Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

Trump’s pick for Fed chair says he’ll stay independent. Does he mean it?

Kevin Warsh said at a confirmation hearing he would not become the US president’s ‘human sock puppet’, but concerns over interference persist.

2 hours agovideocam

America First Fed? Trump pick Warsh signals ‘monetary sovereignty’: analysts

Banking & finance

Diplomacy

Trump trade chief says US wants balanced trade, not change to China’s system

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer wants key meeting in Beijing to help ‘achieve more balance’ economically between the two countries.

9 May 2026 - 3:13AMvideocam

Europe

Beginning of the end? Trump announces 3-day Russia-Ukraine ceasefire deal

US president says ceasefire will include suspension of all ‘kinetic activity’ and an exchange of prisoners.

4 hours agovideocam

Education

Hong Kong schools record net student rise for 2 years straight

Figures shift from net decrease to net increase after Top Talent Pass Scheme launched and annual quota for another key admission scheme removed.

2 hours ago

Focus

Latest US-China rivalry combines undersea dominance with a race to riches

Economics

Singapore shines as a stable investment oasis in a global storm

Wealthy families are trading global uncertainty for Singapore’s regulatory rigour, driving record inflows and a revitalised stock exchange.

3 hours agovideocam

Diplomacy

China plan to be global arbitration hub fighting Western distrust: experts

China’s newly revised Arbitration Law marks the most significant overhaul of the country’s commercial dispute framework since 1994.

4 hours agovideocam

Politics

Mogami momentum: why Japan’s warship is winning over New Zealand

Japan’s Mogami and Britain’s Type 31 are the top two contenders, but Australia may have already tipped the scales.

17 minutes ago

International

Global real estate event in Riyadh sees record transactions amid growing influence in sector

Cityscape Global achieves more than US$63 billion as Saudi Arabia positions itself as a major investment hub for urban development.

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Cityscape Global

Science

Ke Tao, China’s remote sensing expert ‘devoted’ to national defence, dies at 48

The Wuhan University professor specialised in taking measurements from images and received a military award in 2015.

8 May 2026 - 10:00PMvideocam

Ke Tao’s particular expertise was photogrammetry and its application to aerospace, aviation, and in low-altitude, close-range environments. Photo: Handout

Diplomacy

Trump appeals latest court loss on tariffs as chaos and uncertainty amp up

Trump administration on Friday appealed court ruling that 10 per cent global tariff imposed in February was not justified by 1970s trade law.

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Global Economy

How a China-backed highway may turn landlocked Laos into a trade gateway

The project is part of wider efforts to build overland trade corridors linking southern China with the Mekong region.

4 hours ago

China Business

Chinese EV maker Leapmotor taps Stellantis’ Spanish plant for EU production

Hangzhou carmaker’s overseas strategy highlights how Chinese brands are leveraging idle plants to scale globally while easing trade barriers.

8 May 2026 - 9:40PM

A Leapmotor Lafa5 Ultra is on display at the Beijing Auto Show on April 24. Photo: AFP

Health & Wellness

This fit former bodybuilder thought pole would be easy. He was wrong

Hong Kong-born LA resident Ray Kayan found that gym strength means little on the fitness pole, an activity he finds ‘empowering’.

3 hours agovideocam

Ray Kayan performs graceful moves on a fitness pole, which require great strength and flexibility. Pole performance has been growing as a form of fitness since the 58-year-old started, even among men. Photo: Facebook/Ray Leung

Tech Trends

Exclusive | DeepSeek to soon close first external fundraising in US$50b valuation: sources

Backers include AI-focused affiliates under the third phase of the China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, sources say.

9 May 2026 - 12:17AMvideocam

Diplomacy

China and US in AI revolution race as tech rivals battle for global supremacy

Two countries will lock horns for foreseeable future, with key industry certain to be a point of negotiation at next week’s Trump-Xi summit.

4 hours agovideocam

Diplomacy

New Israel-Lebanon talks to try to curb Hezbollah influence in region: Rubio

Marco Rubio says Washington is also awaiting Iran’s response to a new US proposal to end the conflict in the region.

6 hours ago

First responders arrive at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the southern Lebanese village of Habbouch on Thursday. Photo: AFP

Europe

New suspected hantavirus cases found in Spain and remote Tristan da Cunha

The latest patient had briefly sat on a plane behind a Dutch woman who contracted the disease on the MV Hondius.

3 hours agovideocam

Sant Joan university hospital, where a woman with symptoms consistent with a hantavirus infection is being treated, is seen in Alicante, Spain, on Friday. Photo: Reuters

Politics

Why the UK won’t shut Hong Kong’s London trade office despite spying verdict

Analysts say British authorities will prioritise stable ties with Beijing given current geopolitical uncertainties.

8 May 2026 - 10:47PMvideocam

Science

Chinese health authority says no need to worry about latest hantavirus outbreak

CDC says the strain behind the current outbreak, which emerged on a cruise ship sailing from Argentina, has no natural hosts in the country.

8 May 2026 - 8:47PMvideocam

OPINION

Alex Lo

As I see it | Has China just ended the end of history?

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Wee Kek Koon

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Andrew Sheng

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Kevin Broady

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8 May 2026 - 9:28PM

SCMP Editorial

Editorial | The US shouldn’t try to bully China ahead of a summit

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Harry’s View | 9 May 2026

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SCMP Series Trump’s 2026 trip to China

Latest US-China rivalry combines undersea dominance with a race to riches

Ahead of leaders’ summit in Beijing next week, experts point to a high-stakes competition that features military and mining technologies.

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Why US commercial stakes are ‘too high for Trump to ignore’ on China visit

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China tells close Trump ally its wish list ahead of US leader’s Beijing trip

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Open Questions series

China Economy

Open Questions | Bai Chongen on China’s new economic paradigm and closing the US tech gap

Top economist explains how China has less in common with 1990s Japan than many think – and why talk of Chinese overcapacity is often ‘imprecise’.

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China Economy

Open Questions | Why China’s yuan faces the same ‘illusions’ that stalled the euro: Daniel Gros

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

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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.

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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.

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China EVs

From Beijing to Berlin: Chinese EVs turn heads as brands eye European markets

BYD, Geely and Xpeng showcase eye-catching EVs at Beijing auto show as they build momentum in Europe and target more discerning buyers.

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A humanoid robot poses at a BYD booth beside an electric vehicle at the Beijing auto show. Photo: Kyodo

China Business

Chinese EV maker Leapmotor taps Stellantis’ Spanish plant for EU production

Hangzhou carmaker’s overseas strategy highlights how Chinese brands are leveraging idle plants to scale globally while easing trade barriers.

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Tech Trends

Exclusive | DeepSeek to soon close first external fundraising in US$50b valuation: sources

Backers include AI-focused affiliates under the third phase of the China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, sources say.

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Tech Trends

How Nvidia’s Corning pact sheds light on China’s key role in global fibre supply

Rising fibre prices and surging output cement China’s role as the backbone of global optical connectivity for AI.

3-MIN READ

In 2025, China accounted for 59 per cent of global optical preform output, 57 per cent of optical fibre production and 47 per cent of optical cable output, making it the world’s largest supplier across the chain, Huatai Securities’ data showed. Photo: Shutterstock

China Economy

Why US commercial stakes are ‘too high for Trump to ignore’ on China visit

After the US$37 billion, 300-plane deal from Trump’s last visit stalled, industry observers say the next one could be more flexible.

6-MIN READvideocam

Diplomacy

Will warming Arctic trigger further chill in US-China relations?

The prospect of opening up new sea lanes presents both challenges and opportunities for the rival powers, analysts say.

6-MIN READvideocam

Society

Will Hong Kong’s lending clampdown wean helpers off debt – and save their dreams?

NGOs say regulations should not be so strict that they deny domestic helpers access to loans since they may have legitimate needs such as family emergencies.

7-MIN READ

Military

Will new Saudi-Pakistan defence pact give Chinese arms risk-free exposure?

Islamabad’s elevated stature in Middle East security could make it ‘the operational face of Chinese defence systems’ via regional deployment.

5-MIN READvideocam

Trump’s pick for Fed chair says he’ll stay independent. Does he mean it?

Kevin Warsh said at a confirmation hearing he would not become the US president’s ‘human sock puppet’, but concerns over interference persist.

America First Fed? Trump pick Warsh signals ‘monetary sovereignty’: analysts

Trump trade chief says US wants balanced trade, not change to China’s system

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer wants key meeting in Beijing to help ‘achieve more balance’ economically between the two countries.

Beginning of the end? Trump announces 3-day Russia-Ukraine ceasefire deal

US president says ceasefire will include suspension of all ‘kinetic activity’ and an exchange of prisoners.

Hong Kong schools record net student rise for 2 years straight

Figures shift from net decrease to net increase after Top Talent Pass Scheme launched and annual quota for another key admission scheme removed.

Latest US-China rivalry combines undersea dominance with a race to riches

Singapore shines as a stable investment oasis in a global storm

Wealthy families are trading global uncertainty for Singapore’s regulatory rigour, driving record inflows and a revitalised stock exchange.

China plan to be global arbitration hub fighting Western distrust: experts

China’s newly revised Arbitration Law marks the most significant overhaul of the country’s commercial dispute framework since 1994.

Mogami momentum: why Japan’s warship is winning over New Zealand

Japan’s Mogami and Britain’s Type 31 are the top two contenders, but Australia may have already tipped the scales.

.css-12ooj4n{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;}Global real estate event in Riyadh sees record transactions amid growing influence in sector

Cityscape Global achieves more than US$63 billion as Saudi Arabia positions itself as a major investment hub for urban development.

Ke Tao, China’s remote sensing expert ‘devoted’ to national defence, dies at 48

The Wuhan University professor specialised in taking measurements from images and received a military award in 2015.

Trump appeals latest court loss on tariffs as chaos and uncertainty amp up

Trump administration on Friday appealed court ruling that 10 per cent global tariff imposed in February was not justified by 1970s trade law.

How a China-backed highway may turn landlocked Laos into a trade gateway

The project is part of wider efforts to build overland trade corridors linking southern China with the Mekong region.

Chinese EV maker Leapmotor taps Stellantis’ Spanish plant for EU production

Hangzhou carmaker’s overseas strategy highlights how Chinese brands are leveraging idle plants to scale globally while easing trade barriers.

This fit former bodybuilder thought pole would be easy. He was wrong

Hong Kong-born LA resident Ray Kayan found that gym strength means little on the fitness pole, an activity he finds ‘empowering’.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Exclusive | DeepSeek to soon close first external fundraising in US$50b valuation: sources

Backers include AI-focused affiliates under the third phase of the China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, sources say.

China and US in AI revolution race as tech rivals battle for global supremacy

Two countries will lock horns for foreseeable future, with key industry certain to be a point of negotiation at next week’s Trump-Xi summit.

New Israel-Lebanon talks to try to curb Hezbollah influence in region: Rubio

Marco Rubio says Washington is also awaiting Iran’s response to a new US proposal to end the conflict in the region.

New suspected hantavirus cases found in Spain and remote Tristan da Cunha

The latest patient had briefly sat on a plane behind a Dutch woman who contracted the disease on the MV Hondius.

Why the UK won’t shut Hong Kong’s London trade office despite spying verdict

Analysts say British authorities will prioritise stable ties with Beijing given current geopolitical uncertainties.

Chinese health authority says no need to worry about latest hantavirus outbreak

CDC says the strain behind the current outbreak, which emerged on a cruise ship sailing from Argentina, has no natural hosts in the country.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}As I see it | Has China just ended the end of history?

Reflections | Succession struggles in China’s past echoed in Malaysia’s 2026 royal crisis

Opinion | Thanks to Trump, the gloves are off. There may be no new global order

Opinion | China unsurprisingly puts its own interests first. Can Europe do the same?

Editorial | The US shouldn’t try to bully China ahead of a summit

Mogami momentum: why Japan’s warship is winning over New Zealand

Singapore pair test negative for hantavirus after cruise ship outbreak

As I see it | Has China just ended the end of history?

Hong Kong schools record net student rise for 2 years straight

.css-1t72pn8{color:#C79A00;}Video | How China’s malls are trying to stay relevant

Trump’s pick for Fed chair says he’ll stay independent. Does he mean it?

China boy, 4, survives 11-floor fall after climbing to see if parents were coming home

Mexico to end school year 40 days early for World Cup amid heat wave

Reflections | Succession struggles in China’s past echoed in Malaysia’s 2026 royal crisis

Singapore shines as a stable investment oasis in a global storm

Latest US-China rivalry combines undersea dominance with a race to riches

Ahead of leaders’ summit in Beijing next week, experts point to a high-stakes competition that features military and mining technologies.

Why US commercial stakes are ‘too high for Trump to ignore’ on China visit

China tells close Trump ally its wish list ahead of US leader’s Beijing trip

Open Questions | Bai Chongen on China’s new economic paradigm and closing the US tech gap

Top economist explains how China has less in common with 1990s Japan than many think – and why talk of Chinese overcapacity is often ‘imprecise’.

Open Questions | Why China’s yuan faces the same ‘illusions’ that stalled the euro: Daniel Gros

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

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.

From Beijing to Berlin: Chinese EVs turn heads as brands eye European markets

BYD, Geely and Xpeng showcase eye-catching EVs at Beijing auto show as they build momentum in Europe and target more discerning buyers.

Chinese EV maker Leapmotor taps Stellantis’ Spanish plant for EU production

Hangzhou carmaker’s overseas strategy highlights how Chinese brands are leveraging idle plants to scale globally while easing trade barriers.

Exclusive | DeepSeek to soon close first external fundraising in US$50b valuation: sources

Backers include AI-focused affiliates under the third phase of the China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, sources say.

How Nvidia’s Corning pact sheds light on China’s key role in global fibre supply

Rising fibre prices and surging output cement China’s role as the backbone of global optical connectivity for AI.

Why US commercial stakes are ‘too high for Trump to ignore’ on China visit

After the US$37 billion, 300-plane deal from Trump’s last visit stalled, industry observers say the next one could be more flexible.

Will warming Arctic trigger further chill in US-China relations?

The prospect of opening up new sea lanes presents both challenges and opportunities for the rival powers, analysts say.

Will Hong Kong’s lending clampdown wean helpers off debt – and save their dreams?

Global real estate event in Riyadh sees record transactions amid growing influence in sector

Exclusive | DeepSeek to soon close first external fundraising in US$50b valuation: sources

As I see it | Has China just ended the end of history?

Video | How China’s malls are trying to stay relevant