https://www.scmp.com/rss/25794/feed Xi Jinping was elected general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party and chairman of the Central Military Commission at the 18th Party Congress in 2012. He succeeded Hu Jintao as leader of the Communist Party and was elected president in March 2013. In 2018, the National People's Congress, China's parliament, abolished the term limits of the presidency effectively allowing him to stay in power for life. Born in 1953, Xi graduated from Tsinghua University in 1979 with a degree in engineering. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung A high-stakes visit to mainland China by the chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), during which she is expected to meet Communist Party leader Xi Jinping and promote cross-strait peace, is under scrutiny in Taipei. Cheng Li-wun is set to depart for Shanghai on Tuesday for a six-day trip, with local media reporting a possible meeting with Xi in Beijing on Thursday – the first such encounter between the two parties’ leaders in a decade. However, Cheng’s coming visit has... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349176/why-kmt-leaders-planned-visit-beijing-under-scrutiny-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349176/why-kmt-leaders-planned-visit-beijing-under-scrutiny-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 13:05:56 +0000 Reuters Reuters North Korea appears to be distancing itself from long-time partner Iran and carefully managing its public messaging to preserve the possibility of a new relationship with the US after the Iran war, South Korean lawmakers have said, citing the spy agency. Seoul’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) said North ‌Korea had not sent weapons or supplies so far to Iran since the conflict started on February 28, and did not issue public condolences upon the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349136/north-korean-silence-iran-signals-openness-us-talks-seouls-spy-agency?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349136/north-korean-silence-iran-signals-openness-us-talks-seouls-spy-agency?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 06:32:16 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Major powers are closely watching Hungary’s election next week – a vote seen as a referendum on Europe’s right and crucial for Chinese interests in the EU. Recent polls show self-styled “illiberal democrat” Viktor Orban’s Fidesz trailing challenger Peter Magyar’s Tisza Party by between 19 and 23 points among likely voters ahead of an election on Sunday that has been described as “Europe’s most consequential”. For China, Russia and the United States under President Donald Trump, an Orban defeat... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349109/orban-brink-could-hungarys-election-dent-chinas-influence-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349109/orban-brink-could-hungarys-election-dent-chinas-influence-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Andrew Tilton, chief Asia-Pacific economist at Goldman Sachs, speaks to the South China Morning Post about the long-term future of China’s economy after the “two sessions” in Beijing and ahead of an expected Xi-Trump summit – all during an oil crisis sparked by the US-Israel war against Iran. For other interviews in the Open Questions series, click here. What impact will the oil shock arising from the Iran war have on the growth of Asian economies this year? Asia is greatly affected by the war... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348903/andrew-tilton-chinas-growth-prospects-economic-trajectory-wake-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348903/andrew-tilton-chinas-growth-prospects-economic-trajectory-wake-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 22:00:29 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Before autonomous driving freed up the hands of Beijing’s middle class, thousands of workers some 1,500km (930 miles) away in China’s southwestern Guizhou province clicked away at computer screens to teach AI about navigating traffic. In the mountainous city of Tongren, where incomes are less than half those in Beijing, the work of data labelling – marking residential buildings, pavements, roadways and traffic lights – shaped the artificial intelligence guiding those vehicles. The job required... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349038/what-next-struggling-rural-mothers-china-who-helped-build-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349038/what-next-struggling-rural-mothers-china-who-helped-build-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 22:00:21 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell The Trump administration has assured us that the long-awaited summit in Beijing between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump will now be held on May 14 to 15. Whether you believe the meeting will go ahead is up to you. Beijing has not confirmed it, but neither has it contradicted the White House. That is more than can be said for Tehran’s brutal response to White House claims that US-Iran peace negotiations are under way. Even if we take the White House summit claim at face value,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3348890/3-reasons-xi-trump-summit-wont-be-waste-time-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3348890/3-reasons-xi-trump-summit-wont-be-waste-time-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai A Chinese fugitive suspected of drug-related crimes has been repatriated from the United States and handed to police in China, the first such case in years, according to state media. The suspect was returned to China by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) via cooperation channels between the two countries, based on information provided by Chinese narcotics control authorities, state news agency Xinhua reported on Friday, citing the Ministry of Public Security. The Chinese national,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348926/beijing-hails-us-cooperation-ice-returns-suspected-drug-smuggler-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348926/beijing-hails-us-cooperation-ice-returns-suspected-drug-smuggler-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 08:00:11 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Leapmotor, one of China’s strongest-performing electric vehicle (EV) makers this year, is accelerating its global push with a new innovation centre in Europe and plans for potential local assembly in Canada, as it looks to entrench production of its low-cost smart cars overseas. The Hangzhou-based carmaker, backed by Fiat owner Stellantis, has also raised its overseas sales target by 50 per cent, betting that higher fuel costs and easing trade barriers will bolster demand for Chinese-made... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348847/leapmotor-targets-global-growth-europe-rd-hub-eyes-canada-assembly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348847/leapmotor-targets-global-growth-europe-rd-hub-eyes-canada-assembly?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 02:00:14 +0000 Mark Magnier,Khushboo Razdan Mark Magnier,Khushboo Razdan After avoiding much of the churn, firings and senior official turnover that marked his first term, US President Donald Trump on Thursday added to the string of high-profile departures in recent days, as bad news heaped more pressure on the White House. The administration announced that US Attorney General Pam Bondi was leaving to be replaced by her deputy, Todd Blanche, in an acting capacity. “We love Pam,” Trump wrote on social media. “She will be transitioning to a much-needed and important... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348858/trump-fires-pam-bondi-us-attorney-general-amid-epstein-files-furore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348858/trump-fires-pam-bondi-us-attorney-general-amid-epstein-files-furore?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 17:20:46 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Cheng Li-wun will be the first sitting chairperson of Taiwan’s opposition Kuomintang to visit the mainland since Hung Hsiu-chu nearly 10 years ago. The announcement of the trip, from April 7 to 12, at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, comes at a sensitive time in cross-strait relations, with four American senators arriving in Taiwan to promote arms sales opposed by Beijing, and Xi expected to host a summit with President Donald Trump next month. Xi’s invitation to Cheng, elected KMT... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3348647/taiwan-kuomintang-leaders-visit-mainland-china-gives-reason-hope?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3348647/taiwan-kuomintang-leaders-visit-mainland-china-gives-reason-hope?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 23:15:12 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering US-China relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trump-Xi summit will be very amicable, predicts former Biden official US President Donald Trump’s focus on short-term deliverables and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s bid for bilateral stability are likely to mean an exceptionally amicable summit when they finally sit down, despite “unusual”... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3348587/trump-xi-summit-hopes-un-manipulation-stand-comedy-7-us-china-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3348587/trump-xi-summit-hopes-un-manipulation-stand-comedy-7-us-china-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:30:08 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), will visit Nanjing during her visit to mainland China next week. According to a KMT press statement issued on Tuesday night, she will pay tribute at the mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen, founder of the Republic of China – Taiwan’s formal name – and a symbol of the shared past between Taiwan and the mainland. Cheng will arrive in Shanghai on April 7 and then travel by train to Nanjing, in eastern Jiangsu province, the itinerary... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348696/taiwans-kmt-chair-cheng-li-wun-honour-sun-yat-sen-landmark-mainland-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348696/taiwans-kmt-chair-cheng-li-wun-honour-sun-yat-sen-landmark-mainland-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:17:02 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Washington’s top trade negotiator suggested on Tuesday that, in a break from usual practice, members of US President Donald Trump’s cabinet will not visit Beijing ahead of the expected mid-May summit with President Xi Jinping to prepare or discuss deliverables. “I don’t think we’re going to need to do that,” Jamieson Greer, US Trade Representative, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television when asked about meeting his Chinese counterparts soon, ahead of the much-anticipated leaders’... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348590/trump-xi-summit-us-trade-chief-casts-doubt-pre-meeting-beijing-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348590/trump-xi-summit-us-trade-chief-casts-doubt-pre-meeting-beijing-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 20:19:16 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong should adopt measures that better meet the needs of women and family development in its first five-year plan and take pragmatic steps to create a fair and inclusive society, the country’s top official on women’s affairs has said. State Councillor Shen Yiqin made the remarks at the Hong Kong Family and Women Development Summit on Tuesday. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also met her and pledged to advance work on family and women’s affairs and contribute more to national... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348565/beijings-top-official-womens-affairs-lays-out-3-goals-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348565/beijings-top-official-womens-affairs-lays-out-3-goals-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 12:21:34 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s Premier Cho Jung-tai has warned the chairwoman of the main opposition party Kuomintang (KMT) against engaging in talks or agreements involving government authority when she visits mainland China next month. Cheng Li-wun’s coming visit has rattled Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and exposed unease even within KMT ranks – highlighting mounting friction over the opposition outreach to Beijing amid heightened tensions across the Taiwan Strait. Cheng is expected to lead a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348556/no-deals-mainland-china-visit-taiwans-premier-cho-jung-tai-warns-kmt-chairwoman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348556/no-deals-mainland-china-visit-taiwans-premier-cho-jung-tai-warns-kmt-chairwoman?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:13:27 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai China’s flagship airline resumed direct flight services to Pyongyang on Monday, a symbolic and logistical development that marks warming bilateral ties and comes just weeks after passenger train services were restored for the first time in six years. The Air China flight arrived at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport on Monday morning. China’s ambassador to North Korea, Wang Yajun, and other embassy diplomats welcomed passengers at the airport, according to Chinese state news agency... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348370/china-steps-north-korea-connections-regular-beijing-pyongyang-flights-resume?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348370/china-steps-north-korea-connections-regular-beijing-pyongyang-flights-resume?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 07:09:20 +0000 Phoebe Zhang,Lawrence Chung Phoebe Zhang,Lawrence Chung Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), will lead a delegation to mainland China next month at the invitation of Beijing, her first visit since assuming the position in November. Song Tao, head of Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Monday that the Communist Party Central Committee and Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party Central Committee, would welcome her visit to Jiangsu province, Shanghai and Beijing from April 7 to 12 to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348342/taiwans-kuomintang-leader-visit-mainland-china-aid-peaceful-relations-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348342/taiwans-kuomintang-leader-visit-mainland-china-aid-peaceful-relations-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 02:47:18 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong Professor Kenneth Rogoff of Harvard University has repeatedly warned that the US dollar is approaching a crisis of legitimacy. Having written extensively on the global recession in the late 2000s, Rogoff has turned his focus to the US currency’s increasingly unstable place at the top of the world’s financial hierarchy. A former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund and a chess grandmaster, he published Our Dollar, Your Problem in May last year. In this interview, Rogoff elaborates... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348156/why-kenneth-rogoff-thinks-chinas-yuan-will-be-reserve-currency-next-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348156/why-kenneth-rogoff-thinks-chinas-yuan-will-be-reserve-currency-next-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 22:00:18 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a test of a high-thrust solid-fuel engine for intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of reaching targets around the globe, touting the development as elevating the country’s “strategic military power to the highest level”, state media said on Sunday. The test of the engine made of composite carbon fibre material produced a maximum thrust of 2,500 kilonewtons, up from 1,971 kilonewtons recorded during a similar experiment last September, the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348280/north-tests-powerful-missile-engine-will-icbm-launch-follow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348280/north-tests-powerful-missile-engine-will-icbm-launch-follow?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 05:49:05 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang As one of the biggest targets of wartime looting in centuries past, China is now positioning itself as a global pioneer in repatriating lost cultural artefacts. In this article, the second in a two-part series, Xinlu Liang looks at how China is wielding law, diplomacy and a Global South coalition to rewrite the rules of restitution, filling a void left by a retreating US. In January, as the United States was withdrawing from a raft of heritage and science bodies around the world, China was... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348243/how-china-stepping-cultural-repatriation-void-left-retreating-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348243/how-china-stepping-cultural-repatriation-void-left-retreating-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 22:00:13 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam In 2023, among the picturesque greenery of the Pine Garden reception hall in Guangzhou, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron met informally to discuss the crisis in Ukraine and trade relations. As they discussed the state of the world, the two presidents drank Jade Dove red wine from Xige Estate in Ningxia, China. Chinese wines have come a long way, and began winning international competitions in the 2010s. More than a decade later, the challenge is to build an... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3348068/wine-bordeaux-china-ningxia-rise-can-it-rival-french-bottles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3348068/wine-bordeaux-china-ningxia-rise-can-it-rival-french-bottles?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 07:15:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan As US President Donald Trump heads to a delayed, high-stakes mid-May summit with President Xi Jinping in Beijing, he is already claiming victory, touting on Friday past trade talks with Xi as a win for American farmers, a crucial electoral bloc battered by his tariffs and the ongoing war with Iran. “Thanks to our trade deals, you’re now sending over US$40 billion in American soybeans to China,” Trump said on Friday, telling farmers and ranchers at the White House he personally secured the... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348219/trump-pitches-china-trade-win-us-farmers-ahead-xi-meeting-midterms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348219/trump-pitches-china-trade-win-us-farmers-ahead-xi-meeting-midterms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 22:21:27 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang As one of the biggest targets of wartime looting in centuries past, China is now positioning itself as a global pioneer in repatriating lost cultural artefacts. In this article, the first in a two-part series, Xinlu Liang looks at whether a stolen 1,300-year-old Chinese stone now housed in Japan’s Imperial Palace can become a test case for a reckoning over wartime plunder. In 1945, following Japan’s surrender to the Allies, supreme commander General Douglas MacArthur ordered the country to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348164/why-chinas-demand-japan-return-ancient-tablet-could-mark-historical-reckoning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348164/why-chinas-demand-japan-return-ancient-tablet-could-mark-historical-reckoning?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 22:00:29 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Shandong Airlines, a subsidiary of flagship carrier Air China, has announced plans to lease 10 Boeing 737 aircraft, signalling China’s continued demand for the American jets as it looks to refresh an ageing fleet. The airline will pay a total fee of 2.88 billion yuan (US$405 million), with the aircraft to be delivered in batches over the coming two years, according to a notice Air China issued to the Shanghai Stock Exchange on Thursday. The deals include 10-year leases for three Boeing 737-800... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348170/air-china-subsidiary-lease-10-boeing-jets-deals-worth-about-us400-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348170/air-china-subsidiary-lease-10-boeing-jets-deals-worth-about-us400-million?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:00:09 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang China’s leadership has passed new rules on the work carried out by local committees of the ruling Communist Party and called for upholding a “correct view” of political performance. The party’s 24-member Politburo met in Beijing on Friday to review the latest regulations for local party committees, part of its push to align regional governance with the central leadership’s strategic priorities. Chaired by President Xi Jinping, the meeting laid bare a dual mandate for local officials: absolute... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348184/what-do-chinas-new-correct-view-rules-local-communist-party-officials-mean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348184/what-do-chinas-new-correct-view-rules-local-communist-party-officials-mean?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:30:23 +0000 Wei Wei Wei Wei Amid uncertainty over the timing of a summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, the world is watching closely to see where the two largest economies are leading us. At a time of cascading crises like wars, regional tensions and economic uncertainty, the relationship between Washington and Beijing has become one of the most important variables for global stability. And yet, for all the analysis of military budgets, trade deficits and geopolitical competition, one... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347621/what-ancient-chinese-wisdom-can-offer-divided-world-and-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347621/what-ancient-chinese-wisdom-can-offer-divided-world-and-us?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Mark Magnier Khushboo Razdan,Mark Magnier US President Donald Trump denied on Thursday that he was desperate for a deal with Iran, swinging between threats and diplomacy, while presenting a series of “boats of oil” that reportedly made it through the blocked Strait of Hormuz as an Iranian “gift” – a reveal that he teased a day earlier. This comes as the war he and Israel launched against Iran approaches the one-month mark with little end in sight, driving oil prices up globally and further unsettling the global economy. “I read a story... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348058/trump-claims-iran-begging-make-deal-teases-new-aid-farmers-amid-war-fallout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348058/trump-claims-iran-begging-make-deal-teases-new-aid-farmers-amid-war-fallout?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 22:59:13 +0000 Lanxin Xiang Lanxin Xiang Beijing is probably sighing with relief following US President Donald Trump’s postponement of his visit to China for “a month or so”. Initially, Trump had tried to threaten China for not joining a proposed naval escort campaign in the Strait of Hormuz, but quickly changed his tone after recognising the absurdity of such a demand. Not even the United States’ closest allies are willing to lend a hand. However, Beijing is even more frustrated with Washington’s lack of clarity and Trump’s hazy... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347597/taiwan-trump-reimagines-strategic-ambiguity-suit-his-own-ends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347597/taiwan-trump-reimagines-strategic-ambiguity-suit-his-own-ends?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang US President Donald Trump is expected to aim for an “economic deal” with China when he is in Beijing, according to a former senior diplomat who served under the American leader during his first term. However if Beijing were to drag out trade negotiations with Washington for too long, it could risk Trump taking a much tougher turn against China, warned Stephen Biegun, who served as US deputy secretary of state from 2019 to 2021. “The president wants a deal, an economic deal, specifically,” he... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348020/trump-eyes-china-deal-dragging-out-talks-risks-backlash-warns-former-diplomat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348020/trump-eyes-china-deal-dragging-out-talks-risks-backlash-warns-former-diplomat?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 13:00:13 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump said he would visit China from May 14 to May 15, including a meeting with President Xi Jinping, after delaying the trip by about six weeks because of the war on Iran. The new schedule is a day shorter than the original three-day visit that was due to start on March 31. China didn’t join the White House in announcing the trip. It rarely makes statements about planned visits more than a few days ahead of the arrival date. “I look very much forward to spending time with... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347988/trump-sets-new-china-visit-date-iran-war-stokes-economic-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347988/trump-sets-new-china-visit-date-iran-war-stokes-economic-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:00:29 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi While China appears better prepared than other countries to deal with the shocks brought by the US-Israel war on Iran, its economy would still come under pressure in the short term if its regional partners suffer, an executive with a global consultancy has said. “China might be more resilient, but China is not resilient to a demand shock,” said Denis Depoux, a global managing director at consultancy Roland Berger. “For example, if the economy is slowing down in Southeast Asia, if people stop... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347932/demand-shock-china-cannot-escape-impact-long-iran-war-analyst-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347932/demand-shock-china-cannot-escape-impact-long-iran-war-analyst-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin In two different cases on Wednesday, United States authorities charged Chinese nationals with offences ranging from conspiring to smuggle advanced AI chips to China to drug trafficking and money laundering. The cases came on the same day US President Donald Trump announced new mid-May dates for his highly anticipated summit with China. The developments come as the two countries continue to compete over global leadership in artificial intelligence, and as Washington continues to accuse Beijing of... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3347923/chinese-nationals-companies-charged-us-smuggling-ai-chips-and-drug-trafficking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3347923/chinese-nationals-companies-charged-us-smuggling-ai-chips-and-drug-trafficking?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 23:50:59 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Mark Magnier Khushboo Razdan,Mark Magnier After weeks of speculation and behind-the-scenes intrigue over the delayed summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, the White House announced on Wednesday new dates for the long-anticipated, high-stakes meeting. “I’m pleased to announce that President Trump’s … long-awaited meeting with President Xi in China will now take place in Beijing on May 14 and 15,” White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said. In a social media post, Trump described Xi as “the highly respected... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347914/xi-trump-summit-white-house-locks-new-dates-may?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347914/xi-trump-summit-white-house-locks-new-dates-may?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 18:46:14 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang China is stepping up its efforts to build Beijing and its environs, along with other major city clusters, into “international technological innovation centres”, according to a high-ranking official – part of the country’s accelerated push for tech self-sufficiency. Speaking at the opening of the state-backed Zhongguancun Forum in Beijing on Wednesday, Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang said the country would intensify its campaign to achieve “high-level self-reliance in science and technology”... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347816/china-names-beijing-other-city-clusters-global-tech-hubs-self-reliance-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347816/china-names-beijing-other-city-clusters-global-tech-hubs-self-reliance-push?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:15:20 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan China and the United States are trying to navigate their differences to ensure that they maintain a basic level of stability in their relationship, an academic conference in Beijing heard last week. At the forum held by Tsinghua University in Beijing on Friday, academics and former officials discussed the need to prevent open confrontation. US President Donald Trump’s planned visit – now postponed for “five or six weeks” as he focuses on his war with Iran – was seen as a key opportunity by many... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347855/are-us-and-china-looking-minimum-stability-after-going-through-rough-patch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347855/are-us-and-china-looking-minimum-stability-after-going-through-rough-patch?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:00:19 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen There is little chance the US could bring China to the table on any nuclear arms control agreements in the short term, despite upcoming leaders’ meetings this year, experts said on Tuesday, as the Trump administration pushes for a trilateral deal including China after the previous US-Russia treaty expired last month. There is “no shortage of good ideas” for how the upcoming summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could move the world towards ending a nuclear... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347775/us-unlikely-get-china-join-new-nuclear-arms-control-agreement-say-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347775/us-unlikely-get-china-join-new-nuclear-arms-control-agreement-say-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 23:02:23 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin Washington’s China policy lacks strategy, coherence and a clear framework in US President Donald Trump’s second term, mirroring his first, according to a former senior official in the Joe Biden administration. Former Biden officials, speaking at a Carnegie Endowment for International Peace event on Tuesday, said there was little evidence of systemic policy when they assumed power in early 2021, after Trump’s first term, a pattern that appeared to be repeating itself. “There were themes about how... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3347772/trumps-china-policy-lacks-strategy-and-coherence-former-biden-officials?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3347772/trumps-china-policy-lacks-strategy-and-coherence-former-biden-officials?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 22:00:13 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang A senior Chinese financial regulator and former graft fighter has been placed under investigation for corruption, officials announced on Tuesday, marking one of the highest-profile purges among China’s financial regulatory apparatus in recent years. Zhou Liang, vice-chairman of the National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA), is under investigation for “serious violations of discipline and law”, a euphemism for corruption, bribery and abuse of power, according to an announcement by the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347731/senior-chinese-financial-regulator-and-ex-graft-fighter-zhou-liang-under-corruption-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347731/senior-chinese-financial-regulator-and-ex-graft-fighter-zhou-liang-under-corruption-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:58:44 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for developing the Xiongan New Area into an innovation hub to drive high-quality growth. Xi made the call on Monday during his first inspection tour of the “city of the future” following the “two sessions” annual parliamentary meetings and the launch of China’s 15th five-year plan. The state-level megacity in Hebei province, about 100km (62 miles) southwest of Beijing, is Xi’s signature project aimed at taking the urban pressure off the capital. Xi visited... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347690/xi-jinping-pushes-xiongan-embrace-science-and-technology-build-city-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347690/xi-jinping-pushes-xiongan-embrace-science-and-technology-build-city-future?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:29:46 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat As China undergoes a sweeping economic transition, its regions are also in the process of embracing change. The powerhouses of yesteryear must adapt or risk falling behind, as traditional industries become less reliable growth drivers and new sectors take prominence. In this series, we explore three representative areas of the country as they attempt to navigate this rapidly changing environment. After Joyce Wu moved from Hainan province to Hong Kong in 2013, she marvelled for years at the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347581/chinas-hainan-wants-more-beach-tourism-will-new-customs-rules-cause-sea-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347581/chinas-hainan-wants-more-beach-tourism-will-new-customs-rules-cause-sea-change?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 22:00:10 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen US President Donald Trump’s focus on short-term deliverables and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s bid for bilateral stability are likely to mean an exceptionally amicable summit when they finally sit down, despite “unusual” circumstances brought by the Iran conflict, former senior US diplomat Kurt Campbell said. Trump and Xi’s upcoming high-stakes meeting in Beijing, which was postponed for at least five weeks from its original March 31 date, will see both leaders be “extraordinarily polite and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347642/former-biden-official-says-trump-xi-summit-will-go-well-amid-unusual-circumstances?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347642/former-biden-official-says-trump-xi-summit-will-go-well-amid-unusual-circumstances?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 21:01:23 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Chinese Premier Li Qiang committed to economic opening up and described the country as a “haven of stability” as he addressed global business leaders amid concerns about surging Chinese exports and conflict in the Middle East. China will support more balanced trade, provide further access to its services sectors, and boost imports of medical and healthcare products, digital technologies and low-carbon services, Li said at the China Development Forum on Sunday. Apple CEO Tim Cook, Samsung... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3347584/chinas-li-pledges-economic-opening-touts-stability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3347584/chinas-li-pledges-economic-opening-touts-stability?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 09:22:28 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong A Hong Kong barrister turned activist on trial for allegedly inciting subversion has accused Beijing of undermining the nation’s constitutional order by entrenching one-party rule, describing the move as a regression. Chow Hang-tung told West Kowloon Court on Monday that mainland China took a step backwards in 2018 by amending the constitution to enshrine the Communist Party’s leadership in its main text at a time when the country was gradually heading towards constitutional democracy. She... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347577/anti-china-activist-trial-subversion-calls-one-party-rule-regression?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347577/anti-china-activist-trial-subversion-calls-one-party-rule-regression?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 08:49:47 +0000 Josephine Ma Josephine Ma William Klein worked for more than two decades as a US diplomat, including in several senior roles at the United States’ embassy in Beijing from 2016 to 2021. He worked at the American Institute in Taiwan and on the US State Department’s China desk in Washington, and occupied US diplomatic posts in South Asia, the Middle East and the former Soviet Union. He is based in the Berlin office of FGS Global, a strategic advisory and communications firm. SCMP Plus readers get early access to articles in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347497/trump-xi-summits-inside-view-us-ex-diplomat-william-klein?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347497/trump-xi-summits-inside-view-us-ex-diplomat-william-klein?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 22:00:15 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Like any revolutionary technology, artificial intelligence (AI) is morally neutral – it’s the use to which it is put that makes it harmful or beneficial. But as I examined last week in this space, it’s America’s tech bros and their alliance with the US military, not AI itself, who are the real terminators of jobs and human lives. While they are obsessed with achieving AI supremacy, Chinese policymakers have been far more concerned about regulating it, mitigating its impact on job losses and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3347507/china-ai-about-job-creation-and-quality-not-mass-retrenchments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3347507/china-ai-about-job-creation-and-quality-not-mass-retrenchments?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 16:41:44 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai As the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran continues, Chinese social media is buzzing with condemnations of Washington, expressions of sympathy for Tehran and an outpouring of unsolicited strategic advice. The conflict, which began with the February 28 air strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has dominated the list of trending topics on the country’s main platforms, such as WeChat, Weibo and Douyin. Social media is tightly controlled and most of the comments... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347475/chinese-social-media-awash-criticisms-us-it-possible-go-too-far?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347475/chinese-social-media-awash-criticisms-us-it-possible-go-too-far?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Ji Siqi,Sylvia Ma Ji Siqi,Sylvia Ma Beijing has urged global commitment to opening up, while pledging to create more blue ocean markets in a world engulfed by protectionism. Delivering the opening address to the China Development Forum on Sunday, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said, “protectionism is by no means a panacea for solving problems”, instead calling for opening up and technological progress to drive new market growth. “[Now,] power politics is running rampant, acting with impunity; at the same time, calls to uphold fairness... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347456/premier-li-qiang-calls-global-pledge-open-while-power-politics-runs-rampant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347456/premier-li-qiang-calls-global-pledge-open-while-power-politics-runs-rampant?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 01:36:02 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China called for a halt to the “unjust war” in Iran in a phone call between top diplomats on Friday and expressed willingness to work with France to prevent other nations from being drawn into the conflict. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to the French president, that as members of the UN Security Council, the two countries should work together to firmly uphold international law and prevent the world from reverting to the “law of the jungle”. “The urgent... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347418/china-decries-unjust-war-iran-it-calls-immediate-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347418/china-decries-unjust-war-iran-it-calls-immediate-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 11:00:18 +0000 Anthony Rowley Anthony Rowley Before his first term as US president began in 2017, Donald Trump was probably best known for his book, The Art of the Deal. But by launching, together with Israel, a widely unpopular war on Iran, Trump has arguably dealt himself a very weak hand. There is little “art” in it. The headline splashed across the front page of the Financial Times on March 17 – “Allies reject Trump’s call for warships” (to force open the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has partially closed after US and Israeli attacks) –... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3347250/trumps-war-uniting-world-just-not-how-he-might-have-expected?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3347250/trumps-war-uniting-world-just-not-how-he-might-have-expected?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 08:30:07 +0000 Ji Siqi,Kandy Wong Ji Siqi,Kandy Wong As diplomatic friction between China and Japan drags on, no Japanese business executives will attend a key forum in Beijing of multinational companies this coming week, according to an internal list seen by the South China Morning Post. Nearly 80 top executives from major foreign corporations, with those from the US making up the largest group, will attend the China Development Forum (CDF) from Sunday to Monday, according to the list. Meanwhile, some foreign CEOs – including a few from the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3347378/japanese-executives-absent-chinas-key-annual-summit-amid-diplomatic-tension-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3347378/japanese-executives-absent-chinas-key-annual-summit-amid-diplomatic-tension-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 02:00:12 +0000