Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

Observers say pressure on Trump will rise as the war continues, and Beijing’s leverage in any talks with the US will also grow. Photo: EPA

As Iran talks go nowhere, will Donald Trump still go to Beijing?

With peace negotiations postponed, it is unclear if the US president will be ready to look at stabilising ties between the two top economies.

6 minutes agovideocam

Trump predicts meeting with Xi will be ‘special’ ahead of China visit

2026 Trump-Xi summit

Tech

Can ‘token exports’ give China an edge in the AI era?

As AI tokens emerge as a new commodity, China’s cost advantage is reshaping global model competition, though monetisation gaps remain.

22 minutes ago

China Economy

‘Bigger winners’: why China’s battery firms stand to gain from the Iran war

Manufacturers are expected to see stronger overseas orders even as price wars hurt profits at home.

2 hours ago

Diplomacy

Washington’s ‘psyop’ propaganda push could backfire, analysts say

Amid slipping global approval, the US is risking its credibility by turning to tactics it once condemned.

3 hours ago

US-Israel war on Iran

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said the US blockade of Iran’s ports violated the ceasefire and amounted to “an act of war”. Photo: Stringer/dpa

Iran war latest: Trump’s new threat, IRGC attacks ship, fuel prices hit flights

Law and Crime

Tough penalties planned to stop unapproved fire system shutdowns in Hong Kong

Security Bureau plans to propose legal amendments to improve oversight following deadly Tai Po fire last November.

1 hour ago

The proposed measures aim to combat malpractice in light of the Tai Po fire. Photo: Sun Yeung

China Economy

China to fuse software and steel with US$14tr sector to enhance manufacturing

Beijing is overhauling ‘producer services’ with upgrades and more specialisation to avert deindustrialisation and anchor advanced manufacturing.

5 hours agovideocam

Politics

‘Vindication’: ICC chamber rules case against Rodrigo Duterte to proceed

Duterte’s lawyers argue that the crimes against humanity case targeting him should not proceed as the Philippines is not an ICC member.

1 hour agovideocam

Business

How Hong Kong’s role as innovation hub helps healthcare and biotech firms

Government initiative OASES supports GSK and Tigermed as they expand clinical trials and collaboration in mainland China and beyond.

In partnership with:

OASES

Hong Kong has introduced a range of measures to nurture biotechnology start-ups and attract more clinical research projects as part of its plan to become a global health and medical innovation hub. Photo: Shutterstock

Science

How China’s AI carbon accounting model points the finger at the US

The system factors in both production and consumption, lessening the responsibility of exporters such as China.

6 hours agovideocam

China’s new model distributes responsibility by taking into account who actually consumes exported products and the ability of countries’ natural environments to absorb carbon. Photo: Xinhua

China Economy

2,700 China-Japan flights axed in March as rift between Asian powers deepens

Nearly half of the planned flights between China and Japan were cancelled last month, as Beijing and Tokyo remain locked in a diplomatic feud.

22 Apr 2026 - 5:00PMvideocam

Military

Warning over Taiwan? PLA warships make rare transits off southwest Japan

‘Rare passage is a direct deterrent’ to the Japanese military bases along the coast, former PLA instructor says.

3 hours ago

Middle East

Iran fires on 3 ships in Strait of Hormuz after Trump extends ceasefire

Iran state TV says two ships were attacked by the Revolutionary Guard and are in Iranian custody.

28 minutes agovideocam

Commuters drive past a giant billboard referring to the Strait of Hormuz along a busy street in Tehran on Wednesday. Photo: WANA via Reuters

Health & Environment

Why Japan’s earthquake has Bali on edge over magnitude 9 ‘megathrust’ risk

Bali, Sumba and the Flores Islands are expected to be the worst hit from a megathrust earthquake in the Sumba fault.

22 Apr 2026 - 4:15PM

The sun rises behind boats moored at a pier on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali on April 12. Bali recorded 547 earthquakes last year. Photo: AFP

China EVs

China’s low-cost EVs to be fitted with lidar systems, usually saved for lux cars

Intense competition, rapid tech advancement and falling costs allow the superior driving systems to be fitted into budget-price vehicles.

3 hours agovideocam

Europe

UK PM insists he won’t resign over Mandelson scandal

Starmer’s remarks in parliament came as he faced fresh calls to step down over his admitted error of judgment in appointing Mandelson.

2 hours agovideocam

Europe

Second French peacekeeper dies in Lebanon after ambush blamed on Hezbollah

Anicet Girardin is the third French soldier to die since the start of the fighting in the Middle East.

55 minutes ago

A French contingent of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon patrols the area as displaced residents waving Hezbollah flags make their way back to their homes on a makeshift road, in the southern Lebanese area of Al-Qasmiyeh on Saturday. Photo: TNS

Trending in China

The Devil Wears Prada 2 slammed for offending China with nerdy ‘Chin Chou’ role

Sequel to hit Hollywood film accused of using ‘racist’ name reminiscent of xenophobic Western tropes of earlier times.

4 hours ago

The Devil Wears Prada 2 has been criticised for offending China by introducing a character named “Chin Chou”, which some say resembles the derogatory term “Ching Chong.” Photo: SCMP composite/IMDb/YouTube/IG@dip_magazine

Science

China names 2 Pakistani astronauts chosen to train for space station mission

Partnership shows Beijing’s attitude to ‘sharing the fruit of its space development’ with international community, state media says.

2 hours agovideocam

Education

611 elderly Hongkongers default on student loans, owe HK$17,400 each on average

Education Bureau says it recorded 9,838 default cases, involving 8,494 people, under five schemes as of January 31.

1 hour ago

OPINION

Wang Huiyao

Opinion | How China’s patient diplomacy can help secure peace in Iran

3 hours ago

Warwick Powell

Opinion | Iran crisis casts light on energy security from the US to Asia

6 hours ago

Jinghan (Michael) Zeng

Opinion | It’s time to unlock Hong Kong’s international relations potential

22 Apr 2026 - 10:34AM

Letters

Letters | Hong Kong can’t just build a monorail in Kai Tak and hope for the best

22 Apr 2026 - 11:30AM

Xiao Qian

Opinion | US-China AI race must strike a balance between security and openness

22 Apr 2026 - 5:30AM

Harry’s View | 22 Apr 2026

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US-Israel war on Iran

AI's impact on Hong Kong

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SCMP Series US-Israel war on Iran

Iran war: is the US shifting away from its strategy of precision strikes?

As the conflict has intensified, more energy and civilian sites have been targeted in what is seen as a broader approach.

9 Apr 2026 - 9:26AMvideocam

What is the war on Iran teaching China about the United States’ resilience?

8 Apr 2026 - 11:10AMvideocam

How lessons from Iran war could shape mainland China’s Taiwan calculus

7 Apr 2026 - 2:20AMvideocam

Open Questions series

Diplomacy

Open Questions | ‘Saying you’re a geopolitical actor doesn’t make it so’: Sven Biscop on Europe

The Belgian political scientist on what the Iran war and the transatlantic collision reveal about Europe’s place in a fast-changing world.

20 Apr 2026 - 10:05AMvideocam

Science

Open Questions | What an ancient Chinese map reveals about global history: Sheng-Wei Wang

Kunyu Wanguo Quantu and maritime artefacts prove China explored the world earlier than Eurocentric accounts suggest, scholar argues.

13 Apr 2026 - 8:15AMvideocam

China Economy

Open Questions | Andrew Tilton on China’s economic trajectory in wake of Iran war

Goldman Sachs’ chief Asia-Pacific economist says worst is over in terms of property slump’s impact on China’s economic growth.

6 Apr 2026 - 10:01AMvideocam

China Economy

Open Questions | Kenneth Rogoff on why China’s yuan will be a reserve currency within 5 years

Harvard economist explains why cryptocurrencies will never take the US dollar’s place, despite their popularity in underground economies.

30 Mar 2026 - 10:03AMvideocam

Key Industries:

China Business

China’s drug makers are speeding up – will AI be their secret weapon?

Chinese biotech firms are striking big global deals as drug makers, but could artificial intelligence take them to the next level?

18 Apr 2026 - 11:05AM

Tech

Can ‘token exports’ give China an edge in the AI era?

As AI tokens emerge as a new commodity, China’s cost advantage is reshaping global model competition, though monetisation gaps remain.

22 minutes ago

China EVs

China’s low-cost EVs to be fitted with lidar systems, usually saved for lux cars

Intense competition, rapid tech advancement and falling costs allow the superior driving systems to be fitted into budget-price vehicles.

3 hours agovideocam

Banking & Finance

Biotech-led boom as 8 China firms flock to Hong Kong’s thriving stock market

AI-powered drug developer Metis TechBio leads group that includes developers of autonomous driving technology and industrial robots.

22 Apr 2026 - 4:53PM

Healthcare led liquidity growth on the Hong Kong stock market over the past decade, with trading turnover for the sector surging more than 11-fold between 2015 and 2025. Photo: Shutterstock

Politics

Trump’s military push confronts US lawmakers and China’s shipbuilding edge

Congressional resistance, war costs and industrial limits could constrain ambitions, even as Beijing expands its naval capacity.

22 Apr 2026 - 12:55AMvideocam

Politics

How China is reinforcing its ‘legal shield’ against foreign pressure

New rules take aim at sanctions and ‘long-arm jurisdiction’, and the Strait of Hormuz crisis could provide a high-stakes testing ground.

21 Apr 2026 - 6:46AM

Diplomacy

The rupture: how Europe fell out of love with America

Many believed the transatlantic alliance could weather another term of Trump, but a year and a half on those hopes have largely faded.

19 Apr 2026 - 1:32AMvideocam

Sport

Rugby’s greatest weekend: 50 years of the Hong Kong Sevens - an infographic

See the world’s top teams compete at Kai Tak Stadium on April 17-19 and celebrate 50 years of Hong Kong Sevens history, tries and triumphs.

16 Apr 2026 - 8:15PM

Rugby’s greatest weekend: 50 years of the Hong Kong Sevens - an infographic

As Iran talks go nowhere, will Donald Trump still go to Beijing?

With peace negotiations postponed, it is unclear if the US president will be ready to look at stabilising ties between the two top economies.

Trump predicts meeting with Xi will be ‘special’ ahead of China visit

Can ‘token exports’ give China an edge in the AI era?

As AI tokens emerge as a new commodity, China’s cost advantage is reshaping global model competition, though monetisation gaps remain.

‘Bigger winners’: why China’s battery firms stand to gain from the Iran war

Manufacturers are expected to see stronger overseas orders even as price wars hurt profits at home.

Washington’s ‘psyop’ propaganda push could backfire, analysts say

Amid slipping global approval, the US is risking its credibility by turning to tactics it once condemned.

Iran war latest: Trump’s new threat, IRGC attacks ship, fuel prices hit flights

Tough penalties planned to stop unapproved fire system shutdowns in Hong Kong

Security Bureau plans to propose legal amendments to improve oversight following deadly Tai Po fire last November.

China to fuse software and steel with US$14tr sector to enhance manufacturing

Beijing is overhauling ‘producer services’ with upgrades and more specialisation to avert deindustrialisation and anchor advanced manufacturing.

‘Vindication’: ICC chamber rules case against Rodrigo Duterte to proceed

Duterte’s lawyers argue that the crimes against humanity case targeting him should not proceed as the Philippines is not an ICC member.

.css-12ooj4n{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;}How Hong Kong’s role as innovation hub helps healthcare and biotech firms

Government initiative OASES supports GSK and Tigermed as they expand clinical trials and collaboration in mainland China and beyond.

How China’s AI carbon accounting model points the finger at the US

The system factors in both production and consumption, lessening the responsibility of exporters such as China.

2,700 China-Japan flights axed in March as rift between Asian powers deepens

Nearly half of the planned flights between China and Japan were cancelled last month, as Beijing and Tokyo remain locked in a diplomatic feud.

Warning over Taiwan? PLA warships make rare transits off southwest Japan

‘Rare passage is a direct deterrent’ to the Japanese military bases along the coast, former PLA instructor says.

Iran fires on 3 ships in Strait of Hormuz after Trump extends ceasefire

Iran state TV says two ships were attacked by the Revolutionary Guard and are in Iranian custody.

Why Japan’s earthquake has Bali on edge over magnitude 9 ‘megathrust’ risk

Bali, Sumba and the Flores Islands are expected to be the worst hit from a megathrust earthquake in the Sumba fault.

China’s low-cost EVs to be fitted with lidar systems, usually saved for lux cars

Intense competition, rapid tech advancement and falling costs allow the superior driving systems to be fitted into budget-price vehicles.

UK PM insists he won’t resign over Mandelson scandal

Starmer’s remarks in parliament came as he faced fresh calls to step down over his admitted error of judgment in appointing Mandelson.

Second French peacekeeper dies in Lebanon after ambush blamed on Hezbollah

Anicet Girardin is the third French soldier to die since the start of the fighting in the Middle East.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 slammed for offending China with nerdy ‘Chin Chou’ role

Sequel to hit Hollywood film accused of using ‘racist’ name reminiscent of xenophobic Western tropes of earlier times.

China names 2 Pakistani astronauts chosen to train for space station mission

Partnership shows Beijing’s attitude to ‘sharing the fruit of its space development’ with international community, state media says.

611 elderly Hongkongers default on student loans, owe HK$17,400 each on average

Education Bureau says it recorded 9,838 default cases, involving 8,494 people, under five schemes as of January 31.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | How China’s patient diplomacy can help secure peace in Iran

Opinion | Iran crisis casts light on energy security from the US to Asia

Opinion | It’s time to unlock Hong Kong’s international relations potential

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Letters | Hong Kong can’t just build a monorail in Kai Tak and hope for the best

Opinion | US-China AI race must strike a balance between security and openness

Brown makes dream start to Hong Kong stint with Valley win on Shooting To Top

As Iran talks go nowhere, will Donald Trump still go to Beijing?

‘Vindication’: ICC chamber rules case against Rodrigo Duterte to proceed

Second French peacekeeper dies in Lebanon after ambush blamed on Hezbollah

.css-1t72pn8{color:#C79A00;}Video | World’s top condom maker to raise prices over Iran war

‘Bigger winners’: why China’s battery firms stand to gain from the Iran war

Referee Ma Ning remains in Jeddah after AFC Champions League Elite controversy

Can ‘token exports’ give China an edge in the AI era?

Philippine lawmakers examine gap in VP Sara’s bank statements, declared wealth

UK PM insists he won’t resign over Mandelson scandal

Iran war: is the US shifting away from its strategy of precision strikes?

As the conflict has intensified, more energy and civilian sites have been targeted in what is seen as a broader approach.

What is the war on Iran teaching China about the United States’ resilience?

How lessons from Iran war could shape mainland China’s Taiwan calculus

Open Questions | ‘Saying you’re a geopolitical actor doesn’t make it so’: Sven Biscop on Europe

The Belgian political scientist on what the Iran war and the transatlantic collision reveal about Europe’s place in a fast-changing world.

Open Questions | What an ancient Chinese map reveals about global history: Sheng-Wei Wang

Kunyu Wanguo Quantu and maritime artefacts prove China explored the world earlier than Eurocentric accounts suggest, scholar argues.

Open Questions | Andrew Tilton on China’s economic trajectory in wake of Iran war

Goldman Sachs’ chief Asia-Pacific economist says worst is over in terms of property slump’s impact on China’s economic growth.

Open Questions | Kenneth Rogoff on why China’s yuan will be a reserve currency within 5 years

Harvard economist explains why cryptocurrencies will never take the US dollar’s place, despite their popularity in underground economies.

China’s drug makers are speeding up – will AI be their secret weapon?

Chinese biotech firms are striking big global deals as drug makers, but could artificial intelligence take them to the next level?

Can ‘token exports’ give China an edge in the AI era?

As AI tokens emerge as a new commodity, China’s cost advantage is reshaping global model competition, though monetisation gaps remain.

China’s low-cost EVs to be fitted with lidar systems, usually saved for lux cars

Intense competition, rapid tech advancement and falling costs allow the superior driving systems to be fitted into budget-price vehicles.

Biotech-led boom as 8 China firms flock to Hong Kong’s thriving stock market

AI-powered drug developer Metis TechBio leads group that includes developers of autonomous driving technology and industrial robots.

Trump’s military push confronts US lawmakers and China’s shipbuilding edge

Congressional resistance, war costs and industrial limits could constrain ambitions, even as Beijing expands its naval capacity.

How China is reinforcing its ‘legal shield’ against foreign pressure

New rules take aim at sanctions and ‘long-arm jurisdiction’, and the Strait of Hormuz crisis could provide a high-stakes testing ground.

The rupture: how Europe fell out of love with America

How Hong Kong’s role as innovation hub helps healthcare and biotech firms

Opinion | How China’s patient diplomacy can help secure peace in Iran

Letters | Hong Kong can’t just build a monorail in Kai Tak and hope for the best

Video | World’s top condom maker to raise prices over Iran war