Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

How Chinese drink chains are testing the limits of soft power

New tea and coffee brands from China are winning customers across America, but their broader influence remains unclear.

1 hour agovideocam

Hong Kong author Kit Fan on ‘reverse migration’, identity and his new novel

US-China relations

Big Tech

China launches space computing hub as SpaceX gears up for historic IPO

New institute highlights Beijing’s bid to leapfrog energy bottlenecks and underscores how tech race with US is moving off-planet.

5 Jun 2026 - 10:00PM

Military

Summer most likely window for US attack on Cuba, Chinese defence tech firm says

Using tracking data and AI, Jingan Technology suggests ‘decapitation’ operation more probable than full-scale invasion.

5 Jun 2026 - 10:00PMvideocam

Hong Kong Economy

Hong Kong ideal platform for Uzbek firms to spread wings globally, John Lee says

City leader invites Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov to be keynote speaker at coming Belt and Road Summit to be held in Hong Kong in September.

6 hours ago

Science

Quantum computers are expected to solve complex problems at speeds unattainable by traditional computers, and they need an efficient way to access classical data. Photo: Shutterstock

China debuts world’s first superfast quantum memory enabling practical computing

Science

Chinese black hole-hunting scientist Dai Liang quits US for Shanghai post

The physicist who received a fellowship reserved for the ‘brightest young scientists’ in North America has joined Fudan University.

5 Jun 2026 - 8:00PMvideocam

Dai Liang specialises in finding possible binary black holes. Photo: Handout

Politics

Xi Jinping’s ‘chief of staff’ Cai Qi takes Central Party School helm

Politburo Standing Committee member Cai, who ranks fifth in the Communist Party hierarchy, will head the elite cadre college.

5 Jun 2026 - 10:10PM

Economics

Most Asia-Pacific firms use AI for tasks without cutting jobs: survey

About 74 per cent of companies surveyed across industries in the Asia-Pacific have deployed or piloted AI programmes.

6 hours ago

Business

How Changan Automobile’s design-driven brand strategy shapes its global expansion plans

Klaus Zyciora, vice-president of the Chinese carmaker, says its innovative, smart, low-carbon vehicles can entice customers around the world.

In partnership with:

Changan Automobile

Tech Trends

Chinese researchers tackle AI training bottleneck for household robots

The framework breaks the constraints of conventional indoor scene generation, which has long been confined to single-room layouts.

5 Jun 2026 - 9:00PM

A robot works in a simulated home scenario at the Humanoid Robot Data Training Centre in Shougang Park, in Beijing on March 29, 2026. Photo: Xinhua

United States & Canada

Trump urges new spy chief Pulte to gut US intelligence community

The president wants his acting Director of National Intelligence to start firing employees, saying the office has too many staff.

1 hour ago

Europe

First AI-designed ‘universal vaccine’ tested in humans

The experimental jab is intended to target a wide range of viruses, including those behind deadly outbreaks like Sars, Mers and Covid-19.

2 hours agovideocam

Diplomacy

EU needs a ‘dedicated instrument’ to unwind China dependencies, trade chief says

The bloc may force companies to diversify their suppliers, after Beijing’s use of export controls put pressure on EU industry.

5 hours agovideocam

The month ahead could prove to be a decisive one for the future of the China-EU relationship. Photo: Shutterstock

United States & Canada

Astronauts take shelter as air leaks worsen on International Space Station

Nasa gave an order to prepare for evacuation amid a disagreement with Russia on how to repair the cracks.

2 hours ago

The International Space Station is seen from the Russian Soyuz MS-19 spaceship in March 2022. Photo: Roscosmos via AP

Hong Kong Economy

Hong Kong tour guide stripped of licence over coercing visitors into shopping

Disciplinary action by Travel Industry Authority is second of its kind in less than two months.

5 hours ago

Europe

UK’s Keir Starmer says Russia could attack Nato within 4 years

His comments echo similar time frames expressed by other European leaders and Nato chief Mark Rutte.

5 hours agovideocam

Politics

Philippines’ UN defeat: a result of domestic ‘political circus’, close ties with US?

Kyrgyzstan won a seat on the UN Security Council due to perceptions of its neutrality and Central Asia’s under-representation, analysts say.

5 Jun 2026 - 8:21PM

Philippine police crowd control personnel block pro-Vice-President Sara Duterte protesters outside the Senate of the Philippines, in Manila last month. Photo: AP

United States & Canada

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ted Lasso actor Anthony Head dies aged 72

Head was best known as monster-hunting librarian Rupert Giles in the cult US supernatural television series.

2 hours ago

The cast of the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. From left to right: Alyson Hannigan, Nicholas Brendon, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Anthony Head and Charisma Carpenter. Photo: 20th Television

Europe

Death of girl, 11, in France sparks storm over cracks in judicial system

The suspect in Lyhanna’s disappearance previously faced multiple allegations of preying on young victims but was not taken into custody.

1 hour ago

Banking & Finance

Hong Kong’s proposed fund talent tax break set to sharpen edge over Singapore

Incentive will give Hong Kong the lowest tax rate globally for fund managers whose income is largely driven by performance fees, sources say.

5 Jun 2026 - 2:30PM

LATEST

1 hour ago

United States & Canada

Trump urges new spy chief Pulte to gut US intelligence community

2 hours ago

Europe

Death of girl, 11, in France sparks storm over cracks in judicial system

3 hours ago

Europe

First AI-designed ‘universal vaccine’ tested in humans

3 hours ago

United States & Canada

US judge strikes down Trump policies targeting immigrants from 39 countries

3 hours ago

United States & Canada

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ted Lasso actor Anthony Head dies aged 72

4 hours ago

Tennis

Chwalinska hopes for perfect end to dream run in French Open final against Andreeva

4 hours ago

United States & Canada

Astronauts take shelter as air leaks worsen on International Space Station

5 hours ago

US

How Chinese drink chains are testing the limits of soft power

5 hours ago

Law and Crime

Hong Kong man arrested for allegedly groping schoolgirl on bus

5 hours ago

Europe

UK’s Keir Starmer says Russia could attack Nato within 4 years

MORE LATEST NEWS

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

US President Donald Trump listening to a speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping at a state banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, last week. Photo: Reuters

SCMP Series Trump’s 2026 trip to China

China will buy at least US$17 billion of US farm goods annually, White House says

The agreement was struck at the recent summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to US fact sheet.

3-MIN READ

How will Beijing judge Trump’s take on Taiwan? Look for 1 critical factor

3-MIN READvideocam

How China and the US felt the weight of history behind Trump and Xi’s meeting

2-MIN READvideocam

Open Questions series

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

Diplomacy

Open Questions | Stable US-China ties? It won’t last long, Evan Medeiros says

After Trump’s China trip, political scientist gives his assessment on Taiwan, trade leverage, the Iran war and Beijing’s tensions with Tokyo.

9-MIN READvideocam

Politics

Open Questions | Mainland China’s Wu Yongping on what the Xi-Trump summit means for Taiwan

Regardless of the meeting’s outcome, the trend towards resolution of the Taiwan question won’t change, according to the Tsinghua academic.

12-MIN READ

Politics

Open Questions | Taiwan’s Cheng Li-wun on cross-strait peace, meeting Xi and managing US ties

Kuomintang chairwoman says hostility towards mainland is a product of political engineering that does not reflect reality of Taiwan.

17-MIN READvideocam

Key Industries:

United States & Canada

US takes step to halt Nvidia AI chip shipments to Chinese overseas subsidiaries

Surprise move suggests US chips may have been making their way to the subsidiaries of Chinese firms based in places such as Malaysia.

2-MIN READvideocam

The Nvidia headquarters in Santa Clara, California. Photo: Getty Images / TNS

Big Tech

China launches space computing hub as SpaceX gears up for historic IPO

New institute highlights Beijing’s bid to leapfrog energy bottlenecks and underscores how tech race with US is moving off-planet.

2-MIN READ

Tech Trends

Chinese researchers tackle AI training bottleneck for household robots

The framework breaks the constraints of conventional indoor scene generation, which has long been confined to single-room layouts.

2-MIN READ

China EVs

Why foreign marques are struggling to keep pace with Chinese EV demand

Domestic brands surge on fresh incentives and better batteries, while foreign carmakers fail to sustain their earlier market share.

2-MIN READ

Chinese EVs recovered firmly in May, with Zeekr breaking its monthly delivery record. Photo: AP

Health & Environment

‘Silent killer’: the race to beat cancer in Hong Kong

Despite a rising number of cancer cases in Hong Kong, survival rates are improving. Here is what you need to know.

1-MIN READ

‘Silent killer’: the race to beat cancer in Hong Kong

Global Economy

China and Japan aren’t talking. Will their rare earth trade go quiet?

With bilateral relations at a low and Beijing already enacting limited export controls on critical minerals, fears of a broader ban grow.

7-MIN READvideocam

Diplomacy

Why the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation isn’t Nato for Iran

Central Asian members in particular see bloc’s main value as preserving their sovereignty rather than enabling collective military action.

6-MIN READvideocam

Science

How Chinese green tech and investment are reshaping the Central Asian landscape

As the belt and road pivots towards clean energy, Kazakhstan and its neighbours are emerging as top partners for Beijing-backed projects.

6-MIN READvideocam

How Chinese drink chains are testing the limits of soft power

New tea and coffee brands from China are winning customers across America, but their broader influence remains unclear.

Hong Kong author Kit Fan on ‘reverse migration’, identity and his new novel

China launches space computing hub as SpaceX gears up for historic IPO

New institute highlights Beijing’s bid to leapfrog energy bottlenecks and underscores how tech race with US is moving off-planet.

Summer most likely window for US attack on Cuba, Chinese defence tech firm says

Using tracking data and AI, Jingan Technology suggests ‘decapitation’ operation more probable than full-scale invasion.

Hong Kong ideal platform for Uzbek firms to spread wings globally, John Lee says

City leader invites Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov to be keynote speaker at coming Belt and Road Summit to be held in Hong Kong in September.

China debuts world’s first superfast quantum memory enabling practical computing

Chinese black hole-hunting scientist Dai Liang quits US for Shanghai post

The physicist who received a fellowship reserved for the ‘brightest young scientists’ in North America has joined Fudan University.

Xi Jinping’s ‘chief of staff’ Cai Qi takes Central Party School helm

Politburo Standing Committee member Cai, who ranks fifth in the Communist Party hierarchy, will head the elite cadre college.

Most Asia-Pacific firms use AI for tasks without cutting jobs: survey

About 74 per cent of companies surveyed across industries in the Asia-Pacific have deployed or piloted AI programmes.

.css-12ooj4n{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;}How Changan Automobile’s design-driven brand strategy shapes its global expansion plans

Klaus Zyciora, vice-president of the Chinese carmaker, says its innovative, smart, low-carbon vehicles can entice customers around the world.

Chinese researchers tackle AI training bottleneck for household robots

The framework breaks the constraints of conventional indoor scene generation, which has long been confined to single-room layouts.

Trump urges new spy chief Pulte to gut US intelligence community

The president wants his acting Director of National Intelligence to start firing employees, saying the office has too many staff.

First AI-designed ‘universal vaccine’ tested in humans

The experimental jab is intended to target a wide range of viruses, including those behind deadly outbreaks like Sars, Mers and Covid-19.

EU needs a ‘dedicated instrument’ to unwind China dependencies, trade chief says

The bloc may force companies to diversify their suppliers, after Beijing’s use of export controls put pressure on EU industry.

Astronauts take shelter as air leaks worsen on International Space Station

Nasa gave an order to prepare for evacuation amid a disagreement with Russia on how to repair the cracks.

Hong Kong tour guide stripped of licence over coercing visitors into shopping

Disciplinary action by Travel Industry Authority is second of its kind in less than two months.

UK’s Keir Starmer says Russia could attack Nato within 4 years

His comments echo similar time frames expressed by other European leaders and Nato chief Mark Rutte.

Philippines’ UN defeat: a result of domestic ‘political circus’, close ties with US?

Kyrgyzstan won a seat on the UN Security Council due to perceptions of its neutrality and Central Asia’s under-representation, analysts say.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ted Lasso actor Anthony Head dies aged 72

Head was best known as monster-hunting librarian Rupert Giles in the cult US supernatural television series.

Death of girl, 11, in France sparks storm over cracks in judicial system

The suspect in Lyhanna’s disappearance previously faced multiple allegations of preying on young victims but was not taken into custody.

Hong Kong’s proposed fund talent tax break set to sharpen edge over Singapore

Incentive will give Hong Kong the lowest tax rate globally for fund managers whose income is largely driven by performance fees, sources say.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}As I see it | Trump is turning allies and partners into friends of China

Outside In | Europe blaming China for trade imbalance ignores its own policy failures

Opinion | For airport city to take off, Hong Kong must learn from 11 Skies failure

Letters | China-Russia partnership has limits after all

Opinion | UK could take a leaf out of Hong Kong’s supply-side economics

Trump urges new spy chief Pulte to gut US intelligence community

Death of girl, 11, in France sparks storm over cracks in judicial system

First AI-designed ‘universal vaccine’ tested in humans

US judge strikes down Trump policies targeting immigrants from 39 countries

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ted Lasso actor Anthony Head dies aged 72

Chwalinska hopes for perfect end to dream run in French Open final against Andreeva

Astronauts take shelter as air leaks worsen on International Space Station

How Chinese drink chains are testing the limits of soft power

Hong Kong man arrested for allegedly groping schoolgirl on bus

UK’s Keir Starmer says Russia could attack Nato within 4 years

China will buy at least US$17 billion of US farm goods annually, White House says

The agreement was struck at the recent summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to US fact sheet.

How will Beijing judge Trump’s take on Taiwan? Look for 1 critical factor

How China and the US felt the weight of history behind Trump and Xi’s meeting

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}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.

Open Questions | Stable US-China ties? It won’t last long, Evan Medeiros says

After Trump’s China trip, political scientist gives his assessment on Taiwan, trade leverage, the Iran war and Beijing’s tensions with Tokyo.

Open Questions | Mainland China’s Wu Yongping on what the Xi-Trump summit means for Taiwan

Regardless of the meeting’s outcome, the trend towards resolution of the Taiwan question won’t change, according to the Tsinghua academic.

Open Questions | Taiwan’s Cheng Li-wun on cross-strait peace, meeting Xi and managing US ties

Kuomintang chairwoman says hostility towards mainland is a product of political engineering that does not reflect reality of Taiwan.

US takes step to halt Nvidia AI chip shipments to Chinese overseas subsidiaries

Surprise move suggests US chips may have been making their way to the subsidiaries of Chinese firms based in places such as Malaysia.

China launches space computing hub as SpaceX gears up for historic IPO

New institute highlights Beijing’s bid to leapfrog energy bottlenecks and underscores how tech race with US is moving off-planet.

Chinese researchers tackle AI training bottleneck for household robots

The framework breaks the constraints of conventional indoor scene generation, which has long been confined to single-room layouts.

Why foreign marques are struggling to keep pace with Chinese EV demand

Domestic brands surge on fresh incentives and better batteries, while foreign carmakers fail to sustain their earlier market share.

‘Silent killer’: the race to beat cancer in Hong Kong

Despite a rising number of cancer cases in Hong Kong, survival rates are improving. Here is what you need to know.

China and Japan aren’t talking. Will their rare earth trade go quiet?

With bilateral relations at a low and Beijing already enacting limited export controls on critical minerals, fears of a broader ban grow.

Why the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation isn’t Nato for Iran

How Changan Automobile’s design-driven brand strategy shapes its global expansion plans

As I see it | Trump is turning allies and partners into friends of China

Open Questions | Hong Kong must embrace ‘bipolar’ role to thrive in its ‘Stage 3.0’: Charles Li