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A drone photo taken on June 29 shows electric vehicles parked at an export terminal at the Hangzhou section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang province. Photo: Xinhua

Breaking | China, EU announce key progress in resolving electric vehicle dispute

Breakthrough follows duties levied by Brussels in October 2024 as part of investigation into industry subsidies.

Goodwill or necessity? Why is China slashing solar and battery subsidies?

China-EU relations
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China Economy

China’s solar firms, once deemed too competitive, now face monopoly accusations

Major producers are suspected of using Beijing’s anti-involution campaign as an excuse to rig prices.

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Military

Chinese arms exporters may be the big winners in any Pakistan-Saudi JF-17 talks

But observers also expressed doubts over a reported potential deal proceeding, citing US security concerns and potential F-35 sales.

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Politics

Hong Kong Legco president sets up group of coordinators to improve efficiency

12-member group will have fellow lawmakers Ronick Chan, who represents finance sector, and Stanley Ng of Federation of Trade Unions as ‘chief coordinators’.

Open Questions
Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

Zheng Yongnian on what US’ ‘neocolonialism’, Venezuela operation mean for China

Science

Did a bowl of millet help end a migrant crisis in China 1,500 years ago?

New research suggests that shared food was the primary engine of assimilation for nomadic tribes migrating into central China.

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Artefacts from the Sixteen Kingdoms period in Xian, Shaanxi province. Photo: China Cultural Relics News
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Diplomacy

China’s Wang Yi cites ‘severe risks’ after Somalia dropped from Africa itinerary

In a call to the Somali foreign minister, China’s top envoy reiterates Beijing’s support for Somalia’s territorial integrity.

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Politics

Japan’s top diplomat heads to Philippines with South China Sea top of mind

The talks will likely focus on Manila’s push for a South China Sea code with ‘teeth’ as this year’s Asean chair, analysts say.

People & Culture

How this year’s Yidan Prize laureates reshape modern literacy and skills worldwide

Mamadou Amadou Ly and Uri Wilensky help transform teaching and learning through multilingual education and computational thinking.

In partnership with:
Yidan Prize Foundation
The 2025 Yidan Prize laureates Professor Uri Wilensky (left) and Mamadou Amadou Ly help remove barriers to education by transforming how learners access and engage with knowledge.

Law and Crime

Jimmy Lai may complete non-national security jail terms by June: prosecutor

Prosecutor says with one-third guilty plea discount factored in, Lai may finish sentences for four other criminal cases on June 11.

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Former Hong Kong media boss Jimmy Lai (pictured in 2020). Photo: AP

Global Economy

China pledges green-energy push with Global South, signals wider market opening

Sixth entry in Communist Party mouthpiece’s editorial series calls domestic market ‘world’s rarest resource’, vows supply-chain support to aid industrialisation.

SERIES: China Inc. goes global

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

Local residency is becoming an essential asset for China’s business owners as they go abroad, granting benefits and networking opportunities.

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Transport

Seats sell out on Hong Kong’s new high-speed rail routes to mainland China

Business-class seats on the January 26 train to Nanjing South, priced at HK$3,136, were sold out by Monday afternoon.

The MTR Corporation announced on Sunday that it would add 16 new destinations to its high-speed rail network from Hong Kong. Photo: Sam Tsang

Science

China to define lunar time with world’s first timekeeping software for the moon

New tech allows moon events to be accurately synchronised from Earth, paving the way for more spacecraft and people to work on the satellite.

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Chinese scientists have developed a world-first tool to accurately synchronise time on the moon with clocks on Earth, to help with space missions and precision location landing. Photo: Getty Images / iStockphoto

People

Next appointment, 2027: US visa squeeze hits India’s tech talent

With H-1B renewals stalled, a new generation of Indian professionals is questioning whether to pursue their American dreams.

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Big Tech

Alibaba’s Qwen family hits 700 million downloads to lead open-source AI adoption

Alibaba Cloud’s Qwen family is the world’s most widely used open-source AI system as of January, Hugging Face data shows.

People

Philippine tourism chief’s magazine cover draws backlash as visitor numbers slip

Christina Frasco’s cover appearance has drawn accusations from critics that self-promotion is being prioritised over strategy and results.

Christina Frasco, secretary of the Philippines’ Department of Tourism. Photo: Handout
SERIES: Year of the Horse 2026

Lunar New Year greetings in Mandarin, Cantonese, Shanghainese and Hokkien

The Year of the Horse 2026 will be welcomed across China with blessings for money, health and more. Here are common ones and their meanings.

A woman holds Lunar New Year decorations. Throughout China, greetings in various dialects will be exchanged to welcome the Year of the Horse. Here are some of them and their meanings. Photo: Shutterstock

Americas

Trump says might keep Exxon out of Venezuela after CEO called it ‘uninvestable’

US president voices displeasure with the US company’s response to his initiative for Venezuela’s oil industry.

Tech Trends

Ant International teams up with Google on use of Universal Commerce Protocol

The endorsement of Google’s open standard comes as companies globally accelerate the integration of AI agents and e-commerce.

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OPINION
Chow Chung-yan

Opinion | Forget Venezuela and Greenland – here is the real trillion-dollar question

Chow Chung-yan
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Nicholas Spiro

The View | Affordability, Japan, data centres will shape Asia’s property markets

Nicholas Spiro
Alice Wu

Opinion | Hong Kong courts cross-border drivers – then traps them in licence queues

Alice Wu
Letters

Letters | Educate visiting hikers and seriously deter them from littering

Letters
Kun Tian

Opinion | Hong Kong’s fertile ground for AI IPOs aligns with China’s tech strategy

Kun Tian
Harry’s View | 12 Jan 2026
January 12, 2026
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Racing

Hong Lok Golf set a distance test as So targets new options with stable star

China Business

Xpeng’s flying car unit readies Hong Kong IPO for take-off

Tennis

Hong Kong champion Bublik on drinking, 24 hours in Vegas and grand slam doom

Chinese culture

Lunar New Year greetings in Mandarin, Cantonese, Shanghainese and Hokkien

Education

3 homeowners at Hong Kong’s Redhill Peninsula fined for illegal building works

Hong Kong

Gallery | In pictures: first large-scale character balloon parade in Hong Kong

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SCMP Series
Beijing’s recalibration of its Taiwan policy
Year of the Horse 2026
China Inc. goes global
Revisiting US-China relations
Illustration: Henry Wong
SCMP SeriesBeijing’s recalibration of its Taiwan policy

Why has Beijing turned down the heat in the Taiwan Strait in the second half of 2025?

PLA warplanes and ships have been less active around the island in the second half of the year, Taiwanese data shows.

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Beijing is pinning hopes for Taiwan reunification on KMT – but not all of them

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‘Urgent’: has mainland China changed tone for Taiwan peaceful reunification?

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Open Questions series

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.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

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.

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Diplomacy

Open Questions | Political scientist Ivan Krastev on European vertigo in a post-American world

While melancholy Europe frets that the US and China will shape the future, middle powers are jostling for a place at the big table.

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Diplomacy

Open Questions | George Yeo on superpower ‘headaches’ and why the US dollar could crack

Singapore’s former foreign minister also discusses Trump, the latest China-Japan dust-up, and rivalry between Hong Kong and the city state.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
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Tech

China’s Qwen and DeepSeek edge out US AI models in Christian values benchmark

US start-up Gloo’s Flourishing AI Christian benchmark tested how the output of AI models ‘help people flourish’, CEO Pat Gelsinger said.

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The questions in FAI-C were reviewed by a panel of Biblical experts, including theologians, pastors, psychologists and scholars of ethics. Photo: SCMP

China Business

Xpeng’s flying car unit readies Hong Kong IPO for take-off

Aridge, formerly AeroHT, eyes listing this year as it aims to accelerate its efforts in the low-altitude market, sources say.

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Big Tech

Alibaba’s Qwen family hits 700 million downloads to lead open-source AI adoption

Alibaba Cloud’s Qwen family is the world’s most widely used open-source AI system as of January, Hugging Face data shows.

Big Tech

China’s AI unlikely to surpass US soon despite progress, researchers say

China’s top AI scientists warn of chip deficits and resource limits, though some predict breakthroughs within five years.

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A humanoid robot is seen at the 2025 Global Industrial Internet Conference in Shenyang, Liaoning province. Photo: Xinhua

Diplomacy

How the US raid in Venezuela has triggered Brazilian fury and a Chinese opening

Latin America’s largest economy seeks ‘delicate balance’ between Trump’s ambitions and boosting ties with Beijing, its top trading partner.

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Illustration: Brian Wang

Banking & Finance

What does HSBC’s buyout of Hang Seng Bank mean for its future and investors?

HSBC’s historic US$13.6 billion buyout of Hang Seng Bank aims to cut costs, tackle bad debts and fuel growth, but challenges abound.

Military

China’s role in Korean peninsula stability tested amid nuclear submarine moves

Seoul’s calls for Chinese mediation seen to underscore Beijing’s central role in preserving stability between two Koreas.

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China Economy

Shanghai unveils US$10 billion investment spree as US-China tech race heats up

Shanghai announces 50 new projects across an array of hi-tech industries as China’s cities heed Beijing’s call to double down on innovation.

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Shanghai has unveiled a slew of new investments in hi-tech industries worth more than US$10 billion. Photo: AFP
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