China

Global Times | English | News | Jan. 15, 2026 | Shifting Geopolitical Alliances

On January 12, 2025, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met with Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, in Hawaii during the Honolulu Defense Forum. Their discussion centered on deepening Japan-US defense cooperation amid a worsening regional security environment, with Koizumi citing what he described as increasingly hegemonic actions by China. Paparo praised the Japan-US alliance as key to regional and global stability, although he refrained from making any China-specific remarks publicly during the meeting.

Chinese military expert Song Zhongping commented that Japan is seeking to leverage US power amid strained China-Japan relations, attempting to draw Washington into a joint stance against China. However, Song noted that Asia-Pacific is not Washington's highest strategic priority compared to other regions, and involving the US in a direct military confrontation with China would conflict with its national interests. He characterized Koizumi's emphasis on the alliance as typical diplomatic posturing aimed at domestic reassurance and pressure on China.

Following the meeting, Koizumi planned visits to US defense companies in Los Angeles and a subsequent meeting with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Washington. Song refuted exaggerated "China threat" narratives, emphasizing China’s consistent role as a stabilizing force in the region and its capability to respond firmly to provocations while safeguarding its core interests.

民生直通车丨规范网络招聘秩序，有关部门出手了

Xinhua | Local Language | News | Jan. 15, 2026 | Regulation

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, along with four other departments, issued a notice on January 13, 2026, to regulate online recruitment practices and improve the order of online recruitment platforms. This move addresses issues such as unauthorized recruitment services, inadequate verification of employers, and misleading recruitment information.

The notice mandates that commercial human resources service agencies and online platforms publishing recruitment information must obtain a proper human resources service permit. Local authorities will intensify inspections and impose administrative measures on platforms violating regulations, including warnings, content removal, function restrictions, or service suspension.

Platforms are required to strengthen management by verifying real identities, classifying accounts, labeling qualifications, and ensuring truthful, lawful recruitment information. Recruitment postings must include employer details, hiring numbers, job conditions, locations, compensation, and validity periods. Discriminatory content and restrictive conditions on labor mobility are prohibited, along with false advertising, impersonation, and disguised recruitment information.

The notice strictly bans deceptive practices like "recruit-to-training" schemes, training loans, pyramid schemes, online gambling, and telecom fraud. Platforms must implement risk identification models, dynamic monitoring, and prompt responses to illegal behaviors, including using warnings, suspending services, correcting accounts tied to fraud, rapid complaint handling, and maintaining abnormal account lists.

Future steps involve targeted training for local regulators, enhanced administrative guidance for platforms, improved coordination among departments, and a collaborative supervision mechanism with information sharing to strengthen joint regulatory enforcement.

13连板大牛股，明起停牌核查

Sina Finance | Local Language | News | Jan. 15, 2026 | Corporate Corruption or Fraud

Fenglong Co., Ltd., which experienced 13 consecutive daily limit-up price increases, will suspend trading from the market open on January 14, 2026, for an investigation expected to last no more than three trading days. The stock surged 213.97% from December 25, 2025, to January 13, 2026, with price fluctuations that deviated sharply from the company's fundamentals, raising concerns about speculative risks. As of January 13, the stock's price was RMB 61.79 per share, with a static price-earnings ratio of 2939.63 and a price-to-book ratio of 14.21, significantly higher than industry averages of 42.34 and 3.97 respectively.

The company is undergoing a potential change of control, with Youbixuan, known as "the first humanoid-robot stock," announcing on December 24, 2025, its intention to acquire 43% of Fenglong’s shares for RMB 1.665 billion through an agreement transfer and tender offer. Fenglong stated that its main business in garden machinery parts, auto parts, and hydraulic parts remains unchanged, and Youbixuan currently has no plans for major business restructuring, asset sales, or backdoor listing moves within the next one to three years. However, there remains uncertainty whether the transaction will be completed and how the company will transform or cooperate in the future.

Financially, Fenglong posted a net loss of RMB 7.04 million in 2023 but turned profitable in 2024 with a net profit of RMB 4.59 million. The company reported a net profit of RMB 21.52 million for the first three quarters of 2025, signaling improving operational performance despite current market speculation around its stock price.