https://www.scmp.com/rss/516262/feed Sophie joined the Post in 2023. She previously covered social issues and politics for a Singaporean digital media outlet, focusing on under-served communities, and holds a master's degree from Columbia Journalism School. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Shanti Pereira is one of the fastest women in Asia. Singapore’s “Sprint Queen” holds the city state’s national records for the 100 and 200 metres, at 11.20 and 22.57 seconds respectively, both set in 2023. Her six medals last year at various continental meets – including Singapore’s first athletics medals at the Asian Games in nearly five decades – catapulted her to household-name status. It was a phenomenal season, all the sweeter for coming after a rough patch lasting several years. Her... https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/profiles/article/3270857/paris-olympics-profile-who-shanti-pereira-singapores-sprint-queen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/profiles/article/3270857/paris-olympics-profile-who-shanti-pereira-singapores-sprint-queen?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Aug 2024 02:00:21 +0000 Shuttler Loh Kean Yew ignited a roar to his home crowd when he stunned the world No 7 to net Singapore’s first badminton quarter-final berth at the Olympics in 20 years. Loh caused a major upset which he eliminated China’s Li Shifeng in the round of 16 on Thursday to set up a rematch in the quarter-finals with Olympic champion and world No 2 Viktor Axelsen. The city state was initially set ablaze when Loh was crowned Singapore’s first badminton world champion in 2021. The then 24-year-old... https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/asia/article/3271953/paris-olympics-singapores-loh-kean-yew-became-world-badminton-champ-despite-ankle-injury?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/asia/article/3271953/paris-olympics-singapores-loh-kean-yew-became-world-badminton-champ-despite-ankle-injury?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Jul 2024 02:00:14 +0000 For most athletes, winning an Olympic gold medal is the pinnacle of sport, the fulfilment of a life goal. What else could you possibly be offered by way of incentive? Well, quite a lot it seems. As well as the as the ambition for glory and the financial incentive, there have been more creative rewards dangled in front of participants. And here are some of the most memorable. 1 – Free flights and lifetime rail pass After a record seven-medal haul at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, three local airlines... https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/aquatics/article/3271530/olympic-rewards-winning-gold-medals-free-tea-furniture-no-military-service-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/aquatics/article/3271530/olympic-rewards-winning-gold-medals-free-tea-furniture-no-military-service-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Jul 2024 10:30:14 +0000 The belief in sport as a unifying force for peace is as old as the Olympics themselves – as is the reality that the Games have never been free from external tensions. In 1992, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) revived the Olympic truce, a tradition dating back to the Games’ roots in ancient Greece. At a time when ancient Greek city states were mired in incessant conflict, several leaders signed a treaty – the ekecheiria – to ensure athletes and spectators could safely take part in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/explainers/article/3270701/ukraine-gaza-us-china-guide-global-tensions-hanging-over-paris-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/explainers/article/3270701/ukraine-gaza-us-china-guide-global-tensions-hanging-over-paris-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Jul 2024 04:00:10 +0000 Five young women making their Olympic debuts will be among the hundreds of athletes in China’s contingent at the Paris Games. While they might not yet be household names such as Li Na or Eileen Gu, these rising stars already boast impressive track records – and may well make history this summer. Among a 405-strong squad, which includes 42 Olympic gold medallists, here are some new faces we think could soon be global stars. Liu Qingyi (Breaking) As breaking, the athletic, acrobatic street dance... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3271223/paris-olympics-5-young-chinese-women-hoping-make-waves-and-more-their-games-debuts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3271223/paris-olympics-5-young-chinese-women-hoping-make-waves-and-more-their-games-debuts?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Jul 2024 02:00:24 +0000 Four years after a pair of Chinese universities began offering the nation’s first undergraduate programmes in eldercare, members of those pilot classes nearly have their degrees in hand – putting the trailblazing students in position to support an industry that desperately needs them, but which many young people would rather avoid, even in an increasingly tight job market. A total of 96 undergraduates from Shandong Women’s University and the Shanghai University of Engineering Science will... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3264920/whats-next-chinas-first-eldercare-graduates-some-not-eldercare?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3264920/whats-next-chinas-first-eldercare-graduates-some-not-eldercare?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Jun 2024 23:30:08 +0000 The average annual salary of top executives at Chinese listed companies fell for the first time in two decades last year, according to a study of over 5,000 annual reports, as companies’ profitability was dented by the sluggish economy. The average last year stood at 1.66 million yuan (US$229,000), representing a 3.27 per cent decrease from 2022, according to the study by Shanghai Rongzheng Enterprise Consulting Service Group released on Tuesday. The study also showed the average annual pay for... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3264888/chinas-top-executives-suffer-first-average-pay-cut-2-decades-sluggish-economy-weighs-listed-firms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3264888/chinas-top-executives-suffer-first-average-pay-cut-2-decades-sluggish-economy-weighs-listed-firms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 May 2024 12:00:12 +0000 China’s recent unveiling of a massive relending package to help rescue the distressed property sector marks the latest in a series of targeted schemes to support small businesses, shore up the agriculture sector and amplify poverty-alleviation efforts across the country. The use of structural support tools in recent years has largely reflected an intention by the People’s Bank of China to hone in on specific obstacles impeding growth of the world’s second-largest economy, rather than embrace... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3263823/13-chinas-biggest-fiscal-manoeuvres-boost-economy-pandemic-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3263823/13-chinas-biggest-fiscal-manoeuvres-boost-economy-pandemic-years?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 May 2024 15:00:08 +0000 China’s troubled state-backed distressed asset managers have been given the green light to expand their operations, but analysts are increasingly doubtful about their ability to mitigate risks to the nation’s financial system. Analytics firm S&P Ratings said on Tuesday that it expected China’s four main asset management companies (AMCs) – firms originally set up to isolate and manage bad debt for the nation’s biggest banks – to continue playing a stabilising role amid the property crisis. “[But]... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3263788/chinas-distressed-asset-managers-spotlight-rescue-role-troubled-state-backed-firms-questioned-amid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3263788/chinas-distressed-asset-managers-spotlight-rescue-role-troubled-state-backed-firms-questioned-amid?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 May 2024 10:00:16 +0000 Since a viral hashtag – roughly translated as “diamonds collapse as gold goes crazy” – racked up nearly 100 million views on Chinese social media earlier this month, some diamond owners have been trading stories of regret. “I bought a diamond ring, but since the wedding, it has been sitting in its box gathering dust,” lamented one user on the widely popular Weibo microblog service. “Equating diamonds with love is just marketing brainwash.” “The most confusing thing about the 21st century is... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3263103/chinas-diamond-industry-having-hard-time-any-way-you-cut-it-more-consumers-go-gold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3263103/chinas-diamond-industry-having-hard-time-any-way-you-cut-it-more-consumers-go-gold?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 May 2024 04:30:18 +0000 Like many of her mainland Chinese Gen Z peers, Judy Xu spends an average of seven hours on social media every day and knows the latest fashion trends. But the 24-year-old marketing professional from Shanghai is not keen to follow what is currently popular. “I am more willing to pay higher prices for the design of a product, if it’s special enough, that I won’t find anywhere else,” Xu said. “I also care if the item fits my personality, which reflects my aesthetics.” With so many options on the... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3263191/chinas-gen-zers-sway-marketing-retail-trends-they-become-major-force-driving-domestic-consumption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3263191/chinas-gen-zers-sway-marketing-retail-trends-they-become-major-force-driving-domestic-consumption?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 May 2024 02:00:16 +0000 Washington’s proposal this week to slap high tariffs on some signature Chinese exports has heightened concerns in the world’s second-largest economy as the front runners in November’s US presidential election – incumbent Joe Biden and challenger Donald Trump – are positioning to play tough on their side of the strategic trade rivalry. And analysts are growing more fixated on China’s response to a potential return to the White House by Trump, the one who kicked off the 2018 trade war that still... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3262926/china-be-it-donald-trump-or-joe-biden-us-helm-barrage-political-strikes-may-only-intensify?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3262926/china-be-it-donald-trump-or-joe-biden-us-helm-barrage-political-strikes-may-only-intensify?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 May 2024 13:00:21 +0000 Aiming to address a surge in disputes over payments in a time of mounting household debt, China has issued new guidelines for responsible lending and collection. The new rules, outlined by the National Internet Finance Association of China in a circular to members on Wednesday, lay out a set of standard practices for debt collection along with a call for lenders to deal fairly and transparently with borrowers. The instructions state that financial institutions should “comprehensively and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3262942/chinas-murky-debt-collections-get-new-rules-dont-harass-no-late-night-operations-dont-enter-homes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3262942/chinas-murky-debt-collections-get-new-rules-dont-harass-no-late-night-operations-dont-enter-homes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 May 2024 11:30:15 +0000 Singapore’s Lawrence Wong vowed to “never settle for the status quo” for his country in his inaugural speech as prime minister after he took the oath of office on Wednesday night, in only the third leadership change the city state has witnessed since independence, as he signalled a desire to chart his own path. Pledging to do his best at a swearing-in ceremony on the lawn of the Istana, the seat of political power, Wong struck a hopeful note for the future of the island nation as he listed out... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3262826/singapores-new-pm-lawrence-wong-vows-never-settle-status-quo-inaugural-speech-countrys-leader?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3262826/singapores-new-pm-lawrence-wong-vows-never-settle-status-quo-inaugural-speech-countrys-leader?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 May 2024 14:50:27 +0000 This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Lawrence Wong was sworn in at the Istana on Wednesday night as the fourth prime minister of Singapore in only the country’s third leadership transition since independence in 1965. At 51, Wong is the first among equals in his generation of younger leaders called the fourth generation, or 4G, who will steer the city state at a time of intensifying great power... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3262771/lawrence-wong-take-over-singapore-pm-country-sees-only-its-3rd-leadership-change-independence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3262771/lawrence-wong-take-over-singapore-pm-country-sees-only-its-3rd-leadership-change-independence?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 May 2024 11:22:44 +0000 A top official with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has lamented the economic fallout from years of strained relations between China and the West, and warned the situation for the world economy would only grow more dire if the acrimony continues unabated. With the world now divided among three broad blocs of countries – China-leaning, US-leaning, and nonaligned – both a “significant reversal of the gains from economic integration” and “a broad retreat from global rules of engagement” are... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3261767/china-west-divide-threatens-reversal-global-economy-imf-official-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3261767/china-west-divide-threatens-reversal-global-economy-imf-official-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 May 2024 00:00:26 +0000 Overall transaction volumes at the spring edition of China’s largest trade event rose by only 10.7 per cent from the previous edition despite overseas visitor numbers hitting an all-time high. Participants at the spring session of the semi-annual Canton Fair signed US$24.7 billion worth of deals during the three-week event, organisers confirmed on Sunday. But the figure for the fair, which is widely seen as a gauge for the health of China’s trade and industrial progress, was noticeably below the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3261589/canton-fair-record-overseas-visitors-fail-inspire-bumper-sales-some-chinese-exporters-fare-much?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3261589/canton-fair-record-overseas-visitors-fail-inspire-bumper-sales-some-chinese-exporters-fare-much?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 May 2024 10:00:36 +0000 Hong Kong businesses are realising that job inflation – offering employees grandiose job titles, often without the experience or pay to match – has diminishing returns, according to a survey by recruitment specialist Robert Walters. Less than 30 per cent of companies are relying on senior titles to attract or retain talent this year, having found the tactic to have limited success, according to the study, which polled about 3,300 Hong Kong employers and employees in March on LinkedIn. “Inflated... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3261332/meaningless-fewer-hong-kong-employers-resorting-inflated-job-titles-attract-talent-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3261332/meaningless-fewer-hong-kong-employers-resorting-inflated-job-titles-attract-talent-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 May 2024 08:35:49 +0000 Venture capital (VC) investment in China had a disappointing start to the year as overall investment fell to levels not seen since early in the Covid-19 pandemic, with the AI, electric vehicle (EV) and clean energy sectors among the few defying the gloom. China continued to dominate Asia’s funding landscape in the first quarter, securing eight of the continent’s 10 biggest deals – most notably Moonshot AI’s blockbuster US$1 billion deal in February. However, overall VC investment in the country... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3260921/venture-capital-funding-china-falls-pandemic-era-lows-weak-2024-start-ai-evs-clean-energy-exceptions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3260921/venture-capital-funding-china-falls-pandemic-era-lows-weak-2024-start-ai-evs-clean-energy-exceptions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Apr 2024 09:00:24 +0000 Hong Kong, once the world’s busiest port, failed for the first time to rank among the world’s top 10 ports in 2023, reflecting the city’s struggles to reverse a long-term decline in shipping volumes. It was knocked to 11th place by Dubai’s Jebel Ali port, according to data from shipping data provider Alphaliner on the world’s 30 busiest container terminals. Shanghai retained the top spot, a position it has held since 2010 when it overtook now second-placed Singapore. In total, six of the top 10... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3259455/sinking-fortunes-hong-kong-falls-out-worlds-top-10-busiest-ports-ranking-first-time-volumes-slump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3259455/sinking-fortunes-hong-kong-falls-out-worlds-top-10-busiest-ports-ranking-first-time-volumes-slump?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Apr 2024 07:30:12 +0000 Monaco, the wealthy European microstate, is looking to strengthen ties with China and court investment from Asia’s richest, principally via the Greater Bay Area. With the Mediterranean country approaching 30 years of diplomatic relations with China in 2025, it is pitching itself to Hong Kong and Macau, including making a push for family offices, offering greater networking opportunities for investors, and exploring cultural exchanges, said Frederic Genta, Monaco’s secretary for attractiveness,... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3259417/door-europe-monaco-targets-greater-bay-areas-wealthy-it-pitches-low-taxes-attract-family-offices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3259417/door-europe-monaco-targets-greater-bay-areas-wealthy-it-pitches-low-taxes-attract-family-offices?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Apr 2024 04:16:56 +0000 Global fashion retailer Ralph Lauren will continue building its China bricks-and-mortar presence as it leverages its growing brand value in what is forecast to become the world’s largest market for luxury goods by the end of the decade. The company plans to open around 20 to 30 new stores per year in China, where it has already deployed extensive digital marketing strategies in the world’s biggest e-commerce market, and a similar number across the region. “We’re seeing brand perception continue... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3259196/ralph-laurens-cluster-approach-growing-its-business-china-worlds-biggest-luxury-market-2030?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3259196/ralph-laurens-cluster-approach-growing-its-business-china-worlds-biggest-luxury-market-2030?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Apr 2024 00:30:14 +0000 Why is a government like a computer program? To a Hong Kong start-up, it’s because its activities can be mapped, converted into structured data, and studied using computers – to the extent that their next move can be predicted. Bilby, which bills itself as an AI-powered decoder of government policy, uses machine learning to analyse policies of several major economies, predominantly China. By processing voluminous data, it can generate insights about what governments may intend to do – predicting... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3259011/hong-kong-ai-start-tracks-government-policy-patterns-predict-major-regulatory-changes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3259011/hong-kong-ai-start-tracks-government-policy-patterns-predict-major-regulatory-changes?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Apr 2024 00:30:14 +0000 Chinese tea shop giant Sichuan Baicha Baidao Industrial aims to raise HK$2.5 billion (US$330 million) in a Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO), set to be the city’s largest new-share sale of the year, regulatory filings showed on Monday. The Chengdu-based company is offering 147.7 million shares at HK$17.50 each, for expected proceeds of HK$2.5 billion, after deducting underwriting commissions, fees and estimated expenses, assuming no overallotment option is exercised. The shares will start... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3259090/chinese-tea-shop-giant-sichuan-baicha-baidao-aims-raise-us330-million-hong-kongs-biggest-ipo-2024?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3259090/chinese-tea-shop-giant-sichuan-baicha-baidao-aims-raise-us330-million-hong-kongs-biggest-ipo-2024?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Apr 2024 13:30:21 +0000 Natural disasters caused the Asia-Pacific region an estimated US$65 billion in economic losses last year, chiefly from last summer’s catastrophic floods in China and drought in India, according to a new report by Aon. And while the region only accounted for around 17 per cent of global losses overall, it also registered the largest insurance protection gap, with 91 per cent of its disaster-related losses not having any coverage. This was significantly higher than the global average of 69 per... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3257602/china-asia-pacific-lead-uninsured-climate-disaster-losses-highlighting-need-better-preparedness-aon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3257602/china-asia-pacific-lead-uninsured-climate-disaster-losses-highlighting-need-better-preparedness-aon?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Apr 2024 23:00:12 +0000 A new initiative aims to track the progress that companies in Hong Kong and Asia have made with the implementation of women-friendly workplace policies. The Women Workplace Index (WWI), which was launched on Tuesday, is said to be the first of its kind in Asia and aims to become the biggest publicly accessible database of such disclosures. It will collect data from firms on policies and practices such as those against sexual harassment, as well as maternity leave and equal pay, using a survey... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3256829/new-women-workplace-index-track-female-friendly-office-policies-hong-kong-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3256829/new-women-workplace-index-track-female-friendly-office-policies-hong-kong-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Mar 2024 23:00:12 +0000 Hong Kong’s small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) are tapping into new technologies like AI to help run their businesses, as the growing availability of such tools – some of which are cheap or even free – helps them save time and money, according to an HSBC survey. Nearly three-quarters of the city’s businesses feel ready to incorporate such new technologies within the next year, rising to 90 per cent by the next decade, according to the survey, released on Wednesday. Blockchain, machine... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3256168/hong-kong-smes-eager-adopt-ai-robotics-and-other-technologies-despite-costs-and-skills-gap-hsbc?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3256168/hong-kong-smes-eager-adopt-ai-robotics-and-other-technologies-despite-costs-and-skills-gap-hsbc?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Mar 2024 05:00:12 +0000 A cross-party delegation of American lawmakers arrived in Taiwan on Thursday, seeking to affirm US support for the island amid heightened tensions between Beijing and Taipei. Mike Gallagher, Republican chairman of House committee on the Chinese Communist Party and a vocal China hawk, said the US partnership with Taiwan is stronger and more “rock-solid than ever” and would remain so regardless of the outcome of the elections in November. “Today freedom is under attack from authoritarian... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3252847/us-congressional-delegation-starts-taiwan-visit-amid-heightened-cross-strait-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3252847/us-congressional-delegation-starts-taiwan-visit-amid-heightened-cross-strait-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Feb 2024 11:00:17 +0000 Singapore’s glitzy Marina Bay Sands resort was packed with tourists throughout the Lunar New Year holiday week, one of the biggest times for travel in China. The upmarket shopping centre and casino was abuzz with holidaymakers making the most of the eight-day break and a new mutual visa waiver agreement with Beijing, which took effect on February 9, the eve of the annual vacation. Under the agreement, travellers can now enjoy visa-free stays in either country for up to 30 days, extending the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3252280/ni-hao-singapore-chinas-lunar-new-year-holidaymakers-revel-visa-free-travel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3252280/ni-hao-singapore-chinas-lunar-new-year-holidaymakers-revel-visa-free-travel?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Feb 2024 12:00:19 +0000 China’s embassy in Japan has lashed out over Wednesday’s leak of radioactive waste water from the tsunami-battered Fukushima nuclear power plant, rebuking its operator the Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) and the Japanese government. “Japan’s repeated accidents in the process of treating Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water have fully exposed the chaos and disorder of Tepco’s internal management,” an embassy spokesman said on Thursday. “The Japanese government’s supervision measures are... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3251395/china-lashes-chaos-and-disorder-behind-fukushima-radioactive-waste-water-leak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3251395/china-lashes-chaos-and-disorder-behind-fukushima-radioactive-waste-water-leak?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Feb 2024 08:00:25 +0000 At the start of 2019, Taiwan counted six diplomatic allies among the Pacific Island nations. Barely five years later, that number has been halved as a growing number of small island states switch their diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing, a symbolic move, but one that is widely seen as a sign of Beijing’s growing influence in the region. Within days of Taiwan’s presidential election last month, the Pacific nation of Nauru, an island in Micronesia northeast of Australia, announced it... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3250761/whats-next-chinas-pacific-island-diplomatic-wins-mount?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3250761/whats-next-chinas-pacific-island-diplomatic-wins-mount?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Feb 2024 08:00:15 +0000 Hong Kong will hold its largest trade and consumer fair highlighting halal products and business practices this month, an event that aims to improve the city’s liveability for Muslim residents and its appeal to visitors. The city’s standing as a Muslim-friendly tourist destination was “very, very low”, said Sharifa Leung, a co-organiser of the Halal Pavilion event and a third-generation Muslim Hongkonger. Hong Kong ranked No 30 out of 138 destinations overall in the Global Muslim Travel Index... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3249168/halal-dim-sum-hong-kong-trade-fair-aims-entice-businesses-make-city-more-appealing-muslims-amid-very?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3249168/halal-dim-sum-hong-kong-trade-fair-aims-entice-businesses-make-city-more-appealing-muslims-amid-very?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Jan 2024 04:45:10 +0000 Twenty years after the idea was first floated in Hong Kong, waste charging will take effect on August 1, in an effort to cut down on the amount of rubbish thrown in landfills. From this date, Hongkongers will be required to use prepaid, government-approved garbage bags to dispose of their trash, with the scheme covering most residential and commercial premises. Designated labels will also be sold for large or oddly sized items. Authorities initially planned to implement the measure by the end of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3248849/what-you-need-know-about-hong-kongs-coming-waste-charging-scheme-where-get-bags-and-how-save-money?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3248849/what-you-need-know-about-hong-kongs-coming-waste-charging-scheme-where-get-bags-and-how-save-money?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jan 2024 04:00:28 +0000 The dust has not yet settled on Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways’ flight-cancellation debacle, despite its CEO apologising and pledging that there will be no new rounds of service changes beyond the Lunar New Year holiday. The planned cancellations – an average of 12 flights a day – will disrupt travellers’ plans for several more weeks until the end of February, with some affected customers venting their anger on social media about difficulties with rebooking flights. Cathay blamed... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3248325/hong-kong-cathay-pacific-flights-saga-are-customers-satisfied-new-arrangements-and-how-are-they?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3248325/hong-kong-cathay-pacific-flights-saga-are-customers-satisfied-new-arrangements-and-how-are-they?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Jan 2024 08:30:15 +0000 Hong Kong’s tertiary education institutions must continue to invest in research for curiosity’s sake and “create a culture where people feel able to take risks”, even when such topics might potentially struggle to get funding, the heads of two local universities have said. Nancy Ip Yuk-yu, president of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), on Tuesday said that scientists doing passion-driven research had to be supported. “If we just focused on applied or mission-driven... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3247860/hong-kong-universities-urged-invest-research-curiositys-sake-create-culture-where-people-feel-able?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3247860/hong-kong-universities-urged-invest-research-curiositys-sake-create-culture-where-people-feel-able?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Jan 2024 01:27:29 +0000 Researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s medical faculty have found that artificial intelligence (AI) can help less experienced doctors better spot tumours during colonoscopies. AI was especially good at helping them identify smaller growths called adenomas, which might otherwise go undetected, Dr Louis Lau Ho-shing, an assistant professor of medicine and therapeutics, said. He added the team hoped use of AI would reduce the “miss rate” in spotting such lesions. In a traditional... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3246232/extra-pair-eyes-chinese-university-hong-kong-team-says-ai-helps-junior-doctors-better-spot-colon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3246232/extra-pair-eyes-chinese-university-hong-kong-team-says-ai-helps-junior-doctors-better-spot-colon?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Dec 2023 23:00:13 +0000 Scientists at Hong Kong’s Ocean Park have bred the world’s first cownose ray via artificial insemination, with management hailing the success as a milestone for marine biology and conservation. The female Javanese cownose ray pup, named April after her birth month, would turn eight months old later in December, the park revealed on Friday. Her existence followed a nearly 20-month effort involving the park’s veterinary and animal husbandry teams and an unexpectedly long gestation period. Female... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3245284/scientists-hong-kongs-ocean-park-claim-world-first-cownose-ray-bred-through-artificial-insemination?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3245284/scientists-hong-kongs-ocean-park-claim-world-first-cownose-ray-bred-through-artificial-insemination?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Dec 2023 13:29:31 +0000 Hong Kong aims to increase its number of flight links with countries taking part in Beijing’s global belt and road trade network in a bid to boost business ties and tourism traffic, according to the city’s airport chief. “We’re now working hard to extend the footprint by opening more air routes to this region and, at the same time, we must stimulate business and people exchange to make sure we open up new frontiers for trade and tourism,” Airport Authority chairman Jack So Chak-kwong told an... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3245101/hong-kong-aims-increase-flight-links-more-belt-and-road-countries-open-new-trade-tourism-frontiers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3245101/hong-kong-aims-increase-flight-links-more-belt-and-road-countries-open-new-trade-tourism-frontiers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Dec 2023 12:25:01 +0000 Hongkongers have been warned about a potential scam involving fake complimentary annual rail passes with a QR code allowing fraudsters to steal people’s personal information through their mobile phones. Rail giant the MTR Corporation on Wednesday said it was aware of online social media messages about people receiving passes in the mail and had reported the case to police. Recipients were sent a letter congratulating them on winning an annual MTR pass, with a physical card enclosed. The letter... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3244969/hongkongers-warned-scammers-could-be-sending-out-fake-mtr-annual-passes-steal-peoples-details?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3244969/hongkongers-warned-scammers-could-be-sending-out-fake-mtr-annual-passes-steal-peoples-details?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Dec 2023 11:49:17 +0000 Hongkongers will get to ring in 2024 with a bang, with tourism authorities announcing that the city’s traditional New Year countdown fireworks display will be making a full comeback for the first time since 2018 – with an extra-long extravaganza to celebrate the end of the hiatus. The 12-minute “pyromusical” show will be the “biggest and longest” of the city’s countdown fireworks to date, “surpassing all previous editions in Hong Kong in both scale and duration”, the Tourism Board on Tuesday... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3244827/hong-kong-put-biggest-ever-new-years-eve-fireworks-display-citys-first-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3244827/hong-kong-put-biggest-ever-new-years-eve-fireworks-display-citys-first-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Dec 2023 10:24:56 +0000 Hong Kong’s first “patriots-only” district council election on Sunday morphed into the political equivalent of a tale of two cities. One side comprised enthusiastic voters who shared social media content of them casting their ballots. While another, larger, camp was indifferent and steered clear of the more than 600 polling stations dotted across the city, with many remaining quiet throughout the 15 hours that voting was open. Among those eager to cast their vote was a Taikoo Shing local named... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3244575/hong-kongs-first-patriots-only-district-council-poll-reflects-political-tale-two-cities-some-eagerly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3244575/hong-kongs-first-patriots-only-district-council-poll-reflects-political-tale-two-cities-some-eagerly?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Dec 2023 15:11:05 +0000 Sophie Chew Sophie Chew Hong Kong’s anti-corruption agency has charged an insurance agent turned immigration officer suspected of using false information to misdirect an internal inquiry into his employment status and conspiring with others to defraud a company. The Independent Commission Against Corruption on Sunday said 29-year-old Yau Sing-ho was charged last Thursday with one count of using documents with intent to deceive his principal, a violation of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance. The suspect had worked as... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3243676/hong-kong-anti-graft-body-charges-insurance-agent-turned-civil-servant-over-misdirecting-inquiry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3243676/hong-kong-anti-graft-body-charges-insurance-agent-turned-civil-servant-over-misdirecting-inquiry?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Dec 2023 09:36:41 +0000 Two Hong Kong museums will celebrate the nation’s space programme with an exhibition featuring rare artefacts including a spacesuit, replica carrier rockets and the re-entry capsule from the Shenzhou-13 spacecraft. The China Manned Space Exhibition at the Science Museum and the Museum of History explores the technical and engineering feats underpinning the country’s space programme and its development over the past three decades. The exhibition will run from Friday to February 18, and admission... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3243330/hong-kong-museums-open-exhibition-chinas-space-programme-featuring-rare-artefacts-such-spacesuit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3243330/hong-kong-museums-open-exhibition-chinas-space-programme-featuring-rare-artefacts-such-spacesuit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Nov 2023 05:58:09 +0000 Thousands of Hongkongers were over the moon at the chance to meet Chinese astronauts visiting the city on Wednesday, as they made their rounds at schools to share their experience in space and attended a variety show held in their honour. Astronaut Chen Dong and two colleagues from the country’s manned space programme spoke to pupils at Pui Kiu Middle School in North Point, one of the stops on a four-day trip by a 17-strong delegation. During the session, he also met Chen Man-lin, a 16-year-old... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3243232/young-hongkongers-over-moon-meeting-down-earth-chinese-astronaut-chen-dong-during-school-visit-space?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3243232/young-hongkongers-over-moon-meeting-down-earth-chinese-astronaut-chen-dong-during-school-visit-space?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Nov 2023 08:55:17 +0000 The current tensions roiling the world are not signs of decline, but part of the transition from a US-led order to a multipolar one, according to Singapore’s former foreign minister, George Yeo. Yeo was speaking at a launch for his three-volume book series, titled Musings, at the University of Hong Kong on Wednesday night. Former Chief Justice Andrew Li Kwok-nang opened the event, which was attended by an international audience ranging from politicians to academics, analysts and students from... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3242599/china-not-threat-us-singapores-george-yeo-worlds-shift-multipolar-order-israel-gaza-war-lee-kuan-yew?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3242599/china-not-threat-us-singapores-george-yeo-worlds-shift-multipolar-order-israel-gaza-war-lee-kuan-yew?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Nov 2023 09:43:31 +0000 Indonesian rice farmer Mudzakir expects to lose several tonnes of grain when he harvests later this year, as stems wither across his hardened fields in East Java. In good years, farmers in his group harvest at least six to seven tonnes of rice for each hectare of their farmland, but with their regency of Probolinggo gripped by unseasonal drought, Mudzakir, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, is ready for the worst. “Due to the water crisis, many plants have died and agricultural... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3241913/southeast-asian-rice-farmers-brace-el-ninos-wrath-crops-wither-were-our-own?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3241913/southeast-asian-rice-farmers-brace-el-ninos-wrath-crops-wither-were-our-own?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Nov 2023 03:03:28 +0000 A shocking assault by armed groups across Myanmar’s northeast Shan State has caught the ruling junta off-balance, forcing apparent mass surrenders of its troops and a retreat from key border areas, home to billion-dollar scam centres and crucial trade zones with China. Over 200,000 people have been displaced so far in the affected regions, according to the UN, as fighting between the military and various armed groups escalates across the country. To the pro-democracy rebels who have opposed the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3241929/could-myanmars-military-be-deposed-armed-groups-fighting-across-country?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3241929/could-myanmars-military-be-deposed-armed-groups-fighting-across-country?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Nov 2023 09:30:17 +0000 Addressing new army officers in July, President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr struck an optimistic note over the Philippine military’s prospects once a multibillion-dollar upgrade gains momentum, as sea disputes with China add urgency to the quest for new jets, frigates and submarines. “Hopefully, we’ll catch up in a year, maybe two, we will already be back to where we were supposed to be at the time before the pandemic,” Marcos Jnr said in the July speech. But his words were grounded by the reality of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3241050/philippines-races-upgrade-military-amid-china-threat-it-too-little-too-late?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3241050/philippines-races-upgrade-military-amid-china-threat-it-too-little-too-late?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Nov 2023 00:30:14 +0000 Rampant inequality, economic uncertainty and the climate crisis are hampering efforts to catapult the Asia-Pacific’s population into a wealthier and more secure future, according to a report on the region’s well-being by the United Nations Development Programme. While the Asia-Pacific is forecast to contribute to two-thirds of global economic growth this year, it is “not on track” to achieve any of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals – a global road map for eliminating poverty and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3240550/asia-pacific-growth-stymied-volatile-combination-climate-crisis-inequality-un-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3240550/asia-pacific-growth-stymied-volatile-combination-climate-crisis-inequality-un-report?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Nov 2023 10:30:17 +0000 A week of fighting between armed groups and Myanmar’s military on the northern border with China has left dozens dead, displaced thousands and prompted surviving cyber scam centres to shift operations further along a dangerous frontier controlled by crime gangs and warlords. A trio of armed ethnic groups under the banner of the “Three Brotherhood Alliance” launched artillery strikes and ground offensives on October 27, taking strategic border towns and hitting Myanmar junta posts across a large... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3240003/fighting-myanmar-china-border-rages-scam-networks-hunt-new-sites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3240003/fighting-myanmar-china-border-rages-scam-networks-hunt-new-sites?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Nov 2023 00:30:13 +0000