionage operations are focused on gaining insights into Russian military technology and strategies deployed during the conflict.

A brain-reading experiment conducted on audience members at a Chinese university dance performance generated significant public concern and aversion after a social media post depicting participants wearing electrode-covered "hats" amassed 10 million views, according to a report in South China Morning Post. Commenters described the apparatus as unsettling; consequently, the scientists monitoring brain responses during the show provided an explanation about the experiment's nature and the purpose of the headgear.

Israel's ambassador to Beijing, Eli Belotserkovsky, affirmed Israel's desire to "continue talking" with China, even as Beijing has repeatedly condemned recent Israeli air strikes on Iran, according to a report in South China Morning Post. In an interview on Wednesday, June 19, 2025, Belotserkovsky emphasized that Israel's relations with China are "very important" and that open channels of communication exist between the two nations, while noting that Israel's primary concern remains its military operations. He did not dismiss the possibility of China acting as a mediator in regional conflicts.

New Zealand has halted millions of dollars in aid funding to the Cook Islands over concerns regarding the 'breadth and content' of agreements the Pacific island nation has struck with China, The Guardian said in a report. A spokesperson for New Zealand's Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, stated on Thursday that Wellington will not consider any new funding for the Cook Islands until steps are taken to 'repair the relationship and restore trust.' New Zealand is the Cook Islands' largest aid donor.

A mass cleanup operation has been initiated in caves near China's famed 'Avatar' mountains in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park after viral videos exposed environmental neglect at the sites, CNN said in a report. The authorities' swift action aims to address the concerns highlighted by the widely circulated online content regarding the condition of these popular tourist-adjacent locations.

The emergence of AI company DeepSeek is causing significant shifts within China's technology sector and the broader global AI field, posing a challenge to established Chinese industry leaders such as Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent, as well as international players like OpenAI, CNN says in a report. This development indicates a dynamic and competitive environment in China's push for AI advancement, with new players disrupting existing market structures. The rise of firms like DeepSeek occurs amidst China's broader strategy for AI self-sufficiency and intense global competition in artificial intelligence.

Chinese ambassador to the US, Xie Feng, addressing the US-China Business Council in Washington on Wednesday, urged the United States to 'look at the whole picture' of their economic relations to understand the true nature of their trade ties, South China Morning Post said in a report. He characterized the bilateral trade relationship as 'generally balanced' and asserted that US tariffs currently imposed on Chinese imports are 'still unreasonably high.' These comments were delivered at a time when a recently agreed framework intended to de-escalate trade tensions between the two economic giants is reportedly facing implementation challenges.

Malaysian trade authorities have launched an investigation into allegations that Chinese engineers circumvented US semiconductor restrictions by renting data centers in Malaysia equipped with high-end Nvidia chips to train their artificial intelligence models, South China Morning Post said in a report. This claim, initially reported by The Wall Street Journal, poses a potential stumbling block to Malaysia’s tariff negotiations with the US, which has curbed China’s access to high-end chips, including through third nations.

Following the production of millions of drones, China is now focusing on finding practical uses for this extensive drone capacity by actively promoting a 'low-altitude economy,' which authorities envision as a significant future driver of the nation's economic growth, Financial Times said in a report. This strategic initiative involves government efforts to develop and expand applications for low-altitude flight, primarily utilizing drones, in a bid to stimulate new areas of economic activity and sustain overall development.

Hong Kong plans to thoroughly assess potential risks and study mainland China's monetary policies before considering the launch of yuan-pegged stablecoins, a step intended to support the internationalization of the Chinese currency, South China Morning Post said in a report. Christopher Hui Ching-yu, Hong Kong's Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, stated on Wednesday at the Lujiazui Forum in Shanghai that while the city possesses the technical capability to proceed, more time is required to carefully evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of issuing such digital assets. This evaluation is a prerequisite to any decision on introducing stablecoins pegged to the yuan.

China's fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector is displaying initial signs of a recovery in spending, alongside an easing of deflationary pressures, South China Morning Post said in a report. According to market research from Bain & Company published last week, value in the FMCG sector grew by 2.7 per cent in the first quarter compared to the previous year, driven by a 5.3 per cent increase in volume, partly attributed to festive spending. However, the average selling price experienced a 2.5 per cent decline in the same period, which is a smaller decrease than the 3.4 per cent slide observed in 2024.

The US and China continue to navigate tariff disagreements, with US President Donald Trump indicating he is "open to a deal" with Beijing, Le Monde says in a report. Concurrently, China is reportedly targeting American companies, specifically Boeing, and agricultural producers. This trade tension unfolds as China announced better-than-expected economic performance, with a 5.4% growth in its economy during the first quarter.

Chinese citizens are being victimized in scam centers in Myanmar, with actor Xu Bochun testifying to three months of slavery in Laukkai under Chinese-led transnational criminal networks, Le Monde said in a report. These operations, often involving human trafficking, are a significant concern for Beijing, which has increased diplomatic pressure on Myanmar and engaged in joint law enforcement operations to dismantle these networks and repatriate its nationals. The situation in Myanmar's border regions, marked by weakened central government control, has allowed such criminal enterprises to flourish, part of a broader problem of scam operations across Southeast Asia.

A 'war of nerves' characterizes the current US-China relationship, marked by an escalation of tariff measures that has caused their bilateral trade to plummet, Le Monde said in a report. While Beijing has long been preparing to decouple its economy from the American one, Chinese exporters are currently suffering from the impact of these trade tensions.

The European Union is navigating a complex geopolitical landscape, seeking to establish an appropriate balance in its relations with both the United States and China, Le Monde said in a report. European nations are reportedly wary of US President Donald Trump's aggressive foreign policy stance. Simultaneously, the EU expresses distrust towards China's trade practices, which it considers unfair, yet it also endeavors to cultivate a more constructive relationship with Beijing. This positions the EU between two major global powers with differing approaches and interests.

Huawei Technologies is seeking to deepen its position as a global supplier of artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G infrastructure for network operators as the telecommunications industry confronts market saturation, the South China Morning Post said in a report. Speaking at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Shanghai on Wednesday, 2025-06-19, Huawei deputy chairman Eric Xu Zhijun stated that four decades of rapid development in the telecoms sector have resulted in a period where "basic consumer needs are met and growth is stagnant." Xu also identified four key paths for the industry's future, though these were not detailed in the provided snippet.

The US government's official Covid.gov website has been updated to state that China is to blame for the Covid-19 pandemic due to a "lab leak," Le Monde said in a report. The site also targets Anthony Fauci, who served as chief medical advisor to former President Joe Biden, accusing him of advancing the "narrative" that the virus "originated naturally." This development indicates a shift in the official US stance, as the lab-leak theory, previously dismissed by some as a conspiracy theory, has gained more prominence in the United States.

Despite Beijing's decision not to send an official representative to the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome, Chinese followers at the Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes parish in Shijingshan, part of the 'official' Catholic Church, have been paying tribute to the late pontiff, Le Monde said in a report. This indicates Pope Francis's influence extended even within state-recognized religious structures in China.

European nations are reportedly hesitant to form a common front with China against the United States, Le Monde said in a report. This position is influenced by concerns that recent US tariff increases on Chinese goods could lead to a redirection of China's export overcapacity towards European markets. Additionally, China's perceived strengthening of support for Russia in the context of the Ukraine conflict is a significant factor in Europe's cautious approach.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called on Jiangsu province, a key manufacturing hub, to embrace "higher development expectations" and step up its efforts in technology, trade, and consumption to bolster China's economic growth amidst mounting challenges, the South China Morning Post said in a report. During a three-day visit to the province that concluded on June 18, 2025, Li, in his current role as Premier, emphasized the importance of innovative development, stimulating effective demand, fostering entrepreneurship, and deepening reform and opening up to support the nation's sustained economic progress.

Videos circulating on Chinese social media platforms appear to show rehearsals for a significant military parade, offering an early indication of the scale anticipated for China's 80th anniversary of Victory Day in September, the South China Morning Post said in a report. A clip posted Wednesday on the platform RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu, reportedly showed at least 45 People’s Liberation Army helicopters flying in formation, creating ceremonial patterns such as a heart and the numbers '8' and '0'.

Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com is expanding its rivalry with Meituan into Saudi Arabia with the launch of a new self-operated courier service, South China Morning Post said in a report. JD.com's logistics division, JD Logistics, announced on Wednesday the introduction of JoyExpress, a business-to-consumer express delivery service. This new service will operate across most of Saudi Arabia's 13 provinces, offering expedited same-day and next-day delivery options as JD.com increases its presence in the Middle East.

American electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla is confronting a collapse in its market share within China, now reportedly a minor player that is constantly forced to adapt its strategies, Le Monde says in a report. This challenge occurs even as China accounts for 40% of Tesla's global sales and despite the company's earlier role as a pioneer that significantly influenced Chinese consumers' adoption of electric vehicles through its emphasis on design and performance.

Since 2024, the Chinese government has implemented the "SmartView" initiative, installing closed-circuit television in public places with high crime rates and pedestrian flow to assist in crime prevention, detection, and the preservation of public order and safety, South China Morning Post said in a report. The government and police have also indicated plans to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) facial recognition technology into these CCTV systems in coming years, with similar plans extending towards traffic offence enforcement.

The 137th Canton Fair, which ran from April 15 to May 5, 2025, and is considered an accurate indicator of Beijing's trade relations with the rest of the world, saw Chinese exporters express concern over the tariff war initiated by US President Donald Trump, Le Monde said in a report. Amidst the sentiment that 'basically, everything is made in China,' the fair highlighted the challenges faced by the 'world's factory' due to ongoing trade tensions.

Six public universities in Hong Kong have improved their positions in the latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) world rankings, with the city’s oldest university advancing to 11th place globally and outperforming two prestigious mainland Chinese institutions, the South China Morning Post said in a report. According to Britain-based education information firm QS, the city's new “Study in Hong Kong” initiative is expected to help attract global talent and reinforce Hong Kong's reputation as a premier academic destination, even amidst government funding cuts. The latest QS world rankings were released on Thursday.

Shuitou, a factory town in China's Zhejiang province, which transitioned into a global hub for pet accessories after its numerous leather tanneries closed two decades ago due to excessive pollution, now confronts a new economic threat from US tariffs, Le Monde said in a report. These tariffs, part of the ongoing trade war, are creating harsh impacts for the town's specialized industry.

China is introducing new restrictions on Hollywood films, further limiting the presence of American cinema in the country, Le Monde said in a report. These new measures include the implementation of import quotas, a reduction in the revenue share for American productions, and prohibitions on screening American films during important holiday periods. Currently, American films reportedly account for only 5% of the total box office revenue in China.

The United States announced new sanctions on Wednesday targeting Chinese and Hong Kong companies accused of assisting Iran's missile program, Le Monde said in a report. These measures follow recent US sanctions on Iran's oil sales to China. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the United States "cannot allow Iran to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles."

Pretty Lady, a Chinese company based in Chaozhou, Guangdong, specializing in evening gowns, is being severely affected by American tariffs that impact half of its production sold in the United States, Le Monde said in a report. These tariffs are a consequence of the ongoing US-China trade war, directly impacting the company's exports to the US market.

New pontiff Leo XIV has implemented the provisional agreement originally signed in 2018 between the Holy See and Beijing, a decision continuing the China policy of Pope Francis despite ongoing criticism from some Catholic factions, according to a report in Le Monde. This agreement, which has been periodically renewed and primarily addresses the process for appointing bishops in China, is thus being carried forward under the new pontificate. The move signals continued Vatican engagement with Beijing, even as certain groups raise concerns about the agreement's impact on religious freedom and its lack of full transparency.

China is intensifying its diplomatic engagement in the Middle East and serves as Iran's main economic backer, purchasing 90% of its exported oil, yet it continues to abstain from a direct security or 'policing' role in regional conflicts, a function largely undertaken by the US, according to a report in Le Monde. While Beijing's diplomatic activity in the region is on the rise, as seen in its calls concerning the Gaza conflict and its past role in the 2023 Saudi-Iran normalization deal, it maintains a non-military intervention stance regarding ongoing Middle East security issues, effectively remaining a bystander in the military aspects of regional conflicts.