The Hong Kong government has announced the date of the vote for the renewal of the Legislative Council, the local ‘parliament’ now inaccessible to pro-democracy members, most of whom are still in prison. Four years ago, barely 30% of voters turned out. And a survey conducted in recent weeks revealed the discontent towards an institution ‘where they only make speeches to flatter Beijing’.

One million Chinese will be living in Japan by next year, according to some estimates, driven by families enrolling their children in academies linked to Japan’s animation industry, where the best talents are offered the possibility of permanent residence. About 70 per cent of foreign students today come from mainland China, but distrust is growing towards them.

A Catholic voice from Shanghai reminds AsiaNews of the case of the auxiliary bishop who resigned from the Patriotic Association when he was ordained and has been living in seclusion ever since. It was hoped that the tormented appointment of Mgr Shen Bin as ordinary bishop would unblock the situation, but two years later nothing has happened. Ma Daqin remains the icon of the “suffering righteous”.

Trump's latest wave of executive orders has reached Radio Free Asia and other related news outlets such as Voice of America. Funded by the US government, the latter have been an essential source of information in at-risk regions like Tibet and Xinjiang, against Chinese censorship. For a former US ambassador, this is a giant gift to China.

The Chinese government has introduced a series of new measures against obesity, including specialised clinics in hospitals and Olympic athletes’ testimonials to raise awareness. By 2030, 65 per cent of Chinese adults are at risk of being overweight, with serious consequences for public health and the country's economy.

The US retail giant has reportedly asked Chinese companies to cut prices to compensate for the Trump tariffs. Chinese suppliers complain that they are already working with very narrow profit margins to compete. China’s Ministry of Commerce warns the US company that its interests in the Chinese domestic market are also at stake.