https://www.scmp.com/rss/508835/feed Latest news, analysis, explainers and updates on policy announcements, corporate developments and investment opportunities focused on Dongguan under the Greater Bay Area (GBA) initiative in southern China’s Pearl River Delta The coverage includes politics and policies, business, lifestyle and culture and useful to-do guides about living, working and studying in the GBA. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Shenzhen recorded the largest increase in permanent residents among Chinese cities in 2025, a rare bright spot as some megacities lose their appeal amid a deepening demographic shift. The southern tech hub added 259,000 permanent residents last year, bringing its total population to 18.25 million, according to a notice released by the local government on Monday. Designated as China’s first special economic zone in 1980, Shenzhen has since evolved into one of the country’s most powerful... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3354884/how-shenzhens-growing-population-defies-chinas-urban-demographic-shift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3354884/how-shenzhens-growing-population-defies-chinas-urban-demographic-shift?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 09:00:06 +0000 Eric Jiang Eric Jiang A biofuel company backed by the family office of tycoon Peter Lee Ka-kit will invest HK$10 billion (US$1.3 billion) in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production plants in the Greater Bay Area, a project that Hong Kong’s leader has hailed as a “milestone” collaboration between the city and mainland China. EcoCeres, a Hong Kong-based renewable fuel producer backed by the tycoon – who is also chairman of Henderson Land Development and Towngas – unveiled plans on Tuesday to build an SAF plant in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3352453/ecoceres-invest-hk10-billion-sustainable-aviation-fuel-plants-greater-bay-area?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3352453/ecoceres-invest-hk10-billion-sustainable-aviation-fuel-plants-greater-bay-area?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 05:38:12 +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 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 He Huifeng He Huifeng As China undergoes a sweeping economic transition, its regions are also in the process of embracing change. The powerhouses of yesteryear must adapt or risk falling behind, as traditional industries become less reliable growth drivers and new sectors take prominence. In this series, we explore three representative areas of the country as they attempt to navigate this rapidly changing environment. One morning in December, Zhang Li showed up for work as normal at Everwin Toys in Dongguan to find a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347333/how-chinas-tech-transformation-putting-worlds-factory-tough-spot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347333/how-chinas-tech-transformation-putting-worlds-factory-tough-spot?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 06:00:32 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Swire Coca-Cola has won a HK$31.9 million (US$4 million) contract to supply Bonaqua water to some Hong Kong government offices, following a HK$52.9 million procurement scandal last year. According to a Government Logistics Department notice, Swire Coca-Cola was awarded the 27-month contract on Tuesday to supply more than 1.46 million bottles of drinking water to offices on Hong Kong Island and parts of the outlying islands. The selection followed an open tender launched in December. In its... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3347375/swire-coca-cola-wins-hk32-million-government-deal-after-bottled-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3347375/swire-coca-cola-wins-hk32-million-government-deal-after-bottled-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 13:32:55 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian For Steven Zhou, a 40-year-old Beijing office worker, suburban outlet stores offer a better shopping experience than urban malls, allowing him to escape the city, park his car without frustration and, most importantly, find good deals. “Outlets offer a wide selection of brands, with attractive discounts, especially on sportswear,” Zhou said. Across the mainland, outlets are expanding while traditional and luxury malls face high vacancy rates. Offering well-known brands at discounted prices,... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3345736/chinas-shoppers-head-suburban-outlets-bright-spot-retail-property?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3345736/chinas-shoppers-head-suburban-outlets-bright-spot-retail-property?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 00:30:08 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng With domestic profits narrowing and production capacity expanding, China’s firms are continuing to widen their overseas footprints in search of new, more lucrative markets. In this series, we examine China Inc.’s next phase of “going global” and the complex, challenging international environment its companies have chosen to enter. It is the middle of the night in Dongguan, one of China’s biggest export hubs, but Peng Biao is still editing videos. In the footage, a factory owner from the city... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344803/chinas-firms-go-global-foreign-expertise-becoming-hot-commodity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344803/chinas-firms-go-global-foreign-expertise-becoming-hot-commodity?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 02:24:15 +0000 Fiona Chow,Ambrose Li Fiona Chow,Ambrose Li Crowds filled Hong Kong’s airport and a major cross-border rail terminal on the first day of Lunar New Year, with many visitors saying they chose to spend the holiday in the city to enjoy its festive spirit, food and mild weather. According to the latest Immigration Department data, more than 1.7 million Hongkongers made outbound trips from February 13 to 16, up from 1.47 million in the January 25 to 28 period last year. They include about 320,000 residents who left the city on Monday. Over the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3343801/festive-buzz-hong-kong-visitors-pour-lunar-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3343801/festive-buzz-hong-kong-visitors-pour-lunar-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 05:37:18 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng As China’s workforce heads into another year-end bonus season ahead of the Lunar New Year, the mood is colder than in previous cycles. Unlike a few years ago, when social media was flooded with posts flaunting outsized payouts, public talk of bonuses has largely faded from view. Long viewed by Chinese employees as a barometer of corporate prospects, industry momentum and even the broader economy, the year-end bonus packages for 2025 have become smaller, rarer and far more unevenly distributed,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342055/chinas-companies-cut-back-year-end-bonuses-profit-margins-narrow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342055/chinas-companies-cut-back-year-end-bonuses-profit-margins-narrow?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 02:00:09 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng People across China are buying up gold in large volumes ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, as surging prices for the precious metal fuel its popularity as both a festive gift and an investment. From migrant workers splashing out on gold-coated jewellery, to white-collar workers pouring their savings into gold-linked investment funds, the metal is widely seen not only as a marker of social respectability, but also as a safety net amid an uncertain world. The rising demand comes amid an... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343554/chinas-gold-rush-why-families-are-doubling-down-precious-metals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343554/chinas-gold-rush-why-families-are-doubling-down-precious-metals?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 12:00:16 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang Police in multiple Chinese cities have issued pre-emptive notices stating that no official New Year’s Eve countdowns will be held at popular landmarks, as they prioritise public safety and order ahead of the holiday. This coordinated messaging, consistent with recent years, emerged through a flurry of police notices issued on Tuesday and Wednesday. It reflects a cautious strategy by authorities to prevent a recurrence of tragedies like the 2014 Shanghai stampede. Authorities in major Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3338297/multiple-chinese-cities-curb-public-new-years-eve-countdowns-police-stress-safety?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3338297/multiple-chinese-cities-curb-public-new-years-eve-countdowns-police-stress-safety?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Dec 2025 09:34:33 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Nexperia China, the estranged unit of the Dutch chipmaker, is pushing forward with efforts to secure new wafer suppliers in six months, as the firm’s Netherlands head office and mainland Chinese owner Wingtech Technology started direct talks last week. In its shareholders meeting in Shanghai on Friday, Wingtech said Nexperia China’s plant in Dongguan, in southern Guangdong province, continued to operate amid “a significant gap in wafer supply”, reports from several state-backed media... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3337877/nexperia-china-eyes-new-wafer-suppliers-6-months-amid-legal-fight-dutch-chipmaker?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3337877/nexperia-china-eyes-new-wafer-suppliers-6-months-amid-legal-fight-dutch-chipmaker?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Dec 2025 06:25:25 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Export controls may have been the economic weapon of choice in 2025, but the Dutch minister at the centre of the Nexperia crisis has admitted he was blindsided by Beijing when it blocked the company’s chips from leaving China. His concession raises fresh questions over how much planning went into the decision to reach for a Cold War-era law to intervene in the Chinese-owned, Dutch-headquartered chipmaker in September, a move that triggered a supply chain shock in the global automotive... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3335416/dutch-minister-admits-being-blindsided-chinas-retaliation-nexperia-chip-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3335416/dutch-minister-admits-being-blindsided-chinas-retaliation-nexperia-chip-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 16:22:19 +0000 Zhou Xin Zhou Xin A fierce war of words has erupted between Dutch chipmaker Nexperia and its Chinese owner, Wingtech Technology, after China and the European Union signalled that their dispute should be resolved at the corporate level. Wingtech accused Nexperia’s head office of being insincere after the Dutch head office publicly released a letter that said the chipmaker’s Chinese unit had been unresponsive to requests for talks. The heightened tensions underscore the complexity in resolving the two sides’... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3334574/tensions-flare-wingtech-slams-chipmaker-nexperias-head-office-over-deception?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3334574/tensions-flare-wingtech-slams-chipmaker-nexperias-head-office-over-deception?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 14:24:20 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Young Chinese consumers, including a growing number of men, are splurging on aesthetic medical treatments for physical, emotional and social wellness, according to the CEO of Fosun Pharma‑backed Sisram Medical and its subsidiary Alma, who says Asia’s relatively low penetration offers greater growth potential than North America. “It is a global trend that younger generations, including those [in mainland China] and Hong Kong, are turning to energy-based aesthetic treatments such as lasers as a... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3334049/beauty-market-aglow-young-chinese-splurge-wellness-treatments-fosun-backed-firm-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3334049/beauty-market-aglow-young-chinese-splurge-wellness-treatments-fosun-backed-firm-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 08:08:30 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov Wingtech Technology, the Chinese owner of Nexperia, said it had received no meaningful reply after reaching out to the Dutch chipmaker’s headquarters for talks. “It is deeply regrettable and puzzling that, despite our utmost sincerity, the Dutch side of Nexperia has not made any substantive response to our proposal for communication,” Wingtech said on Sunday. The Shanghai-listed company did not disclose the details of its outreach efforts, but urged Nexperia’s headquarters to present “a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3333912/nexperias-chinese-owner-wingtech-says-dutch-headquarters-remains-silent-call-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3333912/nexperias-chinese-owner-wingtech-says-dutch-headquarters-remains-silent-call-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Nov 2025 07:00:36 +0000 Coco Feng,Bien Perez Coco Feng,Bien Perez When Dutch authorities seized control of chipmaker Nexperia almost two months ago, it resulted in a clash between the head office in Nijmegen and the company’s mainland China unit, which vowed to operate and meet orders as an independent enterprise. That dispute also exposed the vulnerability of global car supply chains, as any disruption in Nexperia’s shipments of so-called legacy chips would affect nearly every major European carmaker, as well as those in Japan and the United States. Here are... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3333737/timeline-sino-dutch-row-over-control-chipmaker-nexperia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3333737/timeline-sino-dutch-row-over-control-chipmaker-nexperia?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Nov 2025 13:00:10 +0000 SCMP SCMP While the Dutch government has offered goodwill in the dispute over control of Nexperia, a Chinese-owned, Netherlands-based chipmaker, the crisis is far from over. China’s Ministry of Commerce on Wednesday welcomed the Dutch government’s revocation of an executive order taking control of the firm. But it also noted that a Dutch court ruling remained a “key obstacle” to resolving the matter. Wingtech Technology, the Chinese owner of Nexperia, said it had yet to resume control of the chipmaker. In... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3333578/china-future-tech-webinar-how-nexperia-saga-will-change-supply-chain-considerations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3333578/china-future-tech-webinar-how-nexperia-saga-will-change-supply-chain-considerations?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Nov 2025 12:03:04 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng The Nexperia factory in Dongguan, in the heart of southern China’s Pearl River Delta, has long been a poster child for successful globalisation. Since its launch in 2000, the plant, which covers an area the size of 10 football fields, has operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week, non-stop. Following its most recent upgrade in 2018, its annual production capacity surged to 90 billion units, making it the largest assembly site in the Chinese-owned Dutch chipmaker’s global network. Yet, this... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3332814/us-china-tech-war-nexperia-saga-exposes-europes-loosening-grip-chip-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3332814/us-china-tech-war-nexperia-saga-exposes-europes-loosening-grip-chip-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Nov 2025 03:00:09 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Chinese officials have agreed to hold talks with their Dutch counterparts regarding the Nexperia crisis, which has thrown the global automotive chip supply chain into uncertainty, the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Saturday. In response to remarks made by Netherlands’ Economy Minister Vincent Karremans on Friday – indicating that Nexperia chips made in China could resume shipments in the coming days – Beijing expressed hope that the Dutch side would take concrete actions and agreed... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3332035/nexperia-crisis-beijing-agrees-talks-dutch-officials-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3332035/nexperia-crisis-beijing-agrees-talks-dutch-officials-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Nov 2025 07:44:25 +0000 Coco Feng,Xiaofei Xu Coco Feng,Xiaofei Xu The semiconductor stand-off between China-owned Nexperia’s Dutch headquarters and its Chinese operations has escalated into a war of words, with both sides accusing the other of undermining supply chains and spreading misinformation. The clash – which has placed a cloud over crucial semiconductor supplies for the global car industry – intensified on Wednesday despite a trade truce between Beijing and Washington that temporarily eased some export controls, a move that had been expected to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3331754/nexperia-war-words-despite-us-china-trade-truce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3331754/nexperia-war-words-despite-us-china-trade-truce?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Nov 2025 12:00:13 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Nexperia’s China unit is expected to be capable of making deliveries to clients on the back of the domestic semiconductor supply chain – even though locking in that support could take at least six months, experts said – as the European fabrication facilities under the Dutch chipmaker’s head office continue to suspend the supply of wafers. A number of Chinese fabs – including Wuxi NCE Power, Hangzhou Silan Microelectronics and Yangjie Technology – would be able to supply wafers to Dongguan-based... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3331375/how-nexperias-china-unit-can-meet-chip-orders-amid-european-fabs-suspended-wafer-supply?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3331375/how-nexperias-china-unit-can-meet-chip-orders-amid-european-fabs-suspended-wafer-supply?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Nov 2025 13:03:19 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov Nexperia China moved to reassure customers that production will continue uninterrupted, saying it has secured new wafer suppliers and can meet client demand through to the end of the year and beyond. The Chinese division of the semiconductor maker said it had “multiple contingency plans” in place, according to a bilingual statement published early Sunday. The announcement underscored Nexperia China’s efforts to operate independently after Dutch authorities took control of its Netherlands parent... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3331212/nexperia-china-vows-business-usual-after-dutch-wafer-supply-halt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3331212/nexperia-china-vows-business-usual-after-dutch-wafer-supply-halt?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Nov 2025 06:48:39 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang China’s Ministry of Commerce on Saturday said it is looking to exempt some Nexperia orders from an export ban that it imposed after the Netherlands seized control of the Chinese-owned Dutch chipmaker. “We will comprehensively consider the actual situation of enterprises and grant exemptions to exports that meet the criteria,” a ministry representative said in a statement. According to the ministry, exemptions were being considered to stabilise the supply of Nexperia chips in global supply... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3331155/china-eyes-export-ban-exemption-some-nexperia-orders-amid-chip-supply-chain-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3331155/china-eyes-export-ban-exemption-some-nexperia-orders-amid-chip-supply-chain-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 04:31:07 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng In a sign of worsening disruption to the global semiconductor supply chain, the main Dongguan assembly plant of Nexperia – the China-owned, Netherlands-based chipmaker – has sharply scaled down production in recent days, reducing working hours and idling one third of the machines in one part of the production area. Three employees said in an interview with the South China Morning Post on Monday that the company had reduced monthly working hours, while another said his daily shift was operating... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3330516/nexperias-china-factory-cuts-output-dutch-takeover-deepens-global-chip-supply-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3330516/nexperias-china-factory-cuts-output-dutch-takeover-deepens-global-chip-supply-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 13:02:51 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Wency Chen,Coco Feng Xiaofei Xu,Wency Chen,Coco Feng Semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia’s homebase in Nijmegen – the biggest city in Gelderland, the Netherlands’ largest province – offers few clues that it sits in the eye of a storm that threatens to disrupt the global car industry’s supply chain. Dutch daily newspaper De Gelderlander, for example, featured more local stories including an explosion at a neighbourhood cannabis store, referred to as “coffeeshop”. There were no banner headlines to be found about talks in Brussels on Tuesday between... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3330305/nexperia-crisis-sino-dutch-dispute-over-chipmaker-puts-car-industry-supply-chain-risk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3330305/nexperia-crisis-sino-dutch-dispute-over-chipmaker-puts-car-industry-supply-chain-risk?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 03:00:27 +0000 SCMP SCMP The takeover of Nexperia’s management by the Dutch government has angered Beijing, which responded by imposing export controls on products manufactured by the chipmaker and its subcontractors in China. Subsidiary Nexperia China, which operates a semiconductor factory in Dongguan, in the southern Guangdong province, has also openly challenged orders from its head office in the Netherlands. In the latest China Future Tech webinar, veteran Dutch journalist Marc Hijink, who has been covering the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3330243/china-future-tech-webinar-how-nexperia-got-caught-us-china-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3330243/china-future-tech-webinar-how-nexperia-got-caught-us-china-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 11:01:13 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng A Chinese firm under chipmaker Nexperia has openly challenged its Netherlands-based head office, accusing it of spreading misinformation to customers and further raising tensions in a dispute that could affect the stability of global industrial supply chains. Nexperia (Shanghai), one of nine China-registered entities under the Dutch company, asserted its independent operational status in a public letter to customers on its WeChat account, published in both English and Chinese, on Thursday. The... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3330052/nexperia-china-accuses-dutch-head-office-spreading-misinformation-customers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3330052/nexperia-china-accuses-dutch-head-office-spreading-misinformation-customers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 08:31:06 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng The ongoing dispute between China and the Netherlands over chipmaker Nexperia has highlighted how geopolitical tensions can disrupt an otherwise smooth global supply chain, according to analysts. Based in Nijmegen, Netherlands, Nexperia exemplifies a typical multinational company with front-end fabrication plants in Hamburg, Germany, and Manchester, UK, as well as back-end assembly facilities across Asia, including Dongguan, China; Laguna, the Philippines; and Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. The... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3329781/nexperia-crisis-how-geopolitics-disrupts-global-chip-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3329781/nexperia-crisis-how-geopolitics-disrupts-global-chip-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Oct 2025 02:00:10 +0000 Zhou Xin Zhou Xin Nexperia China, the local unit of the Dutch chipmaker, has told its employees to follow orders from local management and ignore instructions from the Dutch head office, according to a letter issued to employees over the weekend. In open revolt against the headquarters in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, Nexperia China said in a Chinese-language statement on its official social media channel on Saturday that it was an “independent” Chinese entity and that Nexperia employees in China “should continue to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3329565/nexperia-china-tells-employees-ignore-orders-dutch-head-office?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3329565/nexperia-china-tells-employees-ignore-orders-dutch-head-office?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Oct 2025 09:30:08 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The Dutch government believed chipmaker Nexperia’s Chinese owners planned to move its manufacturing operations to China, prompting the unprecedented seizure of the company that has sent shock waves through the global tech world. Earlier this month, authorities seized control of Nexperia’s management and ousted its Chinese CEO, Zhang Xuezheng, citing national security concerns. In response, China’s Ministry of Commerce on October 4 imposed export controls on Nexperia’s Chinese subsidiary and its... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3329476/dutch-seized-nexperia-over-fears-chinese-owners-planned-move-chip-production-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3329476/dutch-seized-nexperia-over-fears-chinese-owners-planned-move-chip-production-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 16:32:58 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Workers at a large Nexperia packaging plant in the southern Chinese city of Dongguan said they are worried about becoming collateral damage in a simmering political dispute between the Netherlands and China that has upended the management of the Dutch semiconductor maker. During a visit by the Post on Thursday, operations at the factory appeared normal even as staff were aware of the power struggle between Nexperia’s Dutch management and its Chinese owner, Wingtech Technology, over control of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3329277/tech-war-workers-nexperias-china-plant-fear-being-caught-dispute-crossfire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3329277/tech-war-workers-nexperias-china-plant-fear-being-caught-dispute-crossfire?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 13:00:09 +0000 Harvey Kong Harvey Kong China’s largest courier, SF Express, has said that it is looking at offering cross-border drone delivery services between Hong Kong and four mainland cities. The company revealed its plan on Friday as Hong Kong’s transport chief stressed the need for a resilient logistics ecosystem with geopolitical tensions rising. Kenny Lau, chief technology officer at SF Express Hong Kong, said that the second stage of the company’s plan would be to expand the service to cover all cities in the Greater Bay... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3328586/sf-express-looks-drone-deliveries-between-hong-kong-4-mainland-chinese-cities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3328586/sf-express-looks-drone-deliveries-between-hong-kong-4-mainland-chinese-cities?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 12:23:44 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Super Typhoon Ragasa disrupted production of Apple’s iPhones in Shenzhen and crucial pre-holiday shipments by cross-border e-commerce merchants, as the year’s strongest storm barrelled towards southern China with heavy rain and hurricane-force winds. The world’s largest electronics contract manufacturer, Foxconn Technology Group, on Tuesday suspended assembly work at its Shenzhen unit – the innovative Product Enclosure Business Group, responsible for high-speed connectors, memory and other... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3326663/super-typhoon-ragasa-disrupts-iphone-production-cross-border-e-commerce-southern-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3326663/super-typhoon-ragasa-disrupts-iphone-production-cross-border-e-commerce-southern-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Sep 2025 09:00:19 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong’s logistics chief has issued a set of guidelines to senior civil servants, urging them to “heighten their alertness” and conduct due diligence to prevent potential fraudulent acts by tenderers and contractors, following a recent drinking water procurement scandal. “In light of the recent incident on procurement of bottled drinking water for which fraud elements involving the contractor are revealed, it is of utmost importance for bureaus and departments to step up efforts to prevent... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3324094/hong-kong-official-calls-heightened-alertness-among-staff-after-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3324094/hong-kong-official-calls-heightened-alertness-among-staff-after-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Sep 2025 13:43:31 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong’s treasury chief has dismissed calls to set up a separate commission of inquiry to investigate officials’ roles in a bottled water procurement scandal, arguing that the government auditor will be able to identify lapses in a “professional and independent” manner. Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu, the head of a new task force that is reviewing the case, on Sunday defended the adequacy of having the Audit Commission conduct the investigation and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3322966/no-separate-inquiry-needed-probe-hong-kong-water-scandal-treasury-chief-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3322966/no-separate-inquiry-needed-probe-hong-kong-water-scandal-treasury-chief-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Aug 2025 06:22:26 +0000 Vivian Au,Edith Lin Vivian Au,Edith Lin Hong Kong lawmakers have called for tougher vetting of bidders for government tenders, accusing authorities of accepting information submitted by companies at face value after awarding a HK$52.9 million (US$8.8 million) bottled water contract to a firm suspected of deception. They made the calls for stricter background checks as a senior official apologised for the first time over the growing procurement scandal, which came to light at the weekend after the government was forced to terminate a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3322711/hong-kong-water-scandal-tougher-vetting-contract-bidders-needed-lawmakers-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3322711/hong-kong-water-scandal-tougher-vetting-contract-bidders-needed-lawmakers-say?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 00:30:08 +0000 Willa Wu,Vivian Au Willa Wu,Vivian Au The Hong Kong government’s procurement system failed to detect document fraud and authorities are taking immediate steps to strengthen it, the head of the logistics department has said, apologising to the public for the first time since a growing water scandal broke out. Government Logistics Department director Carlson Chan Ka-shun said on Thursday that officials understood the case had caused huge public concern over the procurement process. “It has also sparked doubts over the safety of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3322620/i-apologise-everyone-hong-kong-official-admits-system-failed-detect-water-fraud?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3322620/i-apologise-everyone-hong-kong-official-admits-system-failed-detect-water-fraud?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2025 05:48:38 +0000 Jiang Chuqin Jiang Chuqin Some bottled water brands in Hong Kong are taking advantage of a growing government procurement scandal to promote their products. Watsons Water posted on social media on Wednesday that its products were “safety and quality assured”, highlighting its strictly controlled production processes, which included multiple filtration and high-temperature distillation. The post received almost 380 reactions. Another local drinking water manufacturer, Swire Coca-Cola, posted on Facebook on Tuesday night... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3322585/bottled-water-brands-seize-hong-kong-procurement-scandal-promote-products?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3322585/bottled-water-brands-seize-hong-kong-procurement-scandal-promote-products?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2025 01:48:02 +0000 Vivian Au,Lo Hoi-ying,Oscar Liu Vivian Au,Lo Hoi-ying,Oscar Liu Hong Kong police have confirmed that a third-party factory in Dongguan, Guangdong province, was commissioned by two fraud suspects to produce bottled water supplied to some government offices in a growing procurement scandal, but said the plant held the relevant licences required by mainland Chinese authorities. The controversy came to light over the weekend when the Government Logistics Department announced that it had “partially terminated” a HK$52.9 million (US$6.8 million) three-year... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3322465/hong-kong-centre-takes-legal-action-against-firm-suspected-water-procurement-fraud?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3322465/hong-kong-centre-takes-legal-action-against-firm-suspected-water-procurement-fraud?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Aug 2025 05:45:14 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The Hong Kong government carries a heavy responsibility as a major procurer of goods and services. While there are well-established procurement guidelines to ensure value for public money, fair competition and accountability, irregularities may still occur, as in the latest suspected water procurement fraud. Officials must expeditiously find out what went wrong and learn from the episode. The controversy came to light last Saturday when the Government Logistics Department announced it had... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3322363/clarity-hong-kongs-water-procurement-scandal-needed-quickly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3322363/clarity-hong-kongs-water-procurement-scandal-needed-quickly?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 23:15:09 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Hong Kong police have arrested a married couple suspected of being at the centre of a rapidly unfolding controversy surrounding a HK$52.9 million (US$6.8 million) contract to supply drinking water to some government offices. The pair allegedly defrauded the government and are suspected of breaching the Trade Descriptions Ordinance by providing false information about the product manufacturer. The unprecedented fiasco over the contract, which was among the first of its kind awarded to a mainland... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3322266/pouring-over-facts-what-behind-hong-kongs-water-procurement-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3322266/pouring-over-facts-what-behind-hong-kongs-water-procurement-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Aug 2025 12:42:32 +0000 Denise Tsang,Oscar Liu Denise Tsang,Oscar Liu A married couple arrested in Hong Kong over a HK$52.9 million (US$6.8 million) suspected water procurement fraud that targeted the government are already under investigation for allegedly using false documents to obtain trade loans about three years ago, the Post has learned. Police said on Monday that the man, 61, and woman, 57, were arrested the previous day on suspicion of defrauding the government in connection with a contract to supply drinking water to civil service offices. A source said... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3322208/hong-kong-police-arrest-couple-over-hk529-million-bottled-water-contract-fraud?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3322208/hong-kong-police-arrest-couple-over-hk529-million-bottled-water-contract-fraud?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Aug 2025 07:55:12 +0000 Lynn Zhang,Leopold Chen,Lorraine Chiang,William Yiu Lynn Zhang,Leopold Chen,Lorraine Chiang,William Yiu More than 70 schools in mainland China are offering Hong Kong’s university entrance exam courses, with some operators planning for further expansion given the curriculum’s growing demand, the Post has found. The rising popularity of the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) also prompted calls for Hong Kong authorities to internationalise the assessment launched in 2012 to boost the number of non-local candidates. At least 72 schools and four tutorial centres in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3321379/hong-kong-university-entrance-exam-courses-offered-over-70-mainland-schools?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3321379/hong-kong-university-entrance-exam-courses-offered-over-70-mainland-schools?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Aug 2025 00:30:12 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen More than 90 per cent of Hong Kong students from four mainland Chinese schools met the city’s university’s minimum requirements in the local public exams, far exceeding the overall average of 38 per cent of all assessment candidates. The four schools in the Greater Bay Area are the only institutions on the mainland approved by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority to register their students as school candidates for the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) exams. Students pursuing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3321329/90-pass-rate-hong-kongs-mainland-based-dse-pupils-exceeding-city-average?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3321329/90-pass-rate-hong-kongs-mainland-based-dse-pupils-exceeding-city-average?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Aug 2025 04:00:22 +0000 Mia Nulimaimaiti Mia Nulimaimaiti Zhang, a yoga apparel exporter based in the southern Chinese city of Dongguan, has suffered a series of painful setbacks since the US-China trade war intensified earlier this year. “This latest round of US tariffs hit harder than previous ones – it really caught us off guard,” said Zhang, who declined to give her full name for privacy reasons. The business managed to navigate earlier phases of the trade war by re-routing some shipments via Vietnam and pivoting to supplying China’s booming... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3317878/chinas-garment-makers-cut-out-us-market-tariffs-bite-caught-guard?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3317878/chinas-garment-makers-cut-out-us-market-tariffs-bite-caught-guard?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Jul 2025 06:00:13 +0000 Luna Sun,He Huifeng Luna Sun,He Huifeng This is the final story in a three-part series exploring the domestic economic challenges China faces as it navigates an unprecedented trade war with the United States. In this piece, we explore the country’s cloudy employment outlook for workers across all sectors, and how truck drivers and high-powered lawyers alike are learning to adjust their expectations. When his chemical company laid off a third of its team, Liang Wang felt a mix of emotions: relief that he was not among them, but dread... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3317748/why-chinas-white-and-blue-collar-workers-are-worried-about-losing-their-shirts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3317748/why-chinas-white-and-blue-collar-workers-are-worried-about-losing-their-shirts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Jul 2025 22:00:12 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang Julian Cheng Zhizhen, a global expert in optical and radio frequency wireless communication, has left his position in Canada to join the newly established Great Bay University (GBU) in southern China. Cheng, previously an electrical engineering professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC), will be chair professor and dean of the school of information science and technology, GBU announced in a post on its official social media account on June 23. The announcement came just four days... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3316594/communication-expert-julian-cheng-leaves-canada-career-china-university?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3316594/communication-expert-julian-cheng-leaves-canada-career-china-university?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 13:00:10 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok More than 1,500 Hong Kong residents reported feeling mild tremors on Monday evening after a magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck northern Guangdong province. The Observatory recorded the quake at 6.48pm. Its epicentre was located in Qingyuan, about 57km (35 miles) north of Guangzhou and 180km northwest of Hong Kong, at a depth of around 10km. The Guangdong Earthquake Agency confirmed the epicentre was in the Qingcheng district of Qingyuan city. There have been no reports of casualties or property... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3315540/mild-tremors-felt-across-hong-kong-43-magnitude-quake-hits-guangdong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3315540/mild-tremors-felt-across-hong-kong-43-magnitude-quake-hits-guangdong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Jun 2025 14:35:05 +0000