Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, left, shakes hands with Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng during trade talks in Geneva, Switzerland, last year. The two officials are set to lead another round of talks in Paris this weekend. Photo: Reuters

US-China trade talks: what to expect as senior officials meet in Paris

Both sides have short-term incentives to maintain their ‘trade truce’ so they can focus on dealing with domestic issues, analysts say.

26 minutes agovideocam

Trump’s tariff investigation ‘bluff’ will not work on China, analysts warn

US-China trade war

Science

Deadly strike on Iran primary school raises questions about AI use in war

While cutting-edge technologies process vast amounts of data, human decisions remain the focal point when systems fail, observers say.

5 hours agovideocam

Diplomacy

Will Paracels dispute overshadow China-Vietnam drive for closer strategic ties?

Foreign, defence and public security ministers are to meet after images suggested China had started land reclamation work at Antelope Reef.

5 hours ago

Diplomacy

US claims Iran’s new supreme leader ‘wounded’, Strait of Hormuz will not close

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth downplays worries over vital shipping lane but offers few details about US measures to restore oil flow.

3 hours agovideocam

Focus

Is AI displacing young people for entry-level jobs?

Health & Environment

‘Death is a release’: Indian parents win right to grant son a dignified death

Harish Rana was comatose and bedridden for over a decade. Now, the Supreme Court has ruled that his ‘endless misery’ can finally end.

13 Mar 2026 - 8:23PM

Harish Rana, an engineering student, has been in a vegetative state for the last 13 years after falling from the fourth floor of his hostel. Photo: Handout

Middle East

Hormuz has become Iran’s ultimate lever against US. Will Trump ‘blink first’?

By choking the world’s energy artery, Tehran is betting it can endure longer than a far stronger enemy.

4 hours agovideocam

Health & Environment

Funding cuts trigger calls for help on jobs from Hong Kong’s physiotherapists

Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association alarmed by hiring freezes and job losses at NGOs despite rising demand for services.

4 hours ago

Business

How Standard Chartered’s SME Banking helps Hong Kong arts and crafts design firm’s growth

Deepa Jivan, CEO of J.Gordhan & Co, says bank’s tailored financial solutions and expertise give it the agility to navigate global marketplace.

In partnership with:

Standard Chartered

Deepa Jivan is the founder and CEO of Hong Kong-based arts and crafts products company J.Gordhan & Co.

Banking & Finance

In a first for China, Neuracle’s brain-computer interface wins approval

China’s BCI start-ups, seen as potential rivals to Elon Musk’s Neuralink, gain momentum as regulatory support and new capital fuel growth.

2 hours ago

A man demonstrates a robotic hand with a brain-computer interface at the China International Import Expo on November 7, 2025. Neuracle’s regulatory milestone underscores China’s accelerating push in neurotechnology. Photo: AFP

Southeast Asia

Singapore contests US claim of trade surplus amid excess capacity probe

The Ministry of Trade and Industry also rejected the USTR’s suggestion that the city state was contributing to global manufacturing overcapacity.

3 hours ago

Americas

Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro in ICU with pneumonia

The ex-president, who is serving a 27-year sentence for an attempted coup, was moved from prison to a hospital in Brasilia.

2 hours agovideocam

Tech Trends

Apple’s Mac Mini selling out across China as OpenClaw fever rages

The few retailers who still have units jack up prices as demand surges for the computer, seen as ideal for safely running the AI tool.

5 hours ago

Apple’s Mac Mini has emerged as a popular machine for running the AI agent software OpenClaw. Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images

Global Economy

Japan taps oil reserves as Iran war spreads. Could it give China leverage?

With Tokyo and Beijing still at loggerheads over Taiwan, analysts warn Japan’s decision exposes its economic vulnerability.

13 Mar 2026 - 6:00PM

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks to the media about the release of oil stockpiles at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence in Tokyo on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Global Economy

Strait of Hormuz transiting ships flash ‘China owner’ signals to evade blockade

Analysts see ‘diplomatic bulletproofing’ in vessels leveraging Beijing’s neutrality, while some Chinese-linked ships clear chokepoint.

6 hours agovideocam

Science

Could China’s gallium oxide leap leave F-22 radar 2 generations behind?

Chinese team’s semiconductor tech research combines power and memory, allowing for smaller and more powerful military electronics.

13 Mar 2026 - 8:00PMvideocam

Science

Death of Chinese scientist Li Xinying in Egypt raises sharp questions back home

Mystery surrounds the prominent genetic psychologist’s death after official explanation cites ‘non-specific respiratory failure’.

5 hours ago

Li Xinying, a researcher and doctoral supervisor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Psychology, died on February 23 at 10pm Beijing time, according to an online obituary. Photo: Sohu

Health & Environment

‘Quite severe’: coastal erosion threatens future of Bali’s famed Kuta Beach

Experts warn extreme weather and decades of coastal development on the resort island have worsened the situation.

13 Mar 2026 - 5:35PMvideocam

Tourists relax on Kuta Beach in Bali, Indonesia, in December 2025. Officials say the erosion on Kuta Beach is “quite severe”. Photo: EPA

Diplomacy

Exclusive | Sanctioned Rubio to visit China with Trump despite earlier missed opportunities

The formerly hawkish US secretary of state has been sanctioned by Beijing and sources say he has previously appeared reluctant to visit.

13 Mar 2026 - 6:18AMvideocam

United States & Canada

US economic growth slumps to 0.7% in fourth quarter, stoking inflation worries

The figure was significantly lower than the initial estimate of 1.4 per cent for the October to December period.

4 hours agovideocam

OPINION

Andrew Sheng

Opinion | US-Israeli war on Iran makes a mockery of global governance rules

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David Dodwell

Outside In | The end of an era at sea offers us a grim reminder on land

13 Mar 2026 - 5:28PM

Letters

Letters | Families need not feel targeted by the child safeguarding process

13 Mar 2026 - 11:30AM

Nicole Chan

Opinion | When homes are small and costly, dreams of having a family shrink

13 Mar 2026 - 9:30AM

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Harry’s View | 14 Mar 2026

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

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Open Questions series

Diplomacy

Open Questions | Strikes on Iran not the biggest threat to China’s belt and road goals: Pan Guang

Mainland academic assesses the risks to Chinese investment and diplomacy in the region and what it means for the other main players.

9 Mar 2026 - 10:02AMvideocam

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.

5 Mar 2026 - 5:24PM

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.

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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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Big Tech

China’s OpenClaw users paid to install viral AI. Now they spend to remove it

The shift comes as top cybersecurity expert warns country now home to 40 per cent of global assets linked to OpenClaw.

13 Mar 2026 - 2:40PMvideocam

Banking & Finance

In a first for China, Neuracle’s brain-computer interface wins approval

China’s BCI start-ups, seen as potential rivals to Elon Musk’s Neuralink, gain momentum as regulatory support and new capital fuel growth.

2 hours ago

China Economy

Can AI help China cushion economic fallout from its rapidly ageing population?

As fertility rates fall, Asian economies face a daunting challenge – sustaining growth with fewer workers.

13 Mar 2026 - 3:04PMvideocam

Tech

Cambricon to pay maiden dividend after turning profitable in 2025

The Shanghai-listed chip designer will distribute a cash dividend of 15 yuan for every 10 shares, its first since listing in 2020.

13 Mar 2026 - 3:25PM

Cambricon’s MLU220 AI acceleration card. Photo: Handout

China Economy

China’s industrial policy goes global, challenging decades of free market rule

China’s tighter embrace of industrial policy in recent years has transformed its economy – and other countries are following suit.

12 Mar 2026 - 8:53AM

China Economy

Why China’s red-hot tech push is leaving some sectors out in the cold

Beijing’s preferences for innovation and emerging industries are affecting businesses’ development paths and reshaping the corporate landscape.

11 Mar 2026 - 6:16AMvideocam

Politics

Why China’s cadres must master rare earths as economic security becomes a KPI

Beijing’s decision to instruct promising cadres on logistics and resources reflects a sober outlook on trade relations, observers say.

10 Mar 2026 - 10:04AMvideocam

Diplomacy

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.

8 Mar 2026 - 6:04AMvideocam

US-China trade talks: what to expect as senior officials meet in Paris

Both sides have short-term incentives to maintain their ‘trade truce’ so they can focus on dealing with domestic issues, analysts say.

Trump’s tariff investigation ‘bluff’ will not work on China, analysts warn

Deadly strike on Iran primary school raises questions about AI use in war

While cutting-edge technologies process vast amounts of data, human decisions remain the focal point when systems fail, observers say.

Will Paracels dispute overshadow China-Vietnam drive for closer strategic ties?

Foreign, defence and public security ministers are to meet after images suggested China had started land reclamation work at Antelope Reef.

US claims Iran’s new supreme leader ‘wounded’, Strait of Hormuz will not close

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth downplays worries over vital shipping lane but offers few details about US measures to restore oil flow.

Is AI displacing young people for entry-level jobs?

‘Death is a release’: Indian parents win right to grant son a dignified death

Harish Rana was comatose and bedridden for over a decade. Now, the Supreme Court has ruled that his ‘endless misery’ can finally end.

Hormuz has become Iran’s ultimate lever against US. Will Trump ‘blink first’?

By choking the world’s energy artery, Tehran is betting it can endure longer than a far stronger enemy.

Funding cuts trigger calls for help on jobs from Hong Kong’s physiotherapists

Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association alarmed by hiring freezes and job losses at NGOs despite rising demand for services.

.css-12ooj4n{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;}How Standard Chartered’s SME Banking helps Hong Kong arts and crafts design firm’s growth

Deepa Jivan, CEO of J.Gordhan & Co, says bank’s tailored financial solutions and expertise give it the agility to navigate global marketplace.

In a first for China, Neuracle’s brain-computer interface wins approval

China’s BCI start-ups, seen as potential rivals to Elon Musk’s Neuralink, gain momentum as regulatory support and new capital fuel growth.

Singapore contests US claim of trade surplus amid excess capacity probe

The Ministry of Trade and Industry also rejected the USTR’s suggestion that the city state was contributing to global manufacturing overcapacity.

Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro in ICU with pneumonia

The ex-president, who is serving a 27-year sentence for an attempted coup, was moved from prison to a hospital in Brasilia.

Apple’s Mac Mini selling out across China as OpenClaw fever rages

The few retailers who still have units jack up prices as demand surges for the computer, seen as ideal for safely running the AI tool.

Japan taps oil reserves as Iran war spreads. Could it give China leverage?

With Tokyo and Beijing still at loggerheads over Taiwan, analysts warn Japan’s decision exposes its economic vulnerability.

Strait of Hormuz transiting ships flash ‘China owner’ signals to evade blockade

Analysts see ‘diplomatic bulletproofing’ in vessels leveraging Beijing’s neutrality, while some Chinese-linked ships clear chokepoint.

Could China’s gallium oxide leap leave F-22 radar 2 generations behind?

Chinese team’s semiconductor tech research combines power and memory, allowing for smaller and more powerful military electronics.

Death of Chinese scientist Li Xinying in Egypt raises sharp questions back home

Mystery surrounds the prominent genetic psychologist’s death after official explanation cites ‘non-specific respiratory failure’.

‘Quite severe’: coastal erosion threatens future of Bali’s famed Kuta Beach

Experts warn extreme weather and decades of coastal development on the resort island have worsened the situation.

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Exclusive | Sanctioned Rubio to visit China with Trump despite earlier missed opportunities

The formerly hawkish US secretary of state has been sanctioned by Beijing and sources say he has previously appeared reluctant to visit.

US economic growth slumps to 0.7% in fourth quarter, stoking inflation worries

The figure was significantly lower than the initial estimate of 1.4 per cent for the October to December period.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | US-Israeli war on Iran makes a mockery of global governance rules

Outside In | The end of an era at sea offers us a grim reminder on land

Letters | Families need not feel targeted by the child safeguarding process

Opinion | When homes are small and costly, dreams of having a family shrink

Opinion | Iran war marks return to strongest states assuming special rights

Iran lets 2 India-flagged gas tankers sail through Strait of Hormuz: insiders

Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro in ICU with pneumonia

Singapore contests US claim of trade surplus amid excess capacity probe

US claims Iran’s new supreme leader ‘wounded’, Strait of Hormuz will not close

Hormuz has become Iran’s ultimate lever against US. Will Trump ‘blink first’?

US-China trade talks: what to expect as senior officials meet in Paris

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 | Strikes on Iran not the biggest threat to China’s belt and road goals: Pan Guang

Mainland academic assesses the risks to Chinese investment and diplomacy in the region and what it means for the other main players.

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.

China’s OpenClaw users paid to install viral AI. Now they spend to remove it

The shift comes as top cybersecurity expert warns country now home to 40 per cent of global assets linked to OpenClaw.

In a first for China, Neuracle’s brain-computer interface wins approval

China’s BCI start-ups, seen as potential rivals to Elon Musk’s Neuralink, gain momentum as regulatory support and new capital fuel growth.

Can AI help China cushion economic fallout from its rapidly ageing population?

As fertility rates fall, Asian economies face a daunting challenge – sustaining growth with fewer workers.

Cambricon to pay maiden dividend after turning profitable in 2025

The Shanghai-listed chip designer will distribute a cash dividend of 15 yuan for every 10 shares, its first since listing in 2020.

China’s industrial policy goes global, challenging decades of free market rule

China’s tighter embrace of industrial policy in recent years has transformed its economy – and other countries are following suit.

Why China’s red-hot tech push is leaving some sectors out in the cold

Beijing’s preferences for innovation and emerging industries are affecting businesses’ development paths and reshaping the corporate landscape.

Why China’s cadres must master rare earths as economic security becomes a KPI

Beijing’s decision to instruct promising cadres on logistics and resources reflects a sober outlook on trade relations, observers say.

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.

How Standard Chartered’s SME Banking helps Hong Kong arts and crafts design firm’s growth

Exclusive | Sanctioned Rubio to visit China with Trump despite earlier missed opportunities

Opinion | US-Israeli war on Iran makes a mockery of global governance rules