Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

As AI development triggers an explosion in global electricity demand, China’s vast energy buildout is seen as a strategic advantage. Photo: Shutterstock

China’s AI power play: Beijing banks on clean-energy boom to triumph over US

Ex-finance official Zhu Guangyao says abundant energy supply gives the nation a critical edge in AI, as ‘electricity is computing power’.

10 minutes ago

From gala spectacle to job scare: Chinese workers confront the AI threat

China energy security

China

Developing | Iran strikes day 3: China satellite captures damaged compound of slain leader

The same satellite previously was used to analyse damage in Gaza.

8 minutes agovideocam

Science

What cost foreign prestige? China says no to some Western science journal fees

Chinese researchers will no longer be reimbursed for paper publication charges in Nature Communications, among others.

1 hour agovideocam

Transport

Cathay Pacific halts Dubai flights until Thursday amid US-Israeli attack on Iran

Flag carrier also halts Riyadh route until Tuesday, with at least 37 Hong Kong-Middle East flights cancelled so far.

1 hour ago

Open Questions

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

Economics

Asia’s main oil artery is all but blocked. What happens now?

Oil has surged by the most in four years. Tankers are fleeing the Gulf and up to 10 million barrels a day may be stripped from global supply.

1 hour agovideocam

A map showing the Strait of Hormuz and Iran. An estimated 20 million barrels of oil per day pass through the chokepoint. Photo: Reuters

China Economy

How China could untangle its private firms’ complex debt burdens

As private businesses grapple with cash flow challenges, entrepreneurs say they want the settling of outstanding debts to be made a priority.

2 hours ago

World

US mining expansion in Africa, Indonesia’s aircraft carrier: 5 weekend reads

From how Khamenei’s death will impact China-Iran ties to what Indonesia’s new aircraft carrier means, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend.

2 hours ago

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

Politics

Why US strikes on Iran just made North Korea less likely to play ball

Iran’s nuclear programme was aspirational. North Korea’s is not. That distinction explains everything, analysts say.

3 hours agovideocam

Smoke rises over Tehran following missile strikes on Sunday. The US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Saturday, killing the country’s supreme leader and top military leaders. Photo: AFP

Middle East

US using AI, B-2 bombers and suicide drones in Iran strikes

The US is deploying low-cost suicide drones modelled after Iranian designs as part of Operation Epic Fury.

3 hours ago

Food & Drink

She hated working at her parents’ Chinese restaurant. Now she’s made it viral

Anna Peng shares the daily joys and challenges of running Canada’s Great Fountain Fast Food to its nearly 40,000 followers on Instagram.

2 hours ago

Middle East

CIA ‘tracked Iranian leaders for months’ ahead of first attacks

Official says that a variety of factors created a golden opportunity to take out much of Iran’s leadership.

5 hours agovideocam

A satellite image of a destroyed residence complex belonging to slain Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran. Photo: Vantor via Reuters

US

5 takeaways from the first 2 days of US-Israel war against Iran

Amid escalating US-Israeli strikes and Iranian retaliation, casualties emerge, oil spikes and global geopolitics face major shocks.

2 Mar 2026 - 8:31AMvideocam

People gather to mourn the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, Iran. Photo: Xinhua

Lifestyle & Culture

Party sober? Asia’s bars and drink giants shift gears as Gen Z ditch alcohol

As young Asians turn more health-conscious and watch their spending, drinks giants and bars are planning more low- and no-alcohol options.

6 hours ago

Military

What will first Type 055 destroyers for PLA East China Fleet mean for Taiwan?

Two of the guided-missile destroyers with hull numbers assigned have been spotted at a naval base on the East China Sea coast.

1 Mar 2026 - 8:00PM

Americas

3 US troops killed in Iran war, Trump warns more could come

The US president vows to ‘avenge their deaths and deliver the most punishing blow’.

2 hours agovideocam

142

Demonstrators outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, set fire to a placard with a picture of US President Donald Trump on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

Trending in China

China growing trend sees couples calling each other ‘teammate’ or ‘roommate’

‘Comradely’ couples drop lovey-dovey pet names to reflect effort in relationships; critics say trend suggests an ‘unhappy’ marriage.

1 hour ago

There’s a growing trend among married people in China to call their partners “teammate” or “roommate,” seen as cooler alternatives to traditional terms. Photo: Shutterstock

Diplomacy

Why China’s ties with Iran will endure despite death of Khamenei

Killing of Iranian supreme leader has sparked turmoil and triggered talk about an ideological shift to the West.

1 Mar 2026 - 11:00PMvideocam

China

Chinese diving pipeline spills out 2 teens already being hailed as future champs

Jiang Linjing, 15, Cui Jiaxi, 13, win gold and silver in the women’s 10m platform at World Cup stop in Montreal.

15 minutes ago

OPINION

Nicholas Spiro

The View | 5 reasons Australia’s physical retail is uniquely resilient

3 minutes ago

Lisa Lim

Language Matters | Gen Z loves ‘Chinamaxxing’, but where does ‘maxxing’ come from?

4 hours ago

Alice Wu

Opinion | Hong Kong wants more babies. Ignoring high stress in schools won’t help

5 hours ago

Letters

Letters | Hong Kong cannot allow a wait-and-see approach to fire safety

4 hours ago

SCMP Editorial

Editorial | China now holds more cards ahead of Xi-Trump meeting

2 Mar 2026 - 7:15AM

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Global Economy

China’s AI power play: Beijing banks on clean-energy boom to triumph over US

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Health & Environment

Rainy Tuesday expected in Hong Kong, with temperatures dipping to 16 degrees

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Banking & Finance

Hong Kong’s new cash-for-residency scheme draws US$12 billion in first 2 years

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Asia Opinion

The View | 5 reasons Australia’s physical retail is uniquely resilient

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East Asia

Japan’s nuclear waste dilemma: no prefecture wants Fukushima’s toxic soil

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Asia’s main oil artery is all but blocked. What happens now?

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Customers choose colored glaze snake handicrafts for the coming Chinese New Year, the Year of Snake, in Xiye Colored Glaze Studio in Boshan district, Zibo city, Shandong province, China, on Jan. 9, 2025. With a long history of colored glaze, Boshan is regarded as China’s Hometown of Colored Glaze and has 12 colored glaze enterprises and 65 art studios. (Xinhua)
新华社照片，淄博（山东），2025年1月9日
1月9日，消费者在淄博市博山区西冶工坊展销厅内挑选蛇年主题琉璃工艺品。
春节临近，山东省淄博市博山区的琉璃生产企业推出众多蛇年主题创意琉璃制品，受到市场青睐。博山区被誉为“中国琉璃之乡“，琉璃生产历史悠久，当地已发展琉璃生产企业12家、工作室65个。
新华社记者朱峥摄

SCMP Series Year of the Horse 2026

Year of the Horse 2026 feng shui advice for all 12 Chinese zodiac signs to enjoy good luck

Feng shui master Andrew Kwan shares where each Chinese zodiac sign can place items for good luck in the Year of the Fire Horse.

21 Feb 2026 - 7:15AMvideocam

Feng shui advice for Snakes for luck in money, health and romance

20 Feb 2026 - 7:15AMvideocam

Why do Chinese love water chestnuts? All about the lucky ‘horse’s hoof’

19 Feb 2026 - 11:15AM

Open Questions series

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.

13 Feb 2026 - 9:03AMvideocam

Diplomacy

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.

9 Feb 2026 - 1:10PMvideocam

Diplomacy

Open Questions | Lawrence Lau on why China must ‘work smarter’ and how it can invent from scratch

China must shift from quantity to quality by focusing on 12-year schooling, more basic research and GBA integration, renowned economist says.

2 Feb 2026 - 10:02AMvideocam

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

China’s Honor debuts robot phone and humanoid companion in push into AI hardware

Robot phone – featuring motorised arm that tracks motion and interacts with users through camera movement – unveiled ahead of MWC Barcelona.

4 hours ago

China Business

Hong Kong-listed Chinese drug firms set to turn corner on rising sales, deals

Chinese pharmaceutical firms are poised for profit growth, driven by innovative drug sales and licensing deals, despite pricing pressures.

1 Mar 2026 - 12:00PM

China Economy

How China could narrow a tech hub’s income gap – and avoid Silicon Valley’s fate

As tech mecca Zhejiang province sees wealth soar on the back of robotics, gaming and AI, Beijing hopes to avert a wide income disparity.

1 Mar 2026 - 10:00AMvideocam

An employee works on the production line of the Tashan hip-assisted exoskeleton at a workshop in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province. Photo: China News Service/VCG via Getty Images

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’s AI power play: Beijing banks on clean-energy boom to triumph over US

Ex-finance official Zhu Guangyao says abundant energy supply gives the nation a critical edge in AI, as ‘electricity is computing power’.

From gala spectacle to job scare: Chinese workers confront the AI threat

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Developing | Iran strikes day 3: China satellite captures damaged compound of slain leader

The same satellite previously was used to analyse damage in Gaza.

What cost foreign prestige? China says no to some Western science journal fees

Chinese researchers will no longer be reimbursed for paper publication charges in Nature Communications, among others.

Cathay Pacific halts Dubai flights until Thursday amid US-Israeli attack on Iran

Flag carrier also halts Riyadh route until Tuesday, with at least 37 Hong Kong-Middle East flights cancelled so far.

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

Asia’s main oil artery is all but blocked. What happens now?

Oil has surged by the most in four years. Tankers are fleeing the Gulf and up to 10 million barrels a day may be stripped from global supply.

How China could untangle its private firms’ complex debt burdens

As private businesses grapple with cash flow challenges, entrepreneurs say they want the settling of outstanding debts to be made a priority.

US mining expansion in Africa, Indonesia’s aircraft carrier: 5 weekend reads

From how Khamenei’s death will impact China-Iran ties to what Indonesia’s new aircraft carrier means, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend.

.css-f84qeq{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;font-style:italic;}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.

Why US strikes on Iran just made North Korea less likely to play ball

Iran’s nuclear programme was aspirational. North Korea’s is not. That distinction explains everything, analysts say.

US using AI, B-2 bombers and suicide drones in Iran strikes

The US is deploying low-cost suicide drones modelled after Iranian designs as part of Operation Epic Fury.

She hated working at her parents’ Chinese restaurant. Now she’s made it viral

Anna Peng shares the daily joys and challenges of running Canada’s Great Fountain Fast Food to its nearly 40,000 followers on Instagram.

CIA ‘tracked Iranian leaders for months’ ahead of first attacks

Official says that a variety of factors created a golden opportunity to take out much of Iran’s leadership.

5 takeaways from the first 2 days of US-Israel war against Iran

Amid escalating US-Israeli strikes and Iranian retaliation, casualties emerge, oil spikes and global geopolitics face major shocks.

Party sober? Asia’s bars and drink giants shift gears as Gen Z ditch alcohol

As young Asians turn more health-conscious and watch their spending, drinks giants and bars are planning more low- and no-alcohol options.

What will first Type 055 destroyers for PLA East China Fleet mean for Taiwan?

Two of the guided-missile destroyers with hull numbers assigned have been spotted at a naval base on the East China Sea coast.

3 US troops killed in Iran war, Trump warns more could come

The US president vows to ‘avenge their deaths and deliver the most punishing blow’.

China growing trend sees couples calling each other ‘teammate’ or ‘roommate’

‘Comradely’ couples drop lovey-dovey pet names to reflect effort in relationships; critics say trend suggests an ‘unhappy’ marriage.

Why China’s ties with Iran will endure despite death of Khamenei

Killing of Iranian supreme leader has sparked turmoil and triggered talk about an ideological shift to the West.

Chinese diving pipeline spills out 2 teens already being hailed as future champs

Jiang Linjing, 15, Cui Jiaxi, 13, win gold and silver in the women’s 10m platform at World Cup stop in Montreal.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}The View | 5 reasons Australia’s physical retail is uniquely resilient

Language Matters | Gen Z loves ‘Chinamaxxing’, but where does ‘maxxing’ come from?

Opinion | Hong Kong wants more babies. Ignoring high stress in schools won’t help

Letters | Hong Kong cannot allow a wait-and-see approach to fire safety

Editorial | China now holds more cards ahead of Xi-Trump meeting

China’s AI power play: Beijing banks on clean-energy boom to triumph over US

Rainy Tuesday expected in Hong Kong, with temperatures dipping to 16 degrees

Hong Kong’s new cash-for-residency scheme draws US$12 billion in first 2 years

The View | 5 reasons Australia’s physical retail is uniquely resilient

Japan’s nuclear waste dilemma: no prefecture wants Fukushima’s toxic soil

Asia’s main oil artery is all but blocked. What happens now?

Year of the Horse 2026 feng shui advice for all 12 Chinese zodiac signs to enjoy good luck

Feng shui master Andrew Kwan shares where each Chinese zodiac sign can place items for good luck in the Year of the Fire Horse.

Feng shui advice for Snakes for luck in money, health and romance

Why do Chinese love water chestnuts? All about the lucky ‘horse’s hoof’

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.

Open Questions | Lawrence Lau on why China must ‘work smarter’ and how it can invent from scratch

China must shift from quantity to quality by focusing on 12-year schooling, more basic research and GBA integration, renowned economist says.

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.

China’s Honor debuts robot phone and humanoid companion in push into AI hardware

Robot phone – featuring motorised arm that tracks motion and interacts with users through camera movement – unveiled ahead of MWC Barcelona.

Hong Kong-listed Chinese drug firms set to turn corner on rising sales, deals

Chinese pharmaceutical firms are poised for profit growth, driven by innovative drug sales and licensing deals, despite pricing pressures.

How China could narrow a tech hub’s income gap – and avoid Silicon Valley’s fate

As tech mecca Zhejiang province sees wealth soar on the back of robotics, gaming and AI, Beijing hopes to avert a wide income disparity.

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’.

Developing | Iran strikes day 3: China satellite captures damaged compound of slain leader

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

The View | 5 reasons Australia’s physical retail is uniquely resilient