https://www.scmp.com/rss/26636/feed A plateau region north-east of the Himalayas, Tibet was incorporated by China in 1950 and currently an autonomous region within China. The conflict between many Tibetans and Chinese government has been nonstop as many demand religious freedom and more human rights. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang A mega dam under construction in Tibet must prioritise ecological integrity and safety, Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing said during a visit to the project. The dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo will be the world’s largest hydropower facility. It is a key element of China’s plans to exploit the potential of the Tibetan Plateau by boosting regional growth through green energy and infrastructure. India has frequently expressed concerns that the project could lead to water shortages and ecological... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349889/safety-and-quality-top-priorities-chinas-highly-sensitive-megadam-tibet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349889/safety-and-quality-top-priorities-chinas-highly-sensitive-megadam-tibet?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:24:51 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng China has broken ground on a 50-megawatt concentrated solar power plant in Tibet at an altitude of 4,550 metres (14,900 feet), making it the world’s highest-altitude parabolic trough solar thermal facility. The project, located in Dangxiong County, incorporates a 400-megawatt photovoltaic system and is scheduled for full operation by 2027, Xinhua reported. Preparatory digging at the site began on Monday. Global energy supplies have grown increasingly volatile in recent years, due to climate... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3349255/china-starts-work-solar-plant-built-under-extreme-conditions-amid-global-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3349255/china-starts-work-solar-plant-built-under-extreme-conditions-amid-global-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 10:58:07 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial To many unfamiliar with Chinese civilisation and history, China seems defined by uniformity rather than diversity. But the truth is that the nation is home to 56 officially recognised ethnic groups spanning vast geographic, social and economic areas. The recent passage of a new national law seeking to promote unity and progress among ethnic groups is a sensible step. With a preamble and more than 60 articles across seven chapters, the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress codifies President... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3346967/chinas-ethnic-unity-law-can-foster-shared-sense-belonging?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3346967/chinas-ethnic-unity-law-can-foster-shared-sense-belonging?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 23:15:08 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang China has passed a new law on ethnic unity, creating a legal framework that analysts say is designed to counter Western ideological influence and provide a statutory mandate for assimilating the country’s minority groups. The Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress was formally endorsed by the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislature, at the end of the annual “two sessions” on Thursday. The law was adopted by a near-unanimous vote of 2,756 in favour, with just three against... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346348/china-codifies-ethnic-assimilation-new-unity-law-it-counters-west?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346348/china-codifies-ethnic-assimilation-new-unity-law-it-counters-west?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 13:04:06 +0000 Edith Lin,Matthew Cheng Edith Lin,Matthew Cheng Hong Kong should step up education on Chinese history and culture while highlighting security threats to cultivate public awareness about the need to defend the country, experts have said, as the nation’s legislature is set to pass a law promoting ethnic unity. The expert’s comments came ahead of the closing session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) on Thursday, which is due to pass the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress. The law aims to forge a strong “sense of community for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346246/how-will-hong-kong-follow-mainland-chinas-ethnic-unity-promotion-law?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346246/how-will-hong-kong-follow-mainland-chinas-ethnic-unity-promotion-law?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou China plans to further strengthen its strategic transport network in sensitive border regions over the next five years to fortify and better project power along its remote frontiers amid rising geopolitical uncertainty. One project involves building a 394km (245-mile) highway linking the northern and southern sides of the rugged Tianshan Mountains in far-western Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, according to the draft 15th five-year plan released last week. The route will run parallel to a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346094/how-china-plans-greater-power-projection-xinjiang-and-tibet-over-next-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346094/how-china-plans-greater-power-projection-xinjiang-and-tibet-over-next-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:10:04 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen China should build an underground network across its western region to protect key energy and defence facilities, securing long-term reserves while boosting national security and crisis resilience, energy experts have said. Zhang Shishu, chief technical expert at Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina), a state-owned energy and infrastructure giant, called for critical facilities to be embedded deep beneath the Earth’s surface at a safer, less detectable level. In an article for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3345859/china-urged-build-underground-great-wall-defence-crisis-hit-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3345859/china-urged-build-underground-great-wall-defence-crisis-hit-world?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 08:00:14 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang The United States has appointed a new official to oversee its policy on Tibet, a move analysts say signals Washington’s interest in playing up the issue while dealing with Beijing. The appointment is set against US President Donald Trump’s cuts to foreign aid and global advocacy, as well as a strategic detente with Beijing. On February 17, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Riley Barnes, the assistant secretary for democracy, human rights and labour, would assume the role of US... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345029/us-names-official-tibet-policy-it-eyeing-china-its-minority-groups-or-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345029/us-names-official-tibet-policy-it-eyeing-china-its-minority-groups-or-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 11:01:42 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China has vowed to refine its energy strategy and ramp up major engineering projects over the next five years, placing energy security at the heart of its new development blueprint. The National Energy Administration announced on Monday that it would introduce a new development framework this year, together with a series of sector-specific plans, as Beijing enters its latest five-year plan period. “The internal and external environment for building China’s new energy system is undergoing... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344485/chinas-new-energy-strategy-aims-shield-economy-shocks-and-meet-climate-targets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344485/chinas-new-energy-strategy-aims-shield-economy-shocks-and-meet-climate-targets?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela Tibet’s exploitable solar, wind and hydropower resources alone could theoretically meet all of China’s energy needs, government survey data suggests. According to researchers from the China Society for Hydropower Engineering and the state-owned Power Construction Corporation of China, the technically exploitable capacity of hydropower in Tibet could reach 178 gigawatts, and more than 100GW for wind power. They said the development potential of solar power could reach 10,000GW, which is... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3342334/tibets-exploitable-green-power-could-meet-chinas-energy-needs-official-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3342334/tibets-exploitable-green-power-could-meet-chinas-energy-needs-official-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 07:02:04 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China has kicked off construction on the southern section of the Tibet-Guangdong ultra-high-voltage power transmission line, an ambitious scheme to channel vast amounts of green energy generated high in the mountains of western China to factory hubs along the country’s south coast. The project – which will shoot the equivalent of half the electricity produced by the Three Gorges Dam across China each year – comes as Beijing strives to push forward with its carbon-reduction plans and keep up with... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340872/chinas-massive-project-funnel-clean-energy-tibet-enters-new-phase?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340872/chinas-massive-project-funnel-clean-energy-tibet-enters-new-phase?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 11:29:32 +0000 Yujie Xue,Mia Nurmamat Yujie Xue,Mia Nurmamat Wind turbines in blustery Tibet are a symbol of China’s rapid investment in renewable energy. The only problem is that much of this potential power goes to waste. Thirty per cent of Tibetan wind energy was lost in the first 10 months of last year, as production had to be paused to avoid overloading the power network. Sunny Qinghai province similarly had to curtail 16.4 per cent of its solar energy in the same period, according to China’s National Energy Administration. China is seeking to... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3338885/china-ai-mega-batteries-stoke-renewables-power-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3338885/china-ai-mega-batteries-stoke-renewables-power-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 01:00:15 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang China has unveiled new legislation to promote ethnic unity and the use of standard Chinese, warning of legal penalties for those who obstruct the use of the national language and linking its approach with national security policy. A draft Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress underwent its second review by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the country’s top legislative body, last week and will be open for public consultation until January 25. Meanwhile, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3338136/china-unveils-new-ethnic-unity-and-language-laws-national-security-perspective?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3338136/china-unveils-new-ethnic-unity-and-language-laws-national-security-perspective?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 08:00:08 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng China’s ruling Communist Party has vowed to keep up efforts to fight corruption next year after a record 63 high-ranking officials – known as “tigers” – were placed under investigation on suspicion of graft in 2025. During a meeting on Thursday, top decision-making body the Politburo also discussed a plan to improve conduct within the party, strengthen integrity and combat graft, official news agency Xinhua reported. It said officials at the meeting had agreed to “resolutely push forward the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3337759/china-vows-keep-fight-after-record-number-tigers-caught-corruption-net?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3337759/china-vows-keep-fight-after-record-number-tigers-caught-corruption-net?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 04:00:12 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang China has objected to India’s efforts to celebrate a 17th-century Dalai Lama well known for his love of poetry, seeing it as an attempt to challenge Beijing’s territorial claims in the region and its control over Tibetan Buddhism, according to experts. India hosted an international symposium on the sixth Dalai Lama in Tawang, his birthplace, from December 3 to 6. Pema Khandu, the chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh, inaugurated the event, which was attended by local officials and scholars of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3337072/china-warns-india-over-poet-monk-dont-even-think-about-stealing-our-6th-dalai-lama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3337072/china-warns-india-over-poet-monk-dont-even-think-about-stealing-our-6th-dalai-lama?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Dec 2025 12:00:09 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A young man in China who rode an electric motorcycle from his hometown in eastern China to Tibet has helped a woman realise her wish of bringing her deceased son’s photo to a stone renowned for being the closest place to heaven. Dou Jiaqi, who recently turned 18, completed his electric motorcycle journey from Xinyi, a small city in Jiangsu province, to Lhasa on November 24, as reported by the Xuzhou Daily. The 4,800-km journey took him 11 days, according to the report. About a week before Dou... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3334846/china-motorcyclist-fulfils-womans-wish-places-dead-sons-photo-tibet-stone-near-heaven?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3334846/china-motorcyclist-fulfils-womans-wish-places-dead-sons-photo-tibet-stone-near-heaven?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 01:00:10 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang The United States may have played a “critical” role in shaping the situation that led to the brief but bloody border war between China and India in 1962, an academic study has argued. The Asian neighbours have been working to improve relations in recent months, following a deadly clash in 2020. But the sensitivity of the border issue – one of the most intractable disputes between the two countries – can be traced back to the 1962 conflict, which left a profound fault line. However, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334785/what-role-did-us-play-run-1962-war-between-china-and-india?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334785/what-role-did-us-play-run-1962-war-between-china-and-india?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 01:30:18 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang With the world’s biggest high-speed rail network already established, China now plans a more balanced, integrated and intelligent transport system over the next five years, prioritising efficiency and smart technology over sheer scale. Beijing will move away from large-scale expansion to optimising new projects and upgrading existing assets, Minister of Transport Liu Wei said at a recent symposium on the 15th five-year plan attended by local transport officials, according to an official... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3334370/china-targets-smarter-more-efficient-transport-infrastructure-next-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3334370/china-targets-smarter-more-efficient-transport-infrastructure-next-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 03:00:10 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang In China’s autonomous region of Tibet, during one of the region’s New Year celebrations, a tradition places the fate of households in the paws of their most loyal resident, the family dog. The unusual ritual known as “Inviting the Dog to the Feast” involves families presenting their dog with a meticulously arranged meal of sacred offerings. Each bite is believed to hold divinatory significance, predicting the household’s prosperity in the coming year. Unlike the main Tibetan New Year, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3329802/why-tibetan-new-year-offers-feast-dogs-and-what-divinatory-significance-do-food-choices-hold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3329802/why-tibetan-new-year-offers-feast-dogs-and-what-divinatory-significance-do-food-choices-hold?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Oct 2025 06:00:14 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Mixing the pursuit of business interests and fame with weak environmental awareness and political sensitivity can be a recipe for trouble. Add a lack of oversight and a blaze of incendiary online criticism, and the outcome can be disastrous. Outdoor apparel brand Arc’teryx and renowned pyrotechnics artist Cai Guo-qiang have only got themselves to blame for a serious lapse of judgment over a publicity stunt in the ecologically fragile region at the foot of the Himalayas in Tibet last month. The... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3329618/backfiring-fireworks-stunt-tibet-offers-teachable-moment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3329618/backfiring-fireworks-stunt-tibet-offers-teachable-moment?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Oct 2025 23:15:08 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang Several officials in China’s Tibet autonomous region have been punished after being held responsible for a controversial fireworks show at the foot of the Himalayas, an ecologically fragile region. Outdoor apparel brand Arc’teryx worked with Chinese artist Cai Guo-qiang to set off the fireworks as part of a publicity stunt last month. The controversial show triggered widespread debate over environmental preservation and government oversight, leading to an official investigation. According to an... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3329149/heads-roll-china-over-fireworks-publicity-stunt-ecologically-fragile-tibet-plateau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3329149/heads-roll-china-over-fireworks-publicity-stunt-ecologically-fragile-tibet-plateau?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Oct 2025 13:00:49 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Construction is set to begin next month on a monumental railway linking Hotan in Xinjiang with Lhasa in Tibet – one of China’s most ambitious infrastructure projects to date. The 1,980km (1,230 miles) line has been dubbed one of the “projects of the century” for the extreme engineering challenges it presents and the massive investment required. Traversing mountain ranges, glaciers and permafrost zones at altitudes averaging above 4,500 metres (14,764 feet), it will connect the two autonomous... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3328547/what-makes-xinjiang-tibet-mega-railway-chinas-project-century?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3328547/what-makes-xinjiang-tibet-mega-railway-chinas-project-century?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 08:00:14 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial October is peak season on the slopes of Mount Everest and surrounding regions. Relatively mild temperatures and clear skies are more likely. They attract climbers and tourists in their thousands, from the experienced to the less seasoned or even novice mountaineers. However, the weather can still be unpredictable. An exception to the norm can be devastating, even deadly. An example is a blizzard that suddenly struck Tibet and Qinghai during the “golden week” national holiday, surprising even the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3328345/everest-rescue-shows-danger-taking-risks-social-media-glory?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3328345/everest-rescue-shows-danger-taking-risks-social-media-glory?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Oct 2025 23:15:20 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang Hundreds of trekkers have reached safety after being stranded near the eastern slope of Mount Everest by heavy snowfalls, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. CCTV reported on Tuesday night that 580 trekkers and more than 300 local guides and yak porters had “safely reached” a relocation point in Qudang in the Tibet autonomous region, and arrangements were being made for them to return home. A further dozen hikers, helped by rescue personnel sent from Tingri county, had reached a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3328202/800-more-trekkers-guides-and-porters-rescued-after-being-stranded-everest-blizzard?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3328202/800-more-trekkers-guides-and-porters-rescued-after-being-stranded-everest-blizzard?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 05:31:50 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng One person has been reported dead in the wake of the sudden blizzard that engulfed Tibet and Qinghai over the weekend, as rescuers continue to evacuate hundreds of hikers from the eastern slopes of Mount Everest, according to official media. At noon on Monday, state broadcaster CCTV said that one hiker died from hypothermia and altitude sickness on Sunday in the Laohugou area of Qinghai province’s Haibei prefecture. As of Monday morning, 137 hikers had been safely evacuated from the area – known... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3327987/1-dead-qinghai-hundreds-evacuated-chinas-rescue-everest-area-continues?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3327987/1-dead-qinghai-hundreds-evacuated-chinas-rescue-everest-area-continues?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Oct 2025 07:02:58 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for further enactment of law and regulation, as well as stricter law enforcement, in religious affairs in a push to Sinicise religions in the country, according to state media. Xi made the remark on Monday while presiding over a group study session of the ruling Communist Party’s Politburo. “Governing religious affairs in accordance with the law is the fundamental way to properly handle various contradictions and problems in the religious field,” he said,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3327362/xi-calls-religion-align-ethnic-and-social-harmony-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3327362/xi-calls-religion-align-ethnic-and-social-harmony-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2025 08:00:43 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage on science from the past two weeks to help you stay informed. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China builds record-smashing mega bridge with technology never seen before The Changtai Yangtze River Bridge boasts a number of world firsts, from its striking asymmetric design to the precision tools developed to build it. 2. Intel chip architect Su Fei returns to China after 20 years in the US After nearly... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3326650/top-ai-expert-moves-china-worlds-longest-cable-stayed-bridge-7-science-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3326650/top-ai-expert-moves-china-worlds-longest-cable-stayed-bridge-7-science-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Sep 2025 07:15:12 +0000 SCMP 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 satellite spies on US spycraft in a ‘tit-for-tat’ orbital stand-off In a notable display of reconnaissance capabilities, a Chinese satellite has observed an American satellite that was itself monitoring China’s space station and high-value satellite, a move analysts described as a strategic tit-for-tat in an increasingly contested space domain. 2.... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3325768/chinas-satellite-spies-us-spycraft-mao-inspired-missile-names-scmp-daily-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3325768/chinas-satellite-spies-us-spycraft-mao-inspired-missile-names-scmp-daily-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 14:12:08 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik A stone inscription found on the Tibetan Plateau recording a hitherto unknown expedition sent by China’s first emperor Qin Shi Huang in 210BC is genuine, China’s National Cultural Heritage Administration has concluded. The carving had triggered a heated debate about its authenticity after its discovery was announced in June. Sceptics suggested it may be a modern forgery and questioned if it was possible to travel to the plateau given the generally harsh conditions. But Deng Chao, an official... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3325766/chinas-first-emperor-really-did-send-quest-tibet-search-immortality-scientists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3325766/chinas-first-emperor-really-did-send-quest-tibet-search-immortality-scientists?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 13:40:18 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese woman of Tibetan ethnicity has gone viral because she resembles the South Korean actress, Song Hye-kyo. Her online popularity has attracted tourists from around China and abroad to visit her. The 27-year-old, known by two names, Dolma and Yongzong, is a performer at Tusi manor in Shangri-La, southwestern China’s Yunnan province. The manor offers an immersive experience of the time when Yunnan was under the governance of Tusi, imperial officials in the Yuan (1279-1368), Ming... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3324166/tibetan-woman-china-resembles-korean-actress-song-hye-kyo-draws-visitors-eatery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3324166/tibetan-woman-china-resembles-korean-actress-song-hye-kyo-draws-visitors-eatery?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 01:00:09 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang From giant dams to sprawling railways, Beijing has pledged to step up investments along the so-called roof of the world, led by state-owned enterprises, as China marks the 60th anniversary of the Tibet autonomous region’s establishment. The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (Sasac), China’s top state asset regulator, is calling for more targeted measures to boost industries, with more capital flowing into grass-roots projects and a greater promotion of cultural and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3323352/china-elevates-infrastructure-push-tibet-aiming-raise-investments-worlds-roof?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3323352/china-elevates-infrastructure-push-tibet-aiming-raise-investments-worlds-roof?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Aug 2025 10:00:18 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The visit by Xi Jinping to Lhasa for the 60th anniversary of the Tibet autonomous region’s founding, making him the first Chinese president to attend the once-in-a-decade celebration, marks a new stage of national development that presents unprecedented challenges and opportunities. To face and grasp them, Xi told local authorities to focus on four key areas: stability, development, environmental protection and border defence. His remarks further reinforced the message 10 years ago from Yu... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3323033/xis-visit-tibet-heralds-new-era-chinas-development?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3323033/xis-visit-tibet-heralds-new-era-chinas-development?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Aug 2025 23:15:08 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang China’s top political adviser has stressed the Communist Party’s “strong leadership” in a speech reviewing decades of achievements to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Tibet autonomous region. Wang Huning, also China’s No 4 official, said that since the 18th party congress in 2012, under President Xi Jinping’s guidance and comprehensive plan, “Tibet has entered its best period of development, experiencing the greatest changes and bringing the most tangible benefits to people of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3322602/chinas-top-political-adviser-hails-partys-leadership-tibet-60th-anniversary-speech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3322602/chinas-top-political-adviser-hails-partys-leadership-tibet-60th-anniversary-speech?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2025 04:34:37 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang Xi Jinping has arrived in Tibet for events to mark the 60th anniversary of the autonomous region, making him the first Chinese president to attend the once-a-decade activities. He arrived in Lhasa around noon on Wednesday with a high-level entourage including Wang Huning, China’s top political adviser and fourth-ranking official; Cai Qi, the president’s chief of staff; Li Ganjie, head of the United Front Work Department; Vice-Premier He Lifeng; and Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3322542/chinese-president-xi-jinping-arrives-tibet-landmark-anniversary?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3322542/chinese-president-xi-jinping-arrives-tibet-landmark-anniversary?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Aug 2025 11:22:54 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China urged to monitor disputed border as India upgrades road to move tanks 2. Hong Kong Airlines alerts Korean authorities after 4 passengers clash mid-air 3. Trump says he will meet Putin in Alaska on August 15 for Ukraine talks 4. China counts down to start of work on Xinjiang-Tibet... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3321398/china-and-indias-disputed-border-trump-meet-putin-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3321398/china-and-indias-disputed-border-trump-meet-putin-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Aug 2025 04:30:06 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong Work is expected to get under way this year on one of the world’s most ambitious rail projects with the launch of a state-owned company to oversee construction and operations of a line that will link Hotan in Xinjiang and Lhasa in Tibet. The Shanghai Securities News reported on Friday that Xinjiang-Tibet Railway Company had been formally registered with 95 billion yuan (US$13.2 billion) in capital and wholly owned by China State Railway Group. According to the registration, the company’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3321311/china-counts-down-start-work-xinjiang-tibet-railway?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3321311/china-counts-down-start-work-xinjiang-tibet-railway?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Aug 2025 11:00:07 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen Beijing should be vigilant about India’s recent moves to strengthen infrastructure in a disputed border area while setting its own pace for China’s development efforts in the region, observers say. Indian newspaper The Tribune reported last month that the country’s only land access to the Galwan Valley – known as the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie (DSDBO) Road – was undergoing a major upgrade to accommodate tanks and specialised trucks capable of carrying long-range missiles. The road, which was... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321305/china-urged-keep-eye-border-india-upgrades-road-move-tanks-and-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321305/china-urged-keep-eye-border-india-upgrades-road-move-tanks-and-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Aug 2025 10:00:13 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen A historian has called on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend China’s Victory Day parade in September. However, analysts believe this is highly unlikely. Vijay Prashad, director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, a network of research institutes in the Global South, said he strongly suggested that Modi attend the parade in Beijing on September 3 and commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II with China and Russia. “[China, India, and Russia] can hold a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3320536/will-indias-modi-attend-chinas-world-war-ii-victory-parade-what-would-it-mean-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3320536/will-indias-modi-attend-chinas-world-war-ii-victory-parade-what-would-it-mean-home?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Aug 2025 04:00:14 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji When Indian pilgrims set foot in Tibet again this summer, their arrival heralded a new beginning for India and China, five years after a deadly Himalayan clash plunged the two bitter rivals into a diplomatic deep freeze. But with the machinery of engagement whirring once more amid flaring global trade wars and shifting strategic alliances, hopes have sprung anew that Asia’s two largest economies might finally move past the years of suspicion and silence. Late last month, New Delhi resumed... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3320481/all-out-thaw-can-india-and-china-unfreeze-icy-ties-last?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3320481/all-out-thaw-can-india-and-china-unfreeze-icy-ties-last?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Aug 2025 00:00:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial When Premier Li Qiang broke ground for the construction of the Yarlung Tsangpo mega-dam, he marked the start of one of the most extraordinary infrastructure projects in world history. Located in Medog, a remote county on the Tibetan Plateau, the super-dam could produce, when completed, three times the output of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze and will play a decisive role in China’s commitment to become carbon-neutral by 2060. It will be a big part of the renewable energy mix that includes... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3319833/transparency-key-easing-regional-concerns-over-tibet-mega-dam?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3319833/transparency-key-easing-regional-concerns-over-tibet-mega-dam?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jul 2025 23:15:11 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong China’s 1.2 trillion yuan (US$167.4 billion) hydropower project in Tibet and efforts to curb capacity in some industries could sustain a market rally – which has driven shares to three-year highs – and pave the way for bolder policy moves to support growth, according to a veteran investor. The massive investment combined with a so-called anti-involution campaign to eliminate excessive output in the solar and electric vehicle (EV) sectors would probably boost commodity prices by restricting... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3319836/chinas-us167-billion-dam-anti-involution-campaign-sustain-stock-rally-investor-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3319836/chinas-us167-billion-dam-anti-involution-campaign-sustain-stock-rally-investor-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jul 2025 08:44:00 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang The first steps towards China’s plans for a mega dam in the Himalayas were taken more than seven decades ago. In 1951, the Chinese government established the first scientific expedition to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. More than 50 researchers, equipped with barometers, compasses and other basic instruments, accompanied the army on their pioneering quest. It took them nearly three years to complete the expedition from the Jinsha River in the east to Mount Everest in the west, and to the Yarlung... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3319550/how-chinese-scientists-fought-74-years-build-most-powerful-dam-earth-and-won?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3319550/how-chinese-scientists-fought-74-years-build-most-powerful-dam-earth-and-won?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jul 2025 04:01:09 +0000 Raymond Ma Raymond Ma US and Chinese trade negotiators will meet in Stockholm next week for a third round of talks since the outbreak of the Trump 2.0 trade war. The discussions are likely to lead to an extension of their tariff truce beyond August 12, with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent having earlier urged investors “not to worry” about the approaching deadline. Bessent said he would speak to Chinese officials in Sweden on Monday and Tuesday, and that the talks were “in a good place”. Beijing has yet to... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3319529/us-china-talks-europe-win-rare-earths-politburo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3319529/us-china-talks-europe-win-rare-earths-politburo?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Jul 2025 09:00:16 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen China has officially broken ground on what is set to become the world’s largest hydropower dam on the Tibetan Plateau. The dam is being built on the Yarlung Tsangpo in Medog – a remote yet geopolitically significant county close to the disputed border with India. As well as becoming a major energy source, the dam is a key element in Beijing’s plans to develop the region and strengthen its border security. However, it could also aggravate tensions with India as a result of a long-running border... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3319485/what-do-we-know-about-site-chinas-mega-dam-tibet-and-what-its-significance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3319485/what-do-we-know-about-site-chinas-mega-dam-tibet-and-what-its-significance?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2025 22:00:20 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang Sylvie Zhuang China hopes to speed up work on a trans-Himalayan network project to connect it with Nepal, a development that may raise concerns from regional rival India. On a three-day trip to Nepal, Chen Xiaodong, the head of China International Development Cooperation Agency, said China was willing to further align development strategies with Nepal and accelerate the construction of a trans-Himalayan network. “[We] should implement more projects in areas such as agriculture, new energy, health and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3319399/china-seeks-boost-trans-himalayan-project-amid-contest-india-win-over-nepal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3319399/china-seeks-boost-trans-himalayan-project-amid-contest-india-win-over-nepal?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2025 06:59:26 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification The issue of licensed moneylenders in Hong Kong engaging in illegal practices demands urgent attention. While some operate within legal boundaries, others exploit borrowers with extortionate... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3319226/why-hong-kong-law-soft-predatory-lending-and-debtor-harassment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3319226/why-hong-kong-law-soft-predatory-lending-and-debtor-harassment?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2025 03:30:08 +0000 Vanessa Cai,Sylvie Zhuang,Meredith Chen Vanessa Cai,Sylvie Zhuang,Meredith Chen China’s latest mega dam on the Tibetan Plateau could help draw neighbouring countries closer into its economic orbit by supplying electricity and boosting growth, analysts have argued. According to some estimates, the dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo will be the world’s biggest, producing up to 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, three times the output of the Three Gorges Dam. State news agency Xinhua said over the weekend that its output would “primarily deliver electricity for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3319326/could-chinas-tibet-mega-dam-help-boost-its-sway-south-asian-neighbours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3319326/could-chinas-tibet-mega-dam-help-boost-its-sway-south-asian-neighbours?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Jul 2025 22:00:11 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China has begun construction of the world’s largest hydroelectric power plant on the Tibetan Plateau, which Premier Li Qiang hailed as the “project of the century” at a groundbreaking ceremony at the weekend. The 1.2 trillion yuan (US$167 billion) project to dam the Yarlung Tsangpo River in a deep canyon near Nyingchi has raised concerns about water resources downstream in India, where it is called the Brahmaputra, and in Bangladesh, which calls it the Jamuna, as well as over seismic risks and... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3319279/chinas-mega-dam-tibet-power-surrounding-regions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3319279/chinas-mega-dam-tibet-power-surrounding-regions?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Jul 2025 09:00:37 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen On the eastern rim of the Tibetan plateau, China envisions a future powered by the roaring waters of the Yarlung Tsangpo, also known as the Brahmaputra. The river will be the site of a mega dam – the world’s most ambitious to date – that promises to bring clean energy, jobs, infrastructure and prosperity to the region. Construction on the world’s largest hydropower dam began on Saturday, according to Premier Li Qiang, who called it the “project of the century”. But the project is not just about... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3319175/china-building-worlds-biggest-hydropower-dam-why-india-worried?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3319175/china-building-worlds-biggest-hydropower-dam-why-india-worried?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Jul 2025 01:00:17 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue China’s construction of the world’s largest hydropower dam in Tibet has boosted related stocks, as analysts predict that infrastructure construction companies, energy developers, and power grid equipment manufacturers would benefit from the substantial investment into what Beijing calls the “project of the century”. Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Saturday announced the start of the project, situated on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, which becomes the Brahmaputra River as it leaves... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3319091/chinas-mega-dam-project-tibet-sparks-stock-surge-hydropower-infrastructure-sectors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3319091/chinas-mega-dam-project-tibet-sparks-stock-surge-hydropower-infrastructure-sectors?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jul 2025 05:22:16 +0000