Our Scans · Beijing · Weekly Summary

• [New] China's second project, the BEST reactor, is expected to go further - generating actual electricity from fusion for the first time in history, giving Beijing a potential two-step lead over U.S. private competitors. Electricity Info
• [New] Operated by the Institute of Plasma Physics, Beijing expects its reactor to record its first fusion ignition experiment in 2027, a milestone that would make EAST the world's first self-sustained reactor, in which plasma can burn without external heating sources. BGR
• [New] Beijing has doubled its EV charging capacity target to 180 gigawatts by 2027 and made energy storage attachment mandatory for new renewable installations - creating a policy-guaranteed demand floor that operates independently of consumer EV adoption rates. A Whisky with Charles
• [New] For Beijing, the Arctic is simultaneously an energy security opportunity, a logistics revolution, and a great-power status statement. Energy Central
• [New] The main impact for tourists is that bringing drones into Beijing will no longer be allowed. China Drone Registration
• [New] All outdoor drone flights in Beijing will require prior approval. ABJ Drone Academy
• [New] Bringing new drones or components into Beijing will be prohibited, with an exception only for verified owners carrying already-registered equipment. The Times Of India
• [New] Bringing new drones or restricted parts into Beijing will be tightly controlled. DroneDJ
• [New] The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has officially added Alibaba Group to its list of Chinese military companies, a designation that is escalating tensions between D.C. and Beijing and raising fresh questions about the future risks facing Chinese tech giants listed in the U.S. Yahoo Finance
• [New] Beijing has already demonstrated across rare-earth elements (REEs), critical minerals, and agricultural products that it will weaponize its control of critical supply chain components in response to diplomatic disputes, trade disputes, and geopolitical pressure. Council on Foreign Relations
• [New] Beijing is wary of the potential backlash and has shown little willingness to risk being targeted with sanctions for Moscow's sake. CEPA
• [New] Beijing is concerned that Moscow could create problems for China, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, compelling it to keep its Russian partner both close and contained. CEPA
• [New] Competition with the United States will continue to drive Sino-Russian military relations, especially in areas of common interest where Moscow and Beijing could force multiply - for instance, in Central Asia, Africa, and the Arctic. CEPA
• [New] Beijing remains cautious about further deterioration in economic relations with the West, leading Chinese companies to avoid the risk of secondary sanctions associated with large-scale investments in Russian assets. CEPA
• [New] Hanoi's balancing act between Washington and Beijing is well known, but seeing that solely as a geopolitical story misses the larger commercial opportunity. Fortune
• [New] The prospect of a G2 raises concerns for allies of the US, who fear that Washington and Beijing could cut them out of important decisions and make deals that work against their interests. Al Jazeera
• The danger for the US is that the commercial and industrial contest will largely determine whether Washington or Beijing becomes the leading AI power in Southeast Asia. Hudson Institute
• Beijing aims to have the Xinghuo, the world's first nuclear plant to deploy both fusion and fission reactions, operational by 2030. BGR
• Regional governments may not trust Beijing fully, but many increasingly question whether Washington's policies will remain durable beyond electoral cycles and political personalities. Asia Times

Last updated: 24 June 2026