Hong Kong customs uncovers gold bars worth US$5.9mil in Japan-bound shipment

HONG KONG: Hong Kong customs have uncovered the largest gold bullion-smuggling case ever recorded by the department, after officers found HK$46 million (US$5.9 million) worth of the precious metal in an air cargo shipment bound for Japan. Officers from the Customs and Excise Department’s air cargo division made the discovery when they acted on a risk...

Chinese dine-and-dash gang hits restaurants in eastern Thailand

BANGKOK: A gang of Chinese diners has been causing trouble for restaurant owners in the Bo Win area of Chonburi’s Si Racha district, with their latest offence occurring at a local pork barbecue restaurant where they fled without paying their bill. Yuthanan Panphrom, the restaurant owner, recounted the incident to the press, explaining that four Chinese...

China’s top universities expand enrolment to beef up capabilities in AI, strategic areas

Several of China's top universities have announced plans to expand their undergraduate enrolment to prioritise what they called "national strategic needs" and develop talent in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI). The announcements come after Chinese universities launched artificial intelligence courses in February based on AI startup DeepSeek which has garnered widespread attention. Its creation of AI...

Chinese Tourists Face Issues Returning To China After Plastic Surgery In South Korea; Need Doctor Certs To Prove Identities

When you look nothing like your passport photo. With South Korea being one of the world’s most popular destinations for plastic surgery, it is no surprise that some medical tourists are facing challenges when going through immigration after their makeover. So much so that the Chinese Embassy is reminding everyone to carry a doctor’s certificate when leaving the...

‘Desperate’ son of Hong Kong’s jailed Jimmy Lai asks to meet UK PM

LONDON: The son of jailed Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai has called for an urgent meeting with Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, saying he was “desperate” as his father’s defence drew to a close in a high-profile trial. Sebastien Lai said a fresh diplomatic push was now needed to free the 77-year-old pro-democracy activist, who...

36 men in China buy ‘love nest’ with US$140,000 mortgage, then realise they have same lover

BEIJING: A total of 36 men in Shenzhen are alleged to have been swindled by the same woman who pretended to date them before luring them into buying flats in a nearby city. The woman behind the scam identified herself as Liu Jia to each of the men while the houses she asked them to buy...

China loses private jets as other Asian growth spots emerge; Singapore and India among front runners now

SINGAPORE (Reuters): A sharp fall in the number of private jets based in China in recent years shows the impact a weakening domestic economy, anti-corruption drives and the pandemic have had on the country's wealthiest, according to business aviation industry data and experts. At the end of last year there were a third fewer private jets...

Chinese Foreign Minister calls for building South China Sea into an area of peace, friendship and cooperation

BEIJING, March 7 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- China is ready to work with Asean countries to step up communication, stay clear of disturbances, and build consensus for an early conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC), so as to make the South China Sea a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation, Chinese...

Thailand’s deportation of Uighurs was to avert China ‘retaliation’: Minister

BANGKOK: Thailand’s deportation of 40 Uighurs to China last week was in the South-east Asian country’s best interest due to the possibility of retaliation from Beijing if the group was sent elsewhere, a Thai minister said on Thursday (March 6). Thailand’s government has repeatedly defended the secretive deportation, which came despite calls from United Nations human...

Chinese Influencer Found Out She Was Pregnant The Day Before She Gave Birth

The true definition of "Surprise!". A Chinese beauty influencer named Ting Ting has gone viral for her super whirlwind pregnancy experience. Basically, she found out she was pregnant one day before giving birth. Ting Ting shared her story online, and immediately became a trending topic on Weibo. Recalling the events leading up to her baby’s birth, Ting Ting said: “On the night of...