China has introduced a value-added tax (VAT) on condoms and other contraceptives for the first time in three decades, as part of a broader effort to modernize its tax system and address the country’s persistently low birth rate. The new VAT law, passed in 2024, ends a long-standing exemption dating back to 1993. At the same time, Beijing has launched a national childcare subsidy program worth 90 billion yuan ($12.7 billion) and expanded maternity coverage under the national health insurance scheme.

The policy shift comes as China’s birth rate stood at just 6.77 per 1,000 people in 2024, despite incentives such as cash bonuses, IVF discounts, and extended paid leave for new couples. Social media users have mocked the condom tax, calling it a desperate attempt to boost fertility. Experts argue the measure is largely symbolic and unlikely to influence reproductive decisions, though it signals the government’s preference for pro-natalist behavior.

Sociologists warn that restricting access to contraception could disproportionately affect women, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, while raising concerns about intrusive local monitoring of women’s reproductive cycles.

China is advancing plans to build the world’s largest hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, a $168 billion undertaking that could generate around 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually—three times the output of the Three Gorges Dam. President Xi Jinping has called for the project to be pursued with force and efficiency, framing it as a cornerstone of China’s renewable energy ambitions.

Experts describe the project as an unprecedented engineering feat involving tunnels and reservoirs stretching up to 150 kilometers through the Himalayas. However, India and Bangladesh, both downstream nations, fear severe ecological and hydrological impacts, including altered river flows, flooding, and displacement. Indian analysts have dubbed it a potential “water bomb,” citing its proximity to disputed borders.

While Beijing insists the project follows decades of research, limited transparency has fueled speculation about its environmental and geopolitical risks. Analysts warn that the dam could reshape regional water politics, potentially intensifying Sino-Indian tensions and affecting millions dependent on the Brahmaputra basin.

China has announced a $100 million aid package to assist the Palestinian Authority in rebuilding Gaza and addressing the ongoing humanitarian crisis. The announcement was made by Chinese President Xi Jinping during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Beijing. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas expressed gratitude to Xi in a letter, highlighting China’s continued support for Palestinian rights and its role in opposing Israeli occupation in Gaza and the West Bank. According to Chinese state media Xinhua, Xi emphasized China’s commitment to working closely with France to achieve a fair and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue. The move underscores Beijing’s growing diplomatic engagement in Middle Eastern affairs and its efforts to strengthen strategic ties with both Arab nations and European partners amid shifting global dynamics.

A powerful earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale struck China's northwestern Xinjiang region on Thursday, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). The quake occurred at 3:44 p.m. local time near Akqi County, close to the Kyrgyzstan-Xinjiang border, with its epicenter located about 10 kilometers underground. State media outlet Xinhua reported that as of 4:34 p.m. local time, there were no reports of casualties or building collapses. Local authorities confirmed that transportation, electricity, and telecommunications systems across Akqi County remained fully operational. The CENC recorded the epicenter at 41.13 degrees north latitude and 78.40 degrees east longitude. While the tremor was strong, initial assessments suggest minimal impact on infrastructure or residents in the affected area.

French President Emmanuel Macron met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, December 4, during his official visit to China. The meeting included a state reception for Macron and France’s First Lady, hosted by Xi. This marks Macron’s fourth visit to China during his presidency. In addition to meeting Xi, Macron is scheduled to hold talks with the Chinese Premier. Analysts suggest that trade relations between France and China will be a key topic of discussion. Macron is also expected to urge Beijing to use its influence on Moscow to help end the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. The visit underscores France’s efforts to balance economic cooperation with China while addressing global geopolitical challenges, particularly the conflict in Eastern Europe.

Chinese online retailers are facing a new wave of refund fraud as some customers use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to create fake images showing damaged or defective products. According to the South China Morning Post, buyers first photograph genuine items and then edit them with AI to appear spoiled, broken, or rusted before requesting refunds. Sellers of fruits, electric toothbrushes, clothing, and ceramics have reported such incidents, with AI-detection tools confirming manipulated images in some cases. The scams have raised ethical and legal concerns, especially during the Double Eleven shopping festival. In response, major e-commerce platforms like Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall have removed the 'refund only' option and introduced a buyer credit scoring system based on purchase and refund behavior. Additionally, China has mandated that all AI-generated content must include visible and invisible watermarks from September 1 to curb misinformation and fraud.

Eleven railway workers were killed and two others injured when a train struck a maintenance crew on the tracks near Kunming, the capital of China’s southwestern Yunnan province, on Thursday. The workers were reportedly testing seismic equipment used for earthquake monitoring when the train approached unexpectedly. Authorities said the train was traveling at normal speed as it entered Laowang Town Station. The Kunming Railway Bureau has launched an investigation to determine how the accident occurred. Officials described it as China’s deadliest rail accident in more than a decade. Train services at the station have since resumed. China’s vast rail network, one of the largest in the world, carries billions of passengers annually but has occasionally seen major accidents, including a 2011 collision in Zhejiang that killed 40 people and a 2021 incident in Gansu that left nine workers dead.

US President Donald Trump announced that Chinese President Xi Jinping has agreed to increase China’s imports of American goods following a recent phone call between the two leaders. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he urged Xi to buy more US products, and Xi consented. The development follows Beijing’s earlier decision to resume soybean purchases from the United States and lift restrictions on rare earth exports. According to US Treasury Secretary Scott Besent, China has pledged to buy 12 million metric tons of soybeans from American farmers this year, with about 2 million tons already ordered. During the conversation, Xi emphasized the historical cooperation between China and the US against fascism and militarism and called for joint efforts to uphold the outcomes of World War II. He also reiterated China’s stance that Taiwan’s return is an integral part of the postwar international order and that Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory.

China has launched an unmanned spacecraft, Shenzhou-22, to assist three astronauts stranded aboard the Tiangong space station after their return capsule, Shenzhou-20, was damaged by suspected orbital debris. The Long March-2F rocket carrying the rescue craft lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on November 25, successfully docking with Tiangong. The China Manned Space Agency confirmed that astronauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang remain in orbit, continuing their mission until safe return conditions are restored. The damage to the Shenzhou-20 capsule had delayed their return to Earth, prompting the emergency backup launch. This marks another milestone in China’s expanding space program, following the record-setting Shenzhou-21 mission, during which three astronauts spent 204 days in orbit conducting scientific experiments, including studies involving laboratory mice.

Bitcoin mining is quietly resurging in China, four years after Beijing imposed a sweeping ban on all cryptocurrency-related activities in 2021. Despite the prohibition, miners are taking advantage of cheap electricity and expanding data center demand in energy-rich provinces such as Xinjiang. Before the ban, China was the world’s largest Bitcoin mining hub, but its share dropped to zero after the crackdown. According to Hashrate Index, China has now regained around 14% of global mining activity, ranking third worldwide. The resurgence has also boosted sales for local mining rig manufacturers like Canaan Inc. Industry insiders say miners are exploiting surplus electricity that cannot be exported, making mining profitable again. The Chinese government has not commented on the renewed activity, and analysts note that the revival coincided with Bitcoin’s price surge in October, driven by U.S. policy shifts and weakening confidence in the dollar. However, global risk aversion has since caused Bitcoin’s value to fall by about one-third from its peak.

A humanoid robot named A-2, developed by Shanghai-based company Agibot, has set a Guinness World Record by walking more than 106 kilometers without stopping. The robot began its journey from Suzhou on November 10 and reached Shanghai’s Bund area early on November 13, covering a total distance of 106.286 kilometers. Powered by Agibot’s advanced hot-swap battery technology, A-2 was equipped with dual GPS, LiDAR, and infrared depth sensors that helped it navigate traffic signals, narrow paths, crowded sidewalks, and various terrains including paved roads, bridges, and tactile pavements for the visually impaired. The robot followed traffic rules and adjusted to day and night conditions autonomously. Upon completing the journey, A-2 humorously remarked that it had a “memorable mechanical experience” and might now need a new pair of shoes. Previously, in April, another humanoid robot named Tian Kun Ultra completed a 21-kilometer half marathon in Beijing in 2 hours and 40 minutes.

China is constructing the world’s first artificial floating island capable of withstanding nuclear explosions and extreme natural disasters. The 78,000-ton structure, named the Deep-Sea All-Weather Resident Floating Research Facility, is expected to be operational by 2028. Designed as a mobile, semi-submersible twin-hull platform, it can endure waves up to nine meters high and typhoons of category 17 intensity. The island will accommodate 238 people for up to four months without external supplies. Built using metamaterial sandwich panels that absorb shock waves, the facility will feature emergency power, communication, and navigation systems crucial for nuclear protection. Although described as a civilian scientific infrastructure, its design follows military-grade standards (GJB 1060.1-1991) for nuclear blast resistance. The island will measure 138 meters in length, 85 meters in width, and rise 45 meters above sea level, serving as a long-term deep-sea research base.

Xiaomi has cautioned that smartphone prices could increase next year due to a sharp rise in global memory chip prices, driven by soaring demand for chips used in artificial intelligence (AI) servers. Major manufacturers like Samsung are prioritizing high-speed memory production for AI applications, reducing output for mobile chips and tightening supply. Xiaomi President Lu Weibing said the company expects greater cost pressure in the coming year, noting that even higher retail prices may not fully offset production expenses. Despite modest sales growth of 0.5% year-on-year in the third quarter, Xiaomi’s revenue of 113.1 billion yuan fell slightly short of analyst expectations, and its Hong Kong-listed shares dropped 2.81% on the announcement. However, the company’s net profit surged 80.9% to 11.3 billion yuan, supported by new ventures in electric vehicles, AI, and other emerging technologies, which now account for a quarter of total revenue.

China has once again suspended all seafood imports from Japan, citing safety concerns over Fukushima wastewater monitoring, though analysts say the move is politically motivated. The decision follows comments by Japan’s newly appointed Prime Minister Sanae Takaiichi, who warned that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would threaten Japan’s existence and could require a military response. Beijing demanded Takaiichi retract her statement and urged Chinese citizens to avoid traveling to Japan. The renewed ban comes just weeks after China had partially lifted restrictions imposed in 2023, when Japan began releasing treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean. The suspension is expected to severely impact Japan’s seafood exporters and tourism industry, as China had been the destination for over one-fifth of Japan’s seafood exports. Japanese officials say they have not yet received formal notification from Beijing, while Tokyo has issued safety advisories for its citizens in China amid rising diplomatic tensions.

The 55-kilometer Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge, one of the world’s largest engineering feats, has become a major tourist attraction since its 2018 opening. Spanning the Pearl River Delta, the bridge took nine years to build at a cost of around USD 20 billion. Tourists are drawn to its vast structure, modern design, and panoramic sea views, making it a favorite spot for photography and sightseeing. Visitors particularly appreciate the tranquil scenery and the illuminated night views that create a distinct visual experience. The bridge connects Hong Kong, Macau, and Zhuhai, with 24-hour shuttle buses and cross-border coaches facilitating travel. Tourists must carry valid travel documents as the bridge crosses three jurisdictions. The best time to visit is between October and March for clear skies, while evenings offer the best lighting for photos. Nearby attractions include observation points, ferry tours, and city landmarks in Hong Kong, Macau, and Zhuhai.