Day: April 16, 2025

BHP says global economy depends on China boosting consumption

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Stay informed with free updates Simply sign up to the Mining myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox. The head of the world’s largest mining company has said the outlook for the global economy depends on China’s ability to invigorate domestic consumption, as US President Donald Trump’s tariffs threaten to disrupt global trade. Mike Henry, chief executive of Australia’s BHP, said the direct tariff impact on the miner had been “limited”, but the potential for slower economic growth and a fragmented trading environment was a bigger issue. “China’s ability…

US House panel probes whether DeepSeek used restricted Nvidia chips

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Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free Your guide to what the 2024 US election means for Washington and the world The US House of Representatives China committee has asked Nvidia to explain whether and how Chinese company DeepSeek obtained export-controlled chips to power its artificial intelligence app, which lawmakers say poses a national security threat. John Moolenaar, the Republican chair of the panel, and his Democratic counterpart Raja Krishnamoorthi on Wednesday wrote to Nvidia to obtain information about their sales to China and south-east Asia. The letter came…

50 years on, a Cambodian bride remembers her forced marriage under the Khmer Rouge

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Nuon Mayourom had just turned 18. She wasn’t ready to get married, but the Khmer Rouge had other ideas. The Maoist regime controlled all aspects of life in Cambodia, including who you married. She was paired up with Lep Plong, 19. Villager leaders marked the occasion with a rare extravagance – they slaughtered a pig. cambodia-khmer-rouge-forced-marriage Nuon Mayourom, right, and husband Lep Plong, left, in an undated family photo. (Nuon Mayourom via RFA Khmer) Fifty years ago this week, the Khmer Rouge took control of Cambodia, turning the country into…

US places sanctions on Chinese refinery over Iran oil purchases

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Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free Your guide to what the 2024 US election means for Washington and the world The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on a Chinese refinery for buying Iranian crude oil, as Washington increasingly pushes Beijing to rein in oil purchases from the country to increase the pressure on Tehran. The Treasury department targeted Shandong Shengxing Chemical for allegedly buying more than $1bn in Iranian crude oil from sources that included a front company for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in violation of US…

Thailand’s auditing industry fails to protect migrant workers: activists

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MAE SOT, Thailand – When Shwe Lin heard that an auditing firm was visiting the garment factory where she worked in the Thai border town of Mae Sot to inspect labor conditions there, she found it hard to feel hopeful. The factory prepared pre-selected workers and exchanged rehearsed questions and answers with the auditing company, said the Burmese migrant worker, who requested an alias for her safety. She told Radio Free Asia that workers were forced to lie about factory policies about sick days, holidays and overtime. They’re also pressured…

Chinese officials are encouraging office workers not to work so hard

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For much of the Western world, the two-day weekend is sacrosanct. In China, the right to rest for two days each week is not a given. Many students say goodbye to the concept when they start high school. Overtime is sometimes compulsory for white-collar workers, especially in the go-go world of tech. In 2019 Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba, an internet giant, famously defended the “996” work culture—9am to 9pm, six days a week—as “a huge blessing”. The Economist

Japanese warships will be first to visit a Cambodian port upgraded by China

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TAIPEI, Taiwan – Japan said two of its minesweepers will visit a naval port in Cambodia this weekend in the first foreign navy visit since a Chinese-funded upgrade was completed. The Ream Naval Base was officially inaugurated earlier this month, featuring a new pier capable of handling much larger vessels, a dry dock for repairs, and other upgraded facilities. China’s involvement in the project has raised concerns among rival powers, who fear Beijing could use the base as a strategic foothold. While noting concern about China’s growing move to secure…

Vietnam to slash provinces as top leader To Lam seeks to consolidate power

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Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party approved plans to nearly halve the number of provinces, a crucial step toward enabling top leader To Lam, who faces a party congress in January, to stay in power. The reduction in the number of provinces to 34 from 63 was approved on Monday by the Communist Party’s central committee. The same day, the Politburo, the party’s highest decision-making body, issued a directive for the appointment of new provincial leaders under the guidance of a close Lam ally. Lam, who became secretary general of the Communist…