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Traces are seen in the sky after Iran’s armed forces say they targeted the Al-Udeid base in a missile attack, as seen from Doha, Qatar, June 23, 2025. Photo: Reuters
LIVE

Iran attacks US military base in Qatar, after vowing response to strikes on nuclear sites

Tehran’s move escalates already volatile situation following US military’s entry into the Israel-Iran conflict.

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Israel-Iran conflict
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Diplomacy

China ‘unlikely to take decisive role’ as US bombing of Iran tests influence

China more likely to focus on providing diplomatic support to Iran, observers say, rule out military intervention.

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China

EU foreign policy chief calls for ‘dose of realism’ in China relations

Statement precedes planned meeting with Wang Yi in Beijing and Anhui.

Diplomacy

Beijing’s ‘massive’ build-up raises threat of Taiwan Strait conflict: Nato chief

Its enlarged military presence could draw in Russia and thus European forces into the fray, secretary general warns ahead of summit.

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Economy
US soybean farmers have long relied on the income from bumper exports to China, but the trade is now mired in uncertainty as Beijing diversifies its food supply base amid the tariff war. Photo: Reuters

US farmers face tough outlook as China switches suppliers amid trade war

Europe

Ukraine reveals details of alleged plot to assassinate Zelensky last year

Polish former soldier, recruited by Russian intelligence, was to kill Zelensky at an airport in Poland, according to Ukrainian intelligence.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Photo: EPA-EFE
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Diplomacy

China looks to Singapore to help secure supply chains from US trade war turmoil

In talks with city state’s prime minister, Chinese premier says both countries must uphold ‘true multilateralism’.

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Transport

Middle East conflict hits global aviation, Hong Kong routes unaffected

Data from analytics company shows almost 5 per cent of global flights to the region were cancelled this month amid Israel-Iran conflict.

Lifestyle

Acclaimed photographer Cristina Mittermeier’s dynamic pictures inspire change

Rolex’s Perpetual Planet Initiative supports the conservationist’s work which sparks discussions and action needed to protect the oceans.

In partnership with
Rolex
Rolex’s Perpetual Planet Initiative has supported conservation photographer Cristina Mittermeier’s mission to use her work to highlight the threats facing the Earth’s oceans. Photo: Rolex/Anthony Blasko

China

China’s shipments of hi-tech goods to EU surge as its exports to US plunge

Post’s analysis of Beijing’s trade data for May shows huge amounts of batteries, laptops, smartphones and solar panels going to the bloc.

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With many EU markets enduring falling exports to China, the cumulative impact was a 22 per cent increase in the union’s trade deficit with the world’s second-largest economy in May. Photo: Shutterstock

Global Economy

Have Trump’s Iran strikes given China a strategic advantage?

Analysts say deepened US involvement in the Middle East could make rare earths more precious – and grant China a stronger trade position.

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Middle East

Iran approves general plan to suspend cooperation with IAEA

Iran said submitting reports to the UN nuclear watchdog is suspended while the security of nuclear facilities is not guaranteed.

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Military

Can China’s fighter jets win over sceptical European aircraft buyers?

Defence budgets are growing on the continent but military purchases are not just about price and performance, analysts say.

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To stake a claim in the European market, Chinese fighter jet firms will have to overcome a series of barriers, according to analysts. Photo: Xinhua

Global Economy

Beijing tells China ships in Strait of Hormuz to phone home amid safety risks

Iran has control over the shipping chokepoint that handles much of China’s imported oil, and Beijing will get daily updates from shipping vessels in the worrisome region.

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Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Guo Jiakun addressed the US’ recent involvement in the conflict in Iran, among other questions, on Monday. Photo: EPA-EFE

United States & Canada

Top US court takes case of Rastafarian whose hair was cut in prison

Damon Landor wants to sue officials at Louisiana Department of Corrections for violating religious rights by forcibly cutting dreadlocks.

Science

Chinese scientists catch cosmic rays meddling in quantum computer operation

Study finds direct link between correlated errors in multiple qubits and the activity of subatomic particles and gamma rays.

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Diplomacy

Strait of Hormuz: why China fears Israel-Iran war poses threat to global economy

As fears mount that Tehran could block strategic chokepoint, Beijing urges calm to protect global energy trade.

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A cargo ship cruises towards the Strait of Hormuz off the shores of Khasab in Oman on January 15, 2012. Photo: AFP

Diplomacy

Can China build on eased trade tensions with US amid Trump’s many distractions?

Momentum may stall after London talks, but Beijing should advance a steady, leader-driven process, observers say.

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Trade talks between the US and China resulted in a “genuine de-escalation”, with both sides having a vested interest in a trade deal, according to observers. Photo: AFP

Middle East

Trump pushes to pump more crude oil amid fears Iran may close shipping lane

White House warned Iran against closing the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for US strikes on Iran’s nuclear programme.

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Middle East

Explainer | As Israel attacks Iran’s nuclear programme, it is ambiguous about its own

Israel has potentially enough plutonium to make 277 nuclear weapons, according to the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a global security organisation.

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OPINION
Paul Freelend

Opinion | Has Trump started another forever war? Not if Americans can help it

Paul Freelend
Shada Islam

Opinion | EU and China must abandon petty disputes to rise as global leaders

Shada Islam
Nicholas Spiro

The View | Why China’s ailing housing sector is the crisis investors forgot

Nicholas Spiro
Yukon Huang

Opinion | How Beijing and Washington can find common ground

Yukon Huang
Alice Wu

Opinion | Hong Kong is bouncing back just at the right time for John Lee

Alice Wu
Harry’s View | 24 Jun 2025
June 24, 2025
MORE COMMENT
LATEST

United States & Canada

Top US court takes case of Rastafarian whose hair was cut in prison

Middle East

Iran approves general plan to suspend cooperation with IAEA

China

EU foreign policy chief calls for ‘dose of realism’ in China relations

Europe

Ukraine reveals details of alleged plot to assassinate Zelensky last year

United States & Canada

New York state to build nuclear power plant

Diplomacy

Beijing’s ‘massive’ build-up raises threat of Taiwan Strait conflict: Nato chief

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US tariff war
US President Donald Trump, left, holds a UK-US trade agreement with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer while speaking to the media at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, on Monday. Photo: Pool, via AP

How does Trump’s lack of trade deals strengthen Beijing’s hand?

Analyst says US threats to trading partners are a sign of desperation that should embolden Chinese negotiators.

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China cuts US Treasury stockpiles to 16-year low amid Trump’s trade war

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Europe must reduce critical mineral dependence on China, just like US: Boeing

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Open Questions series

China Economy

Open Questions | Veteran banker Jin Liqun on leading AIIB during its formative first 10 years

With his tenure as Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank president drawing to a close, the financier surveys the landscape for multilateral development.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Diplomacy

Open Questions | Trump and Xi to act tough but won’t allow free fall in US-China ties: Ryan Hass

Think tank expert and former diplomat discusses Donald Trump’s approach to China and why his ‘bromance’ with Xi Jinping might be one-sided.

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Global Economy

Open Dialogue | Is the US dollar’s decline inevitable? Kenneth Rogoff and Yu Yongding weigh in

The two economists reflect on how the Trump administration’s recent actions have harmed the US dollar – and handed China a golden opportunity.

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Politics

Open Questions | How US tech curbs pushed China to innovate, and where a ‘super AI’ could emerge

Law professor says regulating AI is ‘like buying insurance’ and precautions must be taken, especially by pioneers in the field.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
China Future Tech
China Future Tech
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Tech Trends

DeepSeek rival MiniMax says its first AI reasoning model halves compute of R1

The Shanghai-based firm said its open-source M1 model is more efficient in tasks including maths and coding than the popular DeepSeek-R1.

MiniMax-M1 consumes half the resources and has a context window 10 times the size of DeepSeek-R1, according to the start-up. Photo: Shutterstock

Tech Trends

How Tesla’s Robotaxi service compares with Baidu’s Apollo Go in China

Tesla is finally entering the robotaxi business, but Baidu has been testing its service for years.

Tech Trends

How DeepSeek founder’s doubt led serial entrepreneur to embrace his gift of gab

Founder of defunct smartphone brand Smartisan said DeepSeek’s Liang Wenfeng told him he was among the best in China at ‘earning a living by talking’.

Tech Trends

Yum China rolls out AI agent, to help, not replace store managers

Aiming to help frontline managers with tasks such as scheduling and inventory management, system aligns with industry’s wider AI push.

Yum China’s CEO Joey Wat (centre) and other executives announce the AI tool at the company’s inaugural AI Day event in Shanghai. Photo: Handout

Military

South Korea set to join global race to develop sixth-generation fighters

A senior executive at aerospace firm KAI says the country will upgrade its warplanes to match those developed by China, the US and others.

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A South Korean-made KF-21 fighter on display in Seoul. EPA-EFE/YONHAP SOUTH KOREA OUT

Politics

How much of a future does Elon Musk really have in US politics?

The billionaire Tesla chief, after leaving Trump administration, has suggested founding a third political party. But would it succeed?

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Big Tech

How Huawei’s silicon strategy defies US sanctions, advances China’s AI ambitions

Huawei is expected to ship about 700,000 Ascend AI processors in 2025, according to Mizuho estimates.

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Diplomacy

Why has China set up a new Hong Kong-based international mediation body?

The International Organisation for Mediation may be a sign of Beijing’s hopes to reshape the global order with help from the Global South.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
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