Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

General view of The University of Hong Kong (HKU) campus in Pokfulam. Photo: Dickson Lee

‘Father of graphene’ Andre Geim leaves Britain for chair professorship at HKU

British Nobel laureate who has kept close ties with Chinese researchers, says he is drawn to Hong Kong’s distinctive East-West synergy.

15 minutes agovideocam

Chinese scientists hit breakthrough on 2D semiconductor wafers

Science

Diplomacy

China affirms ‘no nukes’ position amid claims of European plan to arm Ukraine

While Moscow accuses London and Paris of preparing to give nuclear weapons to Kyiv, Beijing doubles down.

3 hours agovideocam

China Economy

Why China’s travellers spent little, despite rise in Chinese New Year trips

The country logged a record 596 million domestic trips over the extended holiday, but consumers are still reluctant to loosen their purse strings.

3 hours agovideocam

Banking & Finance

HKEX profit jumps 36% to record high on surging turnover, IPOs

Net profit in 2025 rises to HK$17.75 billion (US$2.28 billion), beating market expectations.

2 hours ago

Infographic

Breaking down the key figures in Hong Kong 2026-27 budget

Diplomacy

Chinese embassy warns citizens not to fall foul of Angola immigration crackdown

Chinese nationals warned not to assume the country is ‘filled with gold’ after some were detained and deported for working illegally.

2 hours agovideocam

The Chinese embassy in Luanda warned its citzens and companies to comply with the local laws. Photo: Shutterstock

Big Tech

China computing tech stalwarts Hygon, Sugon post revenue surge amid AI boom

Their strong 2025 revenue reflects a broader trend across China to increase support for domestic technology suppliers.

46 minutes ago

Politics

‘Hostage diplomacy’ fears mount over arrest of Japanese journalist in Iran

The incident comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran, with a large American military force positioned near Iran.

1 hour ago

Travel & Leisure

How use of AI will help travel operators transform behaviour of holidaymakers

Experts explore innovative technology’s role in industry’s evolution at ‘Limitless: Dida Engage 2026’ in Shenzhen.

In partnership with:

Dida

Tech

Nvidia reports record earnings quarter as China’s H200 sales freeze persists

Nvidia warns China market for powerful GPU remains uncertain, even as data centre revenue surges to new highs.

26 Feb 2026 - 10:21AM

The pipeline for Nvidia’s H200 chip remains dry in China. Photo: AFP

Politics

North Korea’s Kim warns of ‘eternal confrontation’ without US dialogue

As long as Washington acknowledges Pyongyang as a nuclear power, there is ‘no reason not to get along’, the North Korean leader says.

1 hour ago

Economics

As Deliveroo leaves Singapore, spotlight turns on city state’s tight market

The platform’s departure has underscored the challenge of turning a profit in a dense, tightly contested market.

1 hour agovideocam

Big Tech

China’s Huawei joins US giants OpenAI, Google in AI standards alliance

In a rare instance of collaboration, the Chinese tech titan will partner with US and European firms to improve standards in the field.

6 hours agovideocam

Huawei Technologies has joined US companies OpenAI, Google and other industry leaders to advance global open-source standards in the rapidly advancing field of agentic artificial intelligence. Photo: AFP/China OUT

Chinese Zodiac

Feng shui advice, a mom’s path to pain-free movement: 7 Lifestyle highlights

From a nostalgic trend making a comeback in Hong Kong to exploring China’s Zhongshan, here are seven stories from SCMP’s recent reporting.

3 hours ago

How can those born under each Chinese zodiac sign use feng shui to improve their luck in love, money and health this coming year? Feng shui practitioner Andrew Kwan shares advice. Photo: Shutterstock

Global Economy

China’s tech surge leaves Japan and South Korea trailing in global rankings

Propelled by strategic R&D, China’s tech prowess is now the third highest, with key sectors such as batteries and biotech showing big gains over rivals.

6 hours agovideocam

Law and Crime

Ex-media boss Jimmy Lai wins appeal over fraud conviction

Court of Appeal quashes conviction, ruling prosecution failed to prove Lai’s intent in case.

39 minutes ago

Diplomacy

Merz’s China tightrope: German leader has warm words, hard questions for Beijing

German chancellor strikes diplomatic tone in Beijing meetings while pushing his hosts on subsidies, currency devaluation and Russia.

2 hours agovideocam

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday. Photo: AP

People

Did Philippine gig workers help Jeffrey Epstein clean up his online image?

The US Justice Department has released emails showing the sex offender might have recruited a ‘Philippine team’ to boost his reputation.

2 hours ago

Documents that were included in the US Department of Justice release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Photo: AP

Food & Drink

Why Hangzhou’s 2-Michelin-star Ru Yuan is ‘a restaurant unlike any other’

Ru Yuan’s chef Fu Yueliang shares why everything from local dishes to design at his restaurant is about transcending Song-dynasty tradition.

6 hours ago

Hong Kong Economy

Budget reveal: government turns matchmaker with stronger hand in shaping economy

This year’s budget and clear adoption of national goals show Hong Kong government playing a greater role in the economy.

26 Feb 2026 - 9:19AMvideocam

OPINION

Ken Ip

Opinion | Panama’s ports grab may be politically expedient, but at what cost?

26 Feb 2026 - 10:45AM

Narendra Modi

Opinion | How India can lead the charge for inclusive AI

26 Feb 2026 - 5:30AM

Letters

Letters | Extend support for smart food waste bins across Hong Kong

6 hours ago

Yang Xiaotong

Opinion | How Saudi diplomacy is thwarting Trump’s desire for war with Iran

25 Feb 2026 - 8:30PM

Eugene Yim

Legal Tales | How Hong Kong law ensures kids’ well-being when divorced parents split locations

26 Feb 2026 - 9:30AM

Harry’s View | 26 Feb 2026

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Asia

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Science

‘Father of graphene’ Andre Geim leaves Britain for chair professorship at HKU

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Racing

Hayes unfazed by talk of Tentyris threatening Ka Ying Rising in The Everest

24 minutes ago

Hong Kong

Gallery | In pictures: APAIE Conference and Exhibition in Hong Kong

36 minutes ago

Health & Wellness

Women’s heart attack symptoms and risk factors differ from men’s. What they are

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Big Tech

China computing tech stalwarts Hygon, Sugon post revenue surge amid AI boom

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SCMP Series

Year of the Horse 2026

Challenges and pathways in the South China Sea

Beijing’s recalibration of its Taiwan policy

China Inc. goes global

Customers choose colored glaze snake handicrafts for the coming Chinese New Year, the Year of Snake, in Xiye Colored Glaze Studio in Boshan district, Zibo city, Shandong province, China, on Jan. 9, 2025. With a long history of colored glaze, Boshan is regarded as China’s Hometown of Colored Glaze and has 12 colored glaze enterprises and 65 art studios. (Xinhua)
新华社照片，淄博（山东），2025年1月9日
1月9日，消费者在淄博市博山区西冶工坊展销厅内挑选蛇年主题琉璃工艺品。
春节临近，山东省淄博市博山区的琉璃生产企业推出众多蛇年主题创意琉璃制品，受到市场青睐。博山区被誉为“中国琉璃之乡“，琉璃生产历史悠久，当地已发展琉璃生产企业12家、工作室65个。
新华社记者朱峥摄

SCMP Series Year of the Horse 2026

Year of the Horse 2026 feng shui advice for all 12 Chinese zodiac signs to enjoy good luck

Feng shui master Andrew Kwan shares where each Chinese zodiac sign can place items for good luck in the Year of the Fire Horse.

21 Feb 2026 - 7:15AMvideocam

Feng shui advice for Snakes for luck in money, health and romance

20 Feb 2026 - 7:15AMvideocam

Why do Chinese love water chestnuts? All about the lucky ‘horse’s hoof’

19 Feb 2026 - 11:15AM

Open Questions series

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.

13 Feb 2026 - 9:03AMvideocam

Diplomacy

Open Questions | Trump’s ‘imperial’ agenda and the end of the old world order: Luuk van Middelaar

Political theorist says rapid acceleration of the US president’s ‘offensive, almost imperial’ agenda has left Europe disoriented.

9 Feb 2026 - 1:10PMvideocam

Diplomacy

Open Questions | Lawrence Lau on why China must ‘work smarter’ and how it can invent from scratch

China must shift from quantity to quality by focusing on 12-year schooling, more basic research and GBA integration, renowned economist says.

2 Feb 2026 - 10:02AMvideocam

Key Industries:

Tech War

Anthropic’s allegations against Chinese firms expose AI training grey area

The US AI lab says DeepSeek, Moonshot AI and MiniMax AI used its systems to improve their models’ capabilities.

24 Feb 2026 - 9:05PM

Anthropic said that DeepSeek, Moonshot AI and MiniMax AI allegedly used roughly 24,000 fraudulent accounts to generate more than 16 million exchanges with its Claude models. Photo: AFP

Big Tech

China computing tech stalwarts Hygon, Sugon post revenue surge amid AI boom

Their strong 2025 revenue reflects a broader trend across China to increase support for domestic technology suppliers.

46 minutes ago

Global Economy

China’s tech surge leaves Japan and South Korea trailing in global rankings

Propelled by strategic R&D, China’s tech prowess is now the third highest, with key sectors such as batteries and biotech showing big gains over rivals.

6 hours agovideocam

Tech Trends

China’s MiniMax, Moonshot top AI token use ranking, ending year of US dominance

AI hosting platform OpenRouter’s latest ranking shows high demand for Chinese open-source models following a series of new releases.

25 Feb 2026 - 7:30PM

Chinese open-source AI models’ surge to the top of token usage on OpenRouter ended US labs’ reign on the platform’s leaderboard over the past year. Photo: Shutterstock

Diplomacy

5 top takeaways from Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address

In a speech that runs nearly two hours, Trump casts himself as a global peacemaker and touts his economic credentials.

25 Feb 2026 - 12:50PMvideocam

US President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address was the longest to the Congress. Photo: AP

Science

Smaller, faster, smarter: Chinese transistor ready for future AI chips

Breakthrough said to overcome long-standing limitations of traditional ferroelectric transistors, ‘paving way for large-scale application’.

25 Feb 2026 - 6:19AMvideocam

Science

Nearly all advanced nations are part of a defence pact. Will China try to join?

International regime controls defence tech exports but a push for self-reliance has seen Chinese weaponry surpass that of Western nations.

24 Feb 2026 - 9:44AMvideocam

Diplomacy

K-pop’s big freeze: are cracks in China’s cultural blockade a thaw?

A decade-long geopolitical chill has kept South Korean entertainers largely locked out of the Chinese market, but fans find ways to connect.

22 Feb 2026 - 6:00AMvideocam

Global K-pop phenomenon BTS has just unveiled plans for their biggest tour yet, but it will not include any stops in mainland China. Photo: Reuters

‘Father of graphene’ Andre Geim leaves Britain for chair professorship at HKU

British Nobel laureate who has kept close ties with Chinese researchers, says he is drawn to Hong Kong’s distinctive East-West synergy.

Chinese scientists hit breakthrough on 2D semiconductor wafers

China affirms ‘no nukes’ position amid claims of European plan to arm Ukraine

While Moscow accuses London and Paris of preparing to give nuclear weapons to Kyiv, Beijing doubles down.

Why China’s travellers spent little, despite rise in Chinese New Year trips

The country logged a record 596 million domestic trips over the extended holiday, but consumers are still reluctant to loosen their purse strings.

HKEX profit jumps 36% to record high on surging turnover, IPOs

Net profit in 2025 rises to HK$17.75 billion (US$2.28 billion), beating market expectations.

Breaking down the key figures in Hong Kong 2026-27 budget

Chinese embassy warns citizens not to fall foul of Angola immigration crackdown

Chinese nationals warned not to assume the country is ‘filled with gold’ after some were detained and deported for working illegally.

China computing tech stalwarts Hygon, Sugon post revenue surge amid AI boom

Their strong 2025 revenue reflects a broader trend across China to increase support for domestic technology suppliers.

‘Hostage diplomacy’ fears mount over arrest of Japanese journalist in Iran

The incident comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran, with a large American military force positioned near Iran.

.css-f84qeq{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;font-style:italic;}How use of AI will help travel operators transform behaviour of holidaymakers

Experts explore innovative technology’s role in industry’s evolution at ‘Limitless: Dida Engage 2026’ in Shenzhen.

Nvidia reports record earnings quarter as China’s H200 sales freeze persists

Nvidia warns China market for powerful GPU remains uncertain, even as data centre revenue surges to new highs.

North Korea’s Kim warns of ‘eternal confrontation’ without US dialogue

As long as Washington acknowledges Pyongyang as a nuclear power, there is ‘no reason not to get along’, the North Korean leader says.

As Deliveroo leaves Singapore, spotlight turns on city state’s tight market

The platform’s departure has underscored the challenge of turning a profit in a dense, tightly contested market.

China’s Huawei joins US giants OpenAI, Google in AI standards alliance

In a rare instance of collaboration, the Chinese tech titan will partner with US and European firms to improve standards in the field.

Feng shui advice, a mom’s path to pain-free movement: 7 Lifestyle highlights

From a nostalgic trend making a comeback in Hong Kong to exploring China’s Zhongshan, here are seven stories from SCMP’s recent reporting.

China’s tech surge leaves Japan and South Korea trailing in global rankings

Propelled by strategic R&D, China’s tech prowess is now the third highest, with key sectors such as batteries and biotech showing big gains over rivals.

Ex-media boss Jimmy Lai wins appeal over fraud conviction

Court of Appeal quashes conviction, ruling prosecution failed to prove Lai’s intent in case.

Merz’s China tightrope: German leader has warm words, hard questions for Beijing

German chancellor strikes diplomatic tone in Beijing meetings while pushing his hosts on subsidies, currency devaluation and Russia.

Did Philippine gig workers help Jeffrey Epstein clean up his online image?

The US Justice Department has released emails showing the sex offender might have recruited a ‘Philippine team’ to boost his reputation.

Why Hangzhou’s 2-Michelin-star Ru Yuan is ‘a restaurant unlike any other’

Ru Yuan’s chef Fu Yueliang shares why everything from local dishes to design at his restaurant is about transcending Song-dynasty tradition.

Budget reveal: government turns matchmaker with stronger hand in shaping economy

This year’s budget and clear adoption of national goals show Hong Kong government playing a greater role in the economy.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | Panama’s ports grab may be politically expedient, but at what cost?

Opinion | How India can lead the charge for inclusive AI

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Letters | Extend support for smart food waste bins across Hong Kong

Opinion | How Saudi diplomacy is thwarting Trump’s desire for war with Iran

Legal Tales | How Hong Kong law ensures kids’ well-being when divorced parents split locations

.css-rcruog{color:#C79A00;}Video | Get muddy at Japan’s naked festival

‘Father of graphene’ Andre Geim leaves Britain for chair professorship at HKU

Hayes unfazed by talk of Tentyris threatening Ka Ying Rising in The Everest

Gallery | In pictures: APAIE Conference and Exhibition in Hong Kong

Women’s heart attack symptoms and risk factors differ from men’s. What they are

China computing tech stalwarts Hygon, Sugon post revenue surge amid AI boom

Year of the Horse 2026 feng shui advice for all 12 Chinese zodiac signs to enjoy good luck

Feng shui master Andrew Kwan shares where each Chinese zodiac sign can place items for good luck in the Year of the Fire Horse.

Feng shui advice for Snakes for luck in money, health and romance

Why do Chinese love water chestnuts? All about the lucky ‘horse’s hoof’

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.

Open Questions | Trump’s ‘imperial’ agenda and the end of the old world order: Luuk van Middelaar

Political theorist says rapid acceleration of the US president’s ‘offensive, almost imperial’ agenda has left Europe disoriented.

Open Questions | Lawrence Lau on why China must ‘work smarter’ and how it can invent from scratch

China must shift from quantity to quality by focusing on 12-year schooling, more basic research and GBA integration, renowned economist says.

Anthropic’s allegations against Chinese firms expose AI training grey area

The US AI lab says DeepSeek, Moonshot AI and MiniMax AI used its systems to improve their models’ capabilities.

China computing tech stalwarts Hygon, Sugon post revenue surge amid AI boom

Their strong 2025 revenue reflects a broader trend across China to increase support for domestic technology suppliers.

China’s tech surge leaves Japan and South Korea trailing in global rankings

Propelled by strategic R&D, China’s tech prowess is now the third highest, with key sectors such as batteries and biotech showing big gains over rivals.

China’s MiniMax, Moonshot top AI token use ranking, ending year of US dominance

AI hosting platform OpenRouter’s latest ranking shows high demand for Chinese open-source models following a series of new releases.

5 top takeaways from Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address

In a speech that runs nearly two hours, Trump casts himself as a global peacemaker and touts his economic credentials.

Smaller, faster, smarter: Chinese transistor ready for future AI chips

Breakthrough said to overcome long-standing limitations of traditional ferroelectric transistors, ‘paving way for large-scale application’.

Nearly all advanced nations are part of a defence pact. Will China try to join?

International regime controls defence tech exports but a push for self-reliance has seen Chinese weaponry surpass that of Western nations.

K-pop’s big freeze: are cracks in China’s cultural blockade a thaw?

A decade-long geopolitical chill has kept South Korean entertainers largely locked out of the Chinese market, but fans find ways to connect.

How use of AI will help travel operators transform behaviour of holidaymakers

Opinion | Panama’s ports grab may be politically expedient, but at what cost?

Letters | Extend support for smart food waste bins across Hong Kong

Video | Get muddy at Japan’s naked festival