https://www.scmp.com/rss/325877/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Victoria Bela Victoria Bela Twelve people were killed in an explosion at a fireworks shop in Hubei in central China on Wednesday, just days after eight people died in a similar incident in a nearby province. The accident happened just before 2.30pm on the second day of Lunar New Year in Zhengji township in the city of Xiangyang, state news agency Xinhua reported. The report added that the subsequent fire spread across the premises and was put out within an hour. An investigation into the cause is under way. The explosion... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3343931/12-killed-chinas-second-deadly-lunar-new-year-firework-explosion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3343931/12-killed-chinas-second-deadly-lunar-new-year-firework-explosion?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 12:15:02 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Authorities in mainland China have launched a nationwide campaign to eliminate fire hazards in high-rise buildings, days after Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in decades tore through a residential complex – claiming at least 128 lives. The Work Safety Committee of the State Council, China’s cabinet, announced the sweeping drive in a notice on Saturday, according to state media. The notice pledged to “identify and rectify” fire risks across high-rise residential and public-use buildings, from tower... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3334624/beijing-launches-nationwide-fire-safety-drive-wake-deadly-hong-kong-inferno?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3334624/beijing-launches-nationwide-fire-safety-drive-wake-deadly-hong-kong-inferno?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Nov 2025 12:00:59 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A China-based foreign teacher has apologised for wearing a scary, horror-style mask while sitting in a car on a highway. The apology came after a video of him at the window of a car with the mask on, looking towards a passing vehicle, caused a stir on mainland social media. In the short clip, he rolls down the car window and gazes outside while on an expressway near Hangzhou in the eastern province of Zhejiang. His actions on August 24 were filmed by a passenger in a car in a nearby lane going... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3323516/china-based-foreign-teacher-apologises-expresses-regret-highway-horror-mask-prank?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3323516/china-based-foreign-teacher-apologises-expresses-regret-highway-horror-mask-prank?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2025 06:00:11 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov The ramifications of China’s power bank scandal, which prompted an emergency ban of substandard models on domestic flights, have extended to a mainland court, where troubled manufacturer Romoss Technology was slapped with a lawsuit for unpaid funds. Shenzhen-based electronics contract manufacturer Zowee Technology filed the lawsuit at the People’s Court of Pengjiang district in Jiangmen, a city in southern Guangdong province, where it sought 136.26 million yuan (US$19 million) in damages against... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3324331/chinas-power-bank-scandal-leads-suppliers-lawsuit-against-romoss-unpaid-funds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3324331/chinas-power-bank-scandal-leads-suppliers-lawsuit-against-romoss-unpaid-funds?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Sep 2025 09:00:09 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang Sylvie Zhuang Calls have been growing in Chinese state media and from the public for stricter safety measures and a thorough investigation into the deaths of six university students who fell into an industrial flotation tank on Wednesday. The students, from Northeastern University in Liaoning province, were on a field trip to the China National Gold Group’s Wunugetushan copper-molybdenum mine in Inner Mongolia when the incident happened. A teacher was also injured. According to state news agency Xinhua, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3319536/questions-grow-china-mourns-6-engineering-students-lost-mine-accident?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3319536/questions-grow-china-mourns-6-engineering-students-lost-mine-accident?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Jul 2025 04:00:27 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang,William Zheng Sylvie Zhuang,William Zheng Six university students drowned in an industrial tank during a field trip to a mining operation owned by China’s most prestigious gold producing company, according to state news agency Xinhua. One teacher was also injured in the incident, which occurred on Wednesday morning at China National Gold Group’s Wunugetushan copper-molybdenum mine in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, it said. The students, from Northeastern University in Liaoning province, drowned after a grating panel gave way and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3319371/6-students-chinese-university-drown-mine-processing-tank-inner-mongolia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3319371/6-students-chinese-university-drown-mine-processing-tank-inner-mongolia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2025 05:00:10 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang More than 200 families in a small city in northwestern China recently found themselves with a deeply worrying task: trying to establish if their children had lead poisoning. Some had been ill for months with symptoms such as stomach ache. Parents who took their children to a local hospital were told the blood lead results were normal. Those who sought a second opinion in a neighbouring province discovered dangerous blood lead levels, as much as 40 times higher in at least one case – a clear sign... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3318321/lead-poisoning-scandal-china-shows-tendency-cover-still-strong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3318321/lead-poisoning-scandal-china-shows-tendency-cover-still-strong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Jul 2025 12:30:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Safety is paramount in air travel, so it is not surprising that airline passengers have tended to back recent crackdowns on in-flight use of power banks after some were linked to fires. Traveller support was understandably in short supply, however, after a ban was suddenly imposed on flights in China, causing chaos and confusion. The incident should serve as a reminder to aviation officials in the country and around the world that safety measures must be balanced with passenger needs. Many... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3318105/aviation-officials-should-balance-safety-efforts-passenger-needs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3318105/aviation-officials-should-balance-safety-efforts-passenger-needs?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jul 2025 22:45:07 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China has expanded the probe into a kindergarten lead poisoning scandal that has shocked the nation, with the central government getting involved in a rare intervention in a provincial investigation. On Saturday night the authorities in Gansu said the investigation would be led by provincial leaders working alongside a task force from the State Council, the country’s cabinet. Last week, Chinese media reported that 233 of 251 children at the kindergarten in Tianshui, a second-tier city in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3318023/china-widens-kindergarten-lead-poisoning-investigation-central-government-gets-involved?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3318023/china-widens-kindergarten-lead-poisoning-investigation-central-government-gets-involved?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Jul 2025 04:47:23 +0000 Danielle Popov,Hannah Wang Danielle Popov,Hannah Wang Chinese manufacturers of power banks – the ubiquitous portable batteries used by travellers to charge smartphones, tablets and laptops – are under increased public scrutiny, following a spate of incidents in which defective units were found to have caught fire during commercial flights. That prompted the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to impose an emergency ban on air passengers carrying substandard power banks, a safety precaution that went into effect on June 28. Portable... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3317936/no-fly-zone-what-brought-about-chinas-largest-power-bank-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3317936/no-fly-zone-what-brought-about-chinas-largest-power-bank-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Jul 2025 02:30:07 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A man in southwestern China has been filmed with a giant fish tied to the back of his car as a trophy, much to the delight of mainland internet users. However, traffic police in Guigang, a city in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, said they would punish him for his “bad behaviour”, the news website cqcb.com reported. According to a viral video clip, the driver, whose identity was not released in the report, bound the head and tail of the fish to the back of his car before driving around the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3311099/chinese-fishing-fan-hangs-big-catch-car-while-driving-slapped-fine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3311099/chinese-fishing-fan-hangs-big-catch-car-while-driving-slapped-fine?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 May 2025 01:00:09 +0000 The Chinese authorities have issued fire and road safety warnings as millions of people travel to pay their respects to their ancestors over the Ching Ming, or tomb-sweeping, Festival. Around 760 million journeys are expected to be made over the three-day holiday, which began on Friday, the transport ministry said. These include 84 million rail journeys and heavy congestion is expected on major roads during peak travel times. Earlier this week, the public safety ministry issued a separate... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3305337/chinese-authorities-warn-fire-and-road-safety-risks-over-traditional-ching-ming-holiday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3305337/chinese-authorities-warn-fire-and-road-safety-risks-over-traditional-ching-ming-holiday?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Apr 2025 08:00:08 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A group of Chinese construction workers was hung from a gate by their harnesses at a building site as a training exercise after they forgot to wear safety gear at work. A video of the “training” that many onlookers saw as a punishment and public shaming had 7.5 million views online after a passer-by filmed it on March 9, in southwestern China’s Sichuan province. The local housing and urban-rural development department told Chinese media outlet Dafeng News that the measure was designed to educate... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3302797/public-shock-china-construction-worker-trio-hung-gate-harnesses-safety-training?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3302797/public-shock-china-construction-worker-trio-hung-gate-harnesses-safety-training?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Mar 2025 06:00:07 +0000 A year ago in Woodside, California, the leaders of the world’s two biggest economies met and agreed to improve “people-to-people” exchanges. During the summit with US President Joe Biden, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said the country was ready to receive 50,000 young Americans over the next five years. Since then, China has made it easier for Americans to visit. This includes faster, simpler and cheaper visa processing, especially for students, as well as discounted flights on national carriers.... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3291883/china-making-it-easier-americans-visit-where-big-uptick?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3291883/china-making-it-easier-americans-visit-where-big-uptick?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Dec 2024 03:00:10 +0000 Six people have been detained over the collapse of a roof on an ice rink building in northeastern China last month, with investigators blaming the failure on poor engineering. Jilin provincial authorities said on Friday that the preliminary investigation indicated the collapse in the city of Baicheng was “a production safety accident caused by substandard quality in construction engineering”. Police were continuing to investigate the incident, which resulted in no casualties, the authorities... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3289824/6-detained-over-ice-rink-roof-collapse-northeast-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3289824/6-detained-over-ice-rink-roof-collapse-northeast-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Dec 2024 13:00:09 +0000 A catastrophic collapse at a construction site alongside a high-speed railway line in China’s southern tech hub of Shenzhen late on Wednesday night has left 13 people missing. The ground gave way at around 11pm on a section of the Shenzhen-Jiangmen railway in Baoan district’s Hangcheng Street area. The line connects seven stations, including Dongguan, Guangzhou, Zhongshan and Jiangmen. Immediate emergency response measures were initiated, with provincial and city leaders rushing to the site,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3289449/13-missing-shenzhen-after-railway-building-site-landslide-wednesday-night?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3289449/13-missing-shenzhen-after-railway-building-site-landslide-wednesday-night?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Dec 2024 04:23:08 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A drunk woman in China kicked and slapped a food delivery driver who reminded her about road safety, sparking nationwide outrage on social media. The 42-year-old, surnamed Huang, was detained by police in Chongqing in southwestern China, for attacking the delivery worker, surnamed Ran, in the street earlier this month, Xinmin Evening News reported. Ran, 21, was sent to hospital for treatment, but the extent of his injuries was not reported. According to the police statement, Huang was drunk that... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3282036/public-outrage-china-delivery-man-beaten-drunk-woman-giving-road-safety-advice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3282036/public-outrage-china-delivery-man-beaten-drunk-woman-giving-road-safety-advice?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Oct 2024 06:00:09 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A fitness influencer in eastern China has trended on social media after he created a “lazy man mountain climbing method” by using a helium balloon to lighten the bag he carried on hikes. The Zhejiang-based blogger, surnamed Pu, released a video on Douyin of him climbing a mountain with a big white helium balloon attached to his bag, attracting 200,000 likes, news website NetEase reported. “I am carrying the bag, but I don’t feel its weight at all because of the balloon,” the blogger said in his... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3280564/china-kol-warned-explosion-risk-using-helium-balloon-lighten-load-hikes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3280564/china-kol-warned-explosion-risk-using-helium-balloon-lighten-load-hikes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Oct 2024 01:00:10 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang Some comic artists have exposed the harsh working conditions at a prominent manga studio in China, where employees have lived together in a “farm-like” flat for years, facing overwork and sleep deprivation. A-soul, one of China’s most renowned comic studios, was established in 2008 and is situated in a rural area of southeastern Beijing. The studio currently employs more than 70 staff members. Its notable works include Crazy Neighbours and Tales of Romance, which are among the most popular... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3281168/slave-factory-china-comic-artists-expose-farm-working-conditions-famed-studio?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3281168/slave-factory-china-comic-artists-expose-farm-working-conditions-famed-studio?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Oct 2024 06:00:11 +0000 A bus crashed into a crowd in front of a junior high school in eastern China on Tuesday morning, killing 11 people and injuring 24. According to state broadcaster CCTV, the crash occurred around 7am in front of the Foshan Junior High School in Dongping county, Shandong province, on the second day of the new school year. The injured had been sent to the hospital, the report said. Dongping police said that six of those who died were parents and five were students. One person was severely injured... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3276953/5-children-6-parents-dead-eastern-china-after-bus-hits-crowd-outside-school?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3276953/5-children-6-parents-dead-eastern-china-after-bus-hits-crowd-outside-school?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Sep 2024 04:24:16 +0000 I never expected that foreigners could become the strongest “spokespeople” for China. On YouTube, I’ve come across video headlines such as “CHINA is NOT what we expected”, “I Was Wrong About China...So I Came Back” and “The Media Doesn’t Want You To See THIS in China” made by foreign vloggers - some of whom have many followers. A China travel rush is under way, thanks in part to China rolling out a visa-free 24-hour transit policy for people from other countries around the world at all of its... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3274706/some-chinas-best-cultural-ambassadors-are-foreign-vloggers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3274706/some-chinas-best-cultural-ambassadors-are-foreign-vloggers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Aug 2024 21:30:09 +0000 Hong Kong health authorities have blocked a batch of Taiwan-made ice cream bars from being distributed after the products were detected with bacterial counts exceeding the legal limit. The city’s Centre for Food Safety said on Tuesday the affected products were the “Brown Sugar Boba Frozen Dessert Bars”, an 80g pre-packaged frozen confection produced by Shaomei Ice Cream in Taiwan and imported by Circle K Convenience Stores in Hong Kong, with a best-before date of July 26 next year. The affected... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3274369/taiwan-made-boba-ice-cream-batch-blocked-sale-hong-kong-over-food-safety-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3274369/taiwan-made-boba-ice-cream-batch-blocked-sale-hong-kong-over-food-safety-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Aug 2024 14:27:44 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Ukrainian man has been left hugely impressed by the honesty of people in Beijing after he left the ignition key in his electric bike and returned 14 hours later to find it still there. Yegor Shyshov has lived in China’s capital city for 16 years, but he continues to be in awe of how safe the city is. On July 6, he posted a video on his Douyin account, which has 127,000 followers. Speaking fluent Mandarin with a Beijing accent, Shyshov, 35, said he left the key in the ignition of his electric... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3269926/china-capital-praised-ukraine-man-after-e-bike-stays-put-despite-ignition-key-left-all-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3269926/china-capital-praised-ukraine-man-after-e-bike-stays-put-despite-ignition-key-left-all-day?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Jul 2024 08:00:11 +0000 China’s new large amphibious aircraft – the biggest in the world – has gone into batch production and final assembly, state news agency Xinhua reported. The plane, known as the AG600, is designed for maritime patrols and search and rescue operations. From the southern island province of Hainan, it could reach any location in the South China Sea within four hours and it could be used for cargo or passenger transport between Chinese-controlled islands, according to state media. Its developer, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3269274/chinas-new-large-amphibious-aircraft-goes-production-and-final-assembly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3269274/chinas-new-large-amphibious-aircraft-goes-production-and-final-assembly?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jul 2024 06:02:57 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan An investigation into how three tourists in southern China were abandoned at sea along with their diving instructor – forcing them to swim for two hours to the nearest shore – has shocked social media. One of the tourists, surnamed Jin, said the trio were taken by yacht to a location near Zhouzai Island in the tropical Hainan province on June 9, where they were taking a diving licence test, according to Shangyou News. After several hours they realised the vessel would not be returning to pick... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3267466/china-tourists-abandoned-sea-diving-trip-forced-make-2-hour-swim-shore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3267466/china-tourists-abandoned-sea-diving-trip-forced-make-2-hour-swim-shore?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Jun 2024 12:00:10 +0000 Potentially carcinogenic chemicals are prevalent worldwide and going unreported, according to Chinese scientists who identified unknown “forever chemicals” in the environment with the help of machine learning. The team’s new identification platform will make it possible to find and examine the impact of the synthetic chemicals in the environment, opening up opportunities for better risk management. Many synthetic perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – which were widely used due... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3264016/forever-chemicals-chinese-scientists-use-ai-help-detect-unreported-carcinogenic-pollution-around?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3264016/forever-chemicals-chinese-scientists-use-ai-help-detect-unreported-carcinogenic-pollution-around?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 May 2024 05:00:10 +0000 China has warned of flood risks near the Bei River, a southern tributary of the Pearl River, over the next 30 days as authorities prepare for emergencies and evacuation. Heavy showers, known as “dragon boat rain”, often hit southern China around the time of the Dragon Boat Festival, which typically falls in mid-June. But this year, the amount of rainfall could be 20 to 50 per cent more than usual in the Pearl River area, the Ministry of Water Resources said on Monday. Due to torrential rains in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3263490/china-warns-floods-dragon-boat-rain-threatens-soak-pearl-river-region?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3263490/china-warns-floods-dragon-boat-rain-threatens-soak-pearl-river-region?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 May 2024 08:02:09 +0000 The death toll after a highway gave way in China’s rain-hit southern province of Guangdong has rise to 48, making it China’s deadliest road collapse incident in over a decade. A section of the Meizhou-Dabu highway collapsed around 2am on Wednesday in Dabu county in Guangdong’s northern city of Meizhou. Around 18 metres (59 feet) of the mountainous highway crumbled into the forested slope beneath, causing vehicles to fall. Officials in the city of Meizhou told a press conference on Thursday... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3261202/death-toll-chinas-guangdong-highway-collapse-rises-48-president-xi-jinping-orders-maximum-push-save?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3261202/death-toll-chinas-guangdong-highway-collapse-rises-48-president-xi-jinping-orders-maximum-push-save?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 May 2024 09:17:34 +0000 At least 24 people are dead after a section of a highway in China’s rain-hit southern province of Guangdong collapsed in the early hours of Wednesday, at the start of a long Labour Day holiday. The cave-in happened around 2am in Dabu county of Guangdong’s northern Meizhou city. Nearly 18 metres (59 feet) of the mountainous Meizhou-Dabu highway crumbled into the forested slope below, sending vehicles tumbling down. In all, 20 vehicles and 54 passengers were caught up in the accident, the local... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3261062/least-19-killed-chinas-guangdong-province-highway-caves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3261062/least-19-killed-chinas-guangdong-province-highway-caves?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 May 2024 08:47:06 +0000 Two people were injured in a blast at a barbecue restaurant in the eastern coastal province of Jiangsu on Saturday afternoon, the second devastating explosion in China in a week. State broadcaster CCTV said the explosion occurred at 4.23pm at a restaurant in Huaian, igniting a fire that was extinguished by Saturday evening. The report did not say what caused the blast. The city’s emergency management bureau said the two people did not have life-threatening injuries. Video circulating on social... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3255663/2-injured-barbecue-restaurant-blast-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3255663/2-injured-barbecue-restaurant-blast-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Mar 2024 13:57:18 +0000 Two people have died and dozens were injured when a blast caused by a gas leak tore down a four-storey building near Beijing early on Wednesday. A government statement said the blast occurred at 7.54am in Sanhe county of Langfang in northern Hebei province, which neighbours the capital city. It said the blast occurred at a fried chicken restaurant in Yanjiao, a town in Sanhe. According to state broadcaster CCTV, two people died, 26 were reported injured and 28 people were rescued from the site... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3255188/one-dead-and-more-20-hurt-china-after-blast-tears-down-four-storey-building-near-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3255188/one-dead-and-more-20-hurt-china-after-blast-tears-down-four-storey-building-near-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Mar 2024 04:46:45 +0000 When I was in kindergarten, there was no holiday I looked forward to more than the Lunar New Year. And, out of all the traditions, lighting fireworks was my favourite. What a sight that was! At least a dozen different types of fireworks set the night sky ablaze. One bloomed in four different colours, another spelled out “happy new year”, and my favourite one, shaped like a small plane, flew off tree branches and followed people around. The entire neighbourhood would get together for this one... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/asia/article/3251833/chinas-lunar-new-year-fireworks-even-beloved-tradition-cant-ignore-public-safety?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/asia/article/3251833/chinas-lunar-new-year-fireworks-even-beloved-tradition-cant-ignore-public-safety?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Feb 2024 01:15:08 +0000 Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on local authorities to “curb the trend of repeated” accidents, calling for “deep reflection” after a fire in the east of the country became the third deadly tragedy to hit the country in less than a week. Wednesday’s blaze at a shophouse in Xinyu, a city in Jiangxi province, claimed at least 39 lives. Nine other people were injured, with eight of them in stable condition, state news agency Xinhua reported. Local media said a number of college students... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3249751/chinese-leader-xi-jinping-calls-deep-reflection-frequent-accidents-deadly-jiangxi-fire-makes-it-3?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3249751/chinese-leader-xi-jinping-calls-deep-reflection-frequent-accidents-deadly-jiangxi-fire-makes-it-3?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Jan 2024 09:13:39 +0000 The owner of a gym in China’s northeastern province of Heilongjiang has been detained after three middle school students died and two were injured when the building collapsed. The cave-in occurred at the two-storey building in Huanan county at 7.20pm on Monday, the county government said on its WeChat account on Tuesday morning. The rescue operation ended at 12.35am on Tuesday. Seven middle school students were playing basketball in the gym at the time of the failure. Three of the four students... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3240595/three-dead-and-club-boss-detained-after-gym-collapses-amid-snowstorm-northeastern-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3240595/three-dead-and-club-boss-detained-after-gym-collapses-amid-snowstorm-northeastern-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Nov 2023 04:49:45 +0000 Dozens of mid-level officials in Beijing have been given warnings and demerit points over a fire at a private hospital in the city that killed 29 people in April. Some 41 officials have been held accountable for the deadly fire that engulfed the Changfeng Hospital six months ago, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday. They include Jin Wei, Beijing’s vice-mayor in charge of health, who was given an administrative warning, according to the report, which said he had taken the main... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3239171/officials-get-warnings-demerits-over-deadly-blaze-beijing-hospital-april?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3239171/officials-get-warnings-demerits-over-deadly-blaze-beijing-hospital-april?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Oct 2023 12:19:48 +0000 An Air China flight landed safely in Singapore on Sunday afternoon after an engine caught fire. The airline said all passengers and crew on Flight CA403 from Chengdu’s Tianfu Airport had been safely evacuated after landing just after 4pm, and the cause of the incident was now under investigation. The Singapore authorities later said that nine people on board suffered minor injuries. The incident caused the temporary closure of Singapore Changi Airport’s Runway 3 while the fire in the left engine... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3234053/air-china-flight-lands-safely-singapores-changi-airport-after-engine-catches-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3234053/air-china-flight-lands-safely-singapores-changi-airport-after-engine-catches-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Sep 2023 13:55:23 +0000 A Chinese newspaper has alleged that a prominent state-owned construction company cut corners and caused safety issues while building a crucial national infrastructure project. The allegations, published on July 20 by the state-owned Economic Information Daily, state that the foundation pillars of a high-speed rail bridge were significantly shorter than the design length, raising concerns about the safety and reliability of China’s high-speed rail. But some industry experts have argued that a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3230139/safety-row-hits-chinese-high-speed-railway-how-serious-problem?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3230139/safety-row-hits-chinese-high-speed-railway-how-serious-problem?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Aug 2023 08:00:10 +0000 More than 850,000 people in flood control zones in Hebei province have been told to move out of their homes as authorities open up areas along waterways to help drain record floodwaters in neighbouring Beijing. Hebei’s Emergency Management Department said it had activated seven flood storage zones, diverting 1.8 billion cubic metres of floodwater to “ease pressure on Beijing and Tianjin”. Inspecting flood relief efforts in the city of Baoding and Xiongan New Area, Hebei Communist Party boss Ni... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3229896/capitals-moat-thousands-forced-homes-hebei-ease-flooding-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3229896/capitals-moat-thousands-forced-homes-hebei-ease-flooding-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Aug 2023 10:46:20 +0000 Some Chinese non-governmental rescue teams rushing to flood-hit areas in northern China said they had to wait for an official invitation letter from the local government first, as the region was lashed by deadly, record-breaking rains. The Guangzhou-based Southern Weekly reported on Tuesday night that NGO relief and rescue teams from outside Zhuozhou, a flood-hit city near the capital Beijing, were told they needed an invitation letter from the local emergency management bureau before setting... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3229743/chinese-ngo-rescue-teams-rushing-flood-hit-areas-north-told-wait-official-clearance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3229743/chinese-ngo-rescue-teams-rushing-flood-hit-areas-north-told-wait-official-clearance?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Aug 2023 09:51:02 +0000 Families and friends of those killed when a school gymnasium roof collapsed in northeast China marked the culturally significant seventh day of mourning on Saturday as people around the country expressed their condolences and sent tributes to the victims. In Chinese tradition, the seventh day after death is the time when the souls of loved ones revisit the world for the final time. The roof collapse in the city of Qiqihar in Heilongjiang province last Sunday killed 10 members of a middle school... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3229397/mourning-and-anger-continues-after-chinese-school-roof-collapse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3229397/mourning-and-anger-continues-after-chinese-school-roof-collapse?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Jul 2023 07:00:19 +0000 The authorities in the Chinese city where 11 pupils died when a school gym collapsed faced a wave of criticism on Monday over the apparent failure to let parents know what had happened to their children. State news agency Xinhua said the collapse at the No 34 Middle School in Qiqihar in Heilongjiang province on Sunday killed 11 people and injured four others. The official Heilongjiang Daily said police had detained personnel from a construction company although neither local police nor official... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3228683/construction-staff-detained-death-toll-qiqihar-school-stadium-roof-collapse-reaches-11-4-hurt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3228683/construction-staff-detained-death-toll-qiqihar-school-stadium-roof-collapse-reaches-11-4-hurt?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Jul 2023 03:53:14 +0000 China’s top safety watchdog pledged to crack down on cover-ups of deadly mine accidents as four officials were placed under investigation in northeast China following one of the country’s latest mining disasters. Wang Xiangxi, head of China’s Ministry of Emergency Management, the country’s top agency responsible for worker safety, called for a special investigation of under-reported mining accidents, according to a statement published on the ministry website Monday night. Local officials tried... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3228134/china-pledges-crackdown-cover-ups-after-recent-deadly-mining-disaster?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3228134/china-pledges-crackdown-cover-ups-after-recent-deadly-mining-disaster?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Jul 2023 12:59:12 +0000 Flooding in the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing has killed at least 15 people and displaced thousands more as President Xi Jinping warned that all seven of China’s major rivers were at risk of flooding. The city’s Wanzhou district has seen heavy downpours since Monday. By the following day the Wuqiao River burst its banks, flooding buildings on both banks in as little as half an hour and trapping residents at home, according to the local emergency services. As of Wednesday morning, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3226655/fatal-floods-hit-chinese-city-chongqing-president-xi-jinping-warns-all-countrys-main-rivers-are-risk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3226655/fatal-floods-hit-chinese-city-chongqing-president-xi-jinping-warns-all-countrys-main-rivers-are-risk?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Jul 2023 10:15:21 +0000 China’s drone owners will have to register with the government from next year under new rules aimed at improving public safety and national security. The first national regulations on drones – published on Wednesday– also ban people from using the devices to take pictures or video of military or defence industrial installations or secretive facilities. Drones cannot be used to gather and publish state secrets or unlawfully transfer information outside mainland China. The Interim Regulations for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3225960/china-introduces-drone-law-requiring-registration-no-fly-zones-over-sensitive-areas-and-filming?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3225960/china-introduces-drone-law-requiring-registration-no-fly-zones-over-sensitive-areas-and-filming?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jun 2023 10:05:35 +0000 For restaurant owners in the newly crowned barbecue capital of China, business was thriving as usual on Friday, the midpoint of the three-day Dragon Boat festival. The music was loud, every restaurant was at capacity and the meat skewers were being devoured as soon as they came off the grill. Two days after 31 people were killed in a massive blast at a barbecue restaurant in Yinchuan, holiday diners appeared undeterred in Zibo, a city more than a thousand kilometres to the east. “This is how we... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3225268/zibo-chinas-barbecue-capital-distant-deadly-gas-blast-puts-safety-spotlight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3225268/zibo-chinas-barbecue-capital-distant-deadly-gas-blast-puts-safety-spotlight?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jun 2023 04:00:26 +0000 Authorities across China have embarked on a major safety campaign after a gas blast in the northwestern autonomous region of Ningxia killed 31 people. The explosion at a barbecue restaurant in the regional capital Yinchuan on Wednesday night was caused by a leak from a liquefied gas tank in the restaurant and is the deadliest incident of its kind in the region in years. Authorities in Beijing ordered a safety overhaul on Thursday, requiring inspections throughout the city. Beijing mayor Yin Yong... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3225193/china-orders-gas-safety-checks-after-ningxia-blast-kills-31?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3225193/china-orders-gas-safety-checks-after-ningxia-blast-kills-31?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jun 2023 09:28:01 +0000 Nine people have been detained over a gas explosion at a busy barbecue restaurant that left 31 people dead in China’s northwestern Ningxia region on the eve of the three-day Dragon Boat Festival celebrations. Another seven were injured in the blast in the regional capital Yinchuan, which is believed to have been caused when a tank of liquefied petroleum gas exploded during the restaurant’s peak dining hours at around 8.40pm. State news agency Xinhua reported on Thursday that those arrested... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3224962/china-restaurant-gas-tank-blast-kills-31-leaves-7-injured?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3224962/china-restaurant-gas-tank-blast-kills-31-leaves-7-injured?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jun 2023 03:39:48 +0000 Three people were killed and “many” others injured when explosions tore through two residential apartments in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin on Tuesday evening, police said. A man suspected of using fireworks to cause the blasts in two complexes was detained, according to a police briefing posted on Wednesday on an official WeChat social media account. The two blasts, which went off some time after 8pm, happened in the city’s Hedong district, home to over 900,000 people, including many... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3224074/3-dead-after-firework-blasts-hit-apartment-blocks-chinese-city-tianjin-suspect-detained?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3224074/3-dead-after-firework-blasts-hit-apartment-blocks-chinese-city-tianjin-suspect-detained?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jun 2023 11:22:35 +0000 For traditional coal miners, work can be a scene from hell. Descending into the dark 100-metres below ground via narrow shafts, miners dig out black gold amid clouds of dust, sweat and the shattering noise from giant shearing machines used to cut through rocks. This kind of mining is regarded as one of the most demanding jobs in China, and there are special provisions in law to allow these workers – almost exclusively male – to retire at the age of 55 instead of the usual 60. It is also... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3220337/how-dirty-and-dangerous-job-coal-mining-getting-digital-makeover-firms-huawei?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3220337/how-dirty-and-dangerous-job-coal-mining-getting-digital-makeover-firms-huawei?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 May 2023 02:00:11 +0000 “At least 80 people are feared drowned after a passenger ferry capsized in the West River near Jiangmen southwest of Canton yesterday morning,” reported the South China Morning Post on March 28, 1985. “Reports from Canton reaching Hong Kong early this morning indicated several Hong Kong residents were on board the three-year-old Red Star 283. However, it could not be established immediately whether or not they were among the 149 passengers and crew saved. “Rescue and salvage teams were working... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3214986/when-chinese-ferry-capsized-causing-dozens-drown-and-hong-kong-passengers-who-survived-said-they?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3214986/when-chinese-ferry-capsized-causing-dozens-drown-and-hong-kong-passengers-who-survived-said-they?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Mar 2023 03:15:09 +0000