Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

Trainers supervise the training of a humanoid robot at the Qingdao Humanoid Robot Data and Training Centre in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province. Photo: Xinhua

From phones to humanoid robots: China’s supply chain eyes next growth curve

A slowdown in global smartphone shipments is driving Chinese electronics suppliers to pivot towards humanoid robots.

25 minutes ago

Winner of second Beijing robot half-marathon smashes human world record by 6 minutes

Robotics

Diplomacy

Why does China portray India as an elephant? Decoding politics of animal analogy

‘Diplomatic language is never neutral. When you adopt someone else’s framing, you partially legitimise their world view’: former ambassador.

3 hours agovideocam

Economics

‘Structural shift’: new routes for Middle East freight to bypass Hormuz

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE lead a push for a new trade architecture with multiple nodes linking the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea.

4 hours ago

Society

Property management sector cites 25% guard shortage amid imported labour backlash

Industry leaders defend cross-border recruitment in Hong Kong as ‘necessary’ amid shortage, but critics say import scheme may sideline locals.

54 minutes ago

Focus

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands as they meet, in Beijing, China, on September 2, 2025. Photo: Iran’s Presidential website/West Asia News Agency/Reuters

China’s stance on Iran war has strengthened its global position

Health & Wellness

How to sleep better, from bedtimes to regularity – what the research says

Sleep research has come a long way in the last decade. Here’s what you need to know to help make your slumber better.

3 May 2026 - 7:15AM

According to British neuroscientist Matthew Walker, mastering sleep requires managing three main factors: regularity, timing and continuity. Photo: Shutterstock

Business

Singapore’s safe-haven status draws more Chinese property investment

Mainland firms’ investments in Singapore fixed assets zoomed to 21 per cent of the total in 2025 from 2.5 per cent a year earlier.

5 hours ago

People

In Philippines, youth suicide crisis exposes struggle for mental health support

Manila faces a rise in youth suicides linked to emotional distress, prompting calls for the nationwide expansion of well-being resources.

1 hour agovideocam

Tech

How AI technology supports conservation of endangered species

Huawei Technologies’ monitoring systems speed up real-time identification of China’s primates, coastal coral, and Norwegian salmon.

In partnership with:

Huawei

China Economy

How China’s industrial tourism is creating a new generation of tech-savvy kids

Electric vehicle and drone factory visits are on the rise, turning workplaces into educational sites in the AI era.

4 hours agovideocam

Hi-tech industrial tours have become increasingly popular among China’s urban middle class. Photo: Handout

United States & Canada

‘Foolish decision’: Trump’s Germany troop removal rebuked by allies, Nato

Two US lawmakers said the move ‘risks undermining deterrence and sending the wrong signal’ to Russia’s Putin.

1 hour agovideocam

Lifestyle & Culture

The cost of cute: how ‘petfluencers’ are driving Asia’s wildlife crime

Thailand is a key pipeline in a lucrative global trade that animal activists warn risks spreading zoonotic diseases and erasing biodiversity.

3 hours ago

Health & Environment

How unlicensed mainland Chinese tour groups cash in on Hong Kong campsites

Unlicensed guide admits to regularly crossing border as tourist for illegal work, while another insists 30-person group ‘just friends’.

37 minutes ago

Members of an unlicensed tour group eat hotpot at the Ham Tin Wan campsite. Photo: Edmond So

Southeast Asia

Thai vendor crackdown threatens to gobble up Bangkok’s street food culture

Many stalls in the Thai capital face an uncertain future as officials clear footpaths and relocate sellers to hawker centres.

43 minutes ago

A customer orders grilled seafood from a street vendor in Bangkok’s Chinatown, Thailand, on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Business

Shenzhen office market gains steam on tech and services demand

Leasing activity in core districts is picking up, driven by tech occupiers, but analysts warn oversupply will keep vacancies elevated.

4 hours ago

Lifestyle & Culture

Indonesia’s aim to lure more K-pop concerts spurs chorus of doubts

While Indonesian K-pop fans applaud Jakarta’s intention, they cite safety, venue capacity and bureaucracy as some of the key hurdles.

3 May 2026 - 8:00AM

Middle East

Trump says he’s reviewing new Iran proposal to end war

The president also has floated a new plan to reopen the Hormuz, after the US warned shipping firms against paying Iran for safe passage.

3 May 2026 - 7:09AMvideocam

A man stands in the water as ships line the horizon in the Strait of Hormuz in April. Poto: ISNA via AP

Politics

Can the US Democrats beat Trump by becoming more like him?

Fighting fire with fire may deliver electoral wins, but risks hurting the party’s brand eventually, Chinese academic argues.

2 May 2026 - 10:00PMvideocam

Diplomacy

Taiwan’s William Lai lands in eSwatini on trip Beijing calls a political ‘stunt’

Lai travels to island sole African ally after earlier visit cancelled because of overflight permission withdrawn.

2 May 2026 - 9:11PM

Politics

The ageing dilemma: why robots can’t save us but China-US cooperation might

US medical anthropologist Arthur Kleinman looks for path out of a social paradox: longer lives without a defined social role.

2 May 2026 - 8:00PMvideocam

LATEST

16 minutes ago

Hong Kong

Coleman Wong wins first ATP Challenger title, downs Walton to claim Jiangxi Open

40 minutes ago

Banking & Finance

Why Singapore wealth-tech firms pick Hong Kong as their first overseas market

43 minutes ago

Southeast Asia

Thai vendor crackdown threatens to gobble up Bangkok’s street food culture

1 hour ago

People

In Philippines, youth suicide crisis exposes struggle for mental health support

1 hour ago

United States & Canada

‘Foolish decision’: Trump’s Germany troop removal rebuked by allies, Nato

2 hours ago

Golf

Asian Tour event reaches thrilling end, but ball row threatens to overshadow win

2 hours ago

Arts

How Hong Kong’s 91-year-old Haw Par Mansion will transform into new cultural hub

2 hours ago

Society

Property management sector cites 25% guard shortage amid imported labour backlash

3 hours ago

Diplomacy

Why does China portray India as an elephant? Decoding politics of animal analogy

3 hours ago

Tech Trends

From phones to humanoid robots: China’s supply chain eyes next growth curve

MORE LATEST NEWS

SCMP Series

China takes stock as world frets over Mythos

US-Israel war on Iran

AI's impact on Hong Kong

Anthropic’s strong anti-China stance has increased the possibility that the US could use Mythos-type models to conduct cyberattacks against China, according to a cybersecurity expert. Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images

SCMP Series China takes stock as world frets over Mythos

From scepticism to concern: Mythos panic is slowly starting to reach China

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said on its influential social media account that Mythos showed ‘unprecedented cyberattack capabilities’.

3-MIN READ

Why Anthropic’s Mythos has energised China’s cybersecurity industry

3-MIN READ

Anthropic’s Mythos is stoking cybersecurity fears. What does it mean for China?

3-MIN READ

Open Questions series

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.

10-MIN READvideocam

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.

15-MIN READvideocam

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.

16-MIN READvideocam

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.

9-MIN READvideocam

Key Industries:

Big Tech

As DJI duels Insta360, China sharpens global hardware edge amid US scrutiny

Western competitors like GoPro face shrinking footprints as strategic shifts of Chinese firms disrupt the status quo while navigating FCC-led national security bans.

7-MIN READvideocam

Tech Trends

From phones to humanoid robots: China’s supply chain eyes next growth curve

A slowdown in global smartphone shipments is driving Chinese electronics suppliers to pivot towards humanoid robots.

3-MIN READ

China Economy

How China’s industrial tourism is creating a new generation of tech-savvy kids

Electric vehicle and drone factory visits are on the rise, turning workplaces into educational sites in the AI era.

3-MIN READvideocam

Tech

ByteDance’s drug unit presents AI-designed therapies at global conferences

Chinese tech giant fields teams in Boston, Rio de Janeiro and Barcelona as its unit unveils frameworks and therapies powered by AI.

2-MIN READ

ByteDance has doubled down on AI despite a 70 per cent profit plunge in 2025. Photo: Shutterstock

China EVs

Shifting gears: how foreign giants aim to catch up in China’s EV era

International carmakers launch tailored models and accelerate R&D as they scramble to match the speed and sophistication of domestic rivals.

5-MIN READ

Politics

Why Beijing now wants its spies executed in Taiwan back in the spotlight

Mainland China is seeing a surge in interest over ‘invisible martyrs’ such as Wu Shi, a KMT defector who was executed in Taipei in 1950.

6-MIN READvideocam

Diplomacy

The big shift in Xi Jinping’s travel plans and what it means for China

Data analysis by the SCMP reveals a changing dynamic in Beijing towards high-level diplomatic meetings.

5-MIN READvideocam

Diplomacy

The UAE’s exit from Opec could bring ‘even bigger trouble’: Chinese expert

While the UAE’s departure from oil cartel is disruptive, it could also further drive apart Gulf Cooperation Council members, observer says.

3-MIN READvideocam

The Gulf Cooperation Council has been fractured by an intensifying rivalry between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as the countries each pursue competing visions of regional leadership. Photo: AFP

From phones to humanoid robots: China’s supply chain eyes next growth curve

A slowdown in global smartphone shipments is driving Chinese electronics suppliers to pivot towards humanoid robots.

Winner of second Beijing robot half-marathon smashes human world record by 6 minutes

Why does China portray India as an elephant? Decoding politics of animal analogy

‘Diplomatic language is never neutral. When you adopt someone else’s framing, you partially legitimise their world view’: former ambassador.

‘Structural shift’: new routes for Middle East freight to bypass Hormuz

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE lead a push for a new trade architecture with multiple nodes linking the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea.

Property management sector cites 25% guard shortage amid imported labour backlash

Industry leaders defend cross-border recruitment in Hong Kong as ‘necessary’ amid shortage, but critics say import scheme may sideline locals.

China’s stance on Iran war has strengthened its global position

How to sleep better, from bedtimes to regularity – what the research says

Sleep research has come a long way in the last decade. Here’s what you need to know to help make your slumber better.

Singapore’s safe-haven status draws more Chinese property investment

Mainland firms’ investments in Singapore fixed assets zoomed to 21 per cent of the total in 2025 from 2.5 per cent a year earlier.

In Philippines, youth suicide crisis exposes struggle for mental health support

Manila faces a rise in youth suicides linked to emotional distress, prompting calls for the nationwide expansion of well-being resources.

.css-12ooj4n{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;}How AI technology supports conservation of endangered species

Huawei Technologies’ monitoring systems speed up real-time identification of China’s primates, coastal coral, and Norwegian salmon.

How China’s industrial tourism is creating a new generation of tech-savvy kids

Electric vehicle and drone factory visits are on the rise, turning workplaces into educational sites in the AI era.

‘Foolish decision’: Trump’s Germany troop removal rebuked by allies, Nato

Two US lawmakers said the move ‘risks undermining deterrence and sending the wrong signal’ to Russia’s Putin.

The cost of cute: how ‘petfluencers’ are driving Asia’s wildlife crime

Thailand is a key pipeline in a lucrative global trade that animal activists warn risks spreading zoonotic diseases and erasing biodiversity.

How unlicensed mainland Chinese tour groups cash in on Hong Kong campsites

Unlicensed guide admits to regularly crossing border as tourist for illegal work, while another insists 30-person group ‘just friends’.

Thai vendor crackdown threatens to gobble up Bangkok’s street food culture

Many stalls in the Thai capital face an uncertain future as officials clear footpaths and relocate sellers to hawker centres.

Shenzhen office market gains steam on tech and services demand

Leasing activity in core districts is picking up, driven by tech occupiers, but analysts warn oversupply will keep vacancies elevated.

Indonesia’s aim to lure more K-pop concerts spurs chorus of doubts

While Indonesian K-pop fans applaud Jakarta’s intention, they cite safety, venue capacity and bureaucracy as some of the key hurdles.

Trump says he’s reviewing new Iran proposal to end war

The president also has floated a new plan to reopen the Hormuz, after the US warned shipping firms against paying Iran for safe passage.

Can the US Democrats beat Trump by becoming more like him?

Fighting fire with fire may deliver electoral wins, but risks hurting the party’s brand eventually, Chinese academic argues.

Taiwan’s William Lai lands in eSwatini on trip Beijing calls a political ‘stunt’

Lai travels to island sole African ally after earlier visit cancelled because of overflight permission withdrawn.

The ageing dilemma: why robots can’t save us but China-US cooperation might

US medical anthropologist Arthur Kleinman looks for path out of a social paradox: longer lives without a defined social role.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Asian Angle | Why Japan-China ties can benefit from promoting people-to-people exchanges

Opinion | It’s not ecotourism if it risks damaging Hong Kong’s natural assets

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Letters | China’s stance on Iran war has strengthened its global position

Editorial | Hong Kong’s efforts to commemorate Bruce Lee should pack bigger punch

Editorial | Return to profit helps Hong Kong Disneyland look to the future

Coleman Wong wins first ATP Challenger title, downs Walton to claim Jiangxi Open

Why Singapore wealth-tech firms pick Hong Kong as their first overseas market

Thai vendor crackdown threatens to gobble up Bangkok’s street food culture

In Philippines, youth suicide crisis exposes struggle for mental health support

‘Foolish decision’: Trump’s Germany troop removal rebuked by allies, Nato

Asian Tour event reaches thrilling end, but ball row threatens to overshadow win

How Hong Kong’s 91-year-old Haw Par Mansion will transform into new cultural hub

Property management sector cites 25% guard shortage amid imported labour backlash

Why does China portray India as an elephant? Decoding politics of animal analogy

From phones to humanoid robots: China’s supply chain eyes next growth curve

From scepticism to concern: Mythos panic is slowly starting to reach China

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said on its influential social media account that Mythos showed ‘unprecedented cyberattack capabilities’.

Why Anthropic’s Mythos has energised China’s cybersecurity industry

Anthropic’s Mythos is stoking cybersecurity fears. What does it mean for China?

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.

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.

As DJI duels Insta360, China sharpens global hardware edge amid US scrutiny

Western competitors like GoPro face shrinking footprints as strategic shifts of Chinese firms disrupt the status quo while navigating FCC-led national security bans.

From phones to humanoid robots: China’s supply chain eyes next growth curve

A slowdown in global smartphone shipments is driving Chinese electronics suppliers to pivot towards humanoid robots.

How China’s industrial tourism is creating a new generation of tech-savvy kids

Electric vehicle and drone factory visits are on the rise, turning workplaces into educational sites in the AI era.

ByteDance’s drug unit presents AI-designed therapies at global conferences

Chinese tech giant fields teams in Boston, Rio de Janeiro and Barcelona as its unit unveils frameworks and therapies powered by AI.

Shifting gears: how foreign giants aim to catch up in China’s EV era

International carmakers launch tailored models and accelerate R&D as they scramble to match the speed and sophistication of domestic rivals.

Why Beijing now wants its spies executed in Taiwan back in the spotlight

Mainland China is seeing a surge in interest over ‘invisible martyrs’ such as Wu Shi, a KMT defector who was executed in Taipei in 1950.

The big shift in Xi Jinping’s travel plans and what it means for China

How AI technology supports conservation of endangered species

Asian Angle | Why Japan-China ties can benefit from promoting people-to-people exchanges

Letters | China’s stance on Iran war has strengthened its global position