Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

A PLA J-16 fighter jet is seen loaded with missiles including the PL-10, PL-12, PL-15 and the bigger PL-17, which observers say is the world’s longest-range air-to-air missile. Photo: Handout

Has China’s game-changer PL-17 long-range missile finally been seen up close?

Photo on Chinese social media appears to show full-size model of missile that may pose threat to US air dominance in Pacific, analysts say.

3 hours agovideocam

Would Chinese or US supply lines be more vulnerable in a Pacific conflict?

China's military weapons

Diplomacy

China says Philippines is stoking tensions with Scarborough Shoal drill

Manila reportedly issued a notice warning of military exercises across a wide area of the South China Sea until the end of March.

4 hours agovideocam

Global Economy

What has UK PM Starmer achieved in China – and what next for Sino-British ties?

The British leader’s trip has so far yielded tariff cuts and agreements on trade and investment.

5 hours agovideocam

Transport

Hong Kong shelves cross-border levy plan, marks second policy U-turn in a day

Proposal was part of city government’s efforts to deal with HK$87.2 billion budget deficit.

2 hours ago

Economy

Guangdong province is heavily reliant on the megacity of Shenzhen to drive economic growth. Photo: Getty Images

Historic shift? Why Guangdong could lose its status as China’s No 1 economy

Science

China’s man-made forest in Gobi produces good rubber for military use

Experimental cultivation of Chinese medicinal plant pays off as crops thrive in unfamiliar location, boosting national rubber supply.

6 hours agovideocam

Chinese scientists including Zhu Mingqiang (right) of Northwest A&F University are behind a thriving project to plant high-value alternative “rubber trees” in the Gobi Desert. Photo: Handout

Politics

Trump picks former Federal Reserve official Kevin Warsh to chair US central bank

The nomination comes as economic issues – from tariffs to affordability – dominate the policy agenda ahead of the November midterm elections.

1 hour agovideocam

East Asia

Japan and South Korea bolster defence ties amid regional tensions

Defence chiefs agree to joint AI, space, and drone development, aiming to stabilise the region against growing missile threats.

5 hours ago

Business

The secret ingredient in your daily life: why Malaysian palm oil is used around the world

Found everywhere from food products to biofuel, this vegetable oil is preferred for its versatility, safety and sustainable production.

In partnership with:

MPOC

Palm oil is a versatile ingredient found in a wide range of everyday items, from ice cream and cake to lipstick and biofuel.

Markets

China halts trading in 5 silver and oil funds amid volatility

The trading halts and alerts aim to ‘maintain the stability of the capital markets’ and protect investors from ‘huge losses’, analyst says.

30 Jan 2026 - 5:53PM

An employee shows bars of silver and gold in a safe deposit room in Munich, Germany, on January 28, 2026. Photo: Reuters

United States & Canada

Trump DOJ arrests ex-CNN anchor over church protest after judge rebuffed charges

Taken into custody covering the Grammys, Don Lemon’s lawyer calls arrest a ‘First Amendment violation’, saying he was just chronicling a protest.

3 hours ago

Global Economy

US presses China to let yuan strengthen – but avoids controversial label

Washington says it could still designate Beijing in future if evidence found that it limits currency’s strength.

30 Jan 2026 - 3:01PM

Africa

Islamic State claims bold attack on Niger’s strategic airport hub

Islamic State militants claim a coordinated raid on Niamey’s airport, targeting a strategic hub hosting uranium and regional military bases.

48 minutes ago

The Niamey airport in Niger, where damage is visible on the roofs of hangars on Thursday. Photo: 2026 Planet Labs PBC/AFP

Middle East

‘They are trying to inject fear’: Iran rounding up thousands after crackdown

Security forces reportedly use unofficial warehouses and secret lock-ups as activists say arrests stand at more than 42,000.

30 Jan 2026 - 1:46PM

An woman sits on a bus in Tehran, Iran, on Thursday. Photo: EPA

Europe

Chinese hair salon owner arrested in Barcelona for funding Hamas via crypto

The 38-year-old Chinese national faces terror financing charges after allegedly laundering US$715,000 via cryptocurrency to the militant group.

48 minutes ago

Big Tech

China tech giants ByteDance and Alibaba to ramp up AI infrastructure efforts

The two firms’ actions are poised to further intensify the global AI arms race.

5 hours ago

Politics

Base instincts: why US warship visit won’t calm fears over Cambodian port

The USS Cincinnati is the first US warship to dock at Ream Naval Base since its China-funded expansion was completed in April last year.

30 Jan 2026 - 6:10PMvideocam

USS Cincinnati docks at Ream Naval Base’s pier in Sihanoukville on Saturday. Photo: AP

Tech

Alibaba AI chip push hits 100,000 mark, beating local rival Cambricon: sources

The milestone underscores Alibaba’s growing footprint in AI hardware, as Chinese firms accelerate efforts to build home-grown processors.

6 hours ago

Zhenwu 810E, released by T-head on its official website on Thursday, was designed for both AI training and inference. Photo: Handout

Economics

Why India should tackle pollution more urgently than tariffs

The adverse impact of pollution could lead to significant health and economic costs for India if left unchecked.

5 hours agovideocam

Big Tech

China gives Apple ‘best iPhone quarter in history’ with 38% revenue growth

Sharp recovery is a ‘most surprising result’ amid ‘aggressive competition from domestic brands like Huawei’, IDC analyst says.

30 Jan 2026 - 6:00PM

OPINION

Zheng Yongnian

Opinion | Tianxia 2.0: how China can help shape the next world order

5 hours ago

David Dodwell

Outside In | Gradually, then suddenly, the world is waking up to the US threat

30 Jan 2026 - 4:30PM

Chen Zhao

Opinion | Fears of overcapacity ignore China’s full balance of payments picture

30 Jan 2026 - 9:30AM

Syed Munir Khasru

Opinion | How the world can design a new trade architecture

30 Jan 2026 - 7:49AM

Letters

Letters | PhD fellowship scheme holds a key to Hong Kong’s education hub dream

30 Jan 2026 - 11:30AM

Harry’s View | 31 Jan 2026

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China

UK says China lifts sanctions on British lawmakers after Starmer–Xi meeting

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United States & Canada

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Europe

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SCMP Series

Year of the Horse 2026

China Inc. goes global

Beijing’s recalibration of its Taiwan policy

Children learn about how to care for horses as part of a Hong Kong Pony Club activity. The club helps nurture equine respect and skills, and fosters community through events and global connections. Photo: Instagram/HKPC

SCMP Series Year of the Horse 2026

How the Hong Kong Pony Club fosters young riders’ respect and nurtures relationships

Hong Kong Pony Club members learn horsemanship, build lasting friendships, and develop a lasting respect for horses and ponies.

29 Jan 2026 - 12:15PM

Reservations now open for new banknotes for Year of the Horse red packets

28 Jan 2026 - 6:15PM

What does AI predict will happen in the fiery Year of the Horse 2026?

24 Jan 2026 - 5:15PM

Open Questions series

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.

26 Jan 2026 - 9:31AMvideocam

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

Diplomacy

Open Questions | Zheng Yongnian on what US’ ‘neocolonialism’, Venezuela operation mean for China

Political scientist says the Western-led global order remains useful, and the Belt and Road Initiative isn’t a geopolitical project.

12 Jan 2026 - 10:06AMvideocam

Key Industries:

Big Tech

China’s Alibaba, Moonshot claim latest AI models challenge OpenAI, Google

Alibaba says Qwen3-Max-Thinking is its ‘best model so far’, while Moonshot calls Kimi K2.5 the world’s most powerful open-source model.

27 Jan 2026 - 5:30PM

The new models mark the first major Chinese releases this year. Photo: Shutterstock

Big Tech

Ant Group’s open-source push aims to move robots from lab demos to real-world work

Flashy robots can dance and backflip on cue, but Ant Group is betting open-source AI can take them beyond scripted moves.

4 hours ago

Big Tech

China tech giants ByteDance and Alibaba to ramp up AI infrastructure efforts

The two firms’ actions are poised to further intensify the global AI arms race.

5 hours ago

Tech

Alibaba AI chip push hits 100,000 mark, beating local rival Cambricon: sources

The milestone underscores Alibaba’s growing footprint in AI hardware, as Chinese firms accelerate efforts to build home-grown processors.

6 hours ago

China Economy

Can China’s AI strategy challenge India’s reign as ‘office of the world’?

Beijing’s ambition to move up the value chain could see it becoming a major exporter of digital services, AI to global high-end providers.

30 Jan 2026 - 8:03AMvideocam

Global Economy

Trump says the US dollar can move like a yo-yo. Will Treasuries be left hanging?

With the US president levelling threats at enemies, allies and his own central bank, alternatives like gold and Chinese assets are gaining appeal.

28 Jan 2026 - 11:18AMvideocam

Diplomacy

European leaders say the quiet part out loud: order no longer constrains power

EU leaders appear to have finally accepted they are facing a new era of great power competition – the question now is how they respond.

27 Jan 2026 - 9:40AMvideocam

China Economy

Exclusive | Maker of China’s C919 airliner set to ramp up production: sources

With 8 of the 15 planes made last year delivered to customers in November and December, a source said supply chain snags seem to be diminishing.

26 Jan 2026 - 9:33AM

A China Eastern Airlines C919 begins taxiing to the runway at Hong Kong International Airport in January last year. Photo: Eugene Lee

Has China’s game-changer PL-17 long-range missile finally been seen up close?

Photo on Chinese social media appears to show full-size model of missile that may pose threat to US air dominance in Pacific, analysts say.

Would Chinese or US supply lines be more vulnerable in a Pacific conflict?

China says Philippines is stoking tensions with Scarborough Shoal drill

Manila reportedly issued a notice warning of military exercises across a wide area of the South China Sea until the end of March.

What has UK PM Starmer achieved in China – and what next for Sino-British ties?

The British leader’s trip has so far yielded tariff cuts and agreements on trade and investment.

Hong Kong shelves cross-border levy plan, marks second policy U-turn in a day

Proposal was part of city government’s efforts to deal with HK$87.2 billion budget deficit.

Historic shift? Why Guangdong could lose its status as China’s No 1 economy

China’s man-made forest in Gobi produces good rubber for military use

Experimental cultivation of Chinese medicinal plant pays off as crops thrive in unfamiliar location, boosting national rubber supply.

Trump picks former Federal Reserve official Kevin Warsh to chair US central bank

The nomination comes as economic issues – from tariffs to affordability – dominate the policy agenda ahead of the November midterm elections.

Japan and South Korea bolster defence ties amid regional tensions

Defence chiefs agree to joint AI, space, and drone development, aiming to stabilise the region against growing missile threats.

.css-f84qeq{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;font-style:italic;}The secret ingredient in your daily life: why Malaysian palm oil is used around the world

Found everywhere from food products to biofuel, this vegetable oil is preferred for its versatility, safety and sustainable production.

China halts trading in 5 silver and oil funds amid volatility

The trading halts and alerts aim to ‘maintain the stability of the capital markets’ and protect investors from ‘huge losses’, analyst says.

Trump DOJ arrests ex-CNN anchor over church protest after judge rebuffed charges

Taken into custody covering the Grammys, Don Lemon’s lawyer calls arrest a ‘First Amendment violation’, saying he was just chronicling a protest.

US presses China to let yuan strengthen – but avoids controversial label

Washington says it could still designate Beijing in future if evidence found that it limits currency’s strength.

Islamic State claims bold attack on Niger’s strategic airport hub

Islamic State militants claim a coordinated raid on Niamey’s airport, targeting a strategic hub hosting uranium and regional military bases.

‘They are trying to inject fear’: Iran rounding up thousands after crackdown

Security forces reportedly use unofficial warehouses and secret lock-ups as activists say arrests stand at more than 42,000.

Chinese hair salon owner arrested in Barcelona for funding Hamas via crypto

The 38-year-old Chinese national faces terror financing charges after allegedly laundering US$715,000 via cryptocurrency to the militant group.

China tech giants ByteDance and Alibaba to ramp up AI infrastructure efforts

The two firms’ actions are poised to further intensify the global AI arms race.

Base instincts: why US warship visit won’t calm fears over Cambodian port

The USS Cincinnati is the first US warship to dock at Ream Naval Base since its China-funded expansion was completed in April last year.

Alibaba AI chip push hits 100,000 mark, beating local rival Cambricon: sources

The milestone underscores Alibaba’s growing footprint in AI hardware, as Chinese firms accelerate efforts to build home-grown processors.

Why India should tackle pollution more urgently than tariffs

The adverse impact of pollution could lead to significant health and economic costs for India if left unchecked.

China gives Apple ‘best iPhone quarter in history’ with 38% revenue growth

Sharp recovery is a ‘most surprising result’ amid ‘aggressive competition from domestic brands like Huawei’, IDC analyst says.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | Tianxia 2.0: how China can help shape the next world order

Outside In | Gradually, then suddenly, the world is waking up to the US threat

Opinion | Fears of overcapacity ignore China’s full balance of payments picture

Opinion | How the world can design a new trade architecture

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Letters | PhD fellowship scheme holds a key to Hong Kong’s education hub dream

UK says China lifts sanctions on British lawmakers after Starmer–Xi meeting

Luigi Mangione won’t face death penalty after US judge dismisses murder charge

US Justice Department releases 3 million more pages from Epstein files

Chinese hair salon owner arrested in Barcelona for funding Hamas via crypto

Islamic State claims bold attack on Niger’s strategic airport hub

Glitz, glamour and four-legged performers get horse show off to a stunning start

How the Hong Kong Pony Club fosters young riders’ respect and nurtures relationships

Hong Kong Pony Club members learn horsemanship, build lasting friendships, and develop a lasting respect for horses and ponies.

Reservations now open for new banknotes for Year of the Horse red packets

What does AI predict will happen in the fiery Year of the Horse 2026?

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.

Open Questions | Zheng Yongnian on what US’ ‘neocolonialism’, Venezuela operation mean for China

Political scientist says the Western-led global order remains useful, and the Belt and Road Initiative isn’t a geopolitical project.

China’s Alibaba, Moonshot claim latest AI models challenge OpenAI, Google

Alibaba says Qwen3-Max-Thinking is its ‘best model so far’, while Moonshot calls Kimi K2.5 the world’s most powerful open-source model.

Ant Group’s open-source push aims to move robots from lab demos to real-world work

Flashy robots can dance and backflip on cue, but Ant Group is betting open-source AI can take them beyond scripted moves.

China tech giants ByteDance and Alibaba to ramp up AI infrastructure efforts

The two firms’ actions are poised to further intensify the global AI arms race.

Alibaba AI chip push hits 100,000 mark, beating local rival Cambricon: sources

The milestone underscores Alibaba’s growing footprint in AI hardware, as Chinese firms accelerate efforts to build home-grown processors.

Can China’s AI strategy challenge India’s reign as ‘office of the world’?

Beijing’s ambition to move up the value chain could see it becoming a major exporter of digital services, AI to global high-end providers.

Trump says the US dollar can move like a yo-yo. Will Treasuries be left hanging?

With the US president levelling threats at enemies, allies and his own central bank, alternatives like gold and Chinese assets are gaining appeal.

European leaders say the quiet part out loud: order no longer constrains power

EU leaders appear to have finally accepted they are facing a new era of great power competition – the question now is how they respond.

Exclusive | Maker of China’s C919 airliner set to ramp up production: sources

With 8 of the 15 planes made last year delivered to customers in November and December, a source said supply chain snags seem to be diminishing.

The secret ingredient in your daily life: why Malaysian palm oil is used around the world

Opinion | Tianxia 2.0: how China can help shape the next world order

Letters | PhD fellowship scheme holds a key to Hong Kong’s education hub dream