Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

A China-Europe freight train leave the transshipment yard of Tongjiang North Railway Station in northeastern China’s Heilongjiang province on December 9. Photo: Xinhua

As trade deficit mounts, is EU selling what China wants to buy?

Traditional European exports like cars are losing their appeal, while restrictions crimp sales of sought-after lithography machines.

1 hour ago

China slaps anti-dumping duties on EU pork, but lowers final rates

China trade

Diplomacy

China FM Wang Yi reaffirms Beijing’s backing for Venezuela as US pressure grows

In a call with his Caracas counterpart, the Chinese foreign minister says mutual trust and support are a tradition of bilateral ties.

1 hour agovideocam

Diplomacy

EU facing crunch talks over Ukraine, China and its economic future

EU leaders are set to meet amid growing concern in Brussels that the bloc’s divisions will impede meaningful action across a range of issues.

3 hours agovideocam

Society

Flat owners hit by Hong Kong fire to receive HK$150,000 rental subsidy

Flat owners and tenants of Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po will also receive a one‑off subsidy of HK$50,000 to assist with relocation.

4 minutes ago

Economy

Applicants take part in a campus job fair at the Minhang campus of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Photo: Xinhua

China’s youth-unemployment rate eases to 16.9% as graduates settle for less

Military

China’s military calls for tip-offs as it targets corruption in air force

Notice urges public to come forward with information about ‘irregular’ activities, the first such request for a specific military branch.

18 Dec 2025 - 10:00AMvideocam

PLA Air Force armament formations were on show in China’s September 3 military parade. Now, China’s military is calling for tips about procurement corruption within the air force. Photo: Xinhua

Economics

Steppe in the right direction? ‘Japan is back’ in Central Asia with new summit

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and the leaders of five Central Asian nations are expected to establish a new framework for cooperation in AI.

3 hours agovideocam

Science

China offers ‘wonderful opportunity’ for scientists: top European neurologist

Consciousness expert Steven Laureys has taken on a role at Hangzhou Normal University amid ‘challenging times’ for science in the US.

5 hours ago

Travel & Leisure

The journey ahead: AI paves the way for tourism business of the future

AI travel technology company Dida’s innovative solutions aim to bridge the gap between the industry and travellers.

In partnership with:

Dida

Diplomacy

Chinese tourist arrivals to Japan lose momentum amid tensions: official data

Mainland visitor numbers rose just 3% in November after flight cuts and travel warnings took effect as diplomatic strains escalated.

18 Dec 2025 - 9:14AMvideocam

Mainland Chinese tourists visit Sensoji temple in the Asakusa district of Tokyo on Thursday Photo: AP

Southeast Asia

Thai-Cambodia border dispute reignites with bombing claims of casino hub

Cambodia accuses Thailand of bombing Poipet amid escalating border disputes, prompting Asean emergency talks and global ceasefire appeals.

46 minutes agovideocam

United States & Canada

Trump rewrites White House history with plaques mocking predecessors

Donald Trump, who has made no secret of his enmity for his Democratic predecessors, displays his grievances on White House walls.

3 hours ago

Politics

Trump gives himself high marks in 2025 report card, with his eyes on 2026 fight

In a White House speech, the president claimed economic and foreign policy wins while urging voters to back his agenda in the midterms.

2 hours agovideocam

US President Donald addresses the nation from the diplomatic reception room at the White House on Wednesday. Photo: AP

People

Indonesian helper who died in Hong Kong fire ‘was always there’ for others

Desi Widiana, one of nine Indonesian helpers killed in the Tai Po fire, was found huddled together with her elderly ward.

1 hour agovideocam

Desi Widiana was one of nine Indonesian helpers who died in the fire at Wang Fuk Court. Photo: Handout

Politics

Bangladeshi politician’s threat targeting India’s northeast deepens row

His claim of Delhi’s election interference comes days after a leader of the 2024 uprising in Bangladesh was shot in Dhaka.

5 hours ago

China Business

BYD ups the ante on L3 autonomous cars, begins testing for mass production

BYD has pinned its hopes on preliminary self-driving technologies to bolster its sales in mainland China.

6 hours ago

China Economy

Battle for China’s durian market gets even juicier as Laos enters the fray

Laos could present a real challenge to other players in China’s vast durian market due to its low costs and logistical advantages.

18 Dec 2025 - 9:00AMvideocam

East Asia

Japan dismayed over Finnish beauty queen’s ‘slanted eyes’ photos

Sarah Dzafce was stripped of her Miss Finland title after an image of her making the offensive gesture went viral.

1 hour ago

Finnish beauty queen Sarah Dzafce competes in the Miss Universe pageant in Thailand last month. Photo: EPA

China

China star Wang Li afraid to return home, fears retaliation against family

The Yunnan Provincial Sports Bureau is investigating accusations triple Asian Games gold medallist made against coach.

1 hour ago

Food & Drink

Why it’s still hard to get a table at Singapore’s Burnt Ends 12 years on

Burnt Ends’ chef-owner Dave Pynt talks about his searing success at the Michelin-star grilled-meat restaurant and his plans for the future.

5 hours ago

OPINION

Nicholas Spiro

Macroscope | Fears of an AI bubble in Asian stock markets are misplaced

43 minutes ago

Phoebe Zhang

Opinion | How young Chinese learned to stop worrying and love themselves

18 Dec 2025 - 9:30AM

Letters

Letters | Tai Po fire tragedy shows importance of disaster risk reduction

6 hours ago

Victor Dawes

Legal Tales | Despite lapses behind Tai Po fire, Hong Kong’s unity shows in a time of crisis

18 Dec 2025 - 9:30AM

SCMP Editorial

Editorial | Export curbs or not, Trump’s America can’t slow China’s tech surge

18 Dec 2025 - 7:15AM

Harry’s View | 18 Dec 2025

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LATEST

6 minutes ago

Racing

More history awaits Voyage Bubble in Triple Crown repeat bid

8 minutes ago

Video | How a Shanghai start-up is digitalising Chinese tea

9 minutes ago

Education

The Chinese University of Hong Kong appoints new vice-president

17 minutes ago

Society

Flat owners hit by Hong Kong fire to receive HK$150,000 rental subsidy

43 minutes ago

Asia Opinion

Macroscope | Fears of an AI bubble in Asian stock markets are misplaced

46 minutes ago

Southeast Asia

Thai-Cambodia border dispute reignites with bombing claims of casino hub

MORE LATEST NEWS

SCMP Series

WWII: 80 years on

China Inc. goes global

Chinese scientists return home

How China is telling its own story

Simon Li, executive director of the Hong Kong Holocaust and Tolerance Centre, with students (from second left) Kavira S. Kazimoto, Gem Peduche and Josue Camarena, at Andrews University’s Hong Kong campus. Photo: Handout

SCMP Series WWII: 80 years on

After The War | Virtual reality and the Nanking massacre: where does historical immersion become trauma?

Amid push in China for museum digitalisation, one educator seeks to help students ‘feel history without being flooded by it’.

14 Dec 2025 - 4:20PM

After The War | How the post-WWII order was formed and why China wants to reshape it

8 Sep 2025 - 4:11PMvideocam

After The War | Chinese scholars slam Western ‘historical nihilism’ on World War II

2 Sep 2025 - 5:16PM

Open Questions series

Science

Open Questions | Sci-fi writer Liu Cixin on why he’ll be happy if AI surpasses humans

Acclaimed author of the Three-Body trilogy also discusses his ‘dark forest’ theory, and the struggle to come up with original ideas.

15 Dec 2025 - 10:05AMvideocam

China Economy

Open Questions | Economist Huang Yiping on why China’s AI push must be ‘job-oriented’

Dean of Peking University’s National School of Development says ‘balance’ needed in AI development to protect employment, ‘human well-being’.

8 Dec 2025 - 10:07AMvideocam

Diplomacy

Open Questions | Ex-PLA colonel Zhou Bo on Taiwan reunification, lessons from the Ukraine war

Commentator and former senior colonel on Beijing’s row with Japan, lessons from the Ukraine war and why playing global policeman is a trap.

1 Dec 2025 - 3:57PMvideocam

China Economy

Open Questions | ‘A mistaken view’: US economist Nicholas Lardy on the ‘peak China’ hypothesis

The veteran China watcher talks Beijing’s need for financial reform and how US-China economic convergence could still be on the horizon.

24 Nov 2025 - 10:09AMvideocam

Key Industries:

Big Tech

China’s DeepSeek challenges Google DeepMind with new AI model

DeepSeek’s V3.2-Speciale equals Google’s Gemini 3 Pro in reasoning capabilities, the Chinese start-up says.

2 Dec 2025 - 4:51PM

A shop advertising DeepSeek in Hong Kong. Photo: Universal Images Group via Getty Images

China Business

BYD ups the ante on L3 autonomous cars, begins testing for mass production

BYD has pinned its hopes on preliminary self-driving technologies to bolster its sales in mainland China.

6 hours ago

Tech Trends

China cements global lead in smart vacuums as Picea acquires Roomba maker iRobot

Last month, Picea subsidiary Santrum bought about US$191 million of iRobot’s outstanding debt from the investment firm Carlyle Group.

18 Dec 2025 - 7:00AM

Tech

AMD chief Lisa Su commits to ‘deeper’ China investments after MIIT meeting

In Beijing on Wednesday, Su exchanged views with MIIT director on ‘strengthening cooperation’ in the digital economy and AI sectors.

18 Dec 2025 - 3:34AM

AMD CEO Lisa Su meets Lenovo executives in Beijing on Tuesday. Photo: Sina

Military

Why China’s rapid military build-up is ‘hardly the whole story’

The PLA has been moving fast to modernise its arsenal and warfare strategy, but it’s seen as ‘seriously deficient’ in some areas.

18 Dec 2025 - 6:03AM

China Economy

Surviving the shocks: what China and the US learned from 2025’s trade war

Businesses and officials faced a year of disruption – and in some cases, resilience – as tariffs and export controls roiled global markets.

17 Dec 2025 - 8:07AMvideocam

Diplomacy

Why ‘relative stability’ in US-China ties is unlikely to last

The temperature has lowered after a downward spiral since Trump’s return to the White House, but relations may face ‘strong headwinds’ again.

16 Dec 2025 - 6:18AMvideocam

Military

Why has reference to Taiwan attending Rimpac been removed from US defence bill?

Senators’ bid to ‘strongly encourage’ invitation is removed from compromise bill, raising questions in Taipei.

14 Dec 2025 - 8:40PMvideocam

Some of the naval ships taking part in the 2024 Rimpac exercises, as seen from the Japanese JS Kunisaki. Photo: Reuters

As trade deficit mounts, is EU selling what China wants to buy?

Traditional European exports like cars are losing their appeal, while restrictions crimp sales of sought-after lithography machines.

China slaps anti-dumping duties on EU pork, but lowers final rates

China FM Wang Yi reaffirms Beijing’s backing for Venezuela as US pressure grows

In a call with his Caracas counterpart, the Chinese foreign minister says mutual trust and support are a tradition of bilateral ties.

EU facing crunch talks over Ukraine, China and its economic future

EU leaders are set to meet amid growing concern in Brussels that the bloc’s divisions will impede meaningful action across a range of issues.

Flat owners hit by Hong Kong fire to receive HK$150,000 rental subsidy

Flat owners and tenants of Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po will also receive a one‑off subsidy of HK$50,000 to assist with relocation.

China’s youth-unemployment rate eases to 16.9% as graduates settle for less

China’s military calls for tip-offs as it targets corruption in air force

Notice urges public to come forward with information about ‘irregular’ activities, the first such request for a specific military branch.

Steppe in the right direction? ‘Japan is back’ in Central Asia with new summit

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and the leaders of five Central Asian nations are expected to establish a new framework for cooperation in AI.

China offers ‘wonderful opportunity’ for scientists: top European neurologist

Consciousness expert Steven Laureys has taken on a role at Hangzhou Normal University amid ‘challenging times’ for science in the US.

.css-f84qeq{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;font-style:italic;}The journey ahead: AI paves the way for tourism business of the future

AI travel technology company Dida’s innovative solutions aim to bridge the gap between the industry and travellers.

Chinese tourist arrivals to Japan lose momentum amid tensions: official data

Mainland visitor numbers rose just 3% in November after flight cuts and travel warnings took effect as diplomatic strains escalated.

Thai-Cambodia border dispute reignites with bombing claims of casino hub

Cambodia accuses Thailand of bombing Poipet amid escalating border disputes, prompting Asean emergency talks and global ceasefire appeals.

Trump rewrites White House history with plaques mocking predecessors

Donald Trump, who has made no secret of his enmity for his Democratic predecessors, displays his grievances on White House walls.

Trump gives himself high marks in 2025 report card, with his eyes on 2026 fight

In a White House speech, the president claimed economic and foreign policy wins while urging voters to back his agenda in the midterms.

Indonesian helper who died in Hong Kong fire ‘was always there’ for others

Desi Widiana, one of nine Indonesian helpers killed in the Tai Po fire, was found huddled together with her elderly ward.

Bangladeshi politician’s threat targeting India’s northeast deepens row

His claim of Delhi’s election interference comes days after a leader of the 2024 uprising in Bangladesh was shot in Dhaka.

BYD ups the ante on L3 autonomous cars, begins testing for mass production

BYD has pinned its hopes on preliminary self-driving technologies to bolster its sales in mainland China.

Battle for China’s durian market gets even juicier as Laos enters the fray

Laos could present a real challenge to other players in China’s vast durian market due to its low costs and logistical advantages.

Japan dismayed over Finnish beauty queen’s ‘slanted eyes’ photos

Sarah Dzafce was stripped of her Miss Finland title after an image of her making the offensive gesture went viral.

China star Wang Li afraid to return home, fears retaliation against family

The Yunnan Provincial Sports Bureau is investigating accusations triple Asian Games gold medallist made against coach.

Why it’s still hard to get a table at Singapore’s Burnt Ends 12 years on

Burnt Ends’ chef-owner Dave Pynt talks about his searing success at the Michelin-star grilled-meat restaurant and his plans for the future.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Macroscope | Fears of an AI bubble in Asian stock markets are misplaced

Opinion | How young Chinese learned to stop worrying and love themselves

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Letters | Tai Po fire tragedy shows importance of disaster risk reduction

Legal Tales | Despite lapses behind Tai Po fire, Hong Kong’s unity shows in a time of crisis

Editorial | Export curbs or not, Trump’s America can’t slow China’s tech surge

More history awaits Voyage Bubble in Triple Crown repeat bid

.css-rcruog{color:#C79A00;}Video | How a Shanghai start-up is digitalising Chinese tea

The Chinese University of Hong Kong appoints new vice-president

Flat owners hit by Hong Kong fire to receive HK$150,000 rental subsidy

Macroscope | Fears of an AI bubble in Asian stock markets are misplaced

Thai-Cambodia border dispute reignites with bombing claims of casino hub

After The War | Virtual reality and the Nanking massacre: where does historical immersion become trauma?

Amid push in China for museum digitalisation, one educator seeks to help students ‘feel history without being flooded by it’.

After The War | How the post-WWII order was formed and why China wants to reshape it

After The War | Chinese scholars slam Western ‘historical nihilism’ on World War II

Open Questions | Sci-fi writer Liu Cixin on why he’ll be happy if AI surpasses humans

Acclaimed author of the Three-Body trilogy also discusses his ‘dark forest’ theory, and the struggle to come up with original ideas.

Open Questions | Economist Huang Yiping on why China’s AI push must be ‘job-oriented’

Dean of Peking University’s National School of Development says ‘balance’ needed in AI development to protect employment, ‘human well-being’.

Open Questions | Ex-PLA colonel Zhou Bo on Taiwan reunification, lessons from the Ukraine war

Commentator and former senior colonel on Beijing’s row with Japan, lessons from the Ukraine war and why playing global policeman is a trap.

Open Questions | ‘A mistaken view’: US economist Nicholas Lardy on the ‘peak China’ hypothesis

The veteran China watcher talks Beijing’s need for financial reform and how US-China economic convergence could still be on the horizon.

China’s DeepSeek challenges Google DeepMind with new AI model

DeepSeek’s V3.2-Speciale equals Google’s Gemini 3 Pro in reasoning capabilities, the Chinese start-up says.

BYD ups the ante on L3 autonomous cars, begins testing for mass production

BYD has pinned its hopes on preliminary self-driving technologies to bolster its sales in mainland China.

China cements global lead in smart vacuums as Picea acquires Roomba maker iRobot

Last month, Picea subsidiary Santrum bought about US$191 million of iRobot’s outstanding debt from the investment firm Carlyle Group.

AMD chief Lisa Su commits to ‘deeper’ China investments after MIIT meeting

In Beijing on Wednesday, Su exchanged views with MIIT director on ‘strengthening cooperation’ in the digital economy and AI sectors.

Why China’s rapid military build-up is ‘hardly the whole story’

The PLA has been moving fast to modernise its arsenal and warfare strategy, but it’s seen as ‘seriously deficient’ in some areas.

Surviving the shocks: what China and the US learned from 2025’s trade war

Businesses and officials faced a year of disruption – and in some cases, resilience – as tariffs and export controls roiled global markets.

Why ‘relative stability’ in US-China ties is unlikely to last

The temperature has lowered after a downward spiral since Trump’s return to the White House, but relations may face ‘strong headwinds’ again.

Why has reference to Taiwan attending Rimpac been removed from US defence bill?

Senators’ bid to ‘strongly encourage’ invitation is removed from compromise bill, raising questions in Taipei.

The journey ahead: AI paves the way for tourism business of the future

Macroscope | Fears of an AI bubble in Asian stock markets are misplaced

Letters | Tai Po fire tragedy shows importance of disaster risk reduction

Video | How a Shanghai start-up is digitalising Chinese tea