Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz is trailing the rival Tisza Party in the polls ahead of the April 12 election. Photo: Reuters

Orban on the brink: could Hungary’s election dent China’s influence in Europe?

‘Most consequential’ vote is being pitched as a referendum on whether the country should move towards the East or West.

2 hours agovideocam

Europe’s crisis tourism: how the Iran war swallowed the EU’s geopolitical agenda

China-EU relations

Companies

Return of overseas hires meets tighter supply, driving up Hong Kong luxury rents

Repulse Bay is at the centre of a rebound, with leasing activity surging and high-end homes drawing multiple rental offers.

3 hours ago

Tech War

Chip, AI talent race heats up as Taiwan tightens crackdown on alleged poaching

The latest probes are part of Taiwan’s crackdown on mainland Chinese talent poaching, with 100 cases handled since 2020, according to MJIB.

3 hours ago

Society

Queues stretch past an hour as traffic jams hit mega bridge during holidays

Passenger flows topped 192,000 in two days, marking one of the busiest periods at Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge in recent years, automobile association says.

17 minutes ago

Open Questions

Andrew Tilton on China’s economic trajectory in wake of Iran war

Global Economy

South Korea opens door wider to Chinese travellers – but will they come?

Higher airfares and fierce regional competition may blunt impact of new policy, analysts say.

5 hours agovideocam

Tourists walk around Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul, South Korea, on March 15. Photo: EPA

Education

How a US clampdown affected mainland Chinese, Hong Kong student visa numbers

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced last May the country would take stricter approach to Chinese student visas.

5 hours ago

Health & Environment

‘Unable to handle rejection’: the forces driving Japan’s knife crime wave

Experts warn a generation raised on screens is losing the ability to handle real-world rejection.

5 hours agovideocam

Business

From waste to bottle: the technology that gives packaging waste a verifiable second life

Dow’s digital tracking system in China proves to consumers and businesses how waste can be recycled into new products.

In partnership with:

Dow

Caption: Dow’s Track and Trace Platform makes it possible to follow a recycled bottle’s journey from disposal to its rebirth as a new plastic bottle. Photo: Shutterstock

World

Chinese-made drone shot in Iran, Australia’s diplomacy pivot: 5 weekend reads

From a Chinese-made drone shot down in Iran to where Hongkongers went over the holidays, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend.

1 hour ago

Iran says a Wing Long II drone has been shot down over its territory. Photo: Dickson Lee

Middle East

Trump draws criticism with fiery, foul-mouthed message threatening Iran

US president extends deadline to Tuesday evening US time for Iran to ‘make a deal’ or he’s ‘blowing everything up’.

36 minutes agovideocam

Science

China reveals military capabilities in new space solar power plant design

Revamped orbital technology can potentially send steerable microwave beams to Earth, capable of jamming or securing military communications.

5 Apr 2026 - 10:00PMvideocam

East Asia

‘Irresponsible and reckless’: South Korea’s Lee regrets drones sent to North

The South Korean president said an investigation revealed that government officials were involved in the incursion earlier this year.

2 hours agovideocam

Fragments of a drone lie scattered on the ground in Muksan-ri, North Korea, after being shot down on January 4. Photo: KCNA/Reuters

Health & Wellness

Why internet use can actually lower your risk of dementia

While excessive screen time can harm young brains, a study finds that using the internet wisely can boost cognitive health in older adults.

1 hour ago

While young people who are addicted to screens can suffer from “digital dementia”, evidence suggests that internet use can actually be good for the brains of older people. Photo: Shutterstock

Markets

Hong Kong’s MPF set to report worst performance in 3 years in March

The MPF funds’ monthly showing was the worst in three years as they tracked the Hang Seng Index, which also fell to a three-year low.

30 minutes ago

Markets

Gold may reverse course once Iran war ends, Fed adopts policy easing

Gold has been on a wild ride this year, surging as much as 25 per cent before the war in Iran wiped out almost all the gains.

3 hours ago

Middle East

Israeli strikes kill 11 in Lebanon, Israel announces ‘security buffer’

Israel said it intends ‌to control a ‘security zone’ as deep as 30km into Lebanon and has issued evacuation orders for around 15 per cent of Lebanese territory.

6 hours ago

Smoke and dust from an Israeli airstrike on the streets of the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, on Sunday. Photo: Xinhua

Entertainment

How Gingle Wang went from clueless novice to one of Taiwan’s top young actresses

Wang’s first-ever scene took 33 takes, but now she is a ‘box office guarantee’ in Taiwan and an increasingly familiar face internationally.

6 hours ago

Taiwanese actress Gingle Wang at an interview with the SCMP in Tsim Sha Tsui on April 2, 2026. Photo: SCMP / Karma Lo

Science

China’s push for hydrogen-powered planes gets boost amid Iran energy crisis

The maiden flight of the most powerful plane of its kind was hailed by state media as establishing a ‘complete technological chain’.

5 Apr 2026 - 9:00PMvideocam

United States & Canada

US court reinstates US$656 million judgment against PLO and Palestinian Authority

Following a 2025 Supreme Court ruling, judges revive a decade-old verdict for American victims of terror attacks in Israel.

2 hours ago

OPINION

Wang Xiangwei

Opinion | Hong Kong must keep its unique edge even as it enjoys deeper mainland ties

4 hours ago

Letters

Letters | Can China pursue tech self-sufficiency and market openness at once?

2 hours ago

Zhang Zhipeng

Opinion | Global South nations are insulating themselves from the heat of US actions

6 Apr 2026 - 5:30AM

SCMP Editorial

Editorial | Stablecoin launch delay shows Hong Kong would rather be safe than sorry

6 hours ago

SCMP Editorial

Editorial | Hong Kong must help ethnic minority groups bridge the digital divide

6 Apr 2026 - 6:45AM

Harry’s View | 6 Apr 2026

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17 minutes ago

Society

Queues stretch past an hour as traffic jams hit mega bridge during holidays

30 minutes ago

Markets

Hong Kong’s MPF set to report worst performance in 3 years in March

41 minutes ago

People

Singapore police say body found is missing man from boat collision

45 minutes ago

Asia

Video | What is Japan’s Penis Festival?

Devotees carry a large phallus-shaped portable shrine through the streets of Kawasaki during the Kanamara festival on April 5, 2026. Showcasing phallus-shaped portable shrines and pink penis candies, Japan’s annual fertility festival teemed April 5 with tourists, couples and families elated by its open display of sex. (Photo by Andrew CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)

01:41

1 hour ago

World

Chinese-made drone shot in Iran, Australia’s diplomacy pivot: 5 weekend reads

1 hour ago

Health & Wellness

Why internet use can actually lower your risk of dementia

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Traditional Russian wooden dolls depict Chinese President Xi Jinping, then US president-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a souvenir shop in St Petersburg, Russia, on November 21, 2024. Photo: AP

SCMP Series Trump’s 2026 trip to China

Exclusive | What does it mean for China if Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin visit back to back?

Expected trips in close succession highlight Beijing’s strategic effort to manage relations with the two in turbulent times, analysts say.

27 Mar 2026 - 11:40PMvideocam

Exclusive | What are the real reasons behind the change of date for Trump’s China visit?

21 Mar 2026 - 2:39PMvideocam

Exclusive | Trump ally Steve Daines will be first US senator to visit Hong Kong since 2019

20 Mar 2026 - 6:28PMvideocam

Open Questions series

China Economy

Open Questions | Kenneth Rogoff on why China’s yuan will be a reserve currency within 5 years

Harvard economist explains why cryptocurrencies will never take the US dollar’s place, despite their popularity in underground economies.

30 Mar 2026 - 10:03AMvideocam

China Economy

Open Dialogue | Gary Liu and Liu Xiaochun on the US and China’s divergent paths for stablecoins

As investors await Hong Kong’s first stablecoin licences, two experts discuss the assets’ integration with the city’s economy – and the world’s.

25 Mar 2026 - 10:02AMvideocam

Diplomacy

Open Questions | Trump-Xi summits: an inside view with US ex-diplomat William Klein

Former diplomat posted to Beijing speaks on Iran, Taiwan and global supply chains as details of Xi-Trump meeting are worked out.

23 Mar 2026 - 10:02AMvideocam

Military

Open Questions | Why Iran war may drive East Asia nuclear race, hit China in Mideast: Zhao Tong

Carnegie nuclear policy expert says law of the jungle signalled by US actions could spur more countries to pursue nuclear weapons.

16 Mar 2026 - 10:04AMvideocam

Key Industries:

Big Tech

Nvidia’s Huang calls China ‘formidable’ in robotics as firm bets on physical AI

China’s microelectronics, motors, rare earth and magnets – which are foundational to robotics – are the world’s best, says Huang.

21 Mar 2026 - 6:18PM

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang speaks during the company’s global AI conference in San Jose, California, March 17, 2026. Photo: Reuters

China Economy

Open Questions | Andrew Tilton on China’s economic trajectory in wake of Iran war

Goldman Sachs’ chief Asia-Pacific economist says worst is over in terms of property slump’s impact on China’s economic growth.

3 hours agovideocam

Policy

China’s rigid corporate culture slows AI adoption, ex-OpenAI executive says

China’s tech-savvy consumers embrace AI, but rigid corporate hierarchies hold back enterprises, Zack Kass says.

5 Apr 2026 - 7:00PM

Tech

Meter running: CaoCao backs heavy-asset play to scale robotaxis

Geely-backed firm targets 100,000 autonomous vehicles by 2030, banking on tighter control of cars, tech and operations to drive efficiency.

5 Apr 2026 - 3:00PM

Chinese ride-hailing company CaoCao, backed by Geely, is betting on a heavy-asset strategy to emerge as a leading robotaxi operator. Photo: Handout

Politics

What next for the struggling rural mothers in China who helped to build AI?

Data-labelling workshops once hailed as a solution in the country’s poverty alleviation campaign face a painful reckoning.

5 Apr 2026 - 6:10AMvideocam

Society

Is it time to call an end to Hong Kong’s boar war?

Wild boar numbers have dropped by half in recent years, prompting calls from experts for an end to aggressive control measures such as culling.

2 Apr 2026 - 8:30AM

Science

Inside the shadowy practices plaguing China’s science awards

Beijing has rolled out new rules for investigating violations in scientific activities. So why are critics still pessimistic?

1 Apr 2026 - 9:50AMvideocam

Diplomacy

Europe’s crisis tourism: how the Iran war swallowed the EU’s geopolitical agenda

From trade with China to the Middle East conflict and resulting energy shock, Brussels’ agenda has been repeatedly knocked off course.

31 Mar 2026 - 6:03AMvideocam

Orban on the brink: could Hungary’s election dent China’s influence in Europe?

‘Most consequential’ vote is being pitched as a referendum on whether the country should move towards the East or West.

Europe’s crisis tourism: how the Iran war swallowed the EU’s geopolitical agenda

Return of overseas hires meets tighter supply, driving up Hong Kong luxury rents

Repulse Bay is at the centre of a rebound, with leasing activity surging and high-end homes drawing multiple rental offers.

Chip, AI talent race heats up as Taiwan tightens crackdown on alleged poaching

The latest probes are part of Taiwan’s crackdown on mainland Chinese talent poaching, with 100 cases handled since 2020, according to MJIB.

Queues stretch past an hour as traffic jams hit mega bridge during holidays

Passenger flows topped 192,000 in two days, marking one of the busiest periods at Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge in recent years, automobile association says.

Andrew Tilton on China’s economic trajectory in wake of Iran war

South Korea opens door wider to Chinese travellers – but will they come?

Higher airfares and fierce regional competition may blunt impact of new policy, analysts say.

How a US clampdown affected mainland Chinese, Hong Kong student visa numbers

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced last May the country would take stricter approach to Chinese student visas.

‘Unable to handle rejection’: the forces driving Japan’s knife crime wave

Experts warn a generation raised on screens is losing the ability to handle real-world rejection.

.css-12ooj4n{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;}From waste to bottle: the technology that gives packaging waste a verifiable second life

Dow’s digital tracking system in China proves to consumers and businesses how waste can be recycled into new products.

Chinese-made drone shot in Iran, Australia’s diplomacy pivot: 5 weekend reads

From a Chinese-made drone shot down in Iran to where Hongkongers went over the holidays, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend.

Trump draws criticism with fiery, foul-mouthed message threatening Iran

US president extends deadline to Tuesday evening US time for Iran to ‘make a deal’ or he’s ‘blowing everything up’.

China reveals military capabilities in new space solar power plant design

Revamped orbital technology can potentially send steerable microwave beams to Earth, capable of jamming or securing military communications.

‘Irresponsible and reckless’: South Korea’s Lee regrets drones sent to North

The South Korean president said an investigation revealed that government officials were involved in the incursion earlier this year.

Why internet use can actually lower your risk of dementia

While excessive screen time can harm young brains, a study finds that using the internet wisely can boost cognitive health in older adults.

Hong Kong’s MPF set to report worst performance in 3 years in March

The MPF funds’ monthly showing was the worst in three years as they tracked the Hang Seng Index, which also fell to a three-year low.

Gold may reverse course once Iran war ends, Fed adopts policy easing

Gold has been on a wild ride this year, surging as much as 25 per cent before the war in Iran wiped out almost all the gains.

Israeli strikes kill 11 in Lebanon, Israel announces ‘security buffer’

Israel said it intends ‌to control a ‘security zone’ as deep as 30km into Lebanon and has issued evacuation orders for around 15 per cent of Lebanese territory.

How Gingle Wang went from clueless novice to one of Taiwan’s top young actresses

Wang’s first-ever scene took 33 takes, but now she is a ‘box office guarantee’ in Taiwan and an increasingly familiar face internationally.

China’s push for hydrogen-powered planes gets boost amid Iran energy crisis

The maiden flight of the most powerful plane of its kind was hailed by state media as establishing a ‘complete technological chain’.

US court reinstates US$656 million judgment against PLO and Palestinian Authority

Following a 2025 Supreme Court ruling, judges revive a decade-old verdict for American victims of terror attacks in Israel.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Hong Kong must keep its unique edge even as it enjoys deeper mainland ties

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Letters | Can China pursue tech self-sufficiency and market openness at once?

Opinion | Global South nations are insulating themselves from the heat of US actions

Editorial | Stablecoin launch delay shows Hong Kong would rather be safe than sorry

Editorial | Hong Kong must help ethnic minority groups bridge the digital divide

Queues stretch past an hour as traffic jams hit mega bridge during holidays

Hong Kong’s MPF set to report worst performance in 3 years in March

Singapore police say body found is missing man from boat collision

.css-1t72pn8{color:#C79A00;}Video | What is Japan’s Penis Festival?

Chinese-made drone shot in Iran, Australia’s diplomacy pivot: 5 weekend reads

Why internet use can actually lower your risk of dementia

Exclusive | What does it mean for China if Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin visit back to back?

Expected trips in close succession highlight Beijing’s strategic effort to manage relations with the two in turbulent times, analysts say.

Exclusive | What are the real reasons behind the change of date for Trump’s China visit?

Exclusive | Trump ally Steve Daines will be first US senator to visit Hong Kong since 2019

Open Questions | Kenneth Rogoff on why China’s yuan will be a reserve currency within 5 years

Harvard economist explains why cryptocurrencies will never take the US dollar’s place, despite their popularity in underground economies.

Open Dialogue | Gary Liu and Liu Xiaochun on the US and China’s divergent paths for stablecoins

As investors await Hong Kong’s first stablecoin licences, two experts discuss the assets’ integration with the city’s economy – and the world’s.

Open Questions | Trump-Xi summits: an inside view with US ex-diplomat William Klein

Former diplomat posted to Beijing speaks on Iran, Taiwan and global supply chains as details of Xi-Trump meeting are worked out.

Open Questions | Why Iran war may drive East Asia nuclear race, hit China in Mideast: Zhao Tong

Carnegie nuclear policy expert says law of the jungle signalled by US actions could spur more countries to pursue nuclear weapons.

Nvidia’s Huang calls China ‘formidable’ in robotics as firm bets on physical AI

China’s microelectronics, motors, rare earth and magnets – which are foundational to robotics – are the world’s best, says Huang.

Open Questions | Andrew Tilton on China’s economic trajectory in wake of Iran war

Goldman Sachs’ chief Asia-Pacific economist says worst is over in terms of property slump’s impact on China’s economic growth.

China’s rigid corporate culture slows AI adoption, ex-OpenAI executive says

China’s tech-savvy consumers embrace AI, but rigid corporate hierarchies hold back enterprises, Zack Kass says.

Meter running: CaoCao backs heavy-asset play to scale robotaxis

Geely-backed firm targets 100,000 autonomous vehicles by 2030, banking on tighter control of cars, tech and operations to drive efficiency.

What next for the struggling rural mothers in China who helped to build AI?

Data-labelling workshops once hailed as a solution in the country’s poverty alleviation campaign face a painful reckoning.

Is it time to call an end to Hong Kong’s boar war?

Wild boar numbers have dropped by half in recent years, prompting calls from experts for an end to aggressive control measures such as culling.

Inside the shadowy practices plaguing China’s science awards

Beijing has rolled out new rules for investigating violations in scientific activities. So why are critics still pessimistic?

Europe’s crisis tourism: how the Iran war swallowed the EU’s geopolitical agenda

From trade with China to the Middle East conflict and resulting energy shock, Brussels’ agenda has been repeatedly knocked off course.

From waste to bottle: the technology that gives packaging waste a verifiable second life

Opinion | Hong Kong must keep its unique edge even as it enjoys deeper mainland ties

Letters | Can China pursue tech self-sufficiency and market openness at once?

Video | What is Japan’s Penis Festival?