North Korea Publishes Revised Constitution Treating South Korea as a Separate State
North Korea released the full text of its revised basic law on Wednesday, and the document at the center of […]
East Asia
China’s Singles Day Shopping Festival Puts AI Selling Power to the Test
Singles Day 2026 has become the great test of artificial intelligence in Chinese retail, as platforms use AI chatbots, virtual try-ons and smart assistants to revive cautious spending.
Taiwan Appoints Acer Founder as APEC Envoy, Calls for Written Guarantees from China
Taiwan has named Acer founder Stan Shih as its APEC envoy and is demanding written guarantees from China that its delegation can take part in next week’s summit on equal terms.
South Korea Holds Task Force Meeting on Rights of 168,000 Overseas Adoptees
Seoul has convened a high-level task force to turn apologies into action for around 168,000 Koreans adopted overseas, from restoring nationality to helping them find their birth families.
Japan to Delve Into Acquiring Nuclear Submarines in Security Review
Japan is set to study the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines in its security review, a historic shift driven by China’s maritime expansion and regional changes.
Hong Kong’s monetary authority moves to unlock bank financing for the Northern Metropolis
The HKMA is proposing capital rule changes that would let banks finance Northern Metropolis institutions more easily, as the Education Bureau briefed lenders on the University Town project.
Takaichi uses a French-hosted meeting to push global cooperation on AI security
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told a French-hosted online meeting that frontier AI creates cross-border security risks, and set out Japan’s aim of hosting an international AI summit.
Seoul approves pushing its anti-piracy naval mission toward the Strait of Hormuz
South Korea’s cabinet has approved widening the Cheonghae naval unit’s operating area from the Gulf of Aden toward the waters south of Oman, near the Strait of Hormuz.
Taipei says China’s carrier group is practising to shut foreign forces out of the Western Pacific
Taiwan’s defence minister told parliament that Chinese naval forces, led by the Liaoning carrier group, are rehearsing area denial operations in the Western Pacific.
China’s trade surplus passes $1 trillion as AI hardware fuels an October export surge
China’s cumulative trade surplus for the first ten months of 2026 has passed one trillion dollars, powered by booming global demand for chips and AI equipment.