Journalist
AJP
baeinsun@ajunews.com
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Korea-China Forum Seeks Ways to Draw Young Talent to Aging Rural Communities Korean and Chinese agriculture experts met in Beijing to discuss policy directions for attracting more young people and skilled workers to rural areas in both countries, amid deepening rural aging and weak youth inflows. The discussion took place at the 33rd Korea-China Agriculture Forum, hosted by the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI) China office. Zeng Junxia, an associate researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said in a presentation that many young people in China have recently returned to rural hometowns to start businesses. She said government programs such as a rural CEO system and a science and technology commissioner system are gradually showing results. Zeng called for stronger legal foundations, an integrated long-term training system, expanded market-based incentives and stronger support for existing young farmers. Park Mi-seon, an associate research fellow at KREI, said South Korea has continued to expand policies to foster successor farmers and young farmers. She said the government has built a comprehensive support system covering income and financial assistance — including settlement support payments and financing for young smart farms — as well as farmland, education and housing. Park said the government aims to foster 30,000 young farmers by 2027 and is strengthening step-by-step support. To raise settlement rates, she said, South Korea needs a system to verify management performance, expanded management-base support linked to agricultural policies, stronger pre-entry exploration for prospective farmers and locally tailored talent development. In a subsequent discussion, experts from both countries agreed that expanding the number of young farmers will require comprehensive policies that link income, living conditions, education and access to farmland, rather than stand-alone support. Lim Young-a, head of KREI’s China office, said the institute will continue to expand Korea-China exchanges on agricultural policy and pursue joint research and cooperation to develop young farmers and rural talent. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 17:27:17 -
Ambassador Roh Jae-heon Urges Korea-China Youth to Serve as Bridge Between Peoples Ambassador Roh Jae-heon to China visited Shanghai on a one-night, two-day trip starting April 29, carrying out public diplomacy centered on Korea-China exchanges in youth, culture and history. The Korean Embassy in China said Roh delivered a lecture at NYU Shanghai on April 29 titled "A New Era in Korea-China Relations" and met with students for an open discussion. He said young people in both countries should pursue global cooperation in areas including innovation, culture and peace, and urged them to serve as a bridge connecting the two peoples, especially among future generations. Roh later visited a mixed-use shopping complex in central Shanghai, attended an opening ceremony for a Korean company store and toured the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency's Global Business Center. He also held a public-private meeting with officials and businesspeople to review the status of the government's "K-Initiative" and exchange views on ways to implement it more effectively. On April 30, Roh visited the grave of Korean film figure Kim Yeom, known as the "emperor of film" for his work in China in the 1930s, and laid flowers. He also visited the Shanghai site of the Korean Provisional Government, underscoring historical ties between the two countries. In a meeting with an official from the Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office, Roh praised Chinese authorities for their efforts to preserve the site as the 107th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean Provisional Government approaches. He called for continued cooperation so more visitors can commemorate the shared history of Korea and China. The embassy said the trip strengthened public diplomacy, including youth exchanges, supported Korean businesspeople, and provided an opportunity to discuss and review the spread of the government's cross-agency K-Initiative and ways to improve its implementation. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 16:58:43 -
China Expects 1.52 Billion Trips Over May Day Holiday, Boosting Hopes for Consumption China is bracing for a surge in travel during the five-day May Day holiday from May 1 to May 5, with expectations that the rush will help revive domestic demand. The Ministry of Transport said at a recent briefing it expects total passenger movement during the holiday to reach a record 1.52 billion trips. Average daily travel is projected at 304 million trips, up 4% from a year earlier and a new high. On May 1, the first day of the break, travel is expected to hit 344 million trips. Road travel is expected to dominate. An average of 64 million vehicles a day are forecast to be on the roads, and more than 90% of travelers are expected to use highways. Rail and air travel are estimated at more than 107 million and more than 219 million trips, respectively. The travel rush could exceed forecasts as schools in many areas begin spring break from late April to early May, effectively extending the holiday for some families. A shift from overseas trips to domestic travel is also emerging. China Daily, a state-run English-language newspaper, said the outbreak of war in Iran has pushed up jet fuel prices and increased uncertainty for international flights, strengthening preferences for domestic travel. Online travel agency Qunar said bookings for domestic long-distance trips of more than 800 kilometers rose more than 30% from a year earlier, while Spring Tour said reservations for domestic travel products increased about 20%. Wang Feng, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that with a longer break, both passenger transport and tourist numbers are expected to exceed last year’s levels. He said the holiday could produce broad-based gains across dining, lodging, transportation and retail. The government is also moving to spur spending. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism said it will hold about 13,700 cultural and tourism events during a “May Day cultural and tourism consumption week” and distribute consumption coupons and subsidies totaling 284 million yuan (about 61.6 billion won). Last year’s May Day holiday saw domestic tourist trips rise 6.4% from a year earlier to 314 million, while tourism spending increased 8% to 180.269 billion yuan. China’s economy grew 5% in the first quarter, but the recovery in domestic demand has been slower, with retail sales growth in March remaining in the 1% range. Expectations are high that this year’s May Day holiday will help lift consumer sentiment and add momentum to spending. At a Chinese Communist Party Politburo meeting on the 28th, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the need to make full use of domestic demand potential. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 14:03:22 -
China’s top financial regulator Li Yunze reportedly demoted amid discipline probe China’s top financial regulator, Li Yunze, has reportedly been demoted over discipline violations. Li’s information was removed on April 29 from the “leadership” section of the official website of the National Financial Regulatory Administration. His last public appearance was on April 22 at a meeting on an all-out campaign to prevent and crack down on illegal financial activity. Hong Kong’s Ming Pao and other outlets reported that Li was internally dismissed on April 28 and is likely to be reassigned to a midlevel post within the agency. Born in 1970, Li was appointed in 2023 as the inaugural head of the regulator, drawing attention as the first “post-70s” official to move into a minister-level central government post. He spent more than two decades at state-owned banks including China Construction Bank and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, and later served as a vice governor of Sichuan province, where he worked on managing local government debt risks. The regulator oversees banking, insurance and trust businesses. It was created in March 2023 during a State Council restructuring aimed at tightening financial oversight under Chinese President Xi Jinping. The financial market under its jurisdiction is estimated at about $79 trillion. Multiple explanations have circulated for Li’s reported demotion. Ming Pao, citing sources, said he was dismissed over issues related to raising his children. A recent Weibo post by a prominent Chinese journalist said a child had driven under the influence of alcohol or drugs and that the father, described as a powerful figure, tried to use connections to cover it up and nearly became implicated himself — remarks widely seen as pointing to Li. Reuters noted the reported dismissal comes as financial risks grow amid a prolonged property downturn and slowing economic growth. Some analysts have linked the move to a broader tightening of scrutiny over the financial sector. Chinese authorities have in recent years expanded regulatory powers while also pursuing anti-corruption efforts in the industry; Zhou Liang, a deputy head of the regulator, was previously removed over corruption allegations. 2026-04-30 11:09:17 -
U.S. Blocks Chipmaking Equipment Exports to China’s Hua Hong, Tightening AI Chip Curbs U.S. authorities have moved to block equipment exports to Hua Hong, China’s No. 2 semiconductor foundry, raising pressure in the race over artificial intelligence chips. The step comes at a sensitive time ahead of President Donald Trump’s planned visit to China in May. U.S. blocks equipment exports over concerns about advanced processes Reuters reported on April 28 that the Commerce Department recently sent letters to U.S. equipment makers including Lam Research, Applied Materials and KLA, directing them to stop shipping certain tools to Hua Hong. The letters restrict exports of semiconductor equipment and other materials tied to two manufacturing facilities that U.S. officials believe could be used to produce China’s most sophisticated chips. Reuters described the move as the latest U.S. step to slow China’s advanced-chip development and an extension of policies aimed at protecting U.S. technological advantages in AI and other leading-edge chipmaking. The action follows reports of progress at Hua Hong. The company is China’s second-largest foundry after SMIC, and has been reported to be developing manufacturing technology for advanced chips, including AI semiconductors. Its affiliate, HLMC, has been reported to be preparing to introduce a 7-nanometer process at a Shanghai plant. SMIC is effectively the only company in China seen as capable of producing chips on a 7-nanometer process. Analysts say Washington is concerned that if Hua Hong also commercializes advanced production, China’s drive for semiconductor self-reliance could accelerate. There has also been speculation that Huawei is working with Hua Hong to shift some AI chip production that has been made through SMIC. Congress moves to tighten export-control laws, aiming to institutionalize China curbs The Hua Hong step fits into a broader U.S. effort to restrict technology flows to China on national security grounds, particularly in AI and advanced semiconductors. The House Foreign Affairs Committee recently approved a package of bills that includes the “Multilateral Alignment for China Technology Controls Act,” or MATCH Act, aimed at strengthening export controls in coordination with allies. The push has been viewed as Congress seeking to constrain the Trump administration after it signaled it could ease some China-related export restrictions ahead of an expected U.S.-China leaders’ meeting in May. Bloomberg called it “the most significant legislative attempt” to overhaul export-control policy since 2018, reflecting congressional dissatisfaction with what it described as a cautious approach by the administration. Pressure is not limited to semiconductors. The Wall Street Journal reported that dozens of Democratic House members recently urged Trump to ban Chinese automakers from producing and selling vehicles in the United States. They also called for maintaining existing tariffs and blocking Chinese companies from building U.S. production facilities. The request followed Trump’s recent comments that Chinese companies could be allowed to enter if they build factories in the United States and create jobs, as the possibility of Chinese electric-vehicle makers entering the U.S. market is being discussed ahead of the expected summit. Manus dispute adds to tech tensions ahead of expected summit With tensions rising across advanced industries including semiconductors and autos, observers say the expected May U.S.-China summit is likely to focus more on competition than cooperation. A recent dispute involving the Chinese AI startup Manus has underscored that trend. U.S. tech company Meta announced in December that it would acquire Manus for about $2 billion, but the Chinese government moved to block the deal, saying it would review whether the transaction fell under technology export controls. On April 27, it ultimately decided to ban the investment. The move was widely seen as part of China’s effort to prevent the overseas transfer of AI talent and technology assets. Some observers, however, say the two leaders may choose to emphasize more practical issues, such as purchases of Boeing aircraft or agricultural trade, rather than putting advanced-technology disputes at the center of the talks. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 16:04:11 -
BYD Profit Drops 55% as China EV Price War Intensifies, Company Pushes Overseas China EV leader BYD reported a sharp drop in first-quarter profit as Beijing scaled back tax incentives and competition intensified, especially in the low-priced segment. The company said it plans to speed up overseas expansion to offset weaker sales at home. According to BYD’s earnings report released on April 28, first-quarter net profit fell 55.4% from a year earlier to 4.085 billion yuan (about 881.9 billion won). The decline was steeper than the previous quarter’s 38.2% drop, extending a profit slide to a fourth straight quarter. Revenue fell 11.8% to 150.225 billion yuan. China this year cut the electric-vehicle purchase-tax exemption in half, prompting many consumers to wait, while price competition intensified for EVs priced below 150,000 yuan. The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said first-quarter sales of new energy vehicles fell 23.8%. BYD’s first-quarter sales fell 30% from a year earlier to 700,000 vehicles. Overseas exports rose 56% over the same period but were not enough to prevent an overall decline. Monthly sales were down for a seventh straight month as of March. The China Passenger Car Association said BYD’s domestic EV market share in the first quarter slipped to 25.7% from 31.5% a year earlier, down about 6 percentage points. With the domestic slowdown showing signs of lasting, BYD has moved to target overseas markets more aggressively. It recently raised its overseas sales target for this year to 1.5 million vehicles from 1.3 million set earlier. The company aims to increase exports of new energy vehicles by more than 40% from last year’s 1.04 million. Overseas sales now account for 46% of BYD’s total, it said. The company also cited rising global demand for EVs as international oil prices climb in the wake of the Iran war. BYD is also emphasizing technology. It recently unveiled ultra-fast charging that it said can fully charge in nine minutes at room temperature and in 12 minutes at minus 30 degrees Celsius, aiming to reduce charging-time concerns and attract drivers of gasoline-powered vehicles. The company is also pursuing the premium segment. At the Beijing auto show, it introduced an electric supercar, the U9X, and a flagship SUV, the Datang, under its luxury brand Yangwang, a move seen as laying groundwork to compete with European premium automakers. Bill Russo, CEO of Shanghai-based consultancy Automobility, told the Nikkei that BYD is shifting away from volume-driven growth in China and focusing on a more balanced, globally diversified business with higher profitability. “Global markets are less overheated than China and have a more sustainable profitability structure,” he said. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 10:51:21 -
China Politburo urges readiness for external shocks, stronger energy security China’s top decision-making body, the Communist Party’s Politburo, called for a systematic response to external shocks and challenges and for stronger energy and resource security, Chinese state media reported. The message comes as uncertainty has risen in areas including energy and trade following the outbreak of the Iran war. According to Xinhua News Agency and other state outlets, the Politburo met on the 28th under the chairmanship of Chinese President Xi Jinping to review and assess the current economic situation and related work. The Politburo includes officials ranked within the party’s top 24 and typically meets once a month. Meetings held in April, July, October and December are regarded as key sessions for reviewing quarterly political and economic trends. The meeting said China’s economy “started strongly” this year, with major indicators exceeding expectations and showing “strong resilience and vitality,” praising first-quarter performance. It also said “some difficulties and challenges still exist,” and called for further consolidating the trend of improvement while maintaining stability. The Politburo urged adherence to the guiding approach of pursuing progress while maintaining stability, and called for building a new development pattern. It said China should advance technological self-reliance and strengthen independent control of industrial supply chains, while carrying out a more proactive fiscal policy and a suitably accommodative monetary policy with precision. On fiscal policy, it called for continued improvements in the structure of spending and for firmly safeguarding the minimum baseline of the so-called “three guarantees” at the grassroots level: basic livelihoods, wages and government operations. On monetary policy, it called for greater proactiveness, flexibility and precision to keep market liquidity at an adequate level. Boosting domestic demand was reaffirmed as a core task for the year. The meeting called for expanding the supply of high-quality goods and services, promoting consumption upgrades, and expanding and improving the service sector. It also listed expanded planning and construction of networks including water resources, new power grids, computing power, next-generation communications, urban water supply and drainage, logistics and other systems. The meeting also urged faster development of a modern industrial system, maintaining a reasonable share of manufacturing, building a unified national market, and addressing cutthroat low-price competition. It called for fully advancing an “AI plus” initiative to expand the integration of artificial intelligence with industry, develop a smart economy, improve AI governance, and deepen reforms of state assets and state-owned enterprises. With geopolitical risks rising, including the outbreak of the Iran war, the meeting also warned of possible deterioration in the external environment. It said China should “systematically respond to external shocks and challenges” and raise energy and resource security to address uncertainties through high-quality development. The Politburo also raised the need for measures to defuse risks in key areas including the property market, local government debt and small and medium-sized financial institutions. It called for strengthening an employment-first policy, improving management of agricultural production, and stabilizing prices for farm and livestock products including pork.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 17:15:20 -
China Media Defends Block on Meta’s Planned Acquisition of AI Startup Manus China’s state media on Tuesday defended the government’s decision to block U.S. tech giant Meta from acquiring Chinese-founded AI startup Manus, calling the move “reasonable, lawful and consistent with international practice.” China’s National Development and Reform Commission said the previous day it had decided, “in accordance with the law,” to ban foreign capital from acquiring the Manus project and had asked Meta to withdraw from the deal. Manus, founded in China, drew attention after unveiling a general-purpose AI agent in March last year and was at one point dubbed “a second DeepSeek.” Months later, it raised U.S.-linked funding and moved its headquarters to Singapore, prompting suspicions it was trying to sidestep U.S. and Chinese regulations. After Meta announced late last year it would buy Manus for about $2 billion, concerns grew in China about the loss of domestic talent and technology, and regulators moved to halt the transaction. In an editorial, the state-run Global Times said the central issue was that Manus, which grew using Chinese engineers and infrastructure, took U.S. investment and then cut ties with China. The paper said many in the industry viewed the shift as “Singapore washing” — relocating to Singapore to avoid scrutiny from both Washington and Beijing — and noted allegations the deal amounted to “acquihiring,” or buying a company mainly to secure its staff. The editorial said the government had not disclosed specific reasons for the block but argued China had sufficient jurisdiction and legal grounds. It said that even if Manus is incorporated in Singapore, its early research and development took place in China and key data are also based there, making the movement of people, technology and data directly tied to national interests. It added that whether China has jurisdiction depends on the company’s links to China in technology, talent and data and their relationship to national interests, citing measures on foreign investment security reviews, export-control technology lists and the foreign trade law as grounds for requiring a security review. The Global Times also said the action aligns with international practice, arguing that cross-border mergers involving sensitive technologies — including AI, data, algorithms, core software and key personnel — are not merely commercial transactions and that countries have broadly tightened investment security reviews. Markets are watching whether the decision can force the deal to be unwound. Under China’s foreign investment security review measures announced in late 2020, outcomes fall into three categories: “approval,” “conditional approval” and “investment ban.” If parties refuse to comply, authorities can order the disposal of equity or assets within a set period, place the party on a bad-credit record in a national credit information system and impose joint disciplinary measures as provided by regulations. Bloomberg said it was unclear whether the deal would collapse. Laila Kawaaja, head of research at Gavekal Dragonomics, said the decision carries “significant symbolic meaning” but that canceling the transaction would be difficult in practice because capital and technology transfers have already progressed substantially. Some observers said China could seek influence by restricting overseas activities by Manus executives or pressing for reduced roles or resignations on the Meta side. Kawaaja said the move also signals a clampdown on Chinese startups shifting headquarters to places such as Singapore to attract global investment. She called it a strong warning against a “de-China strategy” aimed at accessing overseas funding and markets, adding that China appears willing to allow global expansion while tightly controlling the outflow of talent and technology. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 12:21:20 -
Honor’s ‘Alpha Strategy’ Bets on AI Robots as Smartphone Growth Slows Honor’s move into humanoid robots reflects several pressures, led by a maturing smartphone market and the need for new growth. China’s smartphone market is widely seen as saturated, limiting room for expansion in Honor’s core business. Honor’s share in China has declined over the past five years. Counterpoint Research said Honor’s market share stood at 13.4% at the end of last year, below Huawei at 16.4%, Apple at 16.2%, Vivo at 16.2%, Xiaomi at 15.4% and Oppo at 15.2%, pushing Honor out of the top five. With an initial public offering in the works, Honor has been seeking a new engine to offset slowing growth. In March last year, Honor CEO Li Jian announced the company’s “Alpha strategy,” saying it would “transform into an AI smart device company centered on robots,” marking a full push into AI. In March this year, Honor presented what it called the world’s first “robot phone” at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, as the first product tied to the Alpha strategy. The phone features a protruding robotic arm on top fitted with a 20-megapixel camera designed to rotate and shoot in 360 degrees. Market reaction, however, fell short of expectations. Some experts said the product lacked polish, while consumers cited drawbacks including reduced portability and an awkward grip. That has fueled doubts that investment in the robot phone will translate into purchases. Against that backdrop, Honor’s sweep of the top spot in this year’s humanoid robot half-marathon has been viewed as a meaningful result. Chinese IT outlet Huxiu said the win would have a positive effect on Honor’s corporate value, adding that it could help boost capital-market sentiment, roadshow promotion and expectations for a “second growth curve.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 05:06:34 -
Honor’s Humanoid Robot Wins Beijing Half Marathon, Beating Unitree 50 minutes, 26 seconds. That was the winning time at this year’s humanoid robot half marathon in Beijing’s Yizhuang area, cutting last year’s top mark of 2:40:42 to about one-third. The time also beat the human half-marathon world record of 57:20. The winner was not last year’s champion, the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center’s “Tiangong,” nor Unitree’s “H1.” It was “Sandian,” a humanoid robot from Chinese smartphone maker Honor, competing for the first time. Six teams entered the race using Sandian robots. Three competed in fully autonomous mode and three used remote control. All six finished and took places 1 through 6, a result seen as evidence that Sandian is more than a prototype and has demonstrated production potential, technical stability and consistent manufacturing. Chinese IT outlet eet-china called Sandian “a vanguard that symbolically shows Honor’s technological strength.” Honor’s other humanoid robot, “Yuanqizai,” also competed and won a “best walking” award for what organizers described as the most humanlike, stable gait. The sweep is being viewed as a milestone in Honor’s push to move beyond smartphones and position itself as an artificial intelligence device-ecosystem company. ‘HUAWEI DNA’...From smartphones to an AI ecosystem company Finishing a 21-kilometer half marathon is difficult for humanoid robots, requiring stable walking along with battery endurance, heat management, mechanical durability, autonomous driving and algorithms. Last year, only about 20 teams entered and just six robots finished. This year, about 100 teams competed and nearly half finished. While most entries last year were remotely controlled, about 40% chose autonomous operation this year. The key to Honor’s first-year success, the report said, was smartphone engineering rooted in what it called “Huawei DNA.” Honor began in 2011 as a premium smartphone brand under Huawei and, during its 2020 separation from Huawei amid U.S. sanctions, absorbed many of Huawei’s core engineers and technical staff. Honor CEO Li Jian said, “Core technologies accumulated in the mobile phone field are very helpful for robot research and development.” One example is liquid cooling. Honor adapted its smartphone liquid-cooling technology for humanoid robots. Sandian carries a self-developed liquid-cooling unit in a backpack. Piping designed like a human capillary network runs into the motor, circulating about 4 liters of coolant per minute. The system is intended to remove heat quickly during high-speed running, prevent motor overheating and maintain stable output. Smartphone know-how, transplanted into a humanoid robot Power is another key factor. Sandian uses an integrated joint module capable of up to 400 newton-meters of torque, aiming to deliver strong force in compact joints while sustaining stable movement. The report said the precision miniaturization reflects know-how built from foldable smartphone hinge and internal-structure design. Software is also central. Honor combined its motion-control algorithms with multiple sensors so the robot can recognize complex surroundings in real time and automatically adjust its center of gravity and gait. The ability to process large volumes of data quickly to control movement was described as an extension of smartphone hardware-software integration. Sandian was designed from the outset for marathon running. It is 169 centimeters tall and weighs 45 kilograms, with legs measuring 95 centimeters, proportions the report compared to elite track athletes. Engineers removed nonessential structures to reduce weight, omitted hand joints, narrowed the arms, and used a foot design intended to minimize ground contact, reduce impact and efficiently transfer propulsion on a firm track. Supply chain helps lower barriers, but commercialization still needs proof China’s increasingly mature humanoid-robot supply chain has also lowered technical barriers, the report said, and open-source algorithm ecosystems have sped development. Manufacturing costs are falling quickly. According to the Gaogong Robot Industry Research Institute, the price of a humanoid robot in the first quarter was 100,000 yuan (about 21.6 million won), down 33% from a year earlier. Honor in March last year announced its “Alpha Strategy,” declaring a shift toward an AI smart-device company with robots as a core pillar. About a year later, it has demonstrated a humanoid robot capable of finishing a half marathon. Still, because Sandian is optimized for marathon performance, some observers said additional verification is needed before it can be used broadly across varied environments. They said autonomous decision-making must be strengthened through repeated learning and data accumulation in real-world settings. In that respect, the report said, a gap remains with established companies such as Unitree and Galbot, which have built up long-term data across diverse scenarios.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 05:05:28