Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

A view of Exchange Square in Central. Photo: Jelly Tse

As AI pushes data centres to breaking point, some Chinese chipmakers bet on SiC

Basic Semiconductor is the latest firm in the space to move forward with an IPO.

3 hours ago

China bets on ‘air-space-ground-sea’ networks for future AI infrastructure

Semiconductors

Military

Japan and South Korea scramble fighters after China-Russia bomber patrol

Tokyo says it had tracked two separate flights involving H-6 and Tu-95 bombers some of which passed over the western Pacific.

6 minutes agovideocam

Hong Kong Economy

Steeper prices ahead after Qatar gas supply cut off, HK Electric tells customers

CEO Francis Cheng says firm has not received any gas from Qatar since March, after Iranian strikes damaged production facilities.

19 minutes ago

Diplomacy

Why are Chinese audiences going for Korean musicals rather than Western shows?

Despite an unofficial ban, South Korean musicals are winning over Chinese audiences, aided by strong cultural affinity.

4 hours agovideocam

Infographic

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

Politics

Pakistan rattles India with new Chinese-built stealth submarine

Half a century after a bruising naval defeat, Pakistan is signalling it can again challenge India on its eastern flank.

4 hours ago

PNS Hangor, the first submarine of the Chinese-built Hangor class, arrives in Karachi, Pakistan on June 11. Photo: X/DGPRPakNavy

China Business

China’s heavy trucks are going electric, and abroad, paving the road to net-zero freight

Analysts say low ownership costs and battery gains are fuelling an export boom to regions such as Southeast Asia and Africa, positioning Chinese firms as main engines.

5 hours ago

Politics

What Beijing hopes to achieve with ethnic unity law that targets people overseas

The legislation, which comes into effect next month, is seen as a way for Beijing to exert psychological pressure on diaspora communities.

6 hours agovideocam

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

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

Lifestyle & Culture

Why Malaysia’s tourism boom lives and dies on a Chinese app

RedNote has made Malaysia a must-visit for Chinese tourists, but it can dismantle reputations just as fast as it builds them.

28 Jun 2026 - 8:00AM

Southeast Asia

Sofa, so good: inside Singapore travel trend swarming China’s furniture capital

Singaporeans flock to Foshan for custom interior furnishings, blending holiday with home design.

3 hours ago

China Economy

As Beijing raises Shanghai’s offshore yuan profile, where will Hong Kong fit in?

Geopolitical tensions add fuel to long-standing debate about China’s need for multiple offshore yuan centres – a role that suits Shanghai well.

28 Jun 2026 - 6:07AM

Food & Drink

He’s reviewed over 2,300 varieties of instant noodles. Meet the ‘ramyeon critic’

Pioneering South Korean critic Ji Young-jun reveals why he loves instant noodles and his aim to turn them into a lasting cultural legacy.

2 hours ago

Instant noodle critic and expert Ji Young-jun holds packets of Shin Ramyun and Buldak Swicy Spicy Ramen, two of the most-loved Korean instant noodles. Photo: courtesy of Ji Young-jun

Politics

Bangkok votes for governor as Chadchart eyes record term amid urban woes

Chadchart Sittipunt, who is expected to win the race, will inherit a city grappling with pollution and a declining quality of life.

49 minutes ago

Trending in China

Loyal police dog moves millions in China waiting for injured handler, refusing food

A video showcasing their emotional bond has garnered over 10 million views and 580,000 likes on mainland social media.

28 Jun 2026 - 9:00AM

Middle East

Iran’s Guards say American bases will ‘experience hell’ amid US offensive

The escalating attacks threaten the fragile truce that had largely ended fighting in the Middle East.

2 hours agovideocam

Ships anchored off Oman’s northern Musandam Peninsula near the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday. Photo: AFP/Getty Images/TNS

People

‘Too late’: why some Malukans say a Dutch apology isn’t enough

Dutch PM Rob Jetten apologises for the mistreatment of first-generation Malukans in Europe, prompting calls for tangible change.

3 hours ago

The Netherlands’ Prime Minister Rob Jetten (centre) and Mayor of Rotterdam Carola Schouten (left) unveil a national monument at the Lloydkade for Malukans in Rotterdam on June 21. Photo: AFP

Artists perform ahead of the unveiling of a national monument at the Lloydkade for Malukans during the commemoration of the Malukan community that arrived there 75 years ago, in Rotterdam, on June 21. Photo: AFP

Law and Crime

Financial products or illicit gambling? Can Hong Kong regulate prediction markets?

Interactive Brokers’ offering in city puts legality of prediction markets in question as regulator stresses case-by-case approach.

33 minutes ago

Society

Widen mental health support for city’s youth beyond high-risk cases, adviser urges

Exco’s Dr Lam Ching-choi warns high-risk tags don’t always identify children in need, while tycoon Adrian Cheng says young philanthropists eager to help.

22 minutes ago

OPINION

SCMP Editorial

Editorial | Hong Kong must tackle roots of youth mental health crisis

28 Jun 2026 - 7:15AM

Ary Hermawan

Asian Angle | Liberal Islam in Indonesia is sliding into irrelevance

3 hours ago

Jun Yan

Opinion | Why China’s tech firms could be in for a rude IPO surprise

28 Jun 2026 - 5:30AM

Regina Ip

Opinion | Hong Kong’s AI push needs a broader vision and more realistic goals

6 hours ago

SCMP Editorial

Editorial | Hong Kong’s Cantonese restaurants must innovate and adapt to survive

28 Jun 2026 - 6:45AM

Harry’s View | 28 Jun 2026

MORE COMMENT

LATEST

49 minutes ago

Military

Japan and South Korea scramble fighters after China-Russia bomber patrol

1 hour ago

Society

Experts offer tips to secure data after Mirror star Stanley Yau loses phone

1 hour ago

Hong Kong

Asian Games: Brown, Elg injuries leave Hong Kong’s triathlon medal hopes in doubt

2 hours ago

Food & Drink

He’s reviewed over 2,300 varieties of instant noodles. Meet the ‘ramyeon critic’

2 hours ago

World

Gallery | In pictures: Venezuela earthquakes

3 hours ago

Opinion

Asian Angle | Liberal Islam in Indonesia is sliding into irrelevance

MORE LATEST NEWS

SCMP Series

China-Africa evolving partnership

Hong Kong 29 years after handover

SpaceX IPO

Confronting cancer in Hong Kong

China and Central Asia

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.

3-MIN READvideocam

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

3-MIN READvideocam

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

3-MIN READvideocam

Open Questions series

Politics

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’.

15-MIN READ

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.

14-MIN READvideocam

China Business

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.

9-MIN READvideocam

Key Industries:

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

China Business

China’s heavy trucks are going electric, and abroad, paving the road to net-zero freight

Analysts say low ownership costs and battery gains are fuelling an export boom to regions such as Southeast Asia and Africa, positioning Chinese firms as main engines.

3-MIN READ

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.

7-MIN READvideocam

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.

2-MIN READ

The new guideline is China’s first national standard focused on AI agent connectivity. Photo: Shutterstock

Global Economy

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?

6-MIN READvideocam

Politics

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.

6-MIN READvideocam

China Business

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.

6-MIN READ

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.

4-MIN READvideocam

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

As AI pushes data centres to breaking point, some Chinese chipmakers bet on SiC

Basic Semiconductor is the latest firm in the space to move forward with an IPO.

China bets on ‘air-space-ground-sea’ networks for future AI infrastructure

Japan and South Korea scramble fighters after China-Russia bomber patrol

Tokyo says it had tracked two separate flights involving H-6 and Tu-95 bombers some of which passed over the western Pacific.

Steeper prices ahead after Qatar gas supply cut off, HK Electric tells customers

CEO Francis Cheng says firm has not received any gas from Qatar since March, after Iranian strikes damaged production facilities.

Why are Chinese audiences going for Korean musicals rather than Western shows?

Despite an unofficial ban, South Korean musicals are winning over Chinese audiences, aided by strong cultural affinity.

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

Pakistan rattles India with new Chinese-built stealth submarine

Half a century after a bruising naval defeat, Pakistan is signalling it can again challenge India on its eastern flank.

China’s heavy trucks are going electric, and abroad, paving the road to net-zero freight

Analysts say low ownership costs and battery gains are fuelling an export boom to regions such as Southeast Asia and Africa, positioning Chinese firms as main engines.

What Beijing hopes to achieve with ethnic unity law that targets people overseas

The legislation, which comes into effect next month, is seen as a way for Beijing to exert psychological pressure on diaspora communities.

.css-12ooj4n{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;}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.

Lionel Messi: the living legend

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

Why Malaysia’s tourism boom lives and dies on a Chinese app

RedNote has made Malaysia a must-visit for Chinese tourists, but it can dismantle reputations just as fast as it builds them.

Sofa, so good: inside Singapore travel trend swarming China’s furniture capital

Singaporeans flock to Foshan for custom interior furnishings, blending holiday with home design.

As Beijing raises Shanghai’s offshore yuan profile, where will Hong Kong fit in?

Geopolitical tensions add fuel to long-standing debate about China’s need for multiple offshore yuan centres – a role that suits Shanghai well.

He’s reviewed over 2,300 varieties of instant noodles. Meet the ‘ramyeon critic’

Pioneering South Korean critic Ji Young-jun reveals why he loves instant noodles and his aim to turn them into a lasting cultural legacy.

Bangkok votes for governor as Chadchart eyes record term amid urban woes

Chadchart Sittipunt, who is expected to win the race, will inherit a city grappling with pollution and a declining quality of life.

Loyal police dog moves millions in China waiting for injured handler, refusing food

A video showcasing their emotional bond has garnered over 10 million views and 580,000 likes on mainland social media.

Iran’s Guards say American bases will ‘experience hell’ amid US offensive

The escalating attacks threaten the fragile truce that had largely ended fighting in the Middle East.

‘Too late’: why some Malukans say a Dutch apology isn’t enough

Dutch PM Rob Jetten apologises for the mistreatment of first-generation Malukans in Europe, prompting calls for tangible change.

Financial products or illicit gambling? Can Hong Kong regulate prediction markets?

Interactive Brokers’ offering in city puts legality of prediction markets in question as regulator stresses case-by-case approach.

Widen mental health support for city’s youth beyond high-risk cases, adviser urges

Exco’s Dr Lam Ching-choi warns high-risk tags don’t always identify children in need, while tycoon Adrian Cheng says young philanthropists eager to help.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Editorial | Hong Kong must tackle roots of youth mental health crisis

Asian Angle | Liberal Islam in Indonesia is sliding into irrelevance

Opinion | Why China’s tech firms could be in for a rude IPO surprise

Opinion | Hong Kong’s AI push needs a broader vision and more realistic goals

Editorial | Hong Kong’s Cantonese restaurants must innovate and adapt to survive

Japan and South Korea scramble fighters after China-Russia bomber patrol

Experts offer tips to secure data after Mirror star Stanley Yau loses phone

Asian Games: Brown, Elg injuries leave Hong Kong’s triathlon medal hopes in doubt

He’s reviewed over 2,300 varieties of instant noodles. Meet the ‘ramyeon critic’

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}Gallery | In pictures: Venezuela earthquakes

Asian Angle | Liberal Islam in Indonesia is sliding into irrelevance

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.

China’s heavy trucks are going electric, and abroad, paving the road to net-zero freight

Analysts say low ownership costs and battery gains are fuelling an export boom to regions such as Southeast Asia and Africa, positioning Chinese firms as main engines.

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.

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.

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

Editorial | Hong Kong must tackle roots of youth mental health crisis

Gallery | In pictures: Venezuela earthquakes