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China
Economy
Hong Kong
Asia
Business
Tech
Lifestyle
People & Culture
World
Opinion
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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Trump heads to China weakened as Xi gains leverage ahead of summit

Iran war, tariff setbacks and sliding US poll numbers reshape the balance going into next week’s high-stakes talks.

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Trump-Xi summit hides simmering trade tensions under the surface, experts say

2026 Xi-Trump summit
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Diplomacy

Beijing urges France to respect one-China principle during high-level talks

Top diplomat Wang Yi tells visiting French senior adviser the countries should strengthen a partnership ‘free from external interference’.

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Science

Meet China’s moon porter for Chang’e-8 mission: a 4-wheeled robot with 2 arms

The AI-powered ‘extraordinary’ rover is set to pick up and install gear developed by teams from around the world on the lunar south pole.

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Hong Kong Economy

Exclusive | 100 Hong Kong-linked ships ‘stranded in Strait of Hormuz’ amid Middle East war

Industry leader says figure suggests 2,300 seafarers trapped in strait, with sector’s biggest priority being keeping them supplied.

2026 Xi-Trump summit
Analysts say the closure and blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have become “a test of endurance” between China and the US. Photo: AFP

Xi-Trump summit: why the Iran war could become fresh point of friction

Science

China unveils world’s first dual-core quantum computer: Hanyuan-2

Unlike other models, the machine does not need to be kept at ultra-low temperatures and is easier to maintain.

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The technology has been described as a “new stage” in quantum technology. Photo: Handout
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Hong Kong Economy

Exclusive | Hong Kong Golf & Tennis Academy members reject Central takeover by Carlyle & Co

Some members of exclusive sports club object to Town Club operations transfer, complaining about unfair access and incompatible patron profiles.

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Diplomacy

US sanctions 9 mainland China and Hong Kong entities over ‘Iran military links’

Treasury and State Department announcements come days ahead of US President Donald Trump’s expected China visit and summit with Xi Jinping.

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International

Global real estate event in Riyadh sees record transactions amid growing influence in sector

Cityscape Global achieves more than US$63 billion as Saudi Arabia positions itself as a major investment hub for urban development.

In partnership with:
Cityscape Global
Cityscape Global 2026 is expected to build on last year’s record-breaking success.

Global Economy

‘Not decoupling’: what does US-China trade data signal ahead of Xi-Trump summit?

Declining trade flows come as Trump heads to Beijing – but analyst says US remains dependent on some Chinese goods.

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President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump are expected to begin a long-awaited meeting in Beijing on May 14. Photo: TNS

Society

Heroism and grief: 6 residents’ stories from Wang Fuk Court fire hearings

Read the powerful accounts of six residents, among 24 who appeared before independent committee investigating deadly Tai Po blaze.

Science

Could omega-3 supplements hurt the brain? Chinese military study flags risks

Army Medical University researchers issue grim warning after findings show high doses of fish oil tablets may accelerate Alzheimer’s decline.

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Tech Trends

Beijing pushes AI data centres to adopt green energy under action plan

The document proposes a total of 29 measures to improve the integration of green power and AI.

Technicians inspect photovoltaic power generation equipment at the low-carbon demonstration zone of Lamadian Oilfield in Daqing, Heilongjiang province, March 25, 2026. Photo: Xinhua

Europe

‘Wonderful’: new Hungarian PM Magyar sworn in ending Orbán’s 16-year rule

Magyar’s centre-right party defeated authoritarian Orbán last month, which will allow it to roll back many of his policies.

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Hungary’s Peter Magyar is sworn in as the new prime minister at parliament in Budapest on Saturday. Photo: AFP

Economic Indicators

China defies Strait of Hormuz crisis with record monthly export value in April

Export value rose 14.1 per cent year on year, well above market forecasts.

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China Economy

Why Gen Z is abandoning Beijing for greener fields elsewhere in China

The percentage of the capital’s population aged between 20 and 29 plunged from 21.3 per cent in 2015 to 11.4 per cent in 2024.

Tech Trends

Why foreign buyers are returning after China’s Huaqiangbei makeover

Shenzhen’s electronics hub is riding the AI boom, with curated devices like drones and robots pulling in overseas customers once more.

Huaqiangbei is drawing back foreign traders and tourists hunting for the latest gadgets. Photo: Iris Deng

Middle East

US-Iran war no closer to ending as Gulf clashes flare

Recent days have seen the biggest flare-ups in fighting in and around the Strait of Hormuz since a ceasefire began a month ago.

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A US ship receives fuel at sea last month, during a fragile ceasefire in the US-Iran war. Photo: US Navy via AFP

Diplomacy

Rare earth strategy provides ‘opportunities for Africa’ as US counters China

US racing to fund infrastructure in Africa to process and mine critical minerals as it lacks the capacity on home soil.

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Russia & Central Asia

Putin criticises Nato at Victory Day parade in Moscow

At this year’s event, marking WWII victory, troops were told that in Ukraine they face ‘an aggressive force’ armed by the military alliance.

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OPINION
Cliff Buddle

My Take | Starmer was right about political change. But this is not what he planned

Cliff Buddle
Anthony Rowley

Macroscope | How Japan’s new economic model could inspire others to ‘look east’

Anthony Rowley
Amin Saikal,Amitav Acharya

Opinion | Trump’s threats against Iran are historically illiterate

Amin Saikal
Amitav Acharya
Alex Lo

As I see it | Has China just ended the end of history?

Alex Lo
17
Letters

Letters | Legco must preserve Hong Kong’s natural heritage before it’s too late

Letters
Harry’s View | 9 May 2026
May 10, 2026
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Opinion

My Take | Starmer was right about political change. But this is not what he planned

United States & Canada

‘We hit someone’: pedestrian dies in US after being struck by plane

Europe

‘Wonderful’: new Hungarian PM Magyar sworn in ending Orbán’s 16-year rule

China

Trump heads to China weakened as Xi gains leverage ahead of summit

Hong Kong Economy

Exclusive | 100 Hong Kong-linked ships ‘stranded in Strait of Hormuz’ amid Middle East war

Diplomacy

Beijing urges France to respect one-China principle during high-level talks

Middle East

US-Iran war no closer to ending as Gulf clashes flare

Science

Meet China’s moon porter for Chang’e-8 mission: a 4-wheeled robot with 2 arms

Racing

Chau extends Tony Cruz Award lead with double as Mo also bags a brace

Racing

Purton moves to within 10 wins of a 2,000 in Hong Kong thanks to Sha Tin double

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SCMP Series
Trump’s 2026 trip to China
China takes stock as world frets over Mythos
US-Israel war on Iran
AI's impact on Hong Kong
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
SCMP SeriesTrump’s 2026 trip to China

Trump heads to China weakened as Xi gains leverage ahead of summit

Iran war, tariff setbacks and sliding US poll numbers reshape the balance going into next week’s high-stakes talks.

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Xi-Trump summit: why the Iran war could become fresh point of friction

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Latest US-China rivalry combines undersea dominance with a race to riches

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Open Questions series

China Economy

Open Questions | Bai Chongen on China’s new economic paradigm and closing the US tech gap

Top economist explains how China has less in common with 1990s Japan than many think – and why talk of Chinese overcapacity is often ‘imprecise’.

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Illustration: Henry Wong

China Economy

Open Questions | Why China’s yuan faces the same ‘illusions’ that stalled the euro: Daniel Gros

Former European economic adviser says Beijing’s bid to build an international currency will hinge on leaders allowing it to fluctuate freely.

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Diplomacy

Open Questions | ‘Saying you’re a geopolitical actor doesn’t make it so’: Sven Biscop on Europe

The Belgian political scientist on what the Iran war and the transatlantic collision reveal about Europe’s place in a fast-changing world.

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Science

Open Questions | What an ancient Chinese map reveals about global history: Sheng-Wei Wang

Kunyu Wanguo Quantu and maritime artefacts prove China explored the world earlier than Eurocentric accounts suggest, scholar argues.

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

From Beijing to Berlin: Chinese EVs turn heads as brands eye European markets

BYD, Geely and Xpeng showcase eye-catching EVs at Beijing auto show as they build momentum in Europe and target more discerning buyers.

A humanoid robot poses at a BYD booth beside an electric vehicle at the Beijing auto show. Photo: Kyodo

Tech Trends

Beijing pushes AI data centres to adopt green energy under action plan

The document proposes a total of 29 measures to improve the integration of green power and AI.

Tech Trends

Why foreign buyers are returning after China’s Huaqiangbei makeover

Shenzhen’s electronics hub is riding the AI boom, with curated devices like drones and robots pulling in overseas customers once more.

Tech

ByteDance raises 2026 capex by at least 25% amid AI boom, sources say

ByteDance is allocating a proportionally larger budget to domestic AI chips to mitigate geopolitical risks and heed Beijing’s call.

The ByteDance logo seen on its office building in Singapore. Photo: Shutterstock Images

Diplomacy

Latest US-China rivalry combines undersea dominance with a race to riches

Ahead of leaders’ summit in Beijing next week, experts point to a high-stakes competition that features military and mining technologies.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

China Economy

Why US commercial stakes are ‘too high for Trump to ignore’ on China visit

After the US$37 billion, 300-plane deal from Trump’s last visit stalled, industry observers say the next one could be more flexible.

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Diplomacy

Will warming Arctic trigger further chill in US-China relations?

The prospect of opening up new sea lanes presents both challenges and opportunities for the rival powers, analysts say.

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Society

Will Hong Kong’s lending clampdown wean helpers off debt – and save their dreams?

NGOs say regulations should not be so strict that they deny domestic helpers access to loans since they may have legitimate needs such as family emergencies.

Illustration: Victor Sanjinez
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