Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

A staff member directs the loading of the world’s first 500 megawatt impulse turbine onto a truck at the Harbin Electric Machinery factory in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, in July last year. It was shipped to the Datang Zala Hydropower Station in the Tibet autonomous region. Photo: Xinhua

Global hydropower outlook report puts China at the head of the pack

Centrepiece of country’s efforts is Yarlung Tsangpo project, expected to generate roughly three times as much power as Three Gorges Dam.

2 hours agovideocam

China begins building US$1 billion hydropower station in Cambodia

China energy security

Politics

Developing | China confirms death of pilot in Citic Tower plane crash

District authorities say that only one person was in the two-seater light aircraft at the time of the incident.

1 hour agovideocam

Politics

China removes 6 generals from legislature amid ongoing anti-corruption drive

Apart from the senior commanders, the former Xinjiang party chief and a senior financial regulator were also stripped of their status.

4 hours agovideocam

Education

Why are Hong Kong, mainland China universities gaining ground in global rankings?

Meanwhile, 73 per cent of US universities fell in QS rankings over five years, with eight dropping out of the top 200.

1 hour ago

Infographic

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Politics

Iran survived 3 months of war. Can it survive the aftermath?

US$270 billion in damage and 4 million citizens plunged into poverty may have broken Iran’s economy.

5 hours agovideocam

Smoke and flames rise from the site of US-Israeli airstrikes on an oil depot in Tehran on March 7. Photo: Sasan/Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images/TNS

Diplomacy

US strikes Iran after Trump says cargo ship attack violated ceasefire

US Central Command says missile, drone and radar sites were hit after Tehran was accused of targeting vessel in Strait of Hormuz.

27 Jun 2026 - 7:25AMvideocam

Politics

Malaysia’s Johor election campaign begins as federal allies clash

Ruling partners Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional will both contest all 56 seats, alongside 60 other candidates in a crowded 14-day race.

4 hours ago

Business

How Changan Automobile’s design-driven brand strategy shapes its global expansion plans

Klaus Zyciora, vice-president of the Chinese carmaker, says its innovative, smart, low-carbon vehicles can entice customers around the world.

In partnership with:

Changan Automobile

Science

Raptor discovery in Argentina points to prehistoric links with China

Unearthed on opposite sides of the world, fossils of Kank australis and velociraptors sport matching claws, revealing evolutionary ties.

39 minutes agovideocam

Kank australis was a carnivorous dinosaur that walked on two legs and lived around 70 million years ago. Illustration: Gabriel Diaz Yanten

Hong Kong Economy

Hong Kong is betting on integration with mainland China but what are the risks?

Integration offers strategic gains amid geopolitical tensions with West, but Hong Kong must retain unique qualities for businesses to thrive, executives say.

27 Jun 2026 - 9:02AM

Law and Crime

Baby Danny’s 3-year care order can be cut short if in his best interests: minister

Welfare chief Chris Sun says decision to ask court for guardianship of two-month-old boy was difficult and professionals would decide when to end it.

3 hours ago

Tech Trends

For China’s tech workers, AI ‘optimisation’ sounds like ‘unemployment’

China’s office workers are worrying whether their jobs can be done by artificial intelligence – and whether their companies will make the switch.

27 Jun 2026 - 11:06AMvideocam

Football

Lionel Messi: the living legend

A visual explainer on how the Argentinian footballing maestro became one of the greatest players of his time.

25 Jun 2026 - 9:55PM

Messi in Hong Kong: one of football’s greatest living players to visit city as part of Asia tour

Companies

Will K-pop give South Korean retailers an edge in China market?

Even though China’s convenience store market is crowded with Chinese rivals and foreign peers like 7-Eleven, it remains far from saturated.

27 Jun 2026 - 10:00AM

Middle East

US ally Bahrain claims Iran attacked navy base as Hormuz closed

Vice-President J.D. Vance said ‘violence will be met with violence’ after insisting the US has adhered to the ceasefire deal.

48 minutes agovideocam

Arts

World’s first Chinese LGBTQ museum spotlights overlooked community

Out Museum in San Francisco’s Chinatown gives artists from China and the Chinese diaspora a platform to tell their stories.

2 hours ago

OUT Museum founder Xiangqi Chen looks toward “Collective Notation,” an interactive installation displayed at the Chinatown museum, Monday, June 22, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

On This Day | Hong Kong hosts its first International Film Festival in 1977 – SCMP archive

The first Hong Kong International Film Festival was held in 1977. This year marked its 50th iteration.

4 hours ago

(From right) Arnaldo de Oliveira Sales, Chairman of the Urban Council; Mrs Sales; and Sir Run Run Shaw of the Shaw Brothers sharing a joke at the opening of the first Hong Kong International Film Festival on June 27, 1977. Photo: C.Y Yu

Europe

French heatwave packs hotels as city dwellers struggle to sleep

French people struggling to beat the heat have booked up hotel rooms for pool and air conditioner access as temperatures hit a record 40.9 degrees celsius.

1 hour ago

Transport

Hong Kong to expand southbound travel scheme across Guangdong as demand surges

‘The number of applicants for entry into Hong Kong’s urban areas next month has reached 15,000, about three times the daily quota,’ transport chief Mable Chan says.

6 hours ago

OPINION

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Being Chinese | Talking when you eat is bad for you, and other Chinese beliefs

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Reflections | How the Chinese language has long been shaped by foreign influences

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Letters

Letters | AI hasn’t killed entry-level jobs. It’s raising the bar

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Society

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In Africa, some agricultural products, including coffee beans, that meet baseline requirements on pest risks, processing and safety are eligible for export to China, eliminating the need for country-by-country trade deals. Photo: Shutterstock

SCMP Series China-Africa evolving partnership

Coffee, chillies and cashews: a new recipe to spice up China-Africa trade relations

Blanket relationship with all African nations is viewed as a precedent for partners like the EU.

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Is China’s risk tolerance reaching its limit with pause of African mine deal?

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Open Questions series

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Open Questions | Nie Huihua on non-Westernness of Chinese government and challenge to innovation

Harvard-trained professor examines the tension between strengthening centralised control and encouraging local enthusiasm.

12-MIN READvideocam

China Economy

Open Questions | AIIB head Zou Jiayi on multilateralism as ‘infrastructure of global trust’

As the Beijing-based development bank marks its 10th anniversary, its president says institutions like hers ‘create certainty amid uncertainty’.

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Diplomacy

Open Questions | Economist James Heckman on the value of risk-taking, and China’s ‘common goal’

He also discusses the economic outlook, youth unemployment and whether the country can overtake the US in science and tech.

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Open Questions | Hong Kong must embrace ‘bipolar’ role to thrive in its ‘Stage 3.0’: Charles Li

Veteran deal maker urges an IPO link to lure global resource giants and turn Chinese buyers into owners as city solidifies role as East-West bridge and global capital hub.

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Tech Trends

Huawei and Cambricon tighten grip on China’s AI chip market as Nvidia slips

Huawei and Cambricon are set to dominate China’s AI server market as geopolitics and self-reliance accelerate Nvidia’s retreat.

2-MIN READ

Chinese chipmakers led by Cambricon and Huawei are expected to significantly expand their share of the domestic AI server market as Beijing pushes for greater semiconductor self-reliance. Photo: Getty Images

Tech Trends

For China’s tech workers, AI ‘optimisation’ sounds like ‘unemployment’

China’s office workers are worrying whether their jobs can be done by artificial intelligence – and whether their companies will make the switch.

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Policy

AI agents get ‘digital ID cards’ under China’s first connectivity standard

Country’s new AI agent framework aims to cut costs and enhance security to boost enterprise adoption.

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China keeps an eye on AI smart glasses as privacy concerns come into focus

Voluntary code aims to address privacy fears surrounding AI smart glasses as shipments surge and hidden recordings spark public outrage.

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China has introduced a voluntary industry code of conduct for AI smart glasses following growing privacy concerns over covert recording. Photo: Xinhua

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Why the Vietnam ‘detour’ for US-bound Chinese goods hit a dead end

Is finding another Hanoi haven possible, or would trying be a fool’s errand for Chinese firms looking to get the jump on Trump and evade tariffs?

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How ‘lying flat’ went from a niche subculture to mainstream phenomenon

Spy agency says foreign forces are ‘brainwashing’ people, but critics call lying flat a rational response to a broken system.

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China leads charge in energy storage, powered by battery progress

Battery-based grid storage is set for 150 per cent growth in China, as Beijing prioritises energy security and firms eye global markets.

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Diplomacy

Exclusive | No call with Taiwan, no new arms sales: how Trump is preparing to welcome Xi

There are no signs that the US president is about to phone Lai Ching-te and upset the fragile stability with Beijing, sources say.

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Sources say that US President Donald Trump is unlikely to put in a call to Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te. Photo: AP

Global hydropower outlook report puts China at the head of the pack

Centrepiece of country’s efforts is Yarlung Tsangpo project, expected to generate roughly three times as much power as Three Gorges Dam.

China begins building US$1 billion hydropower station in Cambodia

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}Developing | China confirms death of pilot in Citic Tower plane crash

District authorities say that only one person was in the two-seater light aircraft at the time of the incident.

China removes 6 generals from legislature amid ongoing anti-corruption drive

Apart from the senior commanders, the former Xinjiang party chief and a senior financial regulator were also stripped of their status.

Why are Hong Kong, mainland China universities gaining ground in global rankings?

Meanwhile, 73 per cent of US universities fell in QS rankings over five years, with eight dropping out of the top 200.

Fifa World Cup: results, group tables, fixtures and kick-off times

Iran survived 3 months of war. Can it survive the aftermath?

US$270 billion in damage and 4 million citizens plunged into poverty may have broken Iran’s economy.

US strikes Iran after Trump says cargo ship attack violated ceasefire

US Central Command says missile, drone and radar sites were hit after Tehran was accused of targeting vessel in Strait of Hormuz.

Malaysia’s Johor election campaign begins as federal allies clash

Ruling partners Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional will both contest all 56 seats, alongside 60 other candidates in a crowded 14-day race.

.css-12ooj4n{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;}How Changan Automobile’s design-driven brand strategy shapes its global expansion plans

Klaus Zyciora, vice-president of the Chinese carmaker, says its innovative, smart, low-carbon vehicles can entice customers around the world.

Raptor discovery in Argentina points to prehistoric links with China

Unearthed on opposite sides of the world, fossils of Kank australis and velociraptors sport matching claws, revealing evolutionary ties.

Hong Kong is betting on integration with mainland China but what are the risks?

Integration offers strategic gains amid geopolitical tensions with West, but Hong Kong must retain unique qualities for businesses to thrive, executives say.

Baby Danny’s 3-year care order can be cut short if in his best interests: minister

Welfare chief Chris Sun says decision to ask court for guardianship of two-month-old boy was difficult and professionals would decide when to end it.

For China’s tech workers, AI ‘optimisation’ sounds like ‘unemployment’

China’s office workers are worrying whether their jobs can be done by artificial intelligence – and whether their companies will make the switch.

Lionel Messi: the living legend

A visual explainer on how the Argentinian footballing maestro became one of the greatest players of his time.

Will K-pop give South Korean retailers an edge in China market?

Even though China’s convenience store market is crowded with Chinese rivals and foreign peers like 7-Eleven, it remains far from saturated.

US ally Bahrain claims Iran attacked navy base as Hormuz closed

Vice-President J.D. Vance said ‘violence will be met with violence’ after insisting the US has adhered to the ceasefire deal.

World’s first Chinese LGBTQ museum spotlights overlooked community

Out Museum in San Francisco’s Chinatown gives artists from China and the Chinese diaspora a platform to tell their stories.

On This Day | Hong Kong hosts its first International Film Festival in 1977 – SCMP archive

The first Hong Kong International Film Festival was held in 1977. This year marked its 50th iteration.

French heatwave packs hotels as city dwellers struggle to sleep

French people struggling to beat the heat have booked up hotel rooms for pool and air conditioner access as temperatures hit a record 40.9 degrees celsius.

Hong Kong to expand southbound travel scheme across Guangdong as demand surges

‘The number of applicants for entry into Hong Kong’s urban areas next month has reached 15,000, about three times the daily quota,’ transport chief Mable Chan says.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Macroscope | Can Andy Burnham fix Britain’s essential services and debt problem?

Being Chinese | Talking when you eat is bad for you, and other Chinese beliefs

Reflections | How the Chinese language has long been shaped by foreign influences

Letters | AI hasn’t killed entry-level jobs. It’s raising the bar

Opinion | Young Americans feel more threatened by AI than young Chinese. Why?

US ally Bahrain claims Iran attacked navy base as Hormuz closed

Hong Kong prison service pulls AI K-pop video after anti-drug message backfires

Raptor discovery in Argentina points to prehistoric links with China

French heatwave packs hotels as city dwellers struggle to sleep

Why are Hong Kong, mainland China universities gaining ground in global rankings?

Hong Kong football clubs acknowledge arrests linked to illegal betting, match-fixing

Coffee, chillies and cashews: a new recipe to spice up China-Africa trade relations

Blanket relationship with all African nations is viewed as a precedent for partners like the EU.

Can China’s strict policing model ‘silence the guns’ in Africa?

Is China’s risk tolerance reaching its limit with pause of African mine deal?

Open Questions | Nie Huihua on non-Westernness of Chinese government and challenge to innovation

Harvard-trained professor examines the tension between strengthening centralised control and encouraging local enthusiasm.

Open Questions | AIIB head Zou Jiayi on multilateralism as ‘infrastructure of global trust’

As the Beijing-based development bank marks its 10th anniversary, its president says institutions like hers ‘create certainty amid uncertainty’.

Open Questions | Economist James Heckman on the value of risk-taking, and China’s ‘common goal’

He also discusses the economic outlook, youth unemployment and whether the country can overtake the US in science and tech.

Open Questions | Hong Kong must embrace ‘bipolar’ role to thrive in its ‘Stage 3.0’: Charles Li

Veteran deal maker urges an IPO link to lure global resource giants and turn Chinese buyers into owners as city solidifies role as East-West bridge and global capital hub.

Huawei and Cambricon tighten grip on China’s AI chip market as Nvidia slips

Huawei and Cambricon are set to dominate China’s AI server market as geopolitics and self-reliance accelerate Nvidia’s retreat.

For China’s tech workers, AI ‘optimisation’ sounds like ‘unemployment’

China’s office workers are worrying whether their jobs can be done by artificial intelligence – and whether their companies will make the switch.

AI agents get ‘digital ID cards’ under China’s first connectivity standard

Country’s new AI agent framework aims to cut costs and enhance security to boost enterprise adoption.

China keeps an eye on AI smart glasses as privacy concerns come into focus

Voluntary code aims to address privacy fears surrounding AI smart glasses as shipments surge and hidden recordings spark public outrage.

Why the Vietnam ‘detour’ for US-bound Chinese goods hit a dead end

Is finding another Hanoi haven possible, or would trying be a fool’s errand for Chinese firms looking to get the jump on Trump and evade tariffs?

How ‘lying flat’ went from a niche subculture to mainstream phenomenon

Spy agency says foreign forces are ‘brainwashing’ people, but critics call lying flat a rational response to a broken system.

China leads charge in energy storage, powered by battery progress

Battery-based grid storage is set for 150 per cent growth in China, as Beijing prioritises energy security and firms eye global markets.

Exclusive | No call with Taiwan, no new arms sales: how Trump is preparing to welcome Xi

There are no signs that the US president is about to phone Lai Ching-te and upset the fragile stability with Beijing, sources say.

Developing | China confirms death of pilot in Citic Tower plane crash

How Changan Automobile’s design-driven brand strategy shapes its global expansion plans

Macroscope | Can Andy Burnham fix Britain’s essential services and debt problem?