Should the Netherlands agree to further US export controls on ASML?

In a new RUSI Commentary, Lasse de Graaf argues it should hold the line. ASML is the world’s only maker of extreme ultraviolet machines, and further restrictions could speed up China’s own chip industry. If the Netherlands does side with Washington, it must be mindful of its vulnerability to retaliation from Beijing.

I’ve been living in Shanghai for 2 years now… Everytime I go to the restroom I think 95% the people in the women’s restroom don’t even wash their hands, they just walk straight out. Even today at the 1000 trees mall… I saw a CHEF with a white hat just WALK OUT without even washing their hands.
I’m just so shocked and confused… even if you squat to use the toilet, you still have to wipe and press the flush button…

When President Trump announced his tariff plan 18 months ago, he made it clear who he hoped would pay for the sharp end of the scheme: It wouldn’t be U.S. consumers; it would be foreign exporters who would “eat” the increased costs.

Indeed, following the tit-for-tat trade war between the U.S. and fellow economic superpower, China, President Trump warned the rival force was headed for “big trouble” if it didn’t engage in a “two-way street” of trade.

Yet while 100% of U.S. exports to China are reportedly subject to tariffs—and a respective 88.8% of Chinese exports are subject to U.S. tariffs—the world’s second-largest economy has continued to grow ahead of expectations, and has seemingly grown its export business with the rest of the world.

Goldman Sachs’s Hui Shan noted over the weekend that China’s Q3 real GDP grew 4.5% year-on-year, slightly above the consensus expectation of 4.4%. Shan added that September activity data were firmer than expected, with industrial production growth accelerating to 5.5% on a year-on-year basis, and retail sales above expectations.

Read more [paywall removed for Redditors]: https://fortune.com/2026/10/26/trump-china-economy-tariffs-growth-goldman-sachs-deficit/?utm_source=reddit/

China plans to build a 74,000-ton self-propelled research platform that combines the mobility of a ship with the laboratories and long-term accommodation of a floating island. The $413 million vessel will house 238 people, carry six laboratories, and is designed to operate in 20–30-foot waves while withstanding winds above 165 mph. Could mobile platforms like this transform deep-sea research by letting scientists remain in extreme ocean environments for much longer?

This is a very rare piece of video footage that needs to be located and shown to the public; this search is being conducted to recover historical material. Apparently, it ended up at a Fox News office in Hong Kong. Please, if you have any information, send it here.

I was looking at places to visit in Xinjiang and most of my findings are their incredible nature and wilderness. A lot of the places seem pretty spread out, with some which seem to be in the middle of nowhere.

Is it ideal for a foreigner to explore Xinjiang's nature with a car? (I would need to get a Temp Driving Permit)

As a Chinese person who grew up in the west with zero Mandarin skills, how can I make myself look more like I'm not from here.

Last time by far the biggest problem I had was people thinking I was Mandarin speaking and it took some people a long time to grasp that I didn't speak it lol

Any way to look more American?

A question I get a lot from people planning treatment in China: how do I know which hospital is actually good?

Public hospitals here are graded — 三级甲等 (Grade 3 Level A, "3A") is the top tier, covering size, staffing and quality standards. That's your first filter.

Beyond the tier, three useful distinctions:

1. 国际部 / International departments — the expat-friendly arm of large public hospitals: English-speaking staff, often faster. Costs more than the regular outpatient line, but it's the same hospital, same doctors, same standards — not a separate "VIP hospital."
2. 国家临床重点专科 (National Key Clinical Specialties) — a national list of departments with proven specialization. If you need a specific field, a hospital on this list for your condition is a strong signal.
3. Private hospitals — some are excellent (often joint-venture, like United Family), some are fine but unremarkable. The tier system doesn't apply the same way, so check accreditations and track record case by case.

How to check from abroad: confirm the 3A status, search the National Key Clinical Specialty list for your specialty, and — for international patients — verify the international department's actual process (English records accepted? video consult? transparent pricing?) before you book anything.

Happy to answer specifics in the comments — I help overseas patients navigate exactly this.

Out of curiosity — if you're planning treatment abroad, which worries you most: finding the right hospital, the language, or the cost?

Could someone help me find or share this book? I’ve tried looking in several places, but I haven’t been able to find a complete copy (pdf) anywhere. It can be in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. If you have any other book recommendations regarding agricultural development and land reform in China, I would welcome those as well!

小时候每到大年夜，大人都会挂起这样一副财神年画，祈求新的一年好运发财。因为那个氛围特别肃穆，这幅特殊的年画一挂出来，小孩子们立马就不敢大声说话了，生怕惊动了神明。大家就这么小心翼翼地开启了新的一年……你还记得这个温馨又有点‘敬畏感’的童年经历吗？”