Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mozambique’s President Daniel Chapo hold talks in Beijing on April 21. Photo: AP

China and Mozambique sign minerals and security agreement

The two countries are set to survey rare earth elements while strengthening security ties in Mozambique’s conflict-ridden north.

26 minutes ago

Why China is backing nuclear fuel rod production in Namibia

China-Africa relations

Tech

Prognosis positive: how AI could help China bridge the medical resources gap

Hospitals, medical professionals and patients stand to benefit as country pushes to integrate AI into healthcare sector.

1 hour agovideocam

Diplomacy

US says direct talks are on, Iran says no: confusion over Pakistan meeting

Trump sends Witkoff and Kushner; meanwhile, Iran’s foreign ministry denies US discussions even as Araghchi arrives in Islamabad.

6 hours agovideocam

Hong Kong Economy

Exclusive | Hong Kong Aberdeen marina project attracting local and overseas interest

Experts call for infrastructure upgrades and clearer premium tourism positioning as Singaporean operator and leading local yacht club declare interest.

26 minutes ago

Focus

As DJI duels Insta360, China sharpens global hardware edge amid US scrutiny

China Economy

Default in our stars: China banks use satellites to track assets, cut loan risks

Analysts say orbital monitoring of sites, property and other assets provides vital data on borrowers.

2 hours agovideocam

Chinese banks are increasingly using satellites to evaluate their clients’ terrestrial assets. Photo: Shutterstock

Military

Why China won’t like India’s latest defence deal with South Korea

After Lee Jae Myung’s recent visit to New Delhi touting expanded bilateral cooperation, Beijing is likely to be uneasy, analysts say.

3 hours agovideocam

Politics

3 killed in Japanese Type 10 tank blast that has military baffled

A round detonating inside a tank turret is virtually unheard of. The last time it happened in Japan was in 1979.

20 minutes agovideocam

Tech

How AI technology supports conservation of endangered species

Huawei Technologies’ monitoring systems speed up real-time identification of China’s primates, coastal coral, and Norwegian salmon.

In partnership with:

Huawei

Society

Wang Fuk Court residents make long climb to retrieve family treasures

Jewellery, cash, photo albums and keepsakes linked to departed loved ones among items reclaimed by residents.

3 hours agovideocam

A resident collects personal belongings from Wang Sun House. Photo: Eugene Lee

Big Tech

Huawei, DeepSeek strengthen China’s AI self-reliance with V4 collaboration

DeepSeek says its V4 model will have throughput issues until the second half of the year, until Ascend 950PR supernodes ‘ship at scale’.

24 Apr 2026 - 10:30PM

Economics

Mixed bag: Indonesia’s 8% growth dream hits a plastic ceiling

Soaring packaging costs amid the Iran war hint at a deeper malaise as the middle class contracts and growth hits a plateau.

4 hours agovideocam

Military

China stages navy drill as US and Philippines embark on Balikatan 2026

The Liaoning aircraft carrier appears to be among 14 large naval vessels snapped on manoeuvres in a satellite image circulating online.

24 Apr 2026 - 8:29PMvideocam

China’s first aircraft carrier went into commission in 2012 and was named “Liaoning” after the northeastern province. Photo: Xinhua via AP

Russia & Central Asia

Russia says US using coups, kidnappings to ‘defend its well-being’ at any cost

‘The United States has officially declared that no one can dictate to it,’ Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says.

3 hours agovideocam

Captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro heads towards the Daniel Patrick Manhattan United States Courthouse for an initial appearance to face US federal charges in New York City in January. Photo: Reuters

China Economy

Beijing ramps up tax crackdown, frames consumption levies as fiscal lifelines

Authorities target retailers, shell companies and off-the-books manoeuvres to lessen tax liabilities.

24 Apr 2026 - 10:00PM

Health & Wellness

Are ice baths good for you? What you need to know before taking the plunge

Ice baths and cold plunges are springing up across Hong Kong, but will traditional Chinese medicine ideas freeze them out of the market?

5 hours ago

Europe

G7 ‘concerned’ at Russia and China’s nuclear build-up

The remarks come ahead of a month-long conference to revise the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

25 Apr 2026 - 3:48AMvideocam

A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile is seen at Russia’s Plesetsk testing field in footage released in October 2025. Photo: Russian Defence Ministry via AFP

Tech

US crackdown threat could shake out China’s ‘distillation’ AI copycats: analysts

US plans action against AI ‘distillation’, as analysts warn weaker Chinese start-ups could be forced out within a year.

24 Apr 2026 - 11:08PM

Even among more capable developers, distillation is often used to accelerate AI iteration. Photo: EPA

United States & Canada

US sanctions China-based oil refinery and 40 shippers over Iran oil

Hengli Petrochemical’s facility in Dalian can process 400,000 barrels per day, making it one of the biggest independent refineries in China.

3 hours agovideocam

Outdoor

‘Natural instinct,’ says man who helped fellow runner finish Boston Marathon

Northern Irishman Aaron Beggs and Brazilian Robson De Olivera sprang into action when Ajay Haridasse collapsed about 300m from the end.

1 hour ago

OPINION

Michael Vatikiotis

Opinion | Blinding the world with lies makes peacemaking an impossible task

1 hour ago

Lizzi C. Lee

Opinion | Why Beijing is going all in on tokens – and what it really wants

2 hours ago

Letters

Letters | Pathway of Hong Kong pupils’ well-being runs through relationships

56 minutes ago

Wee Kek Koon

Reflections | The history of China’s hospitality industry and how its inns evolved over time

4 hours ago

Alex Lo

As I see it | Kuomintang gets the carrots, DPP the stick

25 Apr 2026 - 5:30AM

Harry’s View | 25 Apr 2026

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26 minutes ago

Hong Kong Economy

Exclusive | Hong Kong Aberdeen marina project attracting local and overseas interest

26 minutes ago

Diplomacy

China and Mozambique sign minerals and security agreement

58 minutes ago

East Asia

As oil costs soar, Japan’s bathhouses struggle to keep heads above water

1 hour ago

Society

Video | ‘My home is right here. Why would I bid it farewell?’

05:53

1 hour ago

Outdoor

‘Natural instinct,’ says man who helped fellow runner finish Boston Marathon

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Opinion

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Tech

Prognosis positive: how AI could help China bridge the medical resources gap

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China Economy

Default in our stars: China banks use satellites to track assets, cut loan risks

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Politics

3 killed in Japanese Type 10 tank blast that has military baffled

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Opinion | Why Beijing is going all in on tokens – and what it really wants

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SCMP Series

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SCMP Series US-Israel war on Iran

Iran war: is the US shifting away from its strategy of precision strikes?

As the conflict has intensified, more energy and civilian sites have been targeted in what is seen as a broader approach.

9 Apr 2026 - 9:26AMvideocam

What is the war on Iran teaching China about the United States’ resilience?

8 Apr 2026 - 11:10AMvideocam

How lessons from Iran war could shape mainland China’s Taiwan calculus

7 Apr 2026 - 2:20AMvideocam

Open Questions series

Diplomacy

Open Questions | ‘Saying you’re a geopolitical actor doesn’t make it so’: Sven Biscop on Europe

The Belgian political scientist on what the Iran war and the transatlantic collision reveal about Europe’s place in a fast-changing world.

20 Apr 2026 - 10:05AMvideocam

Science

Open Questions | What an ancient Chinese map reveals about global history: Sheng-Wei Wang

Kunyu Wanguo Quantu and maritime artefacts prove China explored the world earlier than Eurocentric accounts suggest, scholar argues.

13 Apr 2026 - 8:15AMvideocam

China Economy

Open Questions | Andrew Tilton on China’s economic trajectory in wake of Iran war

Goldman Sachs’ chief Asia-Pacific economist says worst is over in terms of property slump’s impact on China’s economic growth.

6 Apr 2026 - 10:01AMvideocam

China Economy

Open Questions | Kenneth Rogoff on why China’s yuan will be a reserve currency within 5 years

Harvard economist explains why cryptocurrencies will never take the US dollar’s place, despite their popularity in underground economies.

30 Mar 2026 - 10:03AMvideocam

Key Industries:

Tech

Can ‘token exports’ give China an edge in the AI era?

As AI tokens emerge as a new commodity, China’s cost advantage is reshaping global model competition, though monetisation gaps remain.

22 Apr 2026 - 11:20PM

Starting this year, models from Chinese companies have intermittently ranked among the global top tier in token usage. Photo: SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Tech

Prognosis positive: how AI could help China bridge the medical resources gap

Hospitals, medical professionals and patients stand to benefit as country pushes to integrate AI into healthcare sector.

1 hour agovideocam

China Economy

Default in our stars: China banks use satellites to track assets, cut loan risks

Analysts say orbital monitoring of sites, property and other assets provides vital data on borrowers.

2 hours agovideocam

Tech

US crackdown threat could shake out China’s ‘distillation’ AI copycats: analysts

US plans action against AI ‘distillation’, as analysts warn weaker Chinese start-ups could be forced out within a year.

24 Apr 2026 - 11:08PM

Hong Kong

How fire safety failures worsened Hong Kong’s deadly inferno

The second round of hearings from April 8 to April 17 exposed a series of failures that allowed the fire equipment and alarm system in Wang Fuk Court to be deactivated for months, and eventually contributed to the heavy death toll.

23 Apr 2026 - 6:04PM

How fire safety failures worsened Hong Kong’s deadly inferno

Hong Kong Economy

Hongkongers find value, space and style in Shenzhen’s new cultural hotspots

Short cross‑border getaways emerging as the ‘quick escape’ of choice, with the newly opened Shenzhen Bay Culture Square adding to appeal.

24 Apr 2026 - 8:35AM

China Economy

How a Chinese plastics hub shapes Tesla’s supply chain – and moulds the modern world

From car components to keyboards, this little-known industrial district in eastern China is crafting the small parts the world relies on.

23 Apr 2026 - 6:54AMvideocam

Politics

Trump’s military push confronts US lawmakers and China’s shipbuilding edge

Congressional resistance, war costs and industrial limits could constrain ambitions, even as Beijing expands its naval capacity.

22 Apr 2026 - 12:55AMvideocam

China and Mozambique sign minerals and security agreement

The two countries are set to survey rare earth elements while strengthening security ties in Mozambique’s conflict-ridden north.

Why China is backing nuclear fuel rod production in Namibia

Prognosis positive: how AI could help China bridge the medical resources gap

Hospitals, medical professionals and patients stand to benefit as country pushes to integrate AI into healthcare sector.

US says direct talks are on, Iran says no: confusion over Pakistan meeting

Trump sends Witkoff and Kushner; meanwhile, Iran’s foreign ministry denies US discussions even as Araghchi arrives in Islamabad.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Exclusive | Hong Kong Aberdeen marina project attracting local and overseas interest

Experts call for infrastructure upgrades and clearer premium tourism positioning as Singaporean operator and leading local yacht club declare interest.

As DJI duels Insta360, China sharpens global hardware edge amid US scrutiny

Default in our stars: China banks use satellites to track assets, cut loan risks

Analysts say orbital monitoring of sites, property and other assets provides vital data on borrowers.

Why China won’t like India’s latest defence deal with South Korea

After Lee Jae Myung’s recent visit to New Delhi touting expanded bilateral cooperation, Beijing is likely to be uneasy, analysts say.

3 killed in Japanese Type 10 tank blast that has military baffled

A round detonating inside a tank turret is virtually unheard of. The last time it happened in Japan was in 1979.

.css-12ooj4n{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;}How AI technology supports conservation of endangered species

Huawei Technologies’ monitoring systems speed up real-time identification of China’s primates, coastal coral, and Norwegian salmon.

Wang Fuk Court residents make long climb to retrieve family treasures

Jewellery, cash, photo albums and keepsakes linked to departed loved ones among items reclaimed by residents.

Huawei, DeepSeek strengthen China’s AI self-reliance with V4 collaboration

DeepSeek says its V4 model will have throughput issues until the second half of the year, until Ascend 950PR supernodes ‘ship at scale’.

Mixed bag: Indonesia’s 8% growth dream hits a plastic ceiling

Soaring packaging costs amid the Iran war hint at a deeper malaise as the middle class contracts and growth hits a plateau.

China stages navy drill as US and Philippines embark on Balikatan 2026

The Liaoning aircraft carrier appears to be among 14 large naval vessels snapped on manoeuvres in a satellite image circulating online.

Russia says US using coups, kidnappings to ‘defend its well-being’ at any cost

‘The United States has officially declared that no one can dictate to it,’ Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says.

Beijing ramps up tax crackdown, frames consumption levies as fiscal lifelines

Authorities target retailers, shell companies and off-the-books manoeuvres to lessen tax liabilities.

Are ice baths good for you? What you need to know before taking the plunge

Ice baths and cold plunges are springing up across Hong Kong, but will traditional Chinese medicine ideas freeze them out of the market?

G7 ‘concerned’ at Russia and China’s nuclear build-up

The remarks come ahead of a month-long conference to revise the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

US crackdown threat could shake out China’s ‘distillation’ AI copycats: analysts

US plans action against AI ‘distillation’, as analysts warn weaker Chinese start-ups could be forced out within a year.

US sanctions China-based oil refinery and 40 shippers over Iran oil

Hengli Petrochemical’s facility in Dalian can process 400,000 barrels per day, making it one of the biggest independent refineries in China.

‘Natural instinct,’ says man who helped fellow runner finish Boston Marathon

Northern Irishman Aaron Beggs and Brazilian Robson De Olivera sprang into action when Ajay Haridasse collapsed about 300m from the end.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Blinding the world with lies makes peacemaking an impossible task

Opinion | Why Beijing is going all in on tokens – and what it really wants

Letters | Pathway of Hong Kong pupils’ well-being runs through relationships

Reflections | The history of China’s hospitality industry and how its inns evolved over time

As I see it | Kuomintang gets the carrots, DPP the stick

Exclusive | Hong Kong Aberdeen marina project attracting local and overseas interest

China and Mozambique sign minerals and security agreement

As oil costs soar, Japan’s bathhouses struggle to keep heads above water

.css-1t72pn8{color:#C79A00;}Video | ‘My home is right here. Why would I bid it farewell?’

‘Natural instinct,’ says man who helped fellow runner finish Boston Marathon

Opinion | Blinding the world with lies makes peacemaking an impossible task

Prognosis positive: how AI could help China bridge the medical resources gap

Default in our stars: China banks use satellites to track assets, cut loan risks

3 killed in Japanese Type 10 tank blast that has military baffled

Opinion | Why Beijing is going all in on tokens – and what it really wants

Iran war: is the US shifting away from its strategy of precision strikes?

As the conflict has intensified, more energy and civilian sites have been targeted in what is seen as a broader approach.

What is the war on Iran teaching China about the United States’ resilience?

How lessons from Iran war could shape mainland China’s Taiwan calculus

Open Questions | ‘Saying you’re a geopolitical actor doesn’t make it so’: Sven Biscop on Europe

The Belgian political scientist on what the Iran war and the transatlantic collision reveal about Europe’s place in a fast-changing world.

Open Questions | What an ancient Chinese map reveals about global history: Sheng-Wei Wang

Kunyu Wanguo Quantu and maritime artefacts prove China explored the world earlier than Eurocentric accounts suggest, scholar argues.

Open Questions | Andrew Tilton on China’s economic trajectory in wake of Iran war

Goldman Sachs’ chief Asia-Pacific economist says worst is over in terms of property slump’s impact on China’s economic growth.

Open Questions | Kenneth Rogoff on why China’s yuan will be a reserve currency within 5 years

Harvard economist explains why cryptocurrencies will never take the US dollar’s place, despite their popularity in underground economies.

Can ‘token exports’ give China an edge in the AI era?

As AI tokens emerge as a new commodity, China’s cost advantage is reshaping global model competition, though monetisation gaps remain.

Prognosis positive: how AI could help China bridge the medical resources gap

Hospitals, medical professionals and patients stand to benefit as country pushes to integrate AI into healthcare sector.

Default in our stars: China banks use satellites to track assets, cut loan risks

Analysts say orbital monitoring of sites, property and other assets provides vital data on borrowers.

US crackdown threat could shake out China’s ‘distillation’ AI copycats: analysts

US plans action against AI ‘distillation’, as analysts warn weaker Chinese start-ups could be forced out within a year.

How fire safety failures worsened Hong Kong’s deadly inferno

The second round of hearings from April 8 to April 17 exposed a series of failures that allowed the fire equipment and alarm system in Wang Fuk Court to be deactivated for months, and eventually contributed to the heavy death toll.

Hongkongers find value, space and style in Shenzhen’s new cultural hotspots

Short cross‑border getaways emerging as the ‘quick escape’ of choice, with the newly opened Shenzhen Bay Culture Square adding to appeal.

How a Chinese plastics hub shapes Tesla’s supply chain – and moulds the modern world

Exclusive | Hong Kong Aberdeen marina project attracting local and overseas interest

How AI technology supports conservation of endangered species

Opinion | Blinding the world with lies makes peacemaking an impossible task

Video | ‘My home is right here. Why would I bid it farewell?’