Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

Half of TikTok US’s investors under the deal will be new entrants. Photo: Reuters

TikTok confirms deal to create new US venture, averting shutdown by a few hours

Beijing has not officially confirmed the agreement to secure the platform’s future for 170 million Americans.

22 minutes agovideocam

TikTok seals US deal but core algorithm could still rattle ties with China

US-China relations

Economic Indicators

Exclusive | China to set GDP growth range, providing policy flexibility in 2026: sources

Establishing a range for the official growth target, to be revealed in March, would suggest tolerance for some deceleration amid challenges.

5 hours ago

Diplomacy

China to ‘quietly track’ Greenland developments amid Arctic ambitions: analysts

Beijing to focus on maintaining its ‘constructive relationship with US’ and does not need to ‘disrupt that over Greenland’, say experts.

2 hours agovideocam

Society

Can Hong Kong find quick fixes for corruption in building maintenance sector?

Bid-rigging practices are back in spotlight following deadly Tai Po blaze but how widespread is the problem and how do syndicates work?

3 hours agovideocam

Lifestyle

Will the Year of the Horse 2026 be a lucky one for Snakes? Fortune-teller Tong Pik-ha shares her predictions for wealth, relationships and health. Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

Year of the Horse 2026 predictions for Snakes, from money to health

Science

A mother’s mind appears restored: might ultrasound be a cure for Alzheimer’s?

After treatment for a separate condition, a Chinese neurologist noticed improvements in cognition.

3 hours agovideocam

Chinese neurologist Sun Bomin says high-intensity focused ultrasound treatment of his mother and apparent alleviation of some Alzheimer’s symptoms sparked him to study it as a viable treatment for the condition. Photo: Handout

China Business

Major foreign carmakers set to stage a comeback in China this year: analysts

Foreign carmakers ‘will fight back because they will have the same products’ as their Chinese rivals, consultancy head Denis Depoux says.

2 hours ago

Lifestyle & Culture

FOMO and long lines: South Korea goes nuts for ‘dujjonku’ cookie

South Korea’s highly interconnected culture has fuelled a series of viral food crazes, causing items to sell out fast and prices to skyrocket.

2 hours agovideocam

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.

Science

The Chinese satellites SpaceX says were on collision course with Starlink

As orbits become more crowded and littered with debris, the US operator is having to move its devices to dodge damage.

23 Jan 2026 - 1:56AMvideocam

A SpaceX Falcon 9 launches 27 Starlink satellites into orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on July 2, 2025. Photo: SpaceX/TNS

Diplomacy

Peru’s president refuses to resign over secret meetings with Chinese businessmen

Jose Jeri is under scrutiny for clandestine encounters with Chinese businessmen that triggered a criminal probe and calls for his removal.

6 hours agovideocam

Middle East

Trump says US ‘armada’ heading towards Iran as tensions remain high

USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships move from the Asia-Pacific even as Iran protests seem to dwindle.

1 hour ago

Americas

US letting China buy Venezuela oil but not at ‘unfair’ Maduro prices: official

The US says it will control the Latin American nation’s oil sales indefinitely after seizing its leader.

5 hours ago

A statue of a hand holding an oil well tower stands near the headquarters of Venezuela’s state-run oil company PDVSA in Caracas, Venezuela, on January 13. Photo: Reuters

United States & Canada

Sinners breaks all-time Oscars record with 16 nominations

Ryan Coogler’s blues-steeped vampire epic breaks the 14-nomination mark set by All About Eve, Titanic and La La Land.

46 minutes agovideocam

Michael B. Jordan (centre right) stars in Sinners. Photo: TNS

Military

How 1,000 Chinese J-20s could challenge US dominance in the Indo-Pacific

Report finds ‘dramatic increase’ over past five years in Beijing’s capacity to contest Western air power, citing ‘highly capable’ fighters.

22 Jan 2026 - 9:00PMvideocam

China Business

Global funds, from BlackRock to Temasek, back China’s largest biotech firms

Global institutional investors have built up sizeable positions in firms including Innovent, 3SBio, WuXi Biologics, Jiangsu Hengrui, Akeso and BeOne.

3 hours ago

China

US and Canada drift apart on China as Ottawa rethinks Beijing ties

Policy gaps are emerging after PM Mark Carney struck a wide-ranging deal with Beijing, testing past US-Canada alignment, analysts say.

6 hours agovideocam

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told Chinese President Xi Jinping last week that “together we can build on the best of what this relationship has been in the past”. Photo: Reuters

Europe

Greenland PM says he doesn’t know what’s in deal reached with Trump

Locals, meanwhile, are fed up with negotiations done over their heads after the US president’s meeting with Nato’s chief.

23 Jan 2026 - 2:42AM

Canadian comedian Mark Critch wears a Donald Trump costume and poses with locals in front of the US consulate in Nuuk, Greenland, on Thursday. Photo: Reuters

China

China reliance and tariff wars emerge as top risks for global defence industry: report

Consultancy warns geopolitical tensions and supply chain exposure are reshaping risk calculations for military manufacturers.

5 hours agovideocam

Economics

Philippines’ new gas find fuels energy diversification hopes

With gas supply at a current well set to run out by 2027, potential new sources could help avert an energy crisis in Luzon.

4 hours ago

OPINION

Bernard Chan

Opinion | From Venezuela to Greenland, Trump is using US power to rewrite the rules

2 hours ago

SCMP Editorial

Editorial | Trump’s antics at Davos further erode trust in US leadership

4 hours ago

Zhihua Zheng

Opinion | How China can strengthen High Seas Treaty governance

6 hours ago

SCMP Editorial

Editorial | Hong Kong’s slope safety monitoring must keep pace with climate change

5 hours ago

Wang Wen

Opinion | China has Trump 2.0 to thank for emerging stronger in tech and trade

22 Jan 2026 - 8:30PM

Harry’s View | 23 Jan 2026

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13 minutes ago

United States & Canada

Newsom, on world stage at Davos, accuses Trump of trying to suppress dissent

24 minutes ago

Food & Drink

5 of the best things to do in Hong Kong this weekend, January 23-25

1 hour ago

Middle East

Trump says US ‘armada’ heading towards Iran as tensions remain high

1 hour ago

Southeast Asia

1MDB convict and ex-Goldman banker Leissner seeks pardon from Trump

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China Business

Major foreign carmakers set to stage a comeback in China this year: analysts

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Style shoot: Louis Vuitton celebrates its famous Monogram

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The US has played its hand in Latin America. Will China’s firms there cash out?

After the abduction of former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, many Chinese entrepreneurs in the region say they are staying put – for now.

13 Jan 2026 - 9:55AMvideocam

Why overseas residency is a ‘practical advantage’ for Chinese firms going global

12 Jan 2026 - 11:19AMvideocam

Chinese companies expand globally

12 Dec 2025 - 12:42PM

Open Questions series

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

Global Economy

Open Questions | ‘Embrace the moment’: on China, Daniel Kritenbrink puts pragmatism first

Former US ambassador to Vietnam says a return to the past for US-China relations is unrealistic, but both economic powers benefit from ties.

5 Jan 2026 - 9:11AMvideocam

Diplomacy

Open Questions | How new C100 chief plans to foster ties between Chinese-Americans and China

The Committee of 100’s president Paul Cheung has high hopes for Chinese-Americans’ relationship with China in these uncertain times.

9 Jan 2026 - 12:37PMvideocam

Key Industries:

Tech War

DeepSeek a year on: how a Chinese start-up sparked a global AI arms race

DeepSeek’s meteoric rise propelled the growth of the open-source AI ecosystem by spurring its competitors to join the movement.

19 Jan 2026 - 10:24PMvideocam

DeepSeek’s meteoric rise has propelled the growth of the open-source AI ecosystem by spurring its competitors to join the movement. Photo: Shutterstock

China Business

Major foreign carmakers set to stage a comeback in China this year: analysts

Foreign carmakers ‘will fight back because they will have the same products’ as their Chinese rivals, consultancy head Denis Depoux says.

2 hours ago

China Business

Global funds, from BlackRock to Temasek, back China’s largest biotech firms

Global institutional investors have built up sizeable positions in firms including Innovent, 3SBio, WuXi Biologics, Jiangsu Hengrui, Akeso and BeOne.

3 hours ago

Big Tech

Chinese AI chipmaker Moore Threads set to report tripling of revenue

AI chipmakers have emerged as the most valuable companies in China’s AI field as the country pushes for chips that rival Nvidia’s.

22 Jan 2026 - 6:30PM

Shares in Moore Threads have surged nearly 450 per cent since its listing in December. Photo: Handout

Science

The West cheered China’s coal-fired export ban. Then came the massive blackouts

Did Beijing’s decision to stop financing overseas coal plants after pressure from US and Europe lead to mass – yet avoidable – power cuts?

21 Jan 2026 - 6:12AMvideocam

China Economy

Hong Kong degree is ‘passport’ to jobs in the world’s third-largest art market

Art graduates from the mainland, looking to expand their horizons and gain an edge in the job market, are flocking to Hong Kong for further study.

20 Jan 2026 - 8:22AMvideocam

Global Economy

Can China’s cosmetics brands rival K-beauty and refashion global markets?

Once the top export market for South Korean cosmetics, Chinese firms lead at home and have made headway overseas – but gaps remain.

18 Jan 2026 - 6:06AMvideocam

Big Tech

China curbs US AI chips, shuns foreign capital in pursuit of tech self-reliance

These restrictions signify a new phase in the US-China tech war where ‘offensive and defensive roles have shifted’, says an analyst.

17 Jan 2026 - 10:46AM

TikTok confirms deal to create new US venture, averting shutdown by a few hours

Beijing has not officially confirmed the agreement to secure the platform’s future for 170 million Americans.

TikTok seals US deal but core algorithm could still rattle ties with China

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Exclusive | China to set GDP growth range, providing policy flexibility in 2026: sources

Establishing a range for the official growth target, to be revealed in March, would suggest tolerance for some deceleration amid challenges.

China to ‘quietly track’ Greenland developments amid Arctic ambitions: analysts

Beijing to focus on maintaining its ‘constructive relationship with US’ and does not need to ‘disrupt that over Greenland’, say experts.

Can Hong Kong find quick fixes for corruption in building maintenance sector?

Bid-rigging practices are back in spotlight following deadly Tai Po blaze but how widespread is the problem and how do syndicates work?

Year of the Horse 2026 predictions for Snakes, from money to health

A mother’s mind appears restored: might ultrasound be a cure for Alzheimer’s?

After treatment for a separate condition, a Chinese neurologist noticed improvements in cognition.

Major foreign carmakers set to stage a comeback in China this year: analysts

Foreign carmakers ‘will fight back because they will have the same products’ as their Chinese rivals, consultancy head Denis Depoux says.

FOMO and long lines: South Korea goes nuts for ‘dujjonku’ cookie

South Korea’s highly interconnected culture has fuelled a series of viral food crazes, causing items to sell out fast and prices to skyrocket.

.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.

The Chinese satellites SpaceX says were on collision course with Starlink

As orbits become more crowded and littered with debris, the US operator is having to move its devices to dodge damage.

Peru’s president refuses to resign over secret meetings with Chinese businessmen

Jose Jeri is under scrutiny for clandestine encounters with Chinese businessmen that triggered a criminal probe and calls for his removal.

Trump says US ‘armada’ heading towards Iran as tensions remain high

USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships move from the Asia-Pacific even as Iran protests seem to dwindle.

US letting China buy Venezuela oil but not at ‘unfair’ Maduro prices: official

The US says it will control the Latin American nation’s oil sales indefinitely after seizing its leader.

Sinners breaks all-time Oscars record with 16 nominations

Ryan Coogler’s blues-steeped vampire epic breaks the 14-nomination mark set by All About Eve, Titanic and La La Land.

How 1,000 Chinese J-20s could challenge US dominance in the Indo-Pacific

Report finds ‘dramatic increase’ over past five years in Beijing’s capacity to contest Western air power, citing ‘highly capable’ fighters.

Global funds, from BlackRock to Temasek, back China’s largest biotech firms

Global institutional investors have built up sizeable positions in firms including Innovent, 3SBio, WuXi Biologics, Jiangsu Hengrui, Akeso and BeOne.

US and Canada drift apart on China as Ottawa rethinks Beijing ties

Policy gaps are emerging after PM Mark Carney struck a wide-ranging deal with Beijing, testing past US-Canada alignment, analysts say.

Greenland PM says he doesn’t know what’s in deal reached with Trump

Locals, meanwhile, are fed up with negotiations done over their heads after the US president’s meeting with Nato’s chief.

China reliance and tariff wars emerge as top risks for global defence industry: report

Consultancy warns geopolitical tensions and supply chain exposure are reshaping risk calculations for military manufacturers.

Philippines’ new gas find fuels energy diversification hopes

With gas supply at a current well set to run out by 2027, potential new sources could help avert an energy crisis in Luzon.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | From Venezuela to Greenland, Trump is using US power to rewrite the rules

Editorial | Trump’s antics at Davos further erode trust in US leadership

Opinion | How China can strengthen High Seas Treaty governance

Editorial | Hong Kong’s slope safety monitoring must keep pace with climate change

Opinion | China has Trump 2.0 to thank for emerging stronger in tech and trade

Newsom, on world stage at Davos, accuses Trump of trying to suppress dissent

5 of the best things to do in Hong Kong this weekend, January 23-25

Trump says US ‘armada’ heading towards Iran as tensions remain high

1MDB convict and ex-Goldman banker Leissner seeks pardon from Trump

Major foreign carmakers set to stage a comeback in China this year: analysts

Style shoot: Louis Vuitton celebrates its famous Monogram

The US has played its hand in Latin America. Will China’s firms there cash out?

After the abduction of former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, many Chinese entrepreneurs in the region say they are staying put – for now.

Why overseas residency is a ‘practical advantage’ for Chinese firms going global

Chinese companies expand globally

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.

Open Questions | ‘Embrace the moment’: on China, Daniel Kritenbrink puts pragmatism first

Former US ambassador to Vietnam says a return to the past for US-China relations is unrealistic, but both economic powers benefit from ties.

Open Questions | How new C100 chief plans to foster ties between Chinese-Americans and China

The Committee of 100’s president Paul Cheung has high hopes for Chinese-Americans’ relationship with China in these uncertain times.

DeepSeek a year on: how a Chinese start-up sparked a global AI arms race

DeepSeek’s meteoric rise propelled the growth of the open-source AI ecosystem by spurring its competitors to join the movement.

Major foreign carmakers set to stage a comeback in China this year: analysts

Foreign carmakers ‘will fight back because they will have the same products’ as their Chinese rivals, consultancy head Denis Depoux says.

Global funds, from BlackRock to Temasek, back China’s largest biotech firms

Global institutional investors have built up sizeable positions in firms including Innovent, 3SBio, WuXi Biologics, Jiangsu Hengrui, Akeso and BeOne.

Chinese AI chipmaker Moore Threads set to report tripling of revenue

AI chipmakers have emerged as the most valuable companies in China’s AI field as the country pushes for chips that rival Nvidia’s.

The West cheered China’s coal-fired export ban. Then came the massive blackouts

Did Beijing’s decision to stop financing overseas coal plants after pressure from US and Europe lead to mass – yet avoidable – power cuts?

Hong Kong degree is ‘passport’ to jobs in the world’s third-largest art market

Art graduates from the mainland, looking to expand their horizons and gain an edge in the job market, are flocking to Hong Kong for further study.

Can China’s cosmetics brands rival K-beauty and refashion global markets?

Once the top export market for South Korean cosmetics, Chinese firms lead at home and have made headway overseas – but gaps remain.

China curbs US AI chips, shuns foreign capital in pursuit of tech self-reliance

These restrictions signify a new phase in the US-China tech war where ‘offensive and defensive roles have shifted’, says an analyst.

Exclusive | China to set GDP growth range, providing policy flexibility in 2026: sources

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

Opinion | From Venezuela to Greenland, Trump is using US power to rewrite the rules