Latest news with #TheSouthChinaMorningPost


NDTV
an hour ago
- Business
- NDTV
Chinese Cashier Steals Rs 20 Crore To Fund Cosmetic Surgery And Luxury Life
A Chinese woman who was working as a cashier, earning 8,000 yuan (approximately Rs 1 lakh) per month, has been found to have embezzled nearly 17 million yuan (Rs 20 crore) from her employer, according to The South China Morning Post. The substantial sum was reportedly used to finance an extravagant lifestyle, including extensive cosmetic surgeries and luxury purchases. According to SCMP, over a period of six years, the individual underwent cosmetic procedures four times annually, with each session costing an estimated 300,000 yuan (Rs 36 lakh). In addition to her physical transformations, she cultivated an image of wealth on social media, spending approximately two million yuan (Rs 2 crore) each year on high-end goods. These acquisitions included diamond bracelets valued at over 100,000 yuan (Rs 12 lakh) and limited-edition crocodile skin handbags. Further investigations revealed her participation in gambling activities at Macau casinos. As per the Chinese Media house, the 41-year-old, who used the pseudonym Wang Jing, worked as a cashier for a flower and gardening services company in Shanghai that was founded by a person surnamed Xu in 2018. To facilitate payments, Xu and Wang set up a secured online banking system that was controlled by Wang. Xu had hired a professional accounting firm and could monitor the company's finances via her phone, so she felt reassured and placed her trust in Wang. However, Wang had secretly been treating the company's account as her personal vault, using it to fund an extravagant lifestyle. She confessed that her sole motivation at work was to transfer company funds into her own account for personal use. "I am blinded by vanity, I have never spent money on any man. I just want to make myself look better," Wang told SCMP, adding: "I enjoy being praised and looking young." The scheme unravelled in July 2024 when the tax authorities made an unannounced visit to the company and discovered discrepancies between its actual operations and its tax declarations. At that time, the company's accounts were empty, forcing Xu to use her personal savings to cover employee social security payments. The Changning District People's Procuratorate in Shanghai officially indicted Wang Jing on charges of embezzlement and fraud. The case is ongoing.


News18
2 days ago
- Health
- News18
Chinese Man Accused Of Groping Woman While Performing CPR On Busy Street
Last Updated: A local teachers' organisation conducted an internal investigation into Pan, but no formal charges were filed against him A 42-year-old Chinese man is under investigation after people accused him of groping a woman while performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on her. The woman collapsed on a street in Hengyang, central Hunan province, leading a female doctor to rush to her aid and begin chest compressions. When the doctor grew tired, she called for help. The man, Pan, stepped in, saying that he had a degree in clinical medicine and CPR training. Together, the two took turns performing chest compressions for about ten minutes. The doctor monitored the woman's vitals and instructed a relative to call an ambulance, as per The South China Morning Post. Their joint effort revived the woman, who regained a weak pulse, opened her eyes, and was taken to the hospital for further treatment. Soon, a video of Pan and the doctor went viral on the internet, where some users alleged that his hand placement during CPR was inappropriate. Facing criticism despite giving a much-needed medical treatment, Pan told the media, 'I am afraid. If I had known I would be punished, I would not have taken the initiative to help. I am so painfully disappointed," as per South China Morning Post. 'If my CPR techniques were incorrect, the medical personnel would have mentioned it out. But so far, no one has." Many others also came out in support of Pan and praised him for his good Samaritan behaviour. According to reports, a local teachers' organisation conducted an internal investigation into Pan, but no formal charges were filed against him. One of the witnesses, a man named Deng, defended Pan's behaviour and stated that the situation was 'critical," and that no one believed Pan groped her chest. Research by American Heart Association and St John Ambulance finds many bystanders, particularly men, hesitate to perform CPR on women due to fears of being accused of inappropriate touching or sexual assault. One study found that such fears contribute to lower CPR rates for women (39%) compared to men (45%). view comments First Published: July 21, 2025, 18:24 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


The Star
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Beijing scholars map out Taiwan's post-reunification governance, including force
As tensions between Beijing and Taipei rise, academia and the education sector reveal how each side is changing to adapt to – or shape – the new environment. In the first of a two-part series, we survey the vast research by mainland academics studying potential paths and models for governing the island. For decades, Beijing has talked about peaceful reunification with Taiwan and possibly governing it under the arrangement of 'one country, two systems', a term that means the island could have a different political system than the mainland. The idea was first proposed by late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping and written into the constitution as a legal foundation for future governance of Taiwan in 1982. Generations of Chinese leaders have shared their broad vision of how post-reunification governance would look for the island, including its military and political parties. Yet it was only under President Xi Jinping – or more specifically since Xi made a key speech on the matter of Taiwan in January 2019 – that detailed discussion of the issue picked up in public, including from policy advisers and academics. The growth in the discussion took place as the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government in Taiwan continued to push the island towards pro-independence, and Washington kept up its support for Taiwan amid competition with Beijing. Many recommendations published in state-affiliated academic journals specifically on the subject of Taiwan have drawn lessons from Hong Kong – which saw massive anti-government protests in 2019 – and emphasised Beijing's direct authority, national security education and vetting of senior government officials. While most of the proposals have been based on the presumption of reunification via peaceful means, there is a growing amount of work by mainland Chinese scholars on what it might look like to govern the island if the unification cannot be achieved through peaceful negotiation, as Beijing steps up its contingency preparations against growing risks of separatist movements on the island. There is no evidence that the discussions reflect a shift in Beijing's previously stated principles on the issue, nor the fact that Beijing has not set a timetable for it. But some experts say discussions about governing Taiwan published by state-affiliated scholars in state-endorsed publications mark a change from Beijing's previous defensive position of deterring independence to a more proactive promotion of reunification with the island. And those discussions, they say, may provide policy options for Beijing, which has a level of deniability regarding the messaging and says it retains the ultimate power to choose what to do with Taiwan. Paper trail The South China Morning Post reviewed academic papers from four major journals specifically on the subject of Taiwan studies and published on the mainland since 2013, when Xi became president. The survey reveals a noticeable increase since 2019 in consideration of a 'one country, two systems' framework specifically for Taiwan. In January that year, Xi had for the first time called for 'exploring a 'two systems' solution to the Taiwan question' and to 'enrich efforts towards peaceful reunification'. Although Beijing has remained tight-lipped over its preferred timeline for reunification and ideas about the governance structure of the island, mainland China's academic world is studying different options. A review of titles and abstracts of papers in the four journals finds that at least 42 published since 2019 specifically address the topic – a sharp increase on the six papers on the topic published between 2013 and 2018. It is not clear what the exact reason is behind the increase. The papers, accessible on mainland China's largest academic research database CNKI, are from four key journals run by leading government-backed think tanks, which may hint at Beijing's focus and possible pathways on the Taiwan issue. They include Taiwan Studies, a bimonthly journal put out by the mainland's most important Taiwan-related think tank, the Beijing-based Institute of Taiwan Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The other three are: Cross-Taiwan Strait Studies under the Shanghai Institute for Taiwan Studies; the Taiwan Research Journal under the Taiwan Research Centre of Xiamen University in Fujian province; and Studies on Fujian-Taiwan Relations under the Fujian Institute of Governance. Beyond the select journals, the overall number of papers featuring the search phrase 'two-system solution to Taiwan', a term that is also mentioned by top leaders, saw a moderate peak in 2020, followed by a notable surge between 2022 and 2023, according to a summary of data available on CNKI. It is believed that mainland scholars also make policy recommendations through channels and publications not accessible to the public, including on the Taiwan issue. But it is not possible to assess those internal discussions. One common suggestion seen in the papers reviewed is that the governance framework for Taiwan should draw, to some extent, on lessons from the Hong Kong model. Another key argument is that the level of autonomy granted should still provide the central government with sufficient flexibility to intervene when necessary. In academic writing on the mainland, there has been discussion of a greater number of Taiwanese delegates joining the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, to articulate local interests. Several scholars advocated for local governance to be led by patriots, echoing the approach implemented in Hong Kong. One study suggested 'Taiwan-style socialism' could be adopted as the island needed to 'quickly align with the mainland system' to avoid problems caused by their differences. Similar discussions on governance have been raised on some other platforms on the mainland, and also in Taiwan. In August last year, the mainland Chinese research institute the Cross-Strait Institute of Urban Planning at Xiamen University proposed that Beijing establish a 'shadow government', saying it was 'imperative to prepare a plan for the comprehensive takeover of Taiwan after reunification'. In March, Peking University scholar Li Yuhu, who is also a deputy to the national legislature, warned that Taiwan might lose the high degree of autonomy previously on offer if it had to be reunited with the mainland by force. 'If Taiwan moves towards separation or resists reunification, and the mainland government still needs to complete reunification, the arrangement may be downgraded, even to the level of Taiwan province,' he said. Scholars from Taiwan are joining that discussion. At a forum in Shanghai in May, Zhong Qin, a senior research fellow at the Asia Pacific Research Foundation in Taiwan, suggested that the concept of 'practical reunification' – through actual implementation of governance – could be an alternative approach, avoiding a prolonged wait or abrupt changes in the event of non-peaceful scenarios. In December, former Taiwanese legislative speaker Wang Jin-pyng proposed the concept of 'separate governance without division' so Taiwan and mainland China could coexist while maintaining separate governance yet 'share undivided sovereignty'. It is not clear if any of these proposals are supported by the public, especially in Taiwan. According to the latest survey published by Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council in April, 84.4 per cent of respondents remain opposed to the 'one country, two systems' concept, consistent with previous quarterly survey results. More than 85 per cent of those surveyed said they preferred maintaining the status quo, including 36 per cent favouring its permanent preservation. Lessons from Hong Kong In Beijing's latest official white paper on Taiwan in 2022, it credited the implementation of the one country, two system concept in Hong Kong as a 'resounding success'. But in policy discussions, mainland intellectuals said the city offered a number of lessons for the potential governance of Taiwan. A paper by Wu Libin, associate professor at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, published in 2022, argues that Taiwan should be granted authorised autonomy – similar to Hong Kong's model – to give Beijing 'greater flexibility and legal grounds' to intervene when necessary or otherwise risk 'overly rigid constraints on central authority'. A paper published last year, written by Zhang Jian, a senior research fellow at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, suggested the framework should implement the idea of 'patriots governing Taiwan', a view also seen in several other studies. Beijing responded to Hong Kong's months-long anti-government protests in 2019 by imposing a national security law on the city, followed by an overhaul of the electoral system to ensure social stability and safeguard national security, with the principle of only patriots ruling the city. Zhang argues that the governance plan for Taiwan 'should include sound legislation on central authorities' powers in areas such as national defence, the judiciary, education and national security'. 'The experience and lessons from the Hong Kong case show that relevant laws must be designed and established before reunification to ensure that after reunification the central government's powers are protected through strong legal frameworks,' Zhang argued. Another study published this year by scholars from Xiamen University cited the national security law in Hong Kong, suggesting that efforts should focus on introducing a new criminal law in Taiwan to target separatist activities. Non-peaceful means While most of the papers in the journals focus on peaceful reunification, there is a rising number of studies mentioning the possibility of non-peaceful scenarios. Many discussed the Anti-Secession Law that provides a legal framework for Beijing to use non-peaceful means. In general, a search on CNKI identifies 76 papers published since 2019 mentioning non-peaceful options compared to 21 papers published between 2013 and 2018. There is no clearly stated reason, but it could be a reflection of the perceived threat by Beijing of the growing risks of separatist movements in Taiwan and the attempt by the US and its allies to use the issue to destabilise China. A closer review finds at least six studies published since 2022 that feature more detailed discussion. Two specifically focus on the premise of non-peaceful scenarios and suggest detailed proposals – including deploying People's Liberation Army (PLA) forces to the island. Since Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te took office in May last year, he has repeatedly asserted that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait 'are not subordinate to each other', drawing fierce condemnation from Beijing – especially after he described mainland China in March as a 'foreign hostile force', an unprecedented escalation in cross-strait rhetoric. Amid heightened tensions, a paper by a mainland researcher published this year on non-peaceful means attracted attention. Wang Heting, a professor at Soochow University's Marxism school, wrote that Beijing could choose a moment to revive 'civil war operations' against Taiwan and impose 'direct governance' over the island during that time. Mainland China and Taiwan split in 1949 at the end of a civil war when the Kuomintang was defeated by Communist Party forces and fled to Taipei. Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory, to be reunited by force if necessary. Most countries, including the United States, do not recognise the island as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any unilateral change to the status quo and is also committed to providing weapons to Taipei for the island's defence. Wang suggested that Beijing could blockade Taiwan's ports, airspace, cyberspace and surrounding seas to prevent the conflict from escalating externally and to cut off foreign help. A trade embargo could block military supplies, and any Taiwanese or foreign vessels and aircraft violating the embargo could be confiscated. In another paper published in 2023, the author Zhu Lei, a professor at Minnan Normal University, argued that the governance framework for Taiwan must be significantly more strict under non-peaceful scenarios. Regarding security, Taiwan's military would be restructured and the PLA would be stationed in Taiwan and take primary responsibility for the island's defence, while the restructured local force would mainly manage social order. Zhu suggested introducing a decades-long transitional period in which Taiwan would retain its capitalist system under which the state would not play the chief role in the economy and public life – unlike the system on the mainland. He said Taiwan would be granted greater autonomy than that of ethnic minority autonomous regions, which include Tibet and Xinjiang, but slightly less than Hong Kong and Macau, arguing that 'the treatment granted through non-peaceful reunification must never exceed that of peaceful reunification, otherwise it would amount to encouraging resistance'. He also suggested local governance should be carried out by 'the virtuous', which he defined as those supporting reunification. Tong Zhao, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in the US, observed that these publications appeared to aim at helping manage perceptions of post-conflict stability. 'These academic papers authored by government-affiliated experts and approved for publication in leading journals signal a shift in [Beijing's] Taiwan policy from preventing independence to promoting reunification,' Zhao said. 'They shape domestic and international narratives to legitimise non-peaceful reunification while mitigating concerns about prolonged chaos and massive destruction.' He added that the discussions could convey a coercive message to Taiwan's ruling party and its supporters, and influence public opinion in Taiwan. 'Publishing these discussions in academic journals, rather than through official government statements, allows [Beijing] to advance these objectives while maintaining plausible deniability regarding official policy endorsement.' Yun Sun, director of the China programme at the Washington-based Stimson Centre, said the discussions reflected 'the reality that since 2019, US-China relations have deteriorated at an accelerated rate, and the notion of a Taiwan contingency has become increasingly real'. 'Since most of the military planning cannot be discussed in the open, discussion about the future political arrangement over Taiwan becomes both needed and desired,' Sun said. 'This does not mean that China is close to [attacking] Taiwan militarily. 'Preventing independence and promoting reunification are the two sides of the same coin as long as [the Democratic Progressive Party] is in power. At the current state, Taiwanese people will not embrace reunification willingly, so the only viable option is by force if China believes that it can deter US military intervention.' Limits Some analysts say these discussions among mainland scholars will remain reference points for Beijing but have limited influence. Zhu Songling, a professor at the Institute of Taiwan Studies at Beijing Union University, noted that since 2019 there had been increasing attention paid to the governance framework for Taiwan, with two major projects set up under the National Social Science Fund – a major source of funding for social science research in mainland China. However, he said, there was more work to be done. 'Since one country, two systems is a relatively new concept [that has only been tested in Hong Kong and Macau], it holds vast theoretical and practical potential, with much space still to be explored.' Zhu also said 'there remains a possibility that the plan for Taiwan will differ significantly from the model in Hong Kong and Macau' because of differences between the regions. 'Due to historical reasons, the Hong Kong and Macau arrangements were formed through negotiations and implemented along with practices. Exactly how the plan for Taiwan should be studied and implemented still requires exploratory advancement through practice.' Li Fei, a Taiwan studies specialist at Xiamen University, also noted that academic discussions 'provide a reference for decision-making' but planning had 'to be constantly adjusted according to changes in the situation'. However, according to one analyst, the prospect of Beijing's possible governance plan for Taiwan is losing appeal, creating major problems. Chong Ja Ian, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, suggested that any proposal from Beijing lacking credible self-restraint was unlikely to appeal to Taiwan. He said that meanwhile, military pressure and coercive tactics, such as the drills, espionage cases and disinformation campaigns, had only deepened distrust and resistance in Taiwan. Beijing, however, has blamed the Taiwanese authorities for provoking the hostility and said its action was in response to such action. The central government has vowed to unwaveringly uphold the rights to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity if 'Taiwan independence elements do not stop their provocations'. Zhu Fenglian, a spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, earlier said that the mainland's military drills around Taiwan served as a resolute warning to 'instigators of war' and were not aimed at Taiwanese people. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST


Time of India
09-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Japan's Kansai International Airport is sinking into the ocean; know what went wrong
Japan's Kansai International Airport is sinking Kansai International Airport (KIX) in Japan has long been considered an engineering marvel. Built entirely on an artificial island in Osaka Bay, it serves as a major aviation hub connecting over 30 million passengers each year to 91 cities across 25 countries. Since opening in 1994, KIX has grown into one of Asia's busiest and most critical international airports. But behind this success story lies a persistent and worsening issue: the entire airport is sinking into its soft clay foundation. According to a report by The South China Morning Post, the original island has sunk about 12.5 feet since its opening. The second island added later during expansion, has already descended 57 feet since landfill work began. In just the last year alone, officials recorded 21 centimetres of sinking at 54 separate monitoring points on the newer island. These figures highlight a growing concern—not just about the engineering design, but also the future of this key transport hub as sea levels rise and extreme weather events become more frequent. Despite these challenges, the airport remains fully operational, and engineers are working constantly to manage and slow down the rate of subsidence. This article explores why Kansai is sinking, how engineers are responding, and what lessons Japan has learned from this ambitious project. Why Kansai Airport was built on water KIX was constructed on a man-made island 5 kilometres offshore to address land shortages in the Osaka region and reduce noise complaints from densely populated areas. The engineering plan involved creating a foundation on about 20 meters of soft alluvial clay, known for its compressibility and instability. To tackle this, engineers installed 2.2 million vertical pipe drains to speed up the soil consolidation process and used over 200 million cubic meters of landfill and 48,000 tetrapods to stabilize the site. Despite this effort, the clay base continues to compress under the airport's weight. As explained by Hiroo Ichikawa, professor emeritus of urban planning and policy at Meiji University, 'It is sinking by less than 10 centimetres a year now, but that is slowing and manageable.' (South China Morning Post, 2024) Why Typhoon Jebi was a wake-up call for Japan's sinking airport The airport's vulnerability was fully exposed in 2018 when Typhoon Jebi, the strongest storm to hit Japan in 25 years, brought massive flooding. As reported by The Guardian, a storm surge flooded the airport's basement-level disaster response centre and electric substation, leaving 5,000 travellers stranded without power or transport for more than 24 hours. A fuel tanker even collided with the bridge connecting the airport to the mainland, cutting off the only road access. This event not only disrupted operations but also led engineers to reevaluate key design elements—particularly the placement of critical systems underground in a facility prone to flooding and subsidence. Ongoing sinking of Kansai International Airport: Latest measurements and response According to data published in The Straits Times and The Nation Thailand (June 2024), the second island experienced 21 centimetres of sinking in a single year, while the original island continues to settle at about 4 inches (10 cm) per year. Though slower than before, the subsidence has not stopped. In response, over $150 million has been invested in upgrading the airport's seawalls and reinforcing infrastructure. Engineers have elevated key equipment, such as power systems and disaster response centres, above potential flood levels. The goal is not to stop the sinking—because that's impossible—but to manage it within safe limits, as emphasized by Professor Ichikawa. 'The effect of sinking was taken into consideration in the design,' he said. 'Engineers are constantly monitoring conditions at KIX and are working to limit the subsidence, but nothing is impossible and it really is just a question of cost.' (South China Morning Post, 2024) Lessons learned: A smarter airport in Nagoya Kansai's experience has helped shape future airport construction in Japan. When Chubu Centrair International Airport opened in 2005 near Nagoya, engineers applied key lessons from KIX—especially in choosing more stable ground and keeping essential systems above sea level. This has paid off. According to Skytrax, Chubu Centrair has been named the world's best regional airport for 11 consecutive years through 2025. The facility has experienced minimal subsidence and has proven far more resilient to climate risks and natural disasters. Also read | What is 'Naked Flying': The minimalist travel trend taking off around the world


NDTV
06-07-2025
- Business
- NDTV
Chinese Man Offers Life Savings To Any Stranger Willing To Care For His Cat
An 82-year-old man in southern China wants to leave his entire inheritance to anyone willing to care for his cat after he dies. The man, identified only by his surname Long, lives alone in Guangdong province. With no children and having lost his wife a decade ago, Mr Long found companionship in a group of stray cats he rescued during a rainy day. Of the original four, only one, a cat named Xianba, is still with him, The South China Morning Post reported. Concerned about what will happen to the cat when he is gone, Mr Long has been actively searching for a trustworthy individual who will take in Xianba and provide her with lifelong, unconditional care. In return, he is offering his entire estate, which includes his apartment and savings, to the person who takes her in and ensures her well-being. Speaking to Guangdong Radio and Television, Mr Long said his only condition is that the new owner "take good care" of Xianba. China's pet market has grown into a multibillion-dollar industry, with spending reaching approximately $42 billion (around Rs 3.5 lakh crore) in 2024, a 7.5 per cent increase from the previous year, as per Financial Times. Urban pet ownership is booming, with estimates suggesting pets will soon outnumber young children in Chinese cities. Younger generations, particularly those born in the 1990s and 2000s, are driving this trend by treating pets as family members and spending heavily on premium food, healthcare, grooming, accessories, and even funerals. Last year, an elderly woman in Shanghai decided to leave her entire $2.8 million fortune to her pets, saying her adult children failed to visit or care for her in old age. The woman reportedly changed her will after years of being neglected by her children, even during times of illness. She said her cats and dogs provided her with constant companionship and emotional comfort.