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SCMP

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.
1. China’s famous Shaolin Temple gets new abbot after predecessor removed
China has appointed a new abbot to the country’s famous Shaolin Temple, two days after authorities at the Buddhist monastery announced its head monk for more than 25 years had been placed under investigation for alleged financial and sex scandals.
2. China releases US$77 million relief fund as casualties mount in Beijing floods
China has allocated substantial emergency funds to regions devastated by heavy downpours and floods that claimed at least 40 lives in Beijing and its neighbouring provinces.
3. Is EU’s global clout fading amid gruelling stand-offs with China and the US?
After tense talks in Beijing and a bruising trade blow from Washington, EU bureaucrats are heading into their August break weary and short of wins, as doubts deepen over the bloc’s global leverage.
4. China’s J-20 flew through the Tsushima Strait. Did anybody else notice?

The Chinese air force’s most advanced J-20 stealth fighter has flown through the strategic Tsushima Strait near Japan, an apparent first not reported by any other armed forces with a presence in the region.
5. No US stopover for Taiwanese leader could ease path to Xi-Trump meeting
Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te has no immediate plans for overseas travel, his office said on Monday, following reports that his proposed stopover in the United States was declined by the Donald Trump administration.
6. Does this stone reveal Qin Shi Huang’s quest for immortality? A physicist chips in

High on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in southwestern China and northeastern India, archaeologists recently discovered a 2,246-year-old stone inscription that might record one of the most mysterious chapters in Chinese history.
7. China urged to control its narrative to counteract the West: ‘own the story’
China must leverage its new cultural symbols and stay open to interacting with scholars across Asia to reshape its global messaging, Chinese experts have said, urging Beijing to counterbalance what they say is a historically dominant Western narrative.


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SCMP Highlights

Beijing flood casualties rise, J-20 flies through Tsushima Strait: SCMP daily highlights

A damaged car is seen in a flooded neighbourhood in Miyun district, on the outskirts of Beijing on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

The PLA is projected to have around 400 J-20s in operation by the end of this year. Photo: Handout

Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Shaolin Temple head under investigation, US-China tariff pause: 5 weekend reads you missed

US President Donald Trump points toward reporters as he arrives at the White House on July 13, 2025. Photo: dpa

A Chinese flag flies from a ship at the port of Oakland, California. US concerns over China’s industrial overcapacity are expected to feature in talks when the two sides meet in Stockholm, Sweden. Photo: AP

Shi Yongxin (centre), abbot of the Shaolin Temple in central China, is under joint investigation by multiple departments. Photo: Getty Images 

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Forbidden City in Beijing during Trump’s first state visit to China in November 2017. Photo: AFP

Supporters of Taiwan’s main opposition Kuomintang party defy the heavy rain to rally against the recall vote, in Taipei on Friday. Photo: AFP

An airport VIP lounge in China faced backlash for requiring proof of assets valued at US$2.8 million for entry. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock

Tesla’s bid to regain China market share, BYD outsells BMW in Hong Kong: 7 EV reads

A Tesla Model 3 EV is seen during the China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing on July 16, 2025. Photo: AFP

A worker cleans a robotaxi in Shanghai. Photo: AP 

Australian mining giant BHP’s Mount Newman iron ore mine in Western Australia. BHP aims to achieve net-zero operational greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Photo: AFP

A lithium-ion battery pack at Chinese carmaker JAC Motors’ factory in Ciudad Sahagun, Mexico, last month. Photo: Reuters

China reveals superfast maglev, Viagra’s cancer-fighting potential: 7 science highlights

China’s railway authorities gave the public its first glimpse of a superfast maglev train this week in Beijing. The vehicle, which is currently undergoing testing, could cut travel times in half, according to experts. Photo: Handout

China’s Chishui He, also known as the Red River, is regarded by ecologists as the last refuge for rare and endemic fish species in the upper reaches of the Yangtze. Photo: Shutterstock


Tourists take photos of camels in the Badain Jaran Desert in China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Photo: Xinhua

In her career, oncologist and Jilin Cancer Hospital director Cheng Ying received the Chinese Physician Award and named Outstanding Hospital President. Photo: Handout

Analysis of samples from patients with pancreatic, breast and colorectal cancers showed cells that act as the “intelligence agents” of the immune system can become severely depleted as the tumour progresses. Sildenafil is able to reverse the process, the research team says. Photo: Shutterstock

News

China

From potential record of mysterious chapter in Chinese history to EU’s doubts over bloc’s leverage, here’s a round-up from today’s coverage


From potential record of mysterious chapter in Chinese history to EU’s doubts over bloc’s leverage, here’s a round-up from today’s coverage.


Taiwan

Japan

United States

William Lai Ching-te

Beijing flood casualties rise, J-20 flies through Tsushima Strait: SCMP daily highlights

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}From potential record of mysterious chapter in Chinese history to EU’s doubts over bloc’s leverage, here’s a round-up from today’s coverage

1. China’s famous Shaolin Temple gets new abbot after predecessor removed

From potential record of mysterious chapter in Chinese history to EU’s doubts over bloc’s leverage, here’s a round-up from today’s coverage