Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

Shenzhen’s residential inventory has fallen to a seven-year low, putting it ahead of other first-tier Chinese cities in clearing excess housing stock. Photo: Getty Images

Why Shenzhen may be first to climb out of China’s property slump

Shenzhen’s housing inventory drops to a seven-year low, offering an early signal that China’s property downturn may be nearing a turning point.

2 hours ago

China property: Shanghai, Shenzhen could follow Beijing by dropping buying curbs

China property

US

Trump escapes unharmed as gunman opens fire at White House press dinner hotel

Secret Service swarms Washington Hilton and apprehends suspect; Trump invokes Lincoln after repeated assassination attempts.

13 minutes agovideocam

Diplomacy

What’s behind the surge in South Koreans travelling to China?

Wave of content creators documents life on mainland, with one saying ‘the window has opened and everyone wants to take a look inside’.

4 hours agovideocam

Hong Kong Economy

Hong Kong’s IPO market ‘exceeds’ HK$140 billion amid renewed gold trading push

Financial Secretary Paul Chan says city remains top IPO hub, citing strong demand among ‘high-quality’ companies and robust market momentum.

33 minutes ago

Focus

Will China’s mathematicians join a global effort to boycott the United States?

Health & Wellness

Are you ageing well? 5 simple tests to get a picture of your biological age

Particularly useful for over-50s, these simple physical tests can give you a better idea of your biological age and highlight any red flags.

26 Apr 2026 - 7:15AMvideocam

The “flamingo” test - balancing on one leg - is one of the ways you can assess how well you are ageing. Photo: Shutterstock

Military

Could Russian missiles help India counter its arch-rival’s Chinese weapons?

‘Force multiplier’ could allow New Delhi to target Pakistani support planes such as surveillance and refuelling aircraft.

2 hours agovideocam

Economics

At Malaysia’s arms bazaar, drone dealers chase Southeast Asian market share

‘Drone warfare is the future,’ say arms dealers in Kuala Lumpur – and the region’s militaries are buying in.

13 minutes agovideocam

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.

China

Video | Behind the viral rise of China’s ‘cyberpunk city’

Chongqing gained online fame as the ‘8D city’ due to its urban areas built on mountainous terrain, and has become a global tourist hotspot.

5 hours agovideocam

Health & Environment

Some Hong Kong trees are behaving strangely and botanists want to know why

Experts call for citywide study lasting up to decade to determine whether climate change is behind late leaf-shedding and early flowering.

3 hours ago

Lifestyle & Culture

Iconic South Korean district on the brink in divisive urban renewal fight

Conservationists worry that reshaping Seoul’s Sewoon District risks erasing both heritage and livelihoods.

4 hours ago

Diplomacy

Trump cancels envoys’ trip to Pakistan for peace talks

‘We have all the cards,’ US president declares; Iranian foreign minister leaves Islamabad.

6 hours ago

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, left, meets with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Saturday. Photo: Reuters

China Economy

Muddy yet clear-cut: How Chinese investors are turning jungle into a new capital

Chinese construction firms keen to cement trade ties with Jakarta through multimillion dollar projects to build a brand new centre of power.

5 hours agovideocam

Construction started on a Chinese-invested commercial centre at Ibu Kota Nusantara, the future Indonesian capital, on September 22, 2025. Photo: Ralph Jennings

Politics

Will South Korea or Japan develop a nuclear deterrent of their own?

Seven in 10 South Koreans tell pollsters they want the bomb. Japan’s PM refuses to rule it out. Is ‘friendly proliferation’ next?

6 hours agovideocam

Middle East

New Israeli strikes reported in Lebanon after Netanyahu orders attacks

The Israeli army has accused Hezbollah militants of breaching the recently extended ceasefire between the two countries.

26 Apr 2026 - 6:16AM

United States & Canada

‘I fought like hell’: how gunfire threw Trump’s glitzy press dinner into chaos

Panic gripped the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, sending guests diving for cover as security evacuated the US president.

29 minutes agovideocam

Guests take cover after US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner by Secret Service agents in Washington on Saturday. Photo: Reuters

Military

Will the future world order be determined by who controls low Earth orbit?

Amid Starlink’s ability to service conflict zones, Chinese article warns of ‘new form of power’ to allow or cut connectivity in real time.

25 Apr 2026 - 10:00PMvideocam

Starlink was rolled out in Ukraine in 2022 to replace internet and communication networks damaged by Russia’s invasion of the country, quickly becoming a critical tool for both civilian and military connectivity. Photo: Shutterstock

Society

Reverend Derek Li, father of injured Hong Kong Mirror dancer Mo Li, dies

Christian Ministry Institute announces death of elder Li, who spent recent years advocating for son after accident at 2022 concert.

25 Apr 2026 - 6:41PM

Americas

Explosive device kills 13 and injures 38 on bus in Colombia

At least 26 such incidents have taken place in the last two days, amid a wave of violence linked to drug-trafficking.

6 hours ago

LATEST

14 minutes ago

World

Video | Shots fired at White House correspondents’ dinner

epa12914452 US President Donald Trump participates in the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington, DC, USA, 25 April 2026. EPA/Yuri Gripas / POOL

02:14

30 minutes ago

Economics

At Malaysia’s arms bazaar, drone dealers chase Southeast Asian market share

33 minutes ago

Hong Kong Economy

Hong Kong’s IPO market ‘exceeds’ HK$140 billion amid renewed gold trading push

2 hours ago

Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s Ryan Choi shines on Los Angeles World Fencing League debut

2 hours ago

Southeast Asia

Midnight pranksters fan flames of frustration for Malaysia’s fire services

2 hours ago

Food & Drink

He swore he wouldn’t be a chef. Now he has a 2-Michelin-starred restaurant

2 hours ago

Military

Could Russian missiles help India counter its arch-rival’s Chinese weapons?

2 hours ago

Business

Why Shenzhen may be first to climb out of China’s property slump

2 hours ago

Business

2-speed recovery hits Central landlords as older towers cut rents to compete

3 hours ago

Football

Saudi PIF-owned Al-Ahli make AFC Champions League Elite history

MORE LATEST NEWS

SCMP Series

US-Israel war on Iran

AI's impact on Hong Kong

‘Two sessions’: China’s economic agenda

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:

Tech

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

Tech Trends

Underwhelming or underrated? DeepSeek V4 shows “impressive” gains

Benchmark shows V4 trailing Kimi and US frontier models, though gains raise hopes of another R1-style breakthrough.

25 Apr 2026 - 4:51PM

China EVs

Xpeng sets August goal to overtake Tesla’s self-driving tech in China

Carmaker bets on training AI in China’s dense urban roads to build a competitive advantage for expansion into Europe and Southeast Asia.

25 Apr 2026 - 12:47PM

Tech

Prognosis positive: how AI could help China bridge the medical resources gap

Hospitals, medical professionals and patients stand to benefit as country pushes to integrate AI into healthcare sector.

25 Apr 2026 - 11:06AMvideocam

Tech

Prognosis positive: how AI could help China bridge the medical resources gap

Hospitals, medical professionals and patients stand to benefit as country pushes to integrate AI into healthcare sector.

25 Apr 2026 - 11:06AMvideocam

Big Tech

As DJI duels Insta360, China sharpens global hardware edge amid US scrutiny

Western competitors like GoPro face shrinking footprints as strategic shifts of Chinese firms disrupt the status quo while navigating FCC-led national security bans.

25 Apr 2026 - 6:40AMvideocam

Hong Kong

How fire safety failures worsened Hong Kong’s deadly inferno

The second round of hearings from April 8 to April 17 exposed a series of failures that allowed the fire equipment and alarm system in Wang Fuk Court to be deactivated for months, and eventually contributed to the heavy death toll.

23 Apr 2026 - 6:04PM

Hong Kong Economy

Hongkongers find value, space and style in Shenzhen’s new cultural hotspots

Short cross‑border getaways emerging as the ‘quick escape’ of choice, with the newly opened Shenzhen Bay Culture Square adding to appeal.

24 Apr 2026 - 8:35AM

Why Shenzhen may be first to climb out of China’s property slump

Shenzhen’s housing inventory drops to a seven-year low, offering an early signal that China’s property downturn may be nearing a turning point.

China property: Shanghai, Shenzhen could follow Beijing by dropping buying curbs

Trump escapes unharmed as gunman opens fire at White House press dinner hotel

Secret Service swarms Washington Hilton and apprehends suspect; Trump invokes Lincoln after repeated assassination attempts.

What’s behind the surge in South Koreans travelling to China?

Wave of content creators documents life on mainland, with one saying ‘the window has opened and everyone wants to take a look inside’.

Hong Kong’s IPO market ‘exceeds’ HK$140 billion amid renewed gold trading push

Financial Secretary Paul Chan says city remains top IPO hub, citing strong demand among ‘high-quality’ companies and robust market momentum.

Will China’s mathematicians join a global effort to boycott the United States?

Are you ageing well? 5 simple tests to get a picture of your biological age

Particularly useful for over-50s, these simple physical tests can give you a better idea of your biological age and highlight any red flags.

Could Russian missiles help India counter its arch-rival’s Chinese weapons?

‘Force multiplier’ could allow New Delhi to target Pakistani support planes such as surveillance and refuelling aircraft.

At Malaysia’s arms bazaar, drone dealers chase Southeast Asian market share

‘Drone warfare is the future,’ say arms dealers in Kuala Lumpur – and the region’s militaries are buying in.

.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.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Video | Behind the viral rise of China’s ‘cyberpunk city’

Chongqing gained online fame as the ‘8D city’ due to its urban areas built on mountainous terrain, and has become a global tourist hotspot.

Some Hong Kong trees are behaving strangely and botanists want to know why

Experts call for citywide study lasting up to decade to determine whether climate change is behind late leaf-shedding and early flowering.

Iconic South Korean district on the brink in divisive urban renewal fight

Conservationists worry that reshaping Seoul’s Sewoon District risks erasing both heritage and livelihoods.

Trump cancels envoys’ trip to Pakistan for peace talks

‘We have all the cards,’ US president declares; Iranian foreign minister leaves Islamabad.

Muddy yet clear-cut: How Chinese investors are turning jungle into a new capital

Chinese construction firms keen to cement trade ties with Jakarta through multimillion dollar projects to build a brand new centre of power.

Will South Korea or Japan develop a nuclear deterrent of their own?

Seven in 10 South Koreans tell pollsters they want the bomb. Japan’s PM refuses to rule it out. Is ‘friendly proliferation’ next?

New Israeli strikes reported in Lebanon after Netanyahu orders attacks

The Israeli army has accused Hezbollah militants of breaching the recently extended ceasefire between the two countries.

‘I fought like hell’: how gunfire threw Trump’s glitzy press dinner into chaos

Panic gripped the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, sending guests diving for cover as security evacuated the US president.

Will the future world order be determined by who controls low Earth orbit?

Amid Starlink’s ability to service conflict zones, Chinese article warns of ‘new form of power’ to allow or cut connectivity in real time.

Reverend Derek Li, father of injured Hong Kong Mirror dancer Mo Li, dies

Christian Ministry Institute announces death of elder Li, who spent recent years advocating for son after accident at 2022 concert.

Explosive device kills 13 and injures 38 on bus in Colombia

At least 26 such incidents have taken place in the last two days, amid a wave of violence linked to drug-trafficking.

Letters | ‘Made in China’ label should be source of pride

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | 10 ways Hong Kong schools can effectively promote mental health

Editorial | Learn from Chernobyl as the world turns to nuclear energy again

Editorial | Hong Kong’s natural heritage needs preserving amid holiday crush

Opinion | To be the world No 2 financial centre, Hong Kong must be a rule maker

.css-1t72pn8{color:#C79A00;}Video | Shots fired at White House correspondents’ dinner

At Malaysia’s arms bazaar, drone dealers chase Southeast Asian market share

Hong Kong’s IPO market ‘exceeds’ HK$140 billion amid renewed gold trading push

Hong Kong’s Ryan Choi shines on Los Angeles World Fencing League debut

Midnight pranksters fan flames of frustration for Malaysia’s fire services

He swore he wouldn’t be a chef. Now he has a 2-Michelin-starred restaurant

Could Russian missiles help India counter its arch-rival’s Chinese weapons?

Why Shenzhen may be first to climb out of China’s property slump

2-speed recovery hits Central landlords as older towers cut rents to compete

Saudi PIF-owned Al-Ahli make AFC Champions League Elite history

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.

Underwhelming or underrated? DeepSeek V4 shows “impressive” gains

Benchmark shows V4 trailing Kimi and US frontier models, though gains raise hopes of another R1-style breakthrough.

Xpeng sets August goal to overtake Tesla’s self-driving tech in China

Carmaker bets on training AI in China’s dense urban roads to build a competitive advantage for expansion into Europe and Southeast Asia.

Prognosis positive: how AI could help China bridge the medical resources gap

Hospitals, medical professionals and patients stand to benefit as country pushes to integrate AI into healthcare sector.

Prognosis positive: how AI could help China bridge the medical resources gap

Hospitals, medical professionals and patients stand to benefit as country pushes to integrate AI into healthcare sector.

As DJI duels Insta360, China sharpens global hardware edge amid US scrutiny

Western competitors like GoPro face shrinking footprints as strategic shifts of Chinese firms disrupt the status quo while navigating FCC-led national security bans.

How fire safety failures worsened Hong Kong’s deadly inferno

Lingxi Games’ Three Kingdoms Tactics hits target with global audience

Video | Behind the viral rise of China’s ‘cyberpunk city’

Opinion | 10 ways Hong Kong schools can effectively promote mental health

Video | Shots fired at White House correspondents’ dinner