Shanxi, China’s top coal-producing province, has attempted to rebrand from a polluting, high-risk mining hub into a cultural and tourist destination. However, the country’s deadliest mining accident in nearly two decades has cast a shadow over this image. On Friday, a devastating gas explosion at the Liushenyu Coal Mine in Shanxi killed at least 82 people. The disaster, which industry insiders said was a result of systemic safety failures, has drawn attention to the safety, governance and...

A high-level American defence industry delegation arrived in Taipei on Tuesday for a four-day visit aimed at expanding the US role in the island’s military modernisation process and the joint production of weapons systems. The party includes 41 senior executives, and the visit was organised by the US-Taiwan Business Council, which has long served as a bridge for the defence industry. The trip underscores a growing overlap between strategic cooperation and arms sales as Taiwan seeks to strengthen...

A Chinese aerospace engineer has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for espionage, according to state media, with the report underscoring official warnings that the aerospace industry is a cornerstone of national technological strength and defence security. The engineer, surnamed Zhu, graduated from a top university with a PhD in 2018, state broadcaster CCTV said on Monday. He then worked as an engineer in multiple aerospace research institutes and handled classified documents in the aerospace...