https://www.scmp.com/rss/318198/feed The latest news on China politics, including domestic and foreign policy. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Alcott Wei,Xinlu Liang Alcott Wei,Xinlu Liang A senior Chinese official who oversees religious and ethnic minority affairs has called for China to “strengthen” the education, training and management of Tibetan Buddhist personnel. Li Ganjie, head of the Communist Party’s United Front Work Department and a member of the now 22-man Politburo, made the call during a trip to Tibetan areas in western China, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday. He visited several religious organisations and study institutions in the Tibetan autonomous... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351181/china-must-strengthen-education-tibetan-buddhists-beijing-official-says-after-tour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351181/china-must-strengthen-education-tibetan-buddhists-beijing-official-says-after-tour?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:00:11 +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 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 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 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei The number of members from China’s leading scientific and engineering institutes in the top ranks of the Communist Party has doubled over the course of a decade, according to a new report. It said the number of academicians in the party’s 18th Central Committee, selected in 2012, stood at 15, accounting for around 3.5 per cent of the total membership. But when the 20th Central Committee started its five-year term in 2022, this total had risen to 30, around 8 per cent of the total, including... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350757/why-leading-chinese-scientists-are-rising-top-communist-party?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350757/why-leading-chinese-scientists-are-rising-top-communist-party?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 03:00:07 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang China has released new regulations that aim to counter the “unjustified” extraterritorial use of foreign laws, the latest move to protect its interests from external threats. Analysts view the move as a shift from diplomatic protests to legal warfare, and some warn it could have wide-ranging applications. The European Chamber of Commerce in China raised concern that the “broad scope, vague language and wide discretion” of the rules went far beyond similar statutes in the West. Amid the US... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350743/how-china-reinforcing-its-legal-shield-against-foreign-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350743/how-china-reinforcing-its-legal-shield-against-foreign-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 22:00:12 +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 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China’s central bank chief has urged the IMF to serve as a bulwark against “rising unilateralism”, at a time when escalating trade restrictions and an intensified Middle East conflict threaten energy and food security. The International Monetary Fund should “take a clear stand against protectionism and defend multilateralism”, People’s Bank of China governor Pan Gongsheng said in a statement to the fund’s International Monetary and Financial Committee, for its 53rd meeting, held on Thursday and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350718/china-presses-imf-quota-reform-better-surveillance-advanced-economies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350718/china-presses-imf-quota-reform-better-surveillance-advanced-economies?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:05:04 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Communist Party chief Xi Jinping appears to be taking a patient approach to reunification with Taiwan, according to the island’s opposition leader and a member of her delegation who attended a rare meeting with Xi in Beijing. Xi met Cheng Li-wun, who leads Taiwan’s main opposition Kuomintang, and her delegation at the Great Hall of the People on Friday – the first talks between sitting leaders of the two parties in nearly a decade. Discussing the cross-strait relationship, Xi said the issues had... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350271/xi-jinping-stressed-patience-taiwan-reunification-talks-opposition-leader?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350271/xi-jinping-stressed-patience-taiwan-reunification-talks-opposition-leader?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Russia and China’s top envoys met in Beijing on Tuesday to discuss the Iran war, Ukraine and Taiwan as Beijing stepped up its Iran war diplomacy and tensions with Washington increased. In a jab at Washington and US President Donald Trump that did not mention either by name, a Chinese readout of the meeting between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov noted that the world is increasingly marked by turmoil and instability. The two top diplomats also discussed plans... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350099/top-russian-and-chinese-envoys-meet-beijing-discuss-iran-ukraine-and-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350099/top-russian-and-chinese-envoys-meet-beijing-discuss-iran-ukraine-and-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:59:47 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang As the new Communist Party chief of China’s southern manufacturing hub Shenzhen, Jin Lei is facing his first major test as the city prepares to host the Apec leaders’ summit in November. Beijing is seeking more cooperation with the bloc in areas like artificial intelligence, and the key regional forum is an opportunity to show the potential in tech-driven Shenzhen, where Jin took the helm last month. In recent weeks, the 56-year-old economist and former Sichuan official has been focused on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349869/shenzhens-new-party-boss-has-taken-wheel-can-he-deliver-ahead-apec?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349869/shenzhens-new-party-boss-has-taken-wheel-can-he-deliver-ahead-apec?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 02:00:10 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwanese industry groups and businesses have broadly welcomed Beijing’s package of 10 measures to promote cross-strait exchanges across economic sectors. They said the proposals from the Communist Party’s Taiwan affairs authorities could help ease pressures weighing on local industries in recent years. Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang, also appeared relieved that the measures focused largely on economic and livelihood issues rather than politically sensitive themes. The Taiwan... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349938/taiwan-industries-cheer-beijings-10-point-plan-boost-cross-strait-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349938/taiwan-industries-cheer-beijings-10-point-plan-boost-cross-strait-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:52:47 +0000 SCMP Plus SCMP Plus This document was translated from Chinese into English using Alibaba’s Qwen3.6-Plus, then checked and tweaked for accuracy by a South China Morning Post journalist. It is for reference only, and is not the official English version of the original Chinese document. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/politics/article/3349919/beijings-10-measures-boost-cross-strait-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/politics/article/3349919/beijings-10-measures-boost-cross-strait-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:00:38 +0000 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 Carol Yang Carol Yang Beijing has promised to restore direct flights between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan following a visit by the leader of the main opposition party. The 10-point measures, which also include a pledge to ease restrictions on individuals travelling to the island, were announced on Sunday as Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng Li-wun concluded her visit to the mainland. Her trip, which began on Tuesday, included a meeting with Xi Jinping – the first between the leaders of the Communist Party and KMT in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349782/beijing-pledges-better-taiwan-air-and-travel-links-after-kmt-leaders-mainland-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349782/beijing-pledges-better-taiwan-air-and-travel-links-after-kmt-leaders-mainland-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 07:07:49 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng China’s top judicial bodies have detailed ways that the country’s criminal law can be applied to corrupt middlemen, refining the criteria for tackling “new and hidden forms of corruption”. The guidance was part of a judicial interpretation released jointly by the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate on Friday. In it, the bodies highlight the need to enforce the law against all participants in the corruption chain, for the direct bribe-givers and recipients to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349749/china-targets-middlemen-renewed-crackdown-hidden-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349749/china-targets-middlemen-renewed-crackdown-hidden-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 11:00:11 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen China has established a third new county in its Xinjiang region, this time along vital transport routes linking the country to South and Central Asia. Analysts said the move underscored Beijing’s focus on governance and security along its far-flung western borders. Sitting in southwestern Xinjiang near the Karakoram Range, Cenling county is a linchpin for China’s frontier security and regional development. Its strategic value stems from its proximity to the borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349558/china-has-mapped-out-third-new-county-xinjiang-why?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349558/china-has-mapped-out-third-new-county-xinjiang-why?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 02:00:12 +0000 Lawrence Chung,Amber Wang Lawrence Chung,Amber Wang The high-profile talks between leaders of the Communist Party and the Kuomintang are a step towards cross-strait stability despite the KMT’s opposition status in Taiwan, according to observers. Communist Party chief Xi Jinping and KMT chairwoman Cheng Li-wun met in Beijing on Friday in the first such talks between the sitting leaders of the two parties in nearly a decade. Analysts in mainland China and Taiwan broadly agreed that the encounter signalled a revival of cross-strait engagement... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349690/will-cheng-li-wuns-meeting-xi-jinping-temper-cross-strait-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349690/will-cheng-li-wuns-meeting-xi-jinping-temper-cross-strait-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Communist Party chief Xi Jinping said he was “fully confident” of closer ties with Taiwan as he met a leader of the island’s opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party for the first time in almost a decade. “The historical trend that compatriots of both sides of the strait will get closer and get together will not change,” Xi said at the start of his discussion with Cheng Li-wun. “This is a certainty of history, and we are fully confident.” Cheng called for a “systemic solution” to avoid war in the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/politics/article/3349645/xi-holds-landmark-taiwan-meeting-iran-war-ceasefire-gdp-update?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/politics/article/3349645/xi-holds-landmark-taiwan-meeting-iran-war-ceasefire-gdp-update?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:00:26 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan’s biggest opposition party, the Kuomintang, highlighted the need for peace as she spoke to the media in Beijing on Friday afternoon after her historic meeting with Communist Party chief Xi Jinping. It is the first time the leaders of the KMT and the Communist Party have met in nine years and comes at a time of heightened cross-strait military tensions. Here are the main takeaways from the press conference. A ‘choice of war or peace’ In a clear reference to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349640/takeaways-cheng-li-wuns-press-conference-about-meeting-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349640/takeaways-cheng-li-wuns-press-conference-about-meeting-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 08:25:02 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan’s largest opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), spoke to the press in Beijing at 2.22pm on Friday, hours after her historic meeting with Communist Party chief Xi Jinping. It was the first meeting between leaders of the two parties in nine years after then-KMT chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu visited the mainland in November 2016. During the meeting on Friday morning, both Xi and Cheng highlighted a message of peace across the strait. “Compatriots on both sides are... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349617/taiwans-opposition-leader-cheng-li-wun-speaks-after-historic-meeting-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349617/taiwans-opposition-leader-cheng-li-wun-speaks-after-historic-meeting-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:22:29 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei In a historic meeting between Communist Party chief Xi Jinping and the head of Taiwan’s main opposition party, Beijing outlined a vision of peaceful relations with the island, shared development outcomes and greater dialogue. “Compatriots on both sides are both Chinese, and we need peace, we need development, we need communication and we need cooperation. This is a common wish,” Xi told Cheng Li-wun, head of the Kuomintang (KMT), on Friday, in the first such talks between the two parties’... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349597/xi-jinping-meets-taiwan-opposition-leader-cheng-li-wun-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349597/xi-jinping-meets-taiwan-opposition-leader-cheng-li-wun-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 03:03:54 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Taiwan can learn from the way mainland China uses artificial intelligence, Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun said during her visit to Shanghai. The Kuomintang (KMT) chairwoman visited the headquarters of Meituan on Wednesday, where she was welcomed by founder and CEO Wang Xing. The company, which goes by Keeta outside the mainland, operates China’s biggest online takeaway platform, as well as offering grocery delivery, bike rental and other services. The company uses AI extensively to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349540/taiwan-should-learn-mainland-ai-kmt-head-cheng-li-wun-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349540/taiwan-should-learn-mainland-ai-kmt-head-cheng-li-wun-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:00:37 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun blamed Japanese “imperialist forces” for dividing mainland China and Taiwan, as she paid tribute to Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat-sen at his mausoleum in Nanjing on Wednesday. In a speech delivered after the Kuomintang (KMT) chairwoman laid a floral wreath before a statue of the founder of modern China, Cheng said Taiwan became a Japanese colony at a time of national weakness, following the 1895 defeat of China in the first Sino-Japanese war. She said... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349383/imperialist-forces-divided-taiwan-mainland-kmt-head-cheng-li-wun-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349383/imperialist-forces-divided-taiwan-mainland-kmt-head-cheng-li-wun-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 09:14:21 +0000 Lawrence Chung,Alcott Wei Lawrence Chung,Alcott Wei Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun said she hoped to make the Taiwan Strait “safe” and not one of the world’s “most dangerous places” as she left for Shanghai on Tuesday. Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng is leading a 14-member delegation – including three KMT vice-chairmen – on a six-day visit to mainland China. A planned meeting with Communist Party leader Xi Jinping during the trip has drawn scrutiny in Taipei as tensions soar across the strait. Lawmakers from the ruling Democratic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349225/taiwanese-opposition-leader-cheng-li-wun-begins-journey-peace-shanghai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349225/taiwanese-opposition-leader-cheng-li-wun-begins-journey-peace-shanghai?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 06:59:21 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Whether it wraps up quickly or drags on, the repercussions of the US-Israeli war on Iran will echo for years, reshaping warfare, geopolitics, energy security and global perceptions of American tactical and strategic power. In the first of a three-part series, Mark Magnier looks at how the Iran war may alter Beijing’s approach to potential conflict over Taiwan, asymmetrical weaponry and the United States as an adversary. The US military is formidable, well-disciplined, projects deadly force... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349130/how-lessons-iran-war-could-shape-mainland-chinas-calculus-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349130/how-lessons-iran-war-could-shape-mainland-chinas-calculus-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 16:01:07 +0000 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 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen TV drama regulators in China have taken aim at beauty-obsessed and traffic-driven programming in the industry, with a call for more “quality” storytelling. The National Radio and Television Administration’s drama department sent out the call on Thursday as it brought major streaming platforms and production companies together for a conference on “healthy aesthetics”. “[Efforts should be made] to avoid the tendency to value physical beauty above everything else and reliance on traffic-driven... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349085/are-chinas-tv-dramas-obsessed-beauty-industry-regulator-thinks-so?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349085/are-chinas-tv-dramas-obsessed-beauty-industry-regulator-thinks-so?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 11:00:13 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai When the American sitcom Growing Pains was first broadcast in China in the 1990s, it was the first window for many in the country into American middle-class life. In the series, a doctor father, a journalist mother and four children live in a spacious suburban home with room for mistakes and second chances. While the show lightly touched on serious social issues, it projected a picture of health, stability and security. However, Chinese viewers have had a chance to rethink the show since state... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349077/growing-pains-meets-kill-line-new-chinese-hot-take-american-dream?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349077/growing-pains-meets-kill-line-new-chinese-hot-take-american-dream?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:00:10 +0000 Jane Cai,Alcott Wei Jane Cai,Alcott Wei Beijing should shift its strategy and improve ways to attract and retain top Chinese AI professionals as America’s accelerating integration of artificial intelligence into military and national security systems puts such talent in a bind. As geopolitical tensions rise, many highly skilled Chinese researchers working at US tech and research institutions are confronting a painful dilemma, according to Dai Mingjie, a researcher at the Institute of Public Policy at the Guangzhou-based South China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349047/how-can-beijing-attract-top-tier-chinese-ai-professionals-based-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349047/how-can-beijing-attract-top-tier-chinese-ai-professionals-based-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 04:00:18 +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 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) is showing signs of internal strain ahead of its leader’s planned visit to mainland China, with divisions over defence spending and ties with Washington and Beijing raising questions over the party’s strategic direction. KMT chairwoman Cheng Li-wun is set to go to mainland China with a delegation from April 7 to 12 on a trip that could include a meeting with Communist Party leader Xi Jinping. The trip comes as the party remains divided over a contentious... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349025/taiwans-opposition-kmt-splitting-pro-us-and-pro-beijing-camps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349025/taiwans-opposition-kmt-splitting-pro-us-and-pro-beijing-camps?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 10:00:14 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou The compound is modern with air conditioning in every room. Inside are a medical clinic, massage parlour, and Vietnamese barbecue, Chinese hotpot and halal eateries – a full range of conveniences. Yet the residents are gone – and they appear to have fled in haste. Clothes still hang out to dry, while the stench of rotting food lingers. Located in a secluded area in Kampot province near Cambodia’s border with Vietnam, the site is believed to be a telecoms scam centre. Cambodian authorities said... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348930/game-whack-mole-how-could-scam-industry-bring-china-and-us-together?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348930/game-whack-mole-how-could-scam-industry-bring-china-and-us-together?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 22:00:10 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang The former chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), has called for cross-strait dialogue to break the state of “cold peace”, rebuild trust and avoid conflict. “The key to cross-strait relations lies not in radical confrontation, but in profound mutual trust,” Hung Hsiu-chu wrote on a popular mainland online platform on Thursday. She also called for a return to the 1992 consensus, an unofficial agreement between Beijing and the then-ruling KMT in Taiwan. It states that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348979/no-more-cold-peace-across-taiwan-strait-former-kmt-chairwoman-calls-rebuild-trust?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348979/no-more-cold-peace-across-taiwan-strait-former-kmt-chairwoman-calls-rebuild-trust?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 11:09:15 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang Ma Xingrui, a member of China’s Politburo and the former Communist Party boss of Xinjiang, is being investigated by the anti-corruption watchdog, state news agency Xinhua reported on Friday. He is the third member of the ruling party’s elite political body to come under investigation in the current term that began in 2022, a situation unseen in decades. He Weidong, former vice-chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), is also being investigated and was expelled from the party... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348968/ma-xingrui-third-politburo-member-investigated-chinas-anti-corruption-bodies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348968/ma-xingrui-third-politburo-member-investigated-chinas-anti-corruption-bodies?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:05:08 +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 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma China’s top Communist Party journal has reaffirmed the country’s push to rebalance trade, saying a worsening global environment marked by rising protectionism and geopolitical tensions is adding urgency to its ongoing shift from an “unsustainable” export-driven growth model. “The underlying conditions, and both domestic and external environment shaping China’s trade balance, are undergoing profound changes, while deep-seated weaknesses in the foreign trade sector remain pronounced,” said a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3348651/qiushi-reaffirms-chinas-trade-rebalance-push-calls-old-export-led-growth-unsustainable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3348651/qiushi-reaffirms-chinas-trade-rebalance-push-calls-old-export-led-growth-unsustainable?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang Beijing has ordered a sweeping national inventory of all state-owned museum collections following a high-profile scandal at a top museum, where former officials illegally sold donated national treasures for personal gain over several decades. The National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA) announced the nationwide campaign on Wednesday. It mandates that every state-owned museum conduct a meticulous, piece-by-piece physical count of its collections this year, verifying every artefact against... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348682/china-orders-nationwide-museum-audit-after-nanjings-us12-million-ming-artwork-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348682/china-orders-nationwide-museum-audit-after-nanjings-us12-million-ming-artwork-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 11:00:15 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Beijing has confirmed receiving the cremated remains of historic Communist Party spies from Taiwan and hailed the “patriots” as providing encouragement in its pursuit of reunification. Zhang Han, a spokeswoman for the mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office, noted on Wednesday that the ashes had been returned before the Ching Ming Festival, a tomb-sweeping day that falls on April 5 this year, and days before the expected visit of Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348655/beijing-says-cremated-spy-remains-returned-taiwan-are-reminder-heroic-deeds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348655/beijing-says-cremated-spy-remains-returned-taiwan-are-reminder-heroic-deeds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Why didn’t China develop its own scientific and industrial revolutions when it made so many discoveries and advances over millennia? That is often called “Needham’s question”, named after the historian of Chinese science and tech Joseph Needham. Why didn’t China develop capitalism during the Song dynasty when it was so close to achieving a breakthrough with trade, commerce, currency and semi-industrialisation, and an emerging merchant class? The Hungarian-French sinologist Etienne Balazs, among... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3348381/why-china-always-misunderstood-and-misrepresented?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3348381/why-china-always-misunderstood-and-misrepresented?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 01:30:08 +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 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan has pushed back against a growing number of foreign governments that label it part of China in their internal systems. But questions are mounting over whether Taipei’s retaliatory moves can deliver results. The dispute has widened in recent weeks after South Korea, Denmark and Cameroon were found to have changed how they designate the island in official systems, such as those that handle visa documents, residence permits and international conference credentials. Taipei has responded with... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348438/names-and-games-taipei-hits-back-over-china-label-will-it-pay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348438/names-and-games-taipei-hits-back-over-china-label-will-it-pay?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 01:00:12 +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 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen US President Donald Trump’s war on Iran has not only exposed White House decision-making flaws but also “clear cracks” within the Republican Party and his political base, observers in China say, warning of the risks posed to the party’s midterm prospects. As the US-Israel war with Iran enters its fifth week, mixed signals from Trump and his administration continue to trigger questions about the trajectory of Operation Epic Fury and the exit strategy. Trump has repeatedly claimed victory, most... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348205/trumps-iran-war-could-republican-rift-and-maga-discontent-doom-midterms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348205/trumps-iran-war-could-republican-rift-and-maga-discontent-doom-midterms?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 11:00:09 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen Beijing-based high-school teacher Jiang Xueqin may not seem like an obvious candidate for a geopolitical “prophet”. Dressed casually in a polo shirt, the greying Chinese-Canadian looks unassuming. But through his hugely popular Predictive History YouTube channel, Jiang has become known as “China’s Nostradamus”, gaining a following for his outlook on world affairs. While most of his fans are outside China, his lectures and interviews have been translated and uploaded on Chinese social media... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348289/jiang-xueqin-viral-prophet-predicting-worlds-fate-beijing-classroom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348289/jiang-xueqin-viral-prophet-predicting-worlds-fate-beijing-classroom?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 09:00:10 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang A former top official of Guangdong province, widely seen as a “right-hand man” of former provincial governor Ma Xingrui, is under investigation for corruption. The investigation into Guo Yonghang, Communist Party secretary for Guangzhou from June 2023 until December, deepens the uncertainties about the fate of Ma, who was abruptly removed as Xinjiang’s party secretary in July and has since vanished from public life. Guo was named vice-chairman of the Guangdong provincial committee of the Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348206/china-puts-ma-xingrui-protege-guo-yonghang-under-investigation-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348206/china-puts-ma-xingrui-protege-guo-yonghang-under-investigation-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 01:00:13 +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 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 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow German Chancellor Friedrich Merz signalled support for a European Union-China trade deal, as rising tensions with the United States complicate Europe’s response to a growing flood of low-cost Chinese imports. Merz told German lawmakers on Wednesday he could envisage an agreement with China in “the longer term” among other trade accords. “We now need strategic partnerships around the world in order to strengthen ourselves, especially our exports,” he said. The comments highlight an emerging split... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348115/merz-floats-eu-china-deal-trumps-new-beijing-date-european-lawmakers-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348115/merz-floats-eu-china-deal-trumps-new-beijing-date-european-lawmakers-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 09:01:16 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham After eight years in the deep freeze, the European Parliament is sending an official delegation to China next week in the clearest sign yet that Beijing’s targeted lobbying blitz of its members is paying off. Seven members from the parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) will travel to Beijing and Shanghai alongside Engin Eroglu, head of its China delegation. They will meet officials, customs and port authorities, lawmakers and companies, including Shein and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348098/european-parliament-heads-china-after-8-years-members-say-its-no-sign-giving?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348098/european-parliament-heads-china-after-8-years-members-say-its-no-sign-giving?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 05:55:21 +0000