Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

There is growing speculation that Chinese President Xi Jinping (centre), US President Donald Trump (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) could make a rare appearance together at the Apec summit in China in November. Photo: AFP/Xinhua/Reuters

What Xi’s calls with Trump and Putin reveal about China’s balancing act

Beijing holds rare same-day talks with Kremlin and White House as powers face headwinds at home, energy uncertainties and nuclear pact’s end.

6 hours agovideocam

Xi tells Putin a ‘grand plan’ is needed to develop ties between China and Russia

US-China relations

Science

China builds world’s first 20GW microwave weapon that can fire a 60-second burst

Ground-based and compact Chinese technology can disrupt or damage Starlink satellites operating in low Earth orbit.

5 Feb 2026 - 7:00PMvideocam

US

US Treasury chief warns of China’s push for digital asset dominance

Scott Bessent tells senators the US must pass the Clarity Act to counter Hong Kong’s ‘sandbox’ and maintain global financial leadership.

40 minutes agovideocam

Law and Crime

Exclusive | Epstein, his Hong Kong academic friend and their interest in ‘psychics’

Documents released by US Justice Department show years-long email correspondence and meetings in person, with financier providing funds.

5 Feb 2026 - 10:20PM

Science

Xu said his decision to work at Shanghai Jiaotong University was motivated by long-term academic goals and a desire for a more independent research environment. Photo: Shutterstock

Chinese semiconductor engineer Xu Zhenpeng says he left US to find freedom

Science

China achieves tamper-proof quantum communication over 100km with single atoms

Physicist Pan Jianwei and his team said their study helped to close the gap between the experimental and real-world applications.

3 hours agovideocam

Researchers in China have achieved a new milestone in the quest for secure quantum-based communications technology, according to a new paper. Photo: Shutterstock

Diplomacy

Why Vilnius rues the Taiwan de facto embassy row with Beijing

Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene says the world did not ‘appreciate’ her country’s decision and Lithuania should put its own interests first.

5 Feb 2026 - 8:11PMvideocam

Diplomacy

Trump announces White House visit by Japanese PM Takaichi on March 19

The US and Japan have been working to strike a ‘very substantial’ deal on trade, as well as collaborating on national security, Trump said.

3 hours ago

Education

Academic innovation can help budding entrepreneurs overcome future challenges

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University’s 20-year evolution ensures it meets world’s fast-changing technological, industrial and societal needs.

In partnership with:

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

China EVs

Why CATL’s sodium-ion breakthrough could be a game changer for China’s EV market

The Naxtra battery, more price-stable and cold-resistant than the lithium-ion units now powering most EVs, will undergo its first tests this week.

5 Feb 2026 - 5:05PM

CATL’s new Naxtra battery will be installed in China Changan Automobile Group EVs this week for winter testing in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Photo: Weibo

China Economy

China’s new golden rule: dig deeper mines, boost reserves and hedge global risks

China Gold Association vows tech breakthroughs in deep mining and nanogold, and a state-owned miner seeks a fourfold increase in gold output from mineral deposits.

5 Feb 2026 - 9:00PMvideocam

Politics

Xi, Trump and why their talks are stoking unease in Taiwan

William Lai says the island’s ties with Washington remain rock solid but others are seeing a clear shift.

5 Feb 2026 - 8:00PMvideocam

China Economy

China’s clean power energising economy, adding a Brazil’s worth of GDP: report

Clean energy industries drove more than one-third of China’s economic growth in 2025, as they continue to expand rapidly, study finds.

5 Feb 2026 - 5:24PMvideocam

Workers check solar panels installed on a lake in China’s central Anhui province. Photo: AFP

Europe

Russian captain jailed for 6 years for death of crew member in tanker crash

Vladimir Motin was an ‘accident waiting to happen’, the judge said at the sentencing in London for the 2025 manslaughter of a crew member.

4 hours ago

Damage caused to the tanker Stena Immaculate following a collision with the Solong container ship in 2025. Solong Captain Vladimir Motin has been jailed for six years over the incident that killed a crew member. Photo: Humberside Police / Handout via Reuters

Global Economy

Panama’s ‘dangerous precedent’: why ports appear pawns as politics top contracts

Panama’s move to void CK Hutchison’s deal fuels fears of broader asset seizures, with analysts warning of rising risks for Chinese operators in the US sphere.

5 hours ago

Politics

Filipino activists decry loss of public trust over failed bid to impeach Marcos

Public attention is now turning to two separate impeachment complaints filed against Vice-President Sara Duterte.

5 Feb 2026 - 9:04PM

United States & Canada

Arizona sheriff says Nancy Guthrie presumed to ‘still be out there’ alive

FBI is offering a US$50,000 reward for information leading to ‍the recovery of Guthrie, the kidnapped mother of TV host Savannah ‍Guthrie.

24 minutes ago

Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen on Saturday night at her home near Tuscon, Arizona. Photo: Pima County Sheriff’s Department / TNS

Health & Wellness

Indian mother’s transformation, Hins Cheung’s stardom: 7 Lifestyle highlights

From tai sui rituals in the Year of the Horse to Hong Kong’s walking trend, here are seven stories from SCMP’s recent reporting.

5 Feb 2026 - 3:15PM

At her heaviest, Kiran Dembla weighed 76kg. She drastically cut her weight in seven months, before becoming a competitive body builder, DJ and mountaineer, proving it is never too late to chase dreams. Photos: Kiran Dembla

Politics

China probes mental hospitals over reports patients are being locked up in scam

Reports of ‘prison-like’ conditions and fake diagnoses in one province prompt national watchdog to order investigation.

5 Feb 2026 - 4:06PMvideocam

Tech War

TSMC Japan plan for advanced chips seen as hedge against pressure from US, China

The expanded Japan presence will ensure that some of TSMC’s production is immune from Trump’s on-again, off-again import tariffs.

5 Feb 2026 - 8:00PM

OPINION

Bernard Chan

Opinion | After Davos, the search begins for what comes after the post-Cold War order

39 minutes ago

Richard Harris

Opinion | How ‘America first’, in many respects, puts America behind

5 Feb 2026 - 8:30PM

Nicholas Spiro

Macroscope | Blame Trump, not Asian investors, for gold and silver volatility

5 Feb 2026 - 4:30PM

Charmaine Mok

On the Menu | How to become a real ‘Chinese baddie’? It’s more than just drinking hot water

5 Feb 2026 - 10:08AM

Letters

Letters | Just how risky is riding a bus in Hong Kong? Let’s do the maths

5 Feb 2026 - 11:30AM

Harry’s View | 6 Feb 2026

MORE COMMENT

LATEST

9 minutes ago

Tech

Space-computing push of Elon Musk’s SpaceX shines beam on China’s solar sector

9 minutes ago

Celebrities

Meet Ilia Malinin, figure skating superstar and Winter Olympic gold favourite

9 minutes ago

Celebrity Style

How to Style like Hollywood’s best hairstylists and make-up artists

24 minutes ago

United States & Canada

Arizona sheriff says Nancy Guthrie presumed to ‘still be out there’ alive

39 minutes ago

World Opinion

Opinion | After Davos, the search begins for what comes after the post-Cold War order

1 hour ago

Companies

Pizza Hut to close 250 US restaurants as parent company considers selling brand

MORE LATEST NEWS

SCMP Series

Year of the Horse 2026

China Inc. goes global

Beijing’s recalibration of its Taiwan policy

Oxen face a minor tai sui clash in 2026, but auspicious stars offer career and financial luck. Photo: Shutterstock

SCMP Series Year of the Horse 2026

How Oxen can avoid bad luck in the Year of the Horse 2026 as they clash with the tai sui

A fortune-teller shares how Oxen can mitigate the negative effects of clashing with the tai sui deity in the coming Year of the Fire Horse.

5 Feb 2026 - 10:30AMvideocam

The unicorn has been revered for 4,000 years. It still has us under its spell

4 Feb 2026 - 7:16AM

How Rats can appease the tai sui in the Year of the Horse 2026

5 Feb 2026 - 10:22AMvideocam

Open Questions series

Diplomacy

Open Questions | Lawrence Lau on why China must ‘work smarter’ and how it can invent from scratch

China must shift from quantity to quality by focusing on 12-year schooling, more basic research and GBA integration, renowned economist says.

2 Feb 2026 - 10:02AMvideocam

China

Open Questions | How China’s 15-fold rise in Latin America dents US influence: Francisco Urdinez

A leading scholar says US action in Venezuela shows how Beijing’s economic ties now face rising geopolitical pushback.

29 Jan 2026 - 11:50AMvideocam

Tech Trends

Open Questions | Jeffrey Ding on why diffusion, not innovation, is the secret to AI success

Professor says a ‘diffusion marathon’, where AI is gradually embedded in an economy over decades, will determine the winner of US-China tech war.

4 Feb 2026 - 3:48PMvideocam

Diplomacy

Open Questions | Why US raid on Venezuela could ‘work to China’s advantage’: John Mearsheimer

International relations scholar says US could easily take Greenland, while regime change in Tehran would be more difficult.

19 Jan 2026 - 6:57PMvideocam

Key Industries:

Tech Trends

‘Optimus chain’: Chinese suppliers form backbone of Tesla’s humanoid robot plans

Tesla’s pivot to producing humanoid robots is expected to engage a network of key Chinese component makers.

1 Feb 2026 - 2:00PMvideocam

Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot is seen on display at a company showroom in Phoenix, Arizona. Photo: Shutterstock

Tech

Space-computing push of Elon Musk’s SpaceX shines beam on China’s solar sector

Musk’s pursuit of space-based data centres has drawn attention to China’s solar industry, sparking market rallies – and calls for caution.

9 minutes ago

Tech War

TSMC Japan plan for advanced chips seen as hedge against pressure from US, China

The expanded Japan presence will ensure that some of TSMC’s production is immune from Trump’s on-again, off-again import tariffs.

5 Feb 2026 - 8:00PM

China EVs

Why CATL’s sodium-ion breakthrough could be a game changer for China’s EV market

The Naxtra battery, more price-stable and cold-resistant than the lithium-ion units now powering most EVs, will undergo its first tests this week.

5 Feb 2026 - 5:05PM

Diplomacy

US and China defence sectors emerge as key battlegrounds in the race for AI

As both military powers vie to integrate innovative technology first, the race is on to develop and fast-track the latest advancements.

5 Feb 2026 - 1:41AMvideocam

Military

What does the fall of PLA top brass Zhang Youxia say about Beijing’s Taiwan plans?

Investigations into China’s top military commanders have raised questions about the PLA’s battle readiness.

4 Feb 2026 - 6:14AMvideocam

China Economy

China’s expat pilots arrived on a red carpet – now, they’re taking a red-eye out

Well-paid foreign pilots once flocked to Chinese airlines – but winds have shifted as domestic talent steps up and airlines limit fleet expansions.

3 Feb 2026 - 7:38AMvideocam

China Economy

Exclusive | China’s widebody C929 may take off ahead of schedule, sources say

Maker of the home-grown rival to Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 is working directly with regulators, which analysts said could speed up certification.

2 Feb 2026 - 6:46PMvideocam

Models of C19 and C929 aircraft are displayed during the eighth China International Import Expo in Shanghai. Photo: AFP

What Xi’s calls with Trump and Putin reveal about China’s balancing act

Beijing holds rare same-day talks with Kremlin and White House as powers face headwinds at home, energy uncertainties and nuclear pact’s end.

Xi tells Putin a ‘grand plan’ is needed to develop ties between China and Russia

China builds world’s first 20GW microwave weapon that can fire a 60-second burst

Ground-based and compact Chinese technology can disrupt or damage Starlink satellites operating in low Earth orbit.

US Treasury chief warns of China’s push for digital asset dominance

Scott Bessent tells senators the US must pass the Clarity Act to counter Hong Kong’s ‘sandbox’ and maintain global financial leadership.

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Exclusive | Epstein, his Hong Kong academic friend and their interest in ‘psychics’

Documents released by US Justice Department show years-long email correspondence and meetings in person, with financier providing funds.

Chinese semiconductor engineer Xu Zhenpeng says he left US to find freedom

China achieves tamper-proof quantum communication over 100km with single atoms

Physicist Pan Jianwei and his team said their study helped to close the gap between the experimental and real-world applications.

Why Vilnius rues the Taiwan de facto embassy row with Beijing

Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene says the world did not ‘appreciate’ her country’s decision and Lithuania should put its own interests first.

Trump announces White House visit by Japanese PM Takaichi on March 19

The US and Japan have been working to strike a ‘very substantial’ deal on trade, as well as collaborating on national security, Trump said.

.css-f84qeq{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;font-style:italic;}Academic innovation can help budding entrepreneurs overcome future challenges

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University’s 20-year evolution ensures it meets world’s fast-changing technological, industrial and societal needs.

Why CATL’s sodium-ion breakthrough could be a game changer for China’s EV market

The Naxtra battery, more price-stable and cold-resistant than the lithium-ion units now powering most EVs, will undergo its first tests this week.

China’s new golden rule: dig deeper mines, boost reserves and hedge global risks

China Gold Association vows tech breakthroughs in deep mining and nanogold, and a state-owned miner seeks a fourfold increase in gold output from mineral deposits.

Xi, Trump and why their talks are stoking unease in Taiwan

William Lai says the island’s ties with Washington remain rock solid but others are seeing a clear shift.

China’s clean power energising economy, adding a Brazil’s worth of GDP: report

Clean energy industries drove more than one-third of China’s economic growth in 2025, as they continue to expand rapidly, study finds.

Russian captain jailed for 6 years for death of crew member in tanker crash

Vladimir Motin was an ‘accident waiting to happen’, the judge said at the sentencing in London for the 2025 manslaughter of a crew member.

Panama’s ‘dangerous precedent’: why ports appear pawns as politics top contracts

Panama’s move to void CK Hutchison’s deal fuels fears of broader asset seizures, with analysts warning of rising risks for Chinese operators in the US sphere.

Filipino activists decry loss of public trust over failed bid to impeach Marcos

Public attention is now turning to two separate impeachment complaints filed against Vice-President Sara Duterte.

Arizona sheriff says Nancy Guthrie presumed to ‘still be out there’ alive

FBI is offering a US$50,000 reward for information leading to ‍the recovery of Guthrie, the kidnapped mother of TV host Savannah ‍Guthrie.

Indian mother’s transformation, Hins Cheung’s stardom: 7 Lifestyle highlights

From tai sui rituals in the Year of the Horse to Hong Kong’s walking trend, here are seven stories from SCMP’s recent reporting.

China probes mental hospitals over reports patients are being locked up in scam

Reports of ‘prison-like’ conditions and fake diagnoses in one province prompt national watchdog to order investigation.

TSMC Japan plan for advanced chips seen as hedge against pressure from US, China

The expanded Japan presence will ensure that some of TSMC’s production is immune from Trump’s on-again, off-again import tariffs.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | After Davos, the search begins for what comes after the post-Cold War order

Opinion | How ‘America first’, in many respects, puts America behind

Macroscope | Blame Trump, not Asian investors, for gold and silver volatility

On the Menu | How to become a real ‘Chinese baddie’? It’s more than just drinking hot water

Letters | Just how risky is riding a bus in Hong Kong? Let’s do the maths

Space-computing push of Elon Musk’s SpaceX shines beam on China’s solar sector

Meet Ilia Malinin, figure skating superstar and Winter Olympic gold favourite

How to Style like Hollywood’s best hairstylists and make-up artists

Arizona sheriff says Nancy Guthrie presumed to ‘still be out there’ alive

Opinion | After Davos, the search begins for what comes after the post-Cold War order

Pizza Hut to close 250 US restaurants as parent company considers selling brand

How Oxen can avoid bad luck in the Year of the Horse 2026 as they clash with the tai sui

A fortune-teller shares how Oxen can mitigate the negative effects of clashing with the tai sui deity in the coming Year of the Fire Horse.

The unicorn has been revered for 4,000 years. It still has us under its spell

How Rats can appease the tai sui in the Year of the Horse 2026

Open Questions | Lawrence Lau on why China must ‘work smarter’ and how it can invent from scratch

China must shift from quantity to quality by focusing on 12-year schooling, more basic research and GBA integration, renowned economist says.

Open Questions | How China’s 15-fold rise in Latin America dents US influence: Francisco Urdinez

A leading scholar says US action in Venezuela shows how Beijing’s economic ties now face rising geopolitical pushback.

Open Questions | Jeffrey Ding on why diffusion, not innovation, is the secret to AI success

Professor says a ‘diffusion marathon’, where AI is gradually embedded in an economy over decades, will determine the winner of US-China tech war.

Open Questions | Why US raid on Venezuela could ‘work to China’s advantage’: John Mearsheimer

International relations scholar says US could easily take Greenland, while regime change in Tehran would be more difficult.

‘Optimus chain’: Chinese suppliers form backbone of Tesla’s humanoid robot plans

Tesla’s pivot to producing humanoid robots is expected to engage a network of key Chinese component makers.

Space-computing push of Elon Musk’s SpaceX shines beam on China’s solar sector

Musk’s pursuit of space-based data centres has drawn attention to China’s solar industry, sparking market rallies – and calls for caution.

TSMC Japan plan for advanced chips seen as hedge against pressure from US, China

The expanded Japan presence will ensure that some of TSMC’s production is immune from Trump’s on-again, off-again import tariffs.

Why CATL’s sodium-ion breakthrough could be a game changer for China’s EV market

The Naxtra battery, more price-stable and cold-resistant than the lithium-ion units now powering most EVs, will undergo its first tests this week.

US and China defence sectors emerge as key battlegrounds in the race for AI

As both military powers vie to integrate innovative technology first, the race is on to develop and fast-track the latest advancements.

What does the fall of PLA top brass Zhang Youxia say about Beijing’s Taiwan plans?

Investigations into China’s top military commanders have raised questions about the PLA’s battle readiness.

China’s expat pilots arrived on a red carpet – now, they’re taking a red-eye out

Well-paid foreign pilots once flocked to Chinese airlines – but winds have shifted as domestic talent steps up and airlines limit fleet expansions.

Exclusive | China’s widebody C929 may take off ahead of schedule, sources say

Maker of the home-grown rival to Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 is working directly with regulators, which analysts said could speed up certification.

Exclusive | Epstein, his Hong Kong academic friend and their interest in ‘psychics’

Academic innovation can help budding entrepreneurs overcome future challenges

Opinion | After Davos, the search begins for what comes after the post-Cold War order