Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

The Tanco mine in Canada is among the major global commercial sources of caesium. China’s Sinomine Resources controls operations here. Photo: Handout

Can China’s caesium-from-brine tech cut reliance on Canadian, Australian ores?

Research team lead says while China follows research on salt lake resource extraction, ‘most efforts focus on lithium and potassium’.

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Why China is looking to coal waste as a source of critical metals

Science

Diplomacy

China-UK ties thaw: Wang urges that they ‘further communicate’, align positions

Citing global turbulence, Beijing’s top diplomat also calls for stronger ‘high-level exchanges’ and ‘more tangible and visible outcomes’.

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Global Economy

The next tech war? Why biotech may become a new US-China battleground

China’s biotech industry is rapidly moving up the value chain, prompting fears in the US and calls for tighter controls.

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Society

Protection order sought for baby after parents arrested in DNA test refusal case

Security minister says mother of two-month-old Danny has so far been unable to provide any prenatal check-up or medical records.

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Science

Leading cartographic scientist Zhou Chenghu is being investigated by central and local anti-corruption bodies for “suspected serious violations of duty”, Central Commission for Discipline Inspection has confirmed. Photo: Handout

Top Chinese map-making scientist Zhou Chenghu netted in anti-corruption sweep

China Economy

Australian beef will soon be hit by 55% tariff in China, ministry says

China’s imports of Australian beef are about to surpass a quota introduced by Beijing to protect domestic farmers.

2 Jun 2026 - 6:30PM

Farmers look at cattle at a weekly livestock sale in New South Wales, Australia. China is a major export market for Australian beef producers. Photo: AFP

Diplomacy

Trump taps housing regulator Bill Pulte as acting intelligence chief

The close ally with no known intelligence experience will oversee 18 US agencies while keeping his current role regulating mortgage market.

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Health & Environment

Bangladesh faces further measles risk due to lack of vaccinations, travel

Nearly 600 people have died from the disease, with over 60,000 suspected cases in the country since mid-March.

54 minutes 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

Big Tech

How Meituan’s US$1b bets on AI, robotics outshine quarterly loss

Investment windfall provides cushion as core-business margins face intense pressure from battle with Alibaba Group Holding and JD.com.

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Meituan drivers gather during a break in a commercial district in Chongqing on November 21, 2025. Photo: Getty Images

Policy

Mainland Chinese locked out of Computex Taipei amid cross-strait tensions

Two travel agencies specialising in cross-strait travel say none of their clients have received entry-permit approvals this year.

2 Jun 2026 - 6:00PM

China

Putin in Beijing, ‘China shock’ in EU: 7 global relations reads

From ‘miscalculation’ by the Dutch navy to China on Iran mediation, here are highlights from the SCMP’s overseas correspondents in May 2026.

3 hours ago

Law and Crime

Hong Kong pair convicted of murder and HK$3.6 million ransom blackmail plot

Pair killed the man at a village temple over a financial dispute, buried his body in cement, then attempted to extort his wife for his ‘release’.

6 hours ago

One of the suspects being escorted by police officers on a hillside near Ping Yeung Village in Ta Kwu Ling after the 2022 murder. Photo: Jelly Tse

Diplomacy

US’ Cuba-China fears, Panama pressure: Latin America relations reads

From Argentina’s shrinking China lifeline to the US’ Cuba worries, here are highlights from the SCMP’s foreign correspondents in May 2026.

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Students from military schools take part in an “anti-imperialist” protest against the American incursion in Venezuela, in front of the US Embassy in Havana in January. Photo: AFP via Getty Images/TNS

China Business

The big scoop: lemon tea chain to revamp Haagen-Dazs’ struggling China business

General Mills offloads ice cream brand’s China stores, as foreign businesses revamp models amid heated domestic competition.

6 hours ago

Europe

Sweden prepares prisons for 13-year-old gang killers

Gangs use social media to recruit teenagers, and in some cases children as young as 11, to commit murders and bombings across the Nordics.

4 hours ago

Entertainment

Review | Masters of the Universe: He-Man returns in a glorious nostalgia trip

Nicholas Galitzine stars as He-Man beside Idris Elba, Jared Leto and Camila Mendes in a film that shows the 1980s hero still has the power.

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(From left) Idris Elba, Nicholas Galitzine and Camila Mendes in a still from Masters of the Universe (category: IIA), directed by Travis Knight and co-starring Jared Leto.

Africa

Protests over US Ebola centre in Kenya kill 2

A Kenyan court blocked the proposed US Ebola quarantine centre for another three weeks.

6 hours ago

A man takes part in a protest on Monday against a US-backed Ebola quarantine plan on the establishment of a 50-bed facility at a Kenyan air force base that was intended to host Americans exposed to Ebola, in Nanyuki town, in Laikipia County. Photo: Reuters

Society

Hong Kong to keep ‘open mind’ on options for struggling postal service

Government ‘comprehensively’ reviewing Hongkong Post’s operating model and will submit a report on the long-term road map in three years.

2 hours ago

Military

South Korea and Japan eye military logistics pact. Should China be wary?

Northeast Asian neighbours signal closer security ties, but wartime history and Seoul-Beijing relations could stand in the way, analysts say.

4 hours ago

OPINION

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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

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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.

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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.

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

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Alibaba elevates tech chief Wu Zeming to elite committee amid AI push

Wu joins Jack Ma and Joe Tsai in committee of five overseeing group that steers company’s strategy.

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ByteDance loses key AI research leader behind Seed models

Gu Quanquan helped oversee the tech giant’s release of its latest flagship AI model, Seed 2.0.

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Tencent shares jump 10% on expectations of AI agent within WeChat

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Tencent has repeatedly stressed its cautious approach to adding an agent to its super app. Photo: Reuters

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

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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.

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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.

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

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Can China’s caesium-from-brine tech cut reliance on Canadian, Australian ores?

Research team lead says while China follows research on salt lake resource extraction, ‘most efforts focus on lithium and potassium’.

Why China is looking to coal waste as a source of critical metals

China-UK ties thaw: Wang urges that they ‘further communicate’, align positions

Citing global turbulence, Beijing’s top diplomat also calls for stronger ‘high-level exchanges’ and ‘more tangible and visible outcomes’.

The next tech war? Why biotech may become a new US-China battleground

China’s biotech industry is rapidly moving up the value chain, prompting fears in the US and calls for tighter controls.

Protection order sought for baby after parents arrested in DNA test refusal case

Security minister says mother of two-month-old Danny has so far been unable to provide any prenatal check-up or medical records.

Top Chinese map-making scientist Zhou Chenghu netted in anti-corruption sweep

Australian beef will soon be hit by 55% tariff in China, ministry says

China’s imports of Australian beef are about to surpass a quota introduced by Beijing to protect domestic farmers.

Trump taps housing regulator Bill Pulte as acting intelligence chief

The close ally with no known intelligence experience will oversee 18 US agencies while keeping his current role regulating mortgage market.

Bangladesh faces further measles risk due to lack of vaccinations, travel

Nearly 600 people have died from the disease, with over 60,000 suspected cases in the country since mid-March.

.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.

How Meituan’s US$1b bets on AI, robotics outshine quarterly loss

Investment windfall provides cushion as core-business margins face intense pressure from battle with Alibaba Group Holding and JD.com.

Mainland Chinese locked out of Computex Taipei amid cross-strait tensions

Two travel agencies specialising in cross-strait travel say none of their clients have received entry-permit approvals this year.

Putin in Beijing, ‘China shock’ in EU: 7 global relations reads

From ‘miscalculation’ by the Dutch navy to China on Iran mediation, here are highlights from the SCMP’s overseas correspondents in May 2026.

Hong Kong pair convicted of murder and HK$3.6 million ransom blackmail plot

Pair killed the man at a village temple over a financial dispute, buried his body in cement, then attempted to extort his wife for his ‘release’.

US’ Cuba-China fears, Panama pressure: Latin America relations reads

From Argentina’s shrinking China lifeline to the US’ Cuba worries, here are highlights from the SCMP’s foreign correspondents in May 2026.

The big scoop: lemon tea chain to revamp Haagen-Dazs’ struggling China business

General Mills offloads ice cream brand’s China stores, as foreign businesses revamp models amid heated domestic competition.

Sweden prepares prisons for 13-year-old gang killers

Gangs use social media to recruit teenagers, and in some cases children as young as 11, to commit murders and bombings across the Nordics.

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}Review | Masters of the Universe: He-Man returns in a glorious nostalgia trip

Nicholas Galitzine stars as He-Man beside Idris Elba, Jared Leto and Camila Mendes in a film that shows the 1980s hero still has the power.

Protests over US Ebola centre in Kenya kill 2

A Kenyan court blocked the proposed US Ebola quarantine centre for another three weeks.

Hong Kong to keep ‘open mind’ on options for struggling postal service

Government ‘comprehensively’ reviewing Hongkong Post’s operating model and will submit a report on the long-term road map in three years.

South Korea and Japan eye military logistics pact. Should China be wary?

Northeast Asian neighbours signal closer security ties, but wartime history and Seoul-Beijing relations could stand in the way, analysts say.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}As I see it | How adversity has guided the path of Chinese civilisation through the ages

Opinion | How foreign investors should view China’s ‘little giants’ scheme

Letters | Asia can’t wait for the US to lift its naval blockade on Iran

Opinion | US-China rivalry is making Asia’s space economy more confrontational

Editorial | SpaceX IPO lift-off could test global equity bull run

Trump taps housing regulator Bill Pulte as acting intelligence chief

New York Knicks aim to end 53-year title drought against Spurs in NBA Finals

Hong Kong to keep ‘open mind’ on options for struggling postal service

US proposes 25% tariff to punish Brazil over trade practices

Bangladesh faces further measles risk due to lack of vaccinations, travel

Video | Hong Kong parents of baby with no legal identity arrested

Can China’s caesium-from-brine tech cut reliance on Canadian, Australian ores?

Putin in Beijing, ‘China shock’ in EU: 7 global relations reads

US’ Cuba-China fears, Panama pressure: Latin America relations reads

Hong Kong rolls out summer deals, events to mark 50 years of dragon boat races

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

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.

Alibaba elevates tech chief Wu Zeming to elite committee amid AI push

Wu joins Jack Ma and Joe Tsai in committee of five overseeing group that steers company’s strategy.

ByteDance loses key AI research leader behind Seed models

Gu Quanquan helped oversee the tech giant’s release of its latest flagship AI model, Seed 2.0.

Tencent shares jump 10% on expectations of AI agent within WeChat

An AI agent would leverage the app’s ecosystem of mini-programs, payments, content and commerce for 1.4 billion users.

‘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

Review | Masters of the Universe: He-Man returns in a glorious nostalgia trip

As I see it | How adversity has guided the path of Chinese civilisation through the ages