China's population is projected to fall by about 60 million over the next decade. The decline would put pressure on the public pension system and the economy. Fiscal subsidies to social security funds hit a record 2.9 trillion yuan (US$425 billion) last year, equivalent to 10% of general budget spending.

Foreign forces are trying to spread the notion that young Chinese people should be "lying flat" and not working hard, the Ministry of State Security warns. Foreign organisations helped to fund anti-China media and think tanks to create a narrative that people who worked hard in China are exploited.

Hong Kong's exports rose by nearly 36 per cent year on year in March. The export performance was the best since January 2021. The government warns of headwinds arising from ongoing geopolitical conflicts. It also points to an upsurge in international energy prices as a risk to the near-term global economic outlook.

A wave of personnel reshuffles and disciplinary investigations in China's political and security system has drawn attention to potential internal shifts within the Chinese Communist Party. Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong's position has come under scrutiny following a series of unusual personnel changes within China's Ministry of Public Security. Lu Wuqin was appointed as assistant minister of public security on April 21, filling a vacancy left by a recent retirement. In Liaoning Province, reports circulated regarding the case of Jiang Youwei, a senior provincial official who had recently appeared at multiple public events before suddenly disappearing.

Dubai's influencers are projecting the image that the city wants to see. China is following the same playbook with its "Chinamaxxing" social media trend. Influencers are great soft-power tools because they function as cultural amplifiers.

The Middle Eastern conflict has been an intelligence gold mine for China. Beijing is studying Iran's use of geography and low-cost units to impose economic pressure on the United States and its allies. China buys around 90 percent of Iran's oil exports. China's territory runs along the Strait of Taiwan, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

Peter Mattis, a former CIA analyst, testified before a Canadian parliamentary committee on influence networks linked to the Chinese Communist Party. A Toronto-area fundraising initiative tied to a community organization led by Senator Yuen Pau Woo drew additional scrutiny. The organization invited elected officials to attend a May 1 fundraising dinner in Scarborough.

SCMP has selected seven stories from its coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with its readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of SCMP’s reporting, please consider subscribing to the paper's website.