China’s expat pilots; Indonesian woman faints after 140 lashes: SCMP’s 7 highlights
From a Chinese vessel shadowing US aircraft carrier to Hong Kong graduates’ job outlook, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting
1. USS Abraham Lincoln is in the Arabian Sea. So is a Chinese vessel
A Chinese research vessel has been operating in Middle Eastern waters close to a US aircraft carrier, according to ship-tracking data, at a time of heightened American military presence near Iran.
2. China’s expat pilots arrived on a red carpet – now, they’re taking a red-eye out
When the first cohort of elite foreign captains parachuted into Chinese airlines in the 2000s, their sky-high pay – sometimes reaching 1 million yuan a year – raised eyebrows among their Chinese counterparts. Two decades on, however, the number of foreigners flying in China has dwindled to a near-negligible amount.
3. 55% plunge in new hires as Hong Kong graduates face gloomiest outlook in 5 years
University graduates in Hong Kong are facing the gloomiest employment market since 2021, with the number of available jobs plunging by 55 per cent in 2025 and the average salary of new hires increasing by only 0.5 per cent year on year.