Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit China on Tuesday and Wednesday, arriving just days after US President Donald Trump. Photo: AFP

Unbeatable China? Beijing a focal point amid Russian hopes for Putin-Xi summit

Beijing says both sides will advance ties, while the Kremlin says Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline to be discussed in ‘great detail’.

18 May 2026 - 11:00PMvideocam

After China-US reset, Putin heads to Beijing for Sino-Russian strategic refresh

2026 Xi-Trump summit

Politics

Trump’s China trip spurs bipartisan shift in Washington on Beijing

Lawmakers from both parties move debate from trade and engagement towards security, Taiwan and strategic rivalry with Beijing.

1 hour agovideocam

US

How a US$5 billion Chinese lifeline to Argentina shrank to almost nothing

Central bank records show the swap balance fell to US$675 million as Washington pressed Buenos Aires to wind it down.

6 minutes ago

Politics

Trump’s Taiwan independence comments: a blow to William Lai and ruling DPP?

Critics in Taiwan argue the island’s leader and his Democratic Progressive Party are rolling back decades of rhetoric under US pressure.

18 May 2026 - 9:21PMvideocam

Science

A rare earth mine at Bayan Obo, in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region of China, seen in 2011. Photo: VCG via Getty Images

China’s northeast, poor in rare earths, scores big find

Diplomacy

Trump calls off new Iran attack at request of Gulf states

US president signals possible Iran breakthrough as ‘serious negotiations’ continue to end conflict.

44 minutes agovideocam

US President Donald in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. Photo: EPA

China Economy

As China’s yuan hits multi-year highs, Beijing puts the focus on stability

China’s top foreign exchange regulator said in an article that authorities would seek to keep the yuan ‘basically stable’.

18 May 2026 - 8:00PM

Society

Hong Kong’s dog-friendly restaurant scheme receives 700 applications on first day

Restaurants rush to apply, with 70 per cent of 1,000 first-phase licences filled ahead of expected July roll-out.

18 May 2026 - 10:51PM

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

Europe

‘8-year-ordeal’: Spanish court acquits pop star Shakira of tax fraud

Money the Colombian singer paid in fines - plus interest - will be paid back to her after a lengthy dispute over residency.

18 May 2026 - 8:55PM

Colombian singer Shakira performing in 2025. Photo: AFP

Diplomacy

Why Iran’s choice of Beijing envoy signals an ‘unprecedented’ commitment

Prominent hardliner Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran’s parliament, is a veteran of peace talks with the US.

18 May 2026 - 7:57PMvideocam

United States & Canada

3 killed in shooting at a San Diego mosque and 2 suspects are dead, police say

Both suspects are believed to be teenagers and the case is considered to be a hate crime, police said.

1 minute ago

Americas

Cuba warns of ‘bloodbath’ if US attacks; Washington adds sanctions

President Diaz-Canel stressed Cuba’s right to defend itself after reports Havana had obtained over 300 military drones from Russia and Iran.

1 hour agovideocam

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel in Havana on April 16. Photo: Reuters

Americas

UK jails driver for smuggling cocaine in shipment of Kim Kardashian underwear

The driver, from Poland, was sentenced to over 13 years in prison for smuggling US$9.4 million worth of the drug.

4 hours ago

Kim Kardashian arrives at the 2026 Met Gala in New York on May 4. Photo: AFP

Global Economy

China and Russia hold trade expo as Putin and Trump visits draw global attention

Expo in Harbin highlights expanding economic ties amid rising geopolitical and trade uncertainties.

18 May 2026 - 8:30PM

United States & Canada

Bessent gives 30-day extension to import Russian oil as Iran war squeezes supply

US treasury secretary said the move would help poorer nations as China would not have the ability to ‘stockpile discounted oil’ from Russia.

3 hours ago

United States & Canada

Jury rules against Musk in feud with OpenAI, saying he filed lawsuit too late

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and President Greg Brockman are found not liable for breaking contracts made with Musk when founding the start-up.

46 minutes ago

Elon Musk, centre, lost his case against OpenAI and its founder Sam Altman on Monday. Photo: Reuters

Economics

South Korea weighs the cost of stepping into Samsung’s US$400,000 bonus row

Seoul is considering using a rarely used emergency power to halt a strike that could cost the economy US$67 billion.

18 May 2026 - 10:57PMvideocam

Members of Samsung Electronics’ largest labour union chant slogans during a protest against the company’s compensation levels in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, last month. Photo: Reuters

Russia & Central Asia

Belarus holds drills with Russian nuclear weapons, Ukraine condemns move

Belarus said the ‌exercise was not aimed against any other country and did not pose security threats ⁠in the region.

5 hours agovideocam

United States & Canada

US prosecutors drop fraud charges against Indian businessman Gautaum Adani

Adani, one of the world’s richest people, had been accused in 2024 of paying huge bribes to ensure the success of a solar project in India.

5 hours ago

LATEST

6 minutes ago

US

How a US$5 billion Chinese lifeline to Argentina shrank to almost nothing

22 minutes ago

China Opinion

Opinion | How China is becoming the gravitational centre of global diplomacy

1 hour ago

Americas

Cuba warns of ‘bloodbath’ if US attacks; Washington adds sanctions

2 hours ago

United States & Canada

3 killed in shooting at a San Diego mosque and 2 suspects are dead, police say

2 hours ago

Diplomacy

Trump calls off new Iran attack at request of Gulf states

3 hours ago

Europe

UK’s Channel 4 removes Married at First Sight show after BBC rape report

3 hours ago

United States & Canada

Bessent gives 30-day extension to import Russian oil as Iran war squeezes supply

4 hours ago

United States & Canada

Jury rules against Musk in feud with OpenAI, saying he filed lawsuit too late

4 hours ago

Politics

Trump’s China trip spurs bipartisan shift in Washington on Beijing

4 hours ago

Americas

UK jails driver for smuggling cocaine in shipment of Kim Kardashian underwear

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US President Donald Trump listening to a speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping at a state banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, last week. Photo: Reuters

SCMP Series Trump’s 2026 trip to China

China will buy at least US$17 billion of US farm goods annually, White House says

The agreement was struck at the recent summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to US fact sheet.

3-MIN READ

How will Beijing judge Trump’s take on Taiwan? Look for 1 critical factor

3-MIN READvideocam

How China and the US felt the weight of history behind Trump and Xi’s meeting

2-MIN READvideocam

Open Questions series

Politics

Open Questions | Mainland China’s Wu Yongping on what the Xi-Trump summit means for Taiwan

Regardless of the meeting’s outcome, the trend towards resolution of the Taiwan question won’t change, according to the Tsinghua academic.

12-MIN READ

Politics

Open Questions | Taiwan’s Cheng Li-wun on cross-strait peace, meeting Xi and managing US ties

Kuomintang chairwoman says hostility towards mainland is a product of political engineering that does not reflect reality of Taiwan.

17-MIN READvideocam

China Economy

Open Questions | Bai Chongen on China’s new economic paradigm and closing the US tech gap

Top economist explains how China has less in common with 1990s Japan than many think – and why talk of Chinese overcapacity is often ‘imprecise’.

13-MIN READvideocam

China Economy

Open Questions | Why China’s yuan faces the same ‘illusions’ that stalled the euro: Daniel Gros

Former European economic adviser says Beijing’s bid to build an international currency will hinge on leaders allowing it to fluctuate freely.

10-MIN READvideocam

Key Industries:

Big Tech

China’s booming tech exports give Beijing ‘wind in its sails’ for Trump summit

The role of tech products in April’s trade data reflects how computing-related goods are a ‘new and important growth driver’ for exports.

3-MIN READ

Chinese trade received a significant boost from the technology sector in April. Photo: Shutterstock Images

Tech Trends

CXMT’s soaring profits lift China’s semiconductor stocks

The Hefei-based DRAM producer reported revenue of US$7.4 billion in the first quarter, up 719 per cent from a year earlier.

2-MIN READ

Big Tech

Baidu says AI now primary business driver despite 2% drop in first-quarter revenue

Analysts expect the company’s AI marketing services base to steadily grow to reduce declines in advertising revenue and boost profits.

2-MIN READvideocam

Tech Trends

Forget cellular data: China’s telecoms giants are selling AI token plans

China Telecom and China Unicom’s Shanghai branch are among the latest telecommunications carriers to offer token-based packages to consumers.

2-MIN READvideocam

All three major telecom operators in China now offer tokens-based packages to consumers. Photo: AFP

Science

Is China becoming Europe’s top science partner amid an American brain drain?

‘Massive changes in the global flow of talent’ are creating opportunities, according to the head of Germany’s Max Planck Society.

6-MIN READvideocam

Economy

Trump and his CEOs want China’s business – but has Asia moved on?

The US delegation went to Beijing looking for deals, but a ‘super cycle’ of capital expenditures across Asia is already fuelling enormous growth.

6-MIN READvideocam

Diplomacy

Why tougher US visa rules for skilled foreign workers may end in ‘brain drain’

Trump administration is targeting several visa categories, including popular H-1B pathway, with bias towards fewer numbers and more revenue.

7-MIN READvideocam

China

Handshakes of history: when Chinese and US leaders meet - an infographic

US President Donald Trump visited Beijing on May 13-15, 2026. Explore the meetings that have helped shape one of the world's most consequential bilateral relationships.

1-MIN READ

Handshakes of history: when Chinese and US leaders meet - an infographic

Unbeatable China? Beijing a focal point amid Russian hopes for Putin-Xi summit

Beijing says both sides will advance ties, while the Kremlin says Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline to be discussed in ‘great detail’.

After China-US reset, Putin heads to Beijing for Sino-Russian strategic refresh

Trump’s China trip spurs bipartisan shift in Washington on Beijing

Lawmakers from both parties move debate from trade and engagement towards security, Taiwan and strategic rivalry with Beijing.

How a US$5 billion Chinese lifeline to Argentina shrank to almost nothing

Central bank records show the swap balance fell to US$675 million as Washington pressed Buenos Aires to wind it down.

Trump’s Taiwan independence comments: a blow to William Lai and ruling DPP?

Critics in Taiwan argue the island’s leader and his Democratic Progressive Party are rolling back decades of rhetoric under US pressure.

China’s northeast, poor in rare earths, scores big find

Trump calls off new Iran attack at request of Gulf states

US president signals possible Iran breakthrough as ‘serious negotiations’ continue to end conflict.

As China’s yuan hits multi-year highs, Beijing puts the focus on stability

China’s top foreign exchange regulator said in an article that authorities would seek to keep the yuan ‘basically stable’.

Hong Kong’s dog-friendly restaurant scheme receives 700 applications on first day

Restaurants rush to apply, with 70 per cent of 1,000 first-phase licences filled ahead of expected July roll-out.

.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.

‘8-year-ordeal’: Spanish court acquits pop star Shakira of tax fraud

Money the Colombian singer paid in fines - plus interest - will be paid back to her after a lengthy dispute over residency.

Why Iran’s choice of Beijing envoy signals an ‘unprecedented’ commitment

Prominent hardliner Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran’s parliament, is a veteran of peace talks with the US.

3 killed in shooting at a San Diego mosque and 2 suspects are dead, police say

Both suspects are believed to be teenagers and the case is considered to be a hate crime, police said.

Cuba warns of ‘bloodbath’ if US attacks; Washington adds sanctions

President Diaz-Canel stressed Cuba’s right to defend itself after reports Havana had obtained over 300 military drones from Russia and Iran.

UK jails driver for smuggling cocaine in shipment of Kim Kardashian underwear

The driver, from Poland, was sentenced to over 13 years in prison for smuggling US$9.4 million worth of the drug.

China and Russia hold trade expo as Putin and Trump visits draw global attention

Expo in Harbin highlights expanding economic ties amid rising geopolitical and trade uncertainties.

Bessent gives 30-day extension to import Russian oil as Iran war squeezes supply

US treasury secretary said the move would help poorer nations as China would not have the ability to ‘stockpile discounted oil’ from Russia.

Jury rules against Musk in feud with OpenAI, saying he filed lawsuit too late

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and President Greg Brockman are found not liable for breaking contracts made with Musk when founding the start-up.

South Korea weighs the cost of stepping into Samsung’s US$400,000 bonus row

Seoul is considering using a rarely used emergency power to halt a strike that could cost the economy US$67 billion.

Belarus holds drills with Russian nuclear weapons, Ukraine condemns move

Belarus said the ‌exercise was not aimed against any other country and did not pose security threats ⁠in the region.

US prosecutors drop fraud charges against Indian businessman Gautaum Adani

Adani, one of the world’s richest people, had been accused in 2024 of paying huge bribes to ensure the success of a solar project in India.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | How China is becoming the gravitational centre of global diplomacy

Opinion | Birthright citizenship fight shows US identity debate is far from settled

The View | Japan no longer Asia’s only rental housing market attracting investors

Opinion | Hong Kong officials should rethink their response to feedback

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Letters | Hong Kong must strengthen its banking system against scams

How a US$5 billion Chinese lifeline to Argentina shrank to almost nothing

Opinion | How China is becoming the gravitational centre of global diplomacy

Cuba warns of ‘bloodbath’ if US attacks; Washington adds sanctions

3 killed in shooting at a San Diego mosque and 2 suspects are dead, police say

Trump calls off new Iran attack at request of Gulf states

UK’s Channel 4 removes Married at First Sight show after BBC rape report

Bessent gives 30-day extension to import Russian oil as Iran war squeezes supply

Jury rules against Musk in feud with OpenAI, saying he filed lawsuit too late

Trump’s China trip spurs bipartisan shift in Washington on Beijing

UK jails driver for smuggling cocaine in shipment of Kim Kardashian underwear

China will buy at least US$17 billion of US farm goods annually, White House says

The agreement was struck at the recent summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to US fact sheet.

How will Beijing judge Trump’s take on Taiwan? Look for 1 critical factor

How China and the US felt the weight of history behind Trump and Xi’s meeting

Open Questions | Mainland China’s Wu Yongping on what the Xi-Trump summit means for Taiwan

Regardless of the meeting’s outcome, the trend towards resolution of the Taiwan question won’t change, according to the Tsinghua academic.

Open Questions | Taiwan’s Cheng Li-wun on cross-strait peace, meeting Xi and managing US ties

Kuomintang chairwoman says hostility towards mainland is a product of political engineering that does not reflect reality of Taiwan.

Open Questions | Bai Chongen on China’s new economic paradigm and closing the US tech gap

Top economist explains how China has less in common with 1990s Japan than many think – and why talk of Chinese overcapacity is often ‘imprecise’.

Open Questions | Why China’s yuan faces the same ‘illusions’ that stalled the euro: Daniel Gros

Former European economic adviser says Beijing’s bid to build an international currency will hinge on leaders allowing it to fluctuate freely.

China’s booming tech exports give Beijing ‘wind in its sails’ for Trump summit

The role of tech products in April’s trade data reflects how computing-related goods are a ‘new and important growth driver’ for exports.

CXMT’s soaring profits lift China’s semiconductor stocks

The Hefei-based DRAM producer reported revenue of US$7.4 billion in the first quarter, up 719 per cent from a year earlier.

Baidu says AI now primary business driver despite 2% drop in first-quarter revenue

Analysts expect the company’s AI marketing services base to steadily grow to reduce declines in advertising revenue and boost profits.

Forget cellular data: China’s telecoms giants are selling AI token plans

China Telecom and China Unicom’s Shanghai branch are among the latest telecommunications carriers to offer token-based packages to consumers.

Is China becoming Europe’s top science partner amid an American brain drain?

‘Massive changes in the global flow of talent’ are creating opportunities, according to the head of Germany’s Max Planck Society.

Trump and his CEOs want China’s business – but has Asia moved on?

The US delegation went to Beijing looking for deals, but a ‘super cycle’ of capital expenditures across Asia is already fuelling enormous growth.

Why tougher US visa rules for skilled foreign workers may end in ‘brain drain’

How AI technology supports conservation of endangered species

Opinion | How China is becoming the gravitational centre of global diplomacy

Letters | Hong Kong must strengthen its banking system against scams