Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

Exclusive | Daniel Gros on what China can learn from the euro as it works for a global yuan

Former European economic adviser says Beijing’s bid to build an international currency will hinge on leaders allowing it to fluctuate freely.

2 hours agovideocam

Open Questions | ‘Saying you’re a geopolitical actor doesn’t make it so’: Sven Biscop on Europe

Yuan

Military

Trump factor drives up Asia-Pacific military spending at fastest pace since 2009

Expenditures rose to US$681 billion, as some nations worried that Washington might not be a reliable security partner.

3 hours agovideocam

Science

Scientists in China create a predator-like material to hunt for uranium in ocean

Breakthrough could aid radioactive pollution clean-ups and allow for uranium ion extraction from seawater to power nuclear reactors.

26 Apr 2026 - 10:00PMvideocam

Health & Environment

Doctor in long-delayed hearing over alleged blunder ‘thought baby was choking’

Dr Sit Sou-chi reveals for first time his initial diagnosis for Li Yuanjian, who was left disabled, but parents refuse to accept his testimony.

26 Apr 2026 - 11:32PM

Diplomacy

Solar panels on a residential building in Matanzas, Cuba. Photo: AFP

China is poised to reap rewards as energy shock heats up the race for renewables

East Asia

Magnitude 6.2 quake strikes Japan’s Hokkaido, JMA warns of more to come

The temblors come less than a week after last Monday’s 7.7 earthquake off northern Iwate prefecture.

10 minutes agovideocam

Waves hit Tomakomai in Hokkaido prefecture following an earthquake on April 20. Photo: Kyodo/Reuters

Diplomacy

China warns EU to remove firms and citizens from Russian sanctions list

Commerce ministry said Brussels would ‘bear the consequences’ after 27 mainland and Hong Kong firms were added to the latest blacklist.

26 Apr 2026 - 7:40PMvideocam

Economics

Japan aims to build world’s largest wind farm. Can it power on by 2035?

The plan calls for wind turbines to supply power to the Izu Islands and Tokyo, with an eventual capacity of 1 gigawatt.

30 minutes 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

Europe

King Charles’ US state visit to go ahead as planned after Washington shooting

Buckingham Palace said the king was ‘greatly relieved’ that Trump and other guests were unharmed in Saturday’s incident.

5 hours agovideocam

US President Donald Trump, right, and Britain’s King Charles review the Guard of Honour at Windsor Castle in England in September. Photo: AP

Science

China builds world’s first ‘coal battery’ with zero emission

New technology developed by Chinese scientists achieves higher energy efficiency than burning while eliminating carbon dioxide emissions.

26 Apr 2026 - 8:10PMvideocam

Europe

Italy to extradite suspected Chinese hacker wanted by US authorities: reports

The US ‌‌Justice Department alleges Xu Zewei ‌‌stole crucial Covid-19 research at the behest of the Chinese government in 2020 and 2021.

4 hours ago

Russia & Central Asia

16 dead in strikes as Chernobyl anniversary highlights nuclear risks of war

‘Through its war, Russia is once again bringing the world to the brink of a man-made disaster,’ said Ukraine’s President Zelensky on Sunday.

27 Apr 2026 - 1:57AM

Municipal workers remove debris at the site of a residential building hit during a Russian drone strike in Dnipro, Ukraine at the weekend. Photo: Reuters

East Asia

Wildfires in Japan’s north worsen, 1,400 firefighters deployed

Japan has experienced relatively few wildfires compared with other parts of the world, but climate change has increased their frequency.

26 Apr 2026 - 10:04PM

A convoy of fire trucks make their way to the fire in the town of Otsuchi in Iwate Prefecture, northern Honshu, Japan on Sunday. Photo: AFP

Banking & Finance

How the Middle East war is boosting family offices, private banking in Hong Kong

Conflict prompts rich investors to diversify, boosting Hong Kong’s role as a hub for family offices and private banking.

30 minutes ago

United States & Canada

DOJ cites shooting to press preservationists to drop Trump ballroom suit

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which has sued to block construction, was given until 9am on Monday to dismiss its lawsuit.

1 hour agovideocam

China Business

Li Auto targets BMW and Mercedes with premium SUVs in Middle East, Asia-Pacific

Beijing-based EV maker expects overseas deliveries to account for 30 per cent of its total by 2030, president Ma Donghui says.

26 Apr 2026 - 7:10PM

Li Auto’s flagship L9 SUV is displayed at the ongoing Auto China in Beijing. Photo: Reuters

United States & Canada

Who is Cole Allen, the suspect linked to Trump’s press gala shooting?

Allen, accused of opening fire at the White House correspondents’ dinner, is a computer programmer from California.

4 hours agovideocam

Police detain Cole Tomas Allen, a suspect in the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, in Washington on Saturday. Photo: Donald J Trump via Truth Social/Reuters

Tech Trends

OpenClaw adds DeepSeek V4 models as tech world assesses Huawei tie-up

The popular AI agent adopts the Chinese firm’s V4 Flash and its flagship V4 Pro models and also integrates other capabilities.

26 Apr 2026 - 7:32PM

Football

World Cup in USA backed by Germany legend despite mixed memories of 1994 finals

Stefan Effenberg trusts US and co-hosts, Canada and Mexico, to host fine tournament, challenges Thomas Tuchel to solve England riddle.

30 minutes ago

OPINION

Li Xing

Opinion | 122 years on, Mackinder’s ‘heartland’ remains geopolitically decisive

1 hour ago

SCMP Editorial

Editorial | Malaysia bourse pact extends Hong Kong’s outreach to Southeast Asia

1 hour ago

SCMP Editorial

Editorial | Robots are all well and good – so long as they do no harm to humans

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Bob Savic

Opinion | Middle East shipping crisis elevates China-Europe railway’s profile

26 Apr 2026 - 8:30PM

Alex Lo

My Take | Why TikTok is being deliberately ruined by its new American owners

26 Apr 2026 - 9:38PM

Harry’s View | 27 Apr 2026

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10 minutes ago

East Asia

Magnitude 6.2 quake strikes Japan’s Hokkaido, JMA warns of more to come

30 minutes ago

Football

World Cup in USA backed by Germany legend despite mixed memories of 1994 finals

30 minutes ago

Banking & Finance

How the Middle East war is boosting family offices, private banking in Hong Kong

30 minutes ago

Economics

Japan aims to build world’s largest wind farm. Can it power on by 2035?

30 minutes ago

Food & Drink

Hong Kong’s hottest new openings, from Amalgamate to Happy Samurai

1 hour ago

United States & Canada

DOJ cites shooting to press preservationists to drop Trump ballroom suit

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Opinion

Editorial | Malaysia bourse pact extends Hong Kong’s outreach to Southeast Asia

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Health & Wellness

What is ‘nonnamaxxing’? Viral health trend embraces Italian grandma’s lifestyle

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Business

How T+1 settlement could sharpen Hong Kong’s edge as a financial hub

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Opinion

Editorial | Robots are all well and good – so long as they do no harm to humans

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SCMP Series

US-Israel war on Iran

AI's impact on Hong Kong

‘Two sessions’: China’s economic agenda

SCMP Series US-Israel war on Iran

Iran war: is the US shifting away from its strategy of precision strikes?

As the conflict has intensified, more energy and civilian sites have been targeted in what is seen as a broader approach.

9 Apr 2026 - 9:26AMvideocam

What is the war on Iran teaching China about the United States’ resilience?

8 Apr 2026 - 11:10AMvideocam

How lessons from Iran war could shape mainland China’s Taiwan calculus

7 Apr 2026 - 2:20AMvideocam

Open Questions series

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.

20 Apr 2026 - 10:05AMvideocam

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.

13 Apr 2026 - 8:15AMvideocam

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.

6 Apr 2026 - 10:01AMvideocam

China Economy

Open Questions | Kenneth Rogoff on why China’s yuan will be a reserve currency within 5 years

Harvard economist explains why cryptocurrencies will never take the US dollar’s place, despite their popularity in underground economies.

30 Mar 2026 - 10:03AMvideocam

Key Industries:

Tech

Can ‘token exports’ give China an edge in the AI era?

As AI tokens emerge as a new commodity, China’s cost advantage is reshaping global model competition, though monetisation gaps remain.

22 Apr 2026 - 11:20PM

Starting this year, models from Chinese companies have intermittently ranked among the global top tier in token usage. Photo: SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

China Business

Li Auto targets BMW and Mercedes with premium SUVs in Middle East, Asia-Pacific

Beijing-based EV maker expects overseas deliveries to account for 30 per cent of its total by 2030, president Ma Donghui says.

26 Apr 2026 - 7:10PM

Tech Trends

Underwhelming or underrated? DeepSeek V4 shows “impressive” gains

Benchmark shows V4 trailing Kimi and US frontier models, though gains raise hopes of another R1-style breakthrough.

25 Apr 2026 - 4:51PM

China EVs

Xpeng sets August goal to overtake Tesla’s self-driving tech in China

Carmaker bets on training AI in China’s dense urban roads to build a competitive advantage for expansion into Europe and Southeast Asia.

25 Apr 2026 - 12:47PM

He Xiaopeng, CEO of Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng, walks past the new SUV GX six-seater on the opening day of Auto China 2026 in Beijing. Photo: AFP

Tech

Prognosis positive: how AI could help China bridge the medical resources gap

Hospitals, medical professionals and patients stand to benefit as country pushes to integrate AI into healthcare sector.

25 Apr 2026 - 11:06AMvideocam

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.

25 Apr 2026 - 6:40AMvideocam

Hong Kong

How fire safety failures worsened Hong Kong’s deadly inferno

The second round of hearings from April 8 to April 17 exposed a series of failures that allowed the fire equipment and alarm system in Wang Fuk Court to be deactivated for months, and eventually contributed to the heavy death toll.

23 Apr 2026 - 6:04PM

Hong Kong Economy

Hongkongers find value, space and style in Shenzhen’s new cultural hotspots

Short cross‑border getaways emerging as the ‘quick escape’ of choice, with the newly opened Shenzhen Bay Culture Square adding to appeal.

24 Apr 2026 - 8:35AM

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Exclusive | Daniel Gros on what China can learn from the euro as it works for a global yuan

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

Trump factor drives up Asia-Pacific military spending at fastest pace since 2009

Expenditures rose to US$681 billion, as some nations worried that Washington might not be a reliable security partner.

Scientists in China create a predator-like material to hunt for uranium in ocean

Breakthrough could aid radioactive pollution clean-ups and allow for uranium ion extraction from seawater to power nuclear reactors.

Doctor in long-delayed hearing over alleged blunder ‘thought baby was choking’

Dr Sit Sou-chi reveals for first time his initial diagnosis for Li Yuanjian, who was left disabled, but parents refuse to accept his testimony.

China is poised to reap rewards as energy shock heats up the race for renewables

Magnitude 6.2 quake strikes Japan’s Hokkaido, JMA warns of more to come

The temblors come less than a week after last Monday’s 7.7 earthquake off northern Iwate prefecture.

China warns EU to remove firms and citizens from Russian sanctions list

Commerce ministry said Brussels would ‘bear the consequences’ after 27 mainland and Hong Kong firms were added to the latest blacklist.

Japan aims to build world’s largest wind farm. Can it power on by 2035?

The plan calls for wind turbines to supply power to the Izu Islands and Tokyo, with an eventual capacity of 1 gigawatt.

.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.

King Charles’ US state visit to go ahead as planned after Washington shooting

Buckingham Palace said the king was ‘greatly relieved’ that Trump and other guests were unharmed in Saturday’s incident.

China builds world’s first ‘coal battery’ with zero emission

New technology developed by Chinese scientists achieves higher energy efficiency than burning while eliminating carbon dioxide emissions.

Italy to extradite suspected Chinese hacker wanted by US authorities: reports

The US ‌‌Justice Department alleges Xu Zewei ‌‌stole crucial Covid-19 research at the behest of the Chinese government in 2020 and 2021.

16 dead in strikes as Chernobyl anniversary highlights nuclear risks of war

‘Through its war, Russia is once again bringing the world to the brink of a man-made disaster,’ said Ukraine’s President Zelensky on Sunday.

Wildfires in Japan’s north worsen, 1,400 firefighters deployed

Japan has experienced relatively few wildfires compared with other parts of the world, but climate change has increased their frequency.

How the Middle East war is boosting family offices, private banking in Hong Kong

Conflict prompts rich investors to diversify, boosting Hong Kong’s role as a hub for family offices and private banking.

DOJ cites shooting to press preservationists to drop Trump ballroom suit

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which has sued to block construction, was given until 9am on Monday to dismiss its lawsuit.

Li Auto targets BMW and Mercedes with premium SUVs in Middle East, Asia-Pacific

Beijing-based EV maker expects overseas deliveries to account for 30 per cent of its total by 2030, president Ma Donghui says.

Who is Cole Allen, the suspect linked to Trump’s press gala shooting?

Allen, accused of opening fire at the White House correspondents’ dinner, is a computer programmer from California.

OpenClaw adds DeepSeek V4 models as tech world assesses Huawei tie-up

The popular AI agent adopts the Chinese firm’s V4 Flash and its flagship V4 Pro models and also integrates other capabilities.

World Cup in USA backed by Germany legend despite mixed memories of 1994 finals

Stefan Effenberg trusts US and co-hosts, Canada and Mexico, to host fine tournament, challenges Thomas Tuchel to solve England riddle.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | 122 years on, Mackinder’s ‘heartland’ remains geopolitically decisive

Editorial | Malaysia bourse pact extends Hong Kong’s outreach to Southeast Asia

Editorial | Robots are all well and good – so long as they do no harm to humans

Opinion | Middle East shipping crisis elevates China-Europe railway’s profile

My Take | Why TikTok is being deliberately ruined by its new American owners

Magnitude 6.2 quake strikes Japan’s Hokkaido, JMA warns of more to come

World Cup in USA backed by Germany legend despite mixed memories of 1994 finals

How the Middle East war is boosting family offices, private banking in Hong Kong

Japan aims to build world’s largest wind farm. Can it power on by 2035?

Hong Kong’s hottest new openings, from Amalgamate to Happy Samurai

DOJ cites shooting to press preservationists to drop Trump ballroom suit

Editorial | Malaysia bourse pact extends Hong Kong’s outreach to Southeast Asia

What is ‘nonnamaxxing’? Viral health trend embraces Italian grandma’s lifestyle

How T+1 settlement could sharpen Hong Kong’s edge as a financial hub

Editorial | Robots are all well and good – so long as they do no harm to humans

Iran war: is the US shifting away from its strategy of precision strikes?

As the conflict has intensified, more energy and civilian sites have been targeted in what is seen as a broader approach.

What is the war on Iran teaching China about the United States’ resilience?

How lessons from Iran war could shape mainland China’s Taiwan calculus

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.

Open Questions | Kenneth Rogoff on why China’s yuan will be a reserve currency within 5 years

Harvard economist explains why cryptocurrencies will never take the US dollar’s place, despite their popularity in underground economies.

Can ‘token exports’ give China an edge in the AI era?

As AI tokens emerge as a new commodity, China’s cost advantage is reshaping global model competition, though monetisation gaps remain.

Li Auto targets BMW and Mercedes with premium SUVs in Middle East, Asia-Pacific

Beijing-based EV maker expects overseas deliveries to account for 30 per cent of its total by 2030, president Ma Donghui says.

Underwhelming or underrated? DeepSeek V4 shows “impressive” gains

Benchmark shows V4 trailing Kimi and US frontier models, though gains raise hopes of another R1-style breakthrough.

Xpeng sets August goal to overtake Tesla’s self-driving tech in China

Carmaker bets on training AI in China’s dense urban roads to build a competitive advantage for expansion into Europe and Southeast Asia.

Prognosis positive: how AI could help China bridge the medical resources gap

Hospitals, medical professionals and patients stand to benefit as country pushes to integrate AI into healthcare sector.

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.

How fire safety failures worsened Hong Kong’s deadly inferno

Exclusive | Daniel Gros on what China can learn from the euro as it works for a global yuan

How AI technology supports conservation of endangered species

Opinion | 122 years on, Mackinder’s ‘heartland’ remains geopolitically decisive