china

The US has just started live-fire exercises with its nuclear aircraft carrier. And it has done so in the waters claimed by China

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Since the end of the Cold War, the naval presence has been one of the pillars of the United States’ strategic balance in the Asia-Pacific, an architecture designed to guarantee open trade routes and deter unilateral changes to the status quo. However, the rise of Beijing as a maritime power and the transformation of the South China Sea into one of the most disputed spaces of the planet have turned each naval movement into something more than a simple military routine, loading it with readings of all kinds. That’s why Washington’s latest move is so important. A deployment with high strategic value. The deployment of the nuclear supercarrier USS Abraham Lincoln At the end of November it occurred with a almost total discretionwithout official statements from the Pentagon or public indications about its area of ​​operations, a common practice when the US Navy wants to preserve freedom of strategic maneuver. This silence coincided with a moment loaded with internal symbolism, as Abraham Lincoln took over from USS Nimitzthe dean of the fleet, who returned to the United States after completing his last operational mission before beginning a long process of retirement and recycling. The handover is not a simple exchange of platforms, but rather a visualization of how Washington maintains its global presence seamlessly while orderly renewing the core of its naval power. Guam as a logistics anchor. It we have counted before. The battle group’s stopover in Guam reinforced the island’s role as one of the less visible pillars, but more decisive of US military architecture in the Indo-Pacific. Guam works like an advanced node from which prolonged operations are sustained, large units are resupplied and forces deployed thousands of kilometers from the continental territory are coordinated. That Abraham Lincoln was the second aircraft carrier to visit the island in a few weeks stressed the importance of this enclave at a time when the USS George Washingtonthe only aircraft carrier permanently based in Japan, remains out of commission for maintenance, demonstrating that asset rotation does not imply a real reduction in presence, but rather a carefully calculated redeployment. The “routine” in the South China Sea. The subsequent entry of the Abraham Lincoln into the South China Sea is part of an American strategy long term based on the normalization of its naval presence in waters that Beijing considers its own. Washington is not looking for a specific gesture or a spectacular demonstration, but for something more subtle and persistent: to operate regularly to prevent absence from consolidating territorial claims through deeds. By presenting these activities as routine, the United States intends reduce capacity of China to define the narrative, keeping open sea lanes that are essential for global trade and regional strategic balance. Demonstration of capabilities without escalation. During its recent activity, the combat group has integrated live fire exercisesresupply operations at sea and flights of the F-35Cthe fifth-generation shipborne fighter, composing a complete picture of its operational capability without resorting to explicit political messages. Added to this are tests of defensive systems like the Phalanx and the escort of Arleigh Burke destroyerscapable of operating in anti-aircraft, anti-submarine and land attack missions. The package conveys a clear signal of preparedness and self-reliance, one based on observable facts rather than public statements, and designed to deter without provoking unnecessary escalation. Strategic persistence against Beijing. With more than four decades of service, a profound mid-life modernization, and a track record that ranges from humanitarian evacuations to high-intensity conflicts, Abraham Lincoln represents the material continuity of American naval strategy. His presence against China It does not respond to a specific crisis or a specific situation, but to a structural logic that defines the Indo-Pacific like a central theater for the United States. In a context of growing competition and transition of the international order, the underlying message is that Washington has no intention of withdrawing or giving up operational space, and that its naval power will continue to be a constant, visible and functional factor in the region for the coming years. Image | US Navy In Xataka | The US has detected a naval advantage over China. The catapult of the Beijing aircraft carriers comes with a “factory” failure In Xataka | The US faced its invincible aircraft carrier with a tiny Swedish submarine. The zasca was anthological for years

Now it is a paradise island of China where they are not accountable

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Hainan is a small province of China made up of more than 200 islands dotting the South China Sea. Although historically it has been an agricultural region, it has emerged as a tourist destination and I am not surprised, seeing its tropical beaches and lush forests. Furthermore, the Chinese government has considered the region as “special economic zone“. And the wealthiest citizens of a country are taking advantage of it: Russia. Hainan is the new Crimea Marbella. Although since last year the list of visitors to Hainan does not allow a breakdown by country, the New York Times collects that the number of Russian visitors has multiplied by eleven between 2023 and 2024. Thus, Russians are already the largest foreign nationality. In the peak winter season alone, Hainan Island, the largest in the province, receives eight or more daily flights from cities throughout Russia. The situation clashes head-on with the withdrawal of Russian tourism in Europe. What a change of scenery. Why Hainan? Beyond its paradisiacal places that we mentioned in the intro, that right now they are enjoying maximum temperatures of 24 degrees or that it is a cheap destination, Hainan enjoys special policies such as free trade and more flexibility in general for government affairs. Thus, the Chinese government has favored foreign investment and has raised its hand with visas (from 2024 in Hainan and throughout the country since November). Your exemption policy It allows citizens of 59 countries to enter for a tourist getaway of up to 30 days. Among them, Russia of course. like at home. Leaving aside that restrained and hospitable Chinese personality, the island’s gear is geared toward pleasing tourists. However, it is one of the great bets to revitalize the region. And it shows: translated letters and signs, guides who speak the language, being able to find products of Russian gastronomy and even the loudspeakers on the beach, controlled by the local government, playing Russian hits. The New York Times collects that even the New Year’s celebrations on the beach came to fruition before vigilant but relaxed authorities, beyond warning that fireworks could not be set off. They have even opened a copy of the famous Moscow restaurant chain Chaihona No. 1, which in China has its counterpart at Chaihona No. 9. No need to lower your voice. Talking about Taiwan or Hong Kong may be thorny there, but Russian tourists can calmly express themselves in their language without generating uncomfortable sidelong glances. Foreign geopolitics does not cause discomfort in Hainan, something that does happen in Europe. Hello Hainan, goodbye Europe. It is inevitable to establish a certain parallel with the theory of communicating vessels as long as and although with ups and downs, since 2019 it has shown a downward trend in Europe, reaching 90% less in 2022, according to Schengen Visa Info details. Thus, if in 2019 four million Russians visited the old continent, in 2024 the figure dropped to 1.4 million. Leaving aside the COVID-19 period that affected the entire world, the Russians have their own case, with the war with Ukraine and the consequent tightening when it comes to obtaining visas as the main reasons. Although the sanctions program against Russia applies throughout the continent, there are countries that are more lax than others. Without going any further, Italy, France, Spain and Greece, the favorite destinations of Russian citizens, are among them. As details the Russian Travel Digestdespite a timid recovery in 2025, Russian citizens travel to Europe 40 to 50 times less. New destinations have been sought both within the old continent (Türkiye or Belgrade), but also outside In Xataka | Tourism promised them a happy time exploiting an idyllic island in Yemen. Until 600 tourists were trapped in it In Xataka | There are Spanish cities trying to shield their beaches from bathers’ pee. Marbella illustrates that they do not have it easy Cover | Yubin Zhou

IKEA has had to close seven large stores in China. It is the symptom of a much more important trend

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The real estate market was the great economic engine in China, but currently it is plunged into a deep crisis from which it does not seem that it will come out soon. Houses are not sold and, consequently, not as much furniture is sold either. If we add to this an increasingly strong online market and competitors with very aggressive prices, it is not surprising that IKEA is not doing very well. Seven fewer stores. IKEA China has announced which will close seven of its stores on February 2. These are seven large stores, known as ‘blue box’, located in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tianjin, Nantong, Xuzhou, Ningbo and Zhejiang. After the closure, there will be 34 more operational stores in the country. Change of strategy. IKEA emphasizes that “we will move from large-scale expansion to focused development.” Its strategy is to move away from large stores and focus on local commerce. They plan to open ten small stores in the next two years, starting with the Dongguan store scheduled for next February. This strategy contrasts with the one they are following in other countries like the United Kingdom either USAwhere what they are closing are some small stores opened after the pandemic. Competence. As we said, the Chinese real estate crisis is one of the reasons why sales have fallen, but not the only one. The Swedish giant faces other difficulties, such as the emergence of new local competitors that offer Much lower prices and much faster deliveries. In this context, it makes sense that IKEA wants to focus on small stores and strengthen its online channel. In fact, recently They opened a store on JD.com. Online presence. In statements to South China Morning Posteconomist Fan Xinyu, attributes the closure to “a highly developed online sales market in China, a trend that has reduced the survival margin of physical points of sale.” It is estimated that in 2024 in China They delivered 5,400 packets per secondmaking it the largest online marketplace in the world. In this sense, we can say that in China it is more common to place an order online than to go to a large store such as IKEA. IKEA China. The Swedish company opened its doors in China in 1998 and went on to open 41 large stores. The company has not published financial data, but China continues to be among the ten markets where they sell the most. According to ReutersChina accounts for 3.5% of all IKEA global sales. Image | Wikipedia In Xataka | The founder of Ikea was one of the richest men on the planet, but his most famous trick is available to everyone

China has turned the Arctic into its own “Panama Canal.” And that explains the US obsession with Greenland

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It seems like it was centuries ago, but until not too long ago the Arctic was seen as an inhospitable territory, more associated with school maps and scientific expeditions than with great power disputes. However, accelerated thaw and the changes in routes navigation have turned that apparently marginal region into one of the most sensitive spaces on the geopolitical board, one where decisions made today can define the economic and military balance of the coming decades. Stop being peripheral. Yes, for decades, the Arctic was a space remote, frozen and secondary in global geopolitics, a natural border that separated blocks rather than connecting them, but accelerated thaw has transformed that white void into a strategic corridor where trade, resources and military deterrence overlap. What was once a physical boundary is now an emerging highway that shortens thousands of kilometers between Asia, Europe and North America, and that simple climate change is reordering strategic priorities of the great powers at a speed that has caught many governments off guard. China and the Polar Route. China has identified before anyone else the potential of these new routes and has integrated them into its long-term vision as a “Polar Silk Road”conceived as a functional equivalent to the Panama Canal or the Suez Canalbut under much more flexible conditions because the rules are not yet set. Chinese research vessels, experimental freighters and icebreakers they are already browsing through the High North, collecting oceanographic data, mapping seabeds and testing routes that reduce by half travel times between Asia and Europe, while establishing a presence that, as happened in the South China Sea, begins as scientific and commercial and ends up having inevitable military implications. Submarines, data and war under the ice. The most disturbing element for Washington and its allies is not only trade, but the underground: The Arctic Ocean offers ideal conditions for underwater warfare, with layers of water, variable salinity, and natural noise making sonar detection difficult. The dives of Chinese research submarines under the ice, together with the deployment of “civilian” vessels that in practice function as covert military platforms, point to a clear objective: break the historic American submarine superiority and prepare the ground so that, in the future, Chinese nuclear submarines can operate near the North American continent with greater freedom and less risk. The Sino-Russian alliance. Chinese expansion in the Arctic is amplified by its understanding with Russiawhich provides experience, technology and access to already exploited routes along its northern coast, while receiving in return key industrial and technological support to sustain its war in Ukraine. This axis turns the Arctic into a space where two nuclear powers They coordinate in their own way air, naval and potentially submarine patrols, opening the door to a scenario that was unthinkable during the Cold War: Asian forces with the capacity to rapidly project themselves towards the Atlantic without passing through easily monitored bottlenecks. Greenland as a hinge. In this context, Greenland stops being a frozen and sparsely populated island and become the hinge that controls the eastern flank of the Northwest Passage, the gateway from Europe to that future Arctic highway. Whoever has decisive influence over Greenland can monitor, condition or even block maritime and submarine traffic in one of the most sensitive routes of the 21st century, in addition to housing radars, airports and key sensors for the defense of the American continent. The emergencies. Here comes the Trump’s renewed interest to take over Greenland, which does not respond to an eccentricity or a nineteenth-century imperial impulse, but rather to the recognition of an emerging strategic vulnerability. Washington watches how Beijing advances in the Arctic the same way he did in other settings: arriving early, coming to the table when the rules do not yet exist, and securing positions which then become almost impossible to reverse, which explains the pressure on Denmark, the enlargement of icebreaking capabilities and closer integration of the High North into NATO planning. No locks. In summary, and unlike the Panama Canal, the Arctic is not a closed infrastructure nor regulated by consolidated treaties, but rather a space under construction where the early presence defines future power. For the United States to allow China to consolidate a dominant position on these routes would be to accept that its geographic and naval advantage can be eroded without a single shot, simply by letting the ice melt and others write the rules. Greenland thus appears as the last piece of a bigger puzzle: one where it is not about buying or invading an island, but about deciding who controls trafficsecurity and the balance of power in the next great axis of global trade and war. Image | RawPixel In Xataka | A document clarifies “the Greenland thing” since 1951. Hitler’s Germany made an agreement possible for the US to do whatever it wants In Xataka | The gold of the 21st century is not in Venezuela: China and Russia know it and that is why the US wants Greenland no matter what

China has just resolved one of the biggest doubts about going to Mars with the birth of six space mice

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For years, the great doubt of space biology It has not been whether we can have tomatoes and lettuce in orbit to be able to populate other planets, but whether our bodies will remain functional after returning from the vacuum of space. Something that above all interests us in order to reproduce. And in order to solve it, China sent a mouse who was in the Tiangong station to see if she was later capable of having babies and if they came with any serious alteration. Some babies for history. The result of this trip to Tiangong Station The truth is that it has been a successsince on December 10, 2025, a laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) witnessed an apparently everyday but scientifically extraordinary event: the birth of nine baby mice. The special thing, logically, was not the birth, but the fact that his mother had been in space for several weeks (although with some problems) subjected to microgravity and cosmic radiation. Now, six of these babies have survived and are growing normally. It was not without incident. The experiment was a priori quite simple: launch four mice (two males and two females) into space on October 31 and leave them there for two weeks. All this accompanied by adequate food for the duration of the mission. But in the end there were major problems that forced extend the stay in space. And this was a huge inconvenience, since the critical shortage of solid food for the mice could literally cause the mice to die and the mission to be a disaster. And that is why on Earth they began to look for the most suitable food to feed these animals and the result was liquid soy milk, which was the only thing available at the station. Completely monitored. In order to have good traceability of what the mice do in space, scientists kept the mice monitored with artificial intelligence at all times. In this way, it was possible to know at the moment what they ate and even the stress patterns they presented, circadian rhythms and possible anomalies in real time. And everything was taken care of in detail, to the point that the soy milk was supplied with a negative pressure pumping system to prevent liquid bubbles from floating around the cabin. The progression. Once this problem was resolved, on November 14, 2025, the animals returned to earth and natural conception occurred. The result was that 9 calves were born and only six survived in good health. The problem of microgravity. Until this experiment, there was a well-founded fear in the scientific community: that ionizing radiation and the absence of gravity would “break” something in the hormonal axis or in the integrity of the DNA of the gametes. Something that would prevent us from reproducing normally, which would prevent, for example, the colonization of Mars. Precisely, cosmic radiation acts as a shower of high-energy particles that can cause double-strand breaks in DNA. On Earth, our atmosphere protects us, but at 400 km altitude, mice (and humans) are exposed to a much higher dose. Researcher Wang Hongmei highlights that the fact that the offspring are viable suggests that the cellular repair mechanisms of mammals are capable of compensating for the damage suffered during short-duration flights. A competition. As with everything related to space, there is a great rivalry between the United States and China. In this way, if we look back we see that China He had already managed to partially develop mouse embryos in space in 2020. Subsequently, NASA in 2019 conducted researchers on the International Space Station to analyze the bone density loss and muscle in space. What’s next. The experiment does not end with childbirth. Now, scientists monitor what they call “second-generation effects.” The aim is to determine if these six mice will develop health problems in the medium term or if their fertility will be affected when they reach maturity. In this way, if these mice do not present infertility, we can see that space travel is not a sentence of sterility. China’s next big step will be to attempt the reproductive cycle in orbit: conception, gestation and birth without setting foot on Earth. Something that will be fundamental for to be able to understand if humans in space can have some kind of possibility of reproducing without the protection of our beloved atmosphere. Images | Frenjamin Benklin POT In Xataka | Thinking that we are alone in the universe is arrogant. The question is why the aliens haven’t contacted us yet

Years ago we ridiculed China for copying Western mobile phones. The fact is that now they copy them… and improve them

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We Europeans have integrated into our culture that copying is something negative, an act of theft according to tech industry figures such as John Ive. In China, the culture of ‘shanzai’ It tells us the opposite: learning and replicating what the best teachers do is the best way to reach (or surpass) their level of knowledge. In China, the logic is different. The culture of ‘shanzhai’ It starts from a much more pragmatic premise: learning by replicating the best is the fastest—and most effective—way to reach their level, or even surpass it. For years, seeing Chinese brands copying giants like Apple was a source of ridicule on social networks. Until the country’s technological advance has made the outcome inevitable: copies that no longer only imitate, but also technically improve the products from which they are inspired. The Honor Magic 8 Pro…Air. Apple sets the conceptual pace for where industry trends will move. And, although Samsung was the first with its Galaxy Edge, the race to create increasingly thinner flagships has been started by Apple with its iPhone 17 Air. A model that It is not working very well on a commercial level.precisely because of the sacrifices that supposedly entail creating such a thin mobile phone. It only has one camera. It is the iPhone with the worst autonomy of the entire family iPhone 17 It is, in practical terms, inferior in some key aspects to a base iPhone The most talked about mobile phone this week is the Honor Magic 8 Pro Air, of which we have leaks through JD’s own pageand whose presentation date and part of the design are already confirmed by Honor itself. We will meet him on January 19 in China. Don’t take away my basics. “I’m willing to lose two cameras and suffer with the battery in exchange for a thinner phone.” Said nobody, ever. According to the information leaked, this Honor It has three cameras It has a 5,500mAh battery The rest of the specs will be those expected in any high range honor Power 2. The Honor Magic 8 Pro Air will not be the only Honor model “inspired” by Apple for this 2026. Recently, the company presented its Power 2a mid-range with just 8mm thickness and only 216 grams of weight. In addition to having specs that border on the first line, it is practically a humiliation in terms of battery for all its rivals: it has 10,000mAh, the same as the powerbanks that I have at home for my trips. It’s not a player thing. Xiaomi has even renamed its star flagship from Pro to “Pro Max”, in a model in which even the case of an iPhone 17 Pro Max fits almost perfectly. Differences with the Apple model? Battery… 7,500mAh. In less thickness. Screen with more peak brightness. Double the base memory. Three keys. China It is in one of the best moments to lead the smartphone race. The generational leap in batteries is leaving Western manufacturers behind. The maxim is clear: add all the hardware that fits in the body of the phone. A strategy focused on volume. Giants like Apple or Google need to hit the mark with their flagship model to make their mobile division profitable. Chinese manufacturers maintain their profitability thanks to broader catalogs, with dozens of models that cover all price ranges. A market of traditions. The data of Counterpoint in Q3 2025 They make one thing clear: the lack of technological innovation does not affect Samsung or Apple. The two leading companies maintain their position, followed by Xiaomi, which is already practically traditional in markets such as Europe. Despite this, China is demonstrating something key in a market that aspires to win in the coming years. He not only knows how to copy: he knows how to improve what already exists. In Xataka | China has a replica of 12 European cities with Parisian neighborhoods and part of the Alhambra. And it belongs to Huawei

China is winning the humanoid robot race. The problem is that this race doesn’t really exist.

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Fritz Lang wanted to imagine the future and painted it for us with humanoid robots integrated into society. That maschinenmensch of ‘Metrópolis’ (1927) was a preview of what they now pursue with more ambition than anyone Chinese manufacturers, who They have not stopped developing more and more of these robots. They are winning the race by far, but the problem is that the race is non-existent. (Almost) nobody buys humanoid robots. These Chinese manufacturers were by far the most responsible for the sales of humanoid robots, which in 2025 amounted to the figure of… 13,000 units. The data reflects a forceful reality: in the world of domestic humanoid robots there is a lot (a lot) of noise, but few (very few) nuts. More than in 2024 = very little. Humanoid robots from Chinese manufacturers sold much more than those from American companies like Tesla or Figure AI according to data from the consulting firm Omdia. The company that has sold the most according to that report is the Chinese startup Shanghai AgiBot Innovation Technology Co., which distributed a total of 5,168 robots in 2025. It was followed by Unitree Robotics and UBTech Robotics Corp. Although total sales were five times those of 2024, the final figure reflects that the market is in its infancy. Huge expectations. Despite this, Citigroup esteem that in 2050 there will be 648 million humanoid robots. The great hope is that the promising evolution of AI models will serve to overcome current limitations and have multiple practical applications, once integrated into robots. There are already promising developments in this regard, and robots and AIs separately have already demonstrated their capacity in limited environments. like the manufacturing, logistics or customer service. China and “affordable” robotics. Although there are notable companies in this field in the US, their humanoid robots are much more expensive. Elon Musk indicated by the end of 2025 that “once production reaches one million units annually, Optimus will likely be priced between $20,000 and $25,000.” Meanwhile, Unitree already offers “affordable” robots (but not humanoid) for $6,000, and AgiBot asks for $14,000 for his. This company was in fact named by Jensen Huang during his talk at the NVIDIA event at CES 2026. The Chinese government helps. As in other industrial areas, there is strong support from the Chinese government in this area, and according to Bloomberg Favorable policies are combined with aid for the construction of training centers. The number of companies and startups developing this type of solutions already exceeds 150, and that even points to a potential “robotic bubble.” The challenge of robotic hands. One of the great challenges of this segment is to ensure that the dexterity of machines is comparable to that of humans. For now this is not the case especially with the example of robotic hands, which mostly They are very unskilledwhich limits its application to real home environments. The battery life of these robots is another obstacle that can hinder their application in our daily lives. Future implications. If these challenges are overcome, we will once again find ourselves with a disturbing panorama in which geopolitical tensions could make access to these robots difficult. There is also the problem of employment: if robots achieve the ability to perform manual tasks, the threat to virtually any human worker will be notable. How will governments react to this situation? Image | Agibot In Xataka | China prepares its next technological assault. Huawei and UBTech have just teamed up to bring humanoid robots to homes

The US has taken over Venezuela’s oil. The problem is that the package includes a gigantic debt with China

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The map of world power has been redrawn in just one week. The capture of Nicolás Maduro by US forces is not just a regime change; is the birth of the “Donroe Doctrine”, a movement with which Washington seeks to consolidate an energy empire “from Alaska to Patagonia” to control 40% of world production. However, after the military euphoria in the White House, a dilemma of trillion-dollar proportions looms: the oil has been taken, but it is mortgaged, and China demands its bills. The collector at the door. Control of the largest reserves on the planet has put the US face to face with the great creditor of the Caribbean. According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP)the current exposure in a state of “limbo” is estimated at $10 billion, although other estimates by think tanks collected by the same medium raise the historical debt to more than 60,000 million, much of it structured under the “oil for loans” model. But how was this sum arrived at? China needed energy for its industrial rise and Venezuela needed cash. Under this premise, Beijing financed railways, power plants and more than 600 bilateral agreements. Now, the great fear of the Asian giant is that the new government in Caracas —protected by the Trump administration— invoke the doctrine of “hateful debt”. As Cui Shoujun explains in SCMPthis legal remedy would allow the loans to be repudiated, alleging that China’s money did not benefit the people, but rather financed the survival of the regime. It would be the perfect “legal pretext” to clean up the balance sheets before the American oil companies take the reins. The agony of the Chinese state companies and the shield of the “Teapots”. The anxiety in Beijing is not just political, it is corporate. As revealed by Bloomberggiants such as China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) are carrying out damage assessments amid fears that decades of investments will evaporate. Nevertheless, according to information from Reutersthese companies still operate in the country through joint ventures such as Sinovensa, and control rights to reserves amounting to billions of barrels. However, China has an “ace up its sleeve.” A couple of months ago, they were absorbing 90% of measurable crude oil storage. Besides, as detailed by the Financial Timesmuch of the flow of Venezuelan crude oil arrived in China through the “teapots” (independent refineries), which bought the oil at steep discounts to avoid previous sanctions. By taking control of exports, the United States not only recovers crude oil, but also eliminates a key competitive advantage for the Chinese industry, raising its energy costs at a stroke. The technical paradox. Many wonder why Trump would risk so much for oil that seems “bad.” The answer is a necessary technical symbiosisAmerican and Spanish refineries (like Repsol’s) act as “stomachs” designed for heavy crude oil from Venezuela, which needs to be mixed with light oil from the fracking to produce diesel efficiently. However, the prize comes with a bill astronomical repair. The infrastructure is literally in ruins: loading an oil tanker today takes five days compared to the one day that was enough seven years ago, and the crude oil arrives “dirty” (with excess water and salt) due to lack of maintenance. Reconstructing the sector will require 10 billion dollars annually for a decade, to which is added the drama of natural gas: Venezuela today burns in “smoke” the equivalent of the consumption of all of Colombia due to pure technical negligence. The battle of the offices. Trump has taken control of the energy crown jewel, but has found himself with an astronomical repair bill and a Chinese creditor who won’t go away quietly. As the Financial Times warnsif the US decides to also suffocate supplies from Iran after this blow in Venezuela, China could see 20% of its cheap crude oil imports compromised, which would force Beijing into an unpredictable reaction. The real battle did not end with the capture of Maduro; It is just beginning in the offices of Washington and Beijing. Venezuela is the jackpot, but it is a prize that comes with fine print that could go bankrupt the financial balances of half the world. The oil era is not over, but the map of who controls it and who pays for it has been rewritten with blood and debt. Image | Luisovalles Xataka | The war in Ukraine has just met that of Venezuela: that means that its two invaders are facing each other

NVIDIA fears that China will hinder the sale of H200 chips, so it is asking for advance payment without exchanges or returns

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The fact that NVIDIA can market H200 chips in China It’s going around a lot these days and it’s no wonder. And after the Government’s uncertainty about whether it ends up allowing them in the country or not, the company has imposed unusually strict payment conditions for customers who want to buy these chips in China. According to information According to Reuters, the company now requires full payment up front, with no cancellation, refund or configuration changes options once the order is placed. Why it matters. NVIDIA has billions at stake in China, the world’s largest semiconductor market. Chinese technology companies have placed orders for more than 2 million H200 chips valued at about $27,000 each, well above the company’s available inventory of 700,000 units, according to account the middle. But the regulatory situation is a powder keg: the United States has just authorized the sale with a 25% tariff, while China has not yet confirmed whether it will allow imports. Regulation. The Biden administration had banned the export of chips advanced AI to China, but Donald Trump reversed that policy last month allowing H200 sales with the aforementioned 25% tariff that goes directly to the US government. However, China has not yet given the official approval. According to BloombergBeijing plans to approve some imports this quarter, but only for select commercial uses. The military, sensitive government agencies, critical infrastructure and state-owned companies would be left out for security reasons. Protection. The payment terms transfer all of NVIDIA’s financial risk to its customers, who must commit capital without certainty that Beijing will approve the imports or that they will be able to deploy the technology as planned. According to account The average, although NVIDIA has always required advance payments from Chinese customers, deposits were sometimes allowed in lieu of full payment. Now the company is especially strict due to the lack of regulatory clarity. A recent scar. NVIDIA has reason to be cautious. Last year it had to write down $5.5 billion in inventory after the Trump administration abruptly banned the sale of the H20 chip to Chinathe most powerful product that it could then offer there. Although the United States has reversed that decision, China has since banned H20 shipments. This experience explains why the company prefers to ensure collection before any unforeseen regulatory event. Overwhelming demand. Chinese tech giants like ByteDance and Alibaba see the H200 as a significant improvement. This chip, currently NVIDIA’s second most powerful, offers approximately six times the performance of the now locked H20. According to Bloombergboth Alibaba and ByteDance have privately communicated to NVIDIA their interest in ordering more than 200,000 units each. Delivery times. NVIDIA plans to fill initial orders with existing stock, with the first batch of H200 chips expected to arrive before the Lunar New Year holiday in mid-February, according to account Reuters. The company has also approached TSMC to increase H200 production to meet demand in China, with additional manufacturing planned for the second quarter of 2026. The local competition. Meanwhile, NVIDIA’s Chinese rivals are gaining ground. And just as inform Bloomberg, local manufacturers such as Huawei have developed AI processors, including the Ascend 910Calthough its performance still lags behind the H200 for large-scale training of advanced models. On the other hand, Cambricon Technologies It also plans to significantly increase its production of AI chips in 2026, thus expanding its market share and filling the gap left by NVIDIA. What’s coming now. In the coming days it will be known if China makes a final decision on H200 imports. Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, declared at CES this week that customer demand for H200 chips is “quite high” and that the company has “activated its supply chain” to increase production. Huang also noted that he doesn’t expect the Chinese government to make a formal statement about approval, but rather that “if purchase orders come in, it’s because they can make them.” Cover image | NVIDIA and Arthur Wang In Xataka | There is a new player in the race for the autonomous car and it is one that should worry Tesla a lot: NVIDIA

The gold of the 21st century is not in Venezuela. China and Russia know it, and that is why the US wants Greenland no matter what.

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As if it were a Deja Vú2026 has exactly begun same as 2025: with Trump’s insistence on take over Greenland. It happens that it no longer seems like an isolated whim or a rhetorical eccentricity, but rather the convergence of a personal drive, a strategic opportunity perceived as easy, and a high-impact geopolitical calculation. Venezuela It has served to light the fuse. Greenland as an obsession. After the capture of MaduroTrump confirmed once again that the use of force abroad lacks the legal and judicial brakes that do constrain his domestic action, and that, in the face of clearly outmatched adversaries or allies, the reality is imposed on international law without too many immediate consequences. Greenland then appears (again) as the perfect prize: a huge, sparsely populated territory, defended by an ally incapable of military resistance and located in an area where Washington can dress territorial ambition in the language of “national security”. The reiteration of the message, the appointment of a specific envoy and the public statements that normalize even the military option indicate that this is not a joke or simple diplomatic pressure, but rather an obsession that grows as Trump’s internal political margin narrows. The founding paradox of NATO. The central problem is that Greenland belongs to the Kingdom of Denmarka full member of NATO, and any US action against it would place the Alliance before a paradox for which it was not designed. He Article 5, designed to deter external enemies, does not see clearly What happens when the aggressor is the hegemonic member. As has warned Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, in that scenario “everything would stop”: NATO could continue to exist formally, but its credibility would be destroyed. No one would come to the defense of Greenland against the United States, not only due to a lack of political will, but also due to the absolute material asymmetry between Washington and the rest of the allies. The implicit message is thunder for Europe: security guarantees are no longer automatic, and force is once again in place above the treatyan outcome that directly benefits Russia at the moment of greatest tension since the end of the Cold War. Critical minerals. The economic and technological argument is supported in mineral wealth that lies under the Greenland ice, the result of an ancient geology that concentrates rare earths and other essential critical minerals for the energy transition. From the 19th century to today, different actors have tried exploit that potential, from Ivittuut cryolite during World War II to contemporary rare earth projects. However, the enthusiasm collides with a stubborn reality: extracting these resources is extraordinarily expensive, slow and risky. The almost total lack of infrastructure, the dependence on maritime or air transport, the complexity of processing (with minerals often associated with uranium) and restrictive environmental legislation mean that only a minimal fraction of exploration projects become operational mines, usually after more than a decade of investment. Extra ball. Furthermore, the memory of the environmental damage caused by past exploitations, whose effects are still detectable half a century later in extremely fragile ecosystems, explains why Greenlandic society only contemplates mining. like an opportunity if you actively participate in decision-making and project ownership. The loot exists, but it is neither immediate nor easy, and it certainly does not seem to be able to justify the American strategic urgency on its own. Hybrid war. The backdrop is a northern Europe increasingly militarizedwhere incidents against submarine cables, gas pipelines and critical infrastructure in the Baltic have normalized the idea of a permanent hybrid war. In this context, Washington observes how Moscow and Beijing test pressure tactics below the threshold of open conflict, while legal and judicial responses appear slow or ineffective. The explicit willingness of the United States to include military option for Greenland fits into that fait accompli logic: securing key positions before the strategic environment deteriorates further. It is not just about denying advantages to rivals, but about getting ahead of a scenario in which infrastructure, logistics and control of physical nodes are worth more than declarations of principles. The navigable Arctic and a port. Here a possible decisive derivative emerges. Science has been warning for some time a stage where the Arctic is heading, on a horizon of decades, to be navigable for most of the year. The sustained retreat of sea ice is transforming routes that were once seasonal into viable commercial corridorsdrastically reducing the distances between Asia, Europe and North America. Today, they capitalize on that advantage especially Russiawith the Northern Maritime Route, and Chinawhich presents itself as a “near-Arctic power” and invests in ports, icebreakers and logistics agreements. For the United States, which is late to this board, Greenland represents the perfect shortcut: an enclave located between the Atlantic and the Arctic, capable of hosting deep-water ports, air bases and logistics nodes from which to offset the Russian-Chinese advantage. Seen this way, more than a mine, Greenland is a port ahead of the world to come, a piece from which to influence the global trade of the 21st century and the control of routes that, for the first time in modern history, cease to be be closed by ice. A small island, a global change. If you will, the final paradox is that all this pulse revolves around a tiny territory of less than 60,000 inhabitantsone mostly opposed to integrating into the United States and in favor, at best, of a slow and cautious independence. However, its symbolic and strategic value is disproportionate. Greenland condenses the transition to a world where melting ice reconfigures maps, critical minerals redefine dependencies, and alliances are strained to the limit. For Trump, it is a source of political impact, potential money and demolition of the old order. For Europe, possibly proof that geography prevails again to the law. And for the international system, the warning that the Arctic is no longer a remote edge of the planet, but one of its new centers of gravity. Image | The … Read more

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