https://www.scmp.com/rss/326812/feed Lee Jeong-ho is a former China desk reporter. He covered China's diplomacy, as well as East Asian security and defence stories. Before joining the Post he was with the South Korean Air Force and News1 Korea. He has a bachelor's degree in media and communications and Chinese studies from Sydney University and a master's of international studies in Chinese area studies from Seoul National University. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Japan’s neighbours are divided over use of the controversial anti-flu drug ‘Avigan’ in their countries; with China welcoming the trial use, while South Korea has declined, saying “serious side effects” potentially cause fetal damage. The Trump administration and US expert groups are also at odds over using the unproven drug, joining the latest international debate. The antiviral drug, also known as favipiravir and developed by Japanese company Fujifilm Toyama Chemical Company, has emerged as a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3078369/china-and-south-korea-split-over-japanese-anti-flu-drug-avigan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3078369/china-and-south-korea-split-over-japanese-anti-flu-drug-avigan?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2020 09:00:08 +0000 International business representatives said on Friday that China’s ban on foreign nationals entering the country would have an “enormous” impact on their operations and cast doubts on China’s effort to open its economy. The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China said the ban would be an “unprecedented challenge for companies in need of both permanent and temporary talent from abroad, and will keep many families apart”. “The temporary ban on foreign nationals returning to China will have an... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3077300/coronavirus-business-group-warns-chinas-ban-foreigners-casts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3077300/coronavirus-business-group-warns-chinas-ban-foreigners-casts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2020 15:14:40 +0000 The number of “silent carriers” – people who are infected by the new coronavirus but show delayed or no symptoms – could be as high as one-third of those who test positive, according to classified Chinese government data seen by the South China Morning Post. That could further complicate the strategies being used by countries to contain the virus, which has infected more than 340,000 people and killed more than 14,000 globally. More than 43,000 people in China had tested positive for Covid-19 by... https://www.scmp.com/science/coronavirus-studies-challenge-who-statement-silent-spread-extremely-rare/article/3076442?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/science/coronavirus-studies-challenge-who-statement-silent-spread-extremely-rare/article/3076442?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2020 11:17:25 +0000 The number of “silent carriers” – people who are infected by the new coronavirus but show delayed or no symptoms – could be as high as one-third of those who test positive, according to classified Chinese government data seen by the South China Morning Post. That could further complicate the strategies being used by countries to contain the virus, which has infected more than 300,000 people and killed more than 14,000 globally. More than 43,000 people in China had tested positive for Covid-19 by... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3076323/third-coronavirus-cases-may-be-silent-carriers-classified?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3076323/third-coronavirus-cases-may-be-silent-carriers-classified?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2020 10:00:11 +0000 China is becoming increasingly frustrated by the travel bans imposed on its citizens amid the coronavirus outbreak, observers say, adding that the tension could have serious economic implications for Beijing and its trading partners. On Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping told his US counterpart Donald Trump that Beijing was doing all it could to contain the outbreak. “We have adopted the most comprehensive and strictest prevention and control measures,” state broadcaster CCTV quoted him as... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3049578/china-hits-back-international-travel-bans-concerns-grow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3049578/china-hits-back-international-travel-bans-concerns-grow?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Feb 2020 13:00:25 +0000 North Korea has increased production of surgical masks after shutting its borders to all foreign tourists, as the death toll from a coronavirus outbreak rose to nearly 500 on Wednesday. Factories in Pyongyang were producing tens of thousands of masks every day to meet the growing demand, as part of an effort to prevent an outbreak in the country, according to the official Rodong newspaper. “As a result of the stepped-up hygiene promotion campaign, all citizens have become more aware [of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3049176/north-korea-increases-production-surgical-masks-battle-national?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3049176/north-korea-increases-production-surgical-masks-battle-national?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Feb 2020 09:08:49 +0000 After hitting out at Washington for “spreading fear” about the deadly coronavirus with its restrictions on travellers from China, Beijing has expressed gratitude for Tokyo’s handling of the crisis in rare remarks on its long-time rival. The outbreak, which has struck more than 20,000 people and killed 425 in mainland China, has become the latest source of friction between China and the United States. But after accusing the US of doing nothing to help contain it, China on Tuesday told Japan – a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3048942/coronavirus-china-thanks-japan-heart-warming-support-after?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3048942/coronavirus-china-thanks-japan-heart-warming-support-after?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Feb 2020 10:12:38 +0000 The continued spread of the deadly coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China, is often compared with the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) epidemic of nearly two decades ago that affected more than 8,000 people in 37 countries. The comparison became more acute on Thursday when the World Health Organisation (WHO) designated the new coronavirus a global public health emergency, fuelling public anxiety. According to Chinese health authorities, 259 people have succumbed to the new virus,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3048472/coronavirus-versus-sars-tale-two-viruses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3048472/coronavirus-versus-sars-tale-two-viruses?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Jan 2020 22:15:14 +0000 China has turned to the global supply chain for medical equipment including protective clothing, masks and goggles as pressure on health services fighting the Wuhan coronavirus grows and the number of deaths from the outbreak exceeded 200 on Friday. According to Chinese health authorities, 213 people have succumbed to the virus, while 1,982 more cases were reported on the mainland. They said that almost 10,000 people were infected, far exceeding that of the 2002-03 Sars epidemic, which,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3048379/china-goes-global-search-protective-suits-masks-and-goggles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3048379/china-goes-global-search-protective-suits-masks-and-goggles?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Jan 2020 07:02:57 +0000 China and European countries are expected to face another year of political struggle in 2020, according to a think tank in Berlin. Although Beijing and the European Union may cooperate on the economy, their political differences could widen this year, the Mercator Institute for China Studies said on Tuesday. The institute based the forecast on a survey of 150 China specialists from think tanks, government, industry and society in Europe. It found that 59 per cent of respondents believed... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3048064/china-and-europe-may-see-political-gulf-widen-2020-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3048064/china-and-europe-may-see-political-gulf-widen-2020-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Jan 2020 10:30:08 +0000 The number of confirmed cases of the rapidly spreading coronavirus infection in mainland China has reached 5,974, health authorities said on Wednesday – a total surpassing the cases that the mainland had in the 2002-03 Sars epidemic that eventually killed almost 800 people worldwide. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) infected 5,327 people in mainland China in nine months and killed 349 people there, according to the World Health Organization. Separately, 299 people died in Hong Kong from... https://www.scmp.com/health/china-coronavirus-number-cases-infection-surpasses-sars-mainland/article/3048022?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/health/china-coronavirus-number-cases-infection-surpasses-sars-mainland/article/3048022?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Jan 2020 10:03:06 +0000 China is scrambling to contain the impact of the deadly Wuhan coronavirus on foreign relations, with its diplomats seeking to reassure other countries their concerns are being addressed. As more people outside China are infected with the pneumonia-like virus, diplomatic observers say the outbreak could affect how the nation is seen abroad, and it may also disrupt upcoming summits with European leaders in Beijing. The death toll from the new virus strain soared to 106 on Tuesday, with the total... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3047938/china-tries-contain-diplomatic-impact-coronavirus-outbreak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3047938/china-tries-contain-diplomatic-impact-coronavirus-outbreak?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Jan 2020 12:00:16 +0000 The head of the World Health Organisation arrives in Beijing on Monday to discuss ways of slowing the spread of the new coronavirus, just as the death toll from the disease in mainland China jumped sharply to 80, with more than 2,800 people infected so far. WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will meet Chinese health officials to collect further information on the outbreak which originated in Wuhan, in the central province of Hebei, one day after it was revealed that 5 million... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3047757/who-chief-arrives-china-talks-coronavirus-crisis-death-toll?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3047757/who-chief-arrives-china-talks-coronavirus-crisis-death-toll?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Jan 2020 05:37:53 +0000 Chinese provinces neighbouring Hubei, which is the epicentre of the coronavirus epidemic, are taking drastic steps, including shutting down roads, to prevent the spread of the deadly infection. State news agency Xinhua reported on Sunday that 30 province-level jurisdictions had activated a level-one emergency response to contain the outbreak. According to images shown on social media, several roads leading from Hubei to the provinces of Henan and Jiangxi have been blocked and in some cases dug... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3047711/none-shall-pass-chinese-cities-provinces-close-roads-stop-spread?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3047711/none-shall-pass-chinese-cities-provinces-close-roads-stop-spread?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Jan 2020 22:00:06 +0000 Japan, the United States, France and Russia are preparing to evacuate their citizens from Wuhan, the city at the centre of the coronavirus outbreak, after the death toll in mainland China rose sharply on Sunday and the spread of the infection showed no signs of slowing down. Other countries said they are ramping up their health checks and even cancelling incoming flights in an attempt to prevent further infections in their territories. China’s National Health Commission said on Sunday that the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3047707/china-coronavirus-embassies-make-plans-get-foreigners-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3047707/china-coronavirus-embassies-make-plans-get-foreigners-out?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Jan 2020 10:56:12 +0000 Scientists in China are ramping up efforts to develop a vaccine against the deadly coronavirus which has killed more than 50 people and prompted a wider travel lockdown in central China. The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Sunday that researchers had isolated viruses and were selecting a strain, according to Xu Wenbo, a director of CDC’s virus institute. Xu told reporters at a press conference in Beijing that researchers had used high-throughput genetic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3047676/number-coronavirus-cases-china-doubles-spread-rate-accelerates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3047676/number-coronavirus-cases-china-doubles-spread-rate-accelerates?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Jan 2020 04:23:48 +0000 Chinese authorities, businesses, and individuals are rallying to help embattled medical teams at the epicentre of a deadly coronavirus outbreak, as administrations in neighbouring areas ramp up their efforts to prevent its further spread. More than 1,350 medical personnel have been deployed to Wuhan in the central province of Hubei and a further 1,000 would follow, according to Ma Xiaowei, director of the National Health Commission. Other medical professionals involved in the 2002-03 fight... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3047649/china-deploys-1230-doctors-and-nurses-help-fight-coronavirus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3047649/china-deploys-1230-doctors-and-nurses-help-fight-coronavirus?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Jan 2020 10:00:13 +0000 US President Donald Trump on Friday thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping for his efforts in trying to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus, as officials confirmed a second case in America. “The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!” Trump said on Twitter. “China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus,” he said. The president’s comments came... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3047644/donald-trump-thanks-xi-jinping-efforts-contain-deadly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3047644/donald-trump-thanks-xi-jinping-efforts-contain-deadly?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Jan 2020 08:03:03 +0000 North Korea put the Pentagon and the rest of the world on alert when it warned earlier this month of a “Christmas gift” it was planning to send the US. US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may be planning to give him “a nice present“ such as a “beautiful vase” for Christmas rather than a missile launch. “Maybe it’s a present where he sends me a beautiful vase as opposed to a missile test,” Trump said. “I may get a nice present from him. You don’t know.... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3043438/will-2020-see-fire-and-fury-20-options-narrow-north-korea-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3043438/will-2020-see-fire-and-fury-20-options-narrow-north-korea-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Dec 2019 02:21:47 +0000 US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a “very good talk” by phone on Friday, the first known direct communication since the two sides signed a “phase one” trade deal aimed at de-escalating the trade war. The call, which covered such contentious issues as trade, Hong Kong and North Korea, came as each leader grappled with domestic political calculations. The news, as usual, came out on in a Twitter post as Trump wrote on Friday that he “Had a very good talk with President... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3043052/trump-had-very-good-talk-xi-jinping-says-formal-signing-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3043052/trump-had-very-good-talk-xi-jinping-says-formal-signing-us?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Dec 2019 16:23:28 +0000 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo renewed his condemnations of China over human rights issues on Tuesday, tweeting out support for Mesut Ozil, a star midfielder for Arsenal of the English Premier League, and the criticisms Ozil had made of China's treatment of ethnic Uygur Muslims. “China's Communist Party propaganda outlets can censor Mesut Ozil and Arsenal's games all season long, but the truth will prevail,” Pompeo said in his post on Twitter. “The CCP can't hide its gross #human rights... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3042520/mike-pompeo-expresses-support-arsenals-mesut-ozil-criticism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3042520/mike-pompeo-expresses-support-arsenals-mesut-ozil-criticism?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Dec 2019 16:54:47 +0000 Even as US and Chinese officials were reducing global economic tensions on Friday by confirming they had reached a “phase one” trade deal, the top US military official said that the Pentagon has put China on the top of its priorities – ahead of Russia – owing to Beijing’s “brazen efforts” to undermine the territorial claims of its neighbours. Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper condemned China for undermining international laws and violating... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3042083/pentagon-head-says-china-has-become-top-us-military-priority?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3042083/pentagon-head-says-china-has-become-top-us-military-priority?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Dec 2019 22:17:49 +0000 Washington and Beijing are “very close” to reaching a deal that would halt the 17-month-old tariff battle between the world’s two biggest economies, US President Donald Trump said in a Twitter post on Thursday. “Getting VERY close to a BIG DEAL with China,” Trump said in his tweet. “They want it, and so do we!” he added. He did not elaborate. The promise of at least a ceasefire in the prolonged trade war delighted the investment community, as stocks surged soon after the tweet, with the S&P 500... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3041897/donald-trump-tweets-us-china-trade-deal-very-close-buoying?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3041897/donald-trump-tweets-us-china-trade-deal-very-close-buoying?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Dec 2019 17:15:40 +0000 China’s government assumes that the US-China trade war may drag on indefinitely and that the stand-off may lead to a “partial decoupling” of the two economies, a former high-ranking US State Department official said after returning from Beijing.  “We met with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the central party … and people at the National People's Congress in [China]. They were all pessimistic in the short to medium term about US-China relations,” Susan Thornton, a former acting assistant... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3040668/former-us-envoy-says-chinese-officials-anticipate-partial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3040668/former-us-envoy-says-chinese-officials-anticipate-partial?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Dec 2019 18:41:42 +0000 China’s state media on Wednesday released images it said were of a man who claims to be a Beijing-sponsored secret agent confessing to fraud, apparently in an attempt to discredit his assertion that he was involved in intelligence operations in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Australia. Chinese government mouthpiece Global Times uploaded screenshots from a court video in which William Wang Liqiang is allegedly making the confession in an October 2016 trial proceeding. Global Times is a tabloid under the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3039672/beijing-mouthpiece-releases-images-apparent-attempt-undercut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3039672/beijing-mouthpiece-releases-images-apparent-attempt-undercut?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Nov 2019 22:19:19 +0000 A landslide victory for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy candidates on Sunday reverberated in Washington with lawmakers from both parties cheering the results as the deadline approaches for US President Donald Trump to decide on a bill that paves the way for diplomatic action and economic sanctions against Hong Kong. Messages on social media praised Hong Kong’s pan-democrats, who have supported a protest movement that has roiled the city for six months, and took swipes at China, which has dismissed the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3039322/us-lawmakers-voice-support-message-hong-kong-voters-are?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3039322/us-lawmakers-voice-support-message-hong-kong-voters-are?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Nov 2019 21:59:54 +0000 South Korea's conditional extension of its military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan – allowing information to continue flowing between the two countries – would help the US contain China if it took expansionist military measures in the Asia-Pacific region, analysts say. General Vincent Brooks, who retired as US Forces commander in Korea in January, said late on Thursday that a termination of the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) – a bilateral military... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3039027/south-koreas-decision-stay-intelligence-pact-japan-helps-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3039027/south-koreas-decision-stay-intelligence-pact-japan-helps-us?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Nov 2019 21:41:05 +0000 Washington’s military commitments in Asia and Europe are here to stay despite the Trump administration’s unorthodox foreign policy, which is causing friction with traditional US allies and led to a breakdown in talks with South Korea this week, American analysts say. Observers point out that the regions sit at the core of American security interests in curbing the growing influence of strategic rivals China and Russia. The observations were made as Asian and European officials voiced new doubts... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3038673/donald-trump-threatening-south-korea-us-military-commitments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3038673/donald-trump-threatening-south-korea-us-military-commitments?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Nov 2019 16:28:16 +0000 The United States Senate on Thursday initiated an expedited “hotline” process to pass the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, as the escalation of violent clashes between the city’s police and protesters continue to make headlines worldwide. US Senator Marco Rubio, the bill’s sponsor, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Jim Risch, started the quick passage process in a bid to speed up the passing of the bill, which would clear the way for sanctions against individuals deemed to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3037826/us-senators-urge-passage-hong-kong-democracy-bill-violence-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3037826/us-senators-urge-passage-hong-kong-democracy-bill-violence-city?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Nov 2019 20:37:46 +0000 The European Union on Tuesday declared that a full investigation was needed into the “root causes” of protests in Hong Kong, where police and protesters turned the campus of one of its top universities into a battlefield. The regional bloc also urged the city's government to conduct an examination of the violence and police actions as the most recent conflicts have raised six months of clashes to a new level of confrontation. “A comprehensive inquiry into the violence, use of force and the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3037465/eu-alarmed-rising-violence-hong-kong-calls-complete-inquiry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3037465/eu-alarmed-rising-violence-hong-kong-calls-complete-inquiry?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Nov 2019 23:20:12 +0000 When North Korean leader Kim Jong-un vowed “complete denuclearisation” last year, Washington and Seoul offered him an extra incentive to ensure the vow would stick. The allies suspended their major joint military exercises, sparking criticism from hardliners such as John Bolton, the former US national security adviser who warned that Kim was playing games. Washington and Seoul focused on diplomatic efforts to persuade North Korea to forfeit its nuclear weapons programme. Officials in both... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3036823/warnings-recriminations-and-missile-launch-how-us-north-korea-nuclear?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3036823/warnings-recriminations-and-missile-launch-how-us-north-korea-nuclear?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Nov 2019 22:48:12 +0000 The US and China moved closer to a trade agreement on a Friday evening phone call between the two countries’ top negotiators, according to statements from both sides. Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He, speaking with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin “reached consensus on principles” concerning their 17-month trade war, China’s commerce ministry said, without specifying which ones. “The two sides conducted serious and constructive discussions on properly... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3036013/top-us-and-china-trade-negotiators-reach-consensus-principles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3036013/top-us-and-china-trade-negotiators-reach-consensus-principles?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Nov 2019 18:19:15 +0000 Chile’s government cancelled the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Economic Leaders’ Meeting next month, where presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping were expected to sign an interim trade agreement. Chilean President Sebastian Pinera cancelled the series of meetings that had been scheduled for November 16 and 17 because of unrest that has taxed the country’s security forces. Pinera also cancelled a United Nations climate change conference, also known as the COP25, which was scheduled for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3035626/chiles-apec-gathering-cancelled-throwing-donald-trump-and-xi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3035626/chiles-apec-gathering-cancelled-throwing-donald-trump-and-xi?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Oct 2019 14:47:25 +0000 The secretary of the US Navy said on Wednesday that for the US to meet the challenge of countering the threat of China, it would need to take a page from China’s playbook and employ an “all of government” approach. Additionally, Richard Spencer said, that approach required a larger reliance on US allies in the Indo-Pacific region. What’s the difference between Indo-Pacific and Asia-Pacific? Regional control “We have a competitor now that has no differentiation between military and civilian,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3034309/us-navy-secretary-says-countering-china-will-require-all?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3034309/us-navy-secretary-says-countering-china-will-require-all?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Oct 2019 22:19:04 +0000 Beijing is letting Hyundai Group, the South Korean carmaker, gain full ownership of one of its mainland operations – a rare move by China to cede its stake in a joint venture with a foreign company, the South China Morning Post has learned. The action comes as Beijing, now in a bruising trade dispute with Washington, has pledged to provide fairer competition for foreign corporations in the Chinese market. Hyundai Group has several joint ventures in China, including operations in Beijing and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3033946/u-turn-china-letting-hyundai-buy-out-joint-carmaking-venture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3033946/u-turn-china-letting-hyundai-buy-out-joint-carmaking-venture?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Oct 2019 16:51:37 +0000 A US district judge has sentenced a Chinese national accused of using multiple aliases and conspiring to illegally export “highly sensitive” US military technology to China to 40 months in prison. The US Justice Department said on Friday that Tao Li, 39, tried to procure “military and space-grade technology” in violation of the US export control laws. Judge Diane J. Humetewa of the District of Arizona handed down the sentence, which included three years of supervised release after the prison... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3033664/us-judge-sentences-chinese-national-trying-illegally-export-highly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3033664/us-judge-sentences-chinese-national-trying-illegally-export-highly?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Oct 2019 18:56:41 +0000 China’s multibillion-dollar infrastructure plan, the Belt and Road Initiative, is a “political show” that lacks real substance, the head of Japan’s international development agency said on Thursday, adding that Japan ultimately hopes to include Taiwan as a participant in its China-containment project. Speaking at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, Tadashi Maeda, governor of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), criticised the belt and road project,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3033470/top-japanese-bank-official-tadashi-maeda-dismisses-chinas-belt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3033470/top-japanese-bank-official-tadashi-maeda-dismisses-chinas-belt?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Oct 2019 22:25:15 +0000 US President Donald Trump said his negotiators have reached a “substantial phase-one deal” that will delay the implementation of more US tariffs on Chinese imports after two days of high-level trade negotiations that aimed to move the two countries closer to a conclusion of a bruising bilateral trade war. Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump touted a deal that includes intellectual property protections and purchases of US agricultural products worth as much as US$50 billion after US Treasury... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3032620/donald-trump-says-good-things-are-happening-china-trade-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3032620/donald-trump-says-good-things-are-happening-china-trade-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Oct 2019 14:22:29 +0000 The US and China must play equal roles in bringing about the removal of nuclear weapons from the Korean peninsula and bringing peace to the region, a former top Chinese diplomat said on Wednesday. Yang Xiyu, a former inaugural director in the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Office for Korean Peninsula Issues, also suggested Beijing would continue to cooperate with Washington on the North Korean nuclear issue despite rising US-China tensions, because it benefited the Chinese government to do... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3032259/us-and-china-must-play-equal-roles-achieving-removal-nuclear?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3032259/us-and-china-must-play-equal-roles-achieving-removal-nuclear?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Oct 2019 20:53:16 +0000 South Korea has waited two months for the US government's approval of its appointed ambassador to Washington, raising concern that the US is delaying its nod in retaliation for Seoul's abandonment of a security pact with Japan. South Korean President Moon Jae-in appointed diplomat-turned-lawmaker Lee Soo-hyuck to the post of envoy to Washington in early August. Two weeks later, Seoul announced its decision not to extend the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) with Tokyo,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3031908/seoul-fears-us-delaying-envoys-approval-retaliation-scrapping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3031908/seoul-fears-us-delaying-envoys-approval-retaliation-scrapping?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Oct 2019 15:34:55 +0000 Major European nations are seeking to raise their profile in the Asia-Pacific, with freedom of navigation operations and concern about rising tensions in the South China Sea signalling their desire to remain relevant in the region, analysts say. “Until a few years ago, European countries preferred to keep a low profile on regional security issues in East Asia, but under the present circumstances there is a new urgency to be involved,” said Frans-Paul van der Putten, a senior research fellow at... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3027256/european-nations-determined-stay-relevant-asia-pacific-south?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3027256/european-nations-determined-stay-relevant-asia-pacific-south?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Sep 2019 04:00:14 +0000 China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has pledged support to Pakistan and described the two countries as “all-weather” partners as Beijing moves to protect its regional interests amid tensions with India. Wang met Pakistani army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa in the Pakistan capital Islamabad, where they had an “in-depth exchange of views on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest”, Chinese state news agency Xinhua said on Monday. “No matter how the situation in the region... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3026308/beijing-gives-pakistan-its-backing-amid-rising-kashmir?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3026308/beijing-gives-pakistan-its-backing-amid-rising-kashmir?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Sep 2019 05:34:31 +0000 Asean’s first joint exercise with the US, which wrapped up on Friday, is the latest effort by the Asian bloc to rebalance its military engagement with Beijing and Washington, while avoiding being seen to tilt towards either of the two powers in the region, analysts said. The five-day exercise was an opportunity for the 10 countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to parade their military presence in the disputed South China Sea alongside the superpower as both the US and China vie... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3026092/asean-steers-between-two-powers-joint-us-military-exercise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3026092/asean-steers-between-two-powers-joint-us-military-exercise?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Sep 2019 05:00:06 +0000 Hong Kong’s growing socio-economic inequality, even as China progresses, is the core reason for the anti-government protests in the city, believes former Singapore diplomat Kishore Mahbubani. “As a student of history, I believe that socio-economic causes are the most important causes of social troubles,” said the city state’s former permanent representative to the United Nations and also former president of the UN Security Council. The diplomat’s analysis came as anti-government protests in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3025662/hong-kongs-socio-economic-problems-can-be-solved-just-look?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3025662/hong-kongs-socio-economic-problems-can-be-solved-just-look?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Sep 2019 08:00:35 +0000 The United States’ ultimate goal in its trade war with China may be to prevent its emerging rival from overtaking it as the world’s greatest economic power – and hence secure its leading position in the current world order, a former Singapore diplomat has said. Kishore Mahbubani, who was Singapore’s permanent representative to the United Nations and also the president of the UN Security Council, told the This Week in Asia that political imperatives lie at the centre of what it appears to be a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3025557/us-using-trade-war-stop-china-overtaking-it-ex-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3025557/us-using-trade-war-stop-china-overtaking-it-ex-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Sep 2019 04:12:30 +0000 Any new US military bases in the Asia-Pacific region are likely to be “temporary” to maximise troop flexibility and in line with the Pentagon’s agreement with Manila, according to a former special assistant to the US Indo-Pacific Command chief. But analysts said it would not matter if the American bases were temporary or permanent – Beijing would still take “coercive measures” in the region when it felt they were needed. Eric Sayers, an adjunct senior fellow with the defence programme at the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3025125/new-us-military-bases-asia-pacific-likely-be-temporary-troop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3025125/new-us-military-bases-asia-pacific-likely-be-temporary-troop?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Aug 2019 15:00:12 +0000 Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will travel to North Korea next week ahead of a possible fifth visit to China by the leader of the hermit state, Kim Jong-un, in October. Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Wang would visit Pyongyang from Monday to Wednesday at the invitation of his North Korean counterpart, Ri Yong-ho. “Wang’s visit is an important follow-up action for China and the DPRK to implement the consensus of the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries, and promote... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3025134/chinas-foreign-minister-wang-yi-visit-north-korea-talks-next?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3025134/chinas-foreign-minister-wang-yi-visit-north-korea-talks-next?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Aug 2019 11:37:59 +0000 Chinese military analysts have questioned whether the United States will be able to realise its plans to build more military bases in Asia. Beijing has already reacted angrily to plans to base intermediate-range missiles in the region, saying it “will not stand idly by” if the US does so. Ren Guoqiang, a spokesman from the Chinese Ministry of National Defence, said on Thursday that China was paying close attention to the latest US plans. “The US side should be careful with its words and deeds,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3024949/chinese-military-figures-cast-doubt-us-plans-build-more-bases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3024949/chinese-military-figures-cast-doubt-us-plans-build-more-bases?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Aug 2019 15:00:08 +0000 With the bitter trade rift between Seoul and Tokyo showing no sign of improving, Beijing and Washington are seeking to protect their economic and security interests from the fallout, according to observers. On Tuesday, South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon said Seoul’s decision to terminate its military intelligence-sharing pact with Tokyo – the General Security of Military Information Agreement – may be reconsidered if Japan put the country back on its list of preferred trade partners. Seoul... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3024552/china-us-seek-minimise-fallout-amid-worsening-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3024552/china-us-seek-minimise-fallout-amid-worsening-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Aug 2019 13:15:11 +0000 China and Russia traded accusations with the United States at the United Nations Security Council on Thursday, calling each other a threat to international peace and security. The argument erupted at a meeting of the 15-member council requested by Beijing and Moscow to discuss “statements by US officials on their plans to develop and deploy medium-range missiles”. The meeting – a rare request – follows Washington’s withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty this... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3024174/china-and-russia-take-aim-us-rare-security-council-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3024174/china-and-russia-take-aim-us-rare-security-council-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Aug 2019 16:00:15 +0000