https://www.scmp.com/rss/504573/feed Cyril Ip is a creative strategist and journalist whose work spans media, music and publicity. Raised in Hong Kong and educated in Britain, he writes about culture, society and self-development. He covered culture and diplomacy for the Post from 2021 to 2025. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Cyril Ip Cyril Ip If you were an active dater in Hong Kong, particularly during the politically turbulent late 2010s, you would have grown accustomed to seeing a certain phrase on local profiles: “from the UK”. But gentle probing would reveal that this succinct declaration, often adorned with a Union flag emoji, conveyed more aspiration than lived familiarity. In most cases, the purported home in Britain was a dormitory, legitimised only by a student visa; the family remained firmly in Hong Kong. Ask the wrong... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3342882/i-feel-young-hongkongers-who-say-they-are-uk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3342882/i-feel-young-hongkongers-who-say-they-are-uk?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 01:30:14 +0000 I arrived in Shanghai with lingering memories of what it looked like in 2010, when I was one of the 73 million visitors who walked the banks of the Huangpu River during the World Expo. As an 11-year-old from Hong Kong, this was my first glimpse of what I later recognised as China’s “soft power”, and I was agog. For much of my childhood, I had equated that visceral feeling with going abroad – particularly to Europe, including the United Kingdom where I spent seven years studying. I was privileged... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3297600/beneath-modern-chinas-superficial-allure-rich-culture-waiting-be-explored?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3297600/beneath-modern-chinas-superficial-allure-rich-culture-waiting-be-explored?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Feb 2025 23:45:08 +0000 Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province in southern China, is often overshadowed by its more famous neighbour, Hong Kong. But it rewards those who visit with a blend of history, vibrant modernity and culinary delights. Formerly called Canton, it is the birthplace of Cantonese cooking. Today, the food offerings in this bustling metropolis can best be summarised as affordable luxury – one can enjoy great meals without breaking the bank. For everything from dim sum to roast pigeon, congee and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3296172/dim-sum-dessert-soup-5-best-guangzhou-restaurants-visit-your-next-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3296172/dim-sum-dessert-soup-5-best-guangzhou-restaurants-visit-your-next-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Jan 2025 04:45:08 +0000 Liu Qinlan used to be a kindergarten teacher in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou province in southern China. About two years ago, she returned to her rural hometown in Rongjiang county to launch a community-focused business selling local products – from traditional silver to wax-dyed clothing. She has never looked back. Despite her lack of experience in the field, the then 25-year-old opened her outlet in 2023 with help from the government. She also leveraged the immense popularity of Cunchao, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3296261/how-chinas-cultural-confidence-push-sparking-revival-traditional-crafts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3296261/how-chinas-cultural-confidence-push-sparking-revival-traditional-crafts?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Jan 2025 22:00:14 +0000 Rap superstars including Cardi B and Travis Scott have been invited to perform on the southern Chinese island of Hainan this year after two sold-out shows by Kanye West in September raked in millions from visitor spending. Top-selling US rappers are on the radar of tourism officials in Haikou, the provincial capital, following the success of the rapper and producer’s two shows at the Wuyuan River Stadium in September, the latter of which was added due to overwhelming demand. “Haikou sees itself... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3294431/chinas-hainan-island-seeks-rappers-delight-invites-cardi-b-and-travis-scott?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3294431/chinas-hainan-island-seeks-rappers-delight-invites-cardi-b-and-travis-scott?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Jan 2025 11:13:10 +0000 The capital of imperial China between the sixth and 15th centuries, Nanjing today is a centre for innovation that has held onto its history. The eastern city – whose name, meaning “southern capital”, was introduced in 1403 during the Ming dynasty – has a comprehensive metro network that makes it easy for tourists to get around. The city offers a wide range of accommodation options, from inexpensive hostels to upmarket chain hotels. A flight to Nanjing from Hong Kong takes 2½ hours, and the city... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3291475/5-must-visit-nanjing-landmarks-psychedelic-palace-emperors-resting-place?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3291475/5-must-visit-nanjing-landmarks-psychedelic-palace-emperors-resting-place?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Dec 2024 05:15:08 +0000 China’s top diplomat Wang Yi has called on the incoming Trump administration to “make the right choices” to strengthen relations as Beijing commits to being a driver of peace and stability amid expected global uncertainty next year. Wang made the remarks on Tuesday at the Symposium on the International Situation and China’s Foreign Relations, hosted by the foreign ministry-affiliated China Institute of International Studies. “Looking forward to next year, the international situation is uncertain... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3291223/china-urges-trump-make-right-choices-beijing-predicts-more-uncertainty-2025?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3291223/china-urges-trump-make-right-choices-beijing-predicts-more-uncertainty-2025?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Dec 2024 11:00:28 +0000 In its second safety advisory in 10 days, the Chinese embassy in the Philippines urged citizens to remain vigilant amid a surge in armed robberies, drug-facilitated thefts, currency exchange scams and other crimes. The embassy’s “solemn” reminder on Sunday followed an advisory on December 5 warning Chinese nationals about “prominent” public security risks in the Southeast Asian country involving robbery and personal injury. “Recently, the public security situation in some parts of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3290984/china-warns-citizens-philippines-safety-risks-amid-surge-robberies-and-scams?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3290984/china-warns-citizens-philippines-safety-risks-amid-surge-robberies-and-scams?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Dec 2024 07:46:41 +0000 In the eastern city of Changshu, six Palestinians have spent two weeks being trained by a team from China’s Blue Sky Rescue in urban search and rescue operations. They were taught how to shore up collapsed buildings, cut through walls, search for victims and safely evacuate survivors. It is over a year since the Israel-Gaza war began, and in that time more than 44,000 Palestinians – including at least 88 of the search and rescue team’s colleagues – have been killed. So when they were invited to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3290620/palestinian-rescuers-see-chinas-blue-sky-amid-bomb-blasts-israel-gaza-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3290620/palestinian-rescuers-see-chinas-blue-sky-amid-bomb-blasts-israel-gaza-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Dec 2024 12:00:10 +0000 Shanghai’s dining scene is ever evolving and recently bistros have been sprouting up throughout the city. Largely modest and moderately priced establishments, they serve cuisines including Chinese, Italian and Spanish. Here are six that have become trendy recently. Bistro Vigne The dimly lit European diner is housed in an old bungalow with a small yard on Xuhui district’s tree-lined Changle Road, popular for its bars and boutiques. The cosy interior – its walls covered in murals and artworks –... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3289932/six-trendy-shanghai-bistros-cosy-vibe-and-tasty-food-and-one-case-alpaca?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3289932/six-trendy-shanghai-bistros-cosy-vibe-and-tasty-food-and-one-case-alpaca?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Dec 2024 04:45:09 +0000 The Chinese coastguard has again lashed out at its Philippine counterpart, accusing it misleading the international community over a confrontation in the South China Sea on Wednesday. “Despite repeated dissuasion and warnings from China, the Philippines insisted on sending four coastguard ships, six official ships, and several unidentified ships to intrude into China’s Huangyan Island territorial waters and nearby waters such as Xianbin Reef in the Nansha Islands,” China Coast Guard spokesman... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3289558/chinese-coastguard-takes-aim-again-philippines-over-south-china-sea-shoal-clashes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3289558/chinese-coastguard-takes-aim-again-philippines-over-south-china-sea-shoal-clashes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Dec 2024 12:32:08 +0000 The thaw in China-India relations began with a pact to disengage troops at their disputed border in the Himalayas, laying the groundwork for a reunion between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Brics summit in October. Last week, the two countries’ defence chiefs held talks in Laos and committed to cooperation – the latest in a series of moves that analysts have called a “strategic recalibration” in response to pressures from the West. As Beijing seeks to reform the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3288629/china-india-find-common-ground-strategic-recalibration-post-clash-thaw?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3288629/china-india-find-common-ground-strategic-recalibration-post-clash-thaw?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Nov 2024 06:00:12 +0000 From Mariah Carey and Kanye West to John Legend and Westlife, global superstars have been filling China’s arenas and stadiums this year, as the country bounces back from the Covid-19 pandemic. In 1987, then fifth grader West lived in China when his mother was a lecturer at Nanjing University. In September, fans flocked to Hainan Island for his two sold-out concerts at the Wuyuan River Sports Stadium, with around 80,000 tickets snapped up in minutes. The same weekend, Carey took over Beijing’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3288112/after-kanye-west-and-mariah-carey-5-global-pop-stars-you-can-still-see-china-2024?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3288112/after-kanye-west-and-mariah-carey-5-global-pop-stars-you-can-still-see-china-2024?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Nov 2024 04:45:08 +0000 A bipartisan effort in the US that was meant to unite both sides of politics against foreign propaganda has backfired, with critics accusing it of censoring Americans, especially those on the right. While the little-known branch of the State Department may shut down next month before president-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House, analysts predict that US policy on information warfare is unlikely to change course. The Global Engagement Centre (GEC) was established in 2016 under former... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3287907/us-anti-china-misinformation-likely-continue-under-trump-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3287907/us-anti-china-misinformation-likely-continue-under-trump-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Nov 2024 12:00:08 +0000 Cyril Ip Cyril Ip China’s draft legislation to promote the private economy needs urgent refinements, including penalties for law-enforcement agencies overstepping their authority and infringing on the rights of businesses, a former State Council official has said. Former deputy director of the industry, commerce and trade research department Chen Yongjie pointed out that entrepreneurs felt that clauses in the draft law were “insufficient”, as the sector faces “increasing external challenges” amid Donald Trump’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3287862/chinas-private-sector-law-needs-punish-unjust-law-enforcement-ex-official-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3287862/chinas-private-sector-law-needs-punish-unjust-law-enforcement-ex-official-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Nov 2024 12:00:13 +0000 Long before the Chinese smash-hit video game Black Myth: Wukong electrified gamers around the world, sparking new interest in the Buddhist statues and grottoes featured in the game, Katherine Tsiang had already been working for decades on the conservation of such heritage sites and art. A groundbreaking project led by the Chinese-American art researcher involves the sixth-century Buddhist cave temples at remote Xiangtangshan, or Mountain of Echoing Halls, in China’s northern Hebei province. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3284661/how-passion-and-tech-resurrected-chinas-headless-statues-and-unearthed-historic-wrongs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3284661/how-passion-and-tech-resurrected-chinas-headless-statues-and-unearthed-historic-wrongs?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Nov 2024 02:00:10 +0000 This article has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. The return of Donald Trump to the White House adds a further layer of uncertainty for developing countries seeking to balance their relations between the United States and China. The Republican candidate had vowed to impose 60 per cent tariffs on all Chinese imports during the election... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3285471/trump-win-makes-balancing-act-between-china-and-us-even-trickier-developing-countries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3285471/trump-win-makes-balancing-act-between-china-and-us-even-trickier-developing-countries?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Nov 2024 22:00:11 +0000 This article has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. Americans are heading to the polls in one of the most nail-biting and dramatic presidential elections in recent history, with former US president Donald Trump and present Vice-President Kamala Harris neck and neck across several key swing states. Over the past few months, the world has... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3285333/us-presidential-election-goes-down-wire-after-tumultuous-campaign-season?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3285333/us-presidential-election-goes-down-wire-after-tumultuous-campaign-season?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:00:57 +0000 This article has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. We are hours away from polls opening on election day as the United States faces one of the most unpredictable presidential races in years, with former US president Donald Trump and current Vice-President Kamala Harris neck and neck across several swing states and celebrities calling on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3285257/polls-show-trump-and-harris-still-neck-and-neck-white-house-race-eve-us-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3285257/polls-show-trump-and-harris-still-neck-and-neck-white-house-race-eve-us-election?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Nov 2024 07:44:11 +0000 Shanghai is at its best in November, when the temperature averages 17 degrees Celsius (63 degrees Fahrenheit) and the humidity is low. November is also when the city’s largest annual trade fair, the China International Import Expo, is held, which attracts visitors from all around the world. Here are five other reasons to visit the city this November. 1. JZ Festival China’s biggest jazz festival is back for its 20th-anniversary edition with a line-up that is larger than ever. A star-studded... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3285217/5-fun-things-do-shanghai-november-2024-including-expo-culture-parks-new-feature?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3285217/5-fun-things-do-shanghai-november-2024-including-expo-culture-parks-new-feature?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Nov 2024 04:45:16 +0000 For now, Brazil is saying no – but yes. On Monday in Beijing, Celso Amorim, special presidential adviser for international affairs, said the country would not be joining China’s Belt and Road Initiative, a trillion-dollar transnational infrastructure programme launched a decade ago. However, in the same breath, Amorim also said Brazil would use some of the belt and road framework to find “synergy” between Brazilian infrastructure projects and the investment funds associated with the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3284926/no-yes-why-brazil-staying-open-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-without-joining-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3284926/no-yes-why-brazil-staying-open-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-without-joining-it?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Nov 2024 13:00:08 +0000 Competition between the United States and China appears inevitable, but the result of next week’s presidential election will determine whether Washington’s tactics are “coarse” or “refined”, a leading academic has said. Vice-President Kamala Harris has a better chance of winning the election, Jin Canrong, vice dean of the school of international studies at Renmin University, told a forum at the university, adding that she would be “more refined and more systematic… and more covert” in her... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3284957/us-china-confrontation-here-stay-after-election-says-influential-beijing-commentator?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3284957/us-china-confrontation-here-stay-after-election-says-influential-beijing-commentator?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Nov 2024 12:50:13 +0000 The EU can still play mediator between the United States and China despite worsening ties between the rival powers, a leading European academic has said. According to Dominique Turpin of the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) in Shanghai, the European Union’s role as a US-China bridge remains vital, especially as the bloc does not compete directly with either country in the technology arena. “The Americans are kind of extreme because they see China as a threat to their... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3284510/eu-still-has-key-role-us-china-bridge-it-does-not-challenge-either-tech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3284510/eu-still-has-key-role-us-china-bridge-it-does-not-challenge-either-tech?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Oct 2024 12:06:05 +0000 The natural charms of Hangzhou in China were immortalised more than 1,000 years ago in the poems of Bai Juyi and Lin Bu, and it remains a draw to this day even as the city has grown into a hub for innovation. Known for its ancient streets and tree-lined canals, on the first day of China’s recent national “golden week” holiday in October Hangzhou welcomed more than 1.8 million visitors, making it one of the most visited destinations during the seven-day holiday. Autumn, with its cooler... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3284100/what-see-and-do-hangzhou-china-beautiful-ancient-sites-jazz-bar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3284100/what-see-and-do-hangzhou-china-beautiful-ancient-sites-jazz-bar?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Oct 2024 10:45:07 +0000 The leaders of China and North Korea marked 75 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries with a pledge on Sunday to develop a “new era” of relations. In an exchange of messages, Chinese President Xi Jinping told North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-un that the two countries had “marched hand in hand” over the decades to strengthen exchanges and cooperation and promote socialism, according to state news agency Xinhua. They had also “collaborated closely” on advancing regional peace and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3281273/china-north-korea-mark-75-years-ties-pledge-new-era-exchanges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3281273/china-north-korea-mark-75-years-ties-pledge-new-era-exchanges?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Oct 2024 14:00:09 +0000 In the heart of Shanghai is a decades-old retail space that bills itself as an “epicentre of youth culture”. At a time when e-commerce is all the rage, it promises to revitalise in-store shopping. It houses local fashion brands previously sold only online. The 27,000-square-metre (290,000 sq ft) TX Huaihai Youth Energy Center, is on Middle Huaihai Road, one of two major shopping streets in central Shanghai and the address of the high-end IAPM mall and K11 Art Mall. Until 2008, the six-storey... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3281086/shanghais-tx-huaihai-epicentre-youth-culture-puts-new-spin-shopping-mall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3281086/shanghais-tx-huaihai-epicentre-youth-culture-puts-new-spin-shopping-mall?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Oct 2024 01:45:07 +0000 Shanghai has just survived its biggest tropical cyclone in 75 years – thankfully, Typhoon Bebinca’s visit was brief and the sun is shining once more. With China’s annual “golden week” holiday to celebrate the country’s National Day approaching – millions are expected to flock to the metropolis – here are six under-the-radar restaurants in Shanghai serving international cuisine. 1. Bonica Bonica is a Mediterranean restaurant hidden behind 98 Creativity Park in Jingan, one of the central districts... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3280180/6-restaurants-shanghai-serving-international-cuisine-tapas-thai-brunch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3280180/6-restaurants-shanghai-serving-international-cuisine-tapas-thai-brunch?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Sep 2024 05:15:07 +0000 A “tree of friendship” between China and the US can be nurtured through travel experiences, Peng Liyuan, the wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, told a group of Chinese and American students at a friendly basketball match between the high school teams in Beijing on Tuesday. The sports and culture event, billed as a “Shared Journey for China-US Friendship”, was held at the Beijing No 8 High School on Tuesday afternoon. It welcomed a youth delegation from 10 high schools in the US state of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3279897/chinas-first-lady-peng-liyuan-reaches-out-us-students-during-beijing-sports-event?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3279897/chinas-first-lady-peng-liyuan-reaches-out-us-students-during-beijing-sports-event?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Sep 2024 08:12:02 +0000 Sri Lanka’s left-leaning president-elect Anura Kumara Dissanayake has yet to declare a precise China policy, but was expected to seek “maximum support” from Beijing through foreign direct investment, technology and tourism, according to analysts. On Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Dissanayake on his election victory on Saturday, hailing bilateral ties as “a good example of friendly coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation between countries of different sizes” while... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3279800/sri-lanka-seek-maximum-support-china-under-new-leader-dissanayake-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3279800/sri-lanka-seek-maximum-support-china-under-new-leader-dissanayake-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Sep 2024 14:00:08 +0000 Malaysia will work with China to keep peace in the South China Sea, Malaysia’s king told Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, according to mainland state media on Friday. Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar made the pledge during his visit to Beijing in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations, the first trip to China by a Malaysian monarch in 10 years. Sultan Ibrahim was received by Xi at a welcome ceremony before the meeting on Friday at the Great Hall of the People. “Malaysia... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3279402/malaysian-king-tells-xi-jinping-it-will-work-china-keep-peace-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3279402/malaysian-king-tells-xi-jinping-it-will-work-china-keep-peace-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Sep 2024 15:50:38 +0000 Malaysia’s king has arrived in Beijing for a four-day trip to China – the first by the country’s monarch in a decade and his first overseas state visit since being crowned in July – as the two countries celebrate a half-century of bilateral ties. Talks were expected to range from cooperation on high-speed rail to the implementation of a slew of deals signed earlier this year, though the two sides were unlikely to announce any new projects, an analyst said. Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar’s visit marks... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3279185/sultan-ibrahim-visits-china-first-trip-malaysias-king-marking-50-years-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3279185/sultan-ibrahim-visits-china-first-trip-malaysias-king-marking-50-years-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Sep 2024 11:29:46 +0000 The United States has repeatedly “shielded” Israel over its war in Gaza, China said during a series of statements at the United Nations in New York, where it also urged Israel to immediately end its occupation of Palestinian territories. Over two days of meetings, Chinese diplomats accused Washington of blocking ceasefire efforts, adding that Israel ending its “unlawful presence” in Palestine was “not an option” but a “legal obligation”. During a UN Security Council (UNSC) briefing on Monday,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3279020/china-accuses-us-shielding-israel-blocking-gaza-ceasefire-efforts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3279020/china-accuses-us-shielding-israel-blocking-gaza-ceasefire-efforts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Sep 2024 11:21:04 +0000 China’s food delivery system is among the world’s most advanced and affordable, but for residents of Shanghai, nothing beats visiting a local diner where the food is freshly cooked, the service prompt and atmosphere cosy. With temperatures starting to fall after one of the hottest ever summers in Shanghai, now is the ideal time to think about going out to eat. Here are five local food spots – from the self-proclaimed home of crabs to a vegetarian restaurant tucked behind a Buddhist temple – that... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3278232/5-authentic-shanghai-restaurants-locals-love-and-visitors-need-try?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3278232/5-authentic-shanghai-restaurants-locals-love-and-visitors-need-try?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Sep 2024 04:15:13 +0000 China and the Philippines described their latest round of high-level maritime talks as “candid”, with both sides agreeing to continue conversations. China’s foreign affairs vice-minister Chen Xiaodong and Maria Theresa Lazaro, the Philippine undersecretary for foreign affairs, met in Beijing on Tuesday for the 10th cycle of the China-Philippines Bilateral Consultation Mechanism. The mechanism was established in May 2017 as a platform to discuss issues of mutual concern in the South China Sea and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3278211/china-philippines-agree-keep-talking-after-candid-sabina-shoal-discussions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3278211/china-philippines-agree-keep-talking-after-candid-sabina-shoal-discussions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Sep 2024 06:19:20 +0000 China has held its first ever public security ministers’ meeting with Central Asian countries as Beijing looks to protect belt and road interests in the region. China’s Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong met his counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan for the inaugural Conference of Global Public Security Cooperation Forum on Tuesday in Lianyungang, in the eastern province of Jiangsu. The forum on public security and internal affairs was intended... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3278141/central-asia-china-touts-universal-security-forum-counter-terrorism-crime?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3278141/central-asia-china-touts-universal-security-forum-counter-terrorism-crime?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Sep 2024 04:00:17 +0000 Anfu Road, lined on both sides by century-old parasol trees, has become a must-go for hipsters and other creative types in Shanghai. The road, 850 metres (half a mile) long, is at the heart of the Chinese city’s former French Concession, which covers parts of the Huangpu and Xuhui districts. The Chinese government conceded the area to French occupiers in 1849, seven years after it lost the opium wars against Western countries. The French built commercial and residential streets primarily to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3276932/coolest-place-shanghai-check-out-anfu-road-citys-laid-back-fashion-central?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3276932/coolest-place-shanghai-check-out-anfu-road-citys-laid-back-fashion-central?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Sep 2024 09:15:07 +0000 Beijing has been restrained in response to Pacific island leaders backing Canberra’s regional policing plan – a move seen as a “diplomatic coup” for Australia as it tries to counter China’s security presence in the region. Pacific island leaders endorsed the A$400 million (US$271 million) Pacific Policing Initiative at a summit in Tonga on Wednesday. Under the plan, up to four training centres will be set up across the Pacific and a multinational crisis reaction force of around 200 officers will... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3276628/australias-political-win-pacific-gets-mild-response-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3276628/australias-political-win-pacific-gets-mild-response-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Aug 2024 14:00:12 +0000 China says it has spoken with Japan and has “no intention” of violating any airspace after Tokyo claimed a People’s Liberation Army reconnaissance plane had made an “utterly unacceptable” incursion. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing on Tuesday that the two sides had “maintained communication through existing working channels”. “I’d like to stress that China has no intention of breaching any country’s airspace,” Lin said. It came after Japan on Monday said a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3276128/china-says-it-has-no-intention-breaching-any-nations-airspace-after-japan-claim?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3276128/china-says-it-has-no-intention-breaching-any-nations-airspace-after-japan-claim?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Aug 2024 11:23:54 +0000 It is a well-known ancient art form, and now, the lion dance is set to be jointly nominated by China and Malaysia for Unesco’s intangible cultural heritage list. During Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s maiden visit to Malaysia in June, which celebrated 50 years of bilateral diplomatic relations, he and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim underlined the cultural significance of the dance by signing a joint communique to nominate it for the Unesco Representative List of the Intangible Cultural... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3275662/china-and-malaysia-join-forces-catapult-lion-dance-unesco-cultural-heritage-list?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3275662/china-and-malaysia-join-forces-catapult-lion-dance-unesco-cultural-heritage-list?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Aug 2024 06:00:14 +0000 Cyril Ip Cyril Ip Chinese-made action game Black Myth: Wukong has taken the world by storm, clocking up more than 2.2 million concurrent users as it debuted on Tuesday. The sprawling 3D role-playing game became the second most popular “sandbox” distributed by US platform Steam within hours, trailing only PUBG, the 2017 shooter game that peaked at 3.2 million. Analysts said the runaway success of the game – based on the eponymous Monkey King character from the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West –... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3275726/will-black-myth-wukong-gaming-mania-mark-turning-point-chinas-soft-power-fortunes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3275726/will-black-myth-wukong-gaming-mania-mark-turning-point-chinas-soft-power-fortunes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Aug 2024 14:00:10 +0000 China has accused a US-based group of “ideological infiltration”, including funding anti-Beijing forces in Hong Kong and supporting separatist forces in Taiwan, in a lengthy report aimed at “unmasking” its operations. In the report published by China’s foreign ministry on Friday, Washington was accused of “subverting state power in other countries” and “conducting ideological infiltration” through the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) – claims that have been echoed by countries in Latin... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3274000/china-accuses-us-group-national-endowment-democracy-ideological-infiltration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3274000/china-accuses-us-group-national-endowment-democracy-ideological-infiltration?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Aug 2024 07:47:14 +0000 China’s first triple-A video game Black Myth: Wukong, rooted in the 16th century novel Journey to the West, is slated for release later this month. And, like the literary classic, it has risen above cultural differences to roaring global success. The action role-playing game has topped US distributor Steam’s “wish list” chart and is enjoying strong pre-orders, with developer Game Science banking on the enduring appeal of its iconic hero, combined with the newest top-tier mechanics. The game is... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3272954/chinas-monkey-king-set-global-game-glory-despite-cultural-differences?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3272954/chinas-monkey-king-set-global-game-glory-despite-cultural-differences?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Aug 2024 10:00:11 +0000 China and South Africa should establish a free-trade zone “as soon as possible”, a Renmin University academic has suggested as Beijing has been the top target of the country’s anti-dumping actions. In an article published on Wednesday, Song Lifang, vice-president of the university’s Belt and Road Economic Research Institute, suggested that Beijing set up an economic integration organisation in the region to counter anti-dumping measures. Despite being South Africa’s biggest trade partner,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3272958/south-african-import-probes-targeting-china-prompt-call-free-trade-zone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3272958/south-african-import-probes-targeting-china-prompt-call-free-trade-zone?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Aug 2024 09:00:10 +0000 China has supported Malaysia’s application to join Brics, saying it would welcome “like-minded partners” to the bloc. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Sunday that he had sent a letter of application to Russia, the current chair of the group of emerging economies. “We welcome more like-minded partners joining [Brics] and working together to make the international order more just and equitable,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Monday. “The development and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3272504/china-supports-malaysias-brics-application-saying-minded-partners-are-welcome?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3272504/china-supports-malaysias-brics-application-saying-minded-partners-are-welcome?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jul 2024 11:54:48 +0000 At their second meeting this month, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar agreed to make “concerted efforts” to keep the peace along their disputed border and improve communication. The ministers spoke on Thursday on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) foreign ministers’ meeting in Vientiane, Laos, just three weeks after talks at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, where a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3271998/china-and-india-pledge-boost-border-peace-efforts-wang-yi-urges-rational-approach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3271998/china-and-india-pledge-boost-border-peace-efforts-wang-yi-urges-rational-approach?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jul 2024 08:00:55 +0000 In a three-decade creative partnership that began in 1972, lyricist James Wong Jim and composer Joseph Koo Ka-fai wrote 236 songs, including the unofficial Hong Kong anthem Below the Lion Rock, that depicted and shaped how people in Hong Kong saw themselves in a time of great change. An immersive exhibition newly opened at the Tai Kwun arts and heritage centre in the city’s Central district pays tribute to their genius and influence, and transports visitors back to a time many refer to as the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3270341/immersive-exhibition-golden-age-cantopop-composer-and-lyricist-shows-impact-they-had?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3270341/immersive-exhibition-golden-age-cantopop-composer-and-lyricist-shows-impact-they-had?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Jul 2024 23:15:11 +0000 Nato did not hold back on his criticism of China when the military bloc marked its 75th anniversary in Washington this week. In what Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg said was the “strongest message” the alliance had sent to China over its “contributions” to Russia’s war in Ukraine, Nato said China had become a “decisive enabler” of the conflict through its “no limits” partnership and its large-scale support for Russia’s defence industrial base. “The deepening strategic partnership between Russia and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3270358/nato-vs-china-blame-shifters-take-aim-decisive-enabler-russias-war-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3270358/nato-vs-china-blame-shifters-take-aim-decisive-enabler-russias-war-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Jul 2024 12:59:19 +0000 China has announced it is holding military drills with Russia along its southern coast – just days after Nato leaders labelled Beijing a “decisive enabler” of the two-year war in Ukraine. China’s defence ministry said on Friday that Russian vessels arrived in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, that day for the “Joint Sea-2024” exercises in the waters and airspace around the city until the middle of the month. “The joint exercise aims to demonstrate the resolve and capabilities of the two sides in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3270343/china-and-russia-hold-drills-japan-and-nato-raise-alarms-over-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3270343/china-and-russia-hold-drills-japan-and-nato-raise-alarms-over-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Jul 2024 07:16:48 +0000 China has hit out at the Philippines, accusing it of “deliberately misleading” the international community over their latest squabble in the South China Sea in which Philippine forces claimed Chinese vessels tried to block the evacuation of a sick soldier. In a statement on Tuesday, China Coast Guard said it had allowed the Philippines to evacuate an ill person from an “illegally grounded warship” under “humanitarian considerations” and had “monitored and verified” their actions in accordance... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3269876/china-rebukes-philippines-denies-blocking-medical-evacuation-second-thomas-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3269876/china-rebukes-philippines-denies-blocking-medical-evacuation-second-thomas-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Jul 2024 05:42:40 +0000 Ten months after a planned China visit was scrapped, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is likely to land in Beijing later this month, the result of the two countries “letting diplomacy work” after Rome quit the Belt and Road Initiative, analysts say. Sources with knowledge of the trip said Meloni was likely to visit China on July 29 and 30, with President Sergio Mattarella possibly following with a stopover in November. Enterprise Minister Adolfo Urso is now in Beijing to lay the groundwork... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3269134/italian-pm-meloni-likely-visit-china-month-reward-cautious-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3269134/italian-pm-meloni-likely-visit-china-month-reward-cautious-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jul 2024 07:25:34 +0000