Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

Sanae Takaichi has angered Beijing with her comments over Taiwan. Photo: Reuters

Why China is worried by Japan’s plans to change rules on arms sales

The government in Tokyo is considering relaxing its restrictions on exports of lethal weapons amid heightened tensions with Beijing.

1 hour agovideocam

China, Pakistan launch five-point plan to ease Iran crisis, push ceasefire

China-Japan relations

Military

Iran points finger at Saudis and UAE after Chinese-made drone was shot down

Tehran says it has shot down a Wing Loong II, which could be proof of ‘active complicity’ in the US-Israeli war.

4 hours agovideocam

Politics

Is Taiwan’s opposition KMT splitting into pro-US and pro-Beijing camps?

Big differences have emerged over defence spending just as the party’s chairwoman prepares to set off for the mainland.

4 hours agovideocam

Education

Hong Kong’s John Lee pledges to expand after-school care for low-income families

City leader says decision prompted by positive feedback from families who vouch that scheme gives them peace of mind to pursue careers.

16 minutes ago

Infographic

Seeking answers to a tragedy Hong Kong could have avoided

Science

China team releases world’s first bamboo drone flight control software – for free

Breakthrough in low-cost, eco-friendly UAVs as researchers unveil open-source software to enhance development.

6 hours agovideocam

The system tackles a key bottleneck in sustainable drone design: integrating non-traditional materials like bamboo with high-performance autonomous controls. Photo: Xinhua

Economics

UAE squeezes Iranian economic lifeline in retaliation for attacks

The UAE has quietly banned most Iranians from entering the country or transiting its airports, and cracked down on IRGC-related networks.

4 Apr 2026 - 3:00PMvideocam

Economy

China’s GPS rival, BeiDou, dominates at home. Now, it aims to convert the world

China is overhauling its home-grown satellite navigation system as part of a push to expand the network’s global influence.

6 hours agovideocam

Business

SMEs leverage Standard Chartered’s global network and expertise to achieve growth

Bank’s financial services and partnership with consultancy Altios help Singapore-headquartered company TFE expand into India.

In partnership with:

Standard Chartered

China Economy

Australia’s 180-degree shift from 5 years ago: China in favour; US out

Aussie comedian exposes the truth about nation’s feelings towards US president, democracy and public safety.

4 Apr 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

An Australian tour revealed the nation’s growing sentiment of warming to China, while Trump’s tariffs and foreign policy have increasingly seen the US viewed with suspicion or as ‘unsafe’. Photo: AP

Middle East

1 dead in strike near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant: IAEA

It is the fourth time the facility has been targeted, according to Iranian reports.

3 hours agovideocam

Europe

‘Ease the burden’: 5 EU nations urge tax on energy firms’ profits

As fuel prices spike, finance ministers from Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Austria ‘stand united’ and call for action.

3 hours agovideocam

Africa

‘Restrict everything’: Senegal curbs ministers’ foreign trips amid Iran war

PM says budgets in one of the world’s poorest nations were based on an oil price of US$62 a barrel. However, that has almost doubled.

31 minutes agovideocam

Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. File photo: AFP

Diplomacy

In a time of war, Chinese museums are a safe haven for ancient treasures of Iran

Cultural exchanges established with the Middle East are underscoring China’s role as a safe harbour for vulnerable global heritage.

4 Apr 2026 - 12:00PMvideocam

An image showing damage to a room in Tehran’s Golestan Palace. Photo: AP

Americas

1 dead in Peru football stadium tragedy, dozens injured

The Ministry of Health reported the collapse of a wall inside the stadium in the capital, but police and the Alianza Lima club denied this.

2 hours ago

Society

Hongkongers crossing border for Easter break wowed by new Shenzhen tech museum

Immigration statistics show 426,799 residents departed Hong Kong as of 4pm on Saturday.

3 hours ago

US

What 2 downed jets mean for US vulnerability in the Iran war

US launches rescue mission after F-15E downing; one crew member found, another missing in first such combat loss since war began.

4 hours agovideocam

127

An F-15E Strike Eagle takes off for a combat flight during Operation Epic Fury, on March 16, 2026. Photo: Handout

Middle East

Israel sets sights on Lebanon’s Hezbollah sites after blowing up crucial bridges

Lebanon was drawn into the Iran war when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel to avenge the death of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

4 Apr 2026 - 1:36PMvideocam

An Israeli air strike hits a bridge over the Litani River in Qasmiyeh, southern Lebanon, on March 22. Photo: Xinhua

Big Tech

Competition or ‘co-opetition’: how is convergence shaping Sino-US AI race?

Speech by CEO of Chinese AI start-up at Nvidia event in US highlights symbiotic nature of tech relationship despite geopolitical tensions.

4 Apr 2026 - 10:09AM

Law and Crime

Hospital Authority apologises for data breach involving 56,000 patients

Privacy watchdog and police investigating after patients’ names, identity card numbers, dates of hospital visits and medical procedures leaked.

2 hours ago

OPINION

Anthony Rowley

Macroscope | Why dollar and gold prices are looking abnormal amid Iran war

5 hours ago

Lijia Zhang

Being Chinese | Chinese overseas need not keep to ourselves. I certainly don’t

4 Apr 2026 - 9:30AM

Dicky Yordan

Asian Angle | Hormuz is sending Southeast Asia a warning – and we can no longer ignore it

4 Apr 2026 - 12:00PM

Wee Kek Koon

Reflections | History of Chinese flatbreads reflects how food has echoes of faraway places

4 Apr 2026 - 8:15AM

Letters

Letters | Hong Kong consumers need not be at sea when it comes to oysters

4 Apr 2026 - 11:30AM

Harry’s View | 4 Apr 2026

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Africa

‘Restrict everything’: Senegal curbs ministers’ foreign trips amid Iran war

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Entertainment

How Netflix is seeking the next Stranger Things after failed Warner Bros bid

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Americas

1 dead in Peru football stadium tragedy, dozens injured

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Diplomacy

Why China is worried by Japan’s plans to change rules on arms sales

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World

Afghan boy sole survivor after quake kills 8 in refugee family back from Iran

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Education

Hong Kong’s John Lee pledges to expand after-school care for low-income families

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Traditional Russian wooden dolls depict Chinese President Xi Jinping, then US president-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a souvenir shop in St Petersburg, Russia, on November 21, 2024. Photo: AP

SCMP Series Trump’s 2026 trip to China

Exclusive | What does it mean for China if Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin visit back to back?

Expected trips in close succession highlight Beijing’s strategic effort to manage relations with the two in turbulent times, analysts say.

27 Mar 2026 - 11:40PMvideocam

Exclusive | What are the real reasons behind the change of date for Trump’s China visit?

21 Mar 2026 - 2:39PMvideocam

Exclusive | Trump ally Steve Daines will be first US senator to visit Hong Kong since 2019

20 Mar 2026 - 6:28PMvideocam

Open Questions series

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

China Economy

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.

25 Mar 2026 - 10:02AMvideocam

Diplomacy

Open Questions | Trump-Xi summits: an inside view with US ex-diplomat William Klein

Former diplomat posted to Beijing speaks on Iran, Taiwan and global supply chains as details of Xi-Trump meeting are worked out.

23 Mar 2026 - 10:02AMvideocam

Military

Open Questions | Why Iran war may drive East Asia nuclear race, hit China in Mideast: Zhao Tong

Carnegie nuclear policy expert says law of the jungle signalled by US actions could spur more countries to pursue nuclear weapons.

16 Mar 2026 - 10:04AMvideocam

Key Industries:

Big Tech

Nvidia’s Huang calls China ‘formidable’ in robotics as firm bets on physical AI

China’s microelectronics, motors, rare earth and magnets – which are foundational to robotics – are the world’s best, says Huang.

21 Mar 2026 - 6:18PM

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang speaks during the company’s global AI conference in San Jose, California, March 17, 2026. Photo: Reuters

Big Tech

Competition or ‘co-opetition’: how is convergence shaping Sino-US AI race?

Speech by CEO of Chinese AI start-up at Nvidia event in US highlights symbiotic nature of tech relationship despite geopolitical tensions.

4 Apr 2026 - 10:09AM

Policy

Beijing mandates internal ethics committees for all Chinese AI companies

Since 2022, big tech firms including Alibaba and Baidu have established internal science and technology ethics review committees.

3 Apr 2026 - 9:54PM

Tech

Tencent expands OpenClaw suite with enterprise tool amid China’s ‘lobster’ craze

ClawPro tool promises quick AI agent deployment, giving enterprises control over models, tokens and security.

3 Apr 2026 - 8:00PM

Chinese tech firms are rushing to offer China users easy or inexpensive access to OpenClaw after it went viral. Photo: Getty Images

Society

Is it time to call an end to Hong Kong’s boar war?

Wild boar numbers have dropped by half in recent years, prompting calls from experts for an end to aggressive control measures such as culling.

2 Apr 2026 - 8:30AM

Science

Inside the shadowy practices plaguing China’s science awards

Beijing has rolled out new rules for investigating violations in scientific activities. So why are critics still pessimistic?

1 Apr 2026 - 9:50AMvideocam

Diplomacy

Europe’s crisis tourism: how the Iran war swallowed the EU’s geopolitical agenda

From trade with China to the Middle East conflict and resulting energy shock, Brussels’ agenda has been repeatedly knocked off course.

31 Mar 2026 - 6:03AMvideocam

Diplomacy

China’s looted heritage campaign: assertive, ambitious – and complicated

As the United States steps back from cultural governance, China aims to reshape how the world reclaims looted heritage – with Japan its biggest test.

29 Mar 2026 - 6:17AM

Why China is worried by Japan’s plans to change rules on arms sales

The government in Tokyo is considering relaxing its restrictions on exports of lethal weapons amid heightened tensions with Beijing.

China, Pakistan launch five-point plan to ease Iran crisis, push ceasefire

Iran points finger at Saudis and UAE after Chinese-made drone was shot down

Tehran says it has shot down a Wing Loong II, which could be proof of ‘active complicity’ in the US-Israeli war.

Is Taiwan’s opposition KMT splitting into pro-US and pro-Beijing camps?

Big differences have emerged over defence spending just as the party’s chairwoman prepares to set off for the mainland.

Hong Kong’s John Lee pledges to expand after-school care for low-income families

City leader says decision prompted by positive feedback from families who vouch that scheme gives them peace of mind to pursue careers.

Seeking answers to a tragedy Hong Kong could have avoided

China team releases world’s first bamboo drone flight control software – for free

Breakthrough in low-cost, eco-friendly UAVs as researchers unveil open-source software to enhance development.

UAE squeezes Iranian economic lifeline in retaliation for attacks

The UAE has quietly banned most Iranians from entering the country or transiting its airports, and cracked down on IRGC-related networks.

China’s GPS rival, BeiDou, dominates at home. Now, it aims to convert the world

China is overhauling its home-grown satellite navigation system as part of a push to expand the network’s global influence.

.css-12ooj4n{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;}SMEs leverage Standard Chartered’s global network and expertise to achieve growth

Bank’s financial services and partnership with consultancy Altios help Singapore-headquartered company TFE expand into India.

Australia’s 180-degree shift from 5 years ago: China in favour; US out

Aussie comedian exposes the truth about nation’s feelings towards US president, democracy and public safety.

1 dead in strike near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant: IAEA

It is the fourth time the facility has been targeted, according to Iranian reports.

‘Ease the burden’: 5 EU nations urge tax on energy firms’ profits

As fuel prices spike, finance ministers from Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Austria ‘stand united’ and call for action.

‘Restrict everything’: Senegal curbs ministers’ foreign trips amid Iran war

PM says budgets in one of the world’s poorest nations were based on an oil price of US$62 a barrel. However, that has almost doubled.

In a time of war, Chinese museums are a safe haven for ancient treasures of Iran

Cultural exchanges established with the Middle East are underscoring China’s role as a safe harbour for vulnerable global heritage.

1 dead in Peru football stadium tragedy, dozens injured

The Ministry of Health reported the collapse of a wall inside the stadium in the capital, but police and the Alianza Lima club denied this.

Hongkongers crossing border for Easter break wowed by new Shenzhen tech museum

Immigration statistics show 426,799 residents departed Hong Kong as of 4pm on Saturday.

What 2 downed jets mean for US vulnerability in the Iran war

US launches rescue mission after F-15E downing; one crew member found, another missing in first such combat loss since war began.

Israel sets sights on Lebanon’s Hezbollah sites after blowing up crucial bridges

Lebanon was drawn into the Iran war when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel to avenge the death of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

Competition or ‘co-opetition’: how is convergence shaping Sino-US AI race?

Speech by CEO of Chinese AI start-up at Nvidia event in US highlights symbiotic nature of tech relationship despite geopolitical tensions.

Hospital Authority apologises for data breach involving 56,000 patients

Privacy watchdog and police investigating after patients’ names, identity card numbers, dates of hospital visits and medical procedures leaked.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Macroscope | Why dollar and gold prices are looking abnormal amid Iran war

Being Chinese | Chinese overseas need not keep to ourselves. I certainly don’t

Asian Angle | Hormuz is sending Southeast Asia a warning – and we can no longer ignore it

Reflections | History of Chinese flatbreads reflects how food has echoes of faraway places

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Letters | Hong Kong consumers need not be at sea when it comes to oysters

‘Restrict everything’: Senegal curbs ministers’ foreign trips amid Iran war

How Netflix is seeking the next Stranger Things after failed Warner Bros bid

1 dead in Peru football stadium tragedy, dozens injured

Why China is worried by Japan’s plans to change rules on arms sales

Afghan boy sole survivor after quake kills 8 in refugee family back from Iran

Hong Kong’s John Lee pledges to expand after-school care for low-income families

Exclusive | What does it mean for China if Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin visit back to back?

Expected trips in close succession highlight Beijing’s strategic effort to manage relations with the two in turbulent times, analysts say.

Exclusive | What are the real reasons behind the change of date for Trump’s China visit?

Exclusive | Trump ally Steve Daines will be first US senator to visit Hong Kong since 2019

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.

Open Questions | Trump-Xi summits: an inside view with US ex-diplomat William Klein

Former diplomat posted to Beijing speaks on Iran, Taiwan and global supply chains as details of Xi-Trump meeting are worked out.

Open Questions | Why Iran war may drive East Asia nuclear race, hit China in Mideast: Zhao Tong

Carnegie nuclear policy expert says law of the jungle signalled by US actions could spur more countries to pursue nuclear weapons.

Nvidia’s Huang calls China ‘formidable’ in robotics as firm bets on physical AI

China’s microelectronics, motors, rare earth and magnets – which are foundational to robotics – are the world’s best, says Huang.

Competition or ‘co-opetition’: how is convergence shaping Sino-US AI race?

Speech by CEO of Chinese AI start-up at Nvidia event in US highlights symbiotic nature of tech relationship despite geopolitical tensions.

Beijing mandates internal ethics committees for all Chinese AI companies

Since 2022, big tech firms including Alibaba and Baidu have established internal science and technology ethics review committees.

Tencent expands OpenClaw suite with enterprise tool amid China’s ‘lobster’ craze

ClawPro tool promises quick AI agent deployment, giving enterprises control over models, tokens and security.

Is it time to call an end to Hong Kong’s boar war?

Wild boar numbers have dropped by half in recent years, prompting calls from experts for an end to aggressive control measures such as culling.

Inside the shadowy practices plaguing China’s science awards

Beijing has rolled out new rules for investigating violations in scientific activities. So why are critics still pessimistic?

Europe’s crisis tourism: how the Iran war swallowed the EU’s geopolitical agenda

From trade with China to the Middle East conflict and resulting energy shock, Brussels’ agenda has been repeatedly knocked off course.

China’s looted heritage campaign: assertive, ambitious – and complicated

As the United States steps back from cultural governance, China aims to reshape how the world reclaims looted heritage – with Japan its biggest test.

SMEs leverage Standard Chartered’s global network and expertise to achieve growth

Macroscope | Why dollar and gold prices are looking abnormal amid Iran war

Letters | Hong Kong consumers need not be at sea when it comes to oysters