Author: HeraldStar

By Qaiser Nawab, Chairman BRISD Beijing’s annual Two Sessions, comprising the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), have once again captured global attention as platforms for setting the nation’s socioeconomic agenda. On March 5, 2026, Premier Li Qiang submitted the Government Work Report to the NPC, outlining a comprehensive review of the past year, achievements over the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), and ambitious yet pragmatic goals for the year ahead and the forthcoming 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). With a GDP growth target set at 4.5-5 percent for 2026, the document reflects a flexible approach…

By Qaiser Nawab, Chairman BRISD Humanoid robots have often been viewed as novelties, be it mechanical performers dancing at the 2026 Spring Festival Gala in Beijing, or sparring for applause at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Now comes a more consequential question: is the dream of embodied intelligence finally ready to step off the stage and into everyday life? From Stages to Assembly Lines For decades, the humanoid robot was the holy grail of robotics, somehow technologically mesmerizing but commercially elusive. However, 2025 marked a year of rapid acceleration for China’s humanoid robotics sector. In a…

By Qaiser Nawab, Chairman BRISD Against the living canvas of the dark night, horses galloping above the sky of Hefei, the capital city of Central China’s Anhui Province. What distinguishes this Guinness-World-Record-breaking performance is not only the sheer grandiosity, but the performers: drones. This impressive snippet on China’s Spring Festival gala last month offers a glimpse of this rapidly expanding industry in China, dubbed as “low-altitude economy”, which refers to low-altitude flight activities integrating drones, eVTOLs, helicopters, and related infrastructure. As application scenarios extend into county-level regions and infrastructure improves, the size of this strategically sector is projected to surpass…

By Qaiser Nawab, Chairman BRISD Five years post-spinal injury, a patient is back on his feet. The NeuCyber Matrix BMI System (Beinao-1) made it possible. Through brain-controlled rehabilitation, the patient graduated from total paraplegia to walking with crutches. Once confined to laboratories, BCIs are now entering clinical and commercial pathways. For countries with aging populations and significant neurological healthcare burdens, BCIs represent a medical-technology opportunity grounded in real healthcare demand, core technological challenges, and long industrial cycles. In China, they have also become a clearly defined future industry, embedded in long-term national planning and backed by an expanding ecosystem of…

By Qaiser Nawab “For the foreseeable future, China will continue to be the growth engine of the world,” Erik Solheim, former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations said.According to a government work report submitted Thursday to China’s top legislature for deliberation, the country targets an economic growth of 4.5 percent to 5 percent this year and will strive for better in practice.This figure surpasses the IMF’s growth projections of 3.3% for the global economy and 4.2% for emerging and developing economies in 2026. “Number is one thing, and quality is not to be overlooked. As China transitions toward high-quality development, it…

By Wania Tahir The Middle East has long functioned within a tense but familiar pattern of confrontation and caution. That pattern now appears under severe strain. Recent military exchanges and the reported targeting of senior Iranian figures suggest that relations between Washington and Tehran are moving beyond the era of “managed escalation”. The mechanisms that previously limited confrontation seem weaker, while the risks have grown correspondingly higher. For a region already fatigued by decades of violence, this moment carries a heavy, destructive weight. The consequences of these disruptive operations are no longer confined to diplomatic rhetoric. They touch maritime security…

By Qaiser Nawab Global market valuation of virtual currencies has surged to an unprecedented $2.73 trillion. To put this into perspective, the collective value of these decentralized assets now represents nearly half of the world’s total gold reserves. Yet, for millions of investors, the promise of “decentralization” is being eclipsed by a grim reality: virtual assets are increasingly at risk of being lawfully confiscated without a whisper of prior notice. The foundational appeal of virtual currency has always been its perceived immunity to state intervention. The blockchain was designed to be a vault without a central key. However, the period…

By Qaiser Nawab China is bracing for its most significant annual ritual. The ‘Two Sessions’—or Lianghui—comprising the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), are not merely administrative fixtures. For a world grappling with fractured supply chains and geopolitical realignment, the upcoming gathering in Beijing represents a barometer for the global economy and a definitive roadmap for the ‘New Era’ envisioned by the Chinese leadership.The primary focal point of the upcoming NPC session will undoubtedly be the unveiling of the Government Work Report. While the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth target…

By Qaiser Nawab The air in Beijing still carries the sharp, lingering scent of Lunar New Year firecrackers, but the arrival of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on February 25, 2026, signals a far more serious season of diplomatic renewal. In his first official visit to China since assuming office, Merz—a conservative leader often characterized by his tough rhetoric—has made a move that suggests economic realism is beginning to outweigh ideological friction in Berlin. As the first foreign head of state to visit China in the Year of the Horse, Merz brings with him the heavy expectations of a German industrial…

By Qaiser Nawab As the global economic landscape undergoes a profound transformation, 2026 stands as a definitive milestone. With the conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan (FYP), China has officially transitioned into its 15th FYP (2026–2030). This transition is not merely a change in administrative calendars; it represents the commencement of a critical five-year sprint toward the 2035 goal of “basic modernization.” For Pakistan and the broader international community, the activation of this plan offers a clear blueprint of how the world’s second-largest economy intends to navigate a decade defined by technological decoupling, climate urgency, and a shifting demographic profile.…