Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank was launched by China in 2016 and is headquartered in Beijing. Photo: Xinhua

AIIB launches US$10 billion facility to help nations hit by Iran war fallout

The new facility will help nations deal with urgent energy, food and economic resilience needs, according to the bank.

5 minutes agovideocam

China breaks ground on Gulf aviation megaproject in shadow of Iran war

Banking & finance

Diplomacy

China’s commerce chief Wang Wentao expected in Brussels on June 29-30: sources

As trade differences continue to bite between Beijing and the European Union, could a face-to-face meeting help to ease tensions?

20 minutes agovideocam

Tech Trends

China’s biggest contract chipmaker clears final hurdle for US$6 billion takeover

SMNC is to become a wholly owned subsidiary of SMIC, boosting the semiconductor manufacturer’s prowess and market position.

1 hour ago

Politics

Hong Kong trade office in London can continue ‘legitimate activity’: UK official

UK government resists calls to revoke Hong Kong trade office privileges after spy case, but insists it will act against any threat to security.

7 minutes ago

Focus

China swaps Middle East oil for Xinjiang coal. What does it mean for the world?

Diplomacy

Exclusive | ‘We really do not trust each other’: ex-US envoy on wary new phase in China ties

Max Baucus says the new phase of wary ‘constructive stability’ represents a diplomatic holding pattern, not a durable thaw.

5 hours agovideocam

The leaders of China and the US should meet regularly even if no significant deals can be struck, as symbolic meetings alone could help to manage tensions, former ambassador to China Max Baucus says. Photo: SCMP

China Economy

China’s vast new canal link to Southeast Asia set to open earlier than expected

The Pinglu Canal – a US$10 billion waterway connecting China’s heartlands to the Gulf of Tonkin – will begin trial operations as soon as September.

3 hours ago

Economics

Why Singapore wants to become the world’s ‘living lab’ for physical AI

These machines are set to complement humans in the workplace, but safety should be a priority for their deployment, analysts say.

4 hours agovideocam

Business

How Changan Automobile’s design-driven brand strategy shapes its global expansion plans

Klaus Zyciora, vice-president of the Chinese carmaker, says its innovative, smart, low-carbon vehicles can entice customers around the world.

In partnership with:

Changan Automobile

China

Xi hosts Putin over tea; rare earth find in northeast China: 7 highlights

From the Iran conflict rattling Chinese investors to Li Ka-shing’s charitable support, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting.

2 hours ago

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

Science

China’s Tsinghua University honours German Gref, Russian banker sanctioned by US

Sberbank CEO accompanied Vladimir Putin during Russian leader’s recent trip to Beijing for summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

2 hours agovideocam

China Business

Why more Hong Kong and mainland Chinese companies are building cash buffers

Cash holdings rise among traditional firms listed in Hong Kong and Shanghai as productive places to deploy capital dwindle, analysts say.

4 hours ago

Society

1 dead, 4 injured as Hong Kong subdivided flat fire forces 300 to be evacuated

69-year-old man killed and four taken to hospital after fire broke out in a flat inside Man Yuen Building in Jordan late on Thursday.

4 hours ago

The fire broke out in a subdivided flat in the 62-year-old Man Yuen Building on Man Wai Street, which is undergoing renovation. Photo: Handout

Southeast Asia

Vietnam sells disgraced tycoon’s Hermes bags to recoup US$27 billion in damages

Truong My Lan was convicted for embezzling US$12.3 billion from Saigon Commercial Bank in the nation’s largest fraud case.

2 hours agovideocam

Truong My Lan attends her trial at a court in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in 2024. Photo: EPA-EFE

Society

On This Day | Australian makes first swim around Hong Kong Island in 1976 – SCMP archive

On this day 50 years ago, Australia’s Linda McGill completed the first 45km swim around Hong Kong Island in 17 hours.

55 minutes ago

Big Tech

China is losing LLM race but it can still win in AI, ex-Tencent AI lead says

In the AI era, the problem with being a technological follower is the constant risk of having the rug pulled from under you, Liu says.

5 hours ago

United States & Canada

Stephen Colbert hosts Late Show finale after controversial cancellation

The top-rated host signs off from CBS with a defiant farewell following a politically charged corporate axing.

20 minutes ago

Stephen Colbert, who took over The Late Show in 2015 following the retirement of longtime host David Letterman. Photo: Getty Images for FLC via TNS

China

Every dog has its day: stray puppy steals show at Chinese university sports event

Student runner broke the 3,000-metre race record with the fluffy campus resident guiding her to victory like a professional pacer.

14 minutes agovideocam

A stray puppy became an overnight internet sensation after a video of it entering the track to accompany a female student at the end of her 3,000-metre race gained millions of views. Photo: bjnews.com.cn

China Economy

From mine to market: how China is closing critical mineral security gaps

New law coordinates control over the full supply chain as Beijing frames minerals as a national security priority.

22 May 2026 - 7:00AM

China Business

SpaceX’s US$75 billion IPO sparks liquidity fears as Fed rate-increase odds rise

The blockbuster offering’s repercussions could be far-reaching, drawing capital away from Hong Kong and the broader Asia-Pacific region.

22 May 2026 - 6:00AM

OPINION

Tang Meng Kit

Opinion | Boeing went to China to sell planes. Beijing is buying something else

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Letters

Letters | Canada’s World Cup role offers model of cooperation in a fraught world

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Politics

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Every dog has its day: stray puppy steals show at Chinese university sports event

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Diplomacy

China’s commerce chief Wang Wentao expected in Brussels on June 29-30: sources

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United States & Canada

Stephen Colbert hosts Late Show finale after controversial cancellation

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Global Economy

AIIB launches US$10 billion facility to help nations hit by Iran war fallout

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China Personalities

China ‘most devoted fraudster’ fakes hospital records to give wife free dialysis

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Law and Crime

Hong Kong’s ICAC charges woman over alleged HK$10,000 bribe in custody case

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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

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

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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

Big Tech

China is losing LLM race but it can still win in AI, ex-Tencent AI lead says

In the AI era, the problem with being a technological follower is the constant risk of having the rug pulled from under you, Liu says.

4-MIN READ

Tech Trends

What is YMTC, the latest contender in China’s memory-chip IPO push?

As China’s memory-chip giants YMTC and CXMT progress towards IPOs, they shine a spotlight on Beijing’s tech self-sufficiency ambitions.

3-MIN READ

Tech Trends

AI gives China ‘God’s-eye view’ of green sector as data-centre demand booms

Alibaba and Peking University map nation’s extensive green-energy sites – a move that could help stabilise national grid amid surge in computing-power needs.

2-MIN READvideocam

Rows of solar panels are seen at a photovoltaic farm in Datong, China. Photo: AP

China Economy

Putin is pushing for a ‘serious’ new energy deal in China. Will he get it?

The Russian leader arrives in China days after Trump in search of an energy deal, with yuan settlements, pricing potentially on the table.

6-MIN READvideocam

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

AIIB launches US$10 billion facility to help nations hit by Iran war fallout

The new facility will help nations deal with urgent energy, food and economic resilience needs, according to the bank.

China breaks ground on Gulf aviation megaproject in shadow of Iran war

China’s commerce chief Wang Wentao expected in Brussels on June 29-30: sources

As trade differences continue to bite between Beijing and the European Union, could a face-to-face meeting help to ease tensions?

China’s biggest contract chipmaker clears final hurdle for US$6 billion takeover

SMNC is to become a wholly owned subsidiary of SMIC, boosting the semiconductor manufacturer’s prowess and market position.

Hong Kong trade office in London can continue ‘legitimate activity’: UK official

UK government resists calls to revoke Hong Kong trade office privileges after spy case, but insists it will act against any threat to security.

China swaps Middle East oil for Xinjiang coal. What does it mean for the world?

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Exclusive | ‘We really do not trust each other’: ex-US envoy on wary new phase in China ties

Max Baucus says the new phase of wary ‘constructive stability’ represents a diplomatic holding pattern, not a durable thaw.

China’s vast new canal link to Southeast Asia set to open earlier than expected

The Pinglu Canal – a US$10 billion waterway connecting China’s heartlands to the Gulf of Tonkin – will begin trial operations as soon as September.

Why Singapore wants to become the world’s ‘living lab’ for physical AI

These machines are set to complement humans in the workplace, but safety should be a priority for their deployment, analysts say.

.css-12ooj4n{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;}How Changan Automobile’s design-driven brand strategy shapes its global expansion plans

Klaus Zyciora, vice-president of the Chinese carmaker, says its innovative, smart, low-carbon vehicles can entice customers around the world.

Xi hosts Putin over tea; rare earth find in northeast China: 7 highlights

From the Iran conflict rattling Chinese investors to Li Ka-shing’s charitable support, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting.

China’s Tsinghua University honours German Gref, Russian banker sanctioned by US

Sberbank CEO accompanied Vladimir Putin during Russian leader’s recent trip to Beijing for summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Why more Hong Kong and mainland Chinese companies are building cash buffers

Cash holdings rise among traditional firms listed in Hong Kong and Shanghai as productive places to deploy capital dwindle, analysts say.

1 dead, 4 injured as Hong Kong subdivided flat fire forces 300 to be evacuated

69-year-old man killed and four taken to hospital after fire broke out in a flat inside Man Yuen Building in Jordan late on Thursday.

Vietnam sells disgraced tycoon’s Hermes bags to recoup US$27 billion in damages

Truong My Lan was convicted for embezzling US$12.3 billion from Saigon Commercial Bank in the nation’s largest fraud case.

On This Day | Australian makes first swim around Hong Kong Island in 1976 – SCMP archive

On this day 50 years ago, Australia’s Linda McGill completed the first 45km swim around Hong Kong Island in 17 hours.

China is losing LLM race but it can still win in AI, ex-Tencent AI lead says

In the AI era, the problem with being a technological follower is the constant risk of having the rug pulled from under you, Liu says.

Stephen Colbert hosts Late Show finale after controversial cancellation

The top-rated host signs off from CBS with a defiant farewell following a politically charged corporate axing.

Every dog has its day: stray puppy steals show at Chinese university sports event

Student runner broke the 3,000-metre race record with the fluffy campus resident guiding her to victory like a professional pacer.

From mine to market: how China is closing critical mineral security gaps

New law coordinates control over the full supply chain as Beijing frames minerals as a national security priority.

SpaceX’s US$75 billion IPO sparks liquidity fears as Fed rate-increase odds rise

The blockbuster offering’s repercussions could be far-reaching, drawing capital away from Hong Kong and the broader Asia-Pacific region.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Boeing went to China to sell planes. Beijing is buying something else

Letters | Canada’s World Cup role offers model of cooperation in a fraught world

Editorial | Xi-Putin summit is no less important than Xi-Trump talks

Opinion | Not even a quick end to Iran war can save AI stock bubble now

Editorial | Hong Kong welcomes class of new senior counsel

Hong Kong trade office in London can continue ‘legitimate activity’: UK official

Every dog has its day: stray puppy steals show at Chinese university sports event

China’s commerce chief Wang Wentao expected in Brussels on June 29-30: sources

Stephen Colbert hosts Late Show finale after controversial cancellation

AIIB launches US$10 billion facility to help nations hit by Iran war fallout

China ‘most devoted fraudster’ fakes hospital records to give wife free dialysis

Hong Kong’s ICAC charges woman over alleged HK$10,000 bribe in custody case

On This Day | Australian makes first swim around Hong Kong Island in 1976 – SCMP archive

China’s biggest contract chipmaker clears final hurdle for US$6 billion takeover

Coroner’s Court, watchdog to probe delayed blood transfusion to girl with cancer

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.

China is losing LLM race but it can still win in AI, ex-Tencent AI lead says

In the AI era, the problem with being a technological follower is the constant risk of having the rug pulled from under you, Liu says.

What is YMTC, the latest contender in China’s memory-chip IPO push?

As China’s memory-chip giants YMTC and CXMT progress towards IPOs, they shine a spotlight on Beijing’s tech self-sufficiency ambitions.

AI gives China ‘God’s-eye view’ of green sector as data-centre demand booms

Alibaba and Peking University map nation’s extensive green-energy sites – a move that could help stabilise national grid amid surge in computing-power needs.

Putin is pushing for a ‘serious’ new energy deal in China. Will he get it?

The Russian leader arrives in China days after Trump in search of an energy deal, with yuan settlements, pricing potentially on the table.

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?

Exclusive | ‘We really do not trust each other’: ex-US envoy on wary new phase in China ties

How Changan Automobile’s design-driven brand strategy shapes its global expansion plans

Opinion | Boeing went to China to sell planes. Beijing is buying something else