TOPIC

/ location

Kunming

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

Head of Government

Party Secretary of Kunming Liu Hongjian

A train seen during a trial run in 2022 on the Dali-Baoshan section of the railway line in Yunnan province. Photo: Xinhua

China Railway

China on track to complete world’s ‘most difficult’ railway project before 2030

330km Dali-Ruili Railway is expected to transform transport in Yunnan’s mountainous west, and better link China to South and Southeast Asia.

19 Feb 2026 - 9:11AM

China’s Communist Party

Why is Xi Jinping putting the political heat back on illegal villas and resorts?

16 Jan 2026 - 5:18PMvideocam

Science

Could there be a link between glucose levels in the brain and Alzheimer’s?

5 Jan 2026 - 5:00PMvideocam

Accidents and disasters in China

11 killed, 2 hurt after test train crashes into workers in southwestern China

Chinese news outlet says preliminary investigations indicate crash may have occurred when workers headed onto the track early.

27 Nov 2025 - 6:01PMvideocam

An undated photo of Luoyangzhen Station in Kunming where a test train crashed into railway workers early on Thursday morning. Photo: Handout

Myanmar

China brokers Myanmar rebel pullback from ruby mining town

Rebels abandon key areas Mogok and Momeik after Beijing-led talks, signalling a shift in the civil war’s dynamics.

29 Oct 2025 - 8:02PMvideocam

SCMP Highlights

China’s double threat, a hidden card in the trade war: 7 science highlights

From an ancient scroll being brought back to life to China’s rail line to potassium in Laos, here are some highlights from SCMP’s recent science reporting.

22 Oct 2025 - 3:15PM

Architecture and design

A playful reimagining of a traditional Chinese siheyuan

Children are at the centre of a redesigned courtyard house in Kunming, where cheerful circles and curves spark joy and curiosity.

30 Sep 2025 - 6:15PM

Lezhi Camp in Kunming. Photo: Chen Yanming

Food and Drinks

An American student’s quest to discover the secrets of tea

Jason Cohen tells PostMag about his 20-year journey from exchange student to researcher in the world of Chinese tea.

16 Sep 2025 - 2:13PM

Climate change

Opinion | Dry June, wet July: climate whiplash is on Hong Kong’s doorstep

Climate change fuelling extreme weather is no longer a future we must prepare for. It’s happening now and Hong Kong must pull out all the stops.

10 Aug 2025 - 6:30AMvideocam

India-Pakistan tensions

No India, no go? Why a new China-led South Asian bloc may falter

China and Pakistan are reportedly leading a push to replace the defunct Saarc with a new bloc without India’s involvement.

20 Jul 2025 - 3:00PM

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar in Tianjin, China, on Wednesday. Photo: Xinhua/EPA

China economy

China’s visa-free boom picks up steam as entries soar in 2025

Foreign arrivals surge more than 50 per cent as visa measures boost tourist and business travel, immigration officials say.

16 Jul 2025 - 10:36PMvideocam

A tourist takes photos in Quanzhou, in southeast China’s Fujian province last month. Authorities say new visa-free measures are driving “large numbers” of foreign visitors to the country. Photo: Xinhua

Asia travel

Insiders’ guide to Kunming: what to eat, drink and do in Yunnan’s capital

Enjoy a vegetarian meal at a Buddhist temple, local beer at Chaba Brewing and a hot springs dip at Yunshang Spring.

5 Jun 2025 - 10:43AM

Science

China boosts Southeast Asian populations overlooked in Human Genome Project

Before China took a role in the research, fewer than 200 indigenous genomes from MSEA existed in global databases, according to Nature paper.

2 Jun 2025 - 4:09PMvideocam

South China Sea

Opinion | How China’s maritime strategy is swapping force for research diplomacy

With heavy investment in ocean technology and scientific expeditions, China is set to shape a collaborative scientific agenda in the region.

30 May 2025 - 7:24AMvideocam

China food security

How is Yunnan helping as China looks to Asean for more food?

Province’s agricultural imports from largest trading partner up 26.5% in first quarter of this year.

11 May 2025 - 10:00AM

A woman buys flowers from Yunnan province at Hanoi’s Quang Ba Flower Market on March 28. Photo: Xinhua

IPO

China fresh-tea brand Chagee follows Mixue, Guming in IPO rush

Company receives approval for Nasdaq or NYSE listing after Beijing’s pledge to help more mainland companies raise funds.

7 Mar 2025 - 2:45PM

China-Asean relations

China, Thailand begin joint military drills as Beijing boosts defence ties

11 days of exercises in Kunming are focused on fighting terrorism, deploying unmanned combat devices ‘under complex situations’.

16 Oct 2024 - 7:18PM

Hong Kong property

Hang Lung Properties’ profit sinks 56% amid Hong Kong, mainland China slowdown

First-half net profit fell to HK$1.06 billion (US$135.7 million), from HK$2.39 billion a year earlier on lower rental revenues, higher costs.

30 Jul 2024 - 5:05PM

Shares of Hang Lung Properties sank 12.7 per cent on Tuesday, the most in 24 years. Photo: Shutterstock

Environment

China applauds global COP15 progress in lead-up to biodiversity meeting

Framework is intended to set new goals to conserve biodiversity and reverse nature loss by 2030, and live in harmony with nature by 2050.

29 Nov 2022 - 1:38AMvideocam

Environment

UN Biodiversity Conference set to move from China to Canada after Covid delays

Sources say the event that had been scheduled to be held in Kunming in December will move to Montreal instead.

20 Jun 2022 - 10:43PMvideocam

Environment

UN’s COP15 biodiversity summit in limbo as Omicron uncertainty threatens date

Summit in China is meant to finalise a global framework to halt loss of animal and plant species, but its timing is in doubt after a UN meeting was postponed.

26 Jan 2022 - 12:13PMvideocam

The venue of the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 15) in Kunming. Photo: AFP

Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.

SUPPORT NOW

Kunming

China on track to complete world’s ‘most difficult’ railway project before 2030

330km Dali-Ruili Railway is expected to transform transport in Yunnan’s mountainous west, and better link China to South and Southeast Asia.

Why is Xi Jinping putting the political heat back on illegal villas and resorts?

Could there be a link between glucose levels in the brain and Alzheimer’s?

11 killed, 2 hurt after test train crashes into workers in southwestern China

Chinese news outlet says preliminary investigations indicate crash may have occurred when workers headed onto the track early.

China brokers Myanmar rebel pullback from ruby mining town

Rebels abandon key areas Mogok and Momeik after Beijing-led talks, signalling a shift in the civil war’s dynamics.

China’s double threat, a hidden card in the trade war: 7 science highlights

From an ancient scroll being brought back to life to China’s rail line to potassium in Laos, here are some highlights from SCMP’s recent science reporting.

A playful reimagining of a traditional Chinese siheyuan

Children are at the centre of a redesigned courtyard house in Kunming, where cheerful circles and curves spark joy and curiosity.

An American student’s quest to discover the secrets of tea

Jason Cohen tells PostMag about his 20-year journey from exchange student to researcher in the world of Chinese tea.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Dry June, wet July: climate whiplash is on Hong Kong’s doorstep

Climate change fuelling extreme weather is no longer a future we must prepare for. It’s happening now and Hong Kong must pull out all the stops.

No India, no go? Why a new China-led South Asian bloc may falter

China and Pakistan are reportedly leading a push to replace the defunct Saarc with a new bloc without India’s involvement.

China’s visa-free boom picks up steam as entries soar in 2025

Foreign arrivals surge more than 50 per cent as visa measures boost tourist and business travel, immigration officials say.

Insiders’ guide to Kunming: what to eat, drink and do in Yunnan’s capital

Enjoy a vegetarian meal at a Buddhist temple, local beer at Chaba Brewing and a hot springs dip at Yunshang Spring.

China boosts Southeast Asian populations overlooked in Human Genome Project

Before China took a role in the research, fewer than 200 indigenous genomes from MSEA existed in global databases, according to Nature paper.

Opinion | How China’s maritime strategy is swapping force for research diplomacy

With heavy investment in ocean technology and scientific expeditions, China is set to shape a collaborative scientific agenda in the region.

How is Yunnan helping as China looks to Asean for more food?

Province’s agricultural imports from largest trading partner up 26.5% in first quarter of this year.

China fresh-tea brand Chagee follows Mixue, Guming in IPO rush

Company receives approval for Nasdaq or NYSE listing after Beijing’s pledge to help more mainland companies raise funds.

China, Thailand begin joint military drills as Beijing boosts defence ties

11 days of exercises in Kunming are focused on fighting terrorism, deploying unmanned combat devices ‘under complex situations’.

Hang Lung Properties’ profit sinks 56% amid Hong Kong, mainland China slowdown

First-half net profit fell to HK$1.06 billion (US$135.7 million), from HK$2.39 billion a year earlier on lower rental revenues, higher costs.

China applauds global COP15 progress in lead-up to biodiversity meeting

Framework is intended to set new goals to conserve biodiversity and reverse nature loss by 2030, and live in harmony with nature by 2050.

UN Biodiversity Conference set to move from China to Canada after Covid delays

Sources say the event that had been scheduled to be held in Kunming in December will move to Montreal instead.

UN’s COP15 biodiversity summit in limbo as Omicron uncertainty threatens date

Summit in China is meant to finalise a global framework to halt loss of animal and plant species, but its timing is in doubt after a UN meeting was postponed.

Opinion | Dry June, wet July: climate whiplash is on Hong Kong’s doorstep