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Saudi Arabia
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Saudi Arabia

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Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Saudi Arabia. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Capital
Riyadh
Head of State
King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Head of Government
Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud
Cargo ships near the Strait of Hormuz. Photo: Reuters
SCMP Highlights

Trump extends Iran ceasefire; Hong Kong actress’ cancer shock: 7 highlights

From Hong Kong’s triple baby bonus scheme to President Xi Jinping’s Strait of Hormuz call, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting.

Diplomacy

Editorial | Saudi leader’s phone call to Xi Jinping shows shifting global power balance

US, Israel war on Iran

Opinion | How China’s patient diplomacy can help secure peace in Iran

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Singapore

UN alarmed by Singapore executions for drug-related offences

UN rights chief Turk said drug-related offences not involving loss of life did not meet the ‘most serious crimes’ standard by international law.

Singapore at sunrise. The death penalty is mandatory in Singapore for drug trafficking above certain quantities, such as 500g (1.1 lb) of cannabis or 15g of heroin. Photo: Shutterstock
US, Israel war on Iran

Shifting Saudi ties: what role could China take after Iran war is over?

Caught between Washington and Tehran, Riyadh may shift towards self-reliance and diversifying partnerships, observers note.

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China energy security

China confronts Middle East supply shock, as State Council mulls energy strategy

Premier Li Qiang urges ‘bottom-line mentality’ to secure power as Beijing sees coal and Russian gas among options to offset reliance on imported crude.

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Diplomacy

Opinion | China’s diplomacy succeeds even if it doesn’t bring Middle East peace

From Beijing’s perspective, diplomacy is remarkably effective in advancing China’s regional interests and differentiating it from the US.

On July 23, 2024, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosts the signing of the Beijing Declaration among Palestinian factions including Fatah and Hamas at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. Photo: Pool via AP
Hong Kong economy

Letters | How Hong Kong can attract talent and capital from the Middle East

Readers discuss the opportunity for the city created by the Iran war, the proposal to allow taxis into Discovery Bay, and a planned pig farm in Sheung Shui.

Middle East

Defying Hezbollah, Lebanon’s president seeks end to hostilities with Israel talks

Ambassadors are set to meet in Washington on Thursday as President Aoun hopes to ‘save Lebanon’ amid a fragile ceasefire.

China-Middle East relations

Xi Jinping says Strait of Hormuz should be open in call with Saudi crown prince

Chinese leader says there must be an ‘immediate and comprehensive ceasefire’ and backs diplomatic solution to crisis.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke to the Saudi crown prince on Monday. Photo: Reuters
US, Israel war on Iran

Iran war escalates as Houthis threaten to sever Saudi oil exports

Targets reportedly include a Saudi pipeline to the Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and a UAE export terminal at Fujairah, outside the Gulf.

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Armed Houthi loyalists attend a rally in Yemen last month demanding a resumption of attacks against Red Sea shipping. Photo: Xinhua
Crime

LA woman charged in US with trafficking arms to Sudan for Iran

Shamim Mafi is accused ‘brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses and millions of rounds of ammunition’.

China-Africa relations

Why China is urgently looking to North Africa as the energy crisis rolls on

From Algerian oilfields to Moroccan battery factories and Egypt’s industrial base, Beijing may now fast-track projects across the region.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Turkey’s Erdogan urges Iran, US to use ceasefire to push for lasting peace

At the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey, Erdogan also stressed the importance of acting with ‘prudent understanding’ to end the Iran war.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives a speech during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, in Antalya, southern Turkey, on Friday. Photo: AP
US, Israel war on Iran

Lebanon becomes key to Iran-US peace talks amid fears of Israel’s ‘hegemony’

Pakistan is the regional go-between to help maintain the 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon and push for a conclusive deal to end the Iran war.

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Displaced people make their way back to their home on Friday crossing the bridge in Qasmiyeh linking southern Lebanon to the rest of the country as a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect. Photo: Reuters
Pakistan

Pakistan seeks to shield Gulf states as US-Iran talks set to resume

A senior official involved in Islamabad’s diplomacy says it is trying to defuse the crisis ‘in any way we can’.

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SCMP Highlights

Japan’s sakura season rift, Singapore’s Hormuz stance: 7 Asia highlights

From Japan’s sakura season rift to a defamation hearing, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

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Asia travel

Lack of fuel reserves forces Southeast Asian flight cuts amid Hormuz crisis

Airlines are cutting flights, as dependence on Middle Eastern fuel hits operators from Pakistan to New Zealand.

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A Vietjet Airline airplane in front of a Vietnam Airlines airplane, at Noi Bai International Airport, in Hanoi, Vietnam, on May 28, 2025. Photo: Reuters
Banking & finance

HSBC stays the course in the Middle East despite war

The bank will continue to invest in the UAE, alongside India, China and Singapore, says Surendra Rosha, co-CEO for Asia and the Middle East.

US, Israel war on Iran

How a Chinese company said it used AI to track US bomber movements over Iran

MizarVision tried to determine bomber movements based on aerial tanker positions and US attacks on key strategic sites.

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Hong Kong transport

Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific and HK Express cut some flights as jet fuel prices rise

Cathay reduction affects flights mainly on regional routes, along with some services to Australia, South Asia and South Africa, from May 16 to June 30.

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On March 26, Cathay Pacific announced it would increase its fuel surcharge for all flights by 34 per cent from April. Photo: Eugene Lee
Pakistan

UAE pulls US$3.5 billion from Pakistan after Iran war mediation

As Abu Dhabi signals its displeasure with Islamabad, analysts say other indebted partners will be watching closely.

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A shopkeeper displays Iranian flags after the US-Iran ceasefire announcement in Karachi, Pakistan, on Thursday. Photo: EPA
US, Israel war on Iran

US-Iran talks leave Gulf states on edge about the price of peace

The six GCC nations worry that the US will prioritise Tehran’s needs and leave the Gulf monarchies vulnerable to Iranian retaliation.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Letters | US-Iran ceasefire is more of a recalibration than an off-ramp

Readers discuss the strategic purpose of the ceasefire, lessons for Taiwan in the Iran war, and war reporting.

US, Israel war on Iran

Israel plans talks with Lebanon as violence imperils Iran ceasefire

Israel’s Netanyahu approves talks with Lebanon as the US plans for meeting in Washington next week.

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Men inspect the damage to their home destroyed in an Israeli airstrike a day earlier in Beirut, Lebanon. Photo: AP
South Korea

Trump lashed out at Seoul over Hormuz. Will it affect US-South Korea ties?

Strong security ties and other allies’ reluctance to support Washington’s ‘war of choice’ will help Seoul withstand the blow, analysts say.

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South Korean protesters attach stickers on a banner showing the Strait of Hormuz during a rally near the presidential office in Seoul on March 28. The letters read “Refuse sending troops to Hormuz!” Photo: AP
War and conflict

Opinion | China’s role in the Iran-US ceasefire reflects its strategic distance

In taking a back seat in de-escalation efforts with Pakistan, China is decoupling its influence from responsibility.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Iran calls for ‘human chains’ around its power plants before US deadline

Tehran defiant after the US president warned the ‘entire country can be taken out in one night’.

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