Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

AI has emerged as a key battleground in the rivalry between China and the US. Photo: Shutterstock

China’s dark compute power could be 6,000 times higher than current estimates

Domestic AI amounts to 1,882,000,000,000,000,000 calculations per second, vastly more than Western rankings suggest.

2 hours agovideocam

China defies US curbs with 60,000-chip AI research hub in self-reliance push

Science

Diplomacy

Iran latest: Trump has ‘no time frame’ to end war as world waits for peace talks

US leader sees ‘no time pressure’ on ceasefire while Iranian president says blockade, threats are ‘main obstacles to genuine negotiations’.

2 hours agovideocam

China Economy

Canton Fair defies global trends as overseas buyers flock to buy robots, drones

Foreign buyers queue up to test the latest technological hardware at China’s largest trade show despite softening international demand.

59 minutes agovideocam

Society

600 families seek second visit as worst-hit Wang Fuk Court tower reopens

Wang Cheong House most severely damaged block among eight towers at Wang Fuk Court, with 63 per cent of flats gutted and 81 people killed.

51 minutes ago

Focus

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Science & Technology

Zero H200 chips sold to China ‘as of today’, Lutnick tells US lawmakers

Commerce chief says Beijing is prioritising its own semiconductor industry when asked whether selling US chips would aid Chinese military.

2 hours agovideocam

Howard Lutnick testifies at a Senate hearing on the 2027 budget in Washington on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters

Hong Kong Economy

Exclusive | Travel scheme could allow Hong Kong, Macau yachts to sail to 6 bay area ports

Guangdong provincial government document also shows several routes recommended for leisure, such as Pearl River Delta, Castle Peak Bay.

2 hours ago

Economics

Cambodia is boycotting Thai products. Smuggled chicken could show otherwise

The Cambodian public is maintaining a boycott of Thai businesses even if the country’s economy is reeling from the global fuel crisis.

2 hours ago

Business

Lingxi Games’ Three Kingdoms Tactics hits target with global audience

Chinese game company’s flagship title among raft of nation’s simulation games to resonate with players at home and abroad.

In partnership with:

Lingxi Games

(From left) Hong Kong marketing professional Edmond Woo, mainland Chinese short‑track speed skater Han Tianyu and Beijing-based Italian language teacher and sinologist Cristiano Mazzucco discuss the impact on them of games like Three Kingdoms Tactics.

Diplomacy

US lawmakers slam China’s ‘parasitic’ theft of military and tech secrets

US senators pointed to legal channels, including work visas and university research, as potential pathways for China-linked espionage.

2 hours agovideocam

The United States and China are locked in an intense technological battle for global supremacy. Photo: Shutterstock

United States & Canada

Canada PM hits back after Trump team demands ‘entry fee’ before trade talks

Washington is reportedly seeking concessions before agreeing to open negotiations on revising the US trade pact with Canada and Mexico.

6 hours agovideocam

Southeast Asia

US intercepts Iranian tankers near India, Malaysia amid Hormuz tensions

The vessels were ordered to move away from their positions as Washington and Tehran intensify their stand-off over the waterway.

31 minutes agovideocam

China Business

Asian, emerging-market funds rotate into China and Taiwan stocks: HSBC

Fund managers shift focus to Chinese and Taiwanese stocks, while reducing exposure to South Korea amid global market turbulence.

4 hours ago

Stock indices are displayed at the Taiwan Stock Exchange in Taipei on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

Southeast Asia

Hit by Iran war, Thai hotels woo Asian guests to make up for loss of Europeans

The Thai hotel sector is seeing fewer European visitors as the conflict disrupts long-haul travel routes.

2 hours agovideocam

Tourists shield themselves from the sun with umbrellas at a temple in Bangkok, Thailand, on April 14. Photo: EPA

United States & Canada

Trump’s top Navy official out ‘immediately’ after reported clashes at Pentagon

John Phelan’s abrupt departure comes as the US Navy enforces a high-stakes blockade of Iran and follows the firing of a top US Army general.

19 minutes ago

China Economy

‘Bigger winners’: why China’s battery firms stand to gain from the Iran war

Manufacturers are expected to see stronger overseas orders even as price wars hurt profits at home.

22 Apr 2026 - 10:00PM

United States & Canada

Billionaire Justin Sun sues Trump family crypto venture

The entrepreneur says his WLFI assets were frozen by World Liberty Financial, and he has been unable to resell the electronic currency.

4 hours agovideocam

TRON founder Justin Sun speaks at an event in Seoul, South Korea, in September 2025. Photo: Reuters

Politics

‘Vindication’: ICC chamber rules case against Rodrigo Duterte to proceed

Duterte’s lawyers argue that the crimes against humanity case targeting him should not proceed as the Philippines is not an ICC member.

23 Apr 2026 - 12:04AMvideocam

Relatives of victims of ex-Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly drug war campaign react after watching a broadcast of the International Criminal Court at a gathering in Quezon City on Wednesday. Photo: EPA

United States & Canada

Trump envoy seeks to replace Iran with Italy in World Cup, report says

The plan is an attempt to mend ties with Italian PM Meloni, after she and Trump fell out over his attacks against Pope Leo.

5 hours ago

Law and Crime

Families seek review of coroner’s findings in Lamma ferry disaster inquest

Application for judicial review seeks to quash coroner’s findings that missing watertight door on ferry was a deliberate design choice.

23 Apr 2026 - 2:03AMvideocam

OPINION

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China’s dark compute power could be 6,000 times higher than current estimates

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

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

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20 Apr 2026 - 10:05AMvideocam

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

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13 Apr 2026 - 8:15AMvideocam

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Can ‘token exports’ give China an edge in the AI era?

As AI tokens emerge as a new commodity, China’s cost advantage is reshaping global model competition, though monetisation gaps remain.

22 Apr 2026 - 11:20PM

Starting this year, models from Chinese companies have intermittently ranked among the global top tier in token usage. Photo: SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

China EVs

China’s low-cost EVs to be fitted with lidar systems, usually saved for lux cars

Intense competition, rapid tech advancement and falling costs allow the superior driving systems to be fitted into budget-price vehicles.

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Biotech-led boom as 8 China firms flock to Hong Kong’s thriving stock market

AI-powered drug developer Metis TechBio leads group that includes developers of autonomous driving technology and industrial robots.

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Given cybersecurity risks in critical software, Mythos has sparked debate about whether its capabilities should be shared with China.

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Trump’s military push confronts US lawmakers and China’s shipbuilding edge

Congressional resistance, war costs and industrial limits could constrain ambitions, even as Beijing expands its naval capacity.

22 Apr 2026 - 12:55AMvideocam

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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

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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.

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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

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

China’s dark compute power could be 6,000 times higher than current estimates

Domestic AI amounts to 1,882,000,000,000,000,000 calculations per second, vastly more than Western rankings suggest.

China defies US curbs with 60,000-chip AI research hub in self-reliance push

Iran latest: Trump has ‘no time frame’ to end war as world waits for peace talks

US leader sees ‘no time pressure’ on ceasefire while Iranian president says blockade, threats are ‘main obstacles to genuine negotiations’.

Canton Fair defies global trends as overseas buyers flock to buy robots, drones

Foreign buyers queue up to test the latest technological hardware at China’s largest trade show despite softening international demand.

600 families seek second visit as worst-hit Wang Fuk Court tower reopens

Wang Cheong House most severely damaged block among eight towers at Wang Fuk Court, with 63 per cent of flats gutted and 81 people killed.

How a Chinese plastics hub shapes Tesla’s supply chain – and moulds the modern world

Zero H200 chips sold to China ‘as of today’, Lutnick tells US lawmakers

Commerce chief says Beijing is prioritising its own semiconductor industry when asked whether selling US chips would aid Chinese military.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Exclusive | Travel scheme could allow Hong Kong, Macau yachts to sail to 6 bay area ports

Guangdong provincial government document also shows several routes recommended for leisure, such as Pearl River Delta, Castle Peak Bay.

Cambodia is boycotting Thai products. Smuggled chicken could show otherwise

The Cambodian public is maintaining a boycott of Thai businesses even if the country’s economy is reeling from the global fuel crisis.

.css-12ooj4n{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;}Lingxi Games’ Three Kingdoms Tactics hits target with global audience

Chinese game company’s flagship title among raft of nation’s simulation games to resonate with players at home and abroad.

US lawmakers slam China’s ‘parasitic’ theft of military and tech secrets

US senators pointed to legal channels, including work visas and university research, as potential pathways for China-linked espionage.

Canada PM hits back after Trump team demands ‘entry fee’ before trade talks

Washington is reportedly seeking concessions before agreeing to open negotiations on revising the US trade pact with Canada and Mexico.

US intercepts Iranian tankers near India, Malaysia amid Hormuz tensions

The vessels were ordered to move away from their positions as Washington and Tehran intensify their stand-off over the waterway.

Asian, emerging-market funds rotate into China and Taiwan stocks: HSBC

Fund managers shift focus to Chinese and Taiwanese stocks, while reducing exposure to South Korea amid global market turbulence.

Hit by Iran war, Thai hotels woo Asian guests to make up for loss of Europeans

The Thai hotel sector is seeing fewer European visitors as the conflict disrupts long-haul travel routes.

Trump’s top Navy official out ‘immediately’ after reported clashes at Pentagon

John Phelan’s abrupt departure comes as the US Navy enforces a high-stakes blockade of Iran and follows the firing of a top US Army general.

‘Bigger winners’: why China’s battery firms stand to gain from the Iran war

Manufacturers are expected to see stronger overseas orders even as price wars hurt profits at home.

Billionaire Justin Sun sues Trump family crypto venture

The entrepreneur says his WLFI assets were frozen by World Liberty Financial, and he has been unable to resell the electronic currency.

‘Vindication’: ICC chamber rules case against Rodrigo Duterte to proceed

Duterte’s lawyers argue that the crimes against humanity case targeting him should not proceed as the Philippines is not an ICC member.

Trump envoy seeks to replace Iran with Italy in World Cup, report says

The plan is an attempt to mend ties with Italian PM Meloni, after she and Trump fell out over his attacks against Pope Leo.

Families seek review of coroner’s findings in Lamma ferry disaster inquest

Application for judicial review seeks to quash coroner’s findings that missing watertight door on ferry was a deliberate design choice.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Hong Kong’s education hub cannot be a one-market wonder

Opinion | Hong Kong’s stablecoin roll-out puts banks at the centre of digital money

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

Legal Tales | Being annoying is not just an annoyance, it’s harassment under tort law

Mouthing Off | Why a ParknShop-Wellcome merger isn’t cause for worry – we have plenty of choice

Film on Manila hostage crisis sparks debate over ‘secondary trauma’ in Hong Kong

US intercepts Iranian tankers near India, Malaysia amid Hormuz tensions

600 families seek second visit as worst-hit Wang Fuk Court tower reopens

Chelsea sack Liam Rosenior after less than 4 months in charge

Style Edit: Tudor’s new models at Watches and Wonders 2026

Canton Fair defies global trends as overseas buyers flock to buy robots, drones

Legal Tales | Being annoying is not just an annoyance, it’s harassment under tort law

Opinion | Hong Kong’s education hub cannot be a one-market wonder

Hit by Iran war, Thai hotels woo Asian guests to make up for loss of Europeans

China’s dark compute power could be 6,000 times higher than current estimates

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.

Can ‘token exports’ give China an edge in the AI era?

As AI tokens emerge as a new commodity, China’s cost advantage is reshaping global model competition, though monetisation gaps remain.

China’s low-cost EVs to be fitted with lidar systems, usually saved for lux cars

Intense competition, rapid tech advancement and falling costs allow the superior driving systems to be fitted into budget-price vehicles.

Biotech-led boom as 8 China firms flock to Hong Kong’s thriving stock market

AI-powered drug developer Metis TechBio leads group that includes developers of autonomous driving technology and industrial robots.

Anthropic’s Mythos is stoking cybersecurity fears. What does it mean for China?

Given cybersecurity risks in critical software, Mythos has sparked debate about whether its capabilities should be shared with China.

Trump’s military push confronts US lawmakers and China’s shipbuilding edge

Congressional resistance, war costs and industrial limits could constrain ambitions, even as Beijing expands its naval capacity.

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

Exclusive | Travel scheme could allow Hong Kong, Macau yachts to sail to 6 bay area ports

Lingxi Games’ Three Kingdoms Tactics hits target with global audience

Opinion | Hong Kong’s education hub cannot be a one-market wonder