https://www.scmp.com/rss/305785/feed Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on Taiwan, covering politics, economy, society and the island's relationship with mainland China. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Aidan Jones Aidan Jones In India, cuddly and colourful animals are paraded across Instagram, Facebook and YouTube channels, where free advice is shared on how to raise a lemur – or what to feed an iguana – in congested megacities far from forest habitats. Cuteness has become a commodity in Asia’s social media world, with Thailand’s main airport emerging as a reluctant hub for wild animal smuggling. On Wednesday, a 19-year-old passenger bound for Taipei tried to evade security at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport with... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3352169/how-thailand-transit-hub-feeds-indias-exotic-pet-craze-its-organised-crime?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3352169/how-thailand-transit-hub-feeds-indias-exotic-pet-craze-its-organised-crime?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang As the closest mainland Chinese province to Taiwan, Fujian is a key site for Beijing’s messaging towards the island. In the second of a two-part series, Xinlu Liang looks at how the ancestral home village of William Lai Ching-te has become a focus for efforts to promote closer ties based on kinship and religion. The village of Xintian in Fujian province is usually a quiet rural backwater but that changed in November when popular Taiwanese YouTuber and bodybuilder Holger Chen Chih-han descended... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352228/faith-hope-and-ancestry-william-lais-clan-village-beijings-push-cross-strait-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352228/faith-hope-and-ancestry-william-lais-clan-village-beijings-push-cross-strait-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 22:00:12 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Beijing has labelled Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s surprise visit to eSwatini, the island’s sole African ally, a political “stunt”. In a Facebook post on Saturday evening, Lai said he arrived earlier in the day. The eSwatini government also confirmed his arrival on its own Facebook page. “Hello to my fellow citizens. I arrived earlier today in our diplomatic ally eSwatini,” Lai wrote, adding that his foreign affairs and security teams had spent days securing a revised route that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352238/taiwans-william-lai-lands-eswatini-trip-beijing-calls-political-stunt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352238/taiwans-william-lai-lands-eswatini-trip-beijing-calls-political-stunt?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 13:11:49 +0000 Holly Chik,Alyssa Chen Holly Chik,Alyssa Chen US President Donald Trump said he is still planning to travel to China as scheduled this month despite the stalemate in the negotiations with Iran. When asked about the trip to Beijing, Trump told reporters on Friday: “It is going to be amazing. The visit with China and Chairman Xi [Jinping] – that’s going to be great. “We have the trip with China coming up. And I think it will be an amazing event.” Trump had initially planned to visit Beijing in late March, but put the trip back to May 14 and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352220/china-trip-will-go-ahead-planned-and-it-will-be-amazing-trump-insists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352220/china-trip-will-go-ahead-planned-and-it-will-be-amazing-trump-insists?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 10:02:17 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun is preparing to visit the United States in June, aiming to leverage the political momentum from last month’s meeting with Communist Party leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. Cheng, who heads the main opposition party Kuomintang, will also test her message on the Taiwan Strait in Washington. In recent media interviews Cheng has outlined an agenda that goes beyond traditional party outreach, promoting what she calls “a new road map” for cross-strait stability –... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352159/counting-gains-beijing-taiwanese-opposition-leader-cheng-li-wun-eyes-us-trip-june?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352159/counting-gains-beijing-taiwanese-opposition-leader-cheng-li-wun-eyes-us-trip-june?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 05:00:12 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang Fujian province, the closest mainland Chinese province to Taiwan, is an important site for Beijing’s messaging towards the island. In the first of a two-part series, Xinlu Liang examines how Beijing is framing the executions of Communist Party spies in Taiwan within a reunification narrative. A courtyard house in an old quarter of Fuzhou, capital of the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian, has become the unlikeliest of national pilgrimage sites. For decades, the residence at No 1... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352156/why-beijing-now-wants-its-spies-executed-taiwan-come-decades-cold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352156/why-beijing-now-wants-its-spies-executed-taiwan-come-decades-cold?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 22:00:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters Japan’s relaxation of its weapons-export rules opens a path for talks that could one day lead to Tokyo supplying military equipment to help Ukraine resist Russia’s invasion, Kyiv’s ambassador to Japan said. “This allows us to talk,” Yurii Lutovinov said in an interview at Ukraine’s embassy. “Theoretically, it’s a very big step forward.” Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s move last week to ease export rules – Japan’s latest shift away from a strict post-war pacifist stance – has sparked broad... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3352184/ukraine-sees-path-getting-japanese-arms-after-tokyo-eases-export-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3352184/ukraine-sees-path-getting-japanese-arms-after-tokyo-eases-export-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 13:40:48 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Singapore and Thailand ranked among the world’s “least miserable” economies in an annual index compiled by a Johns Hopkins University economist, who said Southeast Asia was one of the “healthiest economic neighbourhoods” in the world. The 2025 Hanke’s Annual Misery Index (HAMI), compiled by applied economics professor Steve Hanke, measures the “economic temperature” of a country and seeks to approximate how its average citizen experiences the economy. This year’s HAMI found that several... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3352182/why-singapore-thailand-are-among-worlds-happiest-economies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3352182/why-singapore-thailand-are-among-worlds-happiest-economies?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 12:58:39 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage African eels, frozen meat and rare earths now have one thing in common – at least in China. The commodities are among a wide variety of products that can enter the country tariff-free as part of a policy to help redress the continent’s massive trade imbalance with China. The zero-tariff policy has applied to 33 “least-developed” African countries since 2024 and, from May 1, has been expanded to include 20 “middle-income” African nations. The schedule will remain in effect for two years, covering... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352108/china-cuts-tariffs-african-goods-it-enough-close-trade-gap?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352108/china-cuts-tariffs-african-goods-it-enough-close-trade-gap?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 10:00:17 +0000 Salomé Grouard Salomé Grouard Taipei is a special destination for foodies. Besides its famed night markets, iconic beef noodles and a growing constellation of Michelin-starred restaurants, the city’s real soul is in its hidden corners, where you’ll find craft beer paired with mala fried chicken; sweet potato coffee, created by a latte art champion, no less; wild teas poured like wine and Dongpo pork with a black tea soy milk cocktail served inside a hidden VHS-lined bistro. Chicken Bar by Weekend View this post... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3351948/unsung-eats-5-best-places-eat-and-drink-taipei?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3351948/unsung-eats-5-best-places-eat-and-drink-taipei?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 10:00:10 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim China has built a state-driven campaign to harvest American data and weaponise it as a strategic asset that could prove critical in a conflict with the US, including over Taiwan, a key advisory committee to the US Congress heard. Experts told the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission on Thursday that Washington was falling short in countering Beijing’s data-collection drive, one that could have far-reaching implications for American society and the economy, as well as US wartime... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352089/apps-autos-chinas-data-reach-sparks-us-espionage-and-sabotage-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352089/apps-autos-chinas-data-reach-sparks-us-espionage-and-sabotage-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 22:05:19 +0000 Yuanyue Dang,Holly Chik,Fan Chen Yuanyue Dang,Holly Chik,Fan Chen Senior officials from China and the United States have been “testing the waters” ahead of US President Donald Trump’s coming visit to China by outlining some of their main concerns. Meanwhile, new areas of concern emerged on Friday as the Chinese Ministry of Commerce warned that the United States was threatening the “hard-won stability” in their trade relations after the national telecoms agency effectively banned smartphones tested in Chinese laboratories from the American market. Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3352074/china-voices-serious-concern-over-us-curbs-talks-bessent-greer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3352074/china-voices-serious-concern-over-us-curbs-talks-bessent-greer?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:25:17 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro For financial markets, the war in Iran and the energy shock that ensued might as well be over. Since March 30, the benchmark S&P 500 equity index has surged 12.5 per cent, exceeding the record high reached on January 27. Global shares have also bounced back sharply. The MSCI All-Country World Index ex US, a gauge of international stocks that excludes the United States, is less than 4 per cent below its all-time high on February 25. Several factors are at play. Most investors evidently believe... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3351940/how-ai-boom-helping-asia-weather-iran-war-energy-shock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3351940/how-ai-boom-helping-asia-weather-iran-war-energy-shock?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung When Taiwanese-American journalist and cookbook author Clarissa Wei gave birth to her first child three years ago, she did everything “right” – at least by Taiwanese post-partum care standards. She checked into a dedicated confinement centre, expecting a month of nourishing herbal soups, expert recovery advice and the kind of rest that Chinese tradition has prescribed new mothers for centuries. Instead, she felt lost. “To be honest, the food wasn’t great,” Wei says. “I developed post-partum... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351808/asian-american-mother-challenges-tough-chinese-traditions-new-mums-modern-recipes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351808/asian-american-mother-challenges-tough-chinese-traditions-new-mums-modern-recipes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Beijing’s latest weaponised container ship could play a key role in deterring foreign intervention at a low cost during a Taiwan conflict, according to a mainland Chinese military magazine. The Zhong Da 79 is a medium-sized civilian cargo ship capable of carrying containerised vertical missile launchers, radar sensors and self-defence systems. It was first spotted at the end of last year at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding’s yard in Shanghai. An article by Ordnance Industry Science Technology... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351887/why-beijings-weaponised-cargo-ship-could-be-crucial-player-taiwan-strait?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351887/why-beijings-weaponised-cargo-ship-could-be-crucial-player-taiwan-strait?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:24:25 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Former Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama has called on Beijing and Tokyo to work together against “US arrogance”, as the global order is upended by President Donald Trump. Hatoyama, who was Japan’s prime minister from 2009 to 2010, said the two nations should find common ground and work to manage their bilateral relations. “I would argue that Japan and China should jointly confront a self-centred United States and [prevent] the collapse of the world order,” Hatoyama said at an event in Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351796/fragmenting-global-order-former-japanese-leader-urges-pivot-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351796/fragmenting-global-order-former-japanese-leader-urges-pivot-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:00:17 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Thousands of Japanese are defying rising prices at home and the pain of the feeble yen to have one final foreign holiday over “golden week” before airlines increase fuel surcharges. The operator of Narita International Airport anticipates that 1.59 million travellers will pass through the airport on the outskirts of Tokyo between last Friday and May 10. That would be an increase of around 2 per cent from last year’s golden week holiday season, which in Japan refers to a cluster of national... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3351741/japanese-travellers-rush-abroad-golden-week-fuel-price-increases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3351741/japanese-travellers-rush-abroad-golden-week-fuel-price-increases?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has started the process of overhauling the country’s major security policies, arguing that Japan must boost its military power in the face of geopolitical threats, including those from China. A Chinese expert said Takaichi’s statements during a gathering of experts tasked with overhauling key policy documents signalled a “fundamental” shift in Tokyo’s strategy, with the country’s security road map likely to become “more aggressive”. Beijing, meanwhile,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351751/japans-revised-security-policy-get-more-aggressive-chinese-expert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351751/japans-revised-security-policy-get-more-aggressive-chinese-expert?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:09:51 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung A Taiwanese army officer has been punished for screening The Eight Hundred, a mainland Chinese war film depicting Kuomintang forces fighting Japanese troops during World War II. The punishment has triggered a political row on the island over Beijing’s state-led messaging to sway opinions in Taiwan as well as historical interpretation and military education on the island. The controversy emerged after ruling Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Wang Ting-yu revealed during a legislative meeting... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351735/it-wrong-show-taiwan-army-officers-film-about-kmt-forces-fighting-japan-wwii?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351735/it-wrong-show-taiwan-army-officers-film-about-kmt-forces-fighting-japan-wwii?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:00:14 +0000 Sophie Wushuang Yi Sophie Wushuang Yi “Balikatan 2026” is meant to reassure allies and deter adversaries. But the military exercise hosted by the Philippines also reveals a harsher truth: the Indo-Pacific is drifting into a security logic in which deterrence no longer contains risk but multiplies it. Every move taken in the name of stability now invites a countermove. Every display of resolve is answered by another. The result is not equilibrium, but a trap. That is why diplomacy has to return to the centre of regional strategy... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3351382/without-diplomacy-deterrence-asia-path-escalation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3351382/without-diplomacy-deterrence-asia-path-escalation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan has received its final shipment of US-made M1A2T Abrams tanks, completing a long-delayed order aimed at modernising the island’s ageing armoured forces. Considered among the world’s most powerful tanks, these vehicles are expected to bolster the island’s defence amid rising military pressure from Beijing. The shipment of 28 tanks arrived at the Port of Taipei over the weekend and was moved overnight under police and military escort to the army’s Armour Training Command in Hsinchu county’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351596/taiwan-completes-us-tank-deal-final-abrams-shipment-reaches-port?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351596/taiwan-completes-us-tank-deal-final-abrams-shipment-reaches-port?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 12:00:15 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei The Chinese military aired footage over the weekend of YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile launches, as joint US-Philippines-Japan drills heighten tensions in the disputed South China Sea. China Military Bugle, a social media account run by the People’s Liberation Army, posted a video on Sunday of the PLA Navy conducting strike tests at sea, including multiple YJ-20 launches. The post did not specify when and where the missiles were fired. However, the footage was released two days after Beijing... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351593/pla-showcases-yj-20-hypersonic-missiles-balikatan-drills-heat-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351593/pla-showcases-yj-20-hypersonic-missiles-balikatan-drills-heat-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:13:09 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au The appreciating yuan and ongoing Sino-Japanese tensions have given Hong Kong tourism a boost ahead of mainland China’s Labour Day “golden week” holiday, with hotel prices rising by as much as 8 per cent, an industry representative has said. Lawmaker Alan Chan Chung-yee, who is also the chief operating officer of Miramar Group, expressed optimism on Monday that the city would welcome more mainland tourists originally heading to other parts of East Asia during the country’s coming long holiday,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351523/sino-japanese-tensions-boon-hong-kong-tourism-golden-week-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351523/sino-japanese-tensions-boon-hong-kong-tourism-golden-week-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 04:33:38 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Military spending in the Asia-Pacific rose at the fastest pace for 16 years in 2025 as US allies felt “growing uncertainty” over whether Washington would honour its security commitments, according to a new report. Total global spending reached US$2.89 trillion, an increase of 2.9 per cent from 2024, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) think tank said in its annual report on military expenditure published Monday. That marked the 11th consecutive year of increases and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351456/trump-factor-drives-asia-pacific-military-spending-fastest-pace-2009?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351456/trump-factor-drives-asia-pacific-military-spending-fastest-pace-2009?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 22:00:18 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China has demanded that the European Union remove Chinese businesses and individuals from its latest sanctions list related to Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Ministry of Commerce in Beijing also warned the bloc that it would take whatever measures were necessary to protect the rights and interests of its citizens and companies. “[We should] find a way to resolve our respective concerns through dialogue and consultation,” the ministry said, adding that the consequences of not lifting the sanctions... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351486/china-warns-eu-remove-firms-and-citizens-russian-sanctions-list?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351486/china-warns-eu-remove-firms-and-citizens-russian-sanctions-list?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 11:40:50 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye A two-speed recovery is emerging in Central’s top-tier offices, prompting landlords to adopt a more hands-on leasing approach, including hiring asset managers, as rental performance diverges. While much attention has focused on firms taking advantage of lower rents to move back into Central, widening the gap with other districts, data from CBRE showed another divide was widening within the business district itself. In the first quarter, vacancy in Central’s grade A offices eased to about 9.6 per... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3351364/2-speed-recovery-hits-central-landlords-older-towers-cut-rents-compete?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3351364/2-speed-recovery-hits-central-landlords-older-towers-cut-rents-compete?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 03:30:08 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen A Chinese naval video has fuelled speculation that its next aircraft carrier is likely to be nuclear-powered. The film Into The Deep was released on Wednesday to mark the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army Navy. Highlighting the continuity of China’s maritime ambitions, from coastal defence to a “blue-water” navy capable of deep-sea operations, the film also included footage from real-life drills in the western Pacific and the use of advanced equipment. It also... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351420/did-china-just-drop-hint-its-next-aircraft-carrier-will-be-nuclear-powered?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351420/did-china-just-drop-hint-its-next-aircraft-carrier-will-be-nuclear-powered?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang From Taiwan to Tibet, French President Emmanuel Macron has touched Beijing’s nerves on a range of sensitive issues over the past few weeks. On a trip to Japan earlier this month, he and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi “emphasised the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and urged a peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues through constructive dialogue”. The irritation for Beijing was less about the language and more about the timing, with the joint statement coming... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351418/macron-touches-beijings-nerves-taiwan-and-tibet-he-heads-exit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351418/macron-touches-beijings-nerves-taiwan-and-tibet-he-heads-exit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 10:00:14 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Another day, another big humiliation for William Lai Ching-te. The Taiwanese leader effectively had to cancel a visit to eSwatini, the island’s last partner in Africa, for the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession to the throne and his 58th birthday. Taiwan said the visit was “postponed” after the Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar cancelled their previously approved overflight permission without warning. Lai and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3351128/kuomintang-gets-carrots-dpp-stick?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3351128/kuomintang-gets-carrots-dpp-stick?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 21:30:09 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Beijing has held naval exercises in waters east of a Philippine island near Taiwan in an apparent response to nearby annual military drills hosted by Manila and Washington. The People’s Liberation Army Southern Theatre Command said on Friday that a naval fleet had “recently” held drills in waters east of Luzon, the northernmost major island of the Philippines. The drills were “a necessary action taken in response to the current regional situation”, said the command, which oversees the South... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351353/china-stages-navy-drill-us-and-philippines-embark-balikatan-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351353/china-stages-navy-drill-us-and-philippines-embark-balikatan-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:29:21 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwanese analysts have broadly welcomed a new US Navy plan to deploy thousands of uncrewed surface vessels across the Indo-Pacific by 2030, saying it could complicate Beijing’s military planning and strengthen deterrence. But they also warned that unless Taipei pressed ahead with its own stalled drone fleet ambitions, the approach might offer Taiwan only limited direct benefit, given Washington’s production, logistics and surveillance challenges. The assessments follow remarks this week by... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351172/could-thousands-us-hellscape-drone-boats-mess-pla-plans-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351172/could-thousands-us-hellscape-drone-boats-mess-pla-plans-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 03:16:53 +0000 Ann Cao,Iris Deng Ann Cao,Iris Deng The distant geopolitical conflict in the Middle East is sending shock waves through Asia’s semiconductor industry, exposing fresh vulnerabilities in the supply chain as shortages of photoresist – a critical chipmaking material – emerge as the latest weak link. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed since early March, supplies of naphtha – a key feedstock for specialty chemicals used in semiconductor production including photoresist – have been sharply curtailed. Produced during the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3351192/asias-chipmakers-feel-heat-naphtha-crunch-hits-photoresist-supply?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3351192/asias-chipmakers-feel-heat-naphtha-crunch-hits-photoresist-supply?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000 The Star The Star For more than three years, the numbers on their screens told a convincing story. Steady gains, smooth withdrawals and returns of up to 5 per cent every fortnight. Encouraged by the early outcome, many doubled down, pumping in more of their hard-earned savings into a scheme they thought was the answer to luxury and a comfy retirement. Then, almost overnight, the kill switch was flicked and they lost it all to a scheme that swindled ­victims across the globe of close to 100 billion ringgit (US$25... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3351077/hundreds-left-broke-after-alleged-malaysian-scammer-vanishes-us25-billion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3351077/hundreds-left-broke-after-alleged-malaysian-scammer-vanishes-us25-billion?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 03:34:07 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Fund managers investing in Asian and emerging markets added mainland Chinese and Taiwanese stocks to their portfolios in February and March, while cutting their exposure to South Korean equities, according to HSBC Holdings. The reallocation also came at the expense of Indian stocks during the period, with the country’s weighting in Asian funds hitting a new low, HSBC analysts Prerna Garg and Herald van der Linde said in a report on Tuesday, without giving details. The report was based on data... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350997/asian-emerging-market-funds-rotate-mainland-china-and-taiwan-stocks-hsbc?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350997/asian-emerging-market-funds-rotate-mainland-china-and-taiwan-stocks-hsbc?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 23:00:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters The United States is concerned that several African countries revoked overflight clearances for Taiwan’s leader at mainland China’s behest, the US State Department said on Wednesday, calling the incident an abuse of the international civil aviation system. Taiwan this week said the Seychelles, Mauritius ‌and Madagascar unilaterally revoked flight permits for leader William Lai Ching-te’s aircraft to cross airspace they manage on a planned trip to eSwatini, one of Taiwan’s allies. It is the first... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351056/us-slams-china-after-african-countries-block-taiwan-leaders-eswatini-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351056/us-slams-china-after-african-countries-block-taiwan-leaders-eswatini-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 18:40:29 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei PLA warships transited sensitive international waterways off southwestern Japan twice this week, a rare move seen as a clear warning to Tokyo over its recent actions relating to Taiwan. The transits marked the start and end of exercises in the western Pacific, outbound through the Yokoate Channel on Sunday and back via the Yonaguni-Iriomote Waterway on Wednesday. In a statement on Wednesday, the Eastern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army said: “[We] have organised the 133rd Fleet to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351040/warning-over-taiwan-pla-warships-make-rare-transits-southwest-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351040/warning-over-taiwan-pla-warships-make-rare-transits-southwest-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:24:14 +0000 Lawrence Chung,Xinlu Liang Lawrence Chung,Xinlu Liang Beijing has praised the decision by three African countries to deny overflight clearance for Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te, whose trip to eSwatini was cancelled a day before his scheduled departure. Lai had been due to leave on Wednesday for a five-day trip to eSwatini, the only African country that maintains diplomatic ties with Taiwan, to attend celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of King Mswati’s accession and his 58th birthday. But Lai’s office announced late on Tuesday that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351028/does-william-lais-cancelled-eswatini-trip-show-beijings-reach-africa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351028/does-william-lais-cancelled-eswatini-trip-show-beijings-reach-africa?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:01:10 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Flights between China and Japan faced even more cancellations in March – with further cuts expected during the coming Labour Day holiday – as political tensions between the Asian neighbours continue to simmer. A total of 2,691 China-Japan flights were scrapped last month, according to figures from the data platform DAST cited by Chinese media outlet Yicai. That brought the cancellation rate to nearly 50 per cent, 1.1 percentage points higher than February. Only 2,711 flights between the two... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350995/2700-china-japan-flights-axed-march-rift-between-asian-powers-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350995/2700-china-japan-flights-axed-march-rift-between-asian-powers-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:00:17 +0000 Josiah Ng Josiah Ng This weekend, guest shifts abound as Taipei’s unDer Lab and Bangkok’s Messengerservice both take over Qura at the Regent for two nights, while Craftroom from Osaka appears at The Aubrey. For a cheeky pre-dinner cocktail, Le Bar at Black Sheep’s Jean-Pierre has expanded its offerings. Thursday, April 23 UnDer Lab + Messengerservice x Qura Qura at the Regent is hosting a dual takeover on Thursday and Friday, as unDer Lab from Taipei and Messengerservice from Bangkok run successive shifts on both... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3350849/your-hong-kong-weekend-drinks-guide-april-23-25?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3350849/your-hong-kong-weekend-drinks-guide-april-23-25?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Half of Taiwanese not only doubt the US would send troops to defend Taiwan in the event of a cross-strait conflict but also question whether American weapons would prove effective, a poll this week has revealed. The results highlighted mounting scepticism on the island over Washington’s security guarantees, according to the survey released on Monday by the Taipei-based Democracy Foundation. The poll found that 57 per cent of respondents did not believe the US would send troops to defend the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350926/trump-effect-taiwan-poll-reveals-deep-doubts-about-us-military-protection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350926/trump-effect-taiwan-poll-reveals-deep-doubts-about-us-military-protection?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 02:00:09 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang China’s next-generation “drone-carrier” amphibious assault ship is en route to the South China Sea for critical sea trials, the military announced on Tuesday, in the same waters where the US, the Philippines and Japan are conducting large-scale joint military exercises and the aircraft carrier Liaoning is apparently sailing to. “The Sichuan, our country’s first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, has set sail from Shanghai for relevant waters in the South China Sea to carry out scientific research... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350932/chinas-new-type-076-drone-carrier-take-part-south-china-sea-training-drills?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350932/chinas-new-type-076-drone-carrier-take-part-south-china-sea-training-drills?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 21:09:29 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te was forced to postpone a visit to the island’s last African partner after three other nations abruptly refused to allow his aircraft to fly over their territory, in a move Taipei blamed on pressure from Beijing. This is the first time any Taiwanese leader has had to delay an overseas visit at the last minute, Lai’s office said. He had been due to depart on Wednesday for a five-day trip to eSwatini, the sole African country that maintains official diplomatic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350917/taiwanese-leader-lai-postpones-africa-trip-after-3-nations-revoke-overflight-permission?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350917/taiwanese-leader-lai-postpones-africa-trip-after-3-nations-revoke-overflight-permission?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:25:54 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Japan has scrapped long-standing restrictions on arms exports in a major break with its post-war pacifist policy that is likely to derail any potential thaw in relations with China. The plans, given final approval by the cabinet on Tuesday, could clear the way for sales of lethal equipment that had long been banned and prompted expressions of “serious concern” from Beijing. Japan’s Three Principles on Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology had previously limited exports to five non-combat... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350913/japans-new-arms-export-rules-trigger-chinese-warning-against-moves-towards-militarism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350913/japans-new-arms-export-rules-trigger-chinese-warning-against-moves-towards-militarism?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:01:07 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Few contemporary academics have played a more important role than Daniel Bell in explaining the philosophical and cultural roots of modern Chinese rule to a foreign audience. It’s not for nothing that he was once named a “cultural leader” by the World Economic Forum. Our city is privileged that he joined the University of Hong Kong’s law faculty as the chair professor of political theory not too long ago. Equally important is his post as the founding editor of the China book series with the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3350710/how-ancient-chinese-philosophers-make-sense-modern-headaches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3350710/how-ancient-chinese-philosophers-make-sense-modern-headaches?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam Panettone is loved around the world and most often enjoyed during the Christmas period. The sweet, dome-shaped bread has an airy, brioche-like texture and is usually filled with candied citrus fruits and raisins. But who makes the best panettone? While the bread originates from Milan, Italy, it was a team of Taiwanese bakers who claimed the world title in the 2025 Panettone World Championship. The team was led by Giovanna Chen Shih-chieh – crowned “the new panettone queen” by the competition –... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3350734/who-makes-best-panettone-ask-taiwanese-baker-who-conquered-italian-bread?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3350734/who-makes-best-panettone-ask-taiwanese-baker-who-conquered-italian-bread?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 04:15:08 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Several Taiwan business leaders on Monday urged the island’s government to consider Beijing’s new plan for boosting cross-strait exchanges, arguing it could ease pressure on struggling sectors. In response, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party accused industry groups of helping mainland China “use business to pressure politics”. “There is no pressure from Beijing. None of us received calls from Beijing,” said Hsu Shu-po, chairman of the Taipei-based General Chamber of Commerce. “On the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350764/consider-beijings-10-point-plan-taiwan-business-leaders-urge-ruling-dpp?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350764/consider-beijings-10-point-plan-taiwan-business-leaders-urge-ruling-dpp?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:15:12 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China issued a “strong protest” after a Japanese destroyer, travelling to military exercises in the Philippines, passed through the Taiwan Strait on the anniversary of an 1895 treaty ceding the island to Japan. Friday’s voyage was a “deliberate provocation”, said Guo Jiakun, a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry. The 14-hour passage by the JS Ikazuchi “once again exposes the dangerous plot of some people in Japan to intervene militarily in the Taiwan Strait and undermine peace and stability... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350723/japan-warships-taiwan-strait-voyage-reignites-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350723/japan-warships-taiwan-strait-voyage-reignites-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:19:52 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye A Hong Kong whisky investment firm is seeking to raise up to US$50 million for its second private equity-style fund, pitching the spirit as a hedge in volatile markets despite a slump in prices across the industry. Rickesh Kishnani, co-founder and chairman of Rare Whisky Holdings, said whisky had been gaining traction among wealthy investors seeking alternatives to traditional safe havens. “This is the market where people turn to gold, but we’ve seen even gold not hold up in terms of... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350690/liquid-gold-hong-kong-fund-pitches-whisky-alternative-investment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350690/liquid-gold-hong-kong-fund-pitches-whisky-alternative-investment?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:30:09 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Hong Kong artiste Kristal Tin Yui-lee has revealed on social media that cancer cells were found in her lymph nodes, more than a year after being diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer, drawing renewed attention to the disease. A former leading actress at TVB after starting her career at the now defunct ATV, the 48-year-old has shifted her focus in recent years to screenplays and online media. She won the best lead actress award in 2024 for her role as a wife in Big Divorce Day, a theatre... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3350692/second-cancer-shock-hong-kong-actress-kristal-tin-how-does-disease-strike?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3350692/second-cancer-shock-hong-kong-actress-kristal-tin-how-does-disease-strike?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 06:44:37 +0000 Stephen Chen Stephen Chen A new study from mainland China’s internal security forces offers a glimpse into a future where urban unrest is managed by autonomous machines instead of police in riot gear. In a scenario laid out by engineering experts from the People’s Armed Police Force (PAP), a crowd – incited by rumours following a military takeover of a large city – gathers in a central square to assault key government installations. Their protest meets with a swift response: roadblocks are suddenly deployed, cutting off... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350683/chinas-armed-police-mull-riot-control-without-human-contact-all?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350683/chinas-armed-police-mull-riot-control-without-human-contact-all?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 06:00:11 +0000