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An electronic board shows stock prices in the Lujiazui financial district of Shanghai, China. Photo: Reuters

China’s biggest contract chipmaker clears final hurdle for US$6 billion takeover

SMNC is to become a wholly owned subsidiary of SMIC, boosting the semiconductor manufacturer’s prowess and market position.

35 minutes ago

China’s top chip foundries forecast second-quarter growth amid AI boom

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Diplomacy

Exclusive | ‘We really do not trust each other’: ex-US envoy on wary new phase in China ties

Max Baucus says the new phase of wary ‘constructive stability’ represents a diplomatic holding pattern, not a durable thaw.

5 hours agovideocam

China Economy

China’s vast new canal link to Southeast Asia set to open earlier than expected

The Pinglu Canal – a US$10 billion waterway connecting China’s heartlands to the Gulf of Tonkin – will begin trial operations as soon as September.

3 hours ago

Society

1 dead, 4 injured as Hong Kong subdivided flat fire forces 300 to be evacuated

69-year-old man killed and four taken to hospital after fire broke out in a flat inside Man Yuen Building in Jordan late on Thursday.

4 hours ago

Focus

China swaps Middle East oil for Xinjiang coal. What does it mean for the world?

China

Xi hosts Putin over tea; rare earth find in northeast China: 7 highlights

From the Iran conflict rattling Chinese investors to Li Ka-shing’s charitable support, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting.

1 hour ago

A rare earth mine at Bayan Obo, in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region of China, seen in 2011. Photo: VCG via Getty Images

Science

China’s Tsinghua University honours German Gref, Russian banker sanctioned by US

Sberbank CEO accompanied Vladimir Putin during Russian leader’s recent trip to Beijing for summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

2 hours agovideocam

Economics

Why Singapore wants to become the world’s ‘living lab’ for physical AI

These machines are set to complement humans in the workplace, but safety should be a priority for their deployment, analysts say.

3 hours agovideocam

International

Global real estate event in Riyadh sees record transactions amid growing influence in sector

Cityscape Global achieves more than US$63 billion as Saudi Arabia positions itself as a major investment hub for urban development.

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Cityscape Global

China Business

Why more Hong Kong and mainland Chinese companies are building cash buffers

Cash holdings rise among traditional firms listed in Hong Kong and Shanghai as productive places to deploy capital dwindle, analysts say.

4 hours ago

In today’s environment, with China’s recovery still uneven and private-sector investment appetite weak, companies are finding fewer productive places to deploy capital, according to an analyst. Photo: Shutterstock

Society

Exclusive | Northern Metropolis industrial park draws ‘global interest’ from AI, green firms

Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park Company chairman Jeffrey Lam targets July 2027 launch as ‘gift’ for 30th anniversary of return to Chinese sovereignty.

3 hours ago

Big Tech

China is losing LLM race but it can still win in AI, ex-Tencent AI lead says

In the AI era, the problem with being a technological follower is the constant risk of having the rug pulled from under you, Liu says.

5 hours ago

Southeast Asia

Vietnam sells disgraced tycoon’s Hermes bags to recoup US$27 billion in damages

Truong My Lan was convicted for embezzling US$12.3 billion from Saigon Commercial Bank in the nation’s largest fraud case.

2 hours agovideocam

Truong My Lan attends her trial at a court in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in 2024. Photo: EPA-EFE

Society

On This Day | Australian makes first swim around Hong Kong Island in 1976 – SCMP archive

On this day 50 years ago, Australia’s Linda McGill completed the first 45km swim around Hong Kong Island in 17 hours.

16 minutes ago

Australia’s Linda McGill smiles after completing the first 45km swim around Hong Kong Island on May 22, 1976. File photo: SCMP

Linda McGill in August 1978, two years after her historic swim. File photo: SCMP

Business

AI boom fuels US$11.6b data centre investment surge in Asia-Pacific

Adoption remains selective as some landlords are still cautious, especially when tenant credit profiles are less established.

22 May 2026 - 7:00AM

China Economy

From mine to market: how China is closing critical mineral security gaps

New law coordinates control over the full supply chain as Beijing frames minerals as a national security priority.

22 May 2026 - 7:00AM

China Business

SpaceX’s US$75 billion IPO sparks liquidity fears as Fed rate-increase odds rise

The blockbuster offering’s repercussions could be far-reaching, drawing capital away from Hong Kong and the broader Asia-Pacific region.

22 May 2026 - 6:00AM

The SpaceX Starship sits on the launch pad ahead of its sixth flight test from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, on November 17, 2024. Photo: AFP/Getty Images/TNS

Food & Drink

The Hong Kong chefs serving up East-West fusion food without the stigma

We meet three Hong Kong restaurant pioneers who are elevating the maligned food trend by serving French and Nordic dishes with Asian accents.

2 hours ago

Chinese liangpi noodles done in a Nordic style at Aera, in Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan neighbourhood. Chef Chevalier Yau’s restaurant is one of a handful in the city that are removing the stigma from fusion food, which has been dismissed by serious chefs in recent years. Photo: Instagram/aera.hk

Economy, Trade & Business

Trump scraps signing AI executive order to keep ‘lead’ over China in industry

White House postpones decision on more regulation over fast-growing AI market as it may affect US competitiveness with rivals globally.

22 May 2026 - 4:42AMvideocam

Diplomacy

US casts Cuba as China-linked security threat while still pushing for talks

Washington portrays Havana as a national security risk tied to Beijing and Moscow while insisting diplomacy remains possible.

22 May 2026 - 5:28AMvideocam

OPINION

Tang Meng Kit

Opinion | Boeing went to China to sell planes. Beijing is buying something else

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Letters

Letters | Canada’s World Cup role offers model of cooperation in a fraught world

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SCMP Editorial

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Law and Crime

Hong Kong’s ICAC charges woman over alleged HK$10,000 bribe in custody case

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Tech Trends

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Health & Environment

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China’s Tsinghua University honours German Gref, Russian banker sanctioned by US

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US President Donald Trump listening to a speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping at a state banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, last week. Photo: Reuters

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China will buy at least US$17 billion of US farm goods annually, White House says

The agreement was struck at the recent summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to US fact sheet.

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Open Questions series

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Open Questions | Mainland China’s Wu Yongping on what the Xi-Trump summit means for Taiwan

Regardless of the meeting’s outcome, the trend towards resolution of the Taiwan question won’t change, according to the Tsinghua academic.

12-MIN READ

Politics

Open Questions | Taiwan’s Cheng Li-wun on cross-strait peace, meeting Xi and managing US ties

Kuomintang chairwoman says hostility towards mainland is a product of political engineering that does not reflect reality of Taiwan.

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China Economy

Open Questions | Bai Chongen on China’s new economic paradigm and closing the US tech gap

Top economist explains how China has less in common with 1990s Japan than many think – and why talk of Chinese overcapacity is often ‘imprecise’.

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China Economy

Open Questions | Why China’s yuan faces the same ‘illusions’ that stalled the euro: Daniel Gros

Former European economic adviser says Beijing’s bid to build an international currency will hinge on leaders allowing it to fluctuate freely.

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Big Tech

China’s booming tech exports give Beijing ‘wind in its sails’ for Trump summit

The role of tech products in April’s trade data reflects how computing-related goods are a ‘new and important growth driver’ for exports.

3-MIN READ

Chinese trade received a significant boost from the technology sector in April. Photo: Shutterstock Images

Big Tech

China is losing LLM race but it can still win in AI, ex-Tencent AI lead says

In the AI era, the problem with being a technological follower is the constant risk of having the rug pulled from under you, Liu says.

4-MIN READ

Tech Trends

What is YMTC, the latest contender in China’s memory-chip IPO push?

As China’s memory-chip giants YMTC and CXMT progress towards IPOs, they shine a spotlight on Beijing’s tech self-sufficiency ambitions.

3-MIN READ

Tech Trends

AI gives China ‘God’s-eye view’ of green sector as data-centre demand booms

Alibaba and Peking University map nation’s extensive green-energy sites – a move that could help stabilise national grid amid surge in computing-power needs.

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Rows of solar panels are seen at a photovoltaic farm in Datong, China. Photo: AP

China Economy

Putin is pushing for a ‘serious’ new energy deal in China. Will he get it?

The Russian leader arrives in China days after Trump in search of an energy deal, with yuan settlements, pricing potentially on the table.

6-MIN READvideocam

Science

Is China becoming Europe’s top science partner amid an American brain drain?

‘Massive changes in the global flow of talent’ are creating opportunities, according to the head of Germany’s Max Planck Society.

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Economy

Trump and his CEOs want China’s business – but has Asia moved on?

The US delegation went to Beijing looking for deals, but a ‘super cycle’ of capital expenditures across Asia is already fuelling enormous growth.

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Diplomacy

Why tougher US visa rules for skilled foreign workers may end in ‘brain drain’

Trump administration is targeting several visa categories, including popular H-1B pathway, with bias towards fewer numbers and more revenue.

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China’s biggest contract chipmaker clears final hurdle for US$6 billion takeover

SMNC is to become a wholly owned subsidiary of SMIC, boosting the semiconductor manufacturer’s prowess and market position.

China’s top chip foundries forecast second-quarter growth amid AI boom

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Exclusive | ‘We really do not trust each other’: ex-US envoy on wary new phase in China ties

Max Baucus says the new phase of wary ‘constructive stability’ represents a diplomatic holding pattern, not a durable thaw.

China’s vast new canal link to Southeast Asia set to open earlier than expected

The Pinglu Canal – a US$10 billion waterway connecting China’s heartlands to the Gulf of Tonkin – will begin trial operations as soon as September.

1 dead, 4 injured as Hong Kong subdivided flat fire forces 300 to be evacuated

69-year-old man killed and four taken to hospital after fire broke out in a flat inside Man Yuen Building in Jordan late on Thursday.

China swaps Middle East oil for Xinjiang coal. What does it mean for the world?

Xi hosts Putin over tea; rare earth find in northeast China: 7 highlights

From the Iran conflict rattling Chinese investors to Li Ka-shing’s charitable support, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting.

China’s Tsinghua University honours German Gref, Russian banker sanctioned by US

Sberbank CEO accompanied Vladimir Putin during Russian leader’s recent trip to Beijing for summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Why Singapore wants to become the world’s ‘living lab’ for physical AI

These machines are set to complement humans in the workplace, but safety should be a priority for their deployment, analysts say.

.css-12ooj4n{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;}Global real estate event in Riyadh sees record transactions amid growing influence in sector

Cityscape Global achieves more than US$63 billion as Saudi Arabia positions itself as a major investment hub for urban development.

Why more Hong Kong and mainland Chinese companies are building cash buffers

Cash holdings rise among traditional firms listed in Hong Kong and Shanghai as productive places to deploy capital dwindle, analysts say.

Exclusive | Northern Metropolis industrial park draws ‘global interest’ from AI, green firms

Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park Company chairman Jeffrey Lam targets July 2027 launch as ‘gift’ for 30th anniversary of return to Chinese sovereignty.

China is losing LLM race but it can still win in AI, ex-Tencent AI lead says

In the AI era, the problem with being a technological follower is the constant risk of having the rug pulled from under you, Liu says.

Vietnam sells disgraced tycoon’s Hermes bags to recoup US$27 billion in damages

Truong My Lan was convicted for embezzling US$12.3 billion from Saigon Commercial Bank in the nation’s largest fraud case.

On This Day | Australian makes first swim around Hong Kong Island in 1976 – SCMP archive

On this day 50 years ago, Australia’s Linda McGill completed the first 45km swim around Hong Kong Island in 17 hours.

AI boom fuels US$11.6b data centre investment surge in Asia-Pacific

Adoption remains selective as some landlords are still cautious, especially when tenant credit profiles are less established.

From mine to market: how China is closing critical mineral security gaps

New law coordinates control over the full supply chain as Beijing frames minerals as a national security priority.

SpaceX’s US$75 billion IPO sparks liquidity fears as Fed rate-increase odds rise

The blockbuster offering’s repercussions could be far-reaching, drawing capital away from Hong Kong and the broader Asia-Pacific region.

The Hong Kong chefs serving up East-West fusion food without the stigma

We meet three Hong Kong restaurant pioneers who are elevating the maligned food trend by serving French and Nordic dishes with Asian accents.

Trump scraps signing AI executive order to keep ‘lead’ over China in industry

White House postpones decision on more regulation over fast-growing AI market as it may affect US competitiveness with rivals globally.

US casts Cuba as China-linked security threat while still pushing for talks

Washington portrays Havana as a national security risk tied to Beijing and Moscow while insisting diplomacy remains possible.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Boeing went to China to sell planes. Beijing is buying something else

Letters | Canada’s World Cup role offers model of cooperation in a fraught world

Editorial | Xi-Putin summit is no less important than Xi-Trump talks

Opinion | Not even a quick end to Iran war can save AI stock bubble now

Editorial | Hong Kong welcomes class of new senior counsel

Hong Kong’s ICAC charges woman over alleged HK$10,000 bribe in custody case

On This Day | Australian makes first swim around Hong Kong Island in 1976 – SCMP archive

China’s biggest contract chipmaker clears final hurdle for US$6 billion takeover

Coroner’s Court, watchdog to probe delayed blood transfusion to girl with cancer

Xi hosts Putin over tea; rare earth find in northeast China: 7 highlights

The Hong Kong chefs serving up East-West fusion food without the stigma

Vietnam sells disgraced tycoon’s Hermes bags to recoup US$27 billion in damages

China’s Tsinghua University honours German Gref, Russian banker sanctioned by US

Soft Hours: artist Juno Shen’s Song dynasty teahouse for today’s New Yorkers

Gallery | In pictures: inside Trump and Putin’s back-to-back visits to China

China will buy at least US$17 billion of US farm goods annually, White House says

The agreement was struck at the recent summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to US fact sheet.

How will Beijing judge Trump’s take on Taiwan? Look for 1 critical factor

How China and the US felt the weight of history behind Trump and Xi’s meeting

Open Questions | Mainland China’s Wu Yongping on what the Xi-Trump summit means for Taiwan

Regardless of the meeting’s outcome, the trend towards resolution of the Taiwan question won’t change, according to the Tsinghua academic.

Open Questions | Taiwan’s Cheng Li-wun on cross-strait peace, meeting Xi and managing US ties

Kuomintang chairwoman says hostility towards mainland is a product of political engineering that does not reflect reality of Taiwan.

Open Questions | Bai Chongen on China’s new economic paradigm and closing the US tech gap

Top economist explains how China has less in common with 1990s Japan than many think – and why talk of Chinese overcapacity is often ‘imprecise’.

Open Questions | Why China’s yuan faces the same ‘illusions’ that stalled the euro: Daniel Gros

Former European economic adviser says Beijing’s bid to build an international currency will hinge on leaders allowing it to fluctuate freely.

China’s booming tech exports give Beijing ‘wind in its sails’ for Trump summit

The role of tech products in April’s trade data reflects how computing-related goods are a ‘new and important growth driver’ for exports.

China is losing LLM race but it can still win in AI, ex-Tencent AI lead says

In the AI era, the problem with being a technological follower is the constant risk of having the rug pulled from under you, Liu says.

What is YMTC, the latest contender in China’s memory-chip IPO push?

As China’s memory-chip giants YMTC and CXMT progress towards IPOs, they shine a spotlight on Beijing’s tech self-sufficiency ambitions.

AI gives China ‘God’s-eye view’ of green sector as data-centre demand booms

Alibaba and Peking University map nation’s extensive green-energy sites – a move that could help stabilise national grid amid surge in computing-power needs.

Putin is pushing for a ‘serious’ new energy deal in China. Will he get it?

The Russian leader arrives in China days after Trump in search of an energy deal, with yuan settlements, pricing potentially on the table.

Is China becoming Europe’s top science partner amid an American brain drain?

‘Massive changes in the global flow of talent’ are creating opportunities, according to the head of Germany’s Max Planck Society.

Trump and his CEOs want China’s business – but has Asia moved on?

Exclusive | ‘We really do not trust each other’: ex-US envoy on wary new phase in China ties

Global real estate event in Riyadh sees record transactions amid growing influence in sector

Opinion | Boeing went to China to sell planes. Beijing is buying something else