Dear reader,

In just nine years, Xiongan New Area has risen from green fields into a modern urban centre designed to ease some of the pressures on Beijing about 100km away. The architecture is impressive, the infrastructure is fresh and the big brands are setting up shop. But for all its futuristic appearance, Xiongan’s tomorrow still seems some way off. While not a ghost town, the “city” remains a metropolis-in-waiting. This much is clear from a new, advanced expressway rest stop. Just inside the entry, a giant flat screen relays data on the environmental conditions within the bathroom, the available cubicles – as well as the number of people who have passed through the doors. In any other part of the country, such a free service would probably attract hundreds by the day. However, at roughly 7pm on a weekday evening, just 79 females had made use of the facilities.

We will suspend our newsletter next week because of the public holiday. 

For a deep dive into China-Japan relations, read our latest series on how Beijing and Tokyo can navigate turbulence in 2026. 

The Big Picture

Final final boarding call?  
The White House announces new dates for Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing.

• Why it matters: the timeline could indicate when the US expects its war with Iran to be over
• Meanwhile, is China’s strategy of staying out of the conflict working?
• And, why has a Chinese AI satire of the war gone viral?
• Also, how might the war open up opportunities for African energy suppliers?
• And, what can China learn about missile interception from the military operations?

Double down
Japan is set to downgrade its description of ties with China in an annual report and revamp its maritime forces.

• Why it matters: the decisions send smoke-signals of what’s to come
• Meanwhile, a serving Japanese officer is arrested on suspicion of trespassing at the Chinese embassy in Tokyo 
• And, Beijing slams Japan’s “kill network” missile deployment
• Also, why was there a song and dance over Sanae Takaichi’s White House appearance?

Wins and Falls

Former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je is sentenced to 17 years in prison

Ciyuan becomes the official Chinese translation of AI token 

Xiongan New Area, the “city of the future”, prepares for its ninth anniversary

Tan Ruisong, former head of China’s top military aviation company, is sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for taking bribes and insider trading

Big Numbers

0 – the amount of gallium and germanium China exported to Japan in January and February

US$1.38 billion  –  Taiwan’s planned investment in drones by 2030 

30% – the share of global fertiliser exports that usually pass through the Strait of Hormuz

Direct Quote

“I think each side has a clear understanding of the power and influence of the other, as well as his willingness to deploy his influence and power to advance his country's interests.”

William Klein, a former US diplomat, weighs in on the dynamics between the top leaders of China and the US and Trump’s trip to China.