Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

Premier Li Qiang presides over a State Council group study session on energy development on Monday. Photo Xinhua

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.

1 hour agovideocam

China’s trade with Iran, Gulf states plunges as Hormuz crisis hits energy flows

China energy security

Science

Can this Chinese plasma mill grind American tech dominance to dust?

New technology may allow the microscopic powders used in advanced weapon systems to be produced on a much larger scale.

30 minutes ago

Military

China urges US ‘sincerity’ on Iran, warns of Japan’s nuclear ambitions

Beijing also outlines progress in disarmament and its long-standing policies in first such report since 2021.

1 hour agovideocam

Business

Hong Kong property investment soars on lower funding costs, rising demand

Hong Kong’s commercial property market draws US$1.6 billion in the first quarter, driven by office, retail and hotel demand amid lower Hibor rates.

10 minutes ago

US-Israel war on Iran

US President Donald Trump says he won’t lift the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz until there is a deal with Iran. Photo: TNS

Trump, Iran and the Strait of Hormuz: here’s what happened overnight

Policy

Hidden office, fractured bone: violent clashes in China’s food safety crackdown

Details of secrecy, obstruction and violence emerge from a probe into 67,000 ‘ghost’ bakeries across China’s biggest e-commerce platforms.

28 minutes ago

Regulators have imposed the heaviest fine of 1.51 billion yuan on PDD and suspended it from adding new bakery merchants for nine months. Photo: Reuters

China Economy

China’s vast nuclear power sector now able to build 50 reactors at a time

China has more reactors under construction than the rest of the world combined, as it aims to become a global leader in nuclear power.

5 hours agovideocam

Health & Environment

Big one coming? Japan issues megaquake advisory after magnitude 7.7 shock

The Japan Meteorological Agency has upped the risk of a megaquake to 1 per cent, compared to 0.1 per cent at other times.

3 hours agovideocam

Business

How Hong Kong’s role as innovation hub helps healthcare and biotech firms

Government initiative OASES supports GSK and Tigermed as they expand clinical trials and collaboration in mainland China and beyond.

In partnership with:

OASES

Hong Kong has introduced a range of measures to nurture biotechnology start-ups and attract more clinical research projects as part of its plan to become a global health and medical innovation hub. Photo: Shutterstock

Companies

Sino Land-led consortium clinches Kam Sheung Road Phase Two with US$1.7 billion

Sino Land chairman Daryl Ng said the Kam Sheung Road project marks a key step in advancing the Northern Metropolis.

58 minutes ago

Sino Land chairman Daryl Ng Wing Kong. Photo: Handout

Big Tech

Open or closed? Moonshot AI keeps its code out in the open

Open-source push continues with Kimi K2.6, but pressure to monetise is nudging some Chinese AI firms behind closed doors.

22 minutes ago

Politics

Why Indonesia is ceding its role as Asean’s natural leader to Singapore

For decades, Indonesia’s standing was a given. A new survey suggests the region’s opinion leaders are no longer so sure.

5 hours agovideocam

Science

Chinese scientists replicate eel’s 6,000km breeding journey inside research pool

Team overcomes key artificial breeding challenge by simulating conditions found in the depths of the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana Trench.

2 hours agovideocam

China accounts for 75 per cent of the world’s farmed eels, stocked with fry sourced from net fishing. Photo: AFP

People

South Korean police seek arrest warrant for Hybe’s Bang after travel request

The US embassy in Seoul reportedly asked authorities to allow Bang to travel while under investigation for fraudulent stock trading.

1 hour agovideocam

Hybe chairman Bang Si-hyuk answers reporters’ question upon his arrival at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on September 15, 2025. Photo: Newsis/AP

Law and Crime

Hong Kong seeks to seize HK$56.5 million, 17 companies from jailed Jimmy Lai

Secretary for justice has applied to the High Court to seize Lai’s assets linked to national security offences.

55 minutes ago

Transport

2 women killed in separate traffic accidents involving goods vehicle and coach

Hong Kong police detain drivers aged 36 and 67, respectively, after their vehicles crash into pedestrians on Cha Kwo Ling Road and Kwu Tung Road.

3 hours ago

Science

China achieves a world first, updating stabilisers for renewable energy grids

Researchers said their 35kV direct-connection synchronous condenser successfully passed testing, in repurposing of old technology.

21 Apr 2026 - 12:00PMvideocam

The 35kV high-voltage direct-connection synchronous condenser developed by Chinese researchers. Photo: Handout

Europe

Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ law breaches EU rules as court ruling hailed as ‘historic’

The European Court of Justice rules that the rights of transgender and non-heterosexual individuals in Hungary have been infringed upon.

2 hours ago

People carry a Rainbow flag at the Budapest Pride parade held in Hungary’s capital last year. Photo: AFP

China Economy

China’s youth unemployment crunch deepens as record graduation season looms

China’s official youth jobless rate climbed to 16.9 per cent in March, with another 12.7 million graduates set to enter the job market this summer.

21 Apr 2026 - 1:01PM

Europe

Ex-official says he felt pressure from UK PM’s office to approve Mandelson

The statement by Olly Robbins, the foreign ministry’s ex-top official, comes as the Mandelson row continues to put pressure on Keir ⁠Starmer.

1 hour ago

OPINION

William Figueroa

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

4 hours ago

Brian Y. S. Wong

Opinion | The world can look to Hong Kong as a pioneer of ethical AI

21 Apr 2026 - 9:30AM

Letters

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

21 Apr 2026 - 11:30AM

SCMP Editorial

Editorial | As Tai Po fire victims return to flats, Hong Kong looks for closure

21 Apr 2026 - 6:45AM

Julien Chaisse

Opinion | How new US-Indonesia defence pact sharpens China’s ‘Malacca dilemma’

21 Apr 2026 - 5:30AM

Harry’s View | 21 Apr 2026

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14 minutes ago

Southeast Asia

World’s top condom maker to raise prices by up to 30% over Iran war

21 minutes ago

Hong Kong Economy

Fujii Kaze pulls plug on Hong Kong show as Japanese acts shun city

28 minutes ago

Policy

Hidden office, fractured bone: violent clashes in China’s food safety crackdown

30 minutes ago

Science

Can this Chinese plasma mill grind American tech dominance to dust?

58 minutes ago

Companies

Sino Land-led consortium clinches Kam Sheung Road Phase Two with US$1.7 billion

58 minutes ago

Business

Hong Kong property investment soars on lower funding costs, rising demand

1 hour ago

HK Sevens

Hong Kong rugby legend Salom Yiu hopes more Chinese people take up the sport

1 hour ago

Entertainment

How a Hong Kong indie film uses tea to bridge the city’s ethnic minority divide

1 hour ago

Europe

Ex-official says he felt pressure from UK PM’s office to approve Mandelson

1 hour ago

People

South Korean police seek arrest warrant for Hybe’s Bang after travel request

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SCMP Series

US-Israel war on Iran

AI's impact on Hong Kong

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SCMP Series US-Israel war on Iran

Iran war: is the US shifting away from its strategy of precision strikes?

As the conflict has intensified, more energy and civilian sites have been targeted in what is seen as a broader approach.

9 Apr 2026 - 9:26AMvideocam

What is the war on Iran teaching China about the United States’ resilience?

8 Apr 2026 - 11:10AMvideocam

How lessons from Iran war could shape mainland China’s Taiwan calculus

7 Apr 2026 - 2:20AMvideocam

Open Questions series

Diplomacy

Open Questions | ‘Saying you’re a geopolitical actor doesn’t make it so’: Sven Biscop on Europe

The Belgian political scientist on what the Iran war and the transatlantic collision reveal about Europe’s place in a fast-changing world.

20 Apr 2026 - 10:05AMvideocam

Science

Open Questions | What an ancient Chinese map reveals about global history: Sheng-Wei Wang

Kunyu Wanguo Quantu and maritime artefacts prove China explored the world earlier than Eurocentric accounts suggest, scholar argues.

13 Apr 2026 - 8:15AMvideocam

China Economy

Open Questions | Andrew Tilton on China’s economic trajectory in wake of Iran war

Goldman Sachs’ chief Asia-Pacific economist says worst is over in terms of property slump’s impact on China’s economic growth.

6 Apr 2026 - 10:01AMvideocam

China Economy

Open Questions | Kenneth Rogoff on why China’s yuan will be a reserve currency within 5 years

Harvard economist explains why cryptocurrencies will never take the US dollar’s place, despite their popularity in underground economies.

30 Mar 2026 - 10:03AMvideocam

Key Industries:

China Business

China’s drug makers are speeding up – will AI be their secret weapon?

Chinese biotech firms are striking big global deals as drug makers, but could artificial intelligence take them to the next level?

18 Apr 2026 - 11:05AM

China Economy

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.

1 hour agovideocam

China EVs

Jump in EU EV sales amid Iran war boosts Chinese brands’ fortunes

Chinese-made EVs accounted for 16 per cent of the EU market in the year’s first two months, up from 12.2 per cent in 2025, CPCA data shows.

21 Apr 2026 - 7:30AM

Tech Trends

Huawei launches AI glasses as China battle for smart wearables intensifies

Huawei’s debut adds momentum to China’s booming smart eyewear market, which saw shipments surge 35-fold in 2025.

21 Apr 2026 - 11:15AM

Huawei’s new AI eyewear weighs 35.5 grams and features various functions ranging from voice interaction to payments. Photo: Handout

Politics

How China is reinforcing its ‘legal shield’ against foreign pressure

New rules take aim at sanctions and ‘long-arm jurisdiction’, and the Strait of Hormuz crisis could provide a high-stakes testing ground.

21 Apr 2026 - 6:46AM

Diplomacy

The rupture: how Europe fell out of love with America

Many believed the transatlantic alliance could weather another term of Trump, but a year and a half on those hopes have largely faded.

19 Apr 2026 - 1:32AMvideocam

Sport

Rugby’s greatest weekend: 50 years of the Hong Kong Sevens - an infographic

See the world’s top teams compete at Kai Tak Stadium on April 17-19 and celebrate 50 years of Hong Kong Sevens history, tries and triumphs.

16 Apr 2026 - 8:15PM

China Business

China’s drug makers are speeding up – will AI be their secret weapon?

Chinese biotech firms are striking big global deals as drug makers, but could artificial intelligence take them to the next level?

18 Apr 2026 - 11:05AM

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.

China’s trade with Iran, Gulf states plunges as Hormuz crisis hits energy flows

Can this Chinese plasma mill grind American tech dominance to dust?

New technology may allow the microscopic powders used in advanced weapon systems to be produced on a much larger scale.

China urges US ‘sincerity’ on Iran, warns of Japan’s nuclear ambitions

Beijing also outlines progress in disarmament and its long-standing policies in first such report since 2021.

Hong Kong property investment soars on lower funding costs, rising demand

Hong Kong’s commercial property market draws US$1.6 billion in the first quarter, driven by office, retail and hotel demand amid lower Hibor rates.

Trump, Iran and the Strait of Hormuz: here’s what happened overnight

Hidden office, fractured bone: violent clashes in China’s food safety crackdown

Details of secrecy, obstruction and violence emerge from a probe into 67,000 ‘ghost’ bakeries across China’s biggest e-commerce platforms.

China’s vast nuclear power sector now able to build 50 reactors at a time

China has more reactors under construction than the rest of the world combined, as it aims to become a global leader in nuclear power.

Big one coming? Japan issues megaquake advisory after magnitude 7.7 shock

The Japan Meteorological Agency has upped the risk of a megaquake to 1 per cent, compared to 0.1 per cent at other times.

.css-12ooj4n{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;}How Hong Kong’s role as innovation hub helps healthcare and biotech firms

Government initiative OASES supports GSK and Tigermed as they expand clinical trials and collaboration in mainland China and beyond.

Sino Land-led consortium clinches Kam Sheung Road Phase Two with US$1.7 billion

Sino Land chairman Daryl Ng said the Kam Sheung Road project marks a key step in advancing the Northern Metropolis.

Open or closed? Moonshot AI keeps its code out in the open

Open-source push continues with Kimi K2.6, but pressure to monetise is nudging some Chinese AI firms behind closed doors.

Why Indonesia is ceding its role as Asean’s natural leader to Singapore

For decades, Indonesia’s standing was a given. A new survey suggests the region’s opinion leaders are no longer so sure.

Chinese scientists replicate eel’s 6,000km breeding journey inside research pool

Team overcomes key artificial breeding challenge by simulating conditions found in the depths of the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana Trench.

South Korean police seek arrest warrant for Hybe’s Bang after travel request

The US embassy in Seoul reportedly asked authorities to allow Bang to travel while under investigation for fraudulent stock trading.

Hong Kong seeks to seize HK$56.5 million, 17 companies from jailed Jimmy Lai

Secretary for justice has applied to the High Court to seize Lai’s assets linked to national security offences.

2 women killed in separate traffic accidents involving goods vehicle and coach

Hong Kong police detain drivers aged 36 and 67, respectively, after their vehicles crash into pedestrians on Cha Kwo Ling Road and Kwu Tung Road.

China achieves a world first, updating stabilisers for renewable energy grids

Researchers said their 35kV direct-connection synchronous condenser successfully passed testing, in repurposing of old technology.

Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ law breaches EU rules as court ruling hailed as ‘historic’

The European Court of Justice rules that the rights of transgender and non-heterosexual individuals in Hungary have been infringed upon.

China’s youth unemployment crunch deepens as record graduation season looms

China’s official youth jobless rate climbed to 16.9 per cent in March, with another 12.7 million graduates set to enter the job market this summer.

Ex-official says he felt pressure from UK PM’s office to approve Mandelson

The statement by Olly Robbins, the foreign ministry’s ex-top official, comes as the Mandelson row continues to put pressure on Keir ⁠Starmer.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | China’s diplomacy succeeds even if it doesn’t bring Middle East peace

Opinion | The world can look to Hong Kong as a pioneer of ethical AI

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Letters | How Hong Kong can attract talent and capital from the Middle East

Editorial | As Tai Po fire victims return to flats, Hong Kong looks for closure

Opinion | How new US-Indonesia defence pact sharpens China’s ‘Malacca dilemma’

World’s top condom maker to raise prices by up to 30% over Iran war

Fujii Kaze pulls plug on Hong Kong show as Japanese acts shun city

Hidden office, fractured bone: violent clashes in China’s food safety crackdown

Can this Chinese plasma mill grind American tech dominance to dust?

Sino Land-led consortium clinches Kam Sheung Road Phase Two with US$1.7 billion

Hong Kong property investment soars on lower funding costs, rising demand

Hong Kong rugby legend Salom Yiu hopes more Chinese people take up the sport

How a Hong Kong indie film uses tea to bridge the city’s ethnic minority divide

Ex-official says he felt pressure from UK PM’s office to approve Mandelson

South Korean police seek arrest warrant for Hybe’s Bang after travel request

Iran war: is the US shifting away from its strategy of precision strikes?

As the conflict has intensified, more energy and civilian sites have been targeted in what is seen as a broader approach.

What is the war on Iran teaching China about the United States’ resilience?

How lessons from Iran war could shape mainland China’s Taiwan calculus

Open Questions | ‘Saying you’re a geopolitical actor doesn’t make it so’: Sven Biscop on Europe

The Belgian political scientist on what the Iran war and the transatlantic collision reveal about Europe’s place in a fast-changing world.

Open Questions | What an ancient Chinese map reveals about global history: Sheng-Wei Wang

Kunyu Wanguo Quantu and maritime artefacts prove China explored the world earlier than Eurocentric accounts suggest, scholar argues.

Open Questions | Andrew Tilton on China’s economic trajectory in wake of Iran war

Goldman Sachs’ chief Asia-Pacific economist says worst is over in terms of property slump’s impact on China’s economic growth.

Open Questions | Kenneth Rogoff on why China’s yuan will be a reserve currency within 5 years

Harvard economist explains why cryptocurrencies will never take the US dollar’s place, despite their popularity in underground economies.

China’s drug makers are speeding up – will AI be their secret weapon?

Chinese biotech firms are striking big global deals as drug makers, but could artificial intelligence take them to the next level?

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.

Jump in EU EV sales amid Iran war boosts Chinese brands’ fortunes

Chinese-made EVs accounted for 16 per cent of the EU market in the year’s first two months, up from 12.2 per cent in 2025, CPCA data shows.

Huawei launches AI glasses as China battle for smart wearables intensifies

Huawei’s debut adds momentum to China’s booming smart eyewear market, which saw shipments surge 35-fold in 2025.

How China is reinforcing its ‘legal shield’ against foreign pressure

New rules take aim at sanctions and ‘long-arm jurisdiction’, and the Strait of Hormuz crisis could provide a high-stakes testing ground.

The rupture: how Europe fell out of love with America

Many believed the transatlantic alliance could weather another term of Trump, but a year and a half on those hopes have largely faded.

Rugby’s greatest weekend: 50 years of the Hong Kong Sevens - an infographic

How Hong Kong’s role as innovation hub helps healthcare and biotech firms

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

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