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Iran has been gripped by waves of anti-government protests. Photo: Reuters

Why China may not act in Iran even if it has ‘more to lose’ than in Venezuela

Beijing is likely to see the current anti-government protests as an ‘urgent’ situation, but analysts do not expect it to intervene directly.

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China’s US embassy decries ‘coercion’ after Trump’s Iran tariff move

China-Middle East relations
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Global Economy

Trade reset? China, Canada look to revive ties after US tariffs force rethink

Crude, copper and iron top Canada’s exports to China, as prime minister seeks to mend relationship with Beijing.

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Middle East

Trump tells Iranians ‘help is on its way’ as protest death toll hits 2,000

Trump also claimed he cancelled talks with Iranian officials amid a protest crackdown activists say killed 2,000, including children.

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Health & Environment

Most Hong Kong residents support more smoking control measures, study finds

Raising tobacco tax progressively could cut the city’s smoking rate significantly within a decade, separate study estimates.

Focus
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

‘Expansion to defence’: China firms strategise in Latin America after Venezuela

East Asia

South Korean prosecutors demand death penalty for ex-leader Yoon

Prosecutors seek death for Yoon Suk-yeol over martial law decree that plunged the country into chaos. Experts expect a life term as executions are rare.

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South Korea’s ousted former president Yoon Suk-yeol arrives to attend his trial at Seoul Central District Court in May 2025. Photo: AP
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China Economy

Fears over China’s trade surplus misplaced as West also driving trend: analysts

China’s global manufacturing dominance is a tale of two halves; reliant on home-grown industrial growth and Western consumption, experts say.

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Big Tech

Alibaba reaffirms open-source AI commitment as it hails successes

‘Building with the community’ is crucial to the success of the Qwen family of large language models, company says.

Business

The secret ingredient in your daily life: why Malaysian palm oil is used around the world

Found everywhere from food products to biofuel, this vegetable oil is preferred for its versatility, safety and sustainable production.

In partnership with:
MPOC
Palm oil is a versatile ingredient found in a wide range of everyday items, from ice cream and cake to lipstick and biofuel.

Europe

Greenland says ‘we choose Denmark’, as talks with Trump officials loom

The island would rather remain Danish than be taken over by the US, its leader says, despite ongoing discussions about independence.

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A “Nu det NUUK!” cap with a “Make America Go Away” slogan is displayed in a clothing store in Copenhagen on Monday. Photo: AFP

Military

Taiwan, US launch joint production of 155mm artillery shells amid blockade fears

Island’s defence ministry says Ukraine war underscores urgency of securing sustained ammunition supply in event of armed conflict.

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Science

Chinese firm Sinovac to supply vaccine to Chile ahead of flu season

Chilean government procures doses of the jab from China for a second year in a row, with nationwide immunisation campaign to begin in March.

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United States & Canada

Clintons refuse to testify in Epstein probe, defying Republican threats

Lawmakers from Trump’s party have zeroed in on Bill Clinton’s ties to the financier, as they wrestle with the Epstein files fallout.

Former US president Bill Clinton and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton attend an event in Houston, Texas, in August 2024. Photo: AP

Diplomacy

How a snap election in Japan could put Takaichi in a stronger position with China

A decisive win could give Tokyo ‘limited room for concessions in its negotiations with Beijing’ and more room to manoeuvre with Washington.

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Media reports have suggested Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi may call a snap general election to capitalise on her high approval ratings. Photo: Reuters

Entertainment

Review | 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple – Ralph Fiennes leads savage sequel

Fiennes plays a bigger role alongside Jack O’Connell in this unsettling follow-up that sets the franchise up for a grandstand finish.

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Diplomacy

Claims of lies, coercion in Beijing-Manila war of words over South China Sea

On Monday, a Manila maritime council accused China of aggressive tactics; the next day Beijing said the Philippines was ‘provoking trouble’.

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Hong Kong Economy

Hong Kong corporate governance activist David Webb dies at 60

A champion of transparency and investor rights, whose investigations and sharp commentaries unsettled the financial elite.

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Corporate governance activist David Webb has died at the age of 60. Photo: May Tse

China Economy

Will Trump’s Iran tariffs send China searching for new oil sources?

Analysts urge China to protect strategic interests abroad after unexpected announcement, which is likely to push up oil import costs.

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China, Iran’s largest trading partner, would be among the countries most affected by new US tariffs targeting Tehran’s commercial ties. Photo: Reuters

United States & Canada

Scott Adams, Dilbert cartoonist and Trump fan, dead at 68

His ex-wife shared a final message from the artist, whose comic strip lampooned office life, and whose career flagged after a racist rant.

Tech Trends

DeepSeek founder’s latest paper proposes new model training to bypass GPU limits

The development underscores the start-up’s focus on maximising cost efficiency amid a deficit in computational power relative to the US.

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OPINION
Gaurav Kumar

Opinion | Is India fuelling an arms race in Asia or closing a deterrence gap?

Gaurav Kumar
Andrew Leung

Opinion | Trump’s audacious imperialism will only propel China’s rise

Andrew Leung
4
Hao Nan

Opinion | EU-China ties are stuck between interdependence and rivalry

Hao Nan
Fu Fengshan

Opinion | The US wants to block China’s peaceful reunification. It won’t work

Fu Fengshan
4
Chow Chung-yan

Opinion | Forget Venezuela and Greenland – here is the real trillion-dollar question

Chow Chung-yan
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Harry’s View | 14 Jan 2026
January 14, 2026
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Asia Opinion

Opinion | Is India fuelling an arms race in Asia or closing a deterrence gap?

Entertainment

Review | 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple – Ralph Fiennes leads savage sequel

Europe

Greenland says ‘we choose Denmark’, as talks with Trump officials loom

United States & Canada

Clintons refuse to testify in Epstein probe, defying Republican threats

United States & Canada

Scott Adams, Dilbert cartoonist and Trump fan, dead at 68

Health & Environment

Most Hong Kong residents support more smoking control measures, study finds

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SCMP Series
Beijing’s recalibration of its Taiwan policy
Year of the Horse 2026
China Inc. goes global
Revisiting US-China relations
Illustration: Henry Wong
SCMP SeriesBeijing’s recalibration of its Taiwan policy

Why has Beijing turned down the heat in the Taiwan Strait in the second half of 2025?

PLA warplanes and ships have been less active around the island in the second half of the year, Taiwanese data shows.

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Beijing is pinning hopes for Taiwan reunification on KMT – but not all of them

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‘Urgent’: has mainland China changed tone for Taiwan peaceful reunification?

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Open Questions series

Diplomacy

Open Questions | Zheng Yongnian on what US’ ‘neocolonialism’, Venezuela operation mean for China

Political scientist says the Western-led global order remains useful, and the Belt and Road Initiative isn’t a geopolitical project.

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

Global Economy

Open Questions | ‘Embrace the moment’: on China, Daniel Kritenbrink puts pragmatism first

Former US ambassador to Vietnam says a return to the past for US-China relations is unrealistic, but both economic powers benefit from ties.

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Diplomacy

Open Questions | How new C100 chief plans to foster ties between Chinese-Americans and China

The Committee of 100’s president Paul Cheung has high hopes for Chinese-Americans’ relationship with China in these uncertain times.

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Diplomacy

Open Questions | Political scientist Ivan Krastev on European vertigo in a post-American world

While melancholy Europe frets that the US and China will shape the future, middle powers are jostling for a place at the big table.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
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Tech

China’s Qwen and DeepSeek edge out US AI models in Christian values benchmark

US start-up Gloo’s Flourishing AI Christian benchmark tested how the output of AI models ‘help people flourish’, CEO Pat Gelsinger said.

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The questions in FAI-C were reviewed by a panel of Biblical experts, including theologians, pastors, psychologists and scholars of ethics. Photo: SCMP

Big Tech

Alibaba reaffirms open-source AI commitment as it hails successes

‘Building with the community’ is crucial to the success of the Qwen family of large language models, company says.

Markets

Chinese rocket shares slump after warnings on ‘irrational’ rally

Long-term prospects for sector are ‘very promising’, but market in the short term is ‘mainly driven by speculative sentiment’, analyst says.

China Business

UBS projects rosy view of Chinese stocks in 2026 as investors diversify holdings

‘Chinese assets’ appeal will further increase this year because of a sharpened focus on diversified investments,’ UBS’ Thomas Fang says.

A Chinese trader looks at an electronic trading board at the Shanghai stock exchange. Photo: Reuters

Diplomacy

How the US raid in Venezuela has triggered Brazilian fury and a Chinese opening

Latin America’s largest economy seeks ‘delicate balance’ between Trump’s ambitions and boosting ties with Beijing, its top trading partner.

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Illustration: Brian Wang

Banking & Finance

What does HSBC’s buyout of Hang Seng Bank mean for its future and investors?

HSBC’s historic US$13.6 billion buyout of Hang Seng Bank aims to cut costs, tackle bad debts and fuel growth, but challenges abound.

Military

China’s role in Korean peninsula stability tested amid nuclear submarine moves

Seoul’s calls for Chinese mediation seen to underscore Beijing’s central role in preserving stability between two Koreas.

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China Economy

Shanghai unveils US$10 billion investment spree as US-China tech race heats up

Shanghai announces 50 new projects across an array of hi-tech industries as China’s cities heed Beijing’s call to double down on innovation.

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Shanghai has unveiled a slew of new investments in hi-tech industries worth more than US$10 billion. Photo: AFP
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