Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

Faith, hope and ancestry: how Beijing is trying to win over Taiwan’s next generation

Xintian village is symbolic of efforts to reinforce Taiwanese people’s historical and religious links to the mainland.

3 hours ago

Why ceremonies honouring Chinese sea goddess Mazu spark concerns in Taiwan

Taiwan

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Lai travels to island sole African ally after earlier visit cancelled because of overflight permission withdrawn.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

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’.

23 minutes ago

Politics

Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the main opposition Kuomintang, is expected to visit the United States next month. Photo: EPA

Counting gains from Beijing, Taiwan’s opposition leader eyes US trip in June

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.

2 hours ago

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

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.

1 hour ago

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

Business

Lingxi Games’ Three Kingdoms Tactics hits target with global audience

Chinese game company’s flagship title among raft of nation’s simulation games to resonate with players at home and abroad.

In partnership with:

Lingxi Games

(From left) Hong Kong marketing professional Edmond Woo, mainland Chinese short‑track speed skater Han Tianyu and Beijing-based Italian language teacher and sinologist Cristiano Mazzucco discuss the impact on them of games like Three Kingdoms Tactics.

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.

2 hours agovideocam

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

Diplomacy

China trip will go ahead as planned – and it will be amazing, Trump insists

US president says the visit will go ahead as planned later this month despite the ongoing stalemate in peace talks with Iran.

2 May 2026 - 9:10PMvideocam

Hong Kong Economy

‘Golden week’ begins with bang in Hong Kong, but restaurants’ gains ‘limited’

City records 13 per cent increase in mainland Chinese visitors on first day of holiday, but more prudent spending is affecting restaurants.

2 May 2026 - 11:09PM

Politics

China Eastern says sorry for boarding bridge collision at Shanghai airport

Airline blames incident on mechanical malfunction after landing, says all passengers are safe.

2 May 2026 - 9:30PM

A China Eastern Airbus A350-900 struck a jet bridge with its wing as it approached a gate at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport on Saturday morning. Photo: Weibo

United States & Canada

US carrier Spirit Airlines shuts down, industry’s first Iran war casualty

Jet fuel prices have doubled during the conflict, and a Trump-backed US$500 million bailout did not materialise.

3 May 2026 - 12:42AMvideocam

A Spirit Airlines Airbus A320 prepares to take off from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida in January 2021. Photo: AP

Middle East

Iran will not accept ‘imposed’ peace, Trump not satisfied with negotiations

US lawmakers are pressuring the President to resolve the war, while Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is attempting to ease the war’s toll on Iran’s economy.

2 May 2026 - 9:00PMvideocam

Politics

UAE’s Opec exit signals aim to accelerate foreign policy diversification

Iran’s attacks on Gulf states have forced Abu Dhabi to rethink its place within the Saudi Arabia-led diplomatic architecture, analysts say.

2 May 2026 - 5:00PMvideocam

Europe

Humpback whale ‘Timmy’ released in North Sea after weeks stranded off Germany

Repeated attempts to move the marine mammal out of shallow waters have drawn worldwide attention.

3 May 2026 - 12:23AM

The stranded humpback whale lies in a flooded cargo ship close the Danish border on Wednesday. Photo: dpa

China Economy

From Beijing to backwaters? Why China’s live music boom is spreading

Local authorities are using big concerts to attract tourists and revenue, part of broader efforts to boost consumption under new five-year plan.

2 May 2026 - 5:00PM

Fans at the Strawberry Music Festival during Labour Day holiday in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, on May 1, 2021. Photo: Reuters

Politics

Why are modern Chinese audiences shying away from dubbed films?

Greater subtitle literacy among streaming viewers is among factors chipping away at enthusiasm for dubbed movies in China.

2 May 2026 - 5:47PMvideocam

Europe

Russia’s inching advance in Ukraine approaches eastern fortress belt

Kostiantynivka, along with other cities in eastern Ukraine, forms part of a so-called fortress belt well-fortified against Russian attack.

2 May 2026 - 7:50PMvideocam

OPINION

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SCMP Editorial

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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’.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Ultra-fast charging technology and a wave of smart features are helping Chinese EVs win over overseas buyers.

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Chinese firms face pressure on AI investments as US peers’ spending soars

Largest US companies on track for US$700 billion in AI capital expenditures this year, versus about US$105 billion in China.

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

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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.

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

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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.

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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

Faith, hope and ancestry: how Beijing is trying to win over Taiwan’s next generation

Xintian village is symbolic of efforts to reinforce Taiwanese people’s historical and religious links to the mainland.

Why ceremonies honouring Chinese sea goddess Mazu spark concerns in Taiwan

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.

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’.

Counting gains from Beijing, Taiwan’s opposition leader eyes US trip in June

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.

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.

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-12ooj4n{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;}Lingxi Games’ Three Kingdoms Tactics hits target with global audience

Chinese game company’s flagship title among raft of nation’s simulation games to resonate with players at home and abroad.

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.

China trip will go ahead as planned – and it will be amazing, Trump insists

US president says the visit will go ahead as planned later this month despite the ongoing stalemate in peace talks with Iran.

‘Golden week’ begins with bang in Hong Kong, but restaurants’ gains ‘limited’

City records 13 per cent increase in mainland Chinese visitors on first day of holiday, but more prudent spending is affecting restaurants.

China Eastern says sorry for boarding bridge collision at Shanghai airport

Airline blames incident on mechanical malfunction after landing, says all passengers are safe.

US carrier Spirit Airlines shuts down, industry’s first Iran war casualty

Jet fuel prices have doubled during the conflict, and a Trump-backed US$500 million bailout did not materialise.

Iran will not accept ‘imposed’ peace, Trump not satisfied with negotiations

US lawmakers are pressuring the President to resolve the war, while Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is attempting to ease the war’s toll on Iran’s economy.

UAE’s Opec exit signals aim to accelerate foreign policy diversification

Iran’s attacks on Gulf states have forced Abu Dhabi to rethink its place within the Saudi Arabia-led diplomatic architecture, analysts say.

Humpback whale ‘Timmy’ released in North Sea after weeks stranded off Germany

Repeated attempts to move the marine mammal out of shallow waters have drawn worldwide attention.

From Beijing to backwaters? Why China’s live music boom is spreading

Local authorities are using big concerts to attract tourists and revenue, part of broader efforts to boost consumption under new five-year plan.

Why are modern Chinese audiences shying away from dubbed films?

Greater subtitle literacy among streaming viewers is among factors chipping away at enthusiasm for dubbed movies in China.

Russia’s inching advance in Ukraine approaches eastern fortress belt

Kostiantynivka, along with other cities in eastern Ukraine, forms part of a so-called fortress belt well-fortified against Russian attack.

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

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

Opinion | Beyond subsidies: what’s really driving China’s industrial climb

My Take | World Cup football belongs to the fans, not to Trump and his friend at Fifa

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

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

.css-1t72pn8{color:#C79A00;}Video | How the US military shaped Okinawa’s food culture

Chinese educator is historic first from mainland university to lead top US institute

City’s lacrosse officials upbeat sport is on track to qualify for elite status

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

Discover Europe with flexible, affordable first-class Eurail adventures

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

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

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

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?

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}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.

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.

Lights, camera, traction: China’s EV race rolls out film-projecting headlights

Ultra-fast charging technology and a wave of smart features are helping Chinese EVs win over overseas buyers.

Chinese firms face pressure on AI investments as US peers’ spending soars

Largest US companies on track for US$700 billion in AI capital expenditures this year, versus about US$105 billion in China.

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

Lingxi Games’ Three Kingdoms Tactics hits target with global audience

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

Video | How the US military shaped Okinawa’s food culture

Open Questions | Why China’s yuan faces the same ‘illusions’ that stalled the euro: Daniel Gros