Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

The Japan Self-Defence Forces will deploy about 1,400 personnel for the Balikatan exercise, an annual large-scale joint military drill between the Philippines and the United States. Photo: Shutterstock

What does Japan’s role in a US-Philippine military drill mean for Taiwan?

Tokyo’s 1,400 combat troops mark most extensive participation yet in annual joint exercise and signal ‘priorities’ to Beijing, analysts say.

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‘A big deal’: military drills show Tokyo’s growing focus on deterring China

Taiwan

China Economy

Trade tensions dim foreign investment outlook in US and China, survey finds

US and China have ‘suffered the most’ amid global decline in outbound investment appetite due to heightened geopolitical tensions.

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US

US says China pledged not to arm Iran during ceasefire

Pentagon says Beijing offered assurances as US tightens blockade and warns Tehran talks could quickly give way to renewed strikes.

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Science

China’s Qingzhou tests space debris capture and clean-up

Robotic cargo spacecraft reported to have also conducted a suite of in-orbit experiments designed to sustain long-duration missions.

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US-China Relations

China has advised travellers to avoid entry to the US via Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after about 20 academics were denied entry to attend a conference. Photo: AP

China warns travellers to avoid Seattle airport after academics denied entry to US

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Chinese drone exposes Indonesia’s ‘insufficient’ undersea capabilities

Indonesia is likely to resolve the drone issue through ‘quiet diplomacy’ and not escalate it into a major row, analysts say.

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A torpedo-like object, discovered by a fisherman near the Lombok Strait, is towed ashore onto a beach on Gili Trawangan, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, on April 6. Photo: AFP

China Economy

China boosts overseas-loan quotas as ‘panda bond’ issuance hits record high

Beijing’s move to lift offshore-loan quotas seen helping stabilise yuan against weaker US dollar while accommodating a surge in net financing via ‘panda bonds’.

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Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs meets city’s leaders in capital

HKMAO director Xia Baolong holds talks with Chief Secretary Eric Chan, finance chief Paul Chan and new mainland affairs minister Janice Tse.

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Business

From waste to bottle: the technology that gives packaging waste a verifiable second life

Dow’s digital tracking system in China proves to consumers and businesses how waste can be recycled into new products.

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Dow

Caption: Dow’s Track and Trace Platform makes it possible to follow a recycled bottle’s journey from disposal to its rebirth as a new plastic bottle. Photo: Shutterstock

Sport

Rugby’s greatest weekend: 50 years of the Hong Kong Sevens - an infographic

See the world’s top teams compete at Kai Tak Stadium on April 17-19 and celebrate 50 years of Hong Kong Sevens history, tries and triumphs.

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Big Tech

Chinese tech giants, AI ‘godmother’ Li Fei-Fei race into world models

Alibaba’s introduction of Happy Oyster model for real-time creation of virtual worlds follows unveiling of Spark 2.0 from Li’s World Labs.

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China’s lithium giant Ganfeng sees profit jump as EV, ESS battery demand soars

The world’s top lithium producer forecasts a strong turnaround as global decarbonisation and AI-driven energy storage fuel demand.

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Diplomacy

China says embassy intrusion, bomb threat are among ‘grave violations’ in Japan

Acting head of embassy lists incidents he describes as ‘a threat to the safety of Chinese diplomatic personnel and premises’.

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A police officer stands guard at an entrance to the Chinese embassy in Tokyo on March 25, 2026, a day after a man was apprehended for allegedly trespassing onto the grounds of the embassy. Photo: AFP

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Trump-Xi summit worries, new fertiliser woes: 7 US-China relations reads

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US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands before their meeting in South Korea in October 2025. Photo: AP

Commodities

Geopolitics to drive Hong Kong mining fundraising amid ‘supercycle’, experts say

Hong Kong could see more mining IPOs as global demand for resources accelerates, though national security issues may slow deals: experts.

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Diplomacy

Can Japan’s US$10b energy shield oust China’s influence in Southeast Asia?

Pledge is a bid to ‘embed Japan at the centre of Southeast Asia’s energy security architecture’, observer notes, but questions its impact.

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Americas

Lula blasts Trump’s fear-based rule, calls for ‘great maturity’

‘Trump has no right to wake up in the morning and threaten a country,’ Brazil’s president says.

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A woman walks next to an anti-US mural on a street in Tehran, Iran, on Sunday. Photo: WANA via Reuters

Rugby

From racing Gout Gout to chasing sevens stardom, Aussie teen has ‘gas to burn’

Bailey Roberts-Lintmeijer competed against sprint sensation in 2024; now in Australia 7s fold, he has spent the week playing 10s.

59 minutes ago

Bailey Roberts-Lintmeijer raced against sprint phenomenon Gout Gout in 2024. Photo: Karma Lo

China

Zhao values becoming first Chinese player to win Triple Crown over defending world title

Chinese world No 3 says ‘one world title is enough for me’, hopes to see some existing tournaments relocated to new cities in China and Europe.

26 minutes ago

Tech

Black market workarounds scale up for Claude as Anthropic tightens ID checks

Chinese developers are bypassing new ID checks as demand for Claude remains strong despite official restrictions.

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OPINION

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A Tesla robot on display at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai. Tesla has said it is transforming itself into a physical AI firm. Photo: AFP

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Why the US may need more than just fixing gaps to rival China on rare earths

Washington’s mining ambitions may be complicated by the erosion of industrial know-how and a weak education pipeline, experts say.

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Vocational schools a new front as China backs businesses’ global expansion

Earlier programmes focused on infrastructure, but new wave is shaped by demand in e-commerce, digital services and advanced manufacturing.

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The US could be moving away from precision strikes in the Iran war. Here’s why

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

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What does Japan’s role in a US-Philippine military drill mean for Taiwan?

Tokyo’s 1,400 combat troops mark most extensive participation yet in annual joint exercise and signal ‘priorities’ to Beijing, analysts say.

‘A big deal’: military drills show Tokyo’s growing focus on deterring China

Trade tensions dim foreign investment outlook in US and China, survey finds

US and China have ‘suffered the most’ amid global decline in outbound investment appetite due to heightened geopolitical tensions.

US says China pledged not to arm Iran during ceasefire

Pentagon says Beijing offered assurances as US tightens blockade and warns Tehran talks could quickly give way to renewed strikes.

China’s Qingzhou tests space debris capture and clean-up

Robotic cargo spacecraft reported to have also conducted a suite of in-orbit experiments designed to sustain long-duration missions.

China warns travellers to avoid Seattle airport after academics denied entry to US

Chinese drone exposes Indonesia’s ‘insufficient’ undersea capabilities

Indonesia is likely to resolve the drone issue through ‘quiet diplomacy’ and not escalate it into a major row, analysts say.

China boosts overseas-loan quotas as ‘panda bond’ issuance hits record high

Beijing’s move to lift offshore-loan quotas seen helping stabilise yuan against weaker US dollar while accommodating a surge in net financing via ‘panda bonds’.

Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs meets city’s leaders in capital

HKMAO director Xia Baolong holds talks with Chief Secretary Eric Chan, finance chief Paul Chan and new mainland affairs minister Janice Tse.

.css-12ooj4n{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;}From waste to bottle: the technology that gives packaging waste a verifiable second life

Dow’s digital tracking system in China proves to consumers and businesses how waste can be recycled into new products.

Rugby’s greatest weekend: 50 years of the Hong Kong Sevens - an infographic

See the world’s top teams compete at Kai Tak Stadium on April 17-19 and celebrate 50 years of Hong Kong Sevens history, tries and triumphs.

Chinese tech giants, AI ‘godmother’ Li Fei-Fei race into world models

Alibaba’s introduction of Happy Oyster model for real-time creation of virtual worlds follows unveiling of Spark 2.0 from Li’s World Labs.

China’s lithium giant Ganfeng sees profit jump as EV, ESS battery demand soars

The world’s top lithium producer forecasts a strong turnaround as global decarbonisation and AI-driven energy storage fuel demand.

China says embassy intrusion, bomb threat are among ‘grave violations’ in Japan

Acting head of embassy lists incidents he describes as ‘a threat to the safety of Chinese diplomatic personnel and premises’.

Trump-Xi summit worries, new fertiliser woes: 7 US-China relations reads

From soybeans and tariffs to Chinese-American plays, here are highlights from our US correspondents in early April 2026.

Geopolitics to drive Hong Kong mining fundraising amid ‘supercycle’, experts say

Hong Kong could see more mining IPOs as global demand for resources accelerates, though national security issues may slow deals: experts.

Can Japan’s US$10b energy shield oust China’s influence in Southeast Asia?

Pledge is a bid to ‘embed Japan at the centre of Southeast Asia’s energy security architecture’, observer notes, but questions its impact.

Lula blasts Trump’s fear-based rule, calls for ‘great maturity’

‘Trump has no right to wake up in the morning and threaten a country,’ Brazil’s president says.

From racing Gout Gout to chasing sevens stardom, Aussie teen has ‘gas to burn’

Bailey Roberts-Lintmeijer competed against sprint sensation in 2024; now in Australia 7s fold, he has spent the week playing 10s.

Zhao values becoming first Chinese player to win Triple Crown over defending world title

Chinese world No 3 says ‘one world title is enough for me’, hopes to see some existing tournaments relocated to new cities in China and Europe.

Black market workarounds scale up for Claude as Anthropic tightens ID checks

Chinese developers are bypassing new ID checks as demand for Claude remains strong despite official restrictions.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Why India feels exposed by Pakistan’s diplomacy in Iran war

Macroscope | How the rupee’s fall shows India’s struggle to overcome vulnerabilities

Opinion | By voicing their needs, Chinese women are normalising them

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Letters | Iran war is not just a short-term energy disruption

Legal Tales | How the law protects when a parent abducts their child across borders

Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs meets city’s leaders in capital

Zhao values becoming first Chinese player to win Triple Crown over defending world title

Hong Kong leader John Lee, EU officials meet to discuss trade, cooperation

Hong Kong government pays two-thirds of HK$90 million tab for HK$2 fare revamp

US says China pledged not to arm Iran during ceasefire

China’s lithium giant Ganfeng sees profit jump as EV, ESS battery demand soars

From racing Gout Gout to chasing sevens stardom, Aussie teen has ‘gas to burn’

What does Japan’s role in a US-Philippine military drill mean for Taiwan?

Trump-Xi summit worries, new fertiliser woes: 7 US-China relations reads

Ex-lawmaker convicted in Hong Kong 47 trial struck off medical register

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 | 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.

Open Dialogue | Gary Liu and Liu Xiaochun on the US and China’s divergent paths for stablecoins

As investors await Hong Kong’s first stablecoin licences, two experts discuss the assets’ integration with the city’s economy – and the world’s.

Shanghai Gigafactory has potential to build humanoid robots: Tesla China head

Shanghai Gigafactory could be a ‘golden key’ to advancing Elon Musk’s hopes of commercialising the technology swiftly, Tesla China head says.

Chinese tech giants, AI ‘godmother’ Li Fei-Fei race into world models

Alibaba’s introduction of Happy Oyster model for real-time creation of virtual worlds follows unveiling of Spark 2.0 from Li’s World Labs.

TSMC targets over 30% revenue surge in 2026, ramps up capex amid AI boom

AI dominates TSMC revenues as foundry giant pivots from smartphones to high-performance computing.

China fast-tracks hydrogen strategy to ‘scale-up’ phase to boost energy security

China targets ‘bold innovation’ as falling renewable-energy costs allow it to leverage 50 per cent share of global green hydrogen production capacity.

Exclusive | Trump-Xi summit shaped by uncertainty, not strategy: experts

War distractions and limited goals risk turning Beijing talks into optics over substance, as expectations shrink and planning falters.

Why the US may need more than just fixing gaps to rival China on rare earths

Washington’s mining ambitions may be complicated by the erosion of industrial know-how and a weak education pipeline, experts say.

Vocational schools a new front as China backs businesses’ global expansion

From waste to bottle: the technology that gives packaging waste a verifiable second life

Opinion | Why India feels exposed by Pakistan’s diplomacy in Iran war

Letters | Iran war is not just a short-term energy disruption