Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

How the Middle East crisis is expanding China’s agrochemical influence

China accounts for about a third of global fertiliser production, and 70 per cent of the raw materials for chemical pesticides.

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How China’s reported sulphuric acid export ban could have global buyers reeling

China food security

US

US’ Bessent urges China to help open Strait of Hormuz

Treasury chief says Beijing’s energy buys fund ‘top sponsor of terrorism’, urges action as US asserts ‘absolute control’ over waterway.

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China Economy

Shenzhen’s economic dilemma: soaring GDP, stagnant consumption

Shenzhen’s retail sales barely rose in the first quarter despite strong GDP growth, a sign of the Chinese tech hub’s unbalanced development.

4 May 2026 - 10:38PMvideocam

Diplomacy

China consul in Tijuana warns against protectionism as USMCA review nears

Fu Xinrong pitched Beijing’s model of shared modernisation to Mexican business leaders, weeks before a contentious USMCA review.

14 minutes agovideocam

Diplomacy

US President Donald Trump might ask his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to “twist some arms” in Tehran, according to one US analyst. Photo: AP

Iran war could give Xi the upper hand in meeting with Trump: US experts

Southeast Asia

Panic in Philippines as Mayon volcano ashfall blankets towns in total darkness

Some 32 volcanic earthquakes, including 25 volcanic tremors, had been reported over the weekend, vulcanologists said.

4 May 2026 - 1:02PM

Ash from the Mayon volcano is seen from Camalig, Albay province, on Saturday. Photo: AP

United States & Canada

Pulitzers honour damning coverage of Trump and his policies

The annual awards overseen by Columbia University recognised coverage of Trump’s immigration crackdown and his enrichment of his allies.

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Diplomacy

Why African leaders value seamless transcontinental links over US-China rivalry

Economic ambitions are the priority, says official with project that Washington has framed as de-risking mineral supply chains from Beijing.

4 May 2026 - 5:11PMvideocam

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.

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Huawei

Global Economy

How China is quietly reshaping Southeast Asia’s payments beyond the US dollar

New initiative lets consumers use home-grown apps like Alipay for cross-border payments – supporting Beijing’s push to expand regional financial links.

4 May 2026 - 5:00PMvideocam

Alipay QR code in Jakarta, Indonesia, after the launch of the China-Indonesia cross-border payment system. Photo: Xinhua

Diplomacy

Two worlds collide: the regulatory battlefield hanging over EU-China ties

One side crafts regulation out of fear that the other side’s rules may expose its vulnerabilities.

4 May 2026 - 6:30PMvideocam

Hong Kong Economy

‘Golden week’: Hong Kong draws more mainland Chinese visitors but spending uneven

Total visitor arrivals, including overseas travellers, reached 854,929 over first three days of Labour Day holiday, also slightly up from last year’s 803,612.

4 May 2026 - 10:38PM

Russia & Central Asia

Russia orders 2-day ceasefire in Ukraine war to coincide with Victory Day

Victory Day marks the anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in WWII. Ukraine is to observe its own truce with Russia from May 5 to 6.

2 hours agovideocam

Russian soldiers stand on the sidelines of the rehearsal of the Victory Day military parade, to be held at Red Square, in central Moscow on Monday. Photo: AFP

China EVs

BYD, Geely benefit from overseas orders amid Middle East energy shock

Retail sales of EVs fall 11 per cent year on year in April to 614,000 units – but foreign markets are providing a boost.

4 May 2026 - 7:24PMvideocam

A journalist takes pictures of the Geely E5 electric compact SUV car presented at the launch of Geely Auto France in Paris on April 28. Photo: Reuters

China Economy

China’s ‘common prosperity’ push faces reality check as inequality rises: study

A leading economist warns widening income and wealth gaps are constraining Beijing’s agenda.

4 May 2026 - 12:00PM

United States & Canada

Britney Spears admits to reckless driving in plea deal to avoid jail

The singer, who was initially charged with driving under the influence after her arrest in March, was sentenced to 12 months’ probation.

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China

Fatal 2022 China Eastern Airlines plane crash points to deliberate fuel cut-off

Findings by the US transport safety board support a theory that the aircraft was intentionally brought down, killing all 132 people on board.

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A screen grab from a video clip shows rescuers searching at the China Eastern Airlines crash site in Wuzhou, Guangxi on March 21, 2022. Photo: Captured from CCTV

Health & Wellness

1 in 4 people are ‘Alzheimer’s gene’ carriers like Chris Hemsworth. What to do

APOE4 comes with a higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease, but the 25 per cent of people who have it can lower that risk with lifestyle changes.

4 May 2026 - 7:15AMvideocam

Chris Hemsworth famously carries a pair of APOE4 gene alleles, which makes his risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease significantly greater than non-carriers. A doctor who also carries two APOE4s explains how lifestyle changes can significantly affect the development of the condition. Photo: Instagram/chrishemsworth

East Asia

Seoul says ‘explosion and fire’ on South Korean ship in Hormuz strait

The vessel is a cargo ship of almost 180 metres (590 feet) sailing under the flag of Panama.

2 hours agovideocam

Film & TV

Chloe Zhao, Stellan Skarsgard and Demi Moore among Cannes Film Festival jurors

The jury for the film extravaganza on the French Riviera, which starts next week, will be headed by South Korean director Park Chan-Wook.

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United States & Canada

Pulitzers honour damning coverage of Trump and his policies

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How the Middle East crisis is expanding China’s agrochemical influence

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United States & Canada

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SCMP Series

China takes stock as world frets over Mythos

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Anthropic’s strong anti-China stance has increased the possibility that the US could use Mythos-type models to conduct cyberattacks against China, according to a cybersecurity expert. Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images

SCMP Series China takes stock as world frets over Mythos

From scepticism to concern: Mythos panic is slowly starting to reach China

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said on its influential social media account that Mythos showed ‘unprecedented cyberattack capabilities’.

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Why Anthropic’s Mythos has energised China’s cybersecurity industry

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Anthropic’s Mythos is stoking cybersecurity fears. What does it mean for China?

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Open Questions series

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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’.

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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.

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Diplomacy

Open Questions | ‘Saying you’re a geopolitical actor doesn’t make it so’: Sven Biscop on Europe

The Belgian political scientist on what the Iran war and the transatlantic collision reveal about Europe’s place in a fast-changing world.

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Science

Open Questions | What an ancient Chinese map reveals about global history: Sheng-Wei Wang

Kunyu Wanguo Quantu and maritime artefacts prove China explored the world earlier than Eurocentric accounts suggest, scholar argues.

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Big Tech

As DJI duels Insta360, China sharpens global hardware edge amid US scrutiny

Western competitors like GoPro face shrinking footprints as strategic shifts of Chinese firms disrupt the status quo while navigating FCC-led national security bans.

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Global Economy

Exiting China market a ‘self-inflicted wound’ for US tech, think tank warns

ITIF argues that regional sales help finance domestic R&D and block local rivals, while warning that a full exit would be a self-inflicted wound to innovation leadership.

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Tech Trends

Hong Kong puts its own spin on DeepSeek with China-chip AI push abroad

Government-backed lab says China-chip compatibility will support secure, local AI use as it explores overseas expansion.

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AI cost-cutting not a legal excuse to fire workers, Chinese court says

The latest court ruling comes amid fears of AI-driven job displacement, especially among young workers.

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Courts ruled that the company illegally terminated the contract of the employee. Photo: Shutterstock Images

Politics

Faith, hope and ancestry: how Beijing is trying to win over Taiwan’s next generation

Xintian village is symbolic of efforts to reinforce Taiwanese people’s historical and religious links to the mainland.

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China EVs

Shifting gears: how foreign giants aim to catch up in China’s EV era

International carmakers launch tailored models and accelerate R&D as they scramble to match the speed and sophistication of domestic rivals.

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Politics

Why Beijing now wants its spies executed in Taiwan back in the spotlight

Mainland China is seeing a surge in interest over ‘invisible martyrs’ such as Wu Shi, a KMT defector who was executed in Taipei in 1950.

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Diplomacy

The big shift in Xi Jinping’s travel plans and what it means for China

Data analysis by the SCMP reveals a changing dynamic in Beijing towards high-level diplomatic meetings.

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How the Middle East crisis is expanding China’s agrochemical influence

China accounts for about a third of global fertiliser production, and 70 per cent of the raw materials for chemical pesticides.

How China’s reported sulphuric acid export ban could have global buyers reeling

US’ Bessent urges China to help open Strait of Hormuz

Treasury chief says Beijing’s energy buys fund ‘top sponsor of terrorism’, urges action as US asserts ‘absolute control’ over waterway.

Shenzhen’s economic dilemma: soaring GDP, stagnant consumption

Shenzhen’s retail sales barely rose in the first quarter despite strong GDP growth, a sign of the Chinese tech hub’s unbalanced development.

China consul in Tijuana warns against protectionism as USMCA review nears

Fu Xinrong pitched Beijing’s model of shared modernisation to Mexican business leaders, weeks before a contentious USMCA review.

Iran war could give Xi the upper hand in meeting with Trump: US experts

Panic in Philippines as Mayon volcano ashfall blankets towns in total darkness

Some 32 volcanic earthquakes, including 25 volcanic tremors, had been reported over the weekend, vulcanologists said.

Pulitzers honour damning coverage of Trump and his policies

The annual awards overseen by Columbia University recognised coverage of Trump’s immigration crackdown and his enrichment of his allies.

Why African leaders value seamless transcontinental links over US-China rivalry

Economic ambitions are the priority, says official with project that Washington has framed as de-risking mineral supply chains from Beijing.

.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.

How China is quietly reshaping Southeast Asia’s payments beyond the US dollar

New initiative lets consumers use home-grown apps like Alipay for cross-border payments – supporting Beijing’s push to expand regional financial links.

Two worlds collide: the regulatory battlefield hanging over EU-China ties

One side crafts regulation out of fear that the other side’s rules may expose its vulnerabilities.

‘Golden week’: Hong Kong draws more mainland Chinese visitors but spending uneven

Total visitor arrivals, including overseas travellers, reached 854,929 over first three days of Labour Day holiday, also slightly up from last year’s 803,612.

Russia orders 2-day ceasefire in Ukraine war to coincide with Victory Day

Victory Day marks the anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in WWII. Ukraine is to observe its own truce with Russia from May 5 to 6.

BYD, Geely benefit from overseas orders amid Middle East energy shock

Retail sales of EVs fall 11 per cent year on year in April to 614,000 units – but foreign markets are providing a boost.

China’s ‘common prosperity’ push faces reality check as inequality rises: study

A leading economist warns widening income and wealth gaps are constraining Beijing’s agenda.

Britney Spears admits to reckless driving in plea deal to avoid jail

The singer, who was initially charged with driving under the influence after her arrest in March, was sentenced to 12 months’ probation.

Fatal 2022 China Eastern Airlines plane crash points to deliberate fuel cut-off

Findings by the US transport safety board support a theory that the aircraft was intentionally brought down, killing all 132 people on board.

1 in 4 people are ‘Alzheimer’s gene’ carriers like Chris Hemsworth. What to do

APOE4 comes with a higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease, but the 25 per cent of people who have it can lower that risk with lifestyle changes.

Seoul says ‘explosion and fire’ on South Korean ship in Hormuz strait

The vessel is a cargo ship of almost 180 metres (590 feet) sailing under the flag of Panama.

Chloe Zhao, Stellan Skarsgard and Demi Moore among Cannes Film Festival jurors

The jury for the film extravaganza on the French Riviera, which starts next week, will be headed by South Korean director Park Chan-Wook.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | How US tech hegemony is locking out the Global South

Opinion | ‘Made in Europe’ law sets stage for an economic showdown with China

The View | Energy crisis showcases strengths of China’s data centre market

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Letters | UAE’s Opec exit reflects a complex world

Opinion | China’s Manus block a show of strength ahead of Xi-Trump summit

Editorial | Hong Kong needs to better protect its natural assets from tourists

Pulitzers honour damning coverage of Trump and his policies

Hong Kong’s men, women make solid start to World Team Table Tennis Championships

How the Middle East crisis is expanding China’s agrochemical influence

Armed man shot by US Secret Service near White House

Opinion | How US tech hegemony is locking out the Global South

Russia orders 2-day ceasefire in Ukraine war to coincide with Victory Day

China consul in Tijuana warns against protectionism as USMCA review nears

Britney Spears admits to reckless driving in plea deal to avoid jail

Chloe Zhao, Stellan Skarsgard and Demi Moore among Cannes Film Festival jurors

From scepticism to concern: Mythos panic is slowly starting to reach China

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said on its influential social media account that Mythos showed ‘unprecedented cyberattack capabilities’.

Why Anthropic’s Mythos has energised China’s cybersecurity industry

Anthropic’s Mythos is stoking cybersecurity fears. What does it mean for China?

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.

Open Questions | ‘Saying you’re a geopolitical actor doesn’t make it so’: Sven Biscop on Europe

The Belgian political scientist on what the Iran war and the transatlantic collision reveal about Europe’s place in a fast-changing world.

Open Questions | What an ancient Chinese map reveals about global history: Sheng-Wei Wang

Kunyu Wanguo Quantu and maritime artefacts prove China explored the world earlier than Eurocentric accounts suggest, scholar argues.

As DJI duels Insta360, China sharpens global hardware edge amid US scrutiny

Western competitors like GoPro face shrinking footprints as strategic shifts of Chinese firms disrupt the status quo while navigating FCC-led national security bans.

Exiting China market a ‘self-inflicted wound’ for US tech, think tank warns

ITIF argues that regional sales help finance domestic R&D and block local rivals, while warning that a full exit would be a self-inflicted wound to innovation leadership.

Hong Kong puts its own spin on DeepSeek with China-chip AI push abroad

Government-backed lab says China-chip compatibility will support secure, local AI use as it explores overseas expansion.

AI cost-cutting not a legal excuse to fire workers, Chinese court says

The latest court ruling comes amid fears of AI-driven job displacement, especially among young workers.

Faith, hope and ancestry: how Beijing is trying to win over Taiwan’s next generation

Xintian village is symbolic of efforts to reinforce Taiwanese people’s historical and religious links to the mainland.

Shifting gears: how foreign giants aim to catch up in China’s EV era

International carmakers launch tailored models and accelerate R&D as they scramble to match the speed and sophistication of domestic rivals.

Why Beijing now wants its spies executed in Taiwan back in the spotlight

How AI technology supports conservation of endangered species

Opinion | How US tech hegemony is locking out the Global South

Letters | UAE’s Opec exit reflects a complex world