https://www.scmp.com/rss/325086/feed At age 39, Emmanuel Macron became the youngest president in the history of France, dramatically reshaping the country's politics in the process. Macron served in Francois Hollande's government and later became the Minister of Economy. However, he resigned in 2016 and announced he would run for the presidency, thereupon founding a new centrist political movement called En Marche! As support for France's major political parties collapsed, Macron's outsider status became his greatest asset. As he... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Signatories of the landmark nuclear non-proliferation treaty began a meeting on Monday at the United Nations in New York as fears of a renewed arms race escalate, with atomic powers again at loggerheads over safeguards. In 2022, during the last review of the treaty considered the cornerstone of non-proliferation, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned humanity was “one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation”. On Monday he warned “the drivers” of nuclear weapons... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351625/looming-risk-nuclear-arms-race-un-proliferation-meeting-hears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351625/looming-risk-nuclear-arms-race-un-proliferation-meeting-hears?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 21:41:03 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang From Taiwan to Tibet, French President Emmanuel Macron has touched Beijing’s nerves on a range of sensitive issues over the past few weeks. On a trip to Japan earlier this month, he and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi “emphasised the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and urged a peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues through constructive dialogue”. The irritation for Beijing was less about the language and more about the timing, with the joint statement coming... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351418/macron-touches-beijings-nerves-taiwan-and-tibet-he-heads-exit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351418/macron-touches-beijings-nerves-taiwan-and-tibet-he-heads-exit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 10:00:14 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A second French soldier died on Wednesday from wounds suffered in a weekend ambush against UN peacekeepers in Lebanon blamed on Hezbollah, President Emmanuel Macron said. A first soldier, staff sergeant Florian Montorio, was shot dead in the Saturday ambush, for which Hezbollah has denied responsibility. “Corporal Anicet Girardin … brought home yesterday from Lebanon, where he was badly wounded by Hezbollah fighters, died this morning of the consequences of his wounds,” Macron posted on X. One... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351049/second-french-peacekeeper-dies-after-ambush-blamed-hezbollah?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351049/second-french-peacekeeper-dies-after-ambush-blamed-hezbollah?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:19:43 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has been putting her own spin on omotenashi, the Japanese concept of hospitality, to build personal rapport with foreign leaders as her diplomatic skills are put to the test about six months into office. Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister, who was not widely known for her diplomatic experience before taking office, has been adding an element of entertainment to summit talks and relying on personal gifts to win over her counterparts. Most... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350665/how-sanae-takaichi-redefining-japanese-diplomacy-personal-touches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350665/how-sanae-takaichi-redefining-japanese-diplomacy-personal-touches?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 02:40:14 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse France and Britain said on Friday that they would lead a multinational mission to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, while emphasising the force would be entirely defensive and only deployed once lasting peace in the region was agreed. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the force was being set up as they co-chaired international talks in Paris focused on ensuring free-flowing trade through the critical shipping corridor. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350543/iran-war-france-and-uk-lead-defensive-force-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350543/iran-war-france-and-uk-lead-defensive-force-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 17:35:55 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham,Xiaofei Xu Finbarr Bermingham,Xiaofei Xu France and Britain are pulling together a coalition of more than 30 nations on Friday for a Parisian summit aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Neither the United States nor Israel or Iran have been invited to the first major European push to influence a war that was launched six weeks ago by a US-Israeli bombardment on Iran. Europe insists it is not a party to the war, but as energy prices soar and munitions get diverted from Ukraine it is already paying the price. China is among the Asian... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350404/why-europe-testing-third-way-hormuz-without-us-israel-and-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350404/why-europe-testing-third-way-hormuz-without-us-israel-and-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 04:24:07 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar President Prabowo Subianto’s heavy overseas travel schedule is drawing scrutiny at home as Indonesians are asked to curb fuel use and officials have had to cut back on foreign trips. The attention reflects a growing debate over the value and timing of the president’s diplomacy as higher global oil prices put fresh pressure on Indonesia’s fuel subsidy bill – even as Prabowo defended some of his recent travel as being aimed at securing energy supplies and economic opportunities for his... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350189/uproar-prabowo-tours-world-while-indonesians-told-work-home-save-fuel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350189/uproar-prabowo-tours-world-while-indonesians-told-work-home-save-fuel?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Ghana said France was open to having ⁠discussions with a coalition ⁠of countries that are calling ⁠for reparations for transatlantic slavery, following a meeting last week with President Emmanuel Macron. Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama, accompanied by Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and other officials, held talks with Macron in Paris on Wednesday. Ablakwa said on X after the meeting that Macron had indicated France was open to discussions on reparations, including the return of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349925/france-open-engaging-slavery-reparations-says-ghana?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349925/france-open-engaging-slavery-reparations-says-ghana?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:50:32 +0000 Reuters Reuters French President Emmanuel Macron has invited US President ⁠Donald Trump to a ⁠sumptuous dinner at the ornate Palace of ⁠Versailles the day after a G7 summit in mid-June, although it remains unclear if Trump will attend either event, sources said. France is the host of this year’s G7, with a leaders’ summit in the lakeside resort of Evian-les-Bains at the foot ‌of the French Alps scheduled for June 15-17 – dates that Macron has already moved to accommodate a mixed martial arts event Trump is... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349688/macron-woos-trump-g7-summit-versailles-palace-dinner-will-he-bite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349688/macron-woos-trump-g7-summit-versailles-palace-dinner-will-he-bite?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:35:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday welcomed two French nationals who returned to Paris after spending almost four years detained in Iran on espionage charges, with the French leader hailing “the end of a terrible ordeal”. Cecile Kohler, 41, and Jacques Paris, 72, arrived on a commercial flight, landing at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris shortly before 9am. They were met on the tarmac by foreign ministry officials. Macron greeted the pair in the gardens of the Elysee Palace. They appeared... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349406/macron-greets-french-detainees-back-paris-after-terrible-ordeal-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349406/macron-greets-french-detainees-back-paris-after-terrible-ordeal-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:21:02 +0000 Agencies Agencies Israel renewed its strikes in southern Lebanon and urged residents in parts of Beirut to evacuate on Wednesday, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted the US-Iran truce does not extend to the war against Hezbollah. Israel hit several dense commercial and residential areas in central Beirut on Wednesday afternoon. Israel’s military called it the largest coordinated strike in the current war, striking more than 100 Hezbollah targets within 10 minutes in Beirut, southern Lebanon... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349405/israel-says-battle-lebanon-continues-despite-iran-war-truce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349405/israel-says-battle-lebanon-continues-despite-iran-war-truce?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:12:54 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Iran has allowed two French former detainees, Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, to leave the country, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday. They had been holed up in French diplomatic premises there since their release from prison. “Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris are free and en route towards French territory, after three and a half years of detention in Iran,” Macron posted on social media. The green light for them to leave Iran, long sought by France, signalled how Iran is... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349300/iran-allows-2-french-former-detainees-leave-country?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349300/iran-allows-2-french-former-detainees-leave-country?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:30:58 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan France and Germany have ramped up diplomatic efforts to contain the fallout from an escalating Middle East oil crisis, seeking to project European autonomy and distance themselves from the US-Israeli war on Iran. But as the conflict entered its second month, analysts said this was more about damage control than a leadership bid. They said while Berlin and Paris were at the forefront of calls for de-escalation they had limited room for manoeuvre given their security dependence on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349142/strait-hormuz-are-france-and-germany-just-out-manage-their-irrelevance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349142/strait-hormuz-are-france-and-germany-just-out-manage-their-irrelevance?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 22:00:12 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong Efforts by South Korea and France to secure safe passage for vessels through the Strait of Hormuz are likely to be centred on a post-war defensive armada with other countries. Analysts also say both nations are wary of joining the Middle East conflict at this point in time and antagonising Iran. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Friday revealed he had agreed with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron to cooperate on safety in the strategic oil supply strait. Lee made the remarks after a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348983/why-south-korea-france-prefer-diplomacy-over-force-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348983/why-south-korea-france-prefer-diplomacy-over-force-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 01:00:14 +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 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 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that a military operation to liberate the Strait of Hormuz is “unrealistic”, while lamenting Donald Trump’s differing daily statements on the Iran war and Nato. “There are those who advocate for the liberation of the Strait of Hormuz by force through a military operation, a position sometimes expressed by the United States,” Macron said during a visit to South Korea. “I say sometimes because it has varied, it is never the option we have chosen... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348842/frances-macron-says-military-operation-liberate-strait-hormuz-unrealistic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348842/frances-macron-says-military-operation-liberate-strait-hormuz-unrealistic?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:51:47 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed on Wednesday to design a road map for critical minerals supply as they seek to deepen cooperation in the sector amid China’s dominance of global rare earths. The two leaders also affirmed that Japan and France will maintain close communication in support of efforts to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East and establish a high-level dialogue on artificial intelligence, Takaichi said at a joint press appearance... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3348694/japan-france-draw-road-map-supply-critical-minerals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3348694/japan-france-draw-road-map-supply-critical-minerals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 11:58:08 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Emmanuel Macron touched down in Tokyo on Tuesday with a packed agenda and a receptive audience in a Japanese government anxious about a choked oil route and looking for support amid its diplomatic falling-out with Beijing. The French president’s three-day visit, before he heads to South Korea later in the week, comes as Japan looks to Europe for solidarity amid a crisis in the Strait of Hormuz that has sent oil prices soaring. The backdrop to Macron’s meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348495/japan-seeks-french-backing-macron-begins-asia-trip-iran-wars-shadow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348495/japan-seeks-french-backing-macron-begins-asia-trip-iran-wars-shadow?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 06:36:20 +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 second in a two-part series, Xinlu Liang looks at how China is wielding law, diplomacy and a Global South coalition to rewrite the rules of restitution, filling a void left by a retreating US. In January, as the United States was withdrawing from a raft of heritage and science bodies around the world, China was... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348243/how-china-stepping-cultural-repatriation-void-left-retreating-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348243/how-china-stepping-cultural-repatriation-void-left-retreating-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 22:00:13 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam In 2023, among the picturesque greenery of the Pine Garden reception hall in Guangzhou, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron met informally to discuss the crisis in Ukraine and trade relations. As they discussed the state of the world, the two presidents drank Jade Dove red wine from Xige Estate in Ningxia, China. Chinese wines have come a long way, and began winning international competitions in the 2010s. More than a decade later, the challenge is to build an... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3348068/wine-bordeaux-china-ningxia-rise-can-it-rival-french-bottles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3348068/wine-bordeaux-china-ningxia-rise-can-it-rival-french-bottles?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 07:15:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters President ⁠Donald Trump assailed ⁠Nato allies on Friday ⁠over their lack of support for the US-Israel war against Iran, calling the long-time US allies “cowards”. “Without the U.S.A., Nato IS A PAPER TIGER!” Trump said in a social media post. Trump has ‌been calling for major US allies and others, none of whom were consulted or advised on the war, to help secure the safety of shipping through the Iran-controlled Strait of Hormuz. The conflict has roiled global markets, killed thousands and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347385/trump-calls-nato-cowards-over-lack-support-us-israel-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347385/trump-calls-nato-cowards-over-lack-support-us-israel-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 14:50:36 +0000 Reuters Reuters When US President Donald Trump ⁠asked countries to join a global effort against Iran and deploy ships to prise open the Strait of Hormuz, whose near closure has held the global economy in a vice, he was rebuffed by some of America’s closest allies. Using unusually blunt language, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told his country’s lawmakers on Wednesday that he agreed Iran must not be allowed to pose a threat to its neighbours but expressed doubts about the rationale behind the US-Israeli... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347086/europe-says-no-trumps-iran-demands-not-our-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347086/europe-says-no-trumps-iran-demands-not-our-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:12:55 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Azerbaijan on Monday sentenced a Frenchman to 10 years in prison in an espionage case launched during a period of diplomatic tensions between Paris and Baku that have now eased. Martin Ryan was arrested in December 2023 and went on trial in January last year, when relations between Azerbaijan and France had deteriorated to new lows over Paris’ support for Armenia, Baku’s long-time rival. The court found him guilty of spying against Azerbaijan and sentenced him to 10 years. Prosecutors had sought... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346788/frenchman-jailed-10-years-azerbaijan-im-not-spy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346788/frenchman-jailed-10-years-azerbaijan-im-not-spy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:54:18 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China and the US wrapped up their sixth round of trade talks in Paris on Monday, with the agenda ranging from a possible extension of bilateral tariff and non-tariff measures as well as bilateral investment. “China and the US conducted deep, frank and constructive consultations,” Chinese vice commerce minister Li Chenggang said. Both sides agreed to “continue to maintain the stability of tariffs” and discussed the possibility of establishing a mechanism for promoting bilateral investment, said... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346787/china-and-us-end-trade-talks-doubts-form-over-trump-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346787/china-and-us-end-trade-talks-doubts-form-over-trump-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:48:53 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin US President Donald Trump on Saturday urged other nations, including China, to deploy ships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil supplies disrupted by the war in the Middle East. “Many Countries, especially those who are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending War Ships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346628/iran-war-trump-urges-china-other-nations-send-warships-secure-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346628/iran-war-trump-urges-china-other-nations-send-warships-secure-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 16:37:02 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Japan and Germany said on Wednesday they would tap into their oil reserves to tackle the rise in crude prices due to the Middle East war, with Berlin saying the IEA global energy body had asked member states to release 400 million barrels. France, the current chair of the Group of Seven countries, said nations were coordinating their steps as G7 energy ministers said they stood ready to take “all necessary measures”. The latest announcement came as leaders of the Group of Seven advanced... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346251/germany-japan-unblock-oil-reserves-g7-stands-ready-act?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346251/germany-japan-unblock-oil-reserves-g7-stands-ready-act?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 12:29:15 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Ships anchored in the Gulf or transiting the Strait of Hormuz are changing their tracking data to boast links to China in an attempt to evade Iranian attacks, according to data from shipping tracker Marine Traffic analysed by Agence France-Presse. Iran has effectively closed the vital waterway since US-Israeli strikes on it began on February 28, and at least 10 vessels have been attacked since. But by claiming to have an “all-Chinese crew” aboard, or changing their destination to “Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346021/ships-brandish-china-links-evade-irans-attacks-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346021/ships-brandish-china-links-evade-irans-attacks-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 17:52:45 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday the G7 will discuss a possible release of strategic oil reserves, as finance ministers of the world’s leading industrialised nations prepared to meet for crisis talks on the Middle East war. Macron, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the Group of Seven advanced economies, said that “the use of strategic reserves is an option being considered”. A possible meeting of G7 heads of state and government could take place this week, Macron told... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346002/g7-discuss-possible-emergency-release-oil-reserves-says-frances-macron?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346002/g7-discuss-possible-emergency-release-oil-reserves-says-frances-macron?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:24:34 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse President Emmanuel Macron will visit Cyprus on Monday, his office said, as France deploys warships to the Mediterranean following a drone attack on the island EU member days ago. Macron will meet his Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Paphos to show “solidarity” and detail moves to “strengthen security around Cyprus and in the eastern Mediterranean”, the Elysee said on Sunday. The visit will take place as the war pitting the US and Israel... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345905/macron-visit-cyprus-france-deploys-warships-mediterranean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345905/macron-visit-cyprus-france-deploys-warships-mediterranean?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 16:54:36 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen China’s international clout and economic stability are rebalancing Beijing’s relations with Europe, putting more focus on cooperation and less on rivalry, according to a former Chinese envoy. “With European leaders coming to China one after another, they are coming with their own considerations: hoping to strengthen bilateral relations in the new context and find ways to benefit from China’s continued development,” said Wu Ken, China’s ambassador to Germany from 2019 to 2024. On the sidelines of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345754/rivals-partners-china-and-europe-are-retooling-ties-adviser-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345754/rivals-partners-china-and-europe-are-retooling-ties-adviser-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 06:00:16 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday ordered France’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to move from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean to help protect allied assets during the war in the Middle East. Macron said the Charles de Gaulle carrier will be escorted by frigates and its air wing. In a pre-recorded speech on French television, Macron added that Rafale fighter jets, air-defence systems and airborne radar systems have been deployed over the past few hours in the Middle East. “And we... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345329/iran-war-macron-orders-frances-nuclear-powered-aircraft-carrier-mediterranean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345329/iran-war-macron-orders-frances-nuclear-powered-aircraft-carrier-mediterranean?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 23:02:10 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo A suspected CIA-funded publication in Asia recently asked where all the Chinese wolf warriors have gone. It was referring to those supposedly rude envoys who harangued the governments of their host countries and foreign ministry spokespeople who confronted foreign reporters at news conferences. Well, Beijing reined them in long ago. But US President Donald Trump has unleashed his own. Open hostility towards host countries and their peoples seems to be a job requirement in Washington for a US... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3345151/under-trump-us-has-unleashed-its-own-wolf-warriors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3345151/under-trump-us-has-unleashed-its-own-wolf-warriors?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The European Union’s ambitious industrial policy to challenge China has been gutted, removing AI, semiconductors and quantum computing from a list of strategic technologies that must be “made in Europe” to tap billions in government funds. Biotechnology and robotics are other cutting-edge sectors to be cut from the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) ahead of the proposal’s formal unveiling by the European Commission on Wednesday, a leaked draft showed. Plans to exclude non-EU-based producers from... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345311/eu-strips-ai-chips-and-quantum-industrial-plan-aimed-countering-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345311/eu-strips-ai-chips-and-quantum-industrial-plan-aimed-countering-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 13:51:51 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that France will expand its atomic arsenal and could deploy nuclear-armed aircraft to allied countries for the first time, as he unveiled an unprecedented plan to bolster security on the continent. Speaking from the Ile Longue nuclear submarine base as the clock ticks on his presidency, Macron announced that eight European countries including Germany, Poland, Sweden and Britain had agreed to participate in what he called a “forward” nuclear deterrence... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345189/europe-reacts-macrons-offer-deploy-atomic-weapons-frances-allies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345189/europe-reacts-macrons-offer-deploy-atomic-weapons-frances-allies?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 19:40:58 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham,Xiaofei Xu Finbarr Bermingham,Xiaofei Xu The simmering war in the Middle East fractured Europe on Monday, as allies clashed, tempers flared and the shock waves from the US and Israeli bombing of Iran threatened to reverberate through the continent. The crisis exposed a familiar European fault line: while leaders insist they are the last guardians of the rules-based international order, they remain split over how to respond when allies bend or break those rules. With oil price spikes threatening to compound the European economic... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3345187/europe-divided-and-edge-us-israeli-attacks-iran-ripple-across-continent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3345187/europe-divided-and-edge-us-israeli-attacks-iran-ripple-across-continent?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 19:10:18 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Belgium’s special forces boarded and seized an oil tanker from the ‘shadow fleet’ Russia uses to circumvent Western sanctions over the war in Ukraine, the government said on Sunday. Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said the vessel was intercepted in the North Sea during an overnight operation. “Today, a vessel from Russia’s shadow fleet was intercepted in the North Sea,” Prevot wrote on social media, thanking Belgian special forces for their “exceptional professionalism and courage.” Belgian... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345031/belgium-special-forces-seize-russian-shadow-fleet-tanker?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345031/belgium-special-forces-seize-russian-shadow-fleet-tanker?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 11:17:33 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji As tech titans and world leaders descended on New Delhi for the India AI Impact Summit in February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set out his ambition for the country to become a major global power in artificial intelligence – a technology currently dominated by the United States and China. “My vision is that India should be among the top three AI superpowers globally, not just in the consumption of AI but in creation,” Modi told Asian News International in an interview about the summit. Top tech... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3344919/indias-ai-superpower-dream-lands-us200-billion-now-comes-hard-part?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3344919/indias-ai-superpower-dream-lands-us200-billion-now-comes-hard-part?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 06:00:13 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham German Chancellor Friedrich Merz travelled to Beijing with a delicate brief: vouch for a shrinking slice of big German firms still bullish on China, while defending the growing number being squeezed. On day one of his first official visit, Merz trod the line carefully – voicing openness to resetting beleaguered bilateral ties, even while gently nudging his hosts on bugbears including subsidies, currency devaluation and Russia. A day of meetings with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, President Xi Jinping... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344661/merzs-china-tightrope-warm-words-hard-questions-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344661/merzs-china-tightrope-warm-words-hard-questions-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 01:00:15 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The Louvre Museum’s director resigned on Tuesday after months of pressure following the October theft of the French crown jewels, as the world’s most visited museum faced widening scrutiny over security failures, labour unrest and a suspected ticket fraud scheme. Laurence des Cars quit after a punishing year for the former royal palace - the high-profile jewels heist from the Apollo Gallery, a mid-February burst pipe near the Mona Lisa, water leaks damaging priceless books, staff walkouts and a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344518/louvre-museum-director-resigns-wake-brazen-crown-jewel-heist-paris?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344518/louvre-museum-director-resigns-wake-brazen-crown-jewel-heist-paris?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 19:39:56 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press France’s feud with the US ambassador to Paris took another turn on Tuesday with the French foreign minister saying the top US diplomat in France must explain himself after ignoring a French summons. The minister suggested that Ambassador Charles Kushner will not have access to French government officials until he complies. French authorities had summoned Kushner, the father of US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner, for a meeting on Monday evening over comments from the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344459/france-demands-answers-us-envoy-ignoring-summons-diplomatic-feud-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344459/france-demands-answers-us-envoy-ignoring-summons-diplomatic-feud-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 09:08:44 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press France will summon US ambassador Charles Kushner to protest against comments by the Trump administration over the death of a far-right activist, the foreign affairs minister said. Jean-Noel Barrot was reacting to a statement by the State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau, which posted on social media that “reports, corroborated by the French Minister of the Interior, that Quentin Deranque was killed by left-wing militants, should concern us all”. Deranque, a far-right activist, died of brain... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344278/france-will-summon-us-envoy-charles-kushner-over-comments-activists-death?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344278/france-will-summon-us-envoy-charles-kushner-over-comments-activists-death?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 17:47:48 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday called on Giorgia Meloni to stop “commenting on what is happening in other people’s countries”, after the Italian prime minister expressed shock at the fatal beating of a far-right activist in France. Quentin Deranque, 23, died from head injuries after being attacked by at least six people last week on the sidelines of a far-right protest at a university in the city of Lyon. Most of the 11 suspects detained are from far-left movements, according to a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344040/macron-tells-meloni-stay-lane-over-remarks-far-right-activists-death-france?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344040/macron-tells-meloni-stay-lane-over-remarks-far-right-activists-death-france?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 14:07:37 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji India and France have agreed to strengthen links between two of their largest ports and others, giving fresh momentum for a proposed commercial corridor stretching from South Asia to Europe that analysts say could rival China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The agreement between India’s Adani Ports and France’s Port of Marseille Fos marks a key step towards realising the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). The memorandum of understanding, signed on Wednesday, calls for the creation of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343999/india-europe-trade-corridor-gathers-pace-modi-macron-pledge-port-partnership?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343999/india-europe-trade-corridor-gathers-pace-modi-macron-pledge-port-partnership?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron have upgraded their countries’ defence ties, a move analysts say signals New Delhi’s drive to curb dependence on foreign arms imports while cementing a closer security relationship with Paris in an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific. The two leaders renewed a 10-year defence cooperation agreement and elevated ties to a “Special Global Strategic Partnership” on Tuesday, unveiling more than 20 areas of expanded cooperation... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343933/india-france-elevate-defence-ties-push-strategic-autonomy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343933/india-france-elevate-defence-ties-push-strategic-autonomy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 12:39:11 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji One of the world’s most high-profile gatherings on artificial intelligence (AI) has opened in India, with analysts saying it could shift the focus from the race to build ever more powerful models to the challenge of deploying them at scale. As policymakers and tech executives convene for the India AI Impact Summit, they say the five-day event offers emerging and middle-ranking economies a chance to reframe AI as public infrastructure and work together to put it into public services, rather than... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343818/india-ai-summit-aims-shift-focus-model-races-scaled-reality?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343818/india-ai-summit-aims-shift-focus-model-races-scaled-reality?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 11:00:12 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham,Laura Zhou Finbarr Bermingham,Laura Zhou On the margins of a glitzy security event in Bavaria, the foreign ministers of France and Germany revived a dormant diplomatic format with China. In what was described as part of a larger effort to prevent the world’s superpowers from picking Europe apart, France’s Jean-Noel Barrot and Germany’s Johann Wadephul hosted Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday. It revived a configuration not seen since the days of French President Emmanuel Macron’s first term, talks that Wang said were “both an... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3343547/farewell-unipolar-moment-europe-scrambles-footing-between-us-and-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3343547/farewell-unipolar-moment-europe-scrambles-footing-between-us-and-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 20:58:33 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji India’s approval on Thursday of a 3.6 trillion rupee (US$40 billion) purchase of defence equipment – including 114 French-made Rafale fighter jets – will significantly boost the capabilities of the country’s armed forces amid heightened tensions with Pakistan, analysts say. The move comes as the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) fighter squadron strength has declined to 29, well below the 42 considered essential in the event of simultaneous conflicts with Pakistan and China. French President Emmanuel... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343434/how-indias-us40-billion-order-french-rafales-will-help-local-fighter-jet-makers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343434/how-indias-us40-billion-order-french-rafales-will-help-local-fighter-jet-makers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 05:49:23 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao China’s engagement with traditional US allies amid the turmoil of Donald Trump’s presidency may be a sign that it is moving away from its customary diplomatic approach in favour of a “wedge strategy” that some observers believe may help reshape global dynamics. They point to the ways US partners are trying to keep as many doors open as possible – to insure themselves against both an erratic Washington and increasingly assertive Beijing. At Davos last month, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342717/traditional-us-allies-hedge-their-bets-will-china-be-one-cash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342717/traditional-us-allies-hedge-their-bets-will-china-be-one-cash?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 02:00:15 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Canada and France, which both oppose US President Donald Trump’s claim to Greenland, opened consulates in the Danish autonomous territory’s capital on Friday, in a show of support for the local government. Since returning to the White House last year, Trump has insisted that Washington needs to control the strategic, mineral-rich Arctic island for security reasons. Trump last month backed off threats to seize Greenland after saying he had struck a “framework” deal with Nato chief Mark Rutte to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342736/canada-and-france-open-greenland-consulates-show-support-amid-trump-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342736/canada-and-france-open-greenland-consulates-show-support-amid-trump-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 20:54:04 +0000