https://www.scmp.com/rss/517959/feed The latest news, analysis and opinion on AVIC. 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 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Vietnamese budget carrier VietJet Air has agreed to lease as many as 10 Chinese-made C909 regional passenger jets, giving a lift to their manufacturer’s goal of vying with Airbus and Boeing in overseas civil aviation. VietJet said in a statement on Thursday night it had agreed with SPDB Financial Leasing, a subsidiary of Shanghai Pudong Development Bank in China, to finance the aircraft through operating leases. Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) makes the jets that are the subject... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350431/vietnamese-airline-lease-10-c909-jets-boost-chinese-aircraft-maker?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350431/vietnamese-airline-lease-10-c909-jets-boost-chinese-aircraft-maker?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 07:00:31 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Ahead of China’s annual legislative meetings – typically a window into Beijing’s top-level policy agenda – this is the sixth entry in a series examining the complex economic recalibration driving China’s growth philosophy and its wide-ranging implications for local governments, financial investors and private enterprises. Stock investors will zero in on China’s annual parliamentary gathering this week for signals it could revive equity momentum, as fears of artificial intelligence-driven... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345073/investors-lock-npc-markets-seek-policy-lift-amid-ai-jitters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345073/investors-lock-npc-markets-seek-policy-lift-amid-ai-jitters?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 23:30:07 +0000 Liu Zhen,Zhao Ziwen Liu Zhen,Zhao Ziwen China’s Nantianmen Project – translated as Southern Celestial Gate – has captured widespread attention as a blend of science fiction storytelling and hi-tech military speculation. Launched in 2017 by a subsidiary of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (Avic), the project originated as an aviation-themed sci-fi intellectual property (IP) rather than an active weapons development programme. At its core, the project serves as a creative vehicle to showcase more than 100... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343433/everything-we-know-about-chinas-mysterious-futuristic-nantianmen-project?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343433/everything-we-know-about-chinas-mysterious-futuristic-nantianmen-project?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 14:00:09 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang A Chinese defence giant has flexed its production muscle early in the new year by releasing a video of its star product, the J-35 stealth fighter, and pledging to double its warplane production over the next three to five years. On Tuesday, a green-coated J-35 fighter roared down the runway at the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) airfield in China’s northern Liaoning province, making its first flight of the year, according to a video released by the manufacturer, a subsidiary of Aviation... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3339315/chinas-j-35-jet-maker-flexes-production-muscle-pledging-double-output-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3339315/chinas-j-35-jet-maker-flexes-production-muscle-pledging-double-output-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 10:00:35 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang China’s massive aerial drone carrier the Jiu Tian has completed its first flight, adding to the potential swarming capacities of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The Jiu Tian, which is itself a large drone, took to the air for the first time in the northwestern province of Shaanxi, state news agency Xinhua said on Thursday. The report did not mention when this took place. Designed by the First Aircraft Institute of the state-owned aerospace giant Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC),... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336098/first-flight-chinas-giant-drone-carrier-jiu-tian-signals-pla-swarm-capacity-boost?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336098/first-flight-chinas-giant-drone-carrier-jiu-tian-signals-pla-swarm-capacity-boost?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 13:20:05 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei In a rare public display, China has showcased the advanced capabilities of the cutting-edge Z-20T assault helicopter at a military exhibition in Tianjin this week, demonstrating precision manoeuvres by the all-weather aircraft. The helicopters performed a hover salute, a backward ascent and a vertical climb and also fired jamming flares at the 7th China Helicopter Exposition, which wraps up on Sunday. The last time the Z-20T was seen in public was on September 3, when seven of the aircraft flew... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3329464/stronger-wings-chinas-z-20t-assault-helicopter-thrills-rare-military-show-demo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3329464/stronger-wings-chinas-z-20t-assault-helicopter-thrills-rare-military-show-demo?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 14:00:13 +0000 Enoch Wong Enoch Wong China’s first crewed airship – the Xiangyun AS700 – has completed its first low-altitude flight over the mountainous region of Guanling in southwestern Guizhou province, passing a critical airworthiness test, state media reported on Tuesday. Flight data collected during the test verified the airship’s suitability for low-altitude scenarios, state broadcaster CCTV reported, adding that the results would help drive improvements to adapt the airship to a wider range of uses. “The tests lay the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3327543/chinas-new-crewed-airship-as700-soars-over-worlds-highest-bridge-key-flight-test?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3327543/chinas-new-crewed-airship-as700-soars-over-worlds-highest-bridge-key-flight-test?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Oct 2025 04:00:10 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen Pakistan is eyeing Chinese laser weapons, according to a former senior commander. “In the coming days, high-energy directed weapons will be more prominent… I think the world is going towards this transition. Pakistan would love to see some integration [with China] into this area,” Ahmed Saeed, president of the National Institute of Maritime Affairs, said on the sidelines of Beijing’s Xiangshan Forum on Friday. China’s LY-1 shipborne laser was among the weapons on display in this month’s parade... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3326563/pakistan-interested-chinese-laser-weapons-former-navy-commander-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3326563/pakistan-interested-chinese-laser-weapons-former-navy-commander-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Sep 2025 13:00:10 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen As China’s Victory Day parade got under way in Beijing on September 3, some of the world’s most advanced military hardware began to file through Tiananmen Square with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) – the GJ-11 “Sharp Sword” – leading the way. The drone, with the number 21 displayed on its fuselage, represented one of the most advanced uncrewed systems in service in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). A closer look at the aircraft’s wings showed visible folding hinges, a change from the debut... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3325565/chinas-gj-11-sharp-sword-uav-poised-crucial-roles-intelligent-warfare?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3325565/chinas-gj-11-sharp-sword-uav-poised-crucial-roles-intelligent-warfare?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2025 02:00:48 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has become the first foreign state leader to visit China’s largest military aviation manufacturer, pledging stronger defence industry ties between Islamabad and Beijing, according to Pakistan’s presidential office. On Sunday, Zardari visited the advanced aircraft complex of China’s state-owned aerospace and defence giant, Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), in Chengdu, touring the production line that produces the J-10C fighter jet that played a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3325609/pakistan-president-pledges-deeper-china-defence-ties-during-rare-jet-factory-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3325609/pakistan-president-pledges-deeper-china-defence-ties-during-rare-jet-factory-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 10:29:43 +0000 Enoch Wong Enoch Wong China’s carrier-borne J-35 advanced stealth fighters can carry up to six missiles, according to a programme on state broadcaster CCTV, as more details are revealed following last week’s massive People’s Liberation Army (PLA) parade in Beijing. Both the J-35 and J-35A featured in the aerial formations for Wednesday’s parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Fighter designers discussed the pairing in a CCTV programme aired on Thursday, exploring the design connections... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3324793/chinas-carrier-borne-j-35-stealth-jets-can-pack-6-missiles-designers-say-cctv?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3324793/chinas-carrier-borne-j-35-stealth-jets-can-pack-6-missiles-designers-say-cctv?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Sep 2025 14:17:13 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The futuristic drones, intercontinental missiles and laser and microwave systems that rolled through central Beijing on Wednesday reflect not only the intensity of China’s military modernisation drive but also advances in the research and manufacturing ecosystem that has sprung up to develop it. At least five nuclear-capable missile types made their debut during the military parade – three can reportedly reach the continental United States; one is a submarine-launched ballistic missile; and the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3324640/how-chinas-military-surged-ahead-tech-firing-competition-among-suppliers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3324640/how-chinas-military-surged-ahead-tech-firing-competition-among-suppliers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Sep 2025 14:00:11 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang China is on a mission to turn its military into a modern fighting force. In the second of this four-part series, we look at how its massive defence industry can support China’s military goals, and during wartime could be further bolstered by the civilian manufacturing sector. In the northeastern city of Shenyang, the future of China’s defence manufacturing capacity is rapidly taking shape – an enormous new aviation industrial complex that will eventually occupy an area about the size of 600... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3322933/china-bets-military-industrial-might-outproduce-and-outlast-rivals-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3322933/china-bets-military-industrial-might-outproduce-and-outlast-rivals-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Aug 2025 22:00:18 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen From Nigerian raids on Boko Haram hideouts to Saudi strikes at Houthi positions along the shores of the Red Sea; from Pakistani sorties across the Iranian frontier to Libyan missiles in the civil war, one constant presence emerges – China’s Wing Loong-2 (WL-2), showcasing the reach of Chinese drone technology across multiple conflict zones. At the same time, a variant of the same platform – the GJ-2 or “Attack 2” – is conducting live-fire exercises around Taiwan and patrolling the South China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3321451/chinas-wing-loong-2-multi-role-uav-workhorse-overseas-advantage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3321451/chinas-wing-loong-2-multi-role-uav-workhorse-overseas-advantage?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Aug 2025 01:00:13 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China has unveiled a tail-sitter drone – which takes off and lands on its tail like a rocket – during a disaster rescue drill, according to state media. In its debut, the new unmanned aerial vehicle’s sensors and cameras were put to the test for reconnaissance and real-time situational awareness operations in a mountainous region of Sichuan province, the official Science and Technology Daily reported on Tuesday. The drone’s Wenyao intelligent control system was also on show, with the drill... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3318589/china-unveils-new-drone-takes-and-lands-its-tail-rocket?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3318589/china-unveils-new-drone-takes-and-lands-its-tail-rocket?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Jul 2025 02:00:14 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China’s presence at the Paris Air Show – the globally renowned civil aviation expo – is usually reduced to Beijing’s biggest names in the field. In particular, conversation tends to focus on the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac), the maker of the C919 passenger jet. But things have changed this year. Dozens of lesser-known Chinese firms from across the supply chain have flocked to the European capital to showcase their products to Western buyers. The number of Chinese companies... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3314894/paris-air-show-chinas-aviation-suppliers-circle-landing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3314894/paris-air-show-chinas-aviation-suppliers-circle-landing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Jun 2025 09:00:14 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma China’s home-grown AG600, the world’s largest amphibious aircraft, has been given the green light for mass production, marking a step forward in building an independent and globally competitive aviation industry. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) certified the plane on Wednesday, confirming that its developer, the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (Avic), has established a reliable system to consistently produce aircraft that meet safety standards, according to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3314002/china-approves-worlds-biggest-amphibious-plane-ag600-mass-production?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3314002/china-approves-worlds-biggest-amphibious-plane-ag600-mass-production?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Jun 2025 01:00:18 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang For decades, China’s talk of letting the private sector bid for defence orders had mostly been just that: talk. State-owned conglomerates had dominated the sector for decades, but in the middle of 2016, Beijing started to step up its military-civilian fusion strategy, publishing an official list of the sectors where private firms were being encouraged to contribute, such as swarming drone technologies. The plan is a central pillar of China’s ambition to develop a modernised military by 2035 and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3313893/why-red-tape-bigger-challenge-us-chinas-military-civilian-fusion-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3313893/why-red-tape-bigger-challenge-us-chinas-military-civilian-fusion-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Jun 2025 22:00:10 +0000 Syed Munir Khasru Syed Munir Khasru The scale and intensity of the four-day India-Pakistan conflict beginning on May 7 was marked by the battlefield debut of China’s advanced military technology. At the onset of the conflict, US Vice-President J.D. Vance stated that the situation was “fundamentally none of our business”. But, in a dramatic reversal, US President Donald Trump soon announced that his administration had brokered a “historic ceasefire” between India and Pakistan. While India and Pakistan were still exchanging fire,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3311719/beijing-flexes-its-military-might-south-asia-and-beyond?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3311719/beijing-flexes-its-military-might-south-asia-and-beyond?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 May 2025 21:30:09 +0000 Hayley Wong Hayley Wong China’s “drone carrier” Jiu Tian will take off for its first mission by the end of June, laying the groundwork for expanding the Chinese air force’s operational reach in unmanned aerial combat. Chinese media reports at the weekend commented on the coming launch, and state broadcaster CCTV confirmed the mission on Monday. The first mission flight will mark the beginning of a series of tests before the “drone mother ship” UAV is deployed by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Jiu Tian – or “high... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3310879/china-extend-combat-range-uavs-jiu-tian-drone-carrier-prepares-first-mission?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3310879/china-extend-combat-range-uavs-jiu-tian-drone-carrier-prepares-first-mission?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 May 2025 06:08:56 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong China’s state broadcaster has re-released footage from last year of a cutting-edge robotic production line for its advanced PL-15E air-to-air missiles, hours after Pakistan claimed that it used the Chinese-made weapon to shoot down five Indian fighter jets. CCTV first broadcast the footage in July last year. Its re-release on Thursday was interpreted on Chinese social media as an indication that the missile production line had achieved low cost and high capacity, possibly signalling an intent to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3309732/indian-jet-shootdown-all-robot-legion-behind-chinas-pl-15e-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3309732/indian-jet-shootdown-all-robot-legion-behind-chinas-pl-15e-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 May 2025 13:00:18 +0000 Stephen Chen Stephen Chen The designers of China’s J-36 stealth fighter are working on a computer system that will help pilots achieve the difficult and dangerous manoeuvre of landing a sixth-generation jet on a moving aircraft carrier, according to a research paper. The tri-engine, tailless flying-wing behemoth sent shock waves through global defence circles when it was spotted in December soaring over the megacity of Chengdu in southwest China. Along with unprecedented stealth capabilities, the fighter – unofficially... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3307304/chinas-j-36-design-team-unveils-aircraft-carrier-landing-system-sixth-gen-stealth-jet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3307304/chinas-j-36-design-team-unveils-aircraft-carrier-landing-system-sixth-gen-stealth-jet?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Apr 2025 04:00:08 +0000 China’s new top stock regulator Wu Qing, known as the “broker butcher”, will be responsible for nurturing 10 first-class brokerages including two or three that can compete with top global names such as Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley by 2035. The ambition was revealed in one of four documents promulgated on Friday by the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) as a blueprint for the high-quality development of capital markets. A lack of top-tier brokerages is seen as a hindrance to the... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3255904/chinas-broker-butcher-regulator-lead-effort-nurture-mainland-competitors-morgan-stanley-goldman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3255904/chinas-broker-butcher-regulator-lead-effort-nurture-mainland-competitors-morgan-stanley-goldman?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Mar 2024 05:29:52 +0000 The Israeli army on Monday launched an operation around Gaza’s largest hospital, Al-Shifa, and called on Gazans to evacuate the area in and around the facility, with witnesses reporting air strikes on the devastated neighbourhood where it is located. “In order to maintain your security, you must immediately evacuate the area,” army spokesman Avichay Adraee said on social media platform X, instructing “all those present” to head west and then south to a “humanitarian area”. Israeli soldiers “are... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3255767/israeli-army-launches-operation-gazas-al-shifa-hospital?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3255767/israeli-army-launches-operation-gazas-al-shifa-hospital?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Mar 2024 06:05:05 +0000 Bent over their sketchbooks, a group of art lovers in a public park in the heart of Chennai, India, are busy rendering their surroundings. Their subjects are varied, and they work with any number of mediums, but what unites them is a passion for depicting cities in situ and paying homage to a time-honoured tradition. They are part of the global Urban Sketchers network, started in 2007 by Seattle-based journalist and illustrator Gabriel Campanario through the creation of an online forum. The... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3254703/urban-sketchers-showcase-beauty-and-stories-indias-cities-one-drawing-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3254703/urban-sketchers-showcase-beauty-and-stories-indias-cities-one-drawing-time?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Mar 2024 10:00:13 +0000 China’s latest Z-10ME attack helicopter is on display at the Singapore Airshow, the first time it has been featured in an overseas exhibition. Analysts said the international debut indicated China was on the lookout for new buyers as global weapons demand soars. The Z-10 is already in service with the People’s Liberation Army, and is among the helicopter models used in drills on the border with India and near Taiwan. State-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), one of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3252744/china-debuts-latest-z-10me-attack-helicopter-singapore-air-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3252744/china-debuts-latest-z-10me-attack-helicopter-singapore-air-show?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Feb 2024 13:13:14 +0000 Singapore on Tuesday kicked off Asia’s biggest air show – the first in six years unaffected by pandemic restrictions – as the global aviation industry grapples with a full rebound in travel demand in the face of severe supply constraints. More than 1,000 companies from more than 50 countries are taking part in the biennial commercial and defence-focused Singapore Airshow, organiser Ravinder Singh said at the opening ceremony, led by Western industry giants such as Airbus, Boeing and Lockheed... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3252539/asias-biggest-air-show-kicks-singapore-israeli-firms-present-no-russians?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3252539/asias-biggest-air-show-kicks-singapore-israeli-firms-present-no-russians?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Feb 2024 07:16:08 +0000 Following Ukraine’s inconclusive counteroffensive last year to push Russian forces out of the southern part of the country, the US government has launched a series of measures ramping up pressure largely on non-Western business interests, including some in mainland China and Hong Kong, for circumventing economic sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The intensifying sanctions have arisen amid a rebound in the Russian economy. The International Monetary Fund projects growth of 2.6 per cent... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3252416/how-us-sanctions-could-push-china-and-russia-closer-together?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3252416/how-us-sanctions-could-push-china-and-russia-closer-together?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Feb 2024 01:30:17 +0000 Hong Kong have won cricket’s East Asia Cup by beating Japan on home soil in Saturday’s final. The hosts posted their highest-ever T20 international total, hammering 219 for 7, with skipper Nizakat Khan equalling his career-best score of 81 from 48 deliveries, smashing four sixes in his match-winning knock. Nasrulla Rana put the finishing touches on the record-setting innings with four consecutive maximums off the last four balls, three of which sailed over the straight boundary. Hong Kong went... https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3252272/east-asia-cup-hong-kong-beat-japan-final-win-triangular-t20-tournament?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3252272/east-asia-cup-hong-kong-beat-japan-final-win-triangular-t20-tournament?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Feb 2024 06:24:22 +0000 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, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. With regard to “Ukraine war: Putin gave ex-Fox News host Tucker Carlson interview because he differs from Western media, Kremlin says” (February 9), the essence of democracy and debate is the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3251815/tucker-carlson-was-right-interview-putin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3251815/tucker-carlson-was-right-interview-putin?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Feb 2024 06:30:13 +0000 Nairobi mall manager Lei Zhang could not make it back home to China for his annual Lunar New Year visit this time around. But he and thousands of Chinese like him might have been a little less homesick at the weekend, thanks to a New Year’s Day gala co-hosted by the Kenya Overseas Chinese Association and the Kenya Chinese Women Association. More than 3,000 performers, both Kenyan and Chinese, took part in Saturday’s event to ring in the Year of the Dragon – held at the mall just outside the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3251775/year-dragon-kenya-chinese-get-taste-home-away-home-lunar-new-years-gala-nairobi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3251775/year-dragon-kenya-chinese-get-taste-home-away-home-lunar-new-years-gala-nairobi?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Feb 2024 04:02:08 +0000 The US should review Chinese biotech firm Wuxi AppTec and its affiliate Wuxi Biologics for sanctions, a bipartisan group of lawmakers told top Biden administration officials on Monday. In a letter dated February 12 and seen by Reuters, the lawmakers told Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo that the global pharmaceutical giant’s links to China’s Communist Party and military threatened US national security. The letter, signed by the... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3251803/chinese-biotech-firm-wuxi-apptec-should-be-sanctioned-security-threat-us-lawmakers-tell-white-house?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3251803/chinese-biotech-firm-wuxi-apptec-should-be-sanctioned-security-threat-us-lawmakers-tell-white-house?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Feb 2024 03:42:46 +0000 China’s state-owned aircraft manufacturers were out in force in Saudi Arabia last week, showcasing their latest in fighter jet technology with the hope of exporting more orders to the region. One major source of interest at the World Defence Show in Riyadh was a model of the FC-31, China’s newest fifth-generation fighter jet built by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (Avic) and China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (Catic). The jet is designed for use on aircraft... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3251765/china-displays-fc-31-fighter-saudi-defence-show-bid-increase-exports-mideast-nations-explore-options?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3251765/china-displays-fc-31-fighter-saudi-defence-show-bid-increase-exports-mideast-nations-explore-options?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Feb 2024 09:57:38 +0000 A review of China’s first turbofan commercial engine for the home-grown C919 passenger jet is set to be given priority by the Chinese aviation regulator this year as the world’s second-largest economy strives to become self-reliant in aviation amid rising advanced technology export restrictions from the United States. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has outlined its key tasks to promote “Made in China” this year, including the certification of the narrowbody C919 in Europe this... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3251482/how-monumental-chinas-challenge-build-its-own-jet-engine-c919-it-seeks-aviation-self-reliance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3251482/how-monumental-chinas-challenge-build-its-own-jet-engine-c919-it-seeks-aviation-self-reliance?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Feb 2024 11:00:12 +0000 Over the festive season, fans of opera singer Andrea Bocelli lapped up his latest music video – a “goosebump-inducing” duet of “Holy Night” – with his handsome 26-year-old son Matteo. “Matteo sounds just like a younger Andrea. What a gift to the world!” one commenter wrote on YouTube. “It’s like listening to the voice of angels!” enthused another. The song marks the third time the pair have collaborated, following the album A Family Christmas and the single “Fall on Me”. However, Matteo wasn’t... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3250253/meet-singer-andrea-bocellis-talented-son-matteo-he-went-kim-kardashian-and-kanye-wests-wedding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3250253/meet-singer-andrea-bocellis-talented-son-matteo-he-went-kim-kardashian-and-kanye-wests-wedding?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jan 2024 21:00:14 +0000 Chinese military enthusiasts are claiming a win for a Chinese-made fighter jet against a European counterpart in a military exercise between Pakistan and Qatar. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fielded its Chinese-made J-10CE jets against Qatar’s Eurofighter Typhoon fighters for the first time in the Zilzal-II air exercise, which got under way in Qatar on January 10. Chinese social media users saw the exercise as a test for the Chinese 4.5-generation fighter against a European-made jet of the same... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3250201/chinas-j-10ce-vs-eurofighter-typhoon-jets-face-pakistan-qatar-air-drills?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3250201/chinas-j-10ce-vs-eurofighter-typhoon-jets-face-pakistan-qatar-air-drills?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jan 2024 16:05:15 +0000 Bengaluru is South African comedian Trevor Noah’s favourite punchline. In September 2023 he landed in the Indian city, got stuck in unusually horrendous traffic, arrived late to a badly set up auditorium and cancelled his shows. Ever since, Bengaluru – formerly known as Bangalore – has been fodder for his comedy. But the fact he chose to perform in the city, along with Delhi and Mumbai, in the first place – and why his promises to return are so earnest – speaks volumes. Known by many nicknames –... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3249936/why-indias-bangalore-now-beacon-culture-countrys-silicon-valley-has-seen-boom-creativity-across-art?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3249936/why-indias-bangalore-now-beacon-culture-countrys-silicon-valley-has-seen-boom-creativity-across-art?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jan 2024 04:45:11 +0000 When Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas embarks on its first official voyage on January 27, the journey is sure to make waves. The world’s largest cruise ship, the Icon is more than 1,000 feet (304 metres) long and weighs in at around 250,000 gross registered tons. It has 20 decks; 40 restaurants, bars and lounges; seven pools; six waterslides; and a 55-foot waterfall. Royal Caribbean says its boat will usher in “a new era of vacations”. Maybe so. But the Icon is also a doubling down on a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3249450/cruising-towards-climate-disaster-cruise-holidays-greenhouse-emissions-are-found-outstrip-those?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3249450/cruising-towards-climate-disaster-cruise-holidays-greenhouse-emissions-are-found-outstrip-those?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Jan 2024 09:15:10 +0000 Andrey Rublev said he did not know why he was so popular with tennis fans after beating underdog Emil Ruusuvuori to become the first Hong Kong Open men’s champion in more than 20 years on Sunday. The Russian broke his Finnish opponent once in each set, winning 6-4, 6-4 in less than 90 minutes, and immediately said he expected to defend his crown at the “perfect” tournament next year. It was a dominant performance from the 26-year-old top seed, who faced only one break point and capitalised on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3247577/russian-rublev-beats-ruusuvuori-win-hong-kong-tennis-open-title?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3247577/russian-rublev-beats-ruusuvuori-win-hong-kong-tennis-open-title?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Jan 2024 10:29:56 +0000 Kenya is in talks with China to get its stalled rail link back on track under a proposed public-private partnership model that would see Chinese companies source funding to build and operate the railway in a bid to recover their investment. Kenyan President William Ruto is seeking Chinese financing to get the strategically important project – now halted at Naivasha in the middle of the Rift Valley – extended to Malaba, on the border with Uganda. Ruto made the request directly to his Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3245773/kenya-pins-rail-hopes-ppp-funding-china-firms-belt-and-road-project?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3245773/kenya-pins-rail-hopes-ppp-funding-china-firms-belt-and-road-project?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Dec 2023 12:00:21 +0000 Most of China’s top-tier defence contractors saw revenue grow for the fourth straight year in 2022, while their US counterparts suffered a sharp drop from 2021, a Swedish think tank report said. Despite the dip in orders, US companies held on to their No 1 position overall, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s annual report released on Monday. Chinese companies retained their overall No 2 spot in combined arms sales with an 18 per cent share, but still trailed... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3243690/chinas-top-defence-contractors-saw-income-grow-4th-year-row-sipri-global-top-100-list-shows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3243690/chinas-top-defence-contractors-saw-income-grow-4th-year-row-sipri-global-top-100-list-shows?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Dec 2023 23:05:19 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong The compiler of China’s benchmark index of 300 leading companies traded on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges is adding tech stocks to increase the representation of the sector, deemed vital to the nation’s economy. Artificial intelligence chip maker Cambricon Technologies, chip designer Empyrean Technology and high-end processor maker for servers and computers Hygon Information Technology will join the CSI 300 Index of China’s yuan-traded stocks starting next month, China Securities... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3242931/chinas-csi-300-index-leans-towards-tech-adding-likes-cambricon-empyrean-and-hygon-latest-review?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3242931/chinas-csi-300-index-leans-towards-tech-adding-likes-cambricon-empyrean-and-hygon-latest-review?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Nov 2023 06:30:08 +0000 Attendances on the final day of the Fiba 3x3 Hong Kong Masters lived up to the expectations of the organisers after the majority of seats at Victoria Park were filled on Sunday. Fans were seen queuing for tickets on site early in the afternoon before they witnessed Amsterdam winning their first title this season, defeating Raudondvaris Hoptrans 21-17 in the final. Event officials had predicted attendances to reach “80 per cent overall” and although the crowds were less than ideal during the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3242877/fiba-3x3-hong-kong-masters-players-hail-improved-event-amsterdam-take-title-and-paris-miss-season?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3242877/fiba-3x3-hong-kong-masters-players-hail-improved-event-amsterdam-take-title-and-paris-miss-season?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Nov 2023 14:25:29 +0000 In a much-publicised report issued on October 19, the US Department of Defence estimated China’s stock of operational nuclear warheads to be at 500, and exceeding 1,000 by 2030. This contrasts with its 2020 report that estimated a stockpile “in the low-200s”, which would grow to about 400 by the end of the decade. Beijing has consistently dismissed these reports, asserting they are used to serve Washington’s strategic interest of portraying China as a threat to global security. Irrespective of... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3242540/why-west-suddenly-softening-china-power-grows-out-nuclear-warheads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3242540/why-west-suddenly-softening-china-power-grows-out-nuclear-warheads?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Nov 2023 08:30:08 +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 Hong Kong stocks resumed a decline, sending the benchmark close to an 11-month low on concern that China will need to do more to shore up economic growth amid rising US funding costs that threaten to dim the global growth outlook. The Hang Seng Index fell 0.2 per cent to 17,044.61 at the close, near the lowest level since November 10. The Hang Seng Tech Index added 0.3 per cent and the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.5 per cent. Sportswear maker Li Ning tumbled by a record 21 per cent to... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3239214/hong-kong-stocks-fall-li-ning-anta-tumble-weak-china-consumption-signals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3239214/hong-kong-stocks-fall-li-ning-anta-tumble-weak-china-consumption-signals?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Oct 2023 02:39:16 +0000 Several Southeast Asian leaders were feted by Russian President Vladimir Putin at last week’s Belt and Road Forum in Beijing as part of his pivot to Asia, elevating the importance of the region’s political centrality and economic vitality to Russia’s Indo-Pacific strategy. This was Putin’s second official foreign trip since the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him. To the surprise of many observers, his main scheduled meetings were dedicated to Southeast Asian leaders,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3238543/amid-western-sanctions-putin-courts-southeast-asia-belt-and-road-forum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3238543/amid-western-sanctions-putin-courts-southeast-asia-belt-and-road-forum?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Oct 2023 21:30:17 +0000 Daniel Noboa, an inexperienced politician and an heir to a fortune built on the banana trade, won Ecuador’s presidential run-off election held amid unprecedented violence that even claimed the life of a candidate. With about 96 per cent of the votes counted on Sunday, electoral officials said Noboa had 52.2 per cent of the votes, compared to 47.8 per cent for Luisa González, a leftist lawyer and ally of exiled former President Rafael Correa. Gonzalez conceded defeat during a speech before... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3238050/ecuador-presidential-election-daniel-noboa-heir-banana-fortune-wins-run-vote?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3238050/ecuador-presidential-election-daniel-noboa-heir-banana-fortune-wins-run-vote?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Oct 2023 03:13:06 +0000 Thousands of Palestinians fled the north of the Gaza Strip on Saturday from the path of an expected Israeli ground assault, while Israel pounded the area with more air strikes and said it would keep two roads open to let people escape. Israel has vowed to annihilate the Hamas militant group that controls Gaza in retaliation for a rampage by fighters, who stormed through Israeli towns a week ago, gunning down civilians and making off with scores of hostages. Some 1,300 were killed in the worst... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3237931/israel-says-troops-have-made-first-ground-raids-gaza-root-out-hamas-fighters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3237931/israel-says-troops-have-made-first-ground-raids-gaza-root-out-hamas-fighters?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Oct 2023 19:37:58 +0000 Ecuadorean President Guillermo Lasso has announced a shake up of the high ranks of the security forces following the killing of seven inmates accused in the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. He removed two officials, the prisons director and the head of the police investigations unit, and replaced the head of the national police with Cesar Augusto Zapata Correa, a long-time member of the force with nearly 35 years of experience. The announcement came after six inmates were... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3237192/ecuador-removes-top-security-officials-after-killings-7-suspects-linked-presidential-candidates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3237192/ecuador-removes-top-security-officials-after-killings-7-suspects-linked-presidential-candidates?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Oct 2023 02:14:07 +0000