Beijing Queer film festival cancelled after harassment from authorities

By: Amy Hawkins Senior China correspondent

30 October 2026 at 14:04

Forums for discussion of feminist and LGBTQ+ views face growing intolerance from Chinese state, say experts

Beijing’s annual independent queer film festival has been cancelled after what is understood to have been a campaign of sustained harassment from authorities.

Beijing Queer film festival, which was due to begin on Friday in China’s capital, is one of the country’s oldest independent film festivals.

Beijing Queer film festival cancelled after harassment from authorities

The Guardian

By: Amy Hawkins Senior China correspondent

30 October 2026 at 14:04

Forums for discussion of feminist and LGBTQ+ views face growing intolerance from Chinese state, say experts

Beijing’s annual independent queer film festival has been cancelled after what is understood to have been a campaign of sustained harassment from authorities.

Beijing Queer film festival, which was due to begin on Friday in China’s capital, is one of the country’s oldest independent film festivals.

How One Country Became the Unlikely Crossroads of the Global A.I. Boom

NYT > Top Stories

By: Adam Satariano · Xinyun Wu and Ulet Ifansasti For The New York Times

30 October 2026 at 08:28

In Malaysia, U.S. and Chinese tech giants are pouring billions into vast data centers, straining local resources and testing the limits of Washington’s restrictions on advanced chips.

In China, the War on Mosquitoes Has Entered the A.I. Era

NYT > Top Stories

By: Keith Bradsher

30 October 2026 at 07:01

Using sensors developed for self-driving cars, a Chinese start-up claims it can track and destroy tiny flying targets while avoiding people, pets and reflective surfaces.

China expels a record number from Communist party amid Xi’s intensified purges of top officials

World news | The Guardian

By: Amy Hawkins in Beijing

30 October 2026 at 05:56

The unprecedented number of empty seats at the fifth plenum – a symbol of expulsions – serve as a symbol for the scale of the purges under Xi Jinping

China expelled a record number of officials from the Chinese Communist party (CCP) as it concluded a major political gathering, which saw an unprecedented number of empty seats indicating the scale of the purges under Xi Jinping.

A record 33 members were expelled at this week’s fifth plenum, a gathering of top officials that takes place roughly once a year.

China expels a record number from Communist party amid Xi’s intensified purges of top officials

The Guardian

By: Amy Hawkins in Beijing

30 October 2026 at 05:56

The unprecedented number of empty seats at the fifth plenum – a symbol of expulsions – serve as a symbol for the scale of the purges under Xi Jinping

China expelled a record number of officials from the Chinese Communist party (CCP) as it concluded a major political gathering, which saw an unprecedented number of empty seats indicating the scale of the purges under Xi Jinping.

A record 33 members were expelled at this week’s fifth plenum, a gathering of top officials that takes place roughly once a year.

China Is Not Happy About Fan-made A.I. Videos of Sun Wukong and Lin Daiyu

NYT > Top Stories

By: Tiffany May

29 October 2026 at 12:09

Mash-up videos of beloved characters from Chinese classics — some made with A.I. — have caught the attention of the authorities.

Nvidia CEO reportedly targeted by an alleged Chinese spy

World news | The Guardian

By: Johana Bhuiyan

29 October 2026 at 18:23

Jensen Huang reported to have had close relationship with tech company executive suspected of passing intel to China

US intelligence agencies believe the Nvidia chief executive, Jensen Huang, has been targeted by an alleged Chinese spy who had done business with him, according to a new report by the New York Times.

Alice Huang or Huang Le, of no relation to the Nvidia CEO, is an executive at a Singapore-based datacenter company called Megaspeed. She had previously been suspected of smuggling Nvidia chips to China, prompting American officials to surveil and monitor her. Those officials have determined that she was acting as a Chinese intelligence asset, passing commercial information to Beijing, the New York Times reported, citing unnamed sources.

Nvidia CEO reportedly targeted by an alleged Chinese spy

The Guardian

By: Johana Bhuiyan

29 October 2026 at 18:23

Jensen Huang reported to have had close relationship with tech company executive suspected of passing intel to China

US intelligence agencies believe the Nvidia chief executive, Jensen Huang, has been targeted by an alleged Chinese spy who had done business with him, according to a new report by the New York Times.

Alice Huang or Huang Le, of no relation to the Nvidia CEO, is an executive at a Singapore-based datacenter company called Megaspeed. She had previously been suspected of smuggling Nvidia chips to China, prompting American officials to surveil and monitor her. Those officials have determined that she was acting as a Chinese intelligence asset, passing commercial information to Beijing, the New York Times reported, citing unnamed sources.

Nvidia Chief, Jensen Huang, Is Seen as Target of Chinese Spy Plot

NYT > Top Stories

By: Jonathan Swan · Maggie Haberman · Ana Swanson · Paul Mozur · Tripp Mickle and Julian E. Barnes

29 October 2026 at 22:27

A Chinese businesswoman who had a close relationship with Jensen Huang was found to be passing intelligence to Beijing. President Trump was briefed and took no action.

Jensen Huang, the chief executive of Nvidia, is influential at the White House on technology policy and has developed a close relationship with President Trump.

Hello Kitty company cuts ties with Japanese spy show after China outcry

World news | The Guardian

By: Justin McCurry in Tokyo

29 October 2026 at 11:03

Sanrio ends association with TV drama Vivant after China says portrayal of ruthless Chinese agents is ‘deliberate smear’

The company behind the successful Hello Kitty franchise has apologised and ended its commercial tie-up with a Japanese TV drama after Chinese state media and netizens condemned the show’s “deliberate smears” against China.

Sanrio, a Japanese firm whose characters are popular around the world, said in a post on the Chinese social media site Weibo that it had decided to end its association with the TV drama Vivant after concluding that it “contained elements inconsistent with Sanrio’s core values”.

A Chinese Port Could Be a Lifeline for Spain, but Also a Threat

NYT > Top Stories

By: Jason Horowitz

28 October 2026 at 07:01

Residents say a proposed Chinese car plant in northern Spain will create new jobs. Others say it’s a long-term risk, distilling a debate about the costs and perks of ties to China.

Boats in Ferrol, Spain, in 2020. The city is becoming known for its warm welcome of Chinese industry into Spain and Western Europe.

White House Has Tight Grip Over FBI in Pursuing Trump Targets, Agent Says

NYT > Top Stories

By: Alan Feuer

28 October 2026 at 02:48

In court testimony, the agent outlined the willingness of Kash Patel, the F.B.I. director, to take orders from President Trump to investigate his perceived enemies.

Bryan Witt, an F.B.I. agent, said the inquiry mandated by Kash Patel, the bureau’s director, was generally viewed inside his office as a “witch hunt.”

Soccer star Kylian Mbappé apologizes for comments about Mao Zedong

PBS News Hour - The Latest

By: E. Eduardo Castillo · Associated Press

27 October 2026 at 21:02

Kylian Mbappé has apologized for comments referring to Mao Zedong as a dictator. He said his remarks were ill-judged and hurt many people in China and Chinese communities worldwide.

China Steps In to Rescue Stocks, But the Market Continues to Fall

NYT > Top Stories

By: Alexandra Stevenson and Murphy Zhao

27 October 2026 at 17:15

The Communist Party uses a “national team” of state-owned investment funds to stem the market rout. But this time, investors are not sure it will work.

President Xi Jinping of China has convened senior leaders to set the government’s agenda, but the economy is likely to take a back seat to politics.

Chinese markets lose trillions as race for AI supremacy with US takes its toll

World news | The Guardian

By: Amy Hawkins in Beijing

27 October 2026 at 07:42

Lack of profits and the threat posed by western countries are raising concern about the sustainability of Beijing’s AI boom

Trillions of dollars have been wiped from China’s stock markets in recent months amid increasing anxiety about the future of artificial intelligence, as Beijing races against the United States for dominance in the sector.

The STAR 50 Index, which tracks technology and innovation companies on the Shanghai stock exchange, has plunged 40% since June. Other indexes of major companies dropped by about 20% over the same time period.

‘Zero-energy companionship’: bizarre hobby takes seed among China’s stressed young adults

World news | The Guardian

By: Amy Hawkins in Beijing

26 October 2026 at 12:47

Faced with a stagnant jobs market, many are spurning children or pets in favour of ‘raising bricks’

Young adults in China looking for a cheaper, low-maintenance alternative to having children or pets have found an answer: raising bricks.

Bricks may not be as cuddly as cats or as life-affirming as human offspring, but they also cost next to nothing. “No cats, no dating, I started raising a brick,” wrote one brick parent on social media.

‘Pull Out the Sick Trees’: Xi’s Constant Purges Pave Way for Next Term

NYT > Top Stories

By: Chris Buckley

26 October 2026 at 07:00

The Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who is likely preparing to secure a fourth term in power in 2027, has complained that officials cannot be trusted.

President Xi Jinping of China is expected to secure a fourth term as leader of the ruling Communist Party next year. He has warned that too many officials fail to faithfully carry out his orders.

Xi Jinping’s corruption crackdown in the spotlight as China prepares for meeting of top leaders

World news | The Guardian

By: Amy Hawkins in Beijing

26 October 2026 at 03:58

The fifth plenum comes against a backdrop of years of purges that have had some analysts wondering if the issue is corruption or a lack of loyalty

When Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, he pledged to stamp out corruption all through the ranks of the Communist party. More than a decade later, the pace of investigations has not slowed. Last year, China’s disciplinary authorities opened investigations into more than 1 million people, including more than 100 officials at or above ministerial or provincial level.

As Chinese Communist party (CCP) officials kick off an important meeting this week, discipline – and party loyalty – is high on the agenda. For those who try to read the tea leaves of elite Chinese politics, concern about the apparent lack of discipline is dominating CCP discussions.