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Belgium

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Belgium. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Brussels

Head of State

King Philippe

Head of Government

Prime Minister Alexander De Croo

Snow falls on the streets of central Paris on Wednesday. Photo: EPA-EFE

France

Europe paralysed by snow as brutal cold snap disrupts flights, rail services

Thousands stranded as chaos grounds flights, with black ice sparking fatal accidents, while death toll rises to six in season’s worst freeze.

7 Jan 2026 - 8:16PM

Britain

Eurostar to resume services after Channel Tunnel power glitch sparks travel chaos

31 Dec 2025 - 12:30AM

Belarus

Opinion | Can Belarus balance relations with Russia, China and the US?

23 Dec 2025 - 9:34PM

Ukraine war

Opinion | How the West’s sanctions against Russia are fuelling a protracted war

For hubs of transit trade from Armenia to the UAE, economic self-interest is best served by having sanctions on Russia in place indefinitely.

23 Dec 2025 - 4:30PM

A “Give peace a chance” mural depicting musician John Lennon overlooks anti-drone nets along a road in the city of Izyum in Ukraine on December 12. Photo: EPA

China-EU relations

China slaps tariffs on EU cheese and cream amid trade row

Alleging that European subsidies are hurting Chinese producers, Beijing has imposed fees that look to hit French exporters the hardest.

22 Dec 2025 - 11:26PMvideocam

China exports

China’s rare earth magnet exports to EU jump nearly 60% as approvals take effect

Shipments of permanent magnets to Europe saw a large increase in November, as Beijing begins granting general licences for rare earth exports.

22 Dec 2025 - 7:31PM

Year in Review

10 most read Daily Pulse briefings of 2025

SCMP Plus looks back at the year’s 10 most popular Daily Pulse bulletins, covering China issues related to diplomacy, trade and economics.

22 Dec 2025 - 5:00PM

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Photo: AP

Israel

Jews worldwide urged to ‘come home’ to Israel after Bondi massacre

Gideon Saar says ‘Jews are being hunted across the world’ following the December 14 Isis-inspired shooting at a Hanukkah event in Australia.

22 Dec 2025 - 10:40AM

France

Shein avoids France site ban after removing illegal goods

French court rejects Shein site ban, citing sporadic offences, as platform removes illicit items, but must enforce age checks for adult products.

20 Dec 2025 - 12:07AMvideocam

Russia

Putin says West holds key to peace as Russia advances in Ukraine

Putin demands the West and Kyiv act on Ukraine peace, vows more territorial gains and warns of severe consequences over frozen assets.

19 Dec 2025 - 8:43PM

Vladimir Putin speaks during his annual live broadcast press conference with Russian federal, regional, and foreign media in Moscow on Friday. Photo: EPA

Ukraine war

EU agrees US$106 billion loan for Ukraine, but without Russian assets

EU leaders reach a compromise after plans to use frozen Russian assets failed to gain backing.

19 Dec 2025 - 3:41PM

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky after a press conference in Brussels on Thursday. Photo: AFP

China-EU relations

Discriminatory and egregious: China blasts EU’s subsidy crackdown

Commerce authorities vow to defend firms such as Nuctech and CRRC, while Beijing continues talks with Brussels over EV tariffs.

18 Dec 2025 - 9:30PMvideocam

SCMP Highlights

China’s youth-unemployment rate, Laos joins durian war: SCMP daily highlights

From EU-China trade ties to Laos securing approval to export durians, here’s a round-up from today’s coverage.

18 Dec 2025 - 9:15PM

Cambodia

Thai-Cambodia border dispute reignites with bombing claims of casino hub

Cambodia accuses Thailand of bombing Poipet amid escalating border disputes, prompting Asean emergency talks and global ceasefire appeals.

18 Dec 2025 - 4:26PMvideocam

A view of the closed Poipet international border checkpoint between Cambodia and Thailand in Poipet town in June. Photo: AFP

China-EU relations

EU facing crunch talks over Ukraine, China and its economic future

EU leaders are set to meet amid growing concern in Brussels that the bloc’s divisions will impede meaningful action across a range of issues.

18 Dec 2025 - 2:07PMvideocam

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc had to decide what option it wanted to take to ensure Ukraine received funding. Photo: dpa

Ukraine war

Putin vows victory in Ukraine as US and Russia prepare for Miami talks

Russian leader boasts of battlefield gains in Ukraine while his envoys prepare to meet the Americans this weekend.

18 Dec 2025 - 2:58PM

Science

China offers ‘wonderful opportunity’ for scientists: top European neurologist

Consciousness expert Steven Laureys has taken on a role at Hangzhou Normal University amid ‘challenging times’ for science in the US.

18 Dec 2025 - 12:02PM

European Union

Opinion | As Doha Forum made clear, Europe is losing its seat at the table

Consumed by Ukraine, the EU has effectively retreated from global engagement. An urgent foreign policy recalibration is needed.

17 Dec 2025 - 5:30AM

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani speaks on the first day of the 23rd edition of the annual Doha Forum in Qatar on December 6. Photo: Reuters

Ukraine war

Zelensky demands justice as nations back Ukraine reparations; will Russia pay?

US$232 billion in frozen Russian assets are central to a new Hague-based commission managing Ukraine war damage claims.

16 Dec 2025 - 9:39PM

European Union

As I see it | Russia will end the European Union, not the other way around

The end of history is more history, as Hegel might have said, with the postmodern unified EU potentially reverting back to rival modern states.

17 Dec 2025 - 8:16AMvideocam

China-EU relations

China slaps anti-dumping duties on EU pork, but lowers final rates

Beijing goes ahead with tariffs of up to 19.8 per cent on pork products from the European Union after intense lobbying by several leaders.

16 Dec 2025 - 10:45PMvideocam

A customer purchases pork at a supermarket in China’s central Anhui province. China is the world’s largest pork consumer. Photo: Getty Images

Jimmy Lai trial

Jimmy Lai’s conviction in Hong Kong becomes flashpoint between China, West

Western nations unlikely to hit city with more sanctions as they need Beijing’s cooperation to offset unfair US trade practices, experts say.

16 Dec 2025 - 1:25AM

The ruling could send Jimmy Lai to jail for life. Photo: AP

Consumer protection in Hong Kong

Hong Kong consumer watchdog finds 1 in 4 face washes fall short on ingredients

Consumers urged to try a small portion on skin beforehand as a precaution when using cleansers that are highly acidic.

15 Dec 2025 - 7:16PM

Jimmy Lai trial

Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai found guilty on all charges in national security trial

City leader John Lee welcomes conviction, calls it an upholding of justice and a safeguard for Hong Kong’s core values.

15 Dec 2025 - 6:23PM

My Take

My Take | The emerging axis of lawlessness – the European Union, United States and Israel

From Ukraine to the Caribbean and Middle East, we are witnessing the application of the law of the jungle by the West and its ally.

14 Dec 2025 - 10:15PM

Ukrainians hold placards during a protest demanding the use of frozen Russian assets, on the sidelines of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) meeting in Brussels, Belgium, December 12, 2025. Photo: EPA

Ukraine war

EU indefinitely freezes Russian assets so they can be used to help Ukraine

Hungarian PM Orban, a Putin ally, accused the European Commission, which prepared the decision, ‘of systematically raping European law’.

13 Dec 2025 - 3:33AM

Ukrainians hold placards during a protest demanding the use of the frozen Russian assets in Brussels, Belgium, on Friday. Photo: EPA

China-EU relations

EU fears China’s role in Russia’s war on Ukraine is deepening

Multiple sources confirm increase in Beijing backing before China-Russia ties are discussed by ministers from the EU’s 27 members on Monday.

14 Dec 2025 - 4:47PMvideocam

China-EU relations

EU targets China’s Shein and Temu with new fees on low-value parcels

Tariffs’ impact may be limited given the Chinese e-commerce companies’ extensive warehouse and logistics networks across Europe.

13 Dec 2025 - 3:54AMvideocam

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Belgium

Europe paralysed by snow as brutal cold snap disrupts flights, rail services

Thousands stranded as chaos grounds flights, with black ice sparking fatal accidents, while death toll rises to six in season’s worst freeze.

Eurostar to resume services after Channel Tunnel power glitch sparks travel chaos

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | Can Belarus balance relations with Russia, China and the US?

Opinion | How the West’s sanctions against Russia are fuelling a protracted war

For hubs of transit trade from Armenia to the UAE, economic self-interest is best served by having sanctions on Russia in place indefinitely.

China slaps tariffs on EU cheese and cream amid trade row

Alleging that European subsidies are hurting Chinese producers, Beijing has imposed fees that look to hit French exporters the hardest.

China’s rare earth magnet exports to EU jump nearly 60% as approvals take effect

Shipments of permanent magnets to Europe saw a large increase in November, as Beijing begins granting general licences for rare earth exports.

10 most read Daily Pulse briefings of 2025

SCMP Plus looks back at the year’s 10 most popular Daily Pulse bulletins, covering China issues related to diplomacy, trade and economics.

Jews worldwide urged to ‘come home’ to Israel after Bondi massacre

Gideon Saar says ‘Jews are being hunted across the world’ following the December 14 Isis-inspired shooting at a Hanukkah event in Australia.

Shein avoids France site ban after removing illegal goods

French court rejects Shein site ban, citing sporadic offences, as platform removes illicit items, but must enforce age checks for adult products.

Putin says West holds key to peace as Russia advances in Ukraine

Putin demands the West and Kyiv act on Ukraine peace, vows more territorial gains and warns of severe consequences over frozen assets.

EU agrees US$106 billion loan for Ukraine, but without Russian assets

EU leaders reach a compromise after plans to use frozen Russian assets failed to gain backing.

Discriminatory and egregious: China blasts EU’s subsidy crackdown

Commerce authorities vow to defend firms such as Nuctech and CRRC, while Beijing continues talks with Brussels over EV tariffs.

China’s youth-unemployment rate, Laos joins durian war: SCMP daily highlights

From EU-China trade ties to Laos securing approval to export durians, here’s a round-up from today’s coverage.

Thai-Cambodia border dispute reignites with bombing claims of casino hub

Cambodia accuses Thailand of bombing Poipet amid escalating border disputes, prompting Asean emergency talks and global ceasefire appeals.

EU facing crunch talks over Ukraine, China and its economic future

EU leaders are set to meet amid growing concern in Brussels that the bloc’s divisions will impede meaningful action across a range of issues.

Putin vows victory in Ukraine as US and Russia prepare for Miami talks

Russian leader boasts of battlefield gains in Ukraine while his envoys prepare to meet the Americans this weekend.

China offers ‘wonderful opportunity’ for scientists: top European neurologist

Consciousness expert Steven Laureys has taken on a role at Hangzhou Normal University amid ‘challenging times’ for science in the US.

Opinion | As Doha Forum made clear, Europe is losing its seat at the table

Consumed by Ukraine, the EU has effectively retreated from global engagement. An urgent foreign policy recalibration is needed.

Zelensky demands justice as nations back Ukraine reparations; will Russia pay?

US$232 billion in frozen Russian assets are central to a new Hague-based commission managing Ukraine war damage claims.

As I see it | Russia will end the European Union, not the other way around

The end of history is more history, as Hegel might have said, with the postmodern unified EU potentially reverting back to rival modern states.

China slaps anti-dumping duties on EU pork, but lowers final rates

Beijing goes ahead with tariffs of up to 19.8 per cent on pork products from the European Union after intense lobbying by several leaders.

Jimmy Lai’s conviction in Hong Kong becomes flashpoint between China, West

Western nations unlikely to hit city with more sanctions as they need Beijing’s cooperation to offset unfair US trade practices, experts say.

Hong Kong consumer watchdog finds 1 in 4 face washes fall short on ingredients

Consumers urged to try a small portion on skin beforehand as a precaution when using cleansers that are highly acidic.

Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai found guilty on all charges in national security trial

City leader John Lee welcomes conviction, calls it an upholding of justice and a safeguard for Hong Kong’s core values.

My Take | The emerging axis of lawlessness – the European Union, United States and Israel

From Ukraine to the Caribbean and Middle East, we are witnessing the application of the law of the jungle by the West and its ally.

EU indefinitely freezes Russian assets so they can be used to help Ukraine

Hungarian PM Orban, a Putin ally, accused the European Commission, which prepared the decision, ‘of systematically raping European law’.

EU fears China’s role in Russia’s war on Ukraine is deepening

Multiple sources confirm increase in Beijing backing before China-Russia ties are discussed by ministers from the EU’s 27 members on Monday.

EU targets China’s Shein and Temu with new fees on low-value parcels

Tariffs’ impact may be limited given the Chinese e-commerce companies’ extensive warehouse and logistics networks across Europe.

Opinion | Can Belarus balance relations with Russia, China and the US?