Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

(From left to right) US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent will meet with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Paris for high-level trade talks, in the lead-up to US President Donald Trump’s forthcoming Beijing visit. Photo: Reuters

China and US to hold high-level talks in Paris before Trump’s Beijing visit

Delegates to discuss trade and investment deals amid rising global tensions in lead-up to President’s first visit since returning to power.

23 minutes agovideocam

Trump’s tariff wars reshaped US-China trade – at what cost to American firms?

US-China relations

Science

Manufacturing talent boom? Why China’s smartest students are factory-bound

As some of the country’s brightest minds enter traditional industrial sectors as manufacturing loses its blue-collar stigma.

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Diplomacy

Trump slams European allies, praises China and continues to justify Iran attack

US president blasted Spain for denying access to its military bases for his bombing campaign, but boasts of ‘good relationship with China’.

5 minutes agovideocam

Society

Hongkongers stuck in Dubai face travel chaos amid US-Israel war on Iran

Repeated flight cancellations, rising hotel costs and shrinking mobile data add to travellers’ distress in Dubai as they await help from Hong Kong government.

2 hours ago

Focus

China’s war on corruption – is this just the end of the beginning?

Diplomacy

China urges Israel to end war in Iran as regional tensions escalate

Beijing says US-Israeli strikes were in bad faith and calls for an immediate halt, a return to talks and opposition to unilateral action.

4 hours agovideocam

Smoke rises following an explosion in Tehran on Tuesday following air strikes by Israel and the US. Photo: WANA via Reuters

Tech

Jack Ma, Alibaba leaders call for education overhaul in the age of AI

Time spent memorising textbooks could be freed up to cultivate creativity and imagination, according to Ma, the founder of Alibaba.

30 minutes ago

Health & Environment

‘Everyone is scared’: arson fears grip Japan’s Muslim community

It started with social media posts falsely blaming Muslims for building violations. Then came the fires.

7 minutes agovideocam

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.

In partnership with:

Dida

Hong Kong Economy

Hong Kong inflation risks grow as war in Middle East escalates, experts warn

Residents may face higher energy and dining costs as analysts stress the city cannot remain immune to surging oil prices.

4 hours ago

Analysts warn Hong Kong may feel the impact of rising oil prices amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Photo: Sam Tsang

Business

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

China signals shift from debt-driven housing growth, but sweeping stimulus seen as unlikely.

3 hours ago

Global Economy

Maritime mayhem: shipping firms halt Gulf routes amid regional military strikes

Rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz see vessels diverted and bookings suspended, as companies impose emergency fees of up to US$4,000 per unit.

2 hours agovideocam

Middle East

Iran will not ‘automatically’ fall after Khamenei’s death, shah’s widow says

Farah Pahlavi, Iran’s last empress, has lived in exile in Paris since being driven from the country with her husband in the 1979 revolution.

4 Mar 2026 - 2:07AMvideocam

Women protest and chant anti-US and anti-Israel slogans in Magam town in Indian-administered Kashmir on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

Health & Wellness

75-year-old Hongkonger works over 70 hours a week. Why is he still so happy?

More seniors in Hong Kong like Benny Ratnani are working past 65 not just for financial reasons, but to retain self-esteem and self-worth.

1 hour ago

Benny Ratnani, 75, is the owner of Bee Dee Manufacturing in Hong Kong and one of a growing number of local residents who are working past the traditional retirement age of 65. Photo: Sun Yeung

People

In Japan, a yakuza’s mansion is now for sale. Here’s why

Set to be sold off due to a court order, the house was the target of a drive-by shooting and an arson attack in recent years.

1 hour agovideocam

Markets

US investors now own 23% of Taiwan’s equity market amid AI boom

US investors currently hold about 23 per cent of the Taiwan Stock Exchange’s total market capitalisation.

2 hours ago

China Business

Healthcare investors looking to ‘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.

3 hours ago

Staff members dispense medicines at a pharmacy in Wuhan, in central China’s Hubei province, on February 27, 2020. Photo: Xinhua

Politics

Duterte allies use Iran war threat to attack Philippines’ US ties

Social media posts claim US bases in the Philippines are like ‘bullseyes on Filipino soil’, prompting the military to debunk the disinformation.

3 hours agovideocam

A naval base in Cagayan province, the Philippines. The Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA, allows US forces rotational access to selected Philippine military bases. Photo: EPA-EFE

Australasia

Australia’s best-paid jobs are twice as likely to go to men as to women

Industries that pay the most, such as mining and construction, tend to have the largest gender wage gaps, according to a report.

3 hours ago

Southeast Asia

Thousands of passengers ‘stuck’ in Indonesia’s Bali after war grounds planes

With foreigners at risk of overstaying their visas, the Bali immigration office has introduced a free same-day emergency stay permit.

3 hours ago

OPINION

Alex Lo

As I see it | Under Trump, the US has unleashed its own wolf warriors

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Ying Xia

Opinion | The quiet revolution in animal rights in China

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Letters

Letters | Why Hong Kong should invest in food recovery

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SCMP Editorial

Editorial | Hong Kong is a beacon of stability for global talent and capital

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Analysts say the Philippines’ approach of ‘assertive transparency’ may be wearing thin at home and in the region.

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Global Economy

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.

2 Mar 2026 - 5:31PM

Diplomacy

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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Diplomacy

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

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Key Industries:

Tech

Chinese chip firms Cambricon, Moore Threads post sales jump on domestic demand

Cambricon reports first full-year profit since listing in 2020, while Moore Threads’ revenue jumps 243 per cent.

27 Feb 2026 - 10:26PM

Chinese AI chip designer Cambricon posted its first annual profit since listing in 2020. Photo: VCG/VCG via Getty Images

Tech

Jack Ma, Alibaba leaders call for education overhaul in the age of AI

Time spent memorising textbooks could be freed up to cultivate creativity and imagination, according to Ma, the founder of Alibaba.

30 minutes ago

China Business

Healthcare investors looking to ‘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.

3 hours ago

Markets

US investors now own 23% of Taiwan’s equity market amid AI boom

US investors currently hold about 23 per cent of the Taiwan Stock Exchange’s total market capitalisation.

2 hours ago

US ownership of equities listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange has steadily grown over the past 10 years. Photo: Shutterstock

China

Xi-Trump talk plans rattled by chaotic US team: ‘the worst I’ve ever seen’

Analysts warn thin US coordination and rushed timelines risk weak deliverables and surprises ahead of high-stakes Beijing meeting.

27 Feb 2026 - 1:57AMvideocam

Hong Kong Economy

Breaking down the key figures in Hong Kong 2026-27 budget

A deep dive into the data from Hong Kong finance chief Paul Chan’s latest budget announcement, looking at the government’s growing revenue and increasing investment in infrastructure.

26 Feb 2026 - 4:01PM

Diplomacy

5 top takeaways from Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address

In a speech that runs nearly two hours, Trump casts himself as a global peacemaker and touts his economic credentials.

25 Feb 2026 - 12:50PMvideocam

Science

Smaller, faster, smarter: Chinese transistor ready for future AI chips

Breakthrough said to overcome long-standing limitations of traditional ferroelectric transistors, ‘paving way for large-scale application’.

25 Feb 2026 - 6:19AMvideocam

Ferroelectric transistors function similarly to neurons in the human brain, as they integrate memory and processing in a single unit. Photo: Shutterstock

China and US to hold high-level talks in Paris before Trump’s Beijing visit

Delegates to discuss trade and investment deals amid rising global tensions in lead-up to President’s first visit since returning to power.

Trump’s tariff wars reshaped US-China trade – at what cost to American firms?

Manufacturing talent boom? Why China’s smartest students are factory-bound

As some of the country’s brightest minds enter traditional industrial sectors as manufacturing loses its blue-collar stigma.

Trump slams European allies, praises China and continues to justify Iran attack

US president blasted Spain for denying access to its military bases for his bombing campaign, but boasts of ‘good relationship with China’.

Hongkongers stuck in Dubai face travel chaos amid US-Israel war on Iran

Repeated flight cancellations, rising hotel costs and shrinking mobile data add to travellers’ distress in Dubai as they await help from Hong Kong government.

China’s war on corruption – is this just the end of the beginning?

China urges Israel to end war in Iran as regional tensions escalate

Beijing says US-Israeli strikes were in bad faith and calls for an immediate halt, a return to talks and opposition to unilateral action.

Jack Ma, Alibaba leaders call for education overhaul in the age of AI

Time spent memorising textbooks could be freed up to cultivate creativity and imagination, according to Ma, the founder of Alibaba.

‘Everyone is scared’: arson fears grip Japan’s Muslim community

It started with social media posts falsely blaming Muslims for building violations. Then came the fires.

.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.

Hong Kong inflation risks grow as war in Middle East escalates, experts warn

Residents may face higher energy and dining costs as analysts stress the city cannot remain immune to surging oil prices.

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

China signals shift from debt-driven housing growth, but sweeping stimulus seen as unlikely.

Maritime mayhem: shipping firms halt Gulf routes amid regional military strikes

Rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz see vessels diverted and bookings suspended, as companies impose emergency fees of up to US$4,000 per unit.

Iran will not ‘automatically’ fall after Khamenei’s death, shah’s widow says

Farah Pahlavi, Iran’s last empress, has lived in exile in Paris since being driven from the country with her husband in the 1979 revolution.

75-year-old Hongkonger works over 70 hours a week. Why is he still so happy?

More seniors in Hong Kong like Benny Ratnani are working past 65 not just for financial reasons, but to retain self-esteem and self-worth.

In Japan, a yakuza’s mansion is now for sale. Here’s why

Set to be sold off due to a court order, the house was the target of a drive-by shooting and an arson attack in recent years.

US investors now own 23% of Taiwan’s equity market amid AI boom

US investors currently hold about 23 per cent of the Taiwan Stock Exchange’s total market capitalisation.

Healthcare investors looking to ‘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.

Duterte allies use Iran war threat to attack Philippines’ US ties

Social media posts claim US bases in the Philippines are like ‘bullseyes on Filipino soil’, prompting the military to debunk the disinformation.

Australia’s best-paid jobs are twice as likely to go to men as to women

Industries that pay the most, such as mining and construction, tend to have the largest gender wage gaps, according to a report.

Thousands of passengers ‘stuck’ in Indonesia’s Bali after war grounds planes

With foreigners at risk of overstaying their visas, the Bali immigration office has introduced a free same-day emergency stay permit.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}As I see it | Under Trump, the US has unleashed its own wolf warriors

Opinion | The quiet revolution in animal rights in China

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Letters | Why Hong Kong should invest in food recovery

Editorial | Hong Kong is a beacon of stability for global talent and capital

Editorial | Hong Kong must ensure law on basic housing serves its intended purpose

‘Everyone is scared’: arson fears grip Japan’s Muslim community

Manufacturing talent boom? Why China’s smartest students are factory-bound

Hong Kong cyclist Charles Ng aiming high after making ‘new start’ in golden 2025

.css-rcruog{color:#C79A00;}Video | Trump seeks to justify Iran war

Jack Ma, Alibaba leaders call for education overhaul in the age of AI

Japanese court upholds order to dissolve Unification Church over donations

Bully vs sovereignty: how Manila and Beijing are sharpening their South China Sea messaging

Analysts say the Philippines’ approach of ‘assertive transparency’ may be wearing thin at home and in the region.

The Philippines wants to seal South China Sea code of conduct. Can it deliver?

Why High Seas Treaty could change ‘rules of the game’ in South China Sea row

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.

Chinese chip firms Cambricon, Moore Threads post sales jump on domestic demand

Cambricon reports first full-year profit since listing in 2020, while Moore Threads’ revenue jumps 243 per cent.

Jack Ma, Alibaba leaders call for education overhaul in the age of AI

Time spent memorising textbooks could be freed up to cultivate creativity and imagination, according to Ma, the founder of Alibaba.

Healthcare investors looking to ‘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.

US investors now own 23% of Taiwan’s equity market amid AI boom

US investors currently hold about 23 per cent of the Taiwan Stock Exchange’s total market capitalisation.

Xi-Trump talk plans rattled by chaotic US team: ‘the worst I’ve ever seen’

Analysts warn thin US coordination and rushed timelines risk weak deliverables and surprises ahead of high-stakes Beijing meeting.

Breaking down the key figures in Hong Kong 2026-27 budget

A deep dive into the data from Hong Kong finance chief Paul Chan’s latest budget announcement, looking at the government’s growing revenue and increasing investment in infrastructure.

5 top takeaways from Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address

In a speech that runs nearly two hours, Trump casts himself as a global peacemaker and touts his economic credentials.

Smaller, faster, smarter: Chinese transistor ready for future AI chips

Breakthrough said to overcome long-standing limitations of traditional ferroelectric transistors, ‘paving way for large-scale application’.

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

As I see it | Under Trump, the US has unleashed its own wolf warriors

Letters | Why Hong Kong should invest in food recovery

Video | Trump seeks to justify Iran war