CHANGDE, China — When Mr Ma Heshui set up a vineyard in central Hunan province with a friend four years ago, they were surrounded by farmland. They leased 1.6 hectares (four acres) in a quiet spot on Changde’s northernmost edge, 3km from its main train station. But as their grapevines developed, so did the city of 6 million – and …

BEIJING – China’s Defence Ministry has lodged a complaint with the United States about a Pentagon report that said China’s military was likely training for strikes against the United States and its allies, saying it was “pure guesswork”. The assessment, at a time of heightened U.S.-China tensions over trade, was contained in an annual report that highlighted China’s efforts to …

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. government is trying to force Facebook Inc to break the encryption in its popular Messenger app so law enforcement may listen to a suspect’s voice conversations in a criminal probe, three people briefed on the case said, resurrecting the issue of whether companies can be compelled to alter their products to enable surveillance. The previously …