https://www.scmp.com/rss/328179/feed Phoebe Zhang is a senior reporter with the South China Morning Post. She has a master's degree in journalism. She likes to write human-interest stories and has written many about people living on the fringes of society. She believes there's no story or person that's too small. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Chinese authorities praised the decision of Taiwanese actress and model Lin Chi-ling to quit her position as a new board member of the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), after her appointment drew backlash. Chen Binhua, a spokesman for Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a press conference on Wednesday that the TAICCA had orchestrated and funded films and television productions in recent years that “distort history and hype the ‘mainland threat’”. “It serves as a political tool for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3355143/china-praises-actress-lin-chi-ling-quitting-taiwan-culture-board?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3355143/china-praises-actress-lin-chi-ling-quitting-taiwan-culture-board?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 07:00:32 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang A Chinese aerospace engineer has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for espionage, according to state media, with the report underscoring official warnings that the aerospace industry is a cornerstone of national technological strength and defence security. The engineer, surnamed Zhu, graduated from a top university with a PhD in 2018, state broadcaster CCTV said on Monday. He then worked as an engineer in multiple aerospace research institutes and handled classified documents in the aerospace... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3354863/china-says-engineer-jailed-15-years-was-lured-sending-aerospace-secrets-overseas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3354863/china-says-engineer-jailed-15-years-was-lured-sending-aerospace-secrets-overseas?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 06:01:11 +0000 Alcott Wei,Dannie Peng,Phoebe Zhang Alcott Wei,Dannie Peng,Phoebe Zhang A gas explosion that killed at least 82 people in central China – the country’s worst mining disaster in more than a decade – was the result of systemic safety failures across multiple parts of the production chain, according to miners and industry insiders. The Friday blast at the Liushenyu Coal Mine in Shanxi province also left two people missing and 128 survivors in hospital, including two in critical condition. Miners interviewed by the South China Morning Post said several workers had not... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3354784/are-systemic-safety-failures-blame-chinas-deadly-mine-blast?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3354784/are-systemic-safety-failures-blame-chinas-deadly-mine-blast?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 May 2026 11:32:20 +0000 Alcott Wei,Phoebe Zhang Alcott Wei,Phoebe Zhang The owners of a Chinese coal mine where at least 82 people were killed have been accused of “serious violations of the law” by the local government. As search and rescue operations continued through the night, Chen Xiangyang, the deputy Communist Party secretary of Changzhi in Shanxi province, said that all four mines operated by the Shanxi Tongzhou Group had been “immediately” ordered to suspend operations. “Preliminary assessment indicates serious legal violations by the coal mine enterprise... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3354656/owners-chinese-mine-where-82-died-blast-accused-serious-violations-law?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3354656/owners-chinese-mine-where-82-died-blast-accused-serious-violations-law?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 May 2026 04:02:55 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Cambodian authorities raided two buildings in Phnom Penh’s Prince Plaza Centre linked to the extradited Chinese billionaire Chen Zhi and detained 104 individuals, including 82 Chinese nationals, local media reported. Governments around the world have intensified their crackdown on Chen’s alleged multibillion-dollar online scam empire since his arrest earlier this year. The Cambodian raid, a joint operation by Phnom Penh police, the country’s Commission for Combating Technology-Based Scams... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3354331/cambodia-raids-buildings-linked-chen-zhi-chinese-billionaire-accused-scam-empire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3354331/cambodia-raids-buildings-linked-chen-zhi-chinese-billionaire-accused-scam-empire?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 05:47:54 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang In the past weeks, China’s film market witnessed the unlikely rise of an independent film. Made on a shoestring budget of just 10 million yuan (US$1.5 million), Dear You was filmed entirely in Teochew, a southern dialect, with a cast of mostly regular people and not one celebrity. Yet it became the top hit in China, pulling in more than 600 million yuan (US$88.12 million) since the Labour Day weekend. On Douban, the Chinese culture forum, the film was rated 9.1 out of 10, putting it in the same... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3354043/teochew-hit-film-shows-whats-ailing-chinese-entertainment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3354043/teochew-hit-film-shows-whats-ailing-chinese-entertainment?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 01:30:05 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Manila should not use “geographical proximity” and a “large population of migrants” as an excuse to interfere in another country’s internal affairs or meddle in its sovereign affairs, China’s foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Tuesday. When asked about earlier comments made by Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos Jnr during a daily press conference, Guo said the Philippine leader had reaffirmed the one-China policy and non-interference in China’s internal affairs. “We hope that the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354044/marcos-sees-philippines-likely-be-involved-taiwan-conflict-due-proximity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354044/marcos-sees-philippines-likely-be-involved-taiwan-conflict-due-proximity?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 04:19:20 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China has confirmed for the first time that it is drawing up a “comprehensive law” on artificial intelligence. Industry insiders said the move showed China had accumulated enough practical experience and was speeding up its governance as a result. A legislative work plan for the year issued last week by the State Council, China’s cabinet, outlined plans to “improve AI governance and accelerate comprehensive legislation for the sound development of AI”. It said the government would move faster to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3353834/what-do-chinas-plans-comprehensive-new-ai-law-mean-future-technology?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3353834/what-do-chinas-plans-comprehensive-new-ai-law-mean-future-technology?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 02:00:10 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang The relationship between mainland China and Taiwan is not one of state-to-state relations, Chang Rong-kung, vice-chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT), the island’s main opposition party, told Beijing’s top official on Taiwan affairs on Monday. Chang met Wang Huning, chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the Communist Party’s No 4 official, at the opening day of the third annual Cross-Strait Chinese Culture Summit. Wang said the summit showed people on both sides of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3353165/cross-strait-ties-are-not-state-state-kmt-vice-chair-tells-senior-beijing-official?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3353165/cross-strait-ties-are-not-state-state-kmt-vice-chair-tells-senior-beijing-official?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 11:26:02 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China and France must respect each other’s core interests, particularly the one-China principle, and strengthen a strategic partnership “free from external interference”, top diplomat Wang Yi said during talks with a senior adviser to the French president on Friday. Wang, director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, held talks in Beijing with Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to the French president, according to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Wang said the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353004/beijing-urges-france-respect-one-china-principle-during-high-level-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353004/beijing-urges-france-respect-one-china-principle-during-high-level-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 May 2026 13:00:06 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang The tough sentences handed to former defence ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu showed that Beijing had no tolerance for people with divided loyalties, the Chinese military’s official newspaper said on Friday. The PLA Daily commentary marks the first time an official outlet has accused Li of being disloyal. “The military wields the gun and there must be no one who harbours disloyalty to the party,” the editorial said. “As senior party and military leaders, Wei and Li showed a collapse of faith... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352875/fate-chinas-ex-defence-heads-shows-party-wont-allow-disloyalty-state-media?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352875/fate-chinas-ex-defence-heads-shows-party-wont-allow-disloyalty-state-media?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 08:13:14 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi,Phoebe Zhang Seong Hyeon Choi,Phoebe Zhang China has confirmed for the first time that it provided on-site technical support to Pakistan during its war with India last year. During the conflict, a Chinese-made fighter shot down at least one of India’s French-made fighters. On Thursday, China’s state broadcaster CCTV aired an interview with Zhang Heng, an engineer from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China’s (AVIC) Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, a key developer of China’s advanced fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352863/china-confirms-it-helped-pakistans-air-force-during-last-years-war-india?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352863/china-confirms-it-helped-pakistans-air-force-during-last-years-war-india?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 07:26:36 +0000 Alcott Wei,Phoebe Zhang Alcott Wei,Phoebe Zhang When a deadly explosion rocked a fireworks factory in central China this week, hundreds of such factories in the area were in peak production season for overseas orders, including for the 250th anniversary of American independence on July 4, industry insiders said. By noon on Friday, the death toll from the blast at Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Company had reached 37, with one person still missing. Fifty-one people were still in hospital, with five of them in critical condition,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352805/was-chinas-fireworks-capital-rushing-its-july-4-orders-when-deadly-blast-hit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352805/was-chinas-fireworks-capital-rushing-its-july-4-orders-when-deadly-blast-hit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Foreign forces are using social media to spread the notion that young Chinese people should be “lying flat” and not working hard as they seek to undermine China’s development, the country’s top anti-espionage agency has warned. The Ministry of State Security cautioned that anti-China forces were trying to magnify social anxiety by continuously “promoting negative notions” that effort was futile and hard work made no gain. The intention was to “erode the spirit of perseverance among China’s youth... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351681/foreign-forces-promote-lying-flat-messages-undermine-chinas-economy-mss?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351681/foreign-forces-promote-lying-flat-messages-undermine-chinas-economy-mss?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China’s official media has released a series of guidelines for would-be civil servants, warning them to dress modestly. Candidates were told they should wear “light and elegant” suits, and men were advised to get a haircut. Women were told to have clean nails, avoid jewellery, complicated make-up and make sure their hair did not cover their ears or eyes. Competition for civil service jobs – traditionally seen as an “iron rice bowl” because of the security they offer – has intensified in recent... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351411/could-hair-or-cosmetics-be-make-or-break-factors-chinas-would-be-civil-servants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351411/could-hair-or-cosmetics-be-make-or-break-factors-chinas-would-be-civil-servants?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 07:35:17 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China has lodged a protest with New Zealand about the activities of a military aircraft near its coast, suggesting it had put commercial airlines at risk. Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Friday that a P-8A anti-submarine patrol aircraft had “conducted continuous close-in reconnaissance and harassment in the airspace and waters of the Yellow Sea and East China Sea”. He said such actions undermined China’s security interests, heightened the risks of misunderstandings and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350508/china-complains-harassment-new-zealand-aerial-patrols-close-coastline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350508/china-complains-harassment-new-zealand-aerial-patrols-close-coastline?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:50:59 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang The Chinese embassy in Japan has received a series of “terrorist threats”, including an intrusion and a bomb threat, in the past month, a diplomat said on Thursday, describing the incidents as “extremely egregious”. Shi Yong, the acting head of the embassy, said that on March 5 the embassy received a threatening letter from an organisation claiming to comprise former Japanese police officers and former Self-Defence Forces members. Shi said the embassy had reported the matter to the local police,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350341/china-says-tokyo-embassy-intrusion-bomb-threat-are-among-grave-violations-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350341/china-says-tokyo-embassy-intrusion-bomb-threat-are-among-grave-violations-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:00:15 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Communist Party chief Xi Jinping appears to be taking a patient approach to reunification with Taiwan, according to the island’s opposition leader and a member of her delegation who attended a rare meeting with Xi in Beijing. Xi met Cheng Li-wun, who leads Taiwan’s main opposition Kuomintang, and her delegation at the Great Hall of the People on Friday – the first talks between sitting leaders of the two parties in nearly a decade. Discussing the cross-strait relationship, Xi said the issues had... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350271/xi-jinping-stressed-patience-taiwan-reunification-talks-opposition-leader?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350271/xi-jinping-stressed-patience-taiwan-reunification-talks-opposition-leader?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang I heard an audible gasp in the audience, just as a gynaecologist on the movie screen tries to shove a speculum – a hollow cylinder used to open up a woman’s cervix – into the lower body of the protagonist. The film’s main character, a 25-year-old woman named Xu Ke, grimaces in pain. “Relax,” the gynaecologist says, but her tone and hand movements are anything but relaxing. After a sudden shove, Xu feels the pain, wriggles off the examination table and falls to the floor. The scene from the drama... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3349986/voicing-their-needs-chinese-women-are-normalising-them?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3349986/voicing-their-needs-chinese-women-are-normalising-them?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 01:30:11 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China has slammed the US blockade of Iranian ports as “dangerous and irresponsible”, calling for an immediate and full ceasefire and for the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened. Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters at a daily briefing in Beijing on Tuesday that the US action would only “inflame tensions, escalate the situation and undermine an already fragile ceasefire”, and that would further jeopardise the safety of navigation in the strait. “We urge all parties to abide by the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350054/china-hits-out-dangerous-and-irresponsible-us-blockade-irans-ports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350054/china-hits-out-dangerous-and-irresponsible-us-blockade-irans-ports?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang As the new Communist Party chief of China’s southern manufacturing hub Shenzhen, Jin Lei is facing his first major test as the city prepares to host the Apec leaders’ summit in November. Beijing is seeking more cooperation with the bloc in areas like artificial intelligence, and the key regional forum is an opportunity to show the potential in tech-driven Shenzhen, where Jin took the helm last month. In recent weeks, the 56-year-old economist and former Sichuan official has been focused on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349869/shenzhens-new-party-boss-has-taken-wheel-can-he-deliver-ahead-apec?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349869/shenzhens-new-party-boss-has-taken-wheel-can-he-deliver-ahead-apec?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 02:00:10 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China is pushing a ceasefire in the Iran war as key to the Strait of Hormuz being open to international trade and energy, as US President Donald Trump announced a sweeping naval operation targeting the oil transit chokepoint. Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday that the strait was an important channel for international trade in goods and energy, and that “maintaining its safety, stability and unimpeded passage serves the common interests of the international community”. “The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349929/china-says-open-strait-hormuz-crucial-global-interests-trump-threatens-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349929/china-says-open-strait-hormuz-crucial-global-interests-trump-threatens-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:00:52 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang The former chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), has called for cross-strait dialogue to break the state of “cold peace”, rebuild trust and avoid conflict. “The key to cross-strait relations lies not in radical confrontation, but in profound mutual trust,” Hung Hsiu-chu wrote on a popular mainland online platform on Thursday. She also called for a return to the 1992 consensus, an unofficial agreement between Beijing and the then-ruling KMT in Taiwan. It states that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348979/no-more-cold-peace-across-taiwan-strait-former-kmt-chairwoman-calls-rebuild-trust?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348979/no-more-cold-peace-across-taiwan-strait-former-kmt-chairwoman-calls-rebuild-trust?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 11:09:15 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), will visit Nanjing during her visit to mainland China next week. According to a KMT press statement issued on Tuesday night, she will pay tribute at the mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen, founder of the Republic of China – Taiwan’s formal name – and a symbol of the shared past between Taiwan and the mainland. Cheng will arrive in Shanghai on April 7 and then travel by train to Nanjing, in eastern Jiangsu province, the itinerary... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348696/taiwans-kmt-chair-cheng-li-wun-honour-sun-yat-sen-landmark-mainland-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348696/taiwans-kmt-chair-cheng-li-wun-honour-sun-yat-sen-landmark-mainland-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:17:02 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Beijing has confirmed receiving the cremated remains of historic Communist Party spies from Taiwan and hailed the “patriots” as providing encouragement in its pursuit of reunification. Zhang Han, a spokeswoman for the mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office, noted on Wednesday that the ashes had been returned before the Ching Ming Festival, a tomb-sweeping day that falls on April 5 this year, and days before the expected visit of Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348655/beijing-says-cremated-spy-remains-returned-taiwan-are-reminder-heroic-deeds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348655/beijing-says-cremated-spy-remains-returned-taiwan-are-reminder-heroic-deeds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Phoebe Zhang,Lawrence Chung Phoebe Zhang,Lawrence Chung Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), will lead a delegation to mainland China next month at the invitation of Beijing, her first visit since assuming the position in November. Song Tao, head of Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Monday that the Communist Party Central Committee and Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party Central Committee, would welcome her visit to Jiangsu province, Shanghai and Beijing from April 7 to 12 to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348342/taiwans-kuomintang-leader-visit-mainland-china-aid-peaceful-relations-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348342/taiwans-kuomintang-leader-visit-mainland-china-aid-peaceful-relations-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 02:47:18 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Japan has upgraded a naval vessel with capabilities to fire long-range Tomahawk missiles, with the first firing test expected this summer – a move experts said would pose a security threat to China. The Aegis destroyer Chokai “completed modifications and crew training” in the US that started in October, “confirming its acquisition of Tomahawk missile launch capabilities”, Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said on Friday. He said a ceremony marking the acquisition of these capabilities... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348299/japan-upgrades-destroyer-tomahawk-missiles-why-it-might-pose-threat-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348299/japan-upgrades-destroyer-tomahawk-missiles-why-it-might-pose-threat-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for developing the Xiongan New Area into an innovation hub to drive high-quality growth. Xi made the call on Monday during his first inspection tour of the “city of the future” following the “two sessions” annual parliamentary meetings and the launch of China’s 15th five-year plan. The state-level megacity in Hebei province, about 100km (62 miles) southwest of Beijing, is Xi’s signature project aimed at taking the urban pressure off the capital. Xi visited... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347690/xi-jinping-pushes-xiongan-embrace-science-and-technology-build-city-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347690/xi-jinping-pushes-xiongan-embrace-science-and-technology-build-city-future?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:29:46 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang The first night I installed OpenClaw on my laptop, I didn’t dare give it much authorisation. From numerous news reports and warnings, I knew that if it made a mistake, there could be serious consequences, like exposing my bank account password, deleting files or sending an offensive message to my boss. I only asked it to do some research, visit a few media websites, find China-centred topics over the past few months and list them, watch some videos and summarise the content for me. It had the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3346830/chinas-openclaw-mania-driven-fear-missing-next-tech-gold-rush?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3346830/chinas-openclaw-mania-driven-fear-missing-next-tech-gold-rush?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 21:30:12 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Authorities in Beijing say peaceful reunification will solve Taiwan’s energy supply fears sparked by the hostilities in the Middle East, emphasising that “the removal of barriers between the two sides of the [Taiwan] strait will ensure the smooth flow of resources”. Chen Binhua, spokesman for Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Wednesday that peaceful reunification would create enormous opportunities for the island’s economic and social development and bring tangible benefits to the people... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347012/mainland-china-says-taiwan-can-ease-iran-energy-supply-anxiety-peaceful-reunification?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347012/mainland-china-says-taiwan-can-ease-iran-energy-supply-anxiety-peaceful-reunification?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 08:34:51 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Jiang Chaoliang, Communist Party chief of Hubei when Covid-19 first hit the province and a former prominent banker, has been charged with accepting “an especially huge amount” of bribes starting in the 1990s. The investigation into his case, first announced in February last year, has closed, and the Nanjing Municipal People’s Procuratorate has filed a public prosecution with the Nanjing Intermediate People’s Court, according to a statement on Tuesday from the Supreme People’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346885/former-banker-and-hubei-party-boss-indicted-accepting-especially-huge-bribes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346885/former-banker-and-hubei-party-boss-indicted-accepting-especially-huge-bribes?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:15:35 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Local governments across China have rushed to ride the OpenClaw AI boom in hopes of spurring economic growth, only for Beijing to step in swiftly to rein in the frenzy. Authorities in Beijing have issued a series of safety warnings that analysts say underscore the divide in priorities between local and central authorities. The rush to adopt the artificial intelligence (AI) software has seen major internet companies offer low-cost or easily accessible versions, while local governments have rolled... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346384/what-chinas-openclaw-divide-reveals-about-local-and-central-government-priorities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346384/what-chinas-openclaw-divide-reveals-about-local-and-central-government-priorities?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 10:57:44 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Beijing has hailed as a success the sentencing and execution of leaders of a Myanmar crime syndicate, vowing to punish all who harm the rights of Chinese citizens overseas. During a plenary meeting of the National People’s Congress (NPC) on Monday, Zhang Jun, president of the Supreme People’s Court, said in a report that Chinese courts closed 41,000 criminal cases related to telecoms and online fraud last year, up 1.2 per cent from 2024. “Sixteen principal criminals of the ‘four families’ crime... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345977/china-extols-myanmar-gang-executions-pledging-protect-citizens-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345977/china-extols-myanmar-gang-executions-pledging-protect-citizens-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 09:17:13 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang The last uniformed man standing on China’s top military body has called for further “political rectification” of the armed forces, following a wave of high-profile corruption investigations. At a panel discussion in Beijing on Thursday as part of the country’s annual “two sessions”, Zhang Shengmin, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), said this year was “crucial for fulfilling the goal for the centenary” of the People’s Liberation Army. “We must deepen political rectification,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345700/chinas-last-cmc-general-urges-more-political-rectification-pla-centenary-countdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345700/chinas-last-cmc-general-urges-more-political-rectification-pla-centenary-countdown?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 09:52:03 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang A top Chinese political adviser has sounded the alarm on forced marriages of women with mental disabilities in rural areas, calling for a prevention mechanism and a nationwide investigation campaign. Jiang Shengnan, a writer and member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, China’s top political advisory body, warned that tackling the issue presented multiple challenges. There was a lack of support for such women when it came to marriage-related decision-making, Jiang told... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345470/chinas-two-sessions-adviser-urges-end-forced-marriages-mentally-ill-rural-women?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345470/chinas-two-sessions-adviser-urges-end-forced-marriages-mentally-ill-rural-women?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 02:12:53 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang The deadly US-Israeli military strikes on Iran have triggered an outpouring of public sympathy and support in China, with many social media users condemning the attacks and discussing ways to help. The Iranian embassy in China thanked the “righteous” Chinese public on Thursday for their support, but said it was not accepting financial help from Chinese individuals and organisations for now. “The embassy would like to express its sincere gratitude to the civilised and righteous Chinese people,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345584/iran-thanks-chinese-public-after-us-israeli-air-strikes-prompt-online-wave-sympathy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345584/iran-thanks-chinese-public-after-us-israeli-air-strikes-prompt-online-wave-sympathy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:42:52 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang A social media ban on a stand-up comic for joking about marriage has triggered an online backlash in China. Authorities said the Weibo account of Uygur stand-up comedian Xiao Pa was suspended as part of a cyberspace clean-up campaign during the Chinese New Year. Xiao Pa, whose real name is Paziliyaer Paerhati, was banned from posting online, a verified Weibo community manager posted on Friday. “Xiao Pa had posted information that stirred up gender conflicts and created anxiety over marriage and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3344977/chinese-social-media-bans-female-uygur-comic-over-marriage-jokes-sparks-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3344977/chinese-social-media-bans-female-uygur-comic-over-marriage-jokes-sparks-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 01:00:20 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang The Chinese embassy in Angola has issued a warning about a crackdown on illegal immigration in the African country, urging its citizens and companies to make sure they follow the correct visa procedures. In a social media post on Wednesday, the embassy warned that Chinese citizens had been among those detained, fined or deported by the Angolan authorities. “We have warned Chinese companies and citizens repeatedly to follow Angola’s laws, find jobs and operate businesses legally,” it said,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344696/chinese-embassy-angola-warns-citizens-not-fall-foul-immigration-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344696/chinese-embassy-angola-warns-citizens-not-fall-foul-immigration-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 07:00:08 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang During the past decade, Chinese think tanks have had the best of two worlds – having the backing of the government while having some room to move outside it. Encouraged by the country’s leadership to promote China’s soft power, the sector has grown in influence as retired officials have come on board, bringing expertise, connections and some freedom. Not unlike their Western counterparts, these institutes have come to play major roles in Track 2 diplomacy and policy recommendations. But two... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3343977/end-golden-age-chinese-think-tanks-star-ex-officials?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3343977/end-golden-age-chinese-think-tanks-star-ex-officials?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 14:00:07 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang I remember when I was four or five years old, my great-grandmother would get busy days ahead of Lunar New Year. She would clean the house, pickle vegetables in an enormous jar and start pre-cooking dishes for the New Year’s Eve family meal. One star of the night, called “lion’s head”, is steamed minced pork meat balls that take days to make. My great-grandmother would go to the market ahead of time and pick out pork belly that was the right balance of lean and fat meat, carefully chopping the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343871/why-lunar-new-year-celebrations-are-about-people-not-process?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343871/why-lunar-new-year-celebrations-are-about-people-not-process?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China’s top medical watchdog has ordered a nationwide review of the country’s psychiatric institutes following media reports that multiple hospitals in central China had locked up patients – including people who were not suffering from mental illness – as part of an insurance scam. The National Healthcare Security Administration said on Wednesday that its provincial bureaus should hold talks with directors of all psychiatric institutes in their area by Sunday. They were also told to ensure that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3342493/china-probes-mental-hospitals-over-reports-patients-are-being-locked-insurance-scam?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3342493/china-probes-mental-hospitals-over-reports-patients-are-being-locked-insurance-scam?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 07:22:14 +0000 Phoebe Zhang,Sylvie Zhuang Phoebe Zhang,Sylvie Zhuang When a film about an investigation into a phone scam in Cambodia debuted at the Busan International Film Festival in 2018, it was not the cast or the plot that drew attention in China. Instead, the focus was on the film’s executive producer, Chen Zhi – a billionaire Chinese businessman who has himself been accused of running a sprawling online scam network in Cambodia. In The Prey – touted as Cambodia’s “first million-dollar action movie” – an undercover Interpol operative ends up in jail. But... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3341096/why-china-was-so-keen-get-alleged-cybercrime-boss-chen-zhi-first?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3341096/why-china-was-so-keen-get-alleged-cybercrime-boss-chen-zhi-first?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 22:00:09 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang For 11 years after graduating from high school, a 28-year-old woman from a village in Lushan county in the central Chinese province of Henan had fought against pressure from her parents to get married. By her own account, the woman, locally reported as Wei and a history teacher at Lushan’s top high school, had quarrelled, “gone crazy” and even made threats with a knife. Her fight ended on December 10, when she wrote her last post on WeChat and jumped from the seventh floor of what was to be her... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3340590/china-pressure-women-marry-deadly-serious?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3340590/china-pressure-women-marry-deadly-serious?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Two Western defence companies appear to have Chinese warships in their sights, with promotional videos of their weapons systems targeting vessels that look a lot like those belonging to the PLA Navy. London-based BAE Systems posted videos on social media on Wednesday for “game-changing naval weapons and launching systems” it said it was showcasing at a US defence industry conference last week. One animated video simulated a naval base under attack. The base then launches missiles from containers... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340329/are-western-defence-firms-aiming-chinese-navy-their-promo-videos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340329/are-western-defence-firms-aiming-chinese-navy-their-promo-videos?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 11:30:14 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang In a landmark case in China, two AI chatbot developers have appealed against their convictions on pornography charges over software that generated sexual content for paid users. The Shanghai First Intermediate People’s Court began on Wednesday hearing the appeal by the two defendants against an earlier decision by a lower court to sentence one of the developers to four years and the other to 1½ years in prison for “creating pornographic material for profit”. The hearing has been adjourned,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3339908/jailed-chinese-ai-chatbot-developers-appeal-landmark-pornography-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3339908/jailed-chinese-ai-chatbot-developers-appeal-landmark-pornography-case?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Cambodia has extradited to the mainland a Chinese billionaire whom Beijing accuses of operating a transnational crime network, including alleged involvement in a casino and fraud. At the request of Chinese authorities, Cambodia arrested three Chinese nationals – including Chen Zhi, the founder of Prince Holding Group – and transferred them to China on Tuesday, the Cambodia China Times reported on Wednesday night. The Cambodian Ministry of Interior said law enforcement from both countries had... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3339118/alleged-scam-billionaire-chen-zhi-arrested-cambodia-and-extradited-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3339118/alleged-scam-billionaire-chen-zhi-arrested-cambodia-and-extradited-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 02:54:20 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Taiwan’s air force has suspended training missions for its F-16 fleet and ordered maintenance and inspections as it searches for a pilot who went missing after reportedly parachuting from one of the fighter jets. The pilot, Hsin Po-yi, took off in an F-16V jet at 6.17pm on Tuesday for routine nighttime training then ejected from the aircraft at around 7.29pm near Hualien county, after which all contact was lost, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency (CNA). Both the pilot and the aircraft... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3339028/search-intensifies-taiwanese-airforce-pilot-who-parachuted-f-16-fighter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3339028/search-intensifies-taiwanese-airforce-pilot-who-parachuted-f-16-fighter?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 08:19:40 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China’s ideology chief has again called on propaganda officials to focus on the economy, as the country grapples with a slowdown, high unemployment and weak consumer demand. Cai Qi, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, told a national meeting of publicity department heads in Beijing on Monday that “a good start should be set” for the next five-year plan, state news agency Xinhua reported. The country’s new blueprint for social and economic development has officially begun and runs until... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3338882/chinas-ideology-chief-calls-propaganda-officials-focus-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3338882/chinas-ideology-chief-calls-propaganda-officials-focus-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 07:00:11 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Foreign forces have used deepfakes and other artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to create public panic and obtain sensitive information, posing a threat to China’s national security, the country’s top intelligence agency has warned. Deepfake technology, which uses AI’s deep learning algorithms to simulate and forge images, audio and video, could be abused or used maliciously to endanger individual legal rights, social stability and national security, the Ministry of State Security (MSS)... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3337838/china-warns-foreign-forces-deploy-ai-deepfakes-stir-panic-and-steal-data?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3337838/china-warns-foreign-forces-deploy-ai-deepfakes-stir-panic-and-steal-data?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Dec 2025 01:00:17 +0000 Meredith Chen,Phoebe Zhang Meredith Chen,Phoebe Zhang A wave of online discussion blaming China’s last imperial dynasty for national historical sufferings has prompted official criticism after touching on sensitive questions, and ignited debate over historical narrative, nationalism and social governance. What began as a fringe literary interpretation of an 18th-century classical novel has evolved in recent weeks to become a viral internet topic, known as the “1644 historical perspective”. The main claim – which has exposed sharp divisions online –... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3337326/fringe-view-chinas-history-sparks-official-rebuke-after-going-viral-online?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3337326/fringe-view-chinas-history-sparks-official-rebuke-after-going-viral-online?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 06:00:23 +0000