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Focus

Focus
SCMP gets to the heart of the matter with its in-depth analysis on the pressing issues in Hong Kong and around the world.
Illustration: Henry Wong
Taiwan

How Beijing’s strategy shift explains decreased PLA activity in the Taiwan Strait

PLA warplanes and ships have been less active around the island in the second half of the year, Taiwanese data shows.

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US-China relations

Beijing is pinning hopes for Taiwan reunification on KMT – but not all of them

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US-China relations

‘Urgent’: has mainland China changed tone for Taiwan peaceful reunification?

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United States

Are Trump loyalists struggling in US rural heartland ready to say ‘enough’?

Hammered by crippling costs and precious revenue lost to China, Midwest farmers’ loyalty to the US president will be tested in 2026 midterms.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
United States

Are Chinese biotechs what the doctor ordered as Big Pharma faces ‘patent cliff’?

US drug makers are racing to plug looming ‘patent cliff’ revenue gaps – and increasingly they are turning to China biotechs.

China consumption

From taboo to trendy: China’s second-hand luxury market cashes in on resale boom

Driven by an uneven recovery and property crisis, value-conscious shoppers are powering a second-hand boom as platforms use tech to verify authenticity and overcome stigma.

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US-China relations

As Trump upends US foreign policy, analysts see fresh openings for China

After a turbulent year, experts expect continued disruption to reshape global influence, testing alliances and altering the balance of power.

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Illustration: Brian Wang
China's military weapons

Why China’s rapid military build-up is ‘hardly the whole story’

The PLA has been moving fast to modernise its arsenal and warfare strategy, but it’s seen as ‘seriously deficient’ in some areas.

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US-China trade war

Surviving the shocks: what China and the US learned from 2025’s trade war

Businesses and officials faced a year of disruption – and in some cases, resilience – as tariffs and export controls roiled global markets.

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Mainland China

Why ‘relative stability’ in US-China ties is unlikely to last

The temperature has lowered after a downward spiral since Trump’s return to the White House, but relations may face ‘strong headwinds’ again.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
China-Africa relations

First China ore shipment rewards Guinea leader’s push for Simandou alliance

Mining minister says China and Rio Tinto were pressed to work on shared infrastructure because ‘we do not want railways running everywhere’.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Science

How China pulled off a critical mineral tech revolution in just 10 months

‘Unique’ Chinese efficiency turns European firm’s vision into reality by building the world’s first large-scale silica-removal technology.

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China manufacturing

Are US, EU and Japan banking on defence spending for an economic boost?

As advanced economies ramp up military expenditures, they have multiple goals - including a reduced reliance on China in defence supply chains.

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IPO

Exclusive | Meet the Illinois farmer sowing the seeds of the world’s biggest IPOs of 2026

Jeff Rowe, a fifth-generation Illinois farmer, runs a Chinese-owned Swiss company in Basel that is aiming for one of the world’s largest IPOs in Hong Kong, due in 2026.

Jeff Rowe, the CEO of Syngenta, at his family farm in the US state of Illinois on September 30, 2025. Photo: Anthony Collins/Handout
China exports

Why China sees Brazil as ‘last untapped blue ocean market’ for investment boom

Chinese investment in Brazil is soaring as firms eye the vast potential growth in South America’s ‘blue ocean market’.

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Illustration: Brian Wang
China exports

How Chinese lifestyle brands are finding fans abroad with toys, tea and trends

From milk tea to blind boxes, China’s lighter consumer brands are winning worldwide recognition – though time will tell if the craze will last.

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China manufacturing

Factory of factories: China’s manufacturers join wave of overseas expansions

With many of their clients moving or building sites abroad, China’s factory owners are following suit, seizing a ‘last chance’ for new revenues.

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China consumption

Pursuit of hoppiness: how China’s cash-conscious drinkers embraced craft beers

As discerning alcohol consumers seek ‘wallet-friendly’ products, premium beers are winning out over higher-end options.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
Fintech

Hong Kong reaps the fruits of fintech seeds sown nearly 10 years ago

Hong Kong’s rise as a fintech hub is due to the concerted regulatory push, with the city competing with Singapore for regional leadership.

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China consumption

After peaking, decline of China’s European wine imports worries makers

Chinese drinkers are spending less amid an economic slowdown, diluting the profits of Europe’s fine wine producers.

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China consumption

China’s liquor capital faces long march to rebirth as ‘liquid gold’ glory wanes

In Maotai town, baijiu producers diversify offerings while expanding to markets such as Hong Kong and Southeast Asia amid a culture shift and economic challenges.

Illustration: Brian Wang
US-China trade war

Real possibility of US tariff refunds is sure to stir up a giant ‘mess’

Should Supreme Court rule against Donald Trump’s trade levies in coming weeks, the big question is how potential tariff refunds would work.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Science

Why China’s mega coal-fired power plants thrive amid green energy boom

Gansu province is a leading source of solar and wind-powered energy, but cannot yet end its reliance on carbon-heavy power sources.

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Hong Kong economy

How Hongkongers find their feet in shifting sands of desert kingdom Saudi Arabia

Middle Eastern country is looking to lure global talent as it diversifies its economy and Hongkongers are among those eyeing opportunities.

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China food security

‘Impossible to achieve’: why China can’t grow enough soybeans to feed itself

The shift from soybean exporter to world’s top buyer has reshaped global markets and forced Beijing to confront new security risks.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Science

Why ‘racist’ biologist James Watson is remembered in China with respect

Controversial Nobel Prize winner helped to lay the groundwork for China to become a genomics and biotech powerhouse.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Chinese culture

Why Chinese grass-roots culture may be finally taking its place in the limelight

From web literature to video games, Chinese culture is winning fans abroad, where state-sponsored soft power initiatives have fallen flat.

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Semiconductors

How Nexperia saga exposes Europe’s waning influence in US-China chip war

The dispute around the Dutch chipmaker shows the erosion of Europe’s geopolitical neutrality in the face of escalating US-China rivalry.

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