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Asia

How China used rare earths to turn on the US chip tap again

Washington tried to slow Chinese AI progress with export bans, a tactic Beijing later employed to regain some ground.

3 hours agovideocam

‘Too far ahead’: can the US upskill to compete with China on rare earths?

US-China trade war

Economy, Trade & Business

Trump hints at possible new China tariffs after imposing 25% tariff on India

Trump predicts ‘a lot more’ secondary sanctions stemming from continued purchases of Russian oil.

2 hours agovideocam

Science

China extends funding programme to lure top young scientists from overseas

Foundation puts out extra call for applicants in move that may be partly aimed at US-based researchers grappling with budget constraints.

6 Aug 2025 - 10:00PM

Hong Kong Economy

Is Hong Kong beating Singapore, Taiwan in attracting foreign domestic helpers?

Employers in Hong Kong, in general, pay higher than in other places and workers enjoy better legal protection, overseas employment centre head says.

23 minutes ago

Economy

Ships are being built at the China Merchants Industry Jinling Shipyard in Jiangsu province on July 21. Photo: AFP

China’s mammoth merger of shipbuilders nears, and so do the industry implications

Russia & Central Asia

Ukraine war: Trump could meet Putin as soon as next week

The US president then plans to meet the Russian leader and Ukraine’s Zelensky together, though it is not clear where the talks will be held.

2 hours agovideocam

The White House says US President Donald Trump (right) is ‘open’ to meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photos: AP

United States & Canada

Trump says Apple investing another US$100 billion in US manufacturing

CEO Tim Cook says the company will be bringing more of its supply chain and advanced manufacturing to the United States.

3 hours ago

People

Forgive and forget? Prabowo’s pardons divide Indonesia

As Indonesia’s president pardons former political foes Thomas Lembong and Hasto Kristiyanto, is it about unity or consolidating power?

53 minutes agovideocam

Tech

Life-changing AI and robotics: Hong Kong’s innovators advancing smart tech for a better future

Find out how the city’s tech enterprises developed trailblazing ideas that are not only transforming industries worldwide, but our everyday activities as well.

In partnership with:

HKSTP

Life-changing AI and robotics: Hong Kong’s innovators advancing smart tech for a better future
Find out how the city’s tech entrepreneurs developed trailblazing ideas that are not only transforming industries worldwide, but our everyday activities as well.

Diplomacy

China urges Israel to halt ‘dangerous’ Gaza siege, calls for Arab unity

Beijing’s representative at the UN says Israel must comply with international law, restore aid access as humanitarian crisis worsens.

6 Aug 2025 - 7:41PMvideocam

A Palestinian man inspects damage at the site of an overnight Israeli strike on a camp for displaced people in southern Gaza on Tuesday. China has joined calls against a possible complete Israeli takeover of Gaza. Photo: Reuters

Hong Kong Economy

Hong Kong urged to clarify ‘extreme conditions’ criteria after record rainfall

Business federation representative says existing guidelines are clear while lawmakers and union leaders call for further clarification.

6 Aug 2025 - 11:22PMvideocam

Diplomacy

US Republicans, usually Taiwan supporters, quiet on denying NY stopover to Lai

Democrats say refusing transit for Taiwanese leader represents ‘stark departure from precedent’ and ‘sends a dangerous signal to Beijing’.

3 hours agovideocam

Politics

Will TSMC tech leak and Trump’s demands threaten Taiwan’s top chipmaker status?

Corporate espionage and tariff pressures deal dual blows to TSMC, adding to fears about vulnerability of Taiwan and its most prized company.

6 Aug 2025 - 9:14PM

Taiwanese chipmaking giant TSMC says it identified a trade secret breach through routine internal monitoring and has acted swiftly to pursue legal accountability. Photo: Reuters

Diplomacy

Exclusive | China invites descendants of US Flying Tigers to mark end of World War II

Relatives of Claire Lee Chennault, commander of the volunteer air corps, are among those invited to next month’s commemorations in Beijing.

13 minutes ago

A Flying Tigers formation pictured in action in 1942. Photo: San Diego Air & Space Museum

Big Tech

World robotics conference in China marks 10th year with JD.com as partner

JD.com will announce a strategic plan for promoting the industry’s development at the 2025 World Robot Conference in Beijing.

2 hours agovideocam

China Economy

China records surprise jump in marriages, raising hopes of births rebound

Beijing is striving to encourage more young people to get married and have children as it bids to arrest the country’s demographic decline.

6 Aug 2025 - 7:00PM

Africa

Ghana defence and environment ministers killed in helicopter crash

A total of three crew and five passengers died after the aircraft dropped off the radar and went down in a heavily forested area.

3 hours ago

People work at the site of a military helicopter crash in Sikaman near Adansi, in Ghana’s Ashanti region on Wednesday. Photo: AP

China Business

Yum China raises target for opening mainland coffee shops

CEO Joey Wat says company is expected to operate 1,700 KCoffee cafes across the country by the end of 2025.

45 minutes ago

Companies

New Tsz Shan Monastery book offers peek into Li Ka-shing’s philosophy

Titled Eternity in Light, the five-chapter tome features writings about the Buddhist landmark in northern Hong Kong.

4 minutes ago

Diplomacy

Visa waivers for Chinese tourists to South Korea offered amid diplomatic thaw

Travel exemptions come as ties between the two countries improve under new South Korean President Lee Jae-myung.

6 Aug 2025 - 7:56PMvideocam

LATEST

3 minutes ago

Society

Hong Kong police investigate death of man found collapsed in building stairwell

23 minutes ago

Companies

New Tsz Shan Monastery book offers peek into Li Ka-shing’s philosophy

23 minutes ago

Hong Kong Economy

Is Hong Kong beating Singapore, Taiwan in attracting foreign domestic helpers?

53 minutes ago

People

Forgive and forget? Prabowo’s pardons divide Indonesia

1 hour ago

Food & Drink

On the Menu | Matcha has Instagram in a froth. Can we all just calm down?

1 hour ago

China Business

Yum China raises target for opening mainland coffee shops

MORE LATEST NEWS

Find Out More

SCMP Series

China and rare earths race

China-EU relations at 50

China Future Tech webinars

Open Dialogue

SCMP Series China and rare earths race

How China used rare earths and the US playbook to turn on the chip tap again

Washington tried to slow Chinese AI progress with export bans, a tactic Beijing later employed to regain some ground.

6-MIN READvideocam

Why America’s brute-force effort on rare earths may not work against China

7-MIN READvideocam

‘Too far ahead’: can the US upskill to compete with China on rare earths?

6-MIN READ

Open Questions series

Diplomacy

Open Questions | ‘Delusional’: Jeffrey Sachs on why Western hegemony has ended

American economist sees China as key to the global energy transition to zero-carbon energy, especially in markets outside US and Europe.

4 Aug 2025 - 11:00AMvideocam

China Economy

Open Questions | Yuen Yuen Ang on how China can turn ‘polycrisis’ into ‘polytunity’

The Johns Hopkins professor of political economy says Beijing’s ‘directed improvisation’ remains essential at a time when innovation is king.

28 Jul 2025 - 12:47PMvideocam

Global Economy

Open Questions | Sean Stein on why US businesses are walking a tightrope to stay in China

The US-China Business Council president says even in a fraught trade environment, companies cannot ignore the value of the Chinese market.

21 Jul 2025 - 10:05AMvideocam

Diplomacy

Open Questions | Why the Science and Technology Agreement is a US-China bellwether: Denis Simon

The long-time scholar on US-China cooperation on research explains how the landmark pact continues to define bilateral relations.

9 Jul 2025 - 12:16PMvideocam

Key Industries:

Tech Trends

Meta changes course on open-source AI as China pushes ahead with advanced models

Zuckerberg’s latest AI musing is a backslide from just a year ago, when he published an essay titled ‘Open Source AI is the Path Forward’.

5 Aug 2025 - 4:24PM

Big Tech

World robotics conference in China marks 10th year with JD.com as partner

JD.com will announce a strategic plan for promoting the industry’s development at the 2025 World Robot Conference in Beijing.

2 hours agovideocam

Big Tech

‘No kill switches and back doors’: Nvidia reasserts security of its AI chips

Embedding weaknesses into chips would ‘undermine global digital infrastructure and fracture trust in US technology’, Nvidia says.

6 Aug 2025 - 7:06PM

Tech

Sit down, Spot: Robot dog from China’s Unitree tops US rival’s payload

Robot withstands an adult jumping on its back and also beats Boston Dynamics’ Spot on battery life, according to specifications.

6 Aug 2025 - 6:00PM

A man stands on Unitree Robotics’ new robot dog, the A2. Photo: Handout

Global Economy

Why America’s brute-force effort on rare earths may not work against China

China spent decades carving out a commanding lead in the rare earth realm. Now the US wants its old piece of the supply chain back – is it still within reach?

6 Aug 2025 - 10:14AMvideocam

Diplomacy

‘Too far ahead’: can the US upskill to compete with China on rare earths?

Multilateral moves to break Chinese dominance of the supply chain are largely diplomatic and many solutions are long-term, analysts say.

6 Aug 2025 - 11:10AM

China Economy

More than just fun: how China is using theme parks to fuel consumer spending

Stagnant wages, job uncertainty and rising living costs have not stopped families from treating their children to feel-good outings, analysts say.

3 Aug 2025 - 6:00AM

Politics

Sex, lies and video games: the heated debate over sexism and misogyny in China

Controversies ranging from a rape case to a popular game about gold diggers are fuelling intense discussions and ‘gender antagonism’.

2 Aug 2025 - 10:24AMvideocam

How China used rare earths to turn on the US chip tap again

Washington tried to slow Chinese AI progress with export bans, a tactic Beijing later employed to regain some ground.

‘Too far ahead’: can the US upskill to compete with China on rare earths?

Trump hints at possible new China tariffs after imposing 25% tariff on India

Trump predicts ‘a lot more’ secondary sanctions stemming from continued purchases of Russian oil.

China extends funding programme to lure top young scientists from overseas

Foundation puts out extra call for applicants in move that may be partly aimed at US-based researchers grappling with budget constraints.

Is Hong Kong beating Singapore, Taiwan in attracting foreign domestic helpers?

Employers in Hong Kong, in general, pay higher than in other places and workers enjoy better legal protection, overseas employment centre head says.

China’s mammoth merger of shipbuilders nears, and so do the industry implications

Ukraine war: Trump could meet Putin as soon as next week

The US president then plans to meet the Russian leader and Ukraine’s Zelensky together, though it is not clear where the talks will be held.

Trump says Apple investing another US$100 billion in US manufacturing

CEO Tim Cook says the company will be bringing more of its supply chain and advanced manufacturing to the United States.

Forgive and forget? Prabowo’s pardons divide Indonesia

As Indonesia’s president pardons former political foes Thomas Lembong and Hasto Kristiyanto, is it about unity or consolidating power?

Life-changing AI and robotics: Hong Kong’s innovators advancing smart tech for a better future

Find out how the city’s tech enterprises developed trailblazing ideas that are not only transforming industries worldwide, but our everyday activities as well.

China urges Israel to halt ‘dangerous’ Gaza siege, calls for Arab unity

Beijing’s representative at the UN says Israel must comply with international law, restore aid access as humanitarian crisis worsens.

Hong Kong urged to clarify ‘extreme conditions’ criteria after record rainfall

Business federation representative says existing guidelines are clear while lawmakers and union leaders call for further clarification.

US Republicans, usually Taiwan supporters, quiet on denying NY stopover to Lai

Democrats say refusing transit for Taiwanese leader represents ‘stark departure from precedent’ and ‘sends a dangerous signal to Beijing’.

Will TSMC tech leak and Trump’s demands threaten Taiwan’s top chipmaker status?

Corporate espionage and tariff pressures deal dual blows to TSMC, adding to fears about vulnerability of Taiwan and its most prized company.

Exclusive | China invites descendants of US Flying Tigers to mark end of World War II

Relatives of Claire Lee Chennault, commander of the volunteer air corps, are among those invited to next month’s commemorations in Beijing.

World robotics conference in China marks 10th year with JD.com as partner

JD.com will announce a strategic plan for promoting the industry’s development at the 2025 World Robot Conference in Beijing.

China records surprise jump in marriages, raising hopes of births rebound

Beijing is striving to encourage more young people to get married and have children as it bids to arrest the country’s demographic decline.

Ghana defence and environment ministers killed in helicopter crash

A total of three crew and five passengers died after the aircraft dropped off the radar and went down in a heavily forested area.

Yum China raises target for opening mainland coffee shops

CEO Joey Wat says company is expected to operate 1,700 KCoffee cafes across the country by the end of 2025.

New Tsz Shan Monastery book offers peek into Li Ka-shing’s philosophy

Titled Eternity in Light, the five-chapter tome features writings about the Buddhist landmark in northern Hong Kong.

Visa waivers for Chinese tourists to South Korea offered amid diplomatic thaw

Travel exemptions come as ties between the two countries improve under new South Korean President Lee Jae-myung.

On the Menu | Matcha has Instagram in a froth. Can we all just calm down?

Editorial | To prevent the spread of chikungunya, public awareness is critical

Editorial | China’s childcare subsidy likely to be first of many family-friendly policies

Opinion | Why black rain days herald more than stormy weather for Hong Kong

My Take | Canadian Maga fans living in US not safe from immigration clamp

Hong Kong police investigate death of man found collapsed in building stairwell

New Tsz Shan Monastery book offers peek into Li Ka-shing’s philosophy

Is Hong Kong beating Singapore, Taiwan in attracting foreign domestic helpers?

Forgive and forget? Prabowo’s pardons divide Indonesia

On the Menu | Matcha has Instagram in a froth. Can we all just calm down?

Yum China raises target for opening mainland coffee shops

How China used rare earths and the US playbook to turn on the chip tap again

Washington tried to slow Chinese AI progress with export bans, a tactic Beijing later employed to regain some ground.

Why America’s brute-force effort on rare earths may not work against China

‘Too far ahead’: can the US upskill to compete with China on rare earths?

Open Questions | ‘Delusional’: Jeffrey Sachs on why Western hegemony has ended

American economist sees China as key to the global energy transition to zero-carbon energy, especially in markets outside US and Europe.

Open Questions | Yuen Yuen Ang on how China can turn ‘polycrisis’ into ‘polytunity’

The Johns Hopkins professor of political economy says Beijing’s ‘directed improvisation’ remains essential at a time when innovation is king.

Open Questions | Sean Stein on why US businesses are walking a tightrope to stay in China

The US-China Business Council president says even in a fraught trade environment, companies cannot ignore the value of the Chinese market.

Open Questions | Why the Science and Technology Agreement is a US-China bellwether: Denis Simon

The long-time scholar on US-China cooperation on research explains how the landmark pact continues to define bilateral relations.

Meta changes course on open-source AI as China pushes ahead with advanced models

Zuckerberg’s latest AI musing is a backslide from just a year ago, when he published an essay titled ‘Open Source AI is the Path Forward’.

World robotics conference in China marks 10th year with JD.com as partner

JD.com will announce a strategic plan for promoting the industry’s development at the 2025 World Robot Conference in Beijing.

‘No kill switches and back doors’: Nvidia reasserts security of its AI chips

Embedding weaknesses into chips would ‘undermine global digital infrastructure and fracture trust in US technology’, Nvidia says.

Sit down, Spot: Robot dog from China’s Unitree tops US rival’s payload

Robot withstands an adult jumping on its back and also beats Boston Dynamics’ Spot on battery life, according to specifications.

Why America’s brute-force effort on rare earths may not work against China

China spent decades carving out a commanding lead in the rare earth realm. Now the US wants its old piece of the supply chain back – is it still within reach?

‘Too far ahead’: can the US upskill to compete with China on rare earths?

Multilateral moves to break Chinese dominance of the supply chain are largely diplomatic and many solutions are long-term, analysts say.

More than just fun: how China is using theme parks to fuel consumer spending

Stagnant wages, job uncertainty and rising living costs have not stopped families from treating their children to feel-good outings, analysts say.

Sex, lies and video games: the heated debate over sexism and misogyny in China

Controversies ranging from a rape case to a popular game about gold diggers are fuelling intense discussions and ‘gender antagonism’.