Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will pay a four-day visit to China starting Wednesday. Photo: EPA

Why Britain seeks to take China relationship to ‘new level’ as Starmer visits

London’s ambassador to Beijing outlines hopes for ties built on ‘mutual respect and trust’ ahead of the prime minister’s four-day trip.

2 hours ago

Why China trip by Keir Starmer may test Labour’s push for ‘reset’ in UK ties

China-UK relations

Science

Chinese satellite forces 4,400 of its Starlink rivals into lower altitude: study

Researchers in China said the SpaceX decision was ‘directly triggered’ by a close call between two satellites in December.

28 Jan 2026 - 12:09AM

Politics

Trump sells tariffs as farmers’ win in Iowa, but many aren’t buying it

As US president courts rural voters before midterms, growers fear Beijing may retaliate against Trump policies by curbing purchases again.

2 hours agovideocam

Health & Environment

Hongkongers urged to avoid West Bengal in India amid Nipah virus outbreak

Bengali community members expected to delay planned trips to India until situation improves, local leader says.

1 hour ago

Focus

Gimme shelter: as US assets lose shine under Trump, investors seek new sanctuary

Science

Composite tool find puts China in tech revolution up to 160,000 years ago: paper

Team says discovery of 2,600 stone tools, including hafted tools, reshapes understanding of human evolution in eastern Asia.

6 hours ago

China

China’s CMOC makes US$1 billion Brazil gold push as bullion jumps on rising global risks

Company gains three Brazilian mines as gold tops US$5,000 per ounce, highlighting Beijing’s resource push amid US-led geopolitical strains.

28 Jan 2026 - 2:45AMvideocam

Economics

Why Japan’s public is ‘happy’ to see a Chinese tourist drought

Travel operators say business has so far remained resilient, with strong demand from other parts of Asia, Europe and the US.

19 minutes agovideocam

Education

Academic innovation can help budding entrepreneurs overcome future challenges

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University’s 20-year evolution ensures it meets world’s fast-changing technological, industrial and societal needs.

In partnership with:

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

United States & Canada

After killings, Trump says will ‘de-escalate a little bit’ in Minneapolis

The US president said he wants a ‘very honourable and honest investigation’ into the shooting death of ICU nurse Alex Pretti.

1 hour agovideocam

A US federal agent stands guard during a protest in Minneapolis on Sunday. Photo: AP

Diplomacy

US-China cooperation backed by most Americans, new national survey reveals

C100 study finds bipartisan public support for dialogue despite Washington’s tougher stance on visas, research collaboration and tariffs.

4 hours agovideocam

China Economy

Is China about to end its after-school tutoring ban? A huge fine suggests not

Speculation was growing that Beijing would relax a ban on for-profit tutoring to boost the economy. Then a firm was hit with a US$9.7 million penalty.

2 hours agovideocam

East Asia

North Korea fires ballistic missiles as US signals defence shift

As the Trump administration seeks to focus on the US homeland, it is urging South Korea to take the primary role in deterring Pyongyang.

6 hours agovideocam

A television screen showing a news broadcast with file footage of a North Korean missile test at a railway station in Seoul on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

World

Doomsday Clock moves closer to midnight, a year into Trump term

Scientist moved the clock four seconds closer to midnight, as the US president shatters global norms.

28 Jan 2026 - 3:03AMvideocam

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists members (from left) Jon B. Wolfsthal, Asha M. George and Steve Fetter reveal the Doomsday Clock set to 85 seconds to midnight in Washington on Tuesday. Photo: AP

Military

China and Russia to bolster defence ties to counter risks

Call marks first ministerial-level exchange between Beijing and Moscow since US raid on Venezuela and Trump’s stronger words on Greenland.

27 Jan 2026 - 10:47PMvideocam

China Economy

China’s consumer spending push faces major challenge – debt-averse households

Beijing has renewed its focus on boosting domestic demand in recent months, but households are cutting debt at fastest pace in years.

27 Jan 2026 - 9:00PM

Politics

TikTok cites glitch as California probes alleged Trump-critical censorship

Governor Gavin Newsom launches state review after reports of blocked posts, as TikTok blames a data-centre outage days after its US deal.

38 minutes agovideocam

The ‌TikTok deal provides for American and ‌global investors to hold 80.1 per cent of the venture while ByteDance will own 19.9 per cent. Photo: AP

United States & Canada

New York man on deadly Chinatown rampage heard voices telling him to kill

Randy Santos is asserting an insanity defence after admitting to the fatal bludgeoning of four men, including Hong Kong immigrant Chuen Kok.

2 hours ago

Randy Santos (centre) is arraigned in New York in October 2019 for the murder of four homeless men. Photo: New York Post via AP

Arts

He worked 19 low-paid jobs, then wrote a book about them. Now he works no more

Hu Anyan, whose ‘I Deliver Parcels in Beijing’ has sold over 2 million copies, will speak at the Hong Kong International Literary Festival.

2 hours ago

United States & Canada

Person critical after being shot in Border Patrol incident in Arizona

The incident comes ‍after ICU nurse Alex Pretti died after being shot multiple times by immigration agents in Minnesota.

5 hours agovideocam

OPINION

Elina Noor

Opinion | Why Southeast Asia should not fear Trump’s disruption

11 minutes ago

David Tingxuan Zhang

Opinion | China’s slowing overseas investment reflects caution, not retreat

11 minutes ago

Jiang Jiani

Opinion | How a rising China is becoming a provider of global public goods

27 Jan 2026 - 8:30PM

SCMP Editorial

Editorial | Hong Kong’s future as a financial centre looks golden

2 hours ago

SCMP Editorial

Editorial | It’s time Hong Kong got tough on cross-border blood sample smuggling

3 hours ago

Harry’s View | 28 Jan 2026

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World Opinion

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Opinion | China’s slowing overseas investment reflects caution, not retreat

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Health & Environment

Hongkongers urged to avoid West Bengal in India amid Nipah virus outbreak

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Diplomacy

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China Economy

Is China about to end its after-school tutoring ban? A huge fine suggests not

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SCMP Series

Year of the Horse 2026

China Inc. goes global

Beijing’s recalibration of its Taiwan policy

Alphabet Inc.â€™s Google debuted an updated version of its artificial intelligence model, Gemini, that executives said represents a â€œmassive jumpâ€ in reasoning and coding ability. (Dreamstime/TNS)

SCMP Series Year of the Horse 2026

Year of the Horse 2026: what does AI predict the ‘Double Fire’ event has in store for us?

With the rise of AI mirroring the Year of the Fire Horse’s restless energy, we ask DeepSeek, Perplexity and Gemini their 2026 predictions.

24 Jan 2026 - 5:15PM

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

23 Jan 2026 - 7:15AM

Year of the Horse 2026 predictions for Dragons, from career to romance

26 Jan 2026 - 11:52AM

Open Questions series

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

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

Key Industries:

Tech Trends

China’s ‘infrastructure first’ effort a major edge in AI arms race: Davos panel

A rapid energy buildout and strategic data centre expansion give China unique advantages in developing its AI industry.

22 Jan 2026 - 5:48PM

China’s “AI Plus” panel discussion at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday included, from left, moderator Guan Xin, Tencent Holdings’ Dowson Tong, Moonshot AI’s Zhang Yutong and Nankai University’s Gong Ke. Photo: SCMP

Tech

DeepSeek taps Alibaba open-source AI technology to boost OCR performance

The Chinese AI start-up says its latest OCR model delivers stronger performance after adopting an Alibaba-developed open-source model.

27 Jan 2026 - 11:57PM

China Business

Over 70% of European firms in China review supply chain strategies: survey

The findings show how European firms must maintain a delicate balancing act between China’s tight security and focus on self-reliance.

27 Jan 2026 - 8:30PM

China Business

China could approve first AI-designed drug next year, Merck executive says

AI and genetics are creating a ‘seismic shift’ in the pharmaceutical business, experts on Asian Financial Forum panel say.

51 minutes ago

AI will allow drug makers to pick better molecules, make better medicines and improve molecule design, Amgen executive says. Photo: Shutterstock

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

China Economy

‘Loneliness economy’: how China is adapting to a rapid rise in solo living

The viral success of check-in app Are You Dead? has exposed the vast demand for services catering to China’s rapidly growing single population.

26 Jan 2026 - 2:12PMvideocam

Politics

Why China was so keen to get to alleged cybercrime boss Chen Zhi first

Young tycoon, who was indicted by the US in October, was extradited from Cambodia this month, accused of running a vast scam network.

26 Jan 2026 - 11:35AMvideocam

Why Britain seeks to take China relationship to ‘new level’ as Starmer visits

London’s ambassador to Beijing outlines hopes for ties built on ‘mutual respect and trust’ ahead of the prime minister’s four-day trip.

Why China trip by Keir Starmer may test Labour’s push for ‘reset’ in UK ties

Chinese satellite forces 4,400 of its Starlink rivals into lower altitude: study

Researchers in China said the SpaceX decision was ‘directly triggered’ by a close call between two satellites in December.

Trump sells tariffs as farmers’ win in Iowa, but many aren’t buying it

As US president courts rural voters before midterms, growers fear Beijing may retaliate against Trump policies by curbing purchases again.

Hongkongers urged to avoid West Bengal in India amid Nipah virus outbreak

Bengali community members expected to delay planned trips to India until situation improves, local leader says.

Gimme shelter: as US assets lose shine under Trump, investors seek new sanctuary

Composite tool find puts China in tech revolution up to 160,000 years ago: paper

Team says discovery of 2,600 stone tools, including hafted tools, reshapes understanding of human evolution in eastern Asia.

China’s CMOC makes US$1 billion Brazil gold push as bullion jumps on rising global risks

Company gains three Brazilian mines as gold tops US$5,000 per ounce, highlighting Beijing’s resource push amid US-led geopolitical strains.

Why Japan’s public is ‘happy’ to see a Chinese tourist drought

Travel operators say business has so far remained resilient, with strong demand from other parts of Asia, Europe and the US.

.css-f84qeq{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;font-style:italic;}Academic innovation can help budding entrepreneurs overcome future challenges

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University’s 20-year evolution ensures it meets world’s fast-changing technological, industrial and societal needs.

After killings, Trump says will ‘de-escalate a little bit’ in Minneapolis

The US president said he wants a ‘very honourable and honest investigation’ into the shooting death of ICU nurse Alex Pretti.

US-China cooperation backed by most Americans, new national survey reveals

C100 study finds bipartisan public support for dialogue despite Washington’s tougher stance on visas, research collaboration and tariffs.

Is China about to end its after-school tutoring ban? A huge fine suggests not

Speculation was growing that Beijing would relax a ban on for-profit tutoring to boost the economy. Then a firm was hit with a US$9.7 million penalty.

North Korea fires ballistic missiles as US signals defence shift

As the Trump administration seeks to focus on the US homeland, it is urging South Korea to take the primary role in deterring Pyongyang.

Doomsday Clock moves closer to midnight, a year into Trump term

Scientist moved the clock four seconds closer to midnight, as the US president shatters global norms.

China and Russia to bolster defence ties to counter risks

Call marks first ministerial-level exchange between Beijing and Moscow since US raid on Venezuela and Trump’s stronger words on Greenland.

China’s consumer spending push faces major challenge – debt-averse households

Beijing has renewed its focus on boosting domestic demand in recent months, but households are cutting debt at fastest pace in years.

TikTok cites glitch as California probes alleged Trump-critical censorship

Governor Gavin Newsom launches state review after reports of blocked posts, as TikTok blames a data-centre outage days after its US deal.

New York man on deadly Chinatown rampage heard voices telling him to kill

Randy Santos is asserting an insanity defence after admitting to the fatal bludgeoning of four men, including Hong Kong immigrant Chuen Kok.

He worked 19 low-paid jobs, then wrote a book about them. Now he works no more

Hu Anyan, whose ‘I Deliver Parcels in Beijing’ has sold over 2 million copies, will speak at the Hong Kong International Literary Festival.

Person critical after being shot in Border Patrol incident in Arizona

The incident comes ‍after ICU nurse Alex Pretti died after being shot multiple times by immigration agents in Minnesota.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | Why Southeast Asia should not fear Trump’s disruption

Opinion | China’s slowing overseas investment reflects caution, not retreat

Opinion | How a rising China is becoming a provider of global public goods

Editorial | Hong Kong’s future as a financial centre looks golden

Editorial | It’s time Hong Kong got tough on cross-border blood sample smuggling

Opinion | Why Southeast Asia should not fear Trump’s disruption

Opinion | China’s slowing overseas investment reflects caution, not retreat

China ‘drama queen’ lamb goes viral for playing dead when buyers approach

Hongkongers urged to avoid West Bengal in India amid Nipah virus outbreak

Why Britain seeks to take China relationship to ‘new level’ as Starmer visits

Is China about to end its after-school tutoring ban? A huge fine suggests not

Year of the Horse 2026: what does AI predict the ‘Double Fire’ event has in store for us?

With the rise of AI mirroring the Year of the Fire Horse’s restless energy, we ask DeepSeek, Perplexity and Gemini their 2026 predictions.

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

Year of the Horse 2026 predictions for Dragons, from career to romance

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}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.

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.

China’s ‘infrastructure first’ effort a major edge in AI arms race: Davos panel

A rapid energy buildout and strategic data centre expansion give China unique advantages in developing its AI industry.

DeepSeek taps Alibaba open-source AI technology to boost OCR performance

The Chinese AI start-up says its latest OCR model delivers stronger performance after adopting an Alibaba-developed open-source model.

Over 70% of European firms in China review supply chain strategies: survey

The findings show how European firms must maintain a delicate balancing act between China’s tight security and focus on self-reliance.

China could approve first AI-designed drug next year, Merck executive says

AI and genetics are creating a ‘seismic shift’ in the pharmaceutical business, experts on Asian Financial Forum panel say.

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.

‘Loneliness economy’: how China is adapting to a rapid rise in solo living

The viral success of check-in app Are You Dead? has exposed the vast demand for services catering to China’s rapidly growing single population.

Why China was so keen to get to alleged cybercrime boss Chen Zhi first

Young tycoon, who was indicted by the US in October, was extradited from Cambodia this month, accused of running a vast scam network.

Academic innovation can help budding entrepreneurs overcome future challenges

Opinion | Why Southeast Asia should not fear Trump’s disruption

Open Questions | Jeffrey Ding on why diffusion, not innovation, is the secret to AI success