Once a Redoubt Against China, Taiwan’s Outpost Evolves

KINMEN, Taiwan — Burrowing just a few feet beneath the surface of this island in the Taiwan Strait turns up remnants of what was once the most militarized zone on earth.

Malaysia to abolish unpopular security law

Malaysia will abolish an unpopular, colonial-era security law allowing detention without trial and relax other measures curbing the media and the right to free assembly, Prime Minister Najib Razak announced Thursday.

Historians on mainland give credit to KMT

New book telling story of Republic of China highlights Chiang Kai-shek's role in Second World War - a reversal of previous accounts

Developers likely to cut prices 15pc

Agents predict reductions to entice reluctant buyers during what should be a busy season

Wary home buyers keep rents buoyant

Demand boosts rental market as flat seekers put off buying in the hope the central government’s cooling measures will cut prices further

Why Wealthy Chinese Are Fleeing China

Many wealthy Chinese are ditching their Chinese passports according to a recent survey by China Merchants Bank and Bain & Co. The report found that 27 percent of Chinese with more than 100 million yuan ($16 million) in investable assets have already migrated and 47 percent are thinking about leaving China.

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The good old days of Good Samaritans are gone for good

Death of an elderly man as people looked on without helping him has sparked intense debate

The man in the party machine

Zhu Rongji’s latest book offers a unique glimpse of life at the top for the former economic tsar

Forget the bluster, DPP is treading softer line on ties

Taiwan’s opposition is preaching stability and harmony, but critics see policy contradictions

Condominium developers upping the stake

It is no longer enough for condominiums to boast a pool, gym, clubhouse and tennis court. Developers are adding fancy facilities such as a spa, sports bar, rock-climbing wall, luxury dining room and even a bird-watching tower to make their projects stand out.

Assets of corrupt officials on the run to be seized

Mainland courts may soon have the power to confiscate ill-gotten gains under a new law

China Uses Rare Earths to Lure Manufacturing Plants

China has long used access to its giant customer base and cheap labour as bargaining chips to persuade foreign companies to open factories within the nation’s borders.

Buyers, sellers get around curbs

Couples fake divorce or even sacrifice marriage to obtain more property, and developers are happy to throw in extras to keep cash coming in

A brief history of Chinese porn

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China rail firm boss, blamed for crash, dies of heart attack

The head of a Chinese railways technology firm blamed for faulty signalling gear that caused a high-speed rail crash last month died of a heart attack while the company was being inspected, Chinese media said Tuesday.

Look for cracks in axles, metal fatigue expert says

Railways ministry complains that German ultrasonic detector used to inspect trains is too sensitive

Law exposes unease at state of modern marriage

Experts say controversy over new interpretation reveals deep sense of social and moral insecurity

The sex trade

Lust will and testament

The earliest recorded wills in Hong Kong show that a group of highly-successful women had one thing in common ... they were all working in the sex trade

To fully legalise the profession or not - it’s a dilemma

It may make sense from a welfare point of view but the economic argument suggests otherwise