https://www.scmp.com/rss/318754/feed News about the global transport and logistics industry with a focus on developments in shipping, aviation and rail particularly in relation to Hong Kong and China. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has denounced proposed tolls in the Strait of Hormuz as a worrisome step in the wrong direction, while noting that several thousand stranded seafarers remain the international shipping community’s foremost concern. “Freedom of navigation has to be one of the pillars of free trade, and it would be a retrograde step – a really bad step,” said John Denholm, chair designate of the ICS, referring to the idea of charging vessels to transit the oil... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350067/hormuz-blockade-shipping-industry-slams-transit-fees-20000-seafarers-still-stranded?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350067/hormuz-blockade-shipping-industry-slams-transit-fees-20000-seafarers-still-stranded?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 03:00:27 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong As China looks to central Asia for more energy supplies to offset shipping disruptions amid the Iran war, Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang will travel to Turkmenistan to visit local gas fields and to attend a bilateral cooperation meeting. Ding, who is China’s top-ranking vice-premier, will kick off his three-day visit on Wednesday by attending the groundbreaking ceremony for the fourth phase of the Galkynysh gas field as President Xi Jinping’s special representative, Xinhua reported. Ding will also... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350028/china-turns-central-asia-us-blockade-hormuz-chokes-global-energy-flows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350028/china-turns-central-asia-us-blockade-hormuz-chokes-global-energy-flows?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:30:02 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Hong Kong’s tram operator has launched a new mobile app that provides real-time arrival information and pledged not to raise fares this year. Hong Kong Tramways on Tuesday announced the new app which would use location data to inform commuters of the arrival times and destinations of the next three trams at their stop. Paul Tirvaudey, managing director of Hong Kong Tramways, said the operator had installed more than 400 radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors along the 30km route, as well... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350009/hong-kong-tram-operator-launches-real-time-app-pledges-no-fare-rise-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350009/hong-kong-tram-operator-launches-real-time-app-pledges-no-fare-rise-year?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 06:39:56 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China is pushing a ceasefire in the Iran war as key to the Strait of Hormuz being open to international trade and energy, as US President Donald Trump announced a sweeping naval operation targeting the oil transit chokepoint. Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday that the strait was an important channel for international trade in goods and energy, and that “maintaining its safety, stability and unimpeded passage serves the common interests of the international community”. “The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349929/china-says-open-strait-hormuz-crucial-global-interests-trump-threatens-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349929/china-says-open-strait-hormuz-crucial-global-interests-trump-threatens-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:00:52 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Cost-cutting on Japan’s already depleted railway network has hit a new low, with one of the nation’s largest network operators no longer providing toilet paper in a growing number of unmanned stations. JR East’s decision has been met with a mix of annoyance and resignation online, while underscoring the financial pressures bearing down on rural rail services. A social media post from February 2 highlighted the growing frustration with JR East’s failure to provide toilet paper, condemning a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3349917/japans-rural-rail-crisis-hits-new-low-jr-east-cuts-toilet-paper-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3349917/japans-rural-rail-crisis-hits-new-low-jr-east-cuts-toilet-paper-service?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:55:50 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan US President Donald Trump has announced a sweeping naval operation targeting the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit chokepoints, in a move that risks deepening a global crisis and further complicating ties with Beijing in the countdown to next month’s summit. “Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump said in a social media post... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349813/blown-hell-trump-announces-us-blockade-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349813/blown-hell-trump-announces-us-blockade-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 13:10:08 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau In a quiet street in northern Singapore, a car plies the road like any other – except it is a left-hand drive from China and the person in the driver’s seat has been trained to keep his hands off the wheel and his foot off the pedals unless an emergency arises. Eventually, there will be no need for a safety officer or any human behind the wheel at all – mirroring the autonomous vehicles (AVs) already operating in cities such as Beijing, Shenzhen, San Francisco and Los Angeles. For now, Singapore... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349672/singapores-robotaxi-drive-revs-help-chinese-av-leaders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349672/singapores-robotaxi-drive-revs-help-chinese-av-leaders?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Ralph Jennings,Mia Nurmamat,He Huifeng Ralph Jennings,Mia Nurmamat,He Huifeng As the Strait of Hormuz reopened and closed again this week, manufacturers across China are navigating a roller coaster of concerns rooted in supply and pricing volatilities. Soaring oil prices have already filtered through to processed fuel and petroleum-based raw materials that help power China’s manufacturing sector – the world’s largest – and a fragile two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States is unlikely to restore pre-conflict stability in the near term, according to industry... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349653/cancelling-orders-china-how-hormuz-oil-crisis-hitting-transport-manufacturing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349653/cancelling-orders-china-how-hormuz-oil-crisis-hitting-transport-manufacturing?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 05:00:11 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Iran’s threat to impose tolls on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz is stirring concern far beyond the Gulf, sharpening fears that one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints could be used as political leverage rather than governed by international rules. The concern is especially acute in Asia, which remains heavily reliant on Middle East energy supplies and exposed to any disruption in the waterway, through which nearly a fifth of the world’s oil passes. Analysts warn that... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349686/irans-hormuz-toll-threat-lays-bare-asias-energy-vulnerability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349686/irans-hormuz-toll-threat-lays-bare-asias-energy-vulnerability?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:23:36 +0000 Ng Kang-chung,Lam Ka-sing Ng Kang-chung,Lam Ka-sing Hong Kong will directly pay diesel subsidies to local oil companies based on sales volume after lawmakers approved a massive HK$1.8 billion government scheme to ease rocketing fuel prices for the transport sector over the next two months. The city’s environment minister maintained that a mechanism would be in place so the government could “know” and “monitor” if the oil companies tried to abuse the scheme by increasing prices, but did not say how. Senior government officials briefed lawmakers at... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349614/hong-kong-government-must-guard-against-exploitation-diesel-subsidy-experts-warn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349614/hong-kong-government-must-guard-against-exploitation-diesel-subsidy-experts-warn?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:16:09 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan is forging ahead with an investment plan that could see as much as 1 trillion yen (US$6.3 billion) pumped into its shipbuilding sector as it tries to wrest back greater control of a key strategic industry. However, analysts said money alone would not be enough to restore Japan’s former standing in a sector now dominated by China, with higher costs, labour shortages and years of lost capacity all standing in the way. The effort has taken on greater urgency as turmoil in the Middle East has... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349549/can-japan-regain-shipbuilding-might-us63-billion-funding-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349549/can-japan-regain-shipbuilding-might-us63-billion-funding-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:00:15 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng While the world remains divided over the unresolved issue of toll collection in the Strait of Hormuz, some Chinese experts have proposed pegging fees to oil prices or using exportable digital tokens from China for settlements. If tolls were to be imposed in this strategic chokepoint for global energy trade, settlement mechanisms could be “innovative”, said Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University. “Tolls and settlements could be tied to oil prices or... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349545/hormuz-toll-debate-china-experts-propose-innovative-solutions-impasse-persists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349545/hormuz-toll-debate-china-experts-propose-innovative-solutions-impasse-persists?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:00:11 +0000 Marco Vicenzino Marco Vicenzino The two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran is a real diplomatic breakthrough. It has reopened the Strait of Hormuz, triggered a relief rally in global markets and eased the immediate fear of a spiralling energy shock. But its strategic significance lies less in the relief it has produced than in the uncertainty it leaves behind. The truce is time-limited, tied to negotiations and built around temporary safe passage rather than a settled regional order. The ceasefire terms and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349425/asia-us-iran-ceasefire-offers-little-relief-and-much-uncertainty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349425/asia-us-iran-ceasefire-offers-little-relief-and-much-uncertainty?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:30:10 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Chinese buyers were the end destination of a five-year smuggling pipeline that drained an estimated US$917 million worth of stolen copper from Chile, authorities said on Wednesday after police dismantled the network in one of the largest organised crime operations ever uncovered in the country. The group trucked stolen metal to Iquique, a port city in Chile’s far north, and shipped it to China in containers disguised as scrap cargo. Over the same period, it collected more than US$55 million in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349439/chile-exposes-smuggling-ring-shipped-us917m-stolen-copper-chinese-buyers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349439/chile-exposes-smuggling-ring-shipped-us917m-stolen-copper-chinese-buyers?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 22:04:40 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Dewey Sim,Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin Khushboo Razdan,Dewey Sim,Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin Control of the Strait of Hormuz has emerged as the central fault line in US-Iran negotiations, with US President Donald Trump appearing to recast an earlier off-the-cuff idea into a more formal proposal that seeks to bridge Tehran’s push for dominance and Washington’s insistence on open passage. Following his Tuesday announcement of a two-week ceasefire, Trump on Wednesday told the American Broadcasting Company that his administration may seek a “joint venture” with Iran to safeguard the global... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3349436/strait-hormuz-trump-iran-joint-venture-really-possible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3349436/strait-hormuz-trump-iran-joint-venture-really-possible?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:02:48 +0000 dpa dpa A woman trying to board a train in Germany at the last minute resorted to extraordinary means and bit a station worker in the arm when he tried to intervene. The 36-year-old woman was looking to board a local train at Munich’s Pasing station as the doors were closing, police said on Wednesday. The 29-year-old employee tried to stop her, and the woman bit his arm, resulting in a visible wound. However, the man did not sustain any serious injury and was able to continue working, it said. The woman... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349411/germany-woman-bites-railway-worker-get-through-closing-doors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349411/germany-woman-bites-railway-worker-get-through-closing-doors?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:53:45 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Thailand’s foreign minister confirmed on Wednesday the deaths of three Thai crew members of a cargo ship struck by Iran while transiting the Strait of Hormuz a month ago. US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February prompted Tehran to respond by effectively closing the strait, a crucial artery for global oil supplies, and launching attacks on vessels. The Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree was struck on March 11 while travelling through the Gulf waterway, after departing a port in the United Arab... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349409/thailand-confirms-deaths-3-cargo-ship-crew-gulf-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349409/thailand-confirms-deaths-3-cargo-ship-crew-gulf-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:40:51 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Tehran’s decision to let Malaysia-linked vessels through the Strait of Hormuz highlighted Iran’s growing use of access to the strategic waterway as leverage, analysts said, with only a limited number of ships now able to pass and access increasingly determined by political ties rather than treated as a neutral commercial right. For Malaysia, the move drew attention not only to Tehran’s close ties with Putrajaya but also to scrutiny surrounding sanction-sensitive oil trade and ship-to-ship... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349284/iran-does-not-forget-its-friends-malaysia-ships-pass-hormuz-amid-selective-access?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349284/iran-does-not-forget-its-friends-malaysia-ships-pass-hormuz-amid-selective-access?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 11:52:57 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A French high-speed train crashed into a truck carrying military equipment in northern France on Tuesday, killing the driver of the TGV and critically injuring two people, officials said. The truck driver was taken into police custody after the train, which was travelling from the northern city of Dunkirk to Paris and carrying 243 people, collided with the vehicle at a level crossing in the town of Bully-les-Mines. The impact was so strong that the military vehicle weighing several dozen tonnes... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349268/france-high-speed-rail-collides-truck-killing-train-driver?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349268/france-high-speed-rail-collides-truck-killing-train-driver?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 09:29:22 +0000 Winston Mok Winston Mok The Strait of Hormuz blockage is being felt far and wide. While the world struggles with higher pump prices, key energy exporters such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar face severe economic setbacks. In Gulf states serving as air hubs, expats and affluent locals are scrambling for the exit. The discovery of oil transformed Arabian deserts into rich petro-states. Knowing this wealth would not flow forever, the states leveraged their strategic locations to become air traffic hubs.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349044/gulf-states-geography-both-generous-and-treacherous-patron?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349044/gulf-states-geography-both-generous-and-treacherous-patron?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:30:07 +0000 Mike Rowse Mike Rowse The HK$2 (US$0.26) transport fare scheme for the elderly is one of Hong Kong’s most socially significant success stories. But some of the recent changes, and further ones contemplated, seem to be rowing in a different direction. We need to pause and take stock before we inadvertently undo some of our good work. In the process, we should also take the chance to ensure the long-term affordability of the scheme. The subsidy scheme was introduced in 2012 after an announcement in the 2011 policy... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348958/hong-kong-must-not-undo-good-work-its-hk2-transport-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348958/hong-kong-must-not-undo-good-work-its-hk2-transport-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Authorities have demanded that Hong Kong’s largest franchised bus operator investigate glitches in its fare rebate machines, which provided free trips to passengers on the day a revised HK$2 (26 US cents) transport subsidy scheme was implemented. The city’s welfare minister also stressed on Saturday that the problems that occurred with KMB’s machines the previous day – when the revised scheme took effect – did not involve any malfunction in the government’s own system. “We understand that the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349016/kmb-told-probe-machines-gave-free-bus-rides-revised-hk2-scheme-launched?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349016/kmb-told-probe-machines-gave-free-bus-rides-revised-hk2-scheme-launched?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 04:00:32 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg A French container ship and a Japanese-owned tanker have crossed the Strait of Hormuz, in what appear to be the first such transits since the war in Iran closed the crucial waterway. The CMA CGM Kribi container ship exited the strait on Friday, according to ship tracking data compiled by Bloomberg and two people familiar with the situation. That is the first ship linked to western Europe that is known to have made it through since the war began more than a month ago. Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349004/iran-war-french-and-japanese-owned-ships-make-first-strait-hormuz-crossings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349004/iran-war-french-and-japanese-owned-ships-make-first-strait-hormuz-crossings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:32:11 +0000 Dewey Sim,Teresa Elena Frontado Dewey Sim,Teresa Elena Frontado US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has voiced “serious concerns” over China’s intensified inspections of Panama-flagged vessels, vowing that the US “stands firmly” with Panama amid the Latin American country’s escalating fallout with Beijing. Rubio said China’s recent actions “raise serious concerns about the use of economic tools to undermine the rule of law in Panama, a sovereign nation and vital partner for global commerce”. “Detentions, delays, or other impediments to the movement of vessels... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348859/rubio-raises-concerns-over-chinas-detention-panama-flagged-ships?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348859/rubio-raises-concerns-over-chinas-detention-panama-flagged-ships?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 19:34:46 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A UK-led meeting of some 40 countries on the Strait of Hormuz crisis wrapped up on Thursday with a demand for the “immediate and unconditional” reopening of the vital shipping route but no immediate breakthrough. “Iran is trying to hold the global economy hostage in the Strait of Hormuz. They must not prevail,” British foreign minister Yvette Cooper said in a statement. “To that effect, partners today called for the immediate and unconditional reopening of the Strait and respect for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348854/britain-says-40-countries-discuss-reopening-strait-hormuz-after-iran-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348854/britain-says-40-countries-discuss-reopening-strait-hormuz-after-iran-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:09:08 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu More than 40,000 Hong Kong taxi drivers have adopted major electronic payment platforms AlipayHK and WeChat Pay HK, easing a protracted pain point for mainland Chinese visitors who are expected to arrive in droves during the coming Ching Ming Festival break. AlipayHK, a subsidiary of Ant International, an affiliate of Alibaba Group Holding, which owns the South China Morning Post, said on Thursday that its e-payment system was available to 47,000 taxi drivers. WeChat Pay HK said more than 40,000... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3348828/40000-taxi-drivers-sign-e-payment-systems-new-rules-come-force?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3348828/40000-taxi-drivers-sign-e-payment-systems-new-rules-come-force?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 11:12:07 +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 From April 3, elderly and disabled passengers must pay 20 per cent of any fare exceeding HK$10 (US$1.28) under the revised HK$2 transport fare scheme. The government says this will curb people taking long-haul bus trips for short rides. But the debate obscures a different problem:... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3348663/hong-kong-needs-start-charging-all-bus-passengers-distance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3348663/hong-kong-needs-start-charging-all-bus-passengers-distance?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 03:30:11 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China has finished digging the underwater section of a high-speed rail tunnel stretching more than 14km (9 miles) under a busy segment of the Yangtze River, as the country increasingly turns to vast subterranean passages to expand its railway network. The tunnel beneath China’s longest waterway, which will link Shanghai’s Chongming Island with Taicang city in neighbouring Jiangsu province, is on track to be completed by the end of the year, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The project will allow... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348533/how-china-building-faster-high-speed-railways-using-vast-underwater-tunnels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348533/how-china-building-faster-high-speed-railways-using-vast-underwater-tunnels?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 02:00:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial It was alarming to see the actions of one individual cause so much disruption on a vital Hong Kong transport artery last Friday. The alleged misuse of an emergency exit on an MTR East Rail train has sparked calls for deterrents and public education. However, the resulting chaos should prompt a thorough review of contingency and response measures. Preliminary investigations found that an emergency exit ramp in the rear driver’s cabin was opened on a train heading north from Kowloon Tong to Tai... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3348509/service-failures-show-mtr-has-work-do-uphold-its-reputation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3348509/service-failures-show-mtr-has-work-do-uphold-its-reputation?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 22:45:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters President ⁠Donald Trump on Tuesday urged countries that did not help in the US-Israeli strikes on Iran to buy American oil and go to ‌the Strait of Hormuz and “just TAKE it”. Trump singled out Britain and France as unhelpful in the month-long war that has roiled global markets, driven up energy prices and seen Iran effectively close oil ⁠tanker traffic through the Strait. “All of those countries that can’t ‌get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which ‌refused... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348566/trump-urges-countries-go-strait-hormuz-and-just-take-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348566/trump-urges-countries-go-strait-hormuz-and-just-take-it?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 12:22:42 +0000 Mandy Zuo,Carol Yang Mandy Zuo,Carol Yang As global energy supplies are put under strain by Iranian disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, state-owned Chinese oil giant PetroChina has said its overall operations remain stable because most of its imports do not pass through the strait. However, the company’s investment operations in the Middle East had been “impacted to varying degrees”, as crude oil and natural gas imported through the strait accounted for about 10 per cent of its total operating volume, PetroChina... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348534/3-chinese-ships-exit-strait-hormuz-petrochina-stresses-operations-stable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348534/3-chinese-ships-exit-strait-hormuz-petrochina-stresses-operations-stable?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:00:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters Two Chinese container ships sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday on their second attempt to leave the Gulf after turning back on Friday, ship-tracking data showed. The critical waterway has effectively been shut since the US-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28. The vessels ‌sailed in close formation out of the strait and into open waters, data on the MarineTraffic platform showed. “Both vessels successfully crossed on a second attempt today, marking the first container vessels to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348455/chinese-container-ships-pass-through-strait-hormuz-second-attempt-data-shows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348455/chinese-container-ships-pass-through-strait-hormuz-second-attempt-data-shows?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 19:27:59 +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 I refer to the letter, “Why BMI should be just one data point among many” (March 25). The Department of Health shares a common goal with our community: the well-being of everyone in Hong Kong. We truly welcome feedback and perspectives which help raise awareness and bring us... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3348178/bmi-starting-point-not-whole-story-hong-kongs-weight-management-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3348178/bmi-starting-point-not-whole-story-hong-kongs-weight-management-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 03:30:09 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong railway experts have called for tougher penalties and stronger public education to prevent the misuse of emergency exits on trains following a recent incident on the MTR East Rail line that caused more than two hours of disruption during evening rush hour. The experts also cast doubt on a lawmaker’s proposal to make emergency doors less accessible, saying the move could compromise passenger safety. A preliminary investigation found that a passenger had opened the emergency exit ramp in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3348262/hong-kong-mtr-track-intrusion-prompts-calls-tougher-penalties-education?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3348262/hong-kong-mtr-track-intrusion-prompts-calls-tougher-penalties-education?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 13:36:52 +0000 Wee Kek Koon Wee Kek Koon I was watching a “C-drama”, or Chinese television drama, on Netflix and found myself silently questioning why I had to sit through a sluggish 20-minute set piece that could have been done and dusted in two. At that moment, the person who had persuaded me to watch the period potboiler asked, “What is a biaoju?”, referring to a key plot device in the show. China’s armed escort services, known as biaoju, grew out of a very practical problem: getting from point A to point B without being robbed or... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3347993/how-imperial-chinas-armed-escorts-became-stuff-legend?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3347993/how-imperial-chinas-armed-escorts-became-stuff-legend?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 00:15:07 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick China denied on Friday that it had intensified inspections of Panama-flagged vessels in retaliation for Panama’s decision to strip a Hong Kong-based conglomerate of port concessions at both ends of the Panama Canal, accusing Washington of seeking to seize control of the strategic waterway. During the daily press briefing at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, spokesman Lin Jian charged that the US had made “repeated wrongful allegations” about the inspections that exposed... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348217/china-denies-retaliating-against-panama-ships-accuses-washington-canal-grab?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348217/china-denies-retaliating-against-panama-ships-accuses-washington-canal-grab?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 20:09:58 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong lawmakers have expressed concern over the lack of a car park at the upgraded Huanggang border crossing, saying that providing a shuttle bus service for tour groups or motorists to reach the checkpoint building will not be convenient. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said on Friday that the revamped building – which is on the mainland Chinese side of the border in Shenzhen – would not have a public car park or bays for coaches. The Transport and Logistics Bureau would decide... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3348211/lawmakers-concerned-over-lack-parking-huanggang-border-checkpoint?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3348211/lawmakers-concerned-over-lack-parking-huanggang-border-checkpoint?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 15:04:56 +0000 Daniel Ren,Cheryl Arcibal Daniel Ren,Cheryl Arcibal China’s electric vehicle (EV) king BYD posted its first annual profit drop in four years as it faced intensifying competition from domestic rivals in a cutthroat market. The Shenzhen-based company reported a net profit of 32.6 billion yuan (US$4.72 billion) for 2025, down 18.97 per cent from a year earlier, according to a filing to the Hong Kong and Shenzhen stock exchanges. That missed a consensus forecast of 35.4 billion yuan in a Bloomberg survey of analysts. Revenue grew 3.46 per cent to... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348207/byds-four-year-profit-run-ends-eyes-global-markets-next-engine-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348207/byds-four-year-profit-run-ends-eyes-global-markets-next-engine-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:00:12 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Shandong Airlines, a subsidiary of flagship carrier Air China, has announced plans to lease 10 Boeing 737 aircraft, signalling China’s continued demand for the American jets as it looks to refresh an ageing fleet. The airline will pay a total fee of 2.88 billion yuan (US$405 million), with the aircraft to be delivered in batches over the coming two years, according to a notice Air China issued to the Shanghai Stock Exchange on Thursday. The deals include 10-year leases for three Boeing 737-800... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348170/air-china-subsidiary-lease-10-boeing-jets-deals-worth-about-us400-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348170/air-china-subsidiary-lease-10-boeing-jets-deals-worth-about-us400-million?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:00:09 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi The havoc unleashed on global shipping by the US-Israel war on Iran has underlined China’s urgent need to fix its lack of a robust maritime insurance industry, a shipping expert has said. “In the maritime shipping sector, China’s industrial chain for ‘hardware’ is very well-established and mature,” said Chen Jihong, director of the Shenzhen International Maritime Research Institute. “However, when it comes to ‘software’, we are still constrained by others, and it will be difficult to change any... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348096/iran-war-shows-chinas-urgent-need-plug-maritime-insurance-gap-expert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348096/iran-war-shows-chinas-urgent-need-plug-maritime-insurance-gap-expert?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong authorities have extended the tender deadline to find new operators for Kai Tak Cruise Terminal by a month, after bidders requested more time to prepare for new management requirements and key performance indicators (KPIs). The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau said on Friday that the tender’s closing date would be extended from May 22 to June 26. “[The bureau] has decided to extend the tender closing date in response to prospective tenderers’ requests to the government for more time... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3348088/hong-kong-kai-tak-cruise-terminal-tender-deadline-extended-1-month?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3348088/hong-kong-kai-tak-cruise-terminal-tender-deadline-extended-1-month?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 05:01:48 +0000 Reuters Reuters Malaysia’s Prime Minister ⁠Anwar Ibrahim said ⁠on Thursday he had spoken to the leaders of Iran, Egypt, Turkey and other regional countries and said Malaysian vessels were now being allowed ‌to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Anwar in a televised address thanked Iran’s president for allowing the passage of Malaysian ships. “We are now in the process of releasing the Malaysian oil tankers and the ⁠workers involved so that they may continue their journey home,” ‌he said. Anwar said he talked... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348031/iran-allow-malaysian-vessels-pass-strait-hormuz-anwar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348031/iran-allow-malaysian-vessels-pass-strait-hormuz-anwar?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:21:23 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Chinese self-driving technology firm Pony AI plans to launch robotaxi services with partners Uber Technologies and Verne in Zagreb, Croatia, spearheading commercialisation of autonomous cabs in Europe amid an accelerated go-global drive. The three companies aimed to operate a fleet of thousands of robotaxis in various European cities over the next few years after achieving consistent performance and safety, Guangzhou-based Pony said on Thursday. Neither the starting date for the service nor the... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348026/chinas-pony-ai-launch-robotaxi-service-europe-uber-local-start?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348026/chinas-pony-ai-launch-robotaxi-service-europe-uber-local-start?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 11:31:20 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation will carry out overnight signalling upgrade works on Sunday as part of preparations for the partial opening of the Tung Chung line extension later this year. Representatives from the city’s sole rail operator also said on Wednesday that the HK$19.5 billion (US$2.5 billion) project remained unaffected by a counterfeit brick scandal and the full extension was still on track to open in 2029. Upgrades to the existing system will take place in the early hours of Sunday,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3347858/hong-kongs-mtr-corp-upgrade-tung-chung-line-signalling-system-sunday-night?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3347858/hong-kongs-mtr-corp-upgrade-tung-chung-line-signalling-system-sunday-night?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 08:57:36 +0000 Nong Hong Nong Hong Gulf exporters are scrambling to bypass the Strait of Hormuz after Iran choked off most of the maritime traffic in one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates rushed to divert exports through overland pipelines; officials warned that even naval escorts could not guarantee safe passage. About a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade passed through this narrow waterway. The immediate shock was felt in the Gulf. The strategic... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3347190/conflict-middle-east-boosting-value-arctic-windfall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3347190/conflict-middle-east-boosting-value-arctic-windfall?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo Global trade flows are facing severe disruption amid the US-Israel war on Iran and unpredictable tariff policies. But logistics giant DHL still expects its revenues to soar in the coming years thanks in large part to Chinese companies’ rising global ambitions. The resilience of China’s outbound trade is a major reason DHL has maintained such an ambitious growth target even amid the Middle East crisis and constantly changing trade barriers, according to Oscar de Bok, CEO of the firm’s global... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347709/why-dhl-betting-rising-chinese-exports-even-war-and-tariff-risks-grow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347709/why-dhl-betting-rising-chinese-exports-even-war-and-tariff-risks-grow?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 12:00:07 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Chinese petrol prices rose the most since 2000, even after unprecedented government intervention, as the war in Iran upends global oil markets. Petrol went up by 1,160 yuan (US$169) per tonne at the end of Monday and diesel prices rose by 1,115 yuan, according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). The increases would have been about twice as high had the usual pricing rules been followed, it said. The roughly 11 per cent increases, the fifth this year, came after Iran closed... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3347712/china-ev-makers-gain-iran-war-drives-fuel-costs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3347712/china-ev-makers-gain-iran-war-drives-fuel-costs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 09:17:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A criminal trial opened in Greece on Monday over a train collision that killed 57 people, many of them college students, in a disaster that horrified the country and revealed long-neglected safety failures. The February 2023 crash triggered a fireball on impact and left passengers trapped in mangled rail cars. Most of the 36 defendants - all rail and transport officials - face serious charges linked to endangering public transport. The crash occurred at Tempe in northern Greece after a passenger... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347625/greece-trial-begins-rail-disaster-killed-57?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347625/greece-trial-begins-rail-disaster-killed-57?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:17:58 +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 The government’s Transport Strategy Blueprint sets a welcome long-term vision for Hong Kong’s transport network, emphasising a “dual-innovation” approach across three themes, six strategies and 25 recommendations. The plan is promising, but successful delivery hinges on concrete... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3347262/how-hong-kong-can-prepare-bring-its-transport-blueprint-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3347262/how-hong-kong-can-prepare-bring-its-transport-blueprint-life?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 03:30:09 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Some Discovery Bay residents have expressed frustration over a proposal to allow unrestricted taxi access to the seaside resort-like neighbourhood in Hong Kong, with a petition calling for greater public consultation garnering more than 1,100 signatures. In a reply to the South China Morning Post on Saturday, the Transport Department also confirmed it had received a taxi proposal from Discovery Bay’s management company, as well as “different views” from residents. Taxis have had limited access... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3347439/plan-full-taxi-access-discovery-bay-sparks-anger-among-some-residents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3347439/plan-full-taxi-access-discovery-bay-sparks-anger-among-some-residents?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 12:50:36 +0000