https://www.scmp.com/rss/328329/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Jane Cai Jane Cai At the December premiere of the Chinese-dubbed 1957 Billy Wilder classic Witness for the Prosecution in a Shanghai cinema, dubbing artist Qiao Zhen voiced a more immediate mystery: “Do you still enjoy Chinese-dubbed films?” When audience members, mainly nostalgia-seeking fans, responded with applause and shouts of “Yes!”, the 83-year-old veteran became emotional, offering a moving defence of his art form. “Several years ago we felt this profession had fallen into a low point,” he told the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352213/why-are-modern-chinese-film-audiences-shying-away-dubbed-films?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352213/why-are-modern-chinese-film-audiences-shying-away-dubbed-films?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 08:37:09 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai A new wave of South Korean content creators is descending on Chinese cities, cameras in hand, transforming the streets of Shanghai, Shenzhen and beyond into lively backdrops for travel vlogs and lifestyle videos. Dubbed the “Korean v-blogger influx” by some online users, their ranks have swelled since China extended its unilateral visa-free policy for South Korean passport holders for another year, allowing stays of up to 30 days for tourism, business and family visits. Introduced in 2024 and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351425/whats-fuelling-surge-south-koreans-travelling-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351425/whats-fuelling-surge-south-koreans-travelling-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 02:00:09 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim The US-Israel war on Iran has crippled exports of fertiliser from the Persian Gulf, raising the spectre of higher food prices if the conflict drags on. The disruption could hand China – the world’s largest fertiliser producer – greater political leverage over countries already locked in disputes with Beijing, though it is unlikely to weaponise exports, according to analysts. Global fertiliser prices have soared since Iran effectively blocked shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348573/why-spike-fertiliser-prices-could-boost-chinas-political-clout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348573/why-spike-fertiliser-prices-could-boost-chinas-political-clout?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Aidyn Fitzpatrick Aidyn Fitzpatrick Though it may not appear so, a battle takes place every March when Art Basel comes to Hong Kong’s Convention Centre. The fight isn’t over which gallery can sell more paintings or which collector writes the biggest cheques, but over whether the Greater Bay Area (GBA) can convince visitors that this corner of Southern China – expected to record more than US$2.15 trillion in economic output for 2025 – is not just a business powerhouse but a cultural one. GBA policymakers have embraced the lexicon... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3348138/how-art-basel-hong-kong-fuelling-greater-bay-areas-cultural-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3348138/how-art-basel-hong-kong-fuelling-greater-bay-areas-cultural-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 22:00:15 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai China and Japan’s long-standing rivalry has deep historic roots, and relations between the two have taken a significant turn for the worse in recent months. This article, the first in a three-part series, looks at how both countries are trying to turn soft power to their advantage in the battle to shape international opinion. Read the second part here. The rise of China’s soft power has been fuelled by global successes in fields ranging from gaming and films to consumer brands and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346910/why-japan-thinks-chinas-growing-cultural-clout-something-it-needs-counter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346910/why-japan-thinks-chinas-growing-cultural-clout-something-it-needs-counter?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 22:00:08 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai Tourists, international students and foreign employees of Chinese companies could serve as grass-roots ambassadors, helping China’s story to resonate with audiences worldwide, according to one of the country’s leading political advisers. Zhang Bo, a professor at Beijing Language and Culture University who is also a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, made the suggestion on the sidelines of the annual “two sessions” meeting. Speaking to the South China Morning Post,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346313/how-china-can-win-friends-and-influencers-help-tell-countrys-story-well?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346313/how-china-can-win-friends-and-influencers-help-tell-countrys-story-well?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 08:00:10 +0000 Lizzi C. Lee Lizzi C. Lee For decades, China’s role in the global economy was easy to define. It made things cheaply and at astonishing scale. “Made in China” became shorthand for industrial capacity. It was often contentious, sometimes admired, sometimes feared. In the years after China joined the World Trade Organization, its firms were deeply embedded in global supply chains, mostly at the lower end of the value chain. They produced for others. Western and Japanese companies controlled the premium segments and brand... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343986/how-next-china-shock-shaping-hearts-and-minds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343986/how-next-china-shock-shaping-hearts-and-minds?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 01:30:14 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Around a decade ago, aboard a train winding through China’s landscape, Wang Ning, the founder and chairman of Beijing-founded international art toy brand Pop Mart, shared with designer Kenny Wong Shun-ming the story of his early attempts at entrepreneurship. As a fresh graduate, Wang struggled to sell affordable men’s suits sourced from Yiwu in Zhejiang province, eastern China, experimenting with small-scale arbitrage and learning first-hand how difficult it was to connect products with... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3343503/can-pop-mart-turn-viral-hits-lasting-icons-molly-and-labubu-offer-answer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3343503/can-pop-mart-turn-viral-hits-lasting-icons-molly-and-labubu-offer-answer?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 02:00:13 +0000 Nicole Chan Nicole Chan Across social media, a curious phrase has been circulating: “You met me at a very Chinese time in my life.” It appears under videos of hotpot dinners, DHGate hauls, Chinese streetwear fits and users joking about switching their phone interfaces into Chinese “for the aesthetic”. It has even spawned an ecosystem of spin-offs: “Chinamaxxing”, “you will turn Chinese tomorrow” and countless posts where people half-joke about becoming “more Chinese” by the day. But beneath the humour of what looks... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342421/becoming-chinese-memes-reflect-world-shaped-chinas-ascent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342421/becoming-chinese-memes-reflect-world-shaped-chinas-ascent?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 01:30:10 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen Drinking hot water, eating warm congee and dressing in red to pray for good luck are daily rituals shared by social media users across the globe who have embraced a new lifestyle trend, declaring: “You met me at a very Chinese time in my life.” The phrase has been popularised over the past year by influencers on TikTok and Instagram who post themselves performing stereotypically Chinese activities. The trend reflects a positive shift in how China, or “Chineseness”, is perceived globally. This... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342819/very-chinese-time-how-memes-are-paving-way-soft-power-shift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342819/very-chinese-time-how-memes-are-paving-way-soft-power-shift?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Jinghan (Michael) Zeng Jinghan (Michael) Zeng The renewed debate over Greenland has placed Denmark in an awkward strategic position. When a close ally openly flirts with the idea of territorial acquisition – however unrealistic or rhetorical – it exposes an uncomfortable truth for many middle and small powers: alignment does not guarantee protection and loyalty does not always translate into leverage. In an age defined by intensifying competition between the United States and China, governments increasingly feel inclined to show where they... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3340678/greenland-row-shows-why-foreign-policy-must-not-be-turned-moral-theatre?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3340678/greenland-row-shows-why-foreign-policy-must-not-be-turned-moral-theatre?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Josephine Ma Josephine Ma When Zeng Jinghan accepted an offer to lead the Confucius Institute at Lancaster University in England in 2018, he already had a plan to write a book. “I thought it would be very interesting if I could write about something that I know a lot about and participate in it personally, like Richard Crossman’s The Diary of a Cabinet Minister,” Zeng said, referring to the British politician’s memoirs published half a century ago. The job did not offer higher pay, and he was still an international... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3337265/chinese-spy-propagandist-former-confucius-institute-director-tells-his-story?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3337265/chinese-spy-propagandist-former-confucius-institute-director-tells-his-story?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 04:00:09 +0000 SCMP SCMP Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest stories about China’s soft power this year. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Labubu, soft power of a stealthy ‘ugly-cute’ sort, takes on America The Chinese-made dolls, a playful global megahit, give Beijing an opportunity to make inroads into deep US distrust. 2. ‘Huge shift’: why learning Mandarin is losing its appeal in the West Available figures suggest enthusiasm for learning Mandarin abroad is waning after... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3335844/labubu-blockbuster-films-was-2025-year-chinas-soft-power-went-mainstream?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3335844/labubu-blockbuster-films-was-2025-year-chinas-soft-power-went-mainstream?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Dec 2025 03:00:11 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Over the past decade, the relationship between the European Union and China has changed from solid to one fraught with concerns. It was once characterised by frequent high-level visits to China, notably by former German chancellor Angela Merkel and French leaders, underscoring active bilateral engagement. When French President Emmanuel Macron arrives on Wednesday, things will not be the same. Central to escalating concern is the so-called Chinese “overcapacity” issue, when the real issue is that... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3334870/macron-faces-tough-necessary-balancing-act-he-visits-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3334870/macron-faces-tough-necessary-balancing-act-he-visits-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 23:15:09 +0000 Cao Li Cao Li Two giant, furry Labubu balloons will debut next week at the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. A brown Labubu and a pink Mokoko, both part of the Labubu family, will be the lead features on Chinese toymaker Pop Mart International’s “Friendsgiving in Pop City” float on Thursday at the 99th parade. They will appear alongside characters such as Skullpanda, Dimoo and Molly. “Our goal at Pop Mart is to light up passion and bring joy, and Macy’s Parade has been doing that for nearly a... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3333654/pop-marts-labubu-balloons-debut-99th-macys-thanksgiving-parade-new-york?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3333654/pop-marts-labubu-balloons-debut-99th-macys-thanksgiving-parade-new-york?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Nov 2025 06:50:41 +0000 Albert Bakhtizin Albert Bakhtizin This month, the Russian Academy of Sciences completed a study assessing the comprehensive strength of 193 countries across economic, technological, demographic, military, infrastructural and other dimensions. This annual assessment of national power is conducted using advanced methods of multivariate statistical analysis. The latest results, calculated for 2025 and 2026, show the global balance of power has finally shifted from the United States towards China. Also, several regional power cores... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3333151/power-balance-tips-china-world-needs-fairer-financial-system?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3333151/power-balance-tips-china-world-needs-fairer-financial-system?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Nov 2025 12:30:09 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai As China’s global influence grows, the landscape of China studies is undergoing a profound transformation. Scholars both within China and internationally are confronting new challenges, from escalating geopolitical tensions and mutual distrust – especially between Washington and Beijing – to increasingly limited access, making research and academic collaboration more difficult than ever. Some have also urged a shift beyond Western-centric frameworks towards more field-based research and a truly... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332865/why-china-studies-scholars-west-have-been-left-crisis-mode?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332865/why-china-studies-scholars-west-have-been-left-crisis-mode?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 22:00:23 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Would the Cold War have unfolded differently if Nikita Khrushchev had chosen a different interpreter? It is a decades-old thought experiment, born of the phrase translated as “we will bury you”, but it is chiming with today’s strategic rivalry between China and the US. Whether the statement, attributed to the then-leader of the Soviet Union in 1956, should instead have been interpreted as the less aggressive “we will outlive you”, the incident sheds light on a recurrent headache in modern... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330459/hawkish-interpretations-rise-us-china-discourse-gets-lost-translation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330459/hawkish-interpretations-rise-us-china-discourse-gets-lost-translation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 15:00:15 +0000 Mathias Woo Mathias Woo Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis is more than a mere zoning plan; it is a crucial part of China’s development strategy and a pivotal step towards elevating the Greater Bay Area’s (GBA) global profile. With development now under way, the conversation must shift to a new realm: soft power. The Northern Metropolis should not be just another new town designed to address Hong Kong’s housing and industrial needs. Rather, it must emerge as a zone of cultural emancipation that takes the GBA’s development... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3329196/more-tech-hub-northern-metropolis-can-be-cradle-culture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3329196/more-tech-hub-northern-metropolis-can-be-cradle-culture?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 21:30:09 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China is betting on a new generation of digital influencers and content creators to reshape its image in Africa, which observers have said is a major shift as Beijing looks to refine its “soft power” campaigns. This new strategy aims to reshape China’s public image by connecting directly with younger audiences through cultural exchange and tourism, showcasing a side of the country rarely seen in traditional news reports. For the second consecutive year, the Chinese embassy in Kenya is sponsoring... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3326132/beijing-targets-gen-z-millennials-new-digital-strategy-build-its-brand-africa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3326132/beijing-targets-gen-z-millennials-new-digital-strategy-build-its-brand-africa?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Oct 2025 06:03:06 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang Sylvie Zhuang Speculative fiction, which encompasses sci-fi and other futuristic literature, is emerging as a strong vehicle for China to project soft power in a competition with the United States over the imagined future. The genre may help China and the Global South challenge Western views of colonialism, capitalism and future tech, according to Chinese scholars of literature and culture. “Speculative fiction, as a genre that imagines the future while critiquing the present, has long been dominated by... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3327833/china-stakes-claim-future-soft-power-sci-fi-and-speculative-fiction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3327833/china-stakes-claim-future-soft-power-sci-fi-and-speculative-fiction?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Oct 2025 11:00:08 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu A set of heavy Chinese wooden doors, slightly incongruous with the classical European streetscapes most associated with Paris, separates Sun Yiwen’s restaurant from the wine and cheese vendors that are traditional culinary landmarks in the French capital. Visitors crossing its threshold find themselves transported to a world of kaochuan – seasoned meat skewers popular in northeastern China – grilled chicken ribs and frozen pears. Her restaurant, Tonton Mao – “Uncle Mao” in French – is one of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3327609/hao-appetit-paris-new-chinese-immigrants-spawn-authentic-restaurant-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3327609/hao-appetit-paris-new-chinese-immigrants-spawn-authentic-restaurant-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Oct 2025 07:03:56 +0000 Brian Y. S. Wong Brian Y. S. Wong Donald Trump may have a point in highlighting the UN’s ability to address global challenges. However, the antidote to stunted multilateralism isn’t abandoning the concept altogether, but inclusive reforms that empower countries that lack representation. Besides its New York headquarters, the UN has three large secretariat hubs in Nairobi, Vienna and Geneva, but few offices located in Asia, a continent with around 60 per cent of the world’s population. Bangkok does serve as a de facto... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3327144/hong-kong-should-be-chinas-gateway-united-nations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3327144/hong-kong-should-be-chinas-gateway-united-nations?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Cao Li Cao Li There is not an oversupply of Labubus – at least for now, according to HSBC. Second-hand prices of the wildly popular monster dolls – endorsed by celebrities like pop star Rihanna and Lisa from the South Korean girl group Blackpink – have recently begun to fall as maker Pop Mart ramped up production. Shares of the company have dropped more than 20 per cent since peaking in late August, raising investor concerns that the toys’ supply is exceeding demand. But analysts at HSBC said such worries... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3326036/demand-pop-marts-labubu-wont-tilt-180-degrees-despite-oversupply-concerns-hsbc?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3326036/demand-pop-marts-labubu-wont-tilt-180-degrees-despite-oversupply-concerns-hsbc?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Sep 2025 00:30:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial You have fast food and fast fashion, so why not fast soap operas? In our attention-deficit era of TikTok and Douyin, it was only a matter of time before content producers came up with bite-sized dramas that you can watch by scrolling on your smartphone. China has had huge success with the format. Now the industry wants to branch out globally, especially to Southeast Asia and the United States. With the usual themes of romance, revenge and rags-to-riches journeys, mini dramas play like... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3325307/chinas-mini-dramas-may-be-something-big?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3325307/chinas-mini-dramas-may-be-something-big?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Sep 2025 23:15:08 +0000 Chen Zheng Chen Zheng Disturbing reports have surfaced of Chinese students travelling to the United States being subjected to discriminatory and politically motivated treatment. Young students have been pulled aside for hours of questioning, even denied entry under the pretext of national security. While the US has implemented stricter border controls and immigration policies, Chinese students have nothing to do with illegal immigration. They are genuine assets to both countries – not national security risks. As the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3324388/no-amount-china-scapegoating-will-reverse-americas-decline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3324388/no-amount-china-scapegoating-will-reverse-americas-decline?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Sep 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Brilliant. Pivotal. Very well held. That is how some countries described the massive military parade in the heart of the Chinese capital on Wednesday. But these countries are either some of China’s closest neighbours or part of the developing world – a group that Beijing has long sought to influence. Elsewhere, particularly in the West, the reaction was more critical. The parade had a dual effect – it marked 80 years since the end of World War II and showcased China’s growing military might and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324194/reviews-are-chinas-allies-give-top-marks-parade-west-not-won-over?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324194/reviews-are-chinas-allies-give-top-marks-parade-west-not-won-over?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Sep 2025 12:00:07 +0000 Wenran Jiang Wenran Jiang Geopolitical tremors from Washington’s trade wars against its closest allies – the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Canada and Australia – might have convinced Beijing of an impending realignment. China has seized the moment with a charm offensive, urging pragmatic cooperation amid tariff spats. Beijing rightly condemns Washington for shredding the very World Trade Organization rules and post-war liberal order it crafted, calling for collective action against US coercion. Yet despite the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3322705/why-us-allies-are-resisting-chinas-charm-offensive-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3322705/why-us-allies-are-resisting-chinas-charm-offensive-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Aug 2025 12:30:08 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/china/series/3322179/rise-chinas-soft-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/series/3322179/rise-chinas-soft-power?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Aug 2025 03:54:15 +0000 Jinghan (Michael) Zeng Jinghan (Michael) Zeng The recently released report Cold Crisis: Academic Freedom and Interference in China Studies in the UK, featured in British media, opens with a sobering statement: “The study of China in the UK is in crisis.” On this point, I wholeheartedly agree. But the diagnosis offered by the report misses the mark entirely. Rather than addressing the underlying structural issues facing higher education in the United Kingdom, the report casts a shadow of suspicion over anything connected to China. It cites... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3321458/london-must-look-within-not-towards-beijing-fix-academic-woes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3321458/london-must-look-within-not-towards-beijing-fix-academic-woes?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Aug 2025 12:30:09 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier During nearly three decades as a US diplomat in China, Southeast Asia and Africa, Matt Ingeneri watched his Chinese counterparts dispense prestigious scholarships, hold lavish banquets and conduct expensive national day celebrations. “They are very good hosts and can be really charming when they want to be,” Ingeneri, now in the private sector, said, adding that the US State Department budgets were far smaller and corruption concerns greater. “We had a hot dog on a Ritz cracker.” But Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3321283/trumps-overhaul-state-department-may-play-beijings-hands-decades?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3321283/trumps-overhaul-state-department-may-play-beijings-hands-decades?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Aug 2025 15:00:08 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik Geopolitics is stifling academic freedom and scientific research, but a university head in eastern China believes there is a way to ease the situation on campuses – by letting more foreign students in. Xi Youmin, president of Xian Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, said easing visa restrictions for foreign students and visitors could help improve understanding of China. “The world is in a state of division defined by wars, geopolitics and the US tariff war,” Xi... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3321213/university-bridges-china-and-west-geopolitics-biggest-challenge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3321213/university-bridges-china-and-west-geopolitics-biggest-challenge?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Aug 2025 22:00:14 +0000 Deborah Lehr Deborah Lehr China is making its cultural heritage protection a national priority – and a pillar of its global identity. As one of the world’s fastest-growing art markets, China has taken steps in recent years to better safeguard its cultural heritage, both at home and abroad. From restoring ancient sites to recovering looted antiquities and building museums at a rapid rate, these efforts reflect more than a conservation push. They signal that the world’s most populous nation views the protection of its... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3320042/chinas-safeguarding-cultural-heritage-signals-its-global-ambition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3320042/chinas-safeguarding-cultural-heritage-signals-its-global-ambition?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Aug 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Alexandra Schmauch, who works at a property company in Dallas, Texas, was initially sceptical of the Labubu doll craze. As she watched the commotion build on TikTok and many of her friends became avid collectors, however, curiosity got the better of her. Eventually, after several attempts, she managed to secure a couple of Labubus, relishing the “blind box” surprise of not knowing which Labubu character was inside. “A lot of the fun is how hard they are to get,” said Schmauch, aged 28. “I was... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3319439/soft-power-stealthy-ugly-cute-sort-labubu-takes-america?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3319439/soft-power-stealthy-ugly-cute-sort-labubu-takes-america?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2025 15:00:08 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu When Colby Porter began Mandarin classes in sixth grade in Syracuse, New York, he was studying alongside 20 of his peers. By his final year of high school, only two other students remained, and the school had fewer than 25 Mandarin learners in total. Soon after he graduated in 2020, the programme was shut down entirely due to dwindling enrolments and budget cuts during the Covid-19 pandemic. The situation at Porter’s school is not unusual in the United States and other countries in the Global... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3318841/huge-shift-why-learning-mandarin-losing-its-appeal-west?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3318841/huge-shift-why-learning-mandarin-losing-its-appeal-west?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Jul 2025 22:00:10 +0000 Carl Zhang Carl Zhang China’s think-tanks should pay more attention to the nation’s actual conditions and rely less on Western knowledge, according to a leading Chinese scholar, who said policy advisers could better reflect and project the country’s soft power by incorporating “Chinese characteristics”. Professor Zheng Yongnian, a political economist with the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, who is also a Beijing policy adviser, said that to better explain Chinese practices to the world and anticipate the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3317910/forget-west-china-think-tanks-must-be-self-centred-project-soft-power-expert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3317910/forget-west-china-think-tanks-must-be-self-centred-project-soft-power-expert?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Jul 2025 14:00:08 +0000 Junjie Wang Junjie Wang / https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3317783/labubu-goes-viral?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3317783/labubu-goes-viral?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jul 2025 02:47:58 +0000 Gerui Wang Gerui Wang The global frenzy around China’s Labubu, the candy-coloured monster character with the mischievous smile adorning bags, desks, streets and social feeds worldwide, is often hailed as a triumph of Chinese soft power. But Labubu’s success reveals something deeper: the unmatched sophistication of China’s integrated platform economy. Pop Mart, Labubu’s retailer, started with a small shop in Beijing in 2010 but has leveraged China’s unique digital ecosystem in recent years to build a global... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3316496/labubus-rise-reflects-hitmaker-ability-chinas-digital-ecosystem?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3316496/labubus-rise-reflects-hitmaker-ability-chinas-digital-ecosystem?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 08:30:07 +0000 David Chao David Chao Who could have predicted the meteoric rise of the Labubu doll, which has gained cult status globally after capturing hearts in China? At a recent Beijing auction, a Labubu figurine sold for over 1 million yuan (US$139,350), cementing its place as a pop culture phenomenon. The global craze may prove fleeting. But the significance of the Labubu phenomenon lies in what it reveals about China’s consumer culture as it evolves to become more expressive, brand-savvy and globally influential. No longer... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3316162/global-labubu-craze-reflects-chinas-creative-and-consumption-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3316162/global-labubu-craze-reflects-chinas-creative-and-consumption-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Jun 2025 21:30:07 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen On a recent Sunday afternoon in lower Manhattan, a small shop inside the Oculus, a soaring curvilinear mall at the World Trade Center, stands out for the bustling crowd thronging its space. “We’re out of stock,” more than one employee can be heard telling customers. This is not one of New York’s many top-brand boutiques but Pop Mart, a Chinese designer toy brand that has become a sensation in the United States. Its signature “blind box”, containing collectable figurines revealed only when the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3316434/some-china-retailers-us-still-offers-path-profit-one-toy-or-tea-order-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3316434/some-china-retailers-us-still-offers-path-profit-one-toy-or-tea-order-time?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Jun 2025 15:50:59 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang Over the past month, one of the biggest hit streaming shows globally has been a fictional drama about a young man who plots revenge after his family is murdered. The made-in-China historical fantasy is the latest major production to showcase the growing international influence of one of the country’s fastest growing cultural exports – storytelling. In the week after its May 18 debut, Legend of Zang Hai topped multiple overseas rankings in 15 regions, including the No 1 spot on Disney+ in Taiwan... https://www.scmp.com/culture/article/3316205/palace-intrigue-conquers-global-screens-are-c-dramas-chinas-new-soft-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/article/3316205/palace-intrigue-conquers-global-screens-are-c-dramas-chinas-new-soft-power?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Jun 2025 22:00:14 +0000 SCMP Sport,Agence France-Presse SCMP Sport,Agence France-Presse Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko expressed his “deep gratitude” to China on Thursday for its support of the country’s women’s basketball team, after the United States rejected visas for several members ahead of a planned training camp. The visa refusals come amid US President Donald Trump’s administration’s immigration crackdown and tightened border controls. Senegal is among 36 nations the US is considering adding to a travel ban barring entry to its territory, according to an internal... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3315165/senegal-pms-deep-gratitude-china-after-us-refuses-womens-basketball-teams-visas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3315165/senegal-pms-deep-gratitude-china-after-us-refuses-womens-basketball-teams-visas?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Jun 2025 05:30:07 +0000 Daniele Carminati Daniele Carminati The late Joseph Nye, who coined the term “soft power”, often warned that US President Donald Trump’s actions were harming America’s reputation abroad. Meanwhile, perceptions of China and other Asian countries are on the rise. Could this indicate a shift towards the fabled “Asian century”? More than a third of people in Southeast Asia were born since the beginning of the 21st century, amounting to more than 250 million people. As a result, none of them personally experienced the 1997 Asian... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3313184/asia-finally-cool-eyes-those-who-matter-its-young?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3313184/asia-finally-cool-eyes-those-who-matter-its-young?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Jun 2025 01:30:07 +0000 Yanzhong Huang Yanzhong Huang In the grand theatre of international politics, soft power – the art of attraction without coercion or payment so eloquently defined by the late Joseph Nye – was long considered the gleaming crown jewel of American influence and the glaring deficiency in the Chinese arsenal amid the countries’ rivalry for pre-eminence. Yet since US President Donald Trump’s return to office, the balance of international attraction has been shifting remarkably in Beijing’s favour. On the domestic front, the US... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3310052/eroding-us-soft-power-trump-ceding-contest-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3310052/eroding-us-soft-power-trump-ceding-contest-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 May 2025 12:30:07 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification To tackle the plastic waste crisis, degradable plastic and non-plastic products have been widely promoted as an eco-friendly alternative to single-use plastic. Some businesses are even willing to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3309728/single-use-alternatives-plastic-distract-real-solutions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3309728/single-use-alternatives-plastic-distract-real-solutions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 May 2025 03:30:08 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Few diplomatic agreements survive the forces of hatred, bullets and bombings. Yet for 65 years, the Indus Waters Treaty has endured. Today, rash decisions risk ending one of South Asia’s few durable... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3309343/fighting-over-water-sign-failure-not-strength?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3309343/fighting-over-water-sign-failure-not-strength?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 May 2025 03:30:08 +0000 Cui Jianchun Cui Jianchun As the world undergoes profound changes, humanity once again stands at a historic crossroads facing pivotal choices. Amid global uncertainty, China’s modernisation has created a new path for human progress and common prosperity. China’s path to modernity has a socialist character. Led by the Communist Party of China, it follows the general principles of modernisation while being firmly rooted in China’s history, culture and national conditions, giving it distinct characteristics. To understand... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3309215/6-ways-chinas-modernisation-offers-new-path-prosperity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3309215/6-ways-chinas-modernisation-offers-new-path-prosperity?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 May 2025 08:35:05 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs has called on HSBC to serve as an “important bridge” in Sino-British ties while also promoting the country and the city to the international community as he met its group chairman in the capital. HSBC Group chairman Mark Tucker also met Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng on Wednesday and was asked to contribute to fostering the country’s relations with Britain and Europe. Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, told the delegation... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3304962/beijing-calls-hsbc-help-improve-sino-british-ties-boost-hong-kongs-image?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3304962/beijing-calls-hsbc-help-improve-sino-british-ties-boost-hong-kongs-image?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Apr 2025 15:31:07 +0000 Zhou Xin Zhou Xin In the decade since Hong Kong-born artist Lung Ka-sing created Labubu, an adorable, toothy elfin creature, it had remained a niche favourite in art circles until late 2024, when it became a mainstream sensation across mainland China and other parts of Asia. While its sudden popularity is often attributed to Lisa, a member of the South Korean girl group Blackpink, who was spotted carrying various iterations of the doll, the real force behind the Labubu boom is Pop Mart, the Chinese blind-box... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3304597/labubu-molly-chinas-pop-mart-gives-hong-kong-creativity-broader-audience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3304597/labubu-molly-chinas-pop-mart-gives-hong-kong-creativity-broader-audience?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Mar 2025 23:00:10 +0000 China’s online video and audio industry, especially in lucrative micro-dramas, is expanding its influence both domestically and abroad, with the market size surging to 1.22 trillion yuan (US$168 billion) last year, according to officials and industry insiders. The industry saw its market size grow by 6.1 per cent, year on year, as it became a formidable force for job creation, with a record 757,000 companies operating, the China Netcasting Services Association (CNSA) said in a report during an... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3304157/chinas-addictive-micro-dramas-show-how-commercial-demand-fuelling-netcasting-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3304157/chinas-addictive-micro-dramas-show-how-commercial-demand-fuelling-netcasting-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Mar 2025 13:00:08 +0000