In the news of December 2, 2025, Epoch Times organizes essential articles for readers to take a look at.
Hong Kong Fire Kills 151 – Hong Kong Media Exposes Dark Secrets of Construction Industry and ‘Deleted Articles’
A devastating five-alarm fire erupted in several residential buildings in the Hong Kong New Territories Tai Po Wang Fu Garden on November 26, resulting in serious casualties. According to the latest police report on December 1, the fire has claimed the lives of 151 people – with the death toll still rising. Additionally, more than 30 people are reported missing. Following the fire, the pro-Beijing newspaper “Ta Kung Pao” published an investigative report revealing the dark side of Hong Kong’s construction industry, implicating exorbitant fees, collusion in tendering, profit distribution, and shoddy workmanship. However, the report has now been technically taken down from the “Ta Kung Pao” official website, sparking speculation.
Fujian Large-scale Hydropower Project Cuts Corners – Supervisors Expose Ugly Truths
The Yong’an Pumped Storage Power Station in Sanming City, Fujian Province, with a total investment of up to 7.5 billion RMB and listed as a key project in China’s “14th Five-Year Plan,” recently faced allegations of serious shortcuts in the construction of the lower dam of the reservoir, posing a threat to the overall safety of the power station. Multiple quality control personnel were reported to have accepted lavish banquets from the construction side, with paid companions of the opposite sex accompanying them.
Australian Think Tank: CCP Using AI for Domestic Repression and Overseas Expansion
A recent study by an Australian think tank warned that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is embedding the latest generation of artificial intelligence technology into its national control system, upgrading its already extensive surveillance network into an automated, precise, and industrialized repression machine.
Vice Mayor of Lushui City, Yunnan, Passes Away at 39 – News of Death Revealed Over a Month Later
Vice Mayor Fan Bin of Lushui City, Yunnan, passed away on October 11 at the age of 39. The news of Fan Bin’s death was only revealed over a month later, with the cause of death undisclosed, leading to public concern.
Ai Otsuka and Other Japanese Stars’ Performances Halted – Chinese Foreign Ministry Shifts Blame
Japanese singer Ai Otsuka and Mai Otsuki’s concert in Shanghai was abruptly canceled and interrupted, causing an uproar. On December 1, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian answered questions from foreign media during a press conference, dismissing responsibility and shifting the blame for the cancellation, stating that inquiries about the “specific operation and reasons” of these “social and commercial activities” should be directed to the “Chinese organizers.”
Guangdong Lu Feng Nuclear Power Project Commences – Concerns Arise over Nuclear Safety Risks
Units 1 and 2 of the Guangdong Lu Feng Nuclear Power Plant have entered the construction phase, marking a significant step in the Lu Feng Unit 6 project. The coastal areas of Guangdong currently have the densest layout of nuclear power plants globally, raising concerns from outsiders regarding the transparency of nuclear safety information and regional risks.
Shein and Temu Accused of Selling Counterfeit Goods – US Senator Urges Government Investigation
Republican Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas wrote to the US Attorney General Pam Bondi on Monday, December 1, calling for an investigation by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security into online retailers Shein and Temu, accusing both companies of large-scale intellectual property theft and selling counterfeit goods. Most of the products on these two e-commerce platforms are shipped from China.
Analysis: Three Major Stalemates for the CCP in Competing with the US
Amid the US-China trade war and the Trump administration’s globalization reduction, there is a narrative from the CCP’s perspective that appears misleading, suggesting that the CCP has the conditions to challenge the US’s global dominance. Financial Times columnist Rana Foroohar wrote pointing out the confusion inherent in such claims.
[Political Seasons] Denying the San Francisco Peace Treaty – Beijing’s Fallacies are Shocking
A recent visit by a Taiwanese fishing industry delegation to mainland China saw Taiwan Affairs Office Director Song Tao meeting with the Taiwan delegation in Beijing on Nov 27, where he once again criticized Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takichi’s remarks.
Vanke’s Two Bonds Plummet Over 30% Mid-trading, Leading to a Temporary Halt
On December 1, due to a more than 30% drop during trading, Vanke Enterprise Co., Ltd’s two bonds were temporarily halted. Concurrently, Vanke proposed a one-year extension of a 2 billion RMB bond.
China’s Unofficial Manufacturing PMI Contracts in November, Hits 4-Month Low
On December 1, the latest data released by Standard & Poor’s Global RatingsDog revealed that in November, China’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for manufacturing shifted from expansion to contraction, dropping by 0.7 percentage points from 50.6 in October to 49.9, below the market’s expectation of 50.5, hitting a four-month low.
EU Chamber: Beijing’s Export Control Prompts European Companies to Accelerate Supply Chain Relocation
As Beijing tightens export controls, the European companies are actively moving away from the Chinese supply chain, said the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China on Monday, December 1.
One Dead, One Injured in Fire – Scholar Despairs that Hong Kong has Turned Red
A five-alarm fire broke out in Wang Fu Garden, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong on November 26, burning down seven high-rise residential buildings, resulting in significant casualties. According to the latest police report on December 1, the fire has claimed the lives of 151 people, an increase of five from the previous day.
CCP Military Issues Supplementary Regulations – Seen as Leaking Major Internal Issues
Following a wave of “military tigers” including He Weidong and Miao Hua being ousted, the CCP Central Military Commission recently issued a revised set of “supplementary regulations” on enforcing the CCP discipline, relating to weak enforcement of the Chairman’s responsibility system and anti-corruption efforts. Analysts believe this confirms the existence of these issues within the CCP military.
Chinese Food Delivery Giants Tangled in Serious Internal Strife, Lose Nearly 80 Billion RMB in Six Months
This summer, China’s food delivery industry witnessed an unprecedented scale of subsidy wars. Jingdong entered the food delivery market, engaging in large-scale subsidies to seize market share, followed swiftly by Alibaba (Taobao Flash Sale and Ele.me) and Meituan. Recently, financial reports from Alibaba, Jingdong, and Meituan revealed substantial losses in the third quarter. It is estimated that the three industry giants collectively lost nearly 80 billion RMB in six months.