Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

A robot serving food and drinks on the China Mobile stand, taken on March 3 in Barcelona during the Mobile World Congress, the world’s biggest mobile technology showcase and fair. Photo: AFP

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.

36 minutes agovideocam

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

China's population

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

China Economy

China’s central-local fiscal flows should be parent-child relationship: adviser

‘Central finance is like a father … while local governments are like children,’ tax policy expert says, affirming support for revenue-sharing reforms.

5 hours ago

Society

Donald Liao, the architect who shaped Hong Kong’s housing landscape, dies at 96

Donald Liao died peacefully at home, surrounded by family and friends, on Thursday morning.

55 minutes ago

Focus

Is AI displacing young people for entry-level jobs?

Science

China beats US, Japan in carbon-fibre arms race with world’s first T1200 factory

‘Black gold’ fibre deemed transformative for energy and military purposes, EV innovations, medical devices and low-altitude economy.

4 hours agovideocam

State media says China is the first country to mass produce the strongest carbon fibre available, a development with implications across a number of hi-tech sectors. Photo: CCTV

Diplomacy

Iran says Strait of Hormuz blocked, will burn oil, gas if ports attacked

In first declaration since his appointment as the country’s new supreme leader, Khamenei said all US military bases in region must close.

13 Mar 2026 - 6:13AMvideocam

136

Politics

Australia walks ‘very fine line’ with Gulf deployment amid Iran war

Analysts say the defensive deployment reflects Canberra’s attempt to balance alliance pressure with fears of deeper involvement in the conflict.

2 hours agovideocam

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.

Hong Kong Economy

Exclusive | Hong Kong job openings hit 6-year low in 69% of sectors amid AI’s ascent

Vacancies in 23 out of 33 job sectors, including IT and customer service, fell to their lowest number in six years.

6 hours ago

Industries with fewer job openings were those heavily associated with the use of AI. Photo: Karma Lo

Big Tech

Apple reduces App Store commissions in China, to applause from Tencent, NetEase

Move has ‘long-term constructive significance for the overall prosperity of China’s mobile app ecosystem’, gaming company NetEase says.

39 minutes ago

Southeast Asia

Vietnam records world-highest trade surplus with US, surpassing Mexico, China

Vietnam’s exports to the US rose 53 per cent to exceed US$20 billion in January from a year earlier, official data ‌shows.

11 minutes agovideocam

Tech Trends

OpenClaw is all the rage in China right now. Here’s why

OpenClaw captivates Chinese users, aiding in stock trading, daily tasks and even dating, despite concerns over costs and data reliability.

4 hours ago

Law and Crime

More illegal refuelling complaints as Hong Kong grapples with rising oil prices

City receives 221 reports of illegal petrol stations in January and February, averaging 111 per month or more than four times 2025 monthly average.

1 hour ago

Hong Kong Fire Services Department officers crack down on an illicit petrol station at Yick Fung Building in To Kwa Wan, where three 1,000-litre containers were used for unauthorised storage and refuelling operations. Photo: Dickson Lee

Food & Drink

What is a pink peppercorn? 2 recipes that bring out their subtle heat

Pink peppercorns have a mild pepperiness and sweet flavour. They add a subtle spice, crunch and colour to sweet or savoury dishes.

26 minutes ago

China EVs

Tesla’s 91% February sales jump in China defies overall market slowdown

The US carmaker’s Shanghai Gigafactory delivered nearly 58,600 vehicles last month, with the Model Y topping the sales chart.

4 hours agovideocam

Diplomacy

How Gulf conflict and soaring oil prices will affect Angola’s Chinese debt deals

The African nation has a clause in its deal with Chinese lenders that could help fresh up extra cash for new projects.

2 hours agovideocam

Angola is one of Africa’s major oil producers. Photo: AFP

World

China’s arms imports plummet, Hong Kong couple’s Dubai exit: 7 highlights

From missile concerns in the Philippines to China’s rejection of Musk’s space-AI plan, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting.

3 hours ago

China’s share of global arms imports is waning as it uses more of its own technology. Photo: VCG via Getty Images

People

250 men went down with a WWII ‘hell ship’. Now the US is coming back for them

Eight decades after the Oryoku Maru was sunk by American bombs, specialist divers are returning to retrieve the 250 men still trapped inside.

4 hours ago

Business

HKEX unveils biggest listing reforms since 2018 to lure diverse innovative firms

Bourse operator lowers bar for companies with weighted voting rights as well as for firms seeking to list under the minimum market cap route.

58 minutes ago

OPINION

Letters

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

4 hours ago

Nicole Chan

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

6 hours ago

SCMP Editorial

Editorial | China’s ‘two sessions’ passes smoothly despite global turmoil

13 Mar 2026 - 7:15AM

SCMP Editorial

Editorial | Judy Chan careless driving case a reminder of high expectations for lawmakers

13 Mar 2026 - 6:45AM

Hao Nan

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

13 Mar 2026 - 7:59AM

Harry’s View | 13 Mar 2026

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11 minutes ago

Southeast Asia

Vietnam records world-highest trade surplus with US, surpassing Mexico, China

20 minutes ago

World

Gallery | In pictures: Global petrol prices surge amid US-Israeli war on Iran

24 minutes ago

Law and Crime

2 Tiananmen vigil activists have case to answer in subversion trial, court rules

26 minutes ago

Food & Drink

What is a pink peppercorn? 2 recipes that bring out their subtle heat

39 minutes ago

Big Tech

Apple reduces App Store commissions in China, to applause from Tencent, NetEase

42 minutes ago

China Economy

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

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SCMP Series

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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

SCMP Series ‘Two sessions’: China’s economic agenda

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.

4 Mar 2026 - 9:05AM

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

4 Mar 2026 - 9:18AM

Investors lock onto NPC as markets seek policy lift amid AI jitters

3 Mar 2026 - 7:30AM

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.

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.

5 Mar 2026 - 5:25PMvideocam

Key Industries:

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.

1 hour agovideocam

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.

36 minutes agovideocam

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.

15 minutes ago

China Business

BMW sees smoother road ahead in China after sales skid in 2025

German carmaker reports a solid start to 2026 amid stabilising prices, with new EV model, its ‘most Chinese car’ ever, coming soon.

13 Mar 2026 - 8:00AM

A Chinese-made version of BMW’s iX3 is set to debut in April. 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

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.

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

.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.

China’s central-local fiscal flows should be parent-child relationship: adviser

‘Central finance is like a father … while local governments are like children,’ tax policy expert says, affirming support for revenue-sharing reforms.

Donald Liao, the architect who shaped Hong Kong’s housing landscape, dies at 96

Donald Liao died peacefully at home, surrounded by family and friends, on Thursday morning.

Is AI displacing young people for entry-level jobs?

China beats US, Japan in carbon-fibre arms race with world’s first T1200 factory

‘Black gold’ fibre deemed transformative for energy and military purposes, EV innovations, medical devices and low-altitude economy.

Iran says Strait of Hormuz blocked, will burn oil, gas if ports attacked

In first declaration since his appointment as the country’s new supreme leader, Khamenei said all US military bases in region must close.

Australia walks ‘very fine line’ with Gulf deployment amid Iran war

Analysts say the defensive deployment reflects Canberra’s attempt to balance alliance pressure with fears of deeper involvement in the conflict.

.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.

Exclusive | Hong Kong job openings hit 6-year low in 69% of sectors amid AI’s ascent

Vacancies in 23 out of 33 job sectors, including IT and customer service, fell to their lowest number in six years.

Apple reduces App Store commissions in China, to applause from Tencent, NetEase

Move has ‘long-term constructive significance for the overall prosperity of China’s mobile app ecosystem’, gaming company NetEase says.

Vietnam records world-highest trade surplus with US, surpassing Mexico, China

Vietnam’s exports to the US rose 53 per cent to exceed US$20 billion in January from a year earlier, official data ‌shows.

OpenClaw is all the rage in China right now. Here’s why

OpenClaw captivates Chinese users, aiding in stock trading, daily tasks and even dating, despite concerns over costs and data reliability.

More illegal refuelling complaints as Hong Kong grapples with rising oil prices

City receives 221 reports of illegal petrol stations in January and February, averaging 111 per month or more than four times 2025 monthly average.

What is a pink peppercorn? 2 recipes that bring out their subtle heat

Pink peppercorns have a mild pepperiness and sweet flavour. They add a subtle spice, crunch and colour to sweet or savoury dishes.

Tesla’s 91% February sales jump in China defies overall market slowdown

The US carmaker’s Shanghai Gigafactory delivered nearly 58,600 vehicles last month, with the Model Y topping the sales chart.

How Gulf conflict and soaring oil prices will affect Angola’s Chinese debt deals

The African nation has a clause in its deal with Chinese lenders that could help fresh up extra cash for new projects.

China’s arms imports plummet, Hong Kong couple’s Dubai exit: 7 highlights

From missile concerns in the Philippines to China’s rejection of Musk’s space-AI plan, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting.

250 men went down with a WWII ‘hell ship’. Now the US is coming back for them

Eight decades after the Oryoku Maru was sunk by American bombs, specialist divers are returning to retrieve the 250 men still trapped inside.

HKEX unveils biggest listing reforms since 2018 to lure diverse innovative firms

Bourse operator lowers bar for companies with weighted voting rights as well as for firms seeking to list under the minimum market cap route.

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

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | When homes are small and costly, dreams of having a family shrink

Editorial | China’s ‘two sessions’ passes smoothly despite global turmoil

Editorial | Judy Chan careless driving case a reminder of high expectations for lawmakers

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

Vietnam records world-highest trade surplus with US, surpassing Mexico, China

Gallery | In pictures: Global petrol prices surge amid US-Israeli war on Iran

2 Tiananmen vigil activists have case to answer in subversion trial, court rules

What is a pink peppercorn? 2 recipes that bring out their subtle heat

Apple reduces App Store commissions in China, to applause from Tencent, NetEase

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

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.

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.

BMW sees smoother road ahead in China after sales skid in 2025

German carmaker reports a solid start to 2026 amid stabilising prices, with new EV model, its ‘most Chinese car’ ever, coming soon.

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.

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

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

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