https://www.scmp.com/rss/517947/feed The latest news, analysis and opinion on China Post. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Oscar Liu Oscar Liu A technical fault in the interconnection between Hong Kong’s two power providers caused a brief voltage dip on Thursday, resulting in around 90 reports of people trapped in lifts within a 30-minute window. The Fire Services Department said it received about 90 reports of lift entrapments on Hong Kong Island between 9.23am and 9.53am, across various districts. HK Electric said a fault in the interconnection circuit between its network and CLP Power’s led to a momentary voltage dip. “The voltage... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349460/hong-kong-receives-90-reports-people-stuck-lifts-after-voltage-dip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349460/hong-kong-receives-90-reports-people-stuck-lifts-after-voltage-dip?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:01:29 +0000 Olga Wong Olga Wong Hong Kong is expected to introduce short-term relief measures for the transport sector that has been heavily affected by oil price fluctuations under a task force set to be established to monitor and respond to the Middle East conflict and the global energy crisis, the South China Morning Post has learned. The news followed a meeting among senior officials on Thursday morning, during which they discussed strategies and possible measures to tackle the impacts of the energy crisis on local... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349450/hong-kong-roll-out-relief-measures-transport-sector-fuel-costs-soar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349450/hong-kong-roll-out-relief-measures-transport-sector-fuel-costs-soar?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 02:57:21 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li Hong Kong begins a five-day long weekend break for the Easter and Ching Ming Festival holidays on Friday, with authorities expecting busy inbound and outbound travel during the period. Mainland China marks the festival, also known as tomb-sweeping day, between Saturday and Monday. For Hongkongers remaining in the city and visitors from the mainland and elsewhere, the South China Morning Post lists key activities open to the public. Coffee festival The popular coffee festival returns to the West... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3348841/looking-easter-holiday-inspiration-heres-whats-happening-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3348841/looking-easter-holiday-inspiration-heres-whats-happening-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 13:03:18 +0000 Cat Nelson Cat Nelson This issue means a lot to me (you’ll understand by the end). Choosing what goes in our annual Art Issue is no small feat. While we’re never short of story opportunities in Hong Kong, we’re practically drowning in them come March every year as the global art world descends on the city. But when we heard Spanish photographer and artist Coco Capitán was coming to town for “Imagination Investments”, a three-part exhibition that marks her first major presentation in the city, we knew we had to speak... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347292/week-postmag-artists-spain-hong-kong-stockholm-and-farewell?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347292/week-postmag-artists-spain-hong-kong-stockholm-and-farewell?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 04:45:19 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li With two weeks of Hong Kong’s art month remaining, the city will continue to host a rich array of events, from a pop culture convention to a slew of exhibitions. The South China Morning Post highlights some of the shows taking place in the rest of March. From ComplexCon to classical concerts Pop culture festival ComplexCon will return to Hong Kong for its third edition on March 21 and 22, with headliners including Jennie from K-pop powerhouse Blackpink and American rapper Yeat, making his Asian... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346632/blackpinks-jennie-art-basel-cj-hendry-top-hong-kong-events-catch-march?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346632/blackpinks-jennie-art-basel-cj-hendry-top-hong-kong-events-catch-march?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 05:00:09 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong authorities have arrested a 30-year-old woman on suspicion of illegally selling poisons and unregistered pharmaceutical products, after an undercover operation found her offering weight-loss injections online. The Department of Health said on Wednesday that it acted on a tip-off and obtained the anti-obesity medicine through a transaction on an instant messaging app. The product bore a Japanese label and indicated that it contained tirzepatide. According to a photo released by the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3345475/hong-kong-woman-30-arrested-over-illegal-sale-slimming-injection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3345475/hong-kong-woman-30-arrested-over-illegal-sale-slimming-injection?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 15:17:12 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Child protection has been strengthened after a new law mandating welfare, education and medical professionals to report suspected abuse came into effect in Hong Kong last month. Welcome as it is, the additional safeguard only helps identify cases for early intervention. For child abuse cases to be kept to a minimum, the problem needs to be tackled at the root. One way is to better understand why some parents still resort to force and other forms of abuse in child-rearing. The issue was put into... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3344854/deeper-solution-child-abuse-lies-breaking-vicious-cycles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3344854/deeper-solution-child-abuse-lies-breaking-vicious-cycles?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 23:15:14 +0000 The new buzzword in China’s politics is “new quality productive forces”. First used by President Xi Jinping last September, the cryptic phrase is now on every official’s lips, seemingly becoming the answer to China’s economic troubles. Unfortunately, few outside the establishment understand what it means. Some have dismissed it as a wordplay to mask Beijing’s inadequacies to revive its growth trajectory. History will tell whether the Chinese leadership can succeed in creating these forces, but... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3254844/what-does-xis-hi-tech-push-mean-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3254844/what-does-xis-hi-tech-push-mean-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Mar 2024 01:30:10 +0000 China’s “inverted pyramid” population structure is generating a profound impact on consumption and haunting its long-term growth potential, forcing economists to join demographers in calling for immediate government action. And as pronatalist policies would take time to refine the demographic structure and tackle the paradox – national consumption capacity will weaken as China’s population is greying faster – central bank adviser Cai Fang has set his sights on the so-called silver economy to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3253473/china-population-us970-billion-silver-economy-deemed-pivotal-overcoming-pyramid-paradox?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3253473/china-population-us970-billion-silver-economy-deemed-pivotal-overcoming-pyramid-paradox?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Feb 2024 06:03:41 +0000 Though Beijing should provide more financial support for families to boost births, experts said, it will take more extensive measures to prevent the country’s falling population figures from jeopardising national economic growth and social cohesion. Debate has swirled over the effectiveness of present pro-fertility policies, and calls for heavier subsidies have earned renewed attention ahead of the “two sessions” legislative meetings scheduled for early next month. Delegates at this year’s... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3253011/china-population-experts-say-birth-boosting-policies-should-go-deeper-build-baby-bump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3253011/china-population-experts-say-birth-boosting-policies-should-go-deeper-build-baby-bump?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Feb 2024 10:06:54 +0000 A near-decade-long decline in marriages in China might have finally snapped last year, according to data from across the country. Figures from civil affairs bureaus in Hunan, Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Henan and Anhui provinces showed a year-on-year increase in the number of couples that said “I do” last year, Shanghai-based news outlet The Paper reported on Tuesday. The increase could be the result of a backlog from the Covid-19 pandemic and prospective couples wanting to give birth during the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3251864/chinese-provinces-report-more-marriages-after-decade-long-drop-boost-year-dragon-and-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3251864/chinese-provinces-report-more-marriages-after-decade-long-drop-boost-year-dragon-and-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Feb 2024 12:45:51 +0000 Regarded as one of the “iron rice bowls” of China, teaching has remained a much sought-after option for Chinese jobseekers in an era of economic uncertainty. But they may find less guaranteed job security once symbolised by the iron rice bowl concept in the years to come as an accelerating decline in births is leading to a surplus of teachers, with millions expected to lose their jobs in the next 10 years. With a rapidly increasing number of retirees and a plummeting number of newborns, China is... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3251486/china-population-teachers-face-uncertain-future-falling-birth-rate-set-create-19-million-surplus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3251486/china-population-teachers-face-uncertain-future-falling-birth-rate-set-create-19-million-surplus?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Feb 2024 22:00:18 +0000 China’s population is expected to plunge by 20 million to 1.39 billion by 2035, a report has predicted, further clouding long-term economic prospects and creating implications for delayed retirement and an accelerated automation rate. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) said last week that China’s population has reached its peak. And despite a brief rebound of newborns in the next couple years, the number would continue to decline due to China having fewer women of childbearing age, delays in... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3251159/china-population-20-million-fewer-people-projected-2035-will-retirement-age-have-be-raised?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3251159/china-population-20-million-fewer-people-projected-2035-will-retirement-age-have-be-raised?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Feb 2024 02:00:24 +0000 Is it a horse, a deer or some kind of skeletal monster? The United States Postal Service (USPS) has drawn ire from Chinese communities over its recently released 2024 Year of the Dragon commemorative stamp. Designed by artist Camille Chew and USPS’ art director, Antonio Alcalá, the stamp features a golden face with red eyes, a red nose and multicoloured accents as a nod to the masks worn during Lunar New Year parades and dances. But people have criticised the design for not looking like a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3250956/5-year-dragon-stamp-sets-hong-kong-mainland-china-japan-thailand-and-isle-man-are-they-better-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3250956/5-year-dragon-stamp-sets-hong-kong-mainland-china-japan-thailand-and-isle-man-are-they-better-us?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Feb 2024 04:45:09 +0000 If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China’s recovery is ‘still shaky’ despite 5.2% growth in 2023 One of the most anticipated events in January was the confirmation that China’s economy grew by 5.2 per cent in 2023, which met the “around 5 per cent” growth target. The world’s second-largest economy, though, is still facing multiple headwinds in the early going of 2024, particularly after property investment fell by 9.6 per cent in 2023. Beijing is set... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3250448/chinas-gdp-population-youth-jobless-rate-6-takeaways-economy-january?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3250448/chinas-gdp-population-youth-jobless-rate-6-takeaways-economy-january?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Jan 2024 16:00:39 +0000 China faces a host of economic, demographic and geopolitical challenges that will test its people and governance structure in 2024, but is also likely to take a greater leadership role in setting climate targets and expanding its investment and outreach to the Global South, according to a report released on Tuesday by the New York-based Asia Society. “This is going to be a vexing year for China,” said Bates Gill, executive director of the Centre for China Analysis, which produced “China 2024,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3250357/variety-problems-will-result-vexing-year-china-says-think-tank-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3250357/variety-problems-will-result-vexing-year-china-says-think-tank-report?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jan 2024 19:10:51 +0000 Global Impact is a weekly curated newsletter featuring a news topic originating in China with a significant macro impact for our newsreaders around the world. Sign up now! China is facing an unprecedented challenge to sustain robust and sustained economic growth this year. The 5.2 per cent year-on-year growth in 2023, which was reported earlier this month, could create envy for some, including those who are fighting the effects of the protracted Ukraine war and elevated inflation. Electric... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3250101/global-impact-chinas-economic-demographic-dilemma-2024-problems-continue-worlds-second-largest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3250101/global-impact-chinas-economic-demographic-dilemma-2024-problems-continue-worlds-second-largest?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jan 2024 06:00:32 +0000 Local governments in China are offering cash rewards and other incentives to matchmakers, an ancient profession now back in the spotlight amid anxieties over rural unmarried men. Village governments across the country, from Guangdong province in the south to Shaanxi in the northwest, have announced rewards ranging from 600 to 1,000 yuan (US$84 to US$140) for matchmakers if they introduce women to unmarried men aged 30 and above and the pair eventually marry in the village, Chinese news site The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3250010/chinese-villages-offer-cash-rewards-matchmakers-anxieties-grow-over-rural-bachelor-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3250010/chinese-villages-offer-cash-rewards-matchmakers-anxieties-grow-over-rural-bachelor-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Jan 2024 08:52:03 +0000 The Taliban has completed its first road link between Afghanistan and China, but analysts expect Beijing to be cautious about giving its war-torn neighbour full access to its land border because of security concerns over terrorists and separatist militants. At this stage, China has no customs facilities in the area – where Afghanistan meets the autonomous Chinese region of Xinjiang – and has said nothing to suggest it intends to add a formal crossing point. Currently, only Chinese border guards... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3249931/why-china-wary-opening-afghanistans-new-road-xinjiang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3249931/why-china-wary-opening-afghanistans-new-road-xinjiang?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jan 2024 14:00:09 +0000 China’s commercial sector will see a rebound in 2024 as retail sales are expected to grow by more than 6 per cent thanks to supportive government policies and recovering consumer confidence, according to a Hong Kong-based think tank. Despite gloomy prospects for the property market, China’s gross domestic product (GDP) may grow 4.8 per cent this year, Fung Business Intelligence said in its “Ten Highlights of China’s Commercial Sector 2024” report released on Friday. Sectors with strong growth... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3249962/chinas-commercial-sector-get-2024-boost-rural-commerce-green-products-silver-economy-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3249962/chinas-commercial-sector-get-2024-boost-rural-commerce-green-products-silver-economy-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jan 2024 12:34:19 +0000 Hong Kong stocks registered a third straight week of losses, the market’s worst start to a year since 2016, as investors continue to fret over China’s economic outlook. The slump deepened even as some valuation measures reached near all-time lows. The Hang Seng Index lost 0.5 per cent to 15,308.69 on Friday to near the lowest since October 2022, taking the cumulative decline this week to 5.9 per cent. The index erased an earlier rally of as much as 1 per cent. The Tech Index lost 1.5 per cent... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3248997/hong-kong-stocks-rise-second-day-trimming-weekly-loss-smic-aia-byd-posting-gains-valuation-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3248997/hong-kong-stocks-rise-second-day-trimming-weekly-loss-smic-aia-byd-posting-gains-valuation-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Jan 2024 02:32:14 +0000 As China braces for a rapidly ageing population, it rolled out a national blueprint on Monday to try to boost the “silver economy”. The document issued by the State Council is part of the country’s attempts to lighten the enormous needs of its rapidly ageing population and turn them into investment opportunities in the hope of igniting growth in the sluggish economy. The document contains 26 measures that can be divided into four categories. The first category directs state and private... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3248611/can-chinas-elderly-become-silver-economic-lining?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3248611/can-chinas-elderly-become-silver-economic-lining?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Jan 2024 07:14:12 +0000 Five months after a woman in China posted photos of her divorce celebration on social media, the topic has gone viral, highlighting a new attitude towards splitting up. The woman, surnamed Song, celebrated the end of her four-year marriage with a big party in southeastern China’s Guangdong province in June. She and her friends hung red banners that announced: “This s*** marriage ends here” and “Warm congratulations on our diva becoming single again”. They performed celebratory rituals such as... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3243873/splitting-images-young-china-couples-take-break-photos-throw-parties-celebrate-end-married-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3243873/splitting-images-young-china-couples-take-break-photos-throw-parties-celebrate-end-married-life?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Dec 2023 06:00:11 +0000 A Chinese shipyard has unveiled a design for an innovative new giant container ship powered by a reactor that one industry journal said may offer a true “zero-emissions” alternative. If built it will be one of the largest ocean-going container ships the world has ever seen – with a load capacity starting at 24,000 standard containers – and the first powered by a molten-salt nuclear reactor. Unlike the nuclear reactors found on warships powered by uranium, this new reactor is likely to use a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3243966/chinese-shipyard-unveils-plans-worlds-first-nuclear-tanker-powered-cutting-edge-molten-salt-reactor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3243966/chinese-shipyard-unveils-plans-worlds-first-nuclear-tanker-powered-cutting-edge-molten-salt-reactor?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Dec 2023 13:45:56 +0000 A Communist Party mouthpiece is calling for the creation of a unified network of computing hardware that would span the entire country and make the utility as accessible and ubiquitous as water or electricity while supercharging the world’s second-largest digital economy. Such a boost to computing power – a key consideration in China’s new infrastructure drive – would allow more people and businesses to use digital services, People’s Daily said in a commentary on Tuesday. And in turn, it said,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3243940/china-amps-calls-unified-computing-network-empower-e-commerce-and-underpin-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3243940/china-amps-calls-unified-computing-network-empower-e-commerce-and-underpin-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Dec 2023 12:00:20 +0000 Mainland social media has been left in shock after a butcher’s shop in China posted a video of a male worker deboning raw lamb ribs with his mouth claiming it to be a decades-old technique. The video, taken in a shop in eastern China’s Anhui province, has raised serious concerns about hygiene for both customers and the employee because raw meat may contain harmful bacteria. In 2016, the Yunnan Centre for Disease Control and Prevention warned about the risk of infection to dissuade people from... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3242002/disgusting-video-china-butcher-shop-worker-deboning-raw-lamb-ribs-mouth-decades-old-technique-sparks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3242002/disgusting-video-china-butcher-shop-worker-deboning-raw-lamb-ribs-mouth-decades-old-technique-sparks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Nov 2023 01:00:09 +0000 The appointment of David Cameron, the former British prime minister and architect of a “golden era” of relations with China, as foreign secretary has shocked Westminster. But experts say while he may have experience and a record of Beijing-friendly foreign policy, Cameron faces an immensely different geopolitical environment around the bilateral ties he left in 2016, and he would need to prove he is up to date on London’s strategy. On Monday, Cameron replaced James Cleverly, who is now home... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3241460/can-new-uk-foreign-secretary-david-cameron-put-china-golden-era-behind-him-keep-modern-british?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3241460/can-new-uk-foreign-secretary-david-cameron-put-china-golden-era-behind-him-keep-modern-british?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Nov 2023 06:12:41 +0000 Hong Kong stocks jumped on optimism the fitrst meeting in a year between President Xi Jinping and his counterpart Joe Biden will help ease geopolitical tensions. Alibaba Group and JD.com advanced after reporting strong “Singles’ Day” e-commerce sales. The Hang Seng Index rose 1.3 per cent to 17,426.21 on Monday, rebounding from a drop of as much as 0.5 per cent. The Tech Index rallied 2.3 per cent, while the Shanghai Composite Index added 0.3 per cent. Tencent climbed 2.8 per cent to HK$311.20,... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3241282/hong-kong-stocks-gain-optimism-xi-biden-meeting-ease-geopolitical-risks-while-alibaba-jdcom-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3241282/hong-kong-stocks-gain-optimism-xi-biden-meeting-ease-geopolitical-risks-while-alibaba-jdcom-report?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Nov 2023 02:38:46 +0000 China’s biggest asset-management firms are increasingly bullish in their assessment of onshore stocks given the economic recovery and appealing valuations, in another vote of confidence for the sluggish equity markets. The economic data points to a continuing uptrend in growth, the stock valuations are below the historical average and companies are generous in dividend payouts because of regulatory pressure, building up optimism in stocks, Liu Xiaoyan, chairman and general manager of E Fund... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3240079/chinas-biggest-fund-managers-drum-support-stocks-face-record-selling-foreign-investors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3240079/chinas-biggest-fund-managers-drum-support-stocks-face-record-selling-foreign-investors?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Nov 2023 08:30:16 +0000 Speculation about whether Germany would make a U-turn on China post-Angela Merkel was rampant when Olaf Scholz’s government was sworn in, in December 2021. Unlike in previous election campaigns, where foreign policy was mostly an afterthought, China emerged as a controversial topic. As a candidate for the German leadership, Annalena Baerbock – now foreign minister – behaved like a quasi-China hawk and demanded a realignment of relations while Scholz remained a wild card for the longest time,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3237126/despite-de-risking-talk-germany-has-not-turned-away-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3237126/despite-de-risking-talk-germany-has-not-turned-away-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Oct 2023 12:30:14 +0000 This story has been made freely available to our readers as part of our Asian Games coverage. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. A day after the round of his life, Taichi Kho was at it again on Friday, shooting a 12-under-par round of 60 on the second day of the Asian Games golf tournament. Elsewhere, the women’s squash team reached the final of their event, while the men won bronze after losing their semi-final. There has also been another fencing medal, via the men’s... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3236213/asian-games-2023-hong-kongs-jason-ng-falls-just-short-triathlon-mens-cricket-team-begin-medal-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3236213/asian-games-2023-hong-kongs-jason-ng-falls-just-short-triathlon-mens-cricket-team-begin-medal-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Sep 2023 02:54:25 +0000 Early one December morning in 2020, Matthew Miller woke up feeling “a little weird”. Then the room started spinning, and he spent the next couple of hours vomiting into the toilet. After two days in hospital, where the Hong Kong resident underwent a CAT scan and audiometry tests – “hearing in my left ear was reduced by 20 per cent” – Miller was diagnosed with Ménière’s disease, a rare condition, believed to be the result of a build-up of fluid in the inner ear, that can lead to dizzy spells and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3233342/what-menieres-disease-and-there-cure-dizziness-loss-hearing-and-vomiting-are-symptoms-ear-condition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3233342/what-menieres-disease-and-there-cure-dizziness-loss-hearing-and-vomiting-are-symptoms-ear-condition?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Sep 2023 10:15:15 +0000 Fans have hailed the China women’s team’s “historic” first gold medal at the rhythmic gymnastics world championships on Sunday. Silver medallists in Friday’s all-around final, Guo Qiqi, Hao Ting, Wang Lanjing, Pu Yanzhu, and Ding Xinyi won the 5 Hoops title on the last day of the 40th edition of the competition, which was held in Valencia, Spain, last week. Despite a small trajectory error on a catch, China posted a score of 36.550 points which was enough to see them top the podium ahead of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3232511/china-are-rhythmic-gymnastics-world-champions-first-time-absolutely-perfect-routine-leaves-fans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3232511/china-are-rhythmic-gymnastics-world-champions-first-time-absolutely-perfect-routine-leaves-fans?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Aug 2023 03:34:46 +0000 AIA Group, Asia’s largest insurer, reported strong revenue growth and policy sales in the first half, thanks to mainland Chinese customers crossing into Hong Kong after the border reopening in search of better investment returns and protection against the yuan depreciation. Net profit rose 50 per cent in the six months to June to US$2.25 billion (HK$17.6 billion), or 19.39 US cents per share, according to an exchange filing on Thursday. Operating profit after tax increased 0.2 per cent to... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3232100/aia-groups-first-half-profit-jumps-50-us225-billion-surging-policy-sales-hong-kong-mainland-visitors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3232100/aia-groups-first-half-profit-jumps-50-us225-billion-surging-policy-sales-hong-kong-mainland-visitors?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Aug 2023 01:34:23 +0000 Investments from Taiwan in South Asia and the Asean bloc surpassed the capital parked in mainland China in the first half of 2023, Taipei said, amid continued cross-strait tensions and economic woes that have weighed down the Chinese business landscape. Taiwan’s investments in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) countries – plus Australia and New Zealand – reached a combined US$2.126 billion in the first six months of the year,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3231287/taiwanese-investing-more-south-asia-asean-mainland-china-amid-global-supply-chains-reshuffle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3231287/taiwanese-investing-more-south-asia-asean-mainland-china-amid-global-supply-chains-reshuffle?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Aug 2023 11:00:11 +0000 China surprisingly cut a key policy rate on Tuesday in a sign that Beijing’s policymakers are willing to do more to support the struggling economy. The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) cut the rate of the one-year medium-term lending facility (MLF) by 15 basis points from 2.65 to 2.5 per cent when selling 400 billion yuan (US$55 billion) of the liquidity tool half an hour before the release of July’s macroeconomic data. China’s central bank last cut the MLF by 10 basis points in June. China posts... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3231095/china-surprisingly-cuts-major-policy-rate-15-basis-points-signalling-support-struggling-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3231095/china-surprisingly-cuts-major-policy-rate-15-basis-points-signalling-support-struggling-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Aug 2023 01:56:14 +0000 An emerging trend in which Chinese parents “encourage” their children to study hard or be obedient by making them feel guilty may cause youngsters long-term psychological problems, according to experts. So-called “guilt-inflicting education” and the damage it can cause has led some observers on mainland social media to urge parents not to use their children as “emotional garbage bins”. In July, a mother from Zhejiang province in eastern China posted a video online in which the father of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3230521/emotional-garbage-bins-chinese-parents-who-use-guilt-inflicting-mental-tricks-induce-hard-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3230521/emotional-garbage-bins-chinese-parents-who-use-guilt-inflicting-mental-tricks-induce-hard-study?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Aug 2023 10:00:12 +0000 China’s top graft-buster said it detained more than 140 officials from state-owned enterprises for corruption investigations in the first half of the year, while over 200 turned themselves in. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said the number of SOEs placed under investigation had “increased significantly” compared with the same period last year, but it did not give a figure for 2022. It made the announcement in a report posted to the CCDI website on Thursday. Of the 142 SOE... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3230634/chinas-top-graft-buster-says-it-detained-hundreds-soe-officials-first-half-2023?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3230634/chinas-top-graft-buster-says-it-detained-hundreds-soe-officials-first-half-2023?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Aug 2023 10:00:13 +0000 Smartphone shipments in China posted a narrower decline in the second quarter, after reaching their lowest level in first-quarter shipments earlier this year, as Apple’s iPhone 14 discounts helped stimulate local demand and US-blacklisted Huawei Technologies returned to the market’s top-five ranking. The world’s largest smartphone market saw 65.7 million handsets ship in the quarter ended June 30, which was a smaller 2.1 per cent decrease compared to the 14.8 per cent drop in the same period... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3229147/chinas-smartphone-market-narrows-decline-second-quarter-huawei-back-countrys-top-5-vendor-ranking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3229147/chinas-smartphone-market-narrows-decline-second-quarter-huawei-back-countrys-top-5-vendor-ranking?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Jul 2023 12:30:10 +0000 Huang Yongyu, whose playful ink paintings of animals made him one of China’s best-known artists, died on June 13, aged 98, after an illness. Dubbed a “national treasure” and a recipient of major awards in China and abroad, the self-taught artist, who was also a prolific writer, was for many years a familiar face in Hong Kong and enjoyed a close friendship with famed martial arts novelist Louis Cha Leung-yung and lyricist James Wong Jim. His family announced that no farewell or mourning... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3224177/chinese-artist-huang-yongyu-lauded-national-treasure-and-known-his-playful-ink-paintings-people?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3224177/chinese-artist-huang-yongyu-lauded-national-treasure-and-known-his-playful-ink-paintings-people?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jun 2023 09:48:41 +0000 Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang has warned that the real “risk” Europe faces comes from “a certain country” that is waging a “new cold war”, imposing unilateral sanctions and exporting its own financial problems to others. Qin did not mention the United States by name, but accused the country in question of fomenting ideological confrontation and engaging in camp confrontation, when asked about the EU’s “de-risking” strategy in Berlin on Tuesday. The unnamed nation had abused the monopoly... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3220037/china-not-real-risk-europe-qin-gang-warns-berlin-hosts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3220037/china-not-real-risk-europe-qin-gang-warns-berlin-hosts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 May 2023 05:53:25 +0000 Travelling, tech and health supplements – take my money! That’s the sentiment among young Chinese adults who say these are the top three areas in which they intend to spend more of their hard-earned cash this year, according to one of the nation’s largest annual studies on people’s livelihoods. And don’t forget about their furry little friends – the pet economy has become one of the fastest-growing sectors among young consumers. The annual China Beautiful Life Survey found that more than 32 per... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3219972/pets-holidays-what-gets-chinas-young-adults-spend-their-hard-earned-money-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3219972/pets-holidays-what-gets-chinas-young-adults-spend-their-hard-earned-money-year?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 May 2023 13:02:58 +0000 China’s manufacturing activity unexpectedly contracted in April while expansion of services slowed, in the latest evidence of the challenges facing Beijing amid an uneven post-Covid economic recovery. The official manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) fell below the 50-point mark separating monthly expansion and contraction to 49.2 in April from 51.9 in March, hitting the lowest level since China’s post-pandemic reopening late last year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics on... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3218898/china-manufacturing-pmi-hits-lowest-level-post-covid-reopening-official-data-shows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3218898/china-manufacturing-pmi-hits-lowest-level-post-covid-reopening-official-data-shows?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Apr 2023 04:10:13 +0000 PetroChina has made great strides in developing low carbon, non-fossil energy and will raise its production capacity several more times by 2035 to meet its energy-transition goals, according to top managers. China’s largest oil and gas producer installed 1,200 megawatts (MW) of wind and solar farms last year, lifting its cumulative installed capacity to 1,400MW, president Huang Yongzhang said on Thursday. It also has 10,200MW of government-approved projects in its pipeline. The company completed... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3215452/petrochina-reports-progress-green-energy-development-amid-multi-decade-overhaul-product-mix-meet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3215452/petrochina-reports-progress-green-energy-development-amid-multi-decade-overhaul-product-mix-meet?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Mar 2023 12:30:38 +0000 AIA is looking to strong sales in 2023 to put one of its worst years behind it, as Asia’s largest insurer wagered that the rush of mainland Chinese customers across Hong Kong’s reopened borders would help arrest a slump in earnings. Net profit plunged 96 per cent in 2022 to US$282 million, or 2.36 US cents per share, missing the US$2.79 billion expected in a Bloomberg poll, due mainly to US$5.39 billion in unrealised valuation losses of its stocks and bonds portfolio. The company’s operating... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3213037/aia-looks-past-one-its-worst-years-banking-hong-kongs-reopened-borders-lift-insurance-sales?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3213037/aia-looks-past-one-its-worst-years-banking-hong-kongs-reopened-borders-lift-insurance-sales?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Mar 2023 04:02:41 +0000 Economic uncertainty and concerns over transparency in China’s philanthropic sector have left many private business owners hesitant to answer President Xi Jinping’s call to support his signature initiative to reduce income inequality. On Monday, at a meeting with private sector representatives during the “two sessions”, Xi urged entrepreneurs to give to charity and “share the fruits of growth” with employees as part of his “common prosperity” drive. Private firms should “have a sense of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3212807/chinas-two-sessions-2023-xi-jinpings-call-common-prosperity-risks-going-unanswered-covid-weary?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3212807/chinas-two-sessions-2023-xi-jinpings-call-common-prosperity-risks-going-unanswered-covid-weary?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Mar 2023 14:00:15 +0000 China’s upcoming “forceful” government restructuring plan will include the financial and technology sectors, President Xi Jinping has said. The “far-reaching” changes will target deep-seated vested interests and have a “profound influence” on the country’s economy and society, Xi told leaders of political groups supportive of the ruling Communist Party. “The 20th party congress has given clear instructions on reforming party and state institutes, and deepening reform of the financial system,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3211875/china-two-sessions-2023-xi-jinping-vows-far-reaching-overhaul-finance-and-technology-sectors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3211875/china-two-sessions-2023-xi-jinping-vows-far-reaching-overhaul-finance-and-technology-sectors?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Feb 2023 14:26:18 +0000 How do you like your rabbit this Lunar New Year? Netizens have given the China Post stamp commemorating the Year of the Rabbit an emphatic thumbs down, complaining that the rabbit painted by legendary artist Huang Yongyu is “horrific”, “evil” and “ugly”. Much better, they say, to have something like Hong Kong’s philatelic tribute to the new year, pointing to the doll-like, porcelain white, sedate creature decked out in pastel flowers designed by Kan Tai-keung. Huang’s creation may look as mad as... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3208108/enough-cute-hong-kongs-year-rabbit-stamps-reflect-taste-tame-public-art?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3208108/enough-cute-hong-kongs-year-rabbit-stamps-reflect-taste-tame-public-art?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Jan 2023 00:15:09 +0000 As Lunar New Year approaches an online war of words has broken out over the relative aesthetic merits of stamps issued for the Year of the Rabbit in mainland China and in the country’s two Special Administrative Regions. A Weibo blogger posted a photo comparison of three designs from the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau which has attracted hundreds of comments and reposts. Hong Kong’s creation – which has been described as “decent and cute” – comes in four different colours, its main image being a... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3206704/stamp-disapproval-nation-divided-mainland-rapped-horrific-evil-and-ugly-year-rabbit-postal-designs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3206704/stamp-disapproval-nation-divided-mainland-rapped-horrific-evil-and-ugly-year-rabbit-postal-designs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Jan 2023 07:00:14 +0000 Chinese government entities are set to take so-called “golden shares” in units of Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings, suggesting Beijing is moving to ensure greater control over key players in the world’s largest internet arena. The discussions are emerging as Beijing prepares to loosen its grip on the sector and move past a bruising crackdown that’s enveloped most every internet sphere for well over a year. That share structure, which in theory allows the government to nominate... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3206874/chinas-government-take-golden-shares-alibaba-tencent-ensure-influence-over-internet-giants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3206874/chinas-government-take-golden-shares-alibaba-tencent-ensure-influence-over-internet-giants?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Jan 2023 05:28:14 +0000