https://www.scmp.com/rss/516026/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Laura Zhou Laura Zhou In a prelude to a possible second round of peace talks in Pakistan, Iran ramped up its rhetoric against the United States on Saturday, warning of retaliation if the US kept up its shipping blockade. Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the operational centre of the Islamic Republic’s armed forces, warned of a “severe reaction” if the US continued its “naval blockade, maritime piracy and robbery in the region”. Iran’s defence ministry also said that much of the country’s missile strength... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351431/trapped-gulf-ship-crews-run-low-food-water-and-mental-health-reserves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351431/trapped-gulf-ship-crews-run-low-food-water-and-mental-health-reserves?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:13:04 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Amid the rubble of the US-Israel war on Iran, a new Middle East appears to be taking shape as a constellation of regional powers jockey for a seat at the table. Led by Turkey and Saudi Arabia, the grouping stretches from the Gulf across the Caucasus to Central and South Asia, binding together countries with overlapping interests, interlocking partnerships and a shared conviction: that the post-war order should not be dictated exclusively by the US-Israel alliance or Iran and its battered but... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351335/middle-easts-new-power-brokers-pakistan-turkey-saudi-arabia-egypt-unite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351335/middle-easts-new-power-brokers-pakistan-turkey-saudi-arabia-egypt-unite?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 05:30:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The Trump administration is placing economic sanctions on a major China-based oil refinery and roughly 40 shipping companies and tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil. The move, announced on Friday, makes good on the Trump administration’s threat to impose secondary sanctions on companies and countries that do business with Iran. It is also part of the Republican administration’s overall ramped-up campaign to cut off Iran’s key source of revenue – its oil exports. Concurrently, the US... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351389/us-sanctions-china-based-oil-refinery-and-40-shippers-over-iran-oil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351389/us-sanctions-china-based-oil-refinery-and-40-shippers-over-iran-oil?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 18:47:34 +0000 CNA CNA A court has convicted an Italian man of human trafficking by tricking a Singaporean woman into sex work in Dubai, after rejecting his defence arguments attacking the victim. Achraf Arjaouy, 31, had claimed trial to one count of recruiting a person by means of deception for the purpose of sexual exploitation in Dubai. The victim’s identity is protected by a gag order. The prosecution’s case was that Arjaouy had targeted a woman he met on Tinder by pretending to be a wealthy pilot from Qatar who... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3351105/italian-man-convicted-trafficking-singaporean-tinder-date-dubai-sex-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3351105/italian-man-convicted-trafficking-singaporean-tinder-date-dubai-sex-work?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 06:15:59 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao The Iran crisis loomed large in discussions when Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu ‌Dhabi, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez met President Xi Jinping on separate visits to Beijing last week. Both meetings focused on the need for a comprehensive and sustainable security architecture for the Middle East. This week, on a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Xi reiterated China’s support for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3350462/how-chinas-patient-diplomacy-can-help-secure-peace-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3350462/how-chinas-patient-diplomacy-can-help-secure-peace-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:30:10 +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. In the midst of global turmoil and war, Hong Kong is blessed to remain comparatively safe and stable. Yet safety alone is not a strategy; it is an asset that must be urgently leveraged. A rare window has opened as some highly skilled professionals are leaving the Gulf region,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3350729/how-hong-kong-can-attract-talent-and-capital-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3350729/how-hong-kong-can-attract-talent-and-capital-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 03:30:09 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China’s central bank chief has urged the IMF to serve as a bulwark against “rising unilateralism”, at a time when escalating trade restrictions and an intensified Middle East conflict threaten energy and food security. The International Monetary Fund should “take a clear stand against protectionism and defend multilateralism”, People’s Bank of China governor Pan Gongsheng said in a statement to the fund’s International Monetary and Financial Committee, for its 53rd meeting, held on Thursday and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350718/china-presses-imf-quota-reform-better-surveillance-advanced-economies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350718/china-presses-imf-quota-reform-better-surveillance-advanced-economies?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:05:04 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Yemen’s Tehran-aligned Houthi movement has threatened to besiege a second key Middle East waterway as Iran launched drone attacks against US Navy vessels in the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend after a diplomatic effort to end the war appeared to collapse. A closure of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean, would effectively sever Saudi Arabia’s only remaining oil export route. The kingdom has been shipping up to 7 million barrels of crude per day through the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350671/iran-war-escalates-houthis-threaten-sever-saudi-oil-exports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350671/iran-war-escalates-houthis-threaten-sever-saudi-oil-exports?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 03:42:32 +0000 Zhang Shidong,Enoch Yiu Zhang Shidong,Enoch Yiu The US-Israeli war on Iran has unleashed sharp swings across global energy and financial markets, fuelling demand for safe-haven assets, with Hong Kong emerging as a potential beneficiary across gold, property and capital markets. In the third of a three-part series, we look at Hong Kong’s position as a stable base where demand for property has held firm despite the global turmoil. The seven-week military conflict in the Middle East will redefine Hong Kong’s role as a global financial centre,... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350634/hong-kong-reasserts-role-safe-haven-global-finance-amid-middle-east-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350634/hong-kong-reasserts-role-safe-haven-global-finance-amid-middle-east-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 02:30:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US federal prosecutors said on Sunday an Iranian national was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport for allegedly trafficking arms to Sudan on behalf of Tehran. Shamim Mafi, 44, is charged with “brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses and millions of rounds of ammunition manufactured by Iran and sold to Sudan”, US Attorney Bill Essayli wrote in a social media post. A resident of the Los Angeles suburb of Woodland Hills, Mafi “is an Iranian national who became a lawful permanent... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350660/woman-charged-us-trafficking-arms-sudan-iranian-government?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350660/woman-charged-us-trafficking-arms-sudan-iranian-government?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 22:38:32 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye The US-Israeli war on Iran has unleashed sharp swings across global energy and financial markets, fuelling demand for safe-haven assets, with Hong Kong emerging as a potential beneficiary across gold, property and capital markets. In the second of a three-part series, we look at Hong Kong’s position as a stable base where demand for property has held firm despite the global turmoil. Hong Kong’s property market is showing early signs of renewed safe haven demand, with a surge in luxury... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350575/hong-kong-property-may-see-uptick-safe-haven-demand-iran-war-rattles-dubai-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350575/hong-kong-property-may-see-uptick-safe-haven-demand-iran-war-rattles-dubai-market?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 06:00:19 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen China could gain a “massive strategic advantage” from the war in Iran by reshaping trade in the Middle East and catching up with the US militarily, according to one analyst. Zhu Zhaoyi, executive director of the Institute of Middle East Studies at Peking University HSBC Business School, also said that with the current ceasefire looking likely to be extended, Beijing should assume a more active role in peace talks. He told a seminar in Shenzhen on Friday that China should draw on the lessons from... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350567/how-chinas-military-could-learn-vital-lessons-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350567/how-chinas-military-could-learn-vital-lessons-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 11:00:09 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang An oil tanker sailing under the flag of Hong Kong has passed through the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Gulf of Oman, as a US blockade continues to target vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports, according to a maritime data firm. The tanker, AVA 6, departed from a port in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, Beijing time. It passed through the Strait of Hormuz sometime between 4am and 2pm on Thursday, according to data from Mingkun Technology, a Chinese maritime information provider based... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3350423/hong-kong-flagged-oil-tanker-passes-through-strait-hormuz-test-us-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3350423/hong-kong-flagged-oil-tanker-passes-through-strait-hormuz-test-us-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 06:29:35 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Dubai has completed its first flying taxi station, with commercial operations expected to begin by the end of the year, authorities in the Gulf emirate announced on Thursday. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, crown prince of Dubai and United Arab Emirates deputy prime minister, visited Dubai’s “first purpose-built electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) Air Taxi Station”, the emirate’s media office said in a statement. The facility, described by the emirate’s authorities as the “first of its... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350378/first-its-kind-flying-taxi-station-completed-dubai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350378/first-its-kind-flying-taxi-station-completed-dubai?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 21:34:26 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen China’s top diplomat Wang Yi sought guarantees of freedom and safety of international navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, in a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, on Wednesday. The call is Beijing’s latest diplomacy effort on the Iran war as a US naval blockade of Iranian ports intensifies global energy disruptions and adds uncertainty in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway off Iran’s coast that Tehran effectively closed in response to US-Israeli strikes. “The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350259/chinas-wang-yi-calls-iran-ensure-freedom-and-safe-passage-through-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350259/chinas-wang-yi-calls-iran-ensure-freedom-and-safe-passage-through-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 05:18:55 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Mark Mobius, who was known as the father of emerging markets and was among the first fund managers to invest in Hong Kong and mainland China, died on Wednesday at the age of 89, according to a statement on his LinkedIn account. The statement did not give the cause. Mobius was based in Dubai in recent years and remained active in investment via his own firm. He was managing director of Mobius Emerging Opportunities Fund. Mobius remained bullish on China throughout his career. In his last... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3350250/mark-mobius-pioneering-emerging-market-investor-and-china-bull-dies-89?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3350250/mark-mobius-pioneering-emerging-market-investor-and-china-bull-dies-89?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 04:30:22 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang A fully laden Chinese tanker has twice turned back from the US blockade of traffic leaving Iranian ports, despite setting off from the United Arab Emirates. The incident highlights how Chinese commercial vessels are weighing up the risks posed by the naval blockade, with analysts saying no country’s ships are receiving “special treatment”. The Rich Starry sailed east through the Strait of Hormuz into the Gulf of Oman around 2am local time on Tuesday, according to data from Mingkun Technology, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350214/chinese-tanker-retreats-twice-us-hormuz-blockade-48-hours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350214/chinese-tanker-retreats-twice-us-hormuz-blockade-48-hours?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:53:28 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Famine. Massacres. And now badly needed food and other supplies are under strain. Sudan on Wednesday enters a fourth year of war that is being called an “abandoned crisis” as a new conflict in the Middle East throws into shadow the fighting that has forced 13 million people to flee their homes. Sudan has been described as the world’s largest humanitarian challenge, notably in terms of displacement and hunger. There is no end in sight to the fighting between the military and the paramilitary... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3350197/sudan-enters-4th-year-war-abandoned-crisis-grows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3350197/sudan-enters-4th-year-war-abandoned-crisis-grows?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:45:07 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain As Islamabad prepares to host a second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran, Pakistani mediators are seeking ways to extricate the Gulf monarchies from the conflict, according to a well-placed diplomatic source. While the success of those efforts depends largely on the outcome of talks that US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday could resume by the end of the week, Pakistan’s mediation has produced a second confidence-building phone call in a week between the Iranian and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350175/pakistan-seeks-shield-gulf-states-us-iran-talks-set-resume?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350175/pakistan-seeks-shield-gulf-states-us-iran-talks-set-resume?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:00:04 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Russia can help China and other nations weather energy supply disruptions stemming from the war in Iran, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. “Russia can, without a doubt, compensate for the shortfall in resources that has arisen”, Lavrov told reporters in response to a question about the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. He also said that Chinese-Russian ties are “unshakeable in the face of any storms”. Lavrov confirmed that Russian... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3350178/china-cements-russia-ties-both-win-us-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3350178/china-cements-russia-ties-both-win-us-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:49:50 +0000 Junjie Wang Junjie Wang Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Vietnamese leader To Lam are the latest world leaders to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping amid global trade tensions and the war in Iran. Xi also this week met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Abu Dhabi’s crown prince, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The president of Mozambique arrives in China this week as well. US President Donald Trump delayed his trip to China to May 14-15 in order to focus on the conflict in the Middle... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/article/3350157/xi-jinping-meets-foreign-leaders-tracker-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/article/3350157/xi-jinping-meets-foreign-leaders-tracker-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:45:40 +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 recent escalation of conflict in the Middle East has shattered long-held assumptions about the invulnerability of the region’s premier wealth hubs. For a decade, Dubai successfully marketed itself as a safe haven for the global elite, attracting vast capital flows drawn to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3349988/hong-kong-perfect-complement-dubai-not-replacement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3349988/hong-kong-perfect-complement-dubai-not-replacement?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 03:30:11 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Chinese President Xi Jinping ‌called for a more robust, resilient and dynamic ‌strategic partnership with the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, as Beijing intensified what observers have described as its “quiet but pragmatic” diplomacy during the Iran crisis. In a meeting with Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu ‌Dhabi, Xi unveiled a four-point proposal to safeguard Middle East stability, stressing the importance of national sovereignty, the international rule... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350081/xi-jinpings-meeting-abu-dhabi-crown-prince-highlights-gulf-turn-towards-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350081/xi-jinpings-meeting-abu-dhabi-crown-prince-highlights-gulf-turn-towards-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 14:00:09 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Singapore’s refusal to negotiate over Hormuz creates waves in Malaysia Singapore’s pushback against negotiating with Iran over access to the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a backlash from Malaysian politicians, who saw its statements as “lecturing” them on how best to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3349997/singapores-hormuz-stance-manila-hong-kong-housing-gap-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3349997/singapores-hormuz-stance-manila-hong-kong-housing-gap-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 07:15:09 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Pakistan is considering financing from both countries and banks as options to repay a US$3 billion loan from the United Arab Emirates and help maintain foreign exchange reserve levels amid soaring oil prices, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said. The South Asian country this month failed to reach an agreement with the UAE to roll over the debt for the first time in seven years, adding pressure on external buffers at a time when the economy is getting hit by the fallout from the conflict in... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349968/minister-says-pakistan-committed-repay-us3-billion-loan-uae?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349968/minister-says-pakistan-committed-repay-us3-billion-loan-uae?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:51:29 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China is pushing a ceasefire in the Iran war as key to the Strait of Hormuz being open to international trade and energy, as US President Donald Trump announced a sweeping naval operation targeting the oil transit chokepoint. Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday that the strait was an important channel for international trade in goods and energy, and that “maintaining its safety, stability and unimpeded passage serves the common interests of the international community”. “The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349929/china-says-open-strait-hormuz-crucial-global-interests-trump-threatens-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349929/china-says-open-strait-hormuz-crucial-global-interests-trump-threatens-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:00:52 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu HSBC Holdings, the biggest lender in Hong Kong and Europe by assets, is committed to the Middle East and plans to plough ahead with investments despite uncertainty in the region, according to a senior executive. Surendra Rosha, co-CEO for Asia and the Middle East, said HSBC would continue to invest in the wealth business in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the coming years. Rosha is heading to Saudi Arabia, where HSBC is the biggest overseas investment bank, next week to meet clients and staff... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349866/hsbc-will-continue-invest-middle-east-long-term-even-war-rages?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349866/hsbc-will-continue-invest-middle-east-long-term-even-war-rages?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:00:09 +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. ‘Cancelling orders’ in China: Hormuz oil crisis hits transport and manufacturing 2. ‘A big deal’: military drills show Tokyo’s growing focus on deterring China 3. UAE pulls US$3.5 billion from Pakistan after Iran war mediation 4. Why has China mapped out a third new county in Xinjiang on its... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3349833/hormuz-oil-crisis-hits-china-family-dentists-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3349833/hormuz-oil-crisis-hits-china-family-dentists-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 04:12:07 +0000 Wynna Wong,Fiona Sun Wynna Wong,Fiona Sun Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways will cancel a small proportion of passenger flights between mid-May and the end of June, as surging jet fuel prices driven by the war in the Middle East continue to weigh on airlines globally. The airline said on Saturday that about 2 per cent of its total flight frequencies would be cut between May 16 and June 30, mainly on regional routes, as well as a small number of services to Australia, South Asia and South Africa. Cathay Pacific’s budget arm,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3349743/hong-kongs-cathay-pacific-and-hk-express-cut-some-flights-jet-fuel-prices-rise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3349743/hong-kongs-cathay-pacific-and-hk-express-cut-some-flights-jet-fuel-prices-rise?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:10:45 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Asian digital entrepreneurs that once saw Dubai as a safe, well-connected base for global expansion are now reassessing that view after the US-Israel war on Iran exposed vulnerabilities in the city’s appeal as a financial and technology hub. For many investors and founders from India, China and Southeast Asia, the strain is not just about physical security but also about what disruption around the Strait of Hormuz has revealed about liquidity, credit and market confidence. Dubai has in recent... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349694/how-gulf-conflict-recast-risks-asian-investors-dubai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349694/how-gulf-conflict-recast-risks-asian-investors-dubai?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 07:00:11 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Days before Pakistan had helped to secure a ceasefire in the Iran war this week, the United Arab Emirates was seeking repayment of a US$3.5 billion deposit from Islamabad’s central bank. The withdrawal, brushed off as a “routine financial transaction” by Pakistan’s foreign ministry, equated to roughly 21 per cent of the country’s foreign exchange reserves. It was accompanied by a wave of criticism on Emirati social media directed at Islamabad. “When our security is directly threatened, we hear... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349673/uae-pulls-us35-billion-pakistan-after-iran-war-mediation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349673/uae-pulls-us35-billion-pakistan-after-iran-war-mediation?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain The Gulf’s six Arab monarchies, battered by Iranian drones and missiles because of a war they never wanted, are watching with trepidation to see what Pakistan-hosted US-Iran negotiations will yield for their collective future. After China and Russia vetoed the Gulf Cooperation Council’s bid to attain UN Security Council approval for “defensive” measures to force open the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week, analysts say the GCC states have little sway over what is about to transpire in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349655/us-iran-talks-leave-gulf-states-edge-about-price-peace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349655/us-iran-talks-leave-gulf-states-edge-about-price-peace?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:18 +0000 Chenjie Song Chenjie Song On April 7, less than two hours before US President Donald Trump’s declared deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz expired, a two-week ceasefire was announced after being floated by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The deal followed Iran’s delivery of a 10-point proposal to the United States through Pakistani mediators on April 6. According to Iranian officials, Tehran’s acceptance came after a last-minute intervention by China. The breakthrough came seven days after China and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349462/chinas-role-iran-us-ceasefire-reflects-its-strategic-distance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349462/chinas-role-iran-us-ceasefire-reflects-its-strategic-distance?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Buffeted by six weeks of war in the Middle East, airlines have scrambled to trim routes and costs as fuel bills explode and wary clients think twice about their travel plans, a situation that could persist even if a fragile truce holds. Carriers have largely halted flights in the Gulf region, with Air France announcing this week that it was extending its suspensions until May 3 – a decision a source said was made before this week’s ceasefire between the United States and Iran. With no certainty... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349544/why-us-iran-truce-may-not-end-high-airfares-and-flight-disruptions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349544/why-us-iran-truce-may-not-end-high-airfares-and-flight-disruptions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:00:11 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang China’s biopharmaceutical sector is seeing an uptick in deal-making, with sovereign wealth funds from Singapore and the United Arab Emirates joining Chinese state-backed investors to back next-generation drug developers. Shanghai-based Everest Medicines agreed to spend US$250 million to acquire a Singapore company holding rights to 14 chronic-disease treatments across the Asia-Pacific region, according to a stock exchange filing on Wednesday. Its Singapore unit will acquire 100 per cent of... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349390/china-biotech-flow-picks-everest-seals-us250-million-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349390/china-biotech-flow-picks-everest-seals-us250-million-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Thailand’s foreign minister confirmed on Wednesday the deaths of three Thai crew members of a cargo ship struck by Iran while transiting the Strait of Hormuz a month ago. US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February prompted Tehran to respond by effectively closing the strait, a crucial artery for global oil supplies, and launching attacks on vessels. The Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree was struck on March 11 while travelling through the Gulf waterway, after departing a port in the United Arab... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349409/thailand-confirms-deaths-3-cargo-ship-crew-gulf-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349409/thailand-confirms-deaths-3-cargo-ship-crew-gulf-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:40:51 +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 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. UAE squeezes Iranian economic lifeline in retaliation for attacks 2. Untouchable no more: Nepal to apologise to Dalits for first time 3. Bali rocked by spate of murder cases – is Indonesian island more dangerous now? 4. Australia receives fuel export guarantees from... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3349208/uae-retaliates-against-iran-balis-spate-murders-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3349208/uae-retaliates-against-iran-balis-spate-murders-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 04:30:08 +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 Reuters Reuters Ukraine and Syria pledged greater security cooperation in talks on Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said as Kyiv seeks to promote its military expertise across the region following the outbreak of the US-Israel war on Iran. Zelensky, continuing his tour of Middle East countries, ‌met with his Syrian counterpart, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Damascus. “We agreed to work together to provide more security and opportunities for development for our societies,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram. In a later post,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349106/zelensky-syria-discuss-security-cooperation-president-ahmed-al-sharaa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349106/zelensky-syria-discuss-security-cooperation-president-ahmed-al-sharaa?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 20:01:40 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Critical infrastructure across the Gulf came under attack from Iran on Sunday with damage reported at civilian facilities in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait. Gulf countries have faced repeated drone and missile salvoes from Iran over past weeks in response to US and Israeli strikes that began at the end of February. Iran has targeted energy and other industrial infrastructure in the oil-rich Gulf nations, accusing its neighbours of allowing US forces to carry out attacks from their... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349084/uae-bahrain-and-kuwait-lose-water-energy-infrastructure-iran-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349084/uae-bahrain-and-kuwait-lose-water-energy-infrastructure-iran-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:53:41 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Chinese ride-hailing company CaoCao, backed by Geely, is betting on a heavy-asset strategy to emerge as a leading robotaxi operator, with plans to deploy 100,000 autonomous vehicles by 2030 as competition intensifies and self-driving technology matures. In an interview with the South China Morning Post, CEO Gong Xin said the future of robotaxis hinged on an asset-management model built around a closed-loop “trinity” of vehicle manufacturing, autonomous driving technology and fleet... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348985/hong-kong-listed-caocao-hails-fleet-first-strategy-chinas-robotaxi-race-gathers-pace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348985/hong-kong-listed-caocao-hails-fleet-first-strategy-chinas-robotaxi-race-gathers-pace?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 07:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iran launched missiles and drones at Israel and Kuwait on Sunday, a day after US President Donald Trump said the Islamic republic had 48 hours to cut a deal or face “all Hell”. Kuwait and Israel said their air defences were responding to the latest attacks from Iran, part of the war that erupted more than a month ago with US-Israeli strikes that triggered retaliation by Tehran. The war has spread conflict throughout the Middle East and convulsed the global economy. Iran’s forces maintain a tight... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349059/iran-attacks-kuwait-israel-after-trump-sets-deadline-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349059/iran-attacks-kuwait-israel-after-trump-sets-deadline-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 03:03:40 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Iran has demanded explanations from two Gulf states equipped with Chinese-made Wing Loong II drones after one was reportedly shot down in the war with the United States and Israel. Both the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are known to have the reconnaissance and precision strike drones in their arsenals. The drone was shot down over the city of Shiraz on Thursday, according to Esmail Baqaei, a spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry. Baqaei posted photos of drone wreckage on social... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349036/iran-demands-explanations-saudis-and-uae-after-chinese-made-drone-was-shot-down?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349036/iran-demands-explanations-saudis-and-uae-after-chinese-made-drone-was-shot-down?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:51:34 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain The United Arab Emirates has begun retaliating against Iran’s incessant air strikes on its industrial infrastructure by squeezing the economic lifeline it has long extended to the sanctions-bound Islamic Republic. Rather than taking sweeping measures that would signal an escalation beyond its purely defensive posture, the UAE this week quietly banned most Iranians from entering the country or transiting its airports. The UAE is home to more than half a million Iranians, many of whom are... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348996/uae-squeezes-iranian-economic-lifeline-retaliation-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348996/uae-squeezes-iranian-economic-lifeline-retaliation-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 07:00:09 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea has spent a decade and billions of dollars trying to build a world-class fighter jet. Now that the finish line is drawing near, it’s nearly time to find out who will buy one. The first mass-produced KF-21 Boramae, developed jointly with Indonesia since 2015, was unveiled by Korea Aerospace Industries in Sacheon on March 25. Analysts say the aircraft could pave the way for South Korea, already one of the world’s top 10 arms exporters, to grab an even bigger slice of the global... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348971/south-korea-and-indonesias-kf-21-fighter-jet-ready-will-it-sell?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348971/south-korea-and-indonesias-kf-21-fighter-jet-ready-will-it-sell?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 02:00:09 +0000 Agencies Agencies President Donald ⁠Trump on Friday said the ⁠US can open the Strait of Hormuz with a little more time, as pressure mounts for his administration to find a ‌quick resolution to a war against Iran. “With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL,& MAKE A FORTUNE,” he said in a post on Truth Social. Nearly ⁠five weeks after it started with a joint US-Israeli aerial ‌assault, the war in Iran continues to spread chaos across the region and roil ‌financial markets, raising... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348991/us-can-take-strait-hormuz-more-time-says-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348991/us-can-take-strait-hormuz-more-time-says-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:18:26 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen In a rare condemnation of its strategic partner, China has come out in opposition to Iran’s attacks on Gulf nations, calling for a ceasefire and a guarantee of the safety of shipping lanes. Addressing a UN Security Council meeting on Thursday, Fu Cong, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, said: “China does not support Iran’s attacks on Gulf Cooperation Council nations and condemns all indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilians and non-military targets. The security of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348986/china-europe-and-why-beijing-took-swing-iran-over-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348986/china-europe-and-why-beijing-took-swing-iran-over-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 12:00:16 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Human remains have been found aboard a cargo ship struck by Iran while transiting the Strait of Hormuz last month, the vessel’s owner said on Friday, after three crew members were reported missing following the attack. US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February prompted Tehran to respond by effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial artery for global oil supplies. The Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree was struck in March while travelling through the strait after departing Khalifa port in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3348975/human-remains-found-thai-ship-attacked-iran-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3348975/human-remains-found-thai-ship-attacked-iran-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:22:56 +0000 SCMP SCMP This article was first published on April 3, 2011 If the altitude doesn’t give you a nosebleed, the room rates might By John Carney You could say it is the height of luxury. And if putting on the Ritz is your thing, it’s just the place for you. The highest hotel in the world opened in Hong Kong last week, and if the altitude doesn’t give you a nosebleed, the price of a room will. Taking up floors 102 to 118 of the International Commerce Centre (ICC), the five-star, 312-room Ritz-Carlton Hotel... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348732/worlds-highest-hotel-opens-hong-kongs-west-kowloon-2011-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348732/worlds-highest-hotel-opens-hong-kongs-west-kowloon-2011-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 03:11:08 +0000