https://www.scmp.com/rss/322904/feed Latest news, analysis and opinion on the Communist Party of China which has ruled the country since 1949 and is currently led by General Secretary Xi Jinping. The party currently has over 90 million members and it began to admit private entrepreneurs into its ranks in 2001. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Dannie Peng Dannie Peng China’s leading cartographic scientist Zhou Chenghu – the former deputy director of the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) – is under investigation for corruption, the country’s top watchdog has confirmed. Zhou is being investigated by central and local anti-corruption bodies for “suspected serious violations of duty”, according to a notice posted on Monday by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the Communist... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3355712/top-chinese-map-making-scientist-detained-anti-corruption-sweep?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3355712/top-chinese-map-making-scientist-detained-anti-corruption-sweep?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:03:16 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Chinese authorities have praised the return of Tianya – which was one of the country’s most popular internet forums in the pre-algorithm, pre-short-video era – while cautioning that freedom of speech must be balanced with responsibility. The pioneering web portal was launched by Tianya Community Network Technology Co in 1999, when the internet was in its infancy in China, but suddenly closed in April 2023 due to financial problems. On Sunday, the company announced that the forum would come back... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3355684/pioneering-chinese-web-forum-returns-authorities-warn-free-speech-has-limits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3355684/pioneering-chinese-web-forum-returns-authorities-warn-free-speech-has-limits?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 09:00:06 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Beijing has appointed Yuan Gujie, a senior Guangdong province official who vowed to further connect rules in the Greater Bay Area, as a deputy director of its liaison office in Hong Kong. The state-run Xinhua News Agency announced on Monday that Yuan, 58, had succeeded diplomat Liu Guangyuan, who is expected to retire at age 61. The liaison office’s top leadership includes director Zhou Ji and four deputies. Yuan headed the provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission and also served as a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3355533/beijing-appoints-yuan-gujie-deputy-director-hong-kong-liaison-office?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3355533/beijing-appoints-yuan-gujie-deputy-director-hong-kong-liaison-office?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 07:16:11 +0000 Karen Tian Karen Tian China has appointed a new Party chief of the National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA), filling the vacancy left by Li Yunze whose profile was abruptly scrubbed from the regulator’s website last month. Ding Xiangqun will take the key financial regulatory position to oversee banks and insurers with combined assets of over 500 trillion yuan (US$73.89 trillion), according to a statement posted on the NFRA website yesterday. Ding has been appointed Party secretary of the regulator, while... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3355393/china-appoints-top-regulatory-official-financial-clean-drive-continues?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3355393/china-appoints-top-regulatory-official-financial-clean-drive-continues?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 04:08:59 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng China’s top military command has issued strict measures to enforce discipline among senior officials of the People’s Liberation Army, marking its latest bid to further tighten controls over the behaviour of the top brass. The Central Military Commission (CMC), led by President Xi Jinping as chairman, issued the “measures on strengthening the education, management and supervision of senior military cadres” recently, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday. In a front-page commentary on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3355134/chinas-top-military-officials-face-ironclad-rules-anti-corruption-fight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3355134/chinas-top-military-officials-face-ironclad-rules-anti-corruption-fight?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 10:00:12 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Chinese authorities praised the decision of Taiwanese actress and model Lin Chi-ling to quit her position as a new board member of the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), after her appointment drew backlash. Chen Binhua, a spokesman for Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a press conference on Wednesday that the TAICCA had orchestrated and funded films and television productions in recent years that “distort history and hype the ‘mainland threat’”. “It serves as a political tool for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3355143/china-praises-actress-lin-chi-ling-quitting-taiwan-culture-board?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3355143/china-praises-actress-lin-chi-ling-quitting-taiwan-culture-board?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 07:00:32 +0000 Tan Kong Yam,Clement CT Chan Tan Kong Yam,Clement CT Chan Singapore’s founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew once offered a striking observation on the nature of American power, wrote Harvard professor Joseph Nye in 2011. China, Lee argued, could draw upon its massive population but the United States possessed a deeper structural advantage: the ability to attract and recombine global talent within an unusually open, diverse and creative ecosystem. America’s innovation system was not merely large. It was generative. Fifteen years later, on April 30,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3354799/chinas-next-big-leap-becoming-frontier-science-civilisation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3354799/chinas-next-big-leap-becoming-frontier-science-civilisation?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 21:30:06 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Foreign spies have posed as wedding photographers near naval ports and used cars fitted with advanced radar, GPS and optical sensors to collect mapping data under the guise of autonomous driving research, China’s top state secrets watchdog has cautioned. The National Administration of State Secrets Protection’s warning about foreign spies acting as “eyes in the dark” came in its latest anti-espionage documentary, with state broadcaster CCTV airing the first episode on Tuesday. “In real life, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3354995/chinese-campaign-warns-spy-risks-found-wedding-photography-gifted-farm-equipment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3354995/chinese-campaign-warns-spy-risks-found-wedding-photography-gifted-farm-equipment?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 06:14:04 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang A Chinese aerospace engineer has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for espionage, according to state media, with the report underscoring official warnings that the aerospace industry is a cornerstone of national technological strength and defence security. The engineer, surnamed Zhu, graduated from a top university with a PhD in 2018, state broadcaster CCTV said on Monday. He then worked as an engineer in multiple aerospace research institutes and handled classified documents in the aerospace... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3354863/china-says-engineer-jailed-15-years-was-lured-sending-aerospace-secrets-overseas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3354863/china-says-engineer-jailed-15-years-was-lured-sending-aerospace-secrets-overseas?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 06:01:11 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong All 90 Hong Kong lawmakers are set to head to Beijing for a historic “national affairs study visit” in July, attending seminars, visiting key authorities and inspecting the tech sector during their week-long trip. The visit to the capital from July 19 to 25, which will include seminars on national security and geopolitical issues, is expected to cost about HK$1.4 million (US$179,000) in total, according to a paper submitted to the Legislative Council on Thursday. The estimated cost for each... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3354425/historic-legco-trip-beijing-include-tech-sector-tours-seminars-and-visits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3354425/historic-legco-trip-beijing-include-tech-sector-tours-seminars-and-visits?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 15:57:06 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado Congressional reaction to US President Donald Trump’s visit to China highlighted how sharply Washington’s political consensus on Beijing has shifted in recent years, with lawmakers from both parties warning against any perceived softening of US support for Taiwan or broader strategic competition with the mainland. While Democrats criticised Trump for appearing too accommodating towards Beijing, many Republicans also stressed that economic engagement with China should not come at the expense of... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3354019/trumps-china-trip-highlights-bipartisan-shift-washingtons-approach-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3354019/trumps-china-trip-highlights-bipartisan-shift-washingtons-approach-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 18:07:43 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier A Chinese-American was found guilty on Wednesday of acting as a Chinese agent in a case involving a Chinese police station set up in New York’s Chinatown. The week-long trial of Lu “Harry” Jianwang, 64, was seen as a test of Washington’s ability to counter what prosecutors said were efforts by Beijing to expand its influence and intimidate Chinese communities well beyond its shores. On the three charges Lu faced in the US Eastern District Court of New York, he was found guilty of acting as an... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3353484/chinese-american-found-guilty-new-york-overseas-police-station-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3353484/chinese-american-found-guilty-new-york-overseas-police-station-case?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 22:00:53 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier A US government witness in a trial of an alleged illegal Chinese police station in New York testified on Monday that he was harassed after holding a protest against establishing the Fuzhou-directed facility, one of several that China purportedly set up overseas. The US government has charged Lu Jianwang, 64, with acting as an unauthorised agent of China; conspiracy to act as a foreign agent and obstruction of justice. Prosecutors argue that it is part of a pattern that underscores China’s bid to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353201/us-trial-hears-witness-claims-harassment-over-chinese-secret-police-station?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353201/us-trial-hears-witness-claims-harassment-over-chinese-secret-police-station?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 23:00:37 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang The relationship between mainland China and Taiwan is not one of state-to-state relations, Chang Rong-kung, vice-chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT), the island’s main opposition party, told Beijing’s top official on Taiwan affairs on Monday. Chang met Wang Huning, chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the Communist Party’s No 4 official, at the opening day of the third annual Cross-Strait Chinese Culture Summit. Wang said the summit showed people on both sides of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3353165/cross-strait-ties-are-not-state-state-kmt-vice-chair-tells-senior-beijing-official?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3353165/cross-strait-ties-are-not-state-state-kmt-vice-chair-tells-senior-beijing-official?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 11:26:02 +0000 Christine Loh Christine Loh There is growing unease in how we describe political systems today. Words that once seemed clear no longer illuminate as they should. “Free”, “democratic”, “liberal” and “authoritarian” are among the most commonly used terms in political discourse, yet their meanings have become increasingly blurred and contested. This is not simply a matter of semantics. It reflects a deeper mismatch between the language we use and the realities we are trying to describe. The problem is not new. In George... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352499/rise-china-complicates-authoritarian-vs-democratic-binary?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352499/rise-china-complicates-authoritarian-vs-democratic-binary?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 01:30:05 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo You can perhaps judge the rise and decline of a society by the quality of its public intellectuals. In the last century, the United States had some genuinely great thinkers such as Walter Lippmann and Hannah Arendt who addressed a literate public while producing enduring works that can still be read today with great benefit. Now you have people like Francis Fukuyama and Sam Harris who may be studied in the future more as a symptom of their society. A podcast between the two last month went viral... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352843/has-china-just-ended-end-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352843/has-china-just-ended-end-history?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 May 2026 01:30:05 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng A Taiwanese company with mainland China subsidiaries has fired the nephew of Taiwan’s interior minister, Liu Shyh-fang, whom Beijing blames for Taipei’s hostile cross-strait policies. In a statement issued on Wednesday night, a Jiangxi-province-based subsidiary of Taiwan’s Long Time Technology Co Ltd said Yen Wen-chun had been dismissed from all positions at the firm and its mainland units, effective April 7. Yen is a nephew of Liu, who is on Beijing’s sanctions list for allegedly undermining... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352731/taiwan-firm-mainland-branches-fires-nephew-taipei-minister-invoking-ire-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352731/taiwan-firm-mainland-branches-fires-nephew-taipei-minister-invoking-ire-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 08:06:30 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Judges in Shenzhen – China’s Silicon Valley – processed 50 per cent more cases last year than in 2024 with the help of a pilot system powered by AI technology, according to the city’s Intermediate People’s Court. It said the artificial intelligence-driven system would now be introduced in the courts of dozens more Chinese cities. In a social media post on Tuesday, the Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court said each judge in the city had handled an average of 744 cases in 2025 – up by 249 cases... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352161/ai-helped-shenzhen-judges-handle-cases-50-faster-future-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352161/ai-helped-shenzhen-judges-handle-cases-50-faster-future-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 04:00:08 +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 (read part two here), 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... 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 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Foreign forces are using social media to spread the notion that young Chinese people should be “lying flat” and not working hard as they seek to undermine China’s development, the country’s top anti-espionage agency has warned. The Ministry of State Security cautioned that anti-China forces were trying to magnify social anxiety by continuously “promoting negative notions” that effort was futile and hard work made no gain. The intention was to “erode the spirit of perseverance among China’s youth... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351681/foreign-forces-promote-lying-flat-messages-undermine-chinas-economy-mss?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351681/foreign-forces-promote-lying-flat-messages-undermine-chinas-economy-mss?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China’s official media has released a series of guidelines for would-be civil servants, warning them to dress modestly. Candidates were told they should wear “light and elegant” suits, and men were advised to get a haircut. Women were told to have clean nails, avoid jewellery, complicated make-up and make sure their hair did not cover their ears or eyes. Competition for civil service jobs – traditionally seen as an “iron rice bowl” because of the security they offer – has intensified in recent... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351411/could-hair-or-cosmetics-be-make-or-break-factors-chinas-would-be-civil-servants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351411/could-hair-or-cosmetics-be-make-or-break-factors-chinas-would-be-civil-servants?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 07:35:17 +0000 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 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 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Beijing’s decision to resume direct flights to Taiwan, alongside nine other measures to deepen cross-strait exchanges and ties, shows the value of dialogue. These steps, announced immediately after Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s recent six-day visit, including a meeting with Communist Party leader Xi Jinping, are a reminder that trust and cooperation are more likely to result in improvement to fraught relations, while confrontation leads only to stagnation. The measures go beyond symbolic... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3350458/beijings-10-point-plan-sends-strong-signal-ordinary-taiwanese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3350458/beijings-10-point-plan-sends-strong-signal-ordinary-taiwanese?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 23:15:10 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Hong Kong authorities expect students as young as six to “feel proud to be Chinese” and to have a basic understanding of national affairs, according to a revamped guide on values education stressing patriotism. The 2026 Values Education Curriculum Framework, published by the Education Bureau on Thursday, applies to all government, aided, special and private schools, as well as those under the Direct Subsidy Scheme. The framework was prepared by the Standing Committee on Values Education, which... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3350358/hong-kong-students-young-6-should-feel-proud-be-chinese-learning-guide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3350358/hong-kong-students-young-6-should-feel-proud-be-chinese-learning-guide?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 12:54:22 +0000 Jianlu Bi Jianlu Bi On April 12, Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office unveiled a 10-point policy package aimed at turning political dialogue into practical action. From restoring regular direct flights to sharing water, electricity and gas supplies with the frontline islands of Quemoy, also known as Kinmen, and Matsu, the measures represent a tangible peace dividend. Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s visit to Beijing, where Communist Party chief Xi Jinping held a historic meeting with her, signifies a profound shift... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3349791/strategic-logic-xis-historic-meeting-taiwans-cheng-li-wun?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3349791/strategic-logic-xis-historic-meeting-taiwans-cheng-li-wun?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai “I can’t wait to watch the game – it’s Lion’s Head Meatballs versus Hairy Crab!” Liu Jieling, a 42-year-old company executive from Suzhou, joked about a derby clash pitting a side inspired by her city’s signature crustacean cuisine against one by Yangzhou’s steamed meatballs. The 2026 season of the Jiangsu City Football League – popularly known as the Su Super League – kicks off on Saturday, and the amateur tournament in Jiangsu, a province in eastern China, is already generating huge buzz... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349732/winners-chinas-growing-intercity-football-rivalries-may-surprise-you?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349732/winners-chinas-growing-intercity-football-rivalries-may-surprise-you?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 08:00:17 +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 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 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Cheng Li-wun will be the first sitting chairperson of Taiwan’s opposition Kuomintang to visit the mainland since Hung Hsiu-chu nearly 10 years ago. The announcement of the trip, from April 7 to 12, at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, comes at a sensitive time in cross-strait relations, with four American senators arriving in Taiwan to promote arms sales opposed by Beijing, and Xi expected to host a summit with President Donald Trump next month. Xi’s invitation to Cheng, elected KMT... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3348647/taiwan-kuomintang-leaders-visit-mainland-china-gives-reason-hope?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3348647/taiwan-kuomintang-leaders-visit-mainland-china-gives-reason-hope?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 23:15:12 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin China has emerged as a focal point in the debate over US birthright citizenship, as the nation’s Supreme Court appeared sceptical of oral arguments on Wednesday in a landmark case driven by President Donald Trump’s push to restrict the practice. Birthright citizenship “has spawned a sprawling industry of birth tourism”, said Solicitor General D. John Sauer, Trump’s top litigator, in his opening remarks before the highest court in the country. “Uncounted thousands of foreigners from potentially... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348722/china-targeted-birthright-citizenship-debate-supreme-court-justices-sceptical?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348722/china-targeted-birthright-citizenship-debate-supreme-court-justices-sceptical?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 21:21:48 +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 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 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi As the US-Israeli war on Iran continues, China’s top legislator, Zhao Leji, has told the Boao Forum for Asia – a high-level gathering of governments and business leaders – that power politics should be rejected in favour of economic development and conflicts should be resolved through negotiations. “The people of Asia, having endured the scourge of war and chaos, deeply understand the value of peace and stability,” said Zhao, chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, China’s... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347963/iran-war-rages-china-links-peace-economic-growth-boao-forum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347963/iran-war-rages-china-links-peace-economic-growth-boao-forum?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 06:39:36 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Danny Mok Matthew Cheng,Danny Mok Beijing has selected Zhang Dongmei, a former vice-president of the All-China Women’s Federation, as a new deputy director of the top office overseeing Hong Kong affairs, making her the first woman to take on the role since the body’s status was elevated in 2023. Zhang’s appointment as the new deputy head of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) fills the vacancy left by the departure of Xiang Bin, a Communist Party of China group member of the office, earlier this year. The State... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3347890/zhang-dongmei-named-new-deputy-director-office-overseeing-hong-kong-affairs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3347890/zhang-dongmei-named-new-deputy-director-office-overseeing-hong-kong-affairs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:17:34 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for developing the Xiongan New Area into an innovation hub to drive high-quality growth. Xi made the call on Monday during his first inspection tour of the “city of the future” following the “two sessions” annual parliamentary meetings and the launch of China’s 15th five-year plan. The state-level megacity in Hebei province, about 100km (62 miles) southwest of Beijing, is Xi’s signature project aimed at taking the urban pressure off the capital. Xi visited... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347690/xi-jinping-pushes-xiongan-embrace-science-and-technology-build-city-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347690/xi-jinping-pushes-xiongan-embrace-science-and-technology-build-city-future?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:29:46 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela China’s southern tech hub of Shenzhen has a new Communist Party chief, nearly six months after the city’s former party boss was promoted to provincial governor. State media announced on Sunday that Jin Lei, 56, had been appointed Shenzhen’s party chief as well as a member of the Guangdong provincial party committee and its standing committee. Jin, an economist and former official in the southwestern province of Sichuan, takes over from Meng Fanli, who had been in the position since April... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347482/veteran-iphone-city-tapped-party-boss-chinas-silicon-valley?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347482/veteran-iphone-city-tapped-party-boss-chinas-silicon-valley?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 11:01:00 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier The House Select Committee on China released a report on Friday asserting that China is manipulating its position at the United Nations to “undermine America’s interests and advance its international ambitions”. The 34-page report makes the case that China uses budget contributions, appointments to key UN executive positions and strategically deployed troops to expand its reach. The committee did not detail how these activities differed from how most countries operate at the UN, or the influence... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347399/us-claims-china-manipulating-its-position-un-undermine-americas-interests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347399/us-claims-china-manipulating-its-position-un-undermine-americas-interests?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 23:17:06 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Local governments across China have rushed to ride the OpenClaw AI boom in hopes of spurring economic growth, only for Beijing to step in swiftly to rein in the frenzy. Authorities in Beijing have issued a series of safety warnings that analysts say underscore the divide in priorities between local and central authorities. The rush to adopt the artificial intelligence (AI) software has seen major internet companies offer low-cost or easily accessible versions, while local governments have rolled... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346384/what-chinas-openclaw-divide-reveals-about-local-and-central-government-priorities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346384/what-chinas-openclaw-divide-reveals-about-local-and-central-government-priorities?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 10:57:44 +0000 William Zheng,Sylvie Zhuang William Zheng,Sylvie Zhuang In his decades toiling as a health official in a coastal Chinese province, Alan Chen has rarely had to study a subject about which he knew so little. “Nd is Neodymium. It is needed for almost all modern EV motors. China dominates the refining of Nd oxide. Dy is Dysprosium. It is needed for magnets to operate at high temperatures and is also essential for EV motors.” This was the kind of content Chen pored over in a training course he attended at the Central Party School, the Communist Party’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345957/economic-security-101-why-chinas-officials-now-have-study-rare-earths-and-supply-chains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345957/economic-security-101-why-chinas-officials-now-have-study-rare-earths-and-supply-chains?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 22:00:08 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said 2026 could be a “landmark year” in relations with the United States, allaying concerns that the war in Iran might derail ties and an expected visit by US President Donald Trump. “I believe that when the two sides treat each other with sincerity and good faith, we will be able to lengthen the list of cooperation, and shorten the list of problems,” Wang told reporters in Beijing on Sunday. The countries could “produce results that are satisfactory to both... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345967/chinas-wang-sees-landmark-year-us-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345967/chinas-wang-sees-landmark-year-us-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 09:00:11 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Nearly five decades ago, in 1978, a dozen or so professors from Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) were on a mission to visit their American counterparts as well as research institutes and factories across the United States. The visit, said to be personally approved by then Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, was designed to forge academic ties and led to sister-school agreements with four prestigious US universities, including the University of Michigan (UM). It was a pivotal moment in academic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345807/us-universities-retreat-china-partnerships-who-filling-academic-void?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345807/us-universities-retreat-china-partnerships-who-filling-academic-void?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 22:00:11 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang Chinese President Xi Jinping has again sought to shore up the military’s ideological defences, demanding absolute loyalty to the Communist Party from all ranks, just weeks after the country’s top general came under investigation for corruption. “There must be no room within the military for those harbouring disloyalty towards the party, nor any shelter for corrupt individuals,” Xi told a meeting of military and armed police lawmakers on the sidelines of the National People’s Congress (NPC) on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345830/xi-jinpings-zero-fail-mission-chinas-military-total-loyalty-no-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345830/xi-jinpings-zero-fail-mission-chinas-military-total-loyalty-no-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 14:00:07 +0000 Jianxi Liu Jianxi Liu China’s “two sessions” this year presents less of a story of an economic miracle than of transition: from high-speed to high-quality growth, and from dependence on external demand to a more resilient, innovation-driven economy. Against a backdrop of global tensions and fragmenting supply chains, Beijing is using this political moment to signal that it sees opportunity in adversity and is prepared to recalibrate its development model rather than cling to the habits of the boom years. For China,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3345552/chinas-two-sessions-show-plans-resilience-stormy-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3345552/chinas-two-sessions-show-plans-resilience-stormy-world?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China set the lowest economic growth target since 1991 as the country contends with global trade tensions, weak domestic demand and rising debt from white elephant investments. A target range for growth of 4.5 to 5 per cent, “while striving for better in practice” was announced by Premier Li Qiang as he delivered the annual government work report on the opening day of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the annual legislative gathering. That marks a reduction from “around 5 per cent” in each... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3345566/chinas-growth-target-cut-reflects-pragmatism-amid-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3345566/chinas-growth-target-cut-reflects-pragmatism-amid-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 09:45:18 +0000 Josephine Ma Josephine Ma Song Ping, a veteran Chinese revolutionary who lived through five generations of Communist Party leaders, has died at the age of 108. He died at 3.36pm in Beijing on Wednesday, state news agency Xinhua reported, describing him as a loyal communist fighter, and an outstanding state and party leader. Song’s career began in the 1930s before the founding of the People’s Republic including a spell as political secretary to the future premier Zhou Enlai. Song held many important positions during the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345438/song-ping-veteran-chinese-communist-dies-aged-108-after-career-spanned-decades?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345438/song-ping-veteran-chinese-communist-dies-aged-108-after-career-spanned-decades?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 10:56:06 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Lam Ka-sing Matthew Cheng,Lam Ka-sing Beijing will roll out further favourable measures for Hong Kong while the coming 15th five-year plan will also step up support for the city in leveraging its unique strengths, a spokesman for the nation’s legislature has said. National People’s Congress (NPC) spokesman Lou Qinjian said on Wednesday that the central government would make further arrangements in the 15th five-year plan to support Hong Kong in “leveraging its unique strengths and to perform a significant role”. “More beneficial... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3345402/chinas-top-advisory-body-urges-greater-bay-area-cities-align-rules-regulations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3345402/chinas-top-advisory-body-urges-greater-bay-area-cities-align-rules-regulations?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 08:42:57 +0000 Cao Li Cao Li Ahead of China’s annual legislative meetings – typically a window into Beijing’s top-level policy agenda – this is the seventh entry in a series examining the complex economic recalibration driving China’s growth philosophy and its wide-ranging implications for local governments, financial investors and private enterprises. Investors and policy watchers will be looking to this week’s meetings of China’s national legislature and top political advisory body – also known as the “two sessions” – for... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3345261/investors-watch-chinas-two-sessions-clues-property-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3345261/investors-watch-chinas-two-sessions-clues-property-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 23:30:07 +0000 Wang Xiangwei Wang Xiangwei As China’s leaders convene for the annual “two sessions” starting this week, the eyes of the world will be fixed on Beijing. This gathering is no ordinary policy meeting. Beyond setting the economic growth target for 2026, it will finalise the 15th five-year plan (2026–2030), a blueprint that will define the nation’s economic and social priorities for the second half of this decade. In an era of intensifying great-power competition, particularly with the United States, these decisions will shape... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344883/now-time-china-show-its-serious-about-opening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344883/now-time-china-show-its-serious-about-opening?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 21:30:08 +0000