https://www.scmp.com/rss/329798/feed As part of Deng Xiaoping’s 'reform and opening up' policies, China named Shenzhen a special economic zone in 1980. Over the next 40 years, Shenzhen transformed from a rural backwater with a population of 20,000 to China's answer to Silicon Valley. It forms part of the “Greater Bay Area”, so created in 2016 by the Chinese government, which groups nine Guangdong cities with Hong Kong and Macau as an economic hub. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Zhang Tong Zhang Tong Chinese scientists have developed a way to generate electricity and achieve higher energy efficiency than conventional burning methods, while producing zero carbon dioxide emissions, by placing coal inside a “battery”. “Coal-fired power” conjures images of heavy pollution, steep carbon footprints and modest efficiency. But a novel, direct coal power technology challenges that stereotype by eliminating combustion entirely and sidestepping the carbon dioxide emissions that have long defined coal... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3351241/china-unveils-worlds-first-coal-fuel-cell-can-produce-electricity-zero-emission?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3351241/china-unveils-worlds-first-coal-fuel-cell-can-produce-electricity-zero-emission?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 10:00:15 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen Southwestern China’s busiest airport was mopping up and struggling to resume operations on Sunday after a massive hailstorm grounded flights, damaged aircraft and stranded passengers. Hailstones, some as big as fists, battered Kunming Changshui International Airport in Kunming, Yunnan province, when the storm struck early on Saturday. The storm lashed runways, terminal roofs and some of the more than 110 aircraft at the facility on Saturday morning, with water seen seeping down into terminal... https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3351469/southwestern-chinas-busiest-airport-disrupted-biggest-hailstorm-decades?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3351469/southwestern-chinas-busiest-airport-disrupted-biggest-hailstorm-decades?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 08:27:39 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Inside the busy aisles and booths of the Fair Plus robotics trade show in Shenzhen this week, the usual stunt spectacle was replaced by practical tasks: robots sorting supermarket stock, serving popcorn and transporting oversized boxes. Among them, Shenzhen-based X Square Robot showed the real-world ability of its wheel-based humanoids, using the firm’s self-developed Wall-A embodied foundation model to pick up rubbish from the floor and place it in a bin. Currently deployed in on-demand... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3351462/supply-chain-record-growth-shenzhen-dominates-chinas-robotics-landscape?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3351462/supply-chain-record-growth-shenzhen-dominates-chinas-robotics-landscape?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 06:25:18 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Shenzhen’s residential inventory has fallen to a seven-year low, putting the southern technology hub ahead of other first-tier Chinese cities in clearing excess housing stock – a condition investors see as essential for a broader property market recovery. While inventory had declined across major Chinese cities, analysts said the recovery remained uneven after five consecutive years of weakness in the housing market. A broader rebound across city tiers and property types is likely to take... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3351407/why-shenzhen-may-be-first-climb-out-chinas-property-slump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3351407/why-shenzhen-may-be-first-climb-out-chinas-property-slump?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 04:00:09 +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 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings After an hour’s drive through the jungle of Borneo, you reach more jungle. Your rental van from the Balikpapan city airport shakes precariously, navigating a partial bridge washout. A roadside sign admonishes against poaching the endangered sun bears. By hour three you’ve arrived at Indonesia’s new capital, which is due to start taking over from gridlocked, polluted and seaward-sinking Jakarta in 2028. Welcome to Ibu Kota Nusantara, known locally as just Nusantara or IKN. Eventually, if all goes... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350981/muddy-yet-clear-cut-how-chinese-investors-are-turning-jungle-indonesias-new-capital?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350981/muddy-yet-clear-cut-how-chinese-investors-are-turning-jungle-indonesias-new-capital?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Iris Deng,Coco Feng Iris Deng,Coco Feng In the southern tech hub of Shenzhen, a simmering rivalry between DJI and Insta360 has transformed their shared neighbourhood into a high-stakes corporate battleground. Both companies have long been hailed as the city’s poster children for Chinese innovation. DJI dominated the skies as the world’s undisputed leader in consumer drones, and Insta360 captured the niche market of panoramic cameras. Now they find themselves locked in a crosstown struggle for market supremacy that some say could... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3351291/dji-duels-insta360-china-sharpens-global-hardware-edge-amid-us-scrutiny?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3351291/dji-duels-insta360-china-sharpens-global-hardware-edge-amid-us-scrutiny?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 22:00:11 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong An overhaul of listing and trading rules has driven a 16-year-old board for start-ups on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange to an all-time high, and traders believe the listed companies’ above-average earnings growth and exposure to renewable energy will extend the record-setting run. The ChiNext 50 Index of the board’s 50 biggest stocks and the ChiNext Composite Index both broke highs set in 2015 this week, outpacing other equity gauges of yuan-denominated stocks, which have yet to fully recoup their... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3351146/chinext-shenzhens-nasdaq-emerges-investor-darling-start-indexes-smash-records?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3351146/chinext-shenzhens-nasdaq-emerges-investor-darling-start-indexes-smash-records?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 02:00:15 +0000 Ambrose Li,Wynna Wong Ambrose Li,Wynna Wong Hongkonger Dominique Li and his wife spent a two-day break earlier this month in Shenzhen to soak up the cultural vibe, a short getaway they said would not be their last. The 45-year-old engineer, who lives in Tin Shui Wai in the northwestern New Territories, was particularly drawn to a new landmark, Shenzhen Bay Culture Square in Nanshan district. He treated his visit to Shenzhen like a trip to Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay shopping district, which also takes about an hour. “The spaces here are... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3351208/value-space-and-style-pull-hongkongers-shenzhens-new-cultural-hotspots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3351208/value-space-and-style-pull-hongkongers-shenzhens-new-cultural-hotspots?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:30:17 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China has launched a bond-market-connect scheme with Brazil, Chinese media outlets reported this week, marking the first such link among emerging markets. Schemes such as this one, often dubbed “connects” between Chinese bond or stock markets and their offshore counterparts, typically allow investors to bypass special permits or capital-flow controls when trading on either side’s exchanges. China now maintains at least five offshore capital-market “connect” schemes on three continents. Hong... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3351185/brazil-beckoned-china-now-has-stock-and-bond-connect-schemes-these-5-regions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3351185/brazil-beckoned-china-now-has-stock-and-bond-connect-schemes-these-5-regions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 23:00:10 +0000 Daniel Ren,Themis Qi Daniel Ren,Themis Qi This year’s Auto China, the world’s largest car show, is likely to mark a watershed for Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers as they push dozens of new premium models into the spotlight, challenging European manufacturers such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Leading EV makers in mainland China, from BYD and Geely to Leapmotor and Nio, will showcase their latest models at the 10-day show, which starts in Beijing on Friday, having moved up the value chain through the rapid adoption of technological... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3351130/chinas-premium-evs-mount-tech-powered-challenge-bmw-mercedes-benz-expo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3351130/chinas-premium-evs-mount-tech-powered-challenge-bmw-mercedes-benz-expo?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Hong Kong’s technology cooperation with Shenzhen received a boost on Wednesday as Lenovo Group, the world’s biggest personal computer maker, set up an innovation lab at the city’s new Hetao tech hub and pledged to help firms adopt artificial intelligence and expand globally. Lenovo is the first multinational tech firm to publicly announce its presence on the Hong Kong side of the Hetao zone – the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (HSITP) – which covers 87 hectares in the city’s... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3351020/hong-kong-shenzhen-tech-cooperation-gets-boost-lenovo-ai-lab-hetao-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3351020/hong-kong-shenzhen-tech-cooperation-gets-boost-lenovo-ai-lab-hetao-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:00:10 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China is backing Namibia’s bid to move beyond raw material exports by supporting the domestic processing of critical minerals and uranium. In a joint communique issued on Friday following talks in Beijing between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his counterpart, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, China pledged to help transform Namibia’s natural resources into higher-value products through domestic processing and downstream cooperation. Namibia has exported unprocessed minerals for decades. It is now seeking... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350979/why-china-backs-namibias-nuclear-fuel-rod-production?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350979/why-china-backs-namibias-nuclear-fuel-rod-production?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:37:16 +0000 Brian Y. S. Wong Brian Y. S. Wong There is a tendency to portray the global artificial intelligence (AI) landscape as consisting of two bitter rivals – China and the United States. The remaining 80 per cent of the world’s population, by virtue of their supposed dearth of scale, research and other critical overheads, are purportedly followers with no agency. The reality is more complex. The emerging global AI order is neither unipolar nor strictly bipolar. Instead, it is characterised by a swathe of middle powers hedging their... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3350129/hong-kong-can-advance-ai-beyond-confines-geopolitical-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3350129/hong-kong-can-advance-ai-beyond-confines-geopolitical-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong should take a more proactive approach to removing barriers hindering the cross-border flow of people, capital, goods and data with neighbouring Shenzhen, analysts have said, as the new leadership of the mainland China tech hub signals a fresh push for deeper integration. The calls for action followed the appointment of Jin Lei, an economist and former official in Sichuan province, as Shenzhen’s Communist Party chief last month, succeeding Meng Fanli, who has since been named the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350627/hong-kong-urged-be-more-proactive-removing-barriers-shenzhen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350627/hong-kong-urged-be-more-proactive-removing-barriers-shenzhen?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:13:39 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow China’s artificial intelligence model companies are unlikely to “eat up” the domestic software market because they lack the deep industry know-how and experience to meet enterprise needs, according to an HSBC analyst. Unlike the US, China’s less developed software-as-a-service (SaaS) market stands to gain even as AI models continue to improve, with the most likely outcome being a collaborative approach where model companies and legacy software firms serve enterprises in tandem, said Yiran Liu,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3350586/ai-not-eating-chinas-software-market-turbocharging-it-hsbc-analyst?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3350586/ai-not-eating-chinas-software-market-turbocharging-it-hsbc-analyst?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 01:00:19 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong Chinese scientists have created a diving suit that could help users glide through the sea with ease. In tests, the exoskeleton reduced the diver’s oxygen consumption by nearly 40 per cent. The flexible suit not only provides physical assistance but also syncs precisely with the swimmer’s own rhythm, dramatically boosting underwater agility. In tasks ranging from seabed surveys and pipeline inspections to salvage operations and even covert military missions, divers must constantly change the rate... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350425/chinese-robo-diving-suit-could-help-users-consume-almost-40-less-oxygen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350425/chinese-robo-diving-suit-could-help-users-consume-almost-40-less-oxygen?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 06:00:14 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng For pet food container seller Chen Junbin, customs used to be a major bottleneck when shipping from Shenzhen in southern China to his customers in the US. “In the past, we had to handle all the paperwork and coordinate with multiple logistics suppliers ourselves; a single [customs] inspection could delay our shipment by a week,” said Chen, founder of Shenzhen Lightning Technology. As one of the first sellers to test Amazon’s Global Warehousing and Distribution (GWD) facility, the US giant’s new... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3350409/how-amazon-uses-closer-china-supply-ties-counter-tariffs-shein-and-temu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3350409/how-amazon-uses-closer-china-supply-ties-counter-tariffs-shein-and-temu?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:00:09 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian A 32-year-old investor in central Hunan never expected a routine phone call about stock tips would leave him nursing heavy losses. In a post on RedNote, he said a caller claiming ties to private equity firms offered daily stock recommendations, urging him to buy within fixed quotas in exchange for sharing half the profits. “It was sketchy – I’m now trapped in the market and down almost 20 per cent,” he said on Thursday. His experience reflects a broader surge in scams targeting retail investors,... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350447/hot-tips-cold-reality-china-targets-online-stock-scams-hitting-retail-investors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350447/hot-tips-cold-reality-china-targets-online-stock-scams-hitting-retail-investors?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:45:08 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang A wave of companies, from the start-up launched by artificial intelligence “godmother” Li Fei-Fei to the largest Chinese tech firms, are racing to introduce their latest approaches to world models – an emerging field aimed at extending AI beyond language processing to learning from and comprehending physical reality. Alibaba Group Holding on Thursday unveiled Happy Oyster, which it called an open-ended world model designed for real-time and “flowy” virtual world creation and interaction,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3350351/chinese-tech-giants-ai-godmother-li-fei-fei-race-seize-edge-world-models?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3350351/chinese-tech-giants-ai-godmother-li-fei-fei-race-seize-edge-world-models?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:00:14 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow US artificial intelligence start-up Anthropic’s move to introduce real-name identity verification has triggered alarm in China, raising the prospect that access to its tools could be cut off entirely and prompting black-market vendors to scramble for workarounds. The shift highlights the strong demand for Anthropic’s Claude models in China, despite an official ban that also covers Hong Kong and Macau. The company said the restrictions were necessary for national security reasons amid... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3350321/black-market-workarounds-claude-scale-anthropic-tightens-id-checks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3350321/black-market-workarounds-claude-scale-anthropic-tightens-id-checks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 12:00:10 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Chinese suppliers of parts for Tesla’s electric vehicles (EVs) and robots saw their stock prices gain on Thursday morning as the US tech giant announced that its AI5 artificial intelligence inference chip was 45 days ahead of schedule. After a nearly 7.7 per cent jump in Tesla’s Nasdaq-listed stock on Wednesday, shares of the company’s Chinese suppliers were up by as much as 4.6 per cent on Thursday. Shanghai-listed Ningbo Tuopu Group and Shenzhen-listed Zhejiang Sanhua Intelligent Controls,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3350279/chinese-investors-cheer-teslas-ai-chip-progress-pushing-shares-local-suppliers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3350279/chinese-investors-cheer-teslas-ai-chip-progress-pushing-shares-local-suppliers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 07:00:36 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Mainland China’s first-tier home prices edged up 0.2 per cent in March, rising after nine months of losses and no change in February, but it is too soon to declare the property market stable without sustained improvement in homebuying demand, according to analysts. Compared with a month earlier, March home prices were flat in Beijing, rose 0.3 per cent in Shanghai and Guangzhou, and gained 0.2 per cent in Shenzhen, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350276/new-home-prices-chinas-biggest-cities-record-first-rise-10-months?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350276/new-home-prices-chinas-biggest-cities-record-first-rise-10-months?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 07:00:20 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Travelling from Hong Kong’s commercial heart to the site of the San Tin Technopole, a planned innovation hub under the Northern Metropolis megaproject, is an exercise in endurance. The roughly two-hour trek from Causeway Bay requires taking trains on two lines, navigating two transit interchanges and catching a ride on a public minibus. Upon arrival, visitors are not greeted by gleaming skyscrapers or shopping centres, but by a quiet patchwork of fish ponds, villages, scattered squatter homes... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350210/are-special-laws-quick-fix-speeding-hong-kongs-northern-metropolis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350210/are-special-laws-quick-fix-speeding-hong-kongs-northern-metropolis?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:26 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng US e-commerce giant Amazon has launched its first smart warehouse in Shenzhen, aiming to cut storage costs for local merchants by up to 45 per cent as competition with Chinese rivals Shein and PDD Holdings’ Temu intensifies in cross-border trade. The facility – Amazon’s first Global Warehousing and Distribution (GWD) centre – will serve as an “all-in-one” logistics hub for Chinese sellers targeting US customers, located at the heart of Shenzhen’s manufacturing base, the company said at a launch... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3350199/amazon-bets-shenzhen-smart-warehouse-cut-merchant-storage-costs-45-cent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3350199/amazon-bets-shenzhen-smart-warehouse-cut-merchant-storage-costs-45-cent?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:00:18 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian China Evergrande Group’s founder and former chairman Hui Ka-yan pleaded guilty to charges including embezzlement of corporate assets and corporate bribery, according to a statement issued by the Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court. The trial was held on Monday and Tuesday, and the court said it would issue its judgment at a later date. The charges against Hui and Evergrande also included illegally absorbing public deposits, fundraising fraud, illegal loan issuance, fraudulent issuance of... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349990/founder-chinas-evergrande-group-hui-ka-yan-pleads-guilty-fraud-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349990/founder-chinas-evergrande-group-hui-ka-yan-pleads-guilty-fraud-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 04:26:24 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela Hong Kong holds the unwanted distinction of being the most US-sanctioned territory in China, with more than 300 entities blacklisted by Washington in a bid to curb Beijing’s technological rise. But the government maintains that a backlash from Washington will not stop Hong Kong from becoming an international technology hub, in line with an initiative that seeks to bypass technological containment through deepened partnerships with the mainland. Anchored by the cross-border Hetao Shenzhen-Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349923/can-hong-kong-target-most-us-sanctions-become-chinas-quantum-gateway?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3349923/can-hong-kong-target-most-us-sanctions-become-chinas-quantum-gateway?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 04:00:12 +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 Ann Cao,Themis Qi Ann Cao,Themis Qi Printed circuit boards (PCBs) – unsung core components in all electronic devices – are emerging as the latest source of excitement in China’s chip supply chain, as domestic companies capitalise on surging global demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure to pursue share listings. Victory Giant Technology, a PCB supplier to US chip champion Nvidia, kicked off bookbuilding in Hong Kong on Monday for an initial public offering (IPO) that aims to raise up to HK$17.49 billion (US$2.2... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3349924/victory-giant-joins-ipo-push-chinas-circuit-board-makers-amid-ai-frenzy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3349924/victory-giant-joins-ipo-push-chinas-circuit-board-makers-amid-ai-frenzy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren China’s tea-drink market, with estimated annual sales of 370 billion yuan (US$54.2 billion), has become yet another example of involution as brutal price competition threatens to expel thousands of unprofitable small players. The dire scenario represents a rude reminder to those who hope to strike it rich by investing in a fast-growing business in mainland China’s vast consumer market, which abounds with boom-to-bust cycles. “Bubble tea is a dynamic market, and it is never easy to make money... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349847/chinas-tea-drink-shops-thirst-profits-price-wars-dry-prospects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349847/chinas-tea-drink-shops-thirst-profits-price-wars-dry-prospects?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 04:35:43 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Hong Kong is betting on a 36-fold increase in supercomputing power to get an edge on rivals London and New York in the race for global artificial intelligence (AI) supremacy, the city leader has said. In his keynote address at the opening of the World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit in Hong Kong on Monday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the city’s infrastructure road map was a cornerstone of its bid to become a leading international innovation and technology (I&T) hub. “We are... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349831/hong-kong-bets-36-fold-surge-computing-power-join-top-global-ai-hubs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349831/hong-kong-bets-36-fold-surge-computing-power-join-top-global-ai-hubs?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 02:43:10 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Investors betting on a China reflation trade may be in for a reality check, as rising government bond prices and lacklustre equities point to lingering doubts about whether inflation in the world’s second-largest economy can be sustained. Yields on China’s one-year sovereign bonds have fallen by 5.5 basis points over the past three weeks, while 10-year yields are down 1.6 basis points. Over the same period, the benchmark CSI 300 Index has slipped about 1 per cent. Bond yields move inversely to... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349701/chinas-reflation-narrative-under-scrutiny-bond-market-signals-caution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349701/chinas-reflation-narrative-under-scrutiny-bond-market-signals-caution?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Beijing’s top official overseeing Hong Kong affairs has concluded his second visit to the Greater Bay Area in three weeks, a trip that analysts view as a push from the central government to speed up the city’s integration with national development. Xia Baolong, director of the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, was in Guangdong province earlier this week, visiting Shenzhen, Dongguan and Huizhou. State-run media said his four-day “research tour” focused on supporting Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349755/beijings-point-man-hong-kong-affairs-wraps-second-bay-area-visit-3-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349755/beijings-point-man-hong-kong-affairs-wraps-second-bay-area-visit-3-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 12:12:08 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Fang Liu, a partner at global law firm Clifford Chance, counts among his clients many technology companies that are keen to list in Hong Kong, but find the current requirements cumbersome. Clifford Chance has helped more than a dozen innovative companies raise funds under the new listing regime since 2018, when Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) introduced reforms for pre-revenue biotech firms and companies with weighted voting rights (WVR), where one class of shareholders carries more... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3349647/hong-kongs-listing-reform-20-can-it-outshine-global-rivals-innovative-firms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3349647/hong-kongs-listing-reform-20-can-it-outshine-global-rivals-innovative-firms?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 03:00:12 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong China will allow pre-profit technology companies to list on the ChiNext board in Shenzhen and introduce market makers to improve liquidity, as regulators step up efforts to bolster the mainland’s second-largest stock exchange and advance the country’s push for technological self-reliance. Under the new rules, emerging-industry companies with an estimated market value of at least 3 billion yuan (US$439 million) and revenue no less than 200 million yuan in the most recent financial year would be... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3349675/china-opens-chinext-exchange-pre-profit-tech-firms-push-boost-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3349675/china-opens-chinext-exchange-pre-profit-tech-firms-push-boost-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:13:53 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang China’s healthcare sector has been drawing offshore capital to Hong Kong-listed stocks as investors look for safe havens amid global volatility in commodities. The Hang Seng Healthcare Index, tracking some of China’s most innovative pharmaceutical companies including Akeso and Innovent Biologics, has surged about 13 per cent since March 23, outpacing the benchmark Hang Seng Index’s about 6 per cent gain over the same period. “Although the Middle East conflict has created a lot of uncertainty and... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349635/china-healthcare-stocks-outgain-hong-kong-market-middle-east-roils-global-investments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349635/china-healthcare-stocks-outgain-hong-kong-market-middle-east-roils-global-investments?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:30:09 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Three solid-state battery developers across China and the US are moving towards initial public offerings (IPOs), as geopolitical tensions and elevated oil prices fuel demand for more energy-efficient technologies. Qingtao (Kunshan) Energy Development Group became the latest to join the queue, filing for a Hong Kong listing on April 8. Earlier, Beijing WeLion New Energy began the pre-listing tutoring process ahead of a planned application to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, while US-based Factorial... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349560/solid-state-battery-firms-china-and-us-line-ipos-oil-prices-lift-ev-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349560/solid-state-battery-firms-china-and-us-line-ipos-oil-prices-lift-ev-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 01:30:17 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren China’s leading battery makers have unveiled plans to add more than 600 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of new production capacity for the energy storage system (ESS) market in just the first two months of 2026, underscoring surging global demand for renewable energy infrastructure. The planned facilities – spanning major players from Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL) to Gotion High-tech – amount to roughly 10 times the 58GWh of total capacity installed across the US in 2025. According to the GGII... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349550/china-throws-switch-battery-buildout-equal-10-times-us-capacity-2025?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349550/china-throws-switch-battery-buildout-equal-10-times-us-capacity-2025?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:40:44 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd, or CATL, plans to buy a 45 per cent stake in the parent of a Shenzhen-listed renewable-energy company, as the world’s biggest maker of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles seeks to expand its investments in green energy amid the global oil shock. CATL signed a framework agreement with two shareholders of Hangzhou Zhonhen Technology Investment on Wednesday, agreeing to pay 4.09 billion yuan (US$598.5 million) for the deal, Hangzhou Zhonhen Electric, the... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349465/catl-buys-45-stake-hangzhou-green-energy-company-us598-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349465/catl-buys-45-stake-hangzhou-green-energy-company-us598-million?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 07:05:49 +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 The upcoming Asian Professional Negotiators Network Conference in Hong Kong, scheduled for mid-April, marks a vital milestone for regional public safety. More than just a professional exchange, this event is a catalyst for a critical conversation about how we integrate law... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3349315/policy-support-needed-create-asia-specific-mental-health-safety-nets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3349315/policy-support-needed-create-asia-specific-mental-health-safety-nets?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:30:08 +0000 Christopher DeWolf Christopher DeWolf Greenery used to be a nice thing to have in an architectural project. Now it’s the star of the show. In many Asian cities, new developments are treating nature as more than just decoration, orienting themselves around green spaces that are at once useful to humans and beneficial to the environment. At least, that’s the idea. Reality is more complicated. Integrating nature and architecture “[is] always a challenge”, says Stephen Buckle, design director of Chinese studios for Aspect, a global... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/article/3349397/rewilding-city-urban-forests-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/article/3349397/rewilding-city-urban-forests-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:17 +0000 Iris Deng,Ann Cao Iris Deng,Ann Cao China is ramping up efforts in the AI race, as tech giants Alibaba Group Holding and Huawei Technologies deploy massive computing clusters in the push to develop home-grown infrastructure. E-commerce giant Alibaba has announced the deployment of a 10,000-card intelligent computing cluster powered by the Zhenwu AI chips developed by its T-Head semiconductor design arm. Launched in collaboration with China Telecom in the Shaoguan data centre in Guangdong province, the “fully domestic” cluster was... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349335/ai-race-us-intensifies-chinas-alibaba-launches-10000-card-computing-cluster?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349335/ai-race-us-intensifies-chinas-alibaba-launches-10000-card-computing-cluster?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 06:30:08 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong authorities will set up a company this year to accelerate the development of an innovation hub near the border, with firms already expressing interest in moving into the San Tin Technopole, a senior tech official has said. Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Kevin Choi Kit-ming also told the South China Morning Post that some companies might soon be able to transfer data and biological samples across the border once tailor-made measures were introduced later... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349306/hong-kong-set-company-year-fast-track-san-tin-tech-hub-firms-eye-move?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349306/hong-kong-set-company-year-fast-track-san-tin-tech-hub-firms-eye-move?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 02:00:21 +0000 Winston Mok Winston Mok The Strait of Hormuz blockage is being felt far and wide. While the world struggles with higher pump prices, key energy exporters such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar face severe economic setbacks. In Gulf states serving as air hubs, expats and affluent locals are scrambling for the exit. The discovery of oil transformed Arabian deserts into rich petro-states. Knowing this wealth would not flow forever, the states leveraged their strategic locations to become air traffic hubs.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349044/gulf-states-geography-both-generous-and-treacherous-patron?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349044/gulf-states-geography-both-generous-and-treacherous-patron?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:30:07 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Initial public offerings (IPOs) on mainland Chinese markets surged 56 per cent in the first quarter from a year earlier, as the securities regulator relaxed curbs on equity financing to support the nation’s push for technological innovation. Twenty-nine companies raised a combined 25.7 billion yuan (US$3.7 billion) from the Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing stock exchanges in the first three months, according to Bloomberg data. That compared with 16.5 billion yuan raised by 27 companies in the same... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348945/china-ipos-jump-56-regulator-eases-restrictions-drive-tech-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348945/china-ipos-jump-56-regulator-eases-restrictions-drive-tech-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 06:00:11 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Iran points finger at Saudis and UAE after Chinese-made drone was shot down 2. Lead scientist reveals true purpose of China’s ultra-large underwater drone 3. Hongkongers crossing border for Easter break wowed by new Shenzhen tech museum 4. Australia’s 180-degree shift from 5 years ago: China in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3349117/chinese-made-drone-shot-iran-australias-diplomacy-pivot-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3349117/chinese-made-drone-shot-iran-australias-diplomacy-pivot-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 04:30:26 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Traditional corporate culture and hierarchies are slowing down artificial intelligence adoption in Chinese enterprises, leaving them trailing their US peers, even as China’s savvy consumers embrace AI agents at a breakneck pace, says Zack Kass, former head of go-to-market at OpenAI. China has a very “techno-centric consumer”, while the US has a very “techno-centric enterprise”, Kass told the South China Morning Post in a recent interview. Highlighting this contrast, Kass said typical Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3348956/chinese-firms-trail-us-peers-ai-adoption-due-corporate-culture-ex-openai-executive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3348956/chinese-firms-trail-us-peers-ai-adoption-due-corporate-culture-ex-openai-executive?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Ambrose Li,Wynna Wong Ambrose Li,Wynna Wong Hong Kong traveller Mr Lau is among those turning to high-speed rail trips or flights to mainland China after being deterred from international air travel by rising costs, particularly fuel surcharges, as war in the Middle East rages. The 34-year-old, who was travelling to neighbouring Guangzhou with his wife for a three-day trip on a high-speed train on Friday, said he had done some calculations since airlines’ fuel surcharges rose, noting that a return train trip between the two cities cost... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349064/hong-kong-tourists-choose-safety-affordability-trips-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349064/hong-kong-tourists-choose-safety-affordability-trips-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 04:32:30 +0000 Ningrong Liu Ningrong Liu Hong Kong’s first five-year plan is expected to guide the city’s future development. Never before has the city attempted a comprehensive plan in the style of mainland China, signalling a major shift in how it approaches long‑term growth. The real question is not why a laissez‑faire economy must adopt a new model but how this transformation will unfold. This exercise is unprecedented on multiple fronts. First, it departs from Hong Kong’s long-standing reliance on market forces and incremental... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348085/how-china-transforming-hong-kong-strategic-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348085/how-china-transforming-hong-kong-strategic-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Fiona Sun,Edith Lin Fiona Sun,Edith Lin Hongkongers crossed the border into Shenzhen in droves on the second day of the Easter holiday on Saturday, drawn by a wider range of bargain-priced shopping, dining and entertainment options, as well as new landmark attractions including a futuristic tech museum. While bracing for heavy rain, many travellers cited mainland China’s broader selection of shopping centres and restaurants, along with more affordable prices as key draws. Some also said neighbouring Shenzhen boasted fresh cultural and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349029/thousands-hongkongers-brave-heavy-rain-shenzhen-trip-day-2-easter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349029/thousands-hongkongers-brave-heavy-rain-shenzhen-trip-day-2-easter?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 07:15:30 +0000