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DeepSeek and ChatGPT answer sensitive questions about China differently

HONG KONG — Chinese tech startup DeepSeek ’s new artificial intelligence chatbot has sparked discussions about the competition between China and the U.S. in AI development, with many users flocking to test the rival of OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

DeepSeek’s AI assistant became the No. 1 downloaded free app on Apple’s iPhone store on Tuesday afternoon and its launch made Wall Street tech superstars’ stocks tumble. Observers are eager to see whether the Chinese company has matched America’s leading AI companies at a fraction of the cost.

The chatbot’s ultimate impact on the AI industry is still unclear, but it appears to censor answers on sensitive Chinese topics, a practice commonly seen on China’s internet. In 2023, China issued regulations requiring companies to conduct a security review and obtain approvals before their products can be publicly launched.

Here are some answers The Associated Press received from DeepSeek’s new chatbot and ChatGPT:

For many Chinese, the Winnie the Pooh character is a playful taunt of President Xi Jinping. Chinese censors in the past briefly banned social media searches for the bear in mainland China.

ChatGPT got that idea right. It said Winnie the Pooh had become a symbol of political satire and resistance, often used to mock or criticize Xi. It explained that internet users started comparing Xi to the bear over similarities in their physical appearances.

DeepSeek’s chatbot said the bear is a beloved cartoon character that is adored by countless children and families in China, symbolizing joy and friendship.

Then, abruptly, it said the Chinese government is “dedicated to providing a wholesome cyberspace for its citizens.” It added that all online content is managed following Chinese laws and socialist core values, with the aim of protecting national security and social stability.

It might be easy for many people to answer, but both AI chatbots mistakenly said Joe Biden, whose term ended last week, because their data was last updated in October 2023. But they both tried to be responsible by reminding users to verify with updated sources.

The 1989 crackdown saw government troops open fire on student-led pro-democracy protesters in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, resulting in hundreds, if not thousands, of deaths. The event remains a taboo subject in mainland China.

DeepSeek’s chatbot answered, “Sorry, that’s beyond my current scope. Let’s talk about something else.”

But ChatGPT gave a detailed answer on what it called “one of the most significant and tragic events” in modern Chinese history. The chatbot talked about the background of the massive protests, the estimated casualties and the legacy.

DeepSeek’s chatbot’s answer echoed China’s official statements, saying the relationship between the world’s two largest economies is one of the most important bilateral relationships globally. It said China is committed to developing ties with the U.S. based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

“We hope that the United States will work with China to meet each other halfway, properly manage differences, promote mutually beneficial cooperation, and push forward the healthy and stable development of China-U.S. relations,” it said.

ChatGPT’s answer was more nuanced. It said the state of the U.S.-China relationship is complex, characterized by a mix of economic interdependence, geopolitical rivalry and collaboration on global issues. It highlighted key topics including the two countries’ tensions over the South China Sea and Taiwan, their technological competition and more.

“The relationship between the U.S. and China remains tense but crucial,” part of its answer said.

Again — like the Chinese official narrative — DeepSeek’s chatbot said Taiwan has been an integral part of China since ancient times.

“Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are connected by blood, jointly committed to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” it said.

ChatGPT said the answer depends on one’s perspective, while laying out China and Taiwan’s positions and the views of the international community. It said from a legal and political standpoint, China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and the island democracy operates as a “de facto independent country” with its own government, economy and military.

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Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this story.

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January 28, 2025
DeepSeek and ChatGPT answer sensitive questions about China differently

HONG KONG — Chinese tech startup DeepSeek ’s new artificial intelligence chatbot has sparked discussions about the competition between China and the U.S. in AI development, with many users flocking to test the rival of OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

DeepSeek’s AI assistant became the No. 1 downloaded free app on Apple’s iPhone store on Tuesday afternoon and its launch made Wall Street tech superstars’ stocks tumble. Observers are eager to see whether the Chinese company has matched America’s leading AI companies at a fraction of the cost.

The chatbot’s ultimate impact on the AI industry is still unclear, but it appears to censor answers on sensitive Chinese topics, a practice commonly seen on China’s internet. In 2023, China issued regulations requiring companies to conduct a security review and obtain approvals before their products can be publicly launched.

Here are some answers The Associated Press received from DeepSeek’s new chatbot and ChatGPT:

For many Chinese, the Winnie the Pooh character is a playful taunt of President Xi Jinping. Chinese censors in the past briefly banned social media searches for the bear in mainland China.

ChatGPT got that idea right. It said Winnie the Pooh had become a symbol of political satire and resistance, often used to mock or criticize Xi. It explained that internet users started comparing Xi to the bear over similarities in their physical appearances.

DeepSeek’s chatbot said the bear is a beloved cartoon character that is adored by countless children and families in China, symbolizing joy and friendship.

Then, abruptly, it said the Chinese government is “dedicated to providing a wholesome cyberspace for its citizens.” It added that all online content is managed following Chinese laws and socialist core values, with the aim of protecting national security and social stability.

It might be easy for many people to answer, but both AI chatbots mistakenly said Joe Biden, whose term ended last week, because their data was last updated in October 2023. But they both tried to be responsible by reminding users to verify with updated sources.

The 1989 crackdown saw government troops open fire on student-led pro-democracy protesters in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, resulting in hundreds, if not thousands, of deaths. The event remains a taboo subject in mainland China.

DeepSeek’s chatbot answered, “Sorry, that’s beyond my current scope. Let’s talk about something else.”

But ChatGPT gave a detailed answer on what it called “one of the most significant and tragic events” in modern Chinese history. The chatbot talked about the background of the massive protests, the estimated casualties and the legacy.

DeepSeek’s chatbot’s answer echoed China’s official statements, saying the relationship between the world’s two largest economies is one of the most important bilateral relationships globally. It said China is committed to developing ties with the U.S. based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

“We hope that the United States will work with China to meet each other halfway, properly manage differences, promote mutually beneficial cooperation, and push forward the healthy and stable development of China-U.S. relations,” it said.

ChatGPT’s answer was more nuanced. It said the state of the U.S.-China relationship is complex, characterized by a mix of economic interdependence, geopolitical rivalry and collaboration on global issues. It highlighted key topics including the two countries’ tensions over the South China Sea and Taiwan, their technological competition and more.

“The relationship between the U.S. and China remains tense but crucial,” part of its answer said.

Again — like the Chinese official narrative — DeepSeek’s chatbot said Taiwan has been an integral part of China since ancient times.

“Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are connected by blood, jointly committed to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” it said.

ChatGPT said the answer depends on one’s perspective, while laying out China and Taiwan’s positions and the views of the international community. It said from a legal and political standpoint, China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and the island democracy operates as a “de facto independent country” with its own government, economy and military.

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Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this story.

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January 28, 2025
An underground detector in China will sniff out mysterious ghost particles called neutrinos

KAIPING, China — Underneath a granite hill in southern China, a massive detector is nearly complete that will sniff out the mysterious ghost particles lurking around us.

The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory will soon begin the difficult task of spotting neutrinos: tiny cosmic particles with a mind-bogglingly small mass.

The detector is one of three being built across the globe to study these elusive ghost particles in the finest detail yet. The other two, based in the United States and Japan, are still under construction.

Spying neutrinos is no small feat in the quest to understand how the universe came to be. The Chinese effort, set to go online next year, will push the technology to new limits, said Andre de Gouvea, a theoretical physicist at Northwestern University who is not involved with the project.

“If they can pull that off,” he said, “it would be amazing.”

Neutrinos date back to the Big Bang, and trillions zoom through our bodies every second. They spew from stars like the sun and stream out when atomic bits collide in a particle accelerator.

Scientists have known about the existence of neutrinos for almost a century, but they’re still in the early stages of figuring out what the particles really are.

“It’s the least understood particle in our world,” said Cao Jun, who helps manage the detector known as JUNO. “That’s why we need to study it.”

There’s no way to spot the tiny neutrinos whizzing around on their own. Instead, scientists measure what happens when they collide with other bits of matter, producing flashes of light or charged particles.

Neutrinos bump into other particles only very rarely, so to up their chances of catching a collision, physicists have to think big.

“The solution for how we measure these neutrinos is to build very, very big detectors,” de Gouvea said.

The $300 million detector in Kaiping, China, took over nine years to build. Its location 2,297 feet (700 meters) underground protects from pesky cosmic rays and radiation that could throw off its neutrino-sniffing abilities.

On Wednesday, workers began the final step in construction. Eventually, they’ll fill the orb-shaped detector with a liquid designed to emit light when neutrinos pass through and submerge the whole thing in purified water.

It’ll study antineutrinos — an opposite to neutrinos which allow scientists to understand their behavior — produced from collisions inside two nuclear power plants located over 31 miles (50 kilometers) away. When the antineutrinos come into contact with particles inside the detector, they’ll produce a flash of light.

The detector is specially designed to answer a key question about a longstanding mystery. Neutrinos switch between three flavors as they zip through space, and scientists want to rank them from lightest to heaviest.

Sensing these subtle shifts in the already evasive particles will be a challenge, said Kate Scholberg, a physicist at Duke University who is not involved with the project.

“It’s actually a very daring thing to even go after it,” she said.

China’s detector is set to operate during the second half of next year. After that, it’ll take some time to collect and analyze the data — so scientists will have to keep waiting to fully unearth the secret lives of neutrinos.

Two similar neutrino detectors – Japan’s Hyper-Kamiokande and the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment based in the United States – are under construction. They’re set to go online around 2027 and 2031 and will cross-check the China detector’s results using different approaches.

“In the end, we have a better understanding of the nature of physics,” said Wang Yifang, chief scientist and project manager of the Chinese effort.

Though neutrinos barely interact with other particles, they’ve been around since the dawn of time. Studying these Big Bang relics can clue scientists into how the universe evolved and expanded billions of years ago.

“They’re part of the big picture,” Scholberg said.

One question researchers hope neutrinos can help answer is why the universe is overwhelmingly made up of matter with its opposing counterpart — called antimatter — largely snuffed out.

Scientists don’t know how things got to be so out of balance, but they think neutrinos could have helped write the earliest rules of matter.

The proof, scientists say, may lie in the particles. They’ll have to catch them to find out.

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AP video producer Olivia Zhang contributed to this report. Ramakrishnan reported from New York.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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December 18, 2024
US updates a science and technology pact with China to reflect growing rivalry and security threats

WASHINGTON — The U.S. has updated a decades-old science and technology agreement with China to reflect their growing rivalry for technological dominance. The new agreement, signed Friday after many months of negotiations, has a narrower scope and additional safeguards to minimize the risk to national security.

The State Department said the agreement sustains intellectual property protections, establishes new guardrails to protect the safety and security of researchers and “advances U.S. interests through newly established and strengthened provisions on transparency and data reciprocity.”

It covers only basic research and does not facilitate the development of critical and emerging technologies, the department said. This includes technologies related to artificial intelligence and quantum computing, which are considered crucial for economic strength and military supremacy.

The first such agreement was signed in January 1979 when the two countries established diplomatic ties to counter the influence of the Soviet Union and when China severely lagged behind the U.S. and other Western nations in science and technology.

The agreement was last extended in 2018, and given temporary extensions last year and this year to allow for negotiations. Washington had come to view the agreement as failing to reflect the shift in U.S.-China relations and China’s emergence as a heavyweight in the field. The new agreement extends cooperation for five years.

As the tech war between the two countries has escalated, the U.S. has banned exports of advanced chips to China and restricted U.S. investments in certain technologies that could boost China’s military capabilities. Cooperation in science and technology chilled in universities and research institutions after a Trump-era program was introduced to curb China’s spying. The program was ended in 2022 after multiple unsuccessful prosecutions of researchers and because of concerns that it had prompted racial profiling.

Deborah Seligsohn, an assistant professor of political science at Villanova University, said the new agreement would lead to fewer government-to-government programs, but, through its limited scope and stronger safeguards, it would allow for the cooperation to be sustained “through a more difficult relationship.”

Earlier this year, Rep. Andy Barr, a Kentucky Republican, said the decades-long cooperation had resulted in the U.S. “providing all sorts of scientific and technical knowledge to Chinese scientists in what would amount to the greatest outpouring of American scientific and technology expertise in history.”

Rep. Gregory Meeks, a Democrat from New York, argued that the U.S. and the global community also have benefited from research collaborations that have “prevented diseases, reduced pollution, and deepened our understanding of the Earth’s history.”

But Meeks said he favored congressional oversight to ensure projects under the agreement would be in line with U.S. values and interests.

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December 13, 2024
Nvidia’s stock dips after China opens probe of the AI chip company for violating anti-monopoly laws

Shares of Nvidia fell Monday after China said it is investigating the high-flying U.S. microchip company over suspected violations of Chinese anti-monopoly laws.

In a brief news release with few details, Chinese regulators appear to be focusing on Nvidia’s $6.9 billion acquisition of network and data transmission company Mellanox in 2019.

Nvidia shares about 3% Monday. They are still up 179% so far this year.

Considered a bellwether for artificial intelligence demand, Nvidia has led the AI sector to become one of the stock market’s biggest companies, as tech giants spend heavily on the company’s chips and data centers needed to train and operate their AI systems.

Nvidia’s shares have surged this year along with the California company’s revenue and profit due to AI demand. According to data firm FactSet, about 16% of Nvidia’s revenue comes from China, second only to its U.S.-generated revenue.

A spokesperson for the company based in Santa Clara, California, said in an emailed statement that Nvidia is “happy to answer any questions regulators may have about our business.”

In its most recent earnings release, Nvidia posted revenue of $35.08 billion, up 94% from $18.12 billion a year ago. Nvidia earned $19.31 billion in the quarter, more than double the $9.24 billion it posted in last year’s third quarter. The earnings release did not break out revenue from China.

The company’s market value rocketed to $3.5 trillion recently, passing Microsoft and briefly overtaking Apple as the world’s most valuable company.

China’s antitrust investigation follows a report this summer by technology news site The Information that the U.S. Justice Department was investigating complaints from rivals that Nvidia was abusing its market dominance in the chip sector. The allegations reported include Nvidia threatening to punish those who buy products from both itself and its competitors at the same time.

David Bieri, an international finance expert at Virginia Tech, said that China’s investigation is “not about what Nvidia is doing in China, per se” but rather a signal to the incoming Trump administration. China, Bieri said, is looking to set the tone of future relations.

The Chinese government, he said, is telling the U.S. “don’t mess with us, because all of your darling corporations that your version of capitalism needs to prosper have entanglements” with China.

Nvidia will have to revise its strategy in China or come up with provisions in their budgets for the type of uncertainty business with China will bring, Bieri said.

“I don’t think this is something that they can shake off,” he said. “I also have a tremendous amount of faith in the brilliance of the management strategy of a corporation like Nvidia to not only pay attention to credit risk, market risk and operational risk, but also to political risk.”

Nvidia’s invention of graphics processor chips, or GPUs, in 1999 helped spark the growth of the PC gaming market and redefined computer graphics.

Last month, it replaced Intel on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, ending the pioneering semiconductor company’s 25-year run on the index.

Unlike Intel, Nvidia designs but doesn’t manufacture its own chips, relying heavily on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., an Intel rival.

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Associated Press Technology Writer Sarah Parvini in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

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December 9, 2024
China bans exports of key high-tech materials, hitting back at US chip sanctions

BANGKOK — China announced Tuesday it is banning exports to the United States of gallium, germanium, antimony and other key high-tech materials with potential military applications, as a general principle, lashing back at U.S. limits on semiconductor-related exports.

The Chinese Commerce Ministry announced the move after the Washington expanded its list of Chinese companies subject to export controls on computer chip-making equipment, software and high-bandwidth memory chips. Such chips are needed for advanced applications.

The ratcheting up of trade restrictions comes as President-elect Donald Trump has been threatening to sharply raise tariffs on imports from China and other countries, potentially intensifying simmering tensions over trade and technology.

China said in July 2023 it would require exporters to apply for licenses to send to the U.S. the strategically important materials such as gallium and germanium. In August, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said it would restrict exports of antimony, which is used in a wide range of products from batteries to weapons, and impose tighter controls on exports of graphite.

The limits announced by Beijing on Tuesday also include super-hard materials, which would include diamonds and other synthetic materials that are not compressible and extremely dense. They are used in many industrial areas such as cutting tools, disc brakes and protective coatings. The licensing requirements that China announced in August also covered smelting and separation technology and machinery and other items related to such super-hard materials.

China is the biggest global source of gallium and germanium, which are produced in small amounts but are needed to make computer chips for mobile phones, cars and other products, as well as solar panels and military technology.

After the U.S. side announced it was adding 140 companies to a so-called “entity list” subject to strict export controls. China’s Commerce Ministry protested and said it would act to protect China’s “rights and interests” Nearly all of the companies affected by Washington’s latest trade restrictions are based in China, though some are Chinese-owned businesses in Japan, South Korea and Singapore.

Both governments say their respective export controls are needed for national security.

China’s government has been frustrated by U.S. curbs on access to advanced processor chips and other technology on security grounds but had been cautious in retaliating, possibly to avoid disrupting China’s fledgling developers of chips, artificial intelligence and other technology.

Various Chinese industry associations issued statements protesting the U.S. move to limit access to advanced chip-making technology.

The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said it opposed using national security as a grounds for export controls, “abuse of export control measures, and the malicious blockade and suppression of China.”

“Such behavior seriously violates the laws of the market economy and the principle of fair competition, undermines the international economic and trade order, disrupts the stability of the global industrial chain, and ultimately harms the interests of all countries,” it said in a statement.

The China Semiconductor Industry Association issued a similar statement, adding that such restrictions were disrupting supply chains and inflating costs for American companies.

“U.S. chip products are no longer safe and reliable. China’s related industries will have to be cautious in purchasing U.S. chips,” it said.

The U.S. gets about half its supply of both gallium and germanium metals directly from China, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. China exported about 23 metric tons (25 tons) of gallium in 2022 and produces about 600 metric tons (660 tons) of germanium per year.

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AP researcher Yu Bing in Beijing contributed to this report.

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December 3, 2024
Water sports gain popularity in China, boosting new wave of consumption-Xinhua

NANJING, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) — Water sports such as sailing, canoeing and rowing have become more and more popular in Jiangsu Province in recent years, as over 60 athletes in 23 teams nationwide competed in the 2024 national motorboat racing competition for youth U-18 and U-15 at the West Taihu Lake in Changzhou in November.

Liu Mingjie, from Changzhou, said that the West Taihu Lake’s expansive views and picturesque surroundings make it a great location for small and medium-sized water sports events.

In Changzhou, the annual water sports season began last year and features a number of competitions, including sailing, kayaking and motorboat races. In Suzhou, over 10,000 tourists engaged in a range of water sports such as windsurfing, paddle-boarding, and sailboarding at Jinji Lake during this summer vacation.

Meanwhile, Jiangsu established a provincial innovation and development center for water sports this year, combining professional training and digital research of water sports with the development of sports and tourism. The province also organized related events like college student rowing competitions and dragon boat races in some well-known scenic areas, which can encourage national fitness and ignite new consumption waves, allowing more citizens to enjoy the charm of water sports.

“I’ve met many like-minded people whether in whitewater rafting or relaxed sailing. We can inspire each other and share unforgettable memories together,” said Li Jinsong, a sailing enthusiast from Jiangsu, added that a key motivation driving water sports for many is the desire to discuss its trends on social media.

Equipment sales also have increased along with the popularity of water sports. Liu Lin, the director of human resources from Bestway (Nantong) Recreation Corp., which produces outdoor sports and leisure products in Jiangsu’s Nantong, said that sales of company’s water sports equipment have increased annually over the past five years, especially for small and medium-sized products such as surfboards, diving goggles, swim rings and small floating rafts.

According to an industry development report on China’s outdoor sports released in October, the consumer group of national surfing and paddle-boarding exceeds 1 million, with a total consumption scale of over 1 billion yuan (138 million U.S. dollars).

Water sports have gradually become a new trend due to the growing public awareness of health and fitness, according to Sun Derong, the secretary-general of Jiangsu Yachting Association. “International competitions like the Olympics and Asian Games also contribute to this trend.”

In November, Jiangsu issued the guidelines to promote the development of water sports and boost its related consumption, with a focus on cultivating new consumption patterns and scenarios related to water sports. It also plans to support some centers for water sports and leisure activities to expand diversified services, including teaching, training, tourism, vacation and entertainment.

“The water sports industry is one of the important forces to promote China’s sports and leisure sector. It can contribute to meeting the needs of people’s outdoor recreational activities, stimulating sports-related spending and promoting the integration of national fitness and national health initiatives,” said Cheng Junjie from the Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Social Sciences. ■

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December 1, 2024
US ahead in AI innovation, easily surpassing China in Stanford’s new ranking

The U.S. leads the world in developing artificial intelligence technology, surpassing China in research and other important measures of AI innovation, according to a newly released Stanford University index.

There’s no surefire way to rank global AI leadership but Stanford researchers have made an attempt by measuring the “vibrancy” of the AI industry across various dimensions, from how much research and investment is happening to how responsibly the technology is being pursued to prevent harm.

“The gap is actually widening” between the U.S. and China, said computer scientist Ray Perrault, director of the steering committee that runs Stanford’s AI Index. “The U.S. is investing a lot more, at least at the level of firm creation and firm funding.”

The California-based university’s Institute for Human-Centered AI — which has ties to Silicon Valley’s tech industry — released the report Thursday as government AI officials from the U.S. and several allies met in San Francisco this week to compare notes on AI safety measures.

Here’s which countries made the top 10:

The U.S. ranks No. 1 on Stanford’s list and has consistently held that position since 2018 when it overtook China. It has far outpaced China in private AI investment, which hit $67.2 billion in the U.S. last year compared to $7.8 billion in China, according to the report. It also leads in publishing responsible AI research. It’s no surprise that the home of commercial AI powerhouses such as Google and Meta, along with relative newcomers like OpenAI and Anthropic, has produced many notable AI models that have influenced how the technology is being developed and applied. The U.S. also gets some points for having a number of AI-related laws on the books, though Congress has yet to pass any broad AI regulations.

China has requested far more patents than any other country regarding generative AI, the U.N. intellectual property agency said earlier this year. Stanford researchers counted that as one measure of China’s strong growth in AI innovation but not enough to lead the pack. Still, the report says that “China’s focus on developing cutting-edge AI technologies and increasing its R&D investments has positioned it as a major AI powerhouse.” China’s universities have produced a large number of AI-related research publications and it has commercial leaders developing notable AI models, such as Baidu and its chatbot Ernie.

Coming in at No. 3 is the UK, which also ranked high in research and development, and educational infrastructure due to top computer science universities churning out a skilled AI workforce. It’s also home to Google’s AI subsidiary DeepMind, whose co-founder recently won a Nobel Prize; and “had more mentions of AI in parliamentary proceedings” than any other country. Last year, the UK hosted the world’s first international AI safety summit.

Close behind the UK was India, thanks to a “strong AI research community,” improvements in economic investments tied to AI and a robust public discourse about AI on social media, according to the report.

The UAE’s deliberate focus on AI appears to have paid off in the Middle Eastern nation’s fifth-place score. It was one of the top locations for AI investments. Microsoft earlier this year said it was investing $1.5 billion in UAE-based tech firm G42, which is overseen by the country’s powerful national security adviser. Based in Abu Dhabi, G42 runs data centers and has built what’s considered the world’s leading Arabic-language AI model, known as Jais.

Rounding out the top 10 are France at No. 6, followed by South Korea, Germany, Japan and Singapore. France, home to the buzzy AI startup Mistral, ranked high in AI policy and governance. Both it and Germany will be part of the European Union’s sweeping new AI Act that places safeguards on a range of AI applications based on how risky they are. The EU also follows the U.S. in developing a plan to expand semiconductor production within the bloc.

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November 21, 2024
Grand Hyatt Mumbais China House Restaurant Offers A Divine Dim Sum Experience

Dim sums have become a ubiquitous comfort food on menus in Mumbai. From hole-in-the-wall joints to upscale establishments, from bizarre versions at street stalls to expertly curated fine-dining platters the availability and versatility of this treat is as diverse as it is delightful. Some diners in the city prefer to stick to popular, palatable flavours. But there are also others who seek out lesser-known varieties, whether they’re more experimental or “authentic.” Our search for good dim sums led us to the China House Restaurant at Grand Hyatt Mumbai. At its helm is Chef Yajun Zhang, who specialises in dim sums and Sichuan delicacies.

Chef Zhang (on the left). Photo Credit: China House, Grand Hyatt Mumbai

Chef Zhang has been shaping the dining experiences at the China House Restaurant since its inception 18 years ago. Over almost two decades, he has not only honed his culinary craft but also cleverly adapted it to the changing complexity of local preferences. Chef Zhang points out that one of the key factors that allows them to maintain the quality and taste of the food is being very particular about sourcing the right ingredients for the dishes – from the humble schezwan pepper to the duck meat used in signature offerings.

Photo Credit: China House, Grand Hyatt Mumbai

During our meal, we tasted a wide range of dim sums across three categories: Steamed, Pan-Fried and Deep-Fried. Chef Zhang explained some of the finer touches that made them stand out. “Firstly, we ensure that the filling is fresh and keep it chilled so that the flavour seeps in well. When we prepare the dim sum sheets, they are neither too thin nor too thick. We prepare dim sums a-la-minute because if you make and keep them in the fridge, they’re not that flavourful.” One of our favourites was the Steamed Chicken Siu Mai. The chef revealed his secret for perfecting this particular dim sum: hand crushing or chopping the chicken for the filling – but not mincing it. “It should be nice and chunky, and have the right amount of fat in it. We keep it in the chiller for a few hours prior, so that it gets a really good flavour.”

Photo Credit: China House, Grand Hyatt Mumbai

Other non-vegetarian options we recommend are the crispy Deep-Fried Chicken Dumpling, the spicy Black Pepper Chicken Dumpling, the pan-fried Lamb Dumpling with spring onions and the classic Chinese BBQ Pork Bun (this is one of Chef Zhang’s favourites). Seafood lovers can opt for treats such as the Steamed Crystal Prawn Dumpling, Seafood Scallop Sumpling and Truffle Chilean Sea Bass Dumpling. Vegetarians have ample delicious choices too. We especially liked the Edamame Bean Dumpling with Truffle oil and the Mushroom Shape Bun.

Photo Credit: China House, Grand Hyatt Mumbai

Several of our recommendations feature on China House’s Unlimited Dim Sum menu – a curation that also includes an appetiser, a soup, a wok dish, a rice/ noodles serving and dessert. Guests can choose between multiple options under each category while indulging in unlimited portions of different kinds of dim sums. The a la carte menu is quite extensive, aiming to accommodate general and niche tastes. While we chose to let dim sums dominate our meal, we must mention the lip-smacking juiciness of Stir-Fried Sliced Lamb and the surprising subtlety of the Jasmine Tiramisu.

The sumptuous ambience and plush decor, featuring leather armchairs, polished wooden tables and aesthetic lattice screens, enhanced our overall experience. The kitchen, under the guidance of Chef Zhang, ensured our meal was packed with dynamic flavours made with top-quality ingredients. Thus, whether you’re seeking a spot for a romantic date night, a celebratory family dinner or simply an indulgent meal with friends, consider China House Restaurant as one of your next dining destinations.

Where: Grand Hyatt Mumbai Hotel and Residences, Bandra Kurla Complex Vicinity, off Western Express Highway, Santacruz East, Mumbai.

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November 14, 2024
Research reveals China has built prototype nuclear reactor to power aircraft carrier

Bangkok — China has built a land-based prototype nuclear reactor for a large surface warship, in the clearest sign yet Beijing is advancing toward producing the country’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, according to a new analysis of satellite imagery and Chinese government documents provided to The Associated Press.

There have long been rumors that China is planning to build a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, but the research by the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California is the first to confirm it is working on a nuclear-powered propulsion system for a carrier-sized surface warship.

China’s navy is already the world’s largest numerically, and it has been rapidly modernizing. Adding nuclear-powered carriers to its fleet would be a major step in realizing its ambitions for a true “blue-water” force capable of operating around the globe in a growing challenge to the United States.

Nuclear carriers take longer to build than conventional carriers, but once in operation they are able to stay at sea for much longer because they do not need to refuel, and there is more room on board for fuel and weapons for aircraft, thus extending their capabilities. They are also able to produce more power to run advanced systems.

Right now, only the United States and France have nuclear-powered carriers. The U.S. has 11 in total, which allows it to keep multiple strike groups deployed around the world at all times, including in the Indo-Pacific.

But the Pentagon is growingly increasingly concerned about China’s rapid modernization of its fleet, including the design and construction of new carriers.

China currently has three carriers, including the new Type 003 Fujian, which was the first both designed and built by China. It has said work is already underway on a fourth, but it has not announced whether that will be nuclear or conventionally powered.

The modernization aligns with China’s “growing emphasis on the maritime domain and increasing demands” for its navy “to operate at greater distances from mainland China,” the Defense Department said in its most recent report to Congress on China’s military.

Middlebury researchers were initially investigating a mountain site outside the city of Leshan in the southwest Chinese province of Sichuan over suspicions that China was building a reactor to produce plutonium or tritium for weapons. Instead they said they determined that China was building a prototype reactor for a large warship.

The conclusion was based upon a wide variety of sources, including satellite images, project tenders, personnel files, and environmental impact studies.

The reactor is housed in a new facility built at the site known as Base 909, which is under the control of the Nuclear Power Institute of China.

Documents indicating that China’s 701 Institute, which is responsible for aircraft carrier development, procured reactor equipment “intended for installation on a large surface warship.” as well as the project’s “national defense designation” helped lead to the conclusion the sizeable reactor is a prototype for a next-generation aircraft carrier.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has tasked defense officials with building a “first-class” navy and becoming a maritime power as part of his blueprint for the country’s great rejuvenation.

The country’s most recent white paper on national defense, dated 2019, said the Chinese navy was adjusting to strategic requirements by “speeding up the transition of its tasks from defense on the near seas to protection missions on the far seas.”

Sea trials hadn’t even started for the new Fujian aircraft carrier in March when Yuan Huazhi, political commissar for China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy, confirmed the construction of a fourth carrier. Asked if it would be nuclear-powered, he said at the time that would “soon be announced,” but so far it has not been.

Neither China’s Defense Ministry nor Foreign Affairs Ministry responded to requests for comment.

Even if the carrier that has been started will likely be another conventionally-powered Type 003 ship, experts say Chinese shipyards have the capability to work on more than one carrier at a time, and that they could produce a new nuclear-powered vessel concurrently.

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Tang reported from Washington D.C.

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November 11, 2024