Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

As US universities retreat from China, who is filling the academic void?

Many elite Sino-American ventures have ended under the strain of geopolitics but other, more diverse, programmes are emerging.

1 hour agovideocam

Open Questions | Lawrence Lau’s recipe for China? More school, higher pay

US-China relations

Military

Xi Jinping’s zero-fail mission for China’s military: total loyalty, no corruption

President underlines his strict ideological line to the PLA’s diminished delegation to the NPC.

7 Mar 2026 - 10:00PMvideocam

China Economy

Innovation plus livelihoods – the twin tracks of China’s 5-year plan

The country’s new economic blueprint targets hi-tech advances plus basic human needs such as nursing home beds.

7 Mar 2026 - 10:59PMvideocam

Hong Kong Economy

Hong Kong growth on track to hit target despite Middle East war: finance chief

Conflict expected to impact trading sector but benefit financial market, Paul Chan says, expressing confidence economy will grow between 2.5 and 3.5 per cent.

7 Mar 2026 - 9:56PM

Focus

Hong Kong, Sydney or Dubai? Prime real estate investors take their pick

Military

Will the US attack on Iran push North Korea even closer to Russia and China?

Donald Trump’s targeting of Tehran will push Pyongyang to feel ‘vindicated’ in developing nuclear weapons for its own security, analysts say.

7 Mar 2026 - 11:00PMvideocam

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is seen aboard the country’s first 5,000-tonne multipurpose destroyer, the Choe Hyon, in waters near the western coastal city of Nampo on Wednesday. Photo: KCNA/KNS/dpa

Middle East

Iran vows more attacks in Gulf despite president’s apology

Tehran says it will continue drone and missile strikes on sites in neighbouring countries that are ‘at the disposal of the enemy’.

2 hours agovideocam

Science

Rising star chip scientist Jiang Jianfeng leaves MIT for Peking University

Jiang returns to China to advance information technology by creating smaller, faster and more energy-efficient computer chips.

7 Mar 2026 - 6:00PMvideocam

Travel & Leisure

How use of AI will help travel operators transform behaviour of holidaymakers

Experts explore innovative technology’s role in industry’s evolution at ‘Limitless: Dida Engage 2026’ in Shenzhen.

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Dida

Science

What is the moon’s far side made of? Chinese scientists use AI to crack mystery

Findings add to a growing body of insights from China’s historic Chang’e-6 mission to the lunar far side in 2024.

7 Mar 2026 - 9:00PMvideocam

Image of the lunar surface as captured by the Chang’e-6 lander. Photo: Handout via Xinhua

United States & Canada

Trump offers Latin American leaders US missile strikes to hit drug cartels

The US president launched a 17-nation ‘counter cartel’ coalition at his ‘Shield of the Americas’ summit.

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Politics

Nepal election: rapper-turned-politician Balen Shah beats former prime minister

The 35-year-old former Kathmandu mayor’s defeat of K.P. Sharma Oli means he is on track to head the next government.

7 Mar 2026 - 9:33PMvideocam

Diplomacy

Top envoy urges China-Russia border infrastructure as sanctions stymie transport

Chinese ambassador to Moscow calls for the neighbours to build more cross-border bridges and corridors to slash logistics costs.

7 Mar 2026 - 8:00PMvideocam

The Blagoveshchensk–Heihe bridge crosses the Heilong (Amur) River, linking China and Russia. Photo: AFP/Amur region government press service

United States & Canada

Timothee Chalamet faces the music for saying ‘no one cares’ about opera, ballet

Performance groups around the world clapped back at the Hollywood star’s remarks, while a German minister invited him to watch a show.

5 hours ago

US actor Timothee Chalamet poses on the red carpet at the Bafta Film Awards in London in February. Photo: EPA

Entertainment

Why Gorillaz’s new album The Mountain is an optimistic ‘album about death’

Jamie Hewlett shares how grief and a trip to India inspired his and Damon Albarn’s latest project, and why art ‘has to be an evolution’.

3 hours ago

Middle East

What do we know about the Ayatollah’s killing one week on?

As the US and Israel continue to pound Iran, details have emerged on how intelligence services went about setting up their attack.

7 Mar 2026 - 11:48PMvideocam

China Economy

China to launch TCM on global health mission over the next 5 years

Health commission chief says the plan is to expand the pool of medicinal plants and improve training and technology.

7 Mar 2026 - 7:00PMvideocam

China aims to bring traditional Chinese medicine to the world. Photo: Simon Song

Hong Kong Economy

Hong Kong urged to review fuel prices amid ‘unfair’ cost increase accusations

City’s automobile association says fuel cost increases not warranted as petrol currently on sale is from stockpile before conflict erupted in Middle East.

7 Mar 2026 - 8:58PM

Hong Kong has long held the dubious distinction of having the highest pump prices in the world. Photo: Sam Tsang

Politics

Xinjiang official says region’s textile industry is growing despite US sanctions

Amid China’s annual ‘two sessions’, Wang Kuiran says region will boost legal support for businesses affected by US restrictions.

7 Mar 2026 - 6:17PMvideocam

Science

China and Uruguay team up on science to target cancer, pests and robotics

The two countries look for new potential in a relationship built on trade in agricultural products.

7 Mar 2026 - 4:02PMvideocam

OPINION

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Open Questions | Top shipbuilding voice Li Yanqing rebukes Washington’s ‘China threat’ narrative

China’s national shipbuilding association official calls US port fees ‘absurd’ and politically motivated, while asserting China’s market lead is solid despite global fluctuations.

5 Mar 2026 - 5:24PM

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Open Questions | Abraham Newman on ‘weaponised interdependence’ in ‘neo‑royalist’ Trump era

American political scientist on how ‘interdependence’ can be exploited as part of the rivalry between major powers.

23 Feb 2026 - 10:05AMvideocam

Global Economy

Open Questions | Why Trump’s April trip to China may not deliver ‘grand bargain’: James Zimmerman

The American Chamber of Commerce in China chairman says this year’s expected Trump-Xi meetings can put countries on a ‘visionary’ path.

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Open Questions | Trump’s ‘imperial’ agenda and the end of the old world order: Luuk van Middelaar

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China’s 5-year plan emphasises ‘orderly’ AI development amid market volatility

First announced in 2024, the AI Plus initiative includes a target of integrating AI into 90 per cent of China’s economy by 2030.

5 Mar 2026 - 11:57PMvideocam

People watch as robots perform a dance during Lunar New Year celebrations in Beijing on February 18. Photo: Reuters

Big Tech

ZTE’s computing revenue jumps 150% amid AI boom, but profits fall 33%

A boom in computing and data-centre sales helped lift revenue, but weaker demand for traditional telecom equipment weighed on profits.

7 Mar 2026 - 3:38PM

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China’s DeepSeek teams with Tencent, HKU on AI tool to sharpen 3D design

Open-source Pointer-CAD framework, built on Alibaba’s Qwen 2.5 model, enhances accuracy and efficiency in computer-aided design: researchers.

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China’s eastern, southern economic powerhouses vie for innovation leadership

Officials from Yangtze River Delta, Greater Bay Area outline ambitions after Xi Jinping calls on provincial economies to drive development.

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Passengers pass a mural in the arrivals hall of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou, in south China’s Guangdong province, on February 23, 2026. Photo: Xinhua

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China works to build slow, steady stock markets, rejecting norm of boom and bust

Beijing is emphasising gradual growth in its policies for capital markets, encouraging dividend payouts and drawing a contrast with the West.

7 Mar 2026 - 8:16AMvideocam

Diplomacy

Takeaways from Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s government work report

Li raises the curtain on the annual session of the National People’s Congress with a series of targets for the economy.

5 Mar 2026 - 4:18PMvideocam

Science

Why China’s anti-corruption push in academia is key to its science and tech aims

Ahead of country’s annual ‘two sessions’ meetings, scientists urge more institutionalised and effective mechanisms to curb abuses of power.

5 Mar 2026 - 6:50AMvideocam

China Economy

How China is using its economic clout to give the US dollar a run for its money

Beijing is using economic clout to reshape its global financial influence – a strategy analysts say could play out over decades.

3 Mar 2026 - 10:08AMvideocam

As US universities retreat from China, who is filling the academic void?

Many elite Sino-American ventures have ended under the strain of geopolitics but other, more diverse, programmes are emerging.

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Open Questions | Lawrence Lau’s recipe for China? More school, higher pay

Xi Jinping’s zero-fail mission for China’s military: total loyalty, no corruption

President underlines his strict ideological line to the PLA’s diminished delegation to the NPC.

Innovation plus livelihoods – the twin tracks of China’s 5-year plan

The country’s new economic blueprint targets hi-tech advances plus basic human needs such as nursing home beds.

Hong Kong growth on track to hit target despite Middle East war: finance chief

Conflict expected to impact trading sector but benefit financial market, Paul Chan says, expressing confidence economy will grow between 2.5 and 3.5 per cent.

Hong Kong, Sydney or Dubai? Prime real estate investors take their pick

Will the US attack on Iran push North Korea even closer to Russia and China?

Donald Trump’s targeting of Tehran will push Pyongyang to feel ‘vindicated’ in developing nuclear weapons for its own security, analysts say.

Iran vows more attacks in Gulf despite president’s apology

Tehran says it will continue drone and missile strikes on sites in neighbouring countries that are ‘at the disposal of the enemy’.

Rising star chip scientist Jiang Jianfeng leaves MIT for Peking University

Jiang returns to China to advance information technology by creating smaller, faster and more energy-efficient computer chips.

.css-12ooj4n{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;}How use of AI will help travel operators transform behaviour of holidaymakers

Experts explore innovative technology’s role in industry’s evolution at ‘Limitless: Dida Engage 2026’ in Shenzhen.

What is the moon’s far side made of? Chinese scientists use AI to crack mystery

Findings add to a growing body of insights from China’s historic Chang’e-6 mission to the lunar far side in 2024.

Trump offers Latin American leaders US missile strikes to hit drug cartels

The US president launched a 17-nation ‘counter cartel’ coalition at his ‘Shield of the Americas’ summit.

Nepal election: rapper-turned-politician Balen Shah beats former prime minister

The 35-year-old former Kathmandu mayor’s defeat of K.P. Sharma Oli means he is on track to head the next government.

Top envoy urges China-Russia border infrastructure as sanctions stymie transport

Chinese ambassador to Moscow calls for the neighbours to build more cross-border bridges and corridors to slash logistics costs.

Timothee Chalamet faces the music for saying ‘no one cares’ about opera, ballet

Performance groups around the world clapped back at the Hollywood star’s remarks, while a German minister invited him to watch a show.

Why Gorillaz’s new album The Mountain is an optimistic ‘album about death’

Jamie Hewlett shares how grief and a trip to India inspired his and Damon Albarn’s latest project, and why art ‘has to be an evolution’.

What do we know about the Ayatollah’s killing one week on?

As the US and Israel continue to pound Iran, details have emerged on how intelligence services went about setting up their attack.

China to launch TCM on global health mission over the next 5 years

Health commission chief says the plan is to expand the pool of medicinal plants and improve training and technology.

Hong Kong urged to review fuel prices amid ‘unfair’ cost increase accusations

City’s automobile association says fuel cost increases not warranted as petrol currently on sale is from stockpile before conflict erupted in Middle East.

Xinjiang official says region’s textile industry is growing despite US sanctions

Amid China’s annual ‘two sessions’, Wang Kuiran says region will boost legal support for businesses affected by US restrictions.

China and Uruguay team up on science to target cancer, pests and robotics

The two countries look for new potential in a relationship built on trade in agricultural products.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Editorial | Smooth roll-out of surveillance tech will help Hong Kong combat crime

Opinion | Paul Chan must deliver the fiscal discipline Hong Kong needs

My Take | Freedom of press calls for faster route to Transport Department data

Opinion | How Europe and China can rise above paralysis and mistrust

Macroscope | How global debt is sowing the seeds of financial collapse

Editorial | Wild weather demands preparedness from Hong Kong

These Hong Kong women are showing what’s possible in their sports

Trump says he’s told Kurds not to join Iran fight: ‘war is complicated enough’

Editorial | Smooth roll-out of surveillance tech will help Hong Kong combat crime

As US universities retreat from China, who is filling the academic void?

Meet Sophia Grace Macy, starring on HBO Max’s Rooster opposite Steve Carell

Healthcare investors keeping an eye on ‘two sessions’ for clarity on drug pricing

Healthcare and insurance sectors will see policy fine-tuning, ‘moral support’ rather than ‘groundbreaking news’ from Beijing, analysts say.

Can China’s ‘two sessions’ find a strategy to fix the property rot?

Investors lock onto NPC as markets seek policy lift amid AI jitters

Open Questions | Top shipbuilding voice Li Yanqing rebukes Washington’s ‘China threat’ narrative

China’s national shipbuilding association official calls US port fees ‘absurd’ and politically motivated, while asserting China’s market lead is solid despite global fluctuations.

Open Questions | Abraham Newman on ‘weaponised interdependence’ in ‘neo‑royalist’ Trump era

American political scientist on how ‘interdependence’ can be exploited as part of the rivalry between major powers.

Open Questions | Why Trump’s April trip to China may not deliver ‘grand bargain’: James Zimmerman

The American Chamber of Commerce in China chairman says this year’s expected Trump-Xi meetings can put countries on a ‘visionary’ path.

Open Questions | Trump’s ‘imperial’ agenda and the end of the old world order: Luuk van Middelaar

Political theorist says rapid acceleration of the US president’s ‘offensive, almost imperial’ agenda has left Europe disoriented.

China’s 5-year plan emphasises ‘orderly’ AI development amid market volatility

First announced in 2024, the AI Plus initiative includes a target of integrating AI into 90 per cent of China’s economy by 2030.

ZTE’s computing revenue jumps 150% amid AI boom, but profits fall 33%

A boom in computing and data-centre sales helped lift revenue, but weaker demand for traditional telecom equipment weighed on profits.

China’s DeepSeek teams with Tencent, HKU on AI tool to sharpen 3D design

Open-source Pointer-CAD framework, built on Alibaba’s Qwen 2.5 model, enhances accuracy and efficiency in computer-aided design: researchers.

China’s eastern, southern economic powerhouses vie for innovation leadership

Officials from Yangtze River Delta, Greater Bay Area outline ambitions after Xi Jinping calls on provincial economies to drive development.

China works to build slow, steady stock markets, rejecting norm of boom and bust

Beijing is emphasising gradual growth in its policies for capital markets, encouraging dividend payouts and drawing a contrast with the West.

Takeaways from Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s government work report

Li raises the curtain on the annual session of the National People’s Congress with a series of targets for the economy.

Why China’s anti-corruption push in academia is key to its science and tech aims

Ahead of country’s annual ‘two sessions’ meetings, scientists urge more institutionalised and effective mechanisms to curb abuses of power.

How China is using its economic clout to give the US dollar a run for its money

Beijing is using economic clout to reshape its global financial influence – a strategy analysts say could play out over decades.

Open Questions | Lawrence Lau’s recipe for China? More school, higher pay

How use of AI will help travel operators transform behaviour of holidaymakers

Editorial | Smooth roll-out of surveillance tech will help Hong Kong combat crime