https://www.scmp.com/rss/518383/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu The University of Hong Kong (HKU) will begin a roadshow this week to gauge investor interest in a landmark bond programme that could raise up to HK$3 billion (US$385 million) to fund its planned expansion in the Northern Metropolis, according to people familiar with the matter. Scores of banks, insurance and pension companies and fund managers were invited to attend roadshows arranged by bankers including HSBC Holdings over the coming days, one source told the South China Morning Post on... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348432/hku-eyes-us385-million-bond-fund-northern-metropolis-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348432/hku-eyes-us385-million-bond-fund-northern-metropolis-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:30:38 +0000 Amber Wang,Dewey Sim,Laura Zhou Amber Wang,Dewey Sim,Laura Zhou Vladimir Putin is expected to visit China soon after Donald Trump’s trip in May in a diplomatic double-header that would be the first time Beijing has hosted the leaders of the US and Russia in the same month outside a multilateral event. According to Chinese analysts, the back-to-back visits highlight Beijing’s strategic effort to manage relations with both major powers amid rising global turbulence. Trump’s long-planned trip to Beijing was expected to take place from May 14 to 15, the White... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348148/what-does-it-mean-china-if-donald-trump-and-vladimir-putin-visit-back-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348148/what-does-it-mean-china-if-donald-trump-and-vladimir-putin-visit-back-back?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 15:00:10 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Turkey’s largest private bank plans to set up a Hong Kong office, according to sources familiar with the matter, in a move that underscores the city’s role as a gateway for lenders seeking to connect China and Asian markets with the Middle East. Turkiye Is Bankasi’s board approved the Hong Kong expansion plan two months ago and the lender was awaiting clearance from Turkish authorities before formally approaching the Hong Kong Monetary Authority for a banking licence, the sources said. If... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347700/turkeys-biggest-private-bank-plans-hong-kong-entry-amid-middle-east-tensions-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347700/turkeys-biggest-private-bank-plans-hong-kong-entry-amid-middle-east-tensions-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 02:30:09 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li Hong Kong developer Sun Hung Kai Properties is betting big on arts and commercial projects at the West Kowloon Cultural District, banking on the city’s designated role as a cross-border asset and wealth management hub – even as the office rental market remains subdued. Sun Hung Kai Properties is positioning its projects to stand out within its 8 million sq ft portfolio of office and commercial space in West Kowloon, where it is also the sole developer in the arts hub building the Artist Square... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3347505/hong-kong-developer-banks-arts-and-finance-synergy-west-kowloon-cultural-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3347505/hong-kong-developer-banks-arts-and-finance-synergy-west-kowloon-cultural-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:30:20 +0000 Ji Siqi,Kandy Wong Ji Siqi,Kandy Wong As diplomatic friction between China and Japan drags on, no Japanese business executives will attend a key forum in Beijing of multinational companies this coming week, according to an internal list seen by the South China Morning Post. Nearly 80 top executives from major foreign corporations, with those from the US making up the largest group, will attend the China Development Forum (CDF) from Sunday to Monday, according to the list. Meanwhile, some foreign CEOs – including a few from the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3347378/japanese-executives-absent-chinas-key-annual-summit-amid-diplomatic-tension-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3347378/japanese-executives-absent-chinas-key-annual-summit-amid-diplomatic-tension-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 02:00:12 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Mark Magnier,Dewey Sim Khushboo Razdan,Mark Magnier,Dewey Sim The official line is straightforward: US President Donald Trump asked for a delay to his long-anticipated summit in Beijing with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and it has been pushed back by “a month or so”. According to the White House, moving the meeting allows Trump to remain in the US and manage the escalating war with Iran, including urgent efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. But beneath the surface, a more complex story emerges: months of growing frustrations, mismatched expectations,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347008/what-are-real-reasons-behind-change-date-trumps-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347008/what-are-real-reasons-behind-change-date-trumps-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 22:00:08 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Republican Senator Steve Daines, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, is expected to visit Hong Kong at the end of this month, according to sources. It would mark the first trip to the city by a sitting US senator since the Covid-19 pandemic. Daines would meet American business leaders in Hong Kong on March 30, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly on the matter. The senator from Montana has played a prominent role in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347302/trump-ally-steve-daines-will-be-first-sitting-us-senator-visit-hong-kong-2019?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347302/trump-ally-steve-daines-will-be-first-sitting-us-senator-visit-hong-kong-2019?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren GLP, a global operator and investor in logistics, digital infrastructure, renewable energy and finance, is deepening its commitment to China’s growth, projecting as much as a 50 per cent rise in logistics rental rates, supported by stronger domestic consumption and wider adoption of alternative energies. Angela Zhao, CEO of GLP China, said the country’s 15th five-year development plan for 2026 to 2030 would further cement the company’s role as a global thematic investor in “new economy”... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347106/singapore-headquartered-glp-eyes-50-rent-surge-china-demand-fuels-logistics-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347106/singapore-headquartered-glp-eyes-50-rent-surge-china-demand-fuels-logistics-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:00:20 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham A delegation from China’s People’s Liberation Army will travel to Brussels next week for talks with the European Union and Nato amid heightened concerns over global security caused by the war in Iran. The EU-China Security and Defence Consultations will take place next Tuesday, official sources confirmed, with the talks between Nato and the PLA’s Office for International Military Cooperation scheduled for the same week. On the EU side, the talks will be chaired by Benedikta von Seherr-Thoss,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347063/chinese-military-set-eu-and-nato-talks-iran-war-reshapes-global-security-picture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347063/chinese-military-set-eu-and-nato-talks-iran-war-reshapes-global-security-picture?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 12:22:37 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu Hong Kong’s fresh graduates are facing increasingly challenging career prospects, with 69 per cent of job sectors recording their fewest vacancies in six years, a trend experts attribute to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and a sluggish economy. Figures from the Joint Institution Job Information System, a centralised online job information platform shared by the city’s eight publicly funded universities, also showed that the number of job vacancies fell to a five-year low of 30,798 last... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346406/hong-kong-job-openings-hit-6-year-low-69-sectors-amid-ais-ascent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346406/hong-kong-job-openings-hit-6-year-low-69-sectors-amid-ais-ascent?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 02:00:15 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang HSBC and a joint venture led by Standard Chartered are expected to be among the first companies to obtain Hong Kong’s stablecoin licences within two weeks, according to people familiar with the matter. The number of licences and timetable had yet to be finalised and remained subject to change, but sources said a possible date was March 24. The two banks declined to comment. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) last month revealed that a small number of stablecoin licences would be granted... https://www.scmp.com/business/cryptocurrency/article/3346311/hong-kong-poised-grant-first-stablecoin-licences-hsbc-standard-chartered-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/cryptocurrency/article/3346311/hong-kong-poised-grant-first-stablecoin-licences-hsbc-standard-chartered-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim The US war against Iran may have handed Beijing some fresh rare-earths leverage over Washington, with roughly three weeks until US President Donald Trump’s expected visit to China. Washington’s heavy reliance on the Chinese minerals for its advanced weapon systems means China could dictate how long US strikes on Iran can go on, according to sources and analysts. Sources told the South China Morning Post, on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, that Washington had only... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346123/could-chinas-rare-earth-supplies-dictate-how-long-us-strikes-iran-go?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346123/could-chinas-rare-earth-supplies-dictate-how-long-us-strikes-iran-go?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Hong Kong could emerge as the world’s leading financial centre as the central government pushes to internationalise the yuan – a move that will advance the nation’s development under the 15th five-year plan while also driving the city’s own growth, a National People’s Congress (NPC) deputy has said. Li Yinquan said the city stood to benefit from increased capital as the yuan became more internationalised, since most global renminbi reserves and transaction volumes would naturally be held in Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346011/hong-kong-tipped-be-worlds-top-financial-centre-amid-global-yuan-expansion-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346011/hong-kong-tipped-be-worlds-top-financial-centre-amid-global-yuan-expansion-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:30:11 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng US President Donald Trump will not go to any cities beyond Beijing during his visit to China scheduled for late this month because of his tight schedule and security concerns, according to sources familiar with the matter. Several sources, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter, said United States “advance parties” arrived in China’s capital in “early March” and their preparations for the high-stakes summit had entered the “final stage”. The South China Morning Post has... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345970/trumps-china-visit-limited-beijing-due-tight-schedule-and-security-needs-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345970/trumps-china-visit-limited-beijing-due-tight-schedule-and-security-needs-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 12:00:07 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Hong Kong has adequate safeguards to prevent any misuse of the Exchange Fund, according to the economist known as the “father of the city’s dollar peg”, who called concerns over the government’s decision to draw from the de facto sovereign wealth fund “a little overblown”. John Greenwood said the government’s plan to transfer HK$150 billion (US$19.1 billion) from the fund – which plays an essential role in defending the Hong Kong dollar’s peg to the US dollar – would have no effect on the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3345886/fears-over-exchange-fund-discipline-overblown-hong-kongs-dollar-peg-architect?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3345886/fears-over-exchange-fund-discipline-overblown-hong-kongs-dollar-peg-architect?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:28 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi The prime ministers of South Korea and Singapore will be among the world leaders attending this month’s Boao Forum for Asia, three sources said, adding to a growing string of leaders from developed economies who have visited China this year. The annual conference is scheduled to be held in Boao, Hainan province, from March 24 to 27, its organiser announced earlier. Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai’s most recent trip to China was in June, when he met President Xi Jinping and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345739/prime-ministers-singapore-south-korea-attend-months-boao-forum-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345739/prime-ministers-singapore-south-korea-attend-months-boao-forum-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 02:00:10 +0000 Natalie Wong,Vivian Au Natalie Wong,Vivian Au The Hong Kong government has ruled out chartering Cathay Pacific Airways flights to bring home residents stranded in the Middle East, given the potential danger of navigating partially reopened airspaces and challenges in securing take-off slots at foreign airports, sources have said. The South China Morning Post learned that officials had also weighed the option of repatriation flights from Oman, but the absence of direct Cathay services made the route “impractical” because obtaining aviation... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3345768/hong-kong-authorities-rule-out-chartering-cathay-pacific-flights-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3345768/hong-kong-authorities-rule-out-chartering-cathay-pacific-flights-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 13:34:25 +0000 Kandy Wong,Frank Chen Kandy Wong,Frank Chen Beijing and Washington have begun discussing ways to revive reciprocal investment – a move that could be one of the few deliverables during an upcoming China visit by US President Donald Trump, according to multiple sources. The investment issue was touched upon as working-level officials prepared for Trump’s trip, which is scheduled to take place between March 31 and April 2. However, the potential scope and structure of such investments remain undefined, sources said. One source said both... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3345165/us-china-discuss-investment-revival-ahead-trumps-trip-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3345165/us-china-discuss-investment-revival-ahead-trumps-trip-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 02:00:14 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan In Washington, a city often in the spotlight for domestic and international politics, Hong Kong pianist Aristo Sham views his instrument as a platform that can bridge cultures, transcend politics and connect people across borders. At 28, fresh from a landmark international competition victory, Sham is building a global career where his music often speaks louder than diplomacy. On Wednesday, just before stepping onto the stage at the US capital’s Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium for a Year of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344943/hong-kong-pianist-aristo-sham-brings-music-and-message-openness-washington?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344943/hong-kong-pianist-aristo-sham-brings-music-and-message-openness-washington?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 20:54:49 +0000 Dewey Sim,Laura Zhou Dewey Sim,Laura Zhou Beijing has called for all hands on deck to work out what ever-unpredictable US President Donald Trump might demand when he sits down with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in a few weeks. Several sources, all speaking on condition of anonymity, said various Chinese government departments had been told to research and assess the US leader’s potential demands and come up with possible concessions Beijing could put on the table. According to the sources, the entities included China’s Ministry of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344862/china-scours-bargaining-chips-put-trump-xi-summit-table-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344862/china-scours-bargaining-chips-put-trump-xi-summit-table-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam All eyes on Wednesday will be on how the government plans to give a big push to its latest investment darling, the Hong Kong Investment Corporation, its three-year-old vehicle that has yielded impressive early gains. Sources told the South China Morning Post that HKIC would come up as a key highlight in Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po’s budget statement to be delivered on Wednesday. It will be tasked to work closely with regional and international long-term capital to “guide investment... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344529/hong-kong-investment-company-hkic-get-expanded-remit-after-early-gains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344529/hong-kong-investment-company-hkic-get-expanded-remit-after-early-gains?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 02:15:35 +0000 Olga Wong,Matthew Cheng,Theodora Yu Olga Wong,Matthew Cheng,Theodora Yu Hong Kong’s finance chief will earmark substantial funds for a new innovation hub near the border with mainland China and include incentives to attract more aerospace players to the city in his budget, government sources have said. Highlighting innovation as a key theme of Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po’s budget speech to be delivered on Wednesday, the insiders told the South China Morning Post that the blueprint would provide significant impetus to the new San Tin Technopole. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344512/huge-funds-tech-hub-incentives-aerospace-sector-hong-kong-budget-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344512/huge-funds-tech-hub-incentives-aerospace-sector-hong-kong-budget-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:32 +0000 Olga Wong Olga Wong Hong Kong’s finance chief will unveil new measures in his budget to strengthen the city’s growing intellectual property (IP) economy, focusing on nurturing top-tier talent and helping local tech firms evaluate their patents, the South China Morning Post has learned. The initiatives, expected to be announced on Wednesday, come as Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po faces mounting expectations to make strategic use of the city’s earlier-than-expected operating surplus while investing in long-term... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344370/hong-kong-boost-ip-economy-new-academy-patent-evaluation-support?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344370/hong-kong-boost-ip-economy-new-academy-patent-evaluation-support?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang,William Zheng Sylvie Zhuang,William Zheng Beijing has quietly tightened restrictions on officials with family members overseas in the past year as part of a sweeping anti-corruption drive, according to sources. Three people familiar with the situation said inspections had been carried out since early last year within government bodies and state-owned enterprises to scrutinise the overseas connections of top officials and executives. In the past, such inspections have sought to identify “naked officials” – those whose spouses and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3343893/china-widens-anti-corruption-net-catch-quasi-naked-officials?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3343893/china-widens-anti-corruption-net-catch-quasi-naked-officials?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 14:00:10 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi,Fan Chen Seong Hyeon Choi,Fan Chen A former president of Iceland has rejected US President Donald Trump’s claim that nearby Greenland was surrounded by Chinese and Russian vessels, saying it was “not supported by facts”. In an interview on the sidelines of last weekend’s Munich Security Conference, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, who was Iceland’s president from 1996 to 2016, said there were “no Russian and Chinese ships in the waters of Greenland”. Trump said last month that the US “needed Greenland” – a Danish territory – “from the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343884/trumps-claim-chinese-and-russian-ships-near-greenland-not-supported-facts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343884/trumps-claim-chinese-and-russian-ships-near-greenland-not-supported-facts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 10:00:17 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Hasan Piker knew his first trip to China would provoke backlash. What he did not expect was how quickly the debate would collapse into a binary: propaganda or patriotism. The live-streamer, and one of the most influential political commentators on the left among young Americans, travelled to China last year and live-streamed his experiences to over 3 million followers across platforms, including Twitch and YouTube. Clips of his visit circulated widely, some carried by Chinese state-linked... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3343845/hasan-piker-talks-about-his-controversial-china-trip-and-thinking-chinese-thoughts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3343845/hasan-piker-talks-about-his-controversial-china-trip-and-thinking-chinese-thoughts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 15:30:31 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Jeffrey Epstein committed at least US$113,000 to American scholar Ben Goertzel – known for popularising the term “artificial general intelligence” – to help him secure at least HK$8.9 million in Hong Kong government grants at a top city university, a South China Morning Post investigation has found. The almost two-decade relationship between Epstein and computer scientist Goertzel, who previously built artificial intelligence (AI) architecture at Polytechnic University (PolyU), was disclosed in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3343645/epstein-funded-ai-pioneer-helped-him-get-hk89-million-hong-kong-government-grants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3343645/epstein-funded-ai-pioneer-helped-him-get-hk89-million-hong-kong-government-grants?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:30:22 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Hong Kong could see another cinema shut down in a prime retail district after the management of IFC Mall began informally sounding out potential tenants for the roughly 20,000 sq ft (1,858 square metres) occupied by Palace IFC, whose lease expires at the end of the year, according to people familiar with the matter. Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP), which manages the mall in Central, had been reaching out to select industry contacts to explore options as the struggling cinema business had... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3343339/box-office-bust-show-may-be-over-another-hong-kong-cinema?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3343339/box-office-bust-show-may-be-over-another-hong-kong-cinema?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Xinmei Shen,Dewey Sim,Mark Magnier Khushboo Razdan,Xinmei Shen,Dewey Sim,Mark Magnier China has confirmed that discussions were under way about US President Donald Trump’s planned visit in April, when sources said the two sides were expected to extend their current trade truce by up to one year. Lin Jian, a foreign ministry spokesman, said President Xi Jinping had repeated an invitation to Trump to visit when the pair spoke by phone last week. “The two sides are in communication on this,” Lin added, stressing the importance of talks between the two heads of state. The two reached... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343240/trump-and-xi-expected-extend-trade-truce-beijing-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343240/trump-and-xi-expected-extend-trade-truce-beijing-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 21:43:33 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham As a flurry of European leaders flock to China, a different diplomatic dynamic has taken shape in Brussels, exposing deep-seated problems in the relationship between the EU and China. Several sources described a deliberate slowing of high-level appointments with Chinese diplomats in the Belgian capital – an effort to reciprocate the lack of access EU diplomats receive in Beijing. In the Chinese capital, the EU ambassador, Jorge Toledo, has been effectively frozen out of meetings with relevant... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343198/cold-shoulder-china-and-eu-diplomatic-stand-ahead-munich-showdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343198/cold-shoulder-china-and-eu-diplomatic-stand-ahead-munich-showdown?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 10:22:29 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Contemporary Amperex Technology’s (CATL) new batteries are ready to be used in extreme cold areas like Antarctica, according to a top engineer, as the Chinese giant eyes untapped markets amid keen electric vehicle (EV) competition. CATL’s Naxtra sodium-ion battery, which will be applied in mass-produced passenger cars for the first time globally this year, is undergoing winter testing in vehicles in chilly Inner Mongolia, the firm and its partner China Changan Automobile Group announced last... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3342907/catls-new-innovation-expands-ev-battery-horizons-untapped-cold-regions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3342907/catls-new-innovation-expands-ev-battery-horizons-untapped-cold-regions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 00:30:12 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippines “will consider” an invitation from US President Donald Trump to join his proposed “Board of Peace”, Manila’s envoy to Washington said, a move that has drawn scepticism from critics who warn Manila could be embarrassed by signing up to what they see as a volatile, personality-driven initiative. Trump had personally invited President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr to be part of the board, but the Philippine leader had not yet decided whether to accept, Jose Manuel Romualdez said. While... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342946/manila-will-consider-joining-trumps-board-peace-philippine-envoy-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342946/manila-will-consider-joining-trumps-board-peace-philippine-envoy-us?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:13:05 +0000 Zuraidah Ibrahim,Kolette Lim Zuraidah Ibrahim,Kolette Lim Hashim Djojohadikusumo is smiling almost beatifically, but the trademark feistiness is unmistakable. We are sitting down for a chat amid the turmoil gripping Indonesia’s capital markets and he says emphatically that “it’s good, it’s good” that it happened. This unvarnished answer is one of several he gives as we talk about his country, nearly two years after his elder brother, Prabowo Subianto, won the presidential election by a wide margin, securing 58.6 per cent of the votes on his third... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3342707/inside-indonesias-inner-circle-hashim-djojohadikusumo-his-brother-prabowos-vision?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3342707/inside-indonesias-inner-circle-hashim-djojohadikusumo-his-brother-prabowos-vision?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 04:30:08 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim In the days that followed Japanese leader Sanae Takaichi’s controversial remarks over Taiwan in November, Beijing convened a rare meeting with Southeast Asian envoys to rally regional support for its campaign against Japan – but that effort has so far gained little traction. Multiple sources familiar with the matter told the South China Morning Post that China had summoned most Southeast Asian ambassadors or their deputies late last year, framing the meeting as a channel to hear the region’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342540/china-rallies-neighbours-against-japan-rare-meeting-will-it-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342540/china-rallies-neighbours-against-japan-rare-meeting-will-it-work?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 01:00:18 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan A senior US official on Thursday defended Washington’s new critical minerals push, telling the South China Morning Post that supply chain diversification is a national security measure, not an attempt to form an exclusive bloc as Beijing has claimed. Deputy State Department spokeswoman Mignon Houston, speaking a day after the launch of the Forum on Resource Geostrategic Engagement, or Forge, described the US-led global coordination of strategic minerals as a “prudent step”. She sidestepped... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3342574/us-defends-new-minerals-alliance-rejecting-claims-it-targets-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3342574/us-defends-new-minerals-alliance-rejecting-claims-it-targets-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 23:15:54 +0000 Connor Mycroft,Wynna Wong Connor Mycroft,Wynna Wong A Hong Kong academic had a relationship with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with correspondence revealing a proposed collaboration that he deemed was “a good rebrand” for an island owned by the disgraced American financier, where he hosted parties. The exchange of emails also showed Epstein became interested in the academic’s pursuit of finding people with so-called special abilities, such as mind-reading and other “psychic activities”. These discussions led to Epstein giving the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3342544/epstein-his-hong-kong-academic-friend-and-their-interest-psychics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3342544/epstein-his-hong-kong-academic-friend-and-their-interest-psychics?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:02:12 +0000 Fan Chen,Shi Jiangtao Fan Chen,Shi Jiangtao Turkey remains committed to becoming a full member of the Brics bloc, positioning itself as a bridge between Asia and Europe despite widening transatlantic rifts, according to the new Turkish ambassador to China. Ankara, meanwhile, would continue to work with Beijing to deepen trade ties, promote high-level visits, expand cultural and academic exchanges and build political trust through dialogue on security, counterterrorism and other sensitive issues, the envoy told the South China Morning... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342362/nato-member-turkey-reaffirms-brics-ambitions-amid-transatlantic-rifts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342362/nato-member-turkey-reaffirms-brics-ambitions-amid-transatlantic-rifts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 01:01:39 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is set to visit China later this year, as tensions with the United States prompt more European countries to rethink ties with Beijing. A source familiar with the talks said the two sides were discussing details of the trip. If it goes ahead, it will be Sanchez’s fourth to China in four years. Miguel Otero-Iglesias, a senior analyst at the Madrid-based Elcano Royal Institute, said the prime minister had suggested in the past that visits to China should be an... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342352/china-and-spain-talks-pm-pedro-sanchez-visit-beijing-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342352/china-and-spain-talks-pm-pedro-sanchez-visit-beijing-again?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 08:55:44 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Indonesia will press on with reforms of its capital markets and go after market manipulators with the full force of the law well ahead of a May deadline set by leading index MSCI, the country’s top economic minister, Airlangga Hartarto, has vowed. A massive sell-off last Wednesday prompted the government to act, as investors exited after MSCI said it would stop making adjustments to Indonesian stocks, citing a lack of transparency in shareholding structures and concerns over coordinated trading... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3342275/indonesias-top-economic-minister-vows-capital-market-reforms-not-merely-because-msci?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3342275/indonesias-top-economic-minister-vows-capital-market-reforms-not-merely-because-msci?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:01:44 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) is revving up the design and testing phase of its widebody C929 airliner, marshalling its resources and mobilising its stakeholders to roll out the indigenous jet on schedule – or, potentially, ahead of earlier estimates. Specialists from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) have proactively involved themselves in the C929’s development, the South China Morning Post has learned, with personnel from the national regulator assessing... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342069/chinas-widebody-c929-could-arrive-early-revved-development-plan-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342069/chinas-widebody-c929-could-arrive-early-revved-development-plan-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 08:00:08 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu University graduates in Hong Kong are facing the gloomiest employment market since 2021, with the number of available jobs plunging by 55 per cent in 2025 and the average salary of new hires increasing by only 0.5 per cent year on year. A veteran human resources consultant attributed the sharp fall in entry-level jobs, which require significant investment and mentorship, to the rise of artificial intelligence and the uncertain economic outlook. According to data from the Joint Institution Job... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3341998/55-plunge-new-hires-hong-kong-graduates-face-gloomiest-job-outlook-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3341998/55-plunge-new-hires-hong-kong-graduates-face-gloomiest-job-outlook-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:30:12 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu The UK and China are considering a new cross-border asset-management link and upgrades to their existing stock connect scheme, as both sides seek closer capital-market cooperation, according to Ashley Alder, chairman of the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). “We are looking at enhancing market connectivity between China and the UK, particularly by building on the stock connect with Shanghai and Shenzhen,” Alder said. “In addition, we are exploring other areas of cooperation, such as asset... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3341772/uk-and-china-weigh-cross-border-asset-management-scheme-deepen-market-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3341772/uk-and-china-weigh-cross-border-asset-management-scheme-deepen-market-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 04:30:10 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu All teachers in Hong Kong will be required to renew a newly proposed practising certificate every three years to continue teaching, with the plan to take effect as early as the 2027-28 academic year, the South China Morning Post has learned. Sources also said on Thursday that substitute teachers would have to obtain these certificates through special arrangements. The measure is expected to affect more than 70,000 teachers in Hong Kong. According to the Education Bureau, the move is to ensure... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3341674/hong-kong-teachers-required-renew-practising-certificates-every-3-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3341674/hong-kong-teachers-required-renew-practising-certificates-every-3-years?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 08:26:20 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak Peggy Chan, a Hong Kong-born vegetarian chef, sustainability dining advocate and consultant, has become the first recipient of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants’ Champions of Change Award, which honours those who make a meaningful impact in the hospitality industry. “I’m so grateful and honoured for this recognition,” Chan tells the Post. “I really feel like it’s come full circle, too, as [the ceremony] is being held in Hong Kong, where my career started. “I cannot take this honour on my own because... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3341621/hong-kong-chef-peggy-chan-wins-asias-50-best-restaurants-first-champions-change-award?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3341621/hong-kong-chef-peggy-chan-wins-asias-50-best-restaurants-first-champions-change-award?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 07:00:11 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng America’s top diplomat in Beijing struck an optimistic note on bilateral ties on Tuesday, telling a closed-door gathering in Hong Kong that risks in the relationship had been controlled effectively and talks were under way for a potential Boeing deal, sources told the South China Morning Post. Sources who were present as David Perdue, the US ambassador to China, spoke at the Goldman Sachs Global Macro Conference Asia-Pacific 2026, said his message was “comforting and reassuring” to global... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3341442/us-ambassador-china-says-progress-agreements-boeing-deal-among-signs-better-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3341442/us-ambassador-china-says-progress-agreements-boeing-deal-among-signs-better-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 11:59:27 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen China’s leading planemaker is poised for a moderate ramping up of production and deliveries of its C919 narrowbody jet this year, aiming for 28 units or more, with two having already rolled off the production line just three weeks into the new year, according to sources and an industry analyst. While setbacks forced Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) to cut back on its delivery targets last year, a manager briefed on the state-owned giant’s plans said it expected supply chain... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341030/maker-chinas-c919-jet-set-pick-production-pace-after-delay-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341030/maker-chinas-c919-jet-set-pick-production-pace-after-delay-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 01:30:10 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Singapore Exchange (SGX) Group is seeking to widen its cross-listing schemes with Shanghai and Shenzhen and explore partnerships with Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) and other exchanges, according to its CEO. “Connectivity, in my view, is the new architecture for capital markets,” said Loh Boon Chye in an exclusive interview with the Post during his visit to Shenzhen last week. “We look towards more connectivity, not just with China but with other like-minded exchanges.” Loh said if... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3340933/singapore-exchange-hints-deeper-ties-hkex-can-yuan-business-open-doors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3340933/singapore-exchange-hints-deeper-ties-hkex-can-yuan-business-open-doors?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 05:00:09 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters Online retailers and a Hong Kong pharmacy are offering slimming injections without prescriptions despite local authorities requiring a doctor’s approval before purchase, a Post investigation has found, with an expert warning it could lead to misuse. Weight-loss injections, which have been approved by Hong Kong authorities for use, have become increasingly popular around the world and work by targeting hormones, reducing appetite and slowing down food digestion. In Hong Kong, such products are... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3341117/no-prescription-no-problem-hong-kongs-grey-zone-weight-loss-injections?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3341117/no-prescription-no-problem-hong-kongs-grey-zone-weight-loss-injections?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 13:08:58 +0000 Natalie Wong Natalie Wong Shifting policies under US President Donald Trump’s administration are expected to heighten market volatility in Hong Kong this year, the finance chief has said, while also expressing “cautious optimism” about the capital market. Explaining his upbeat outlook despite the tense geopolitical climate, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said business and political leaders he met at the World Economic Forum in Davos viewed the city much more positively than in previous years. “Despite the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3340943/paul-chan-upbeat-about-hong-kong-economy-despite-volatile-market-trump-policies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3340943/paul-chan-upbeat-about-hong-kong-economy-despite-volatile-market-trump-policies?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 05:51:55 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters China’s government is likely to set this year’s economic growth target in a range between 4.5 per cent and 5 per cent, according to three sources briefed on the matter. Such a target would indicate a tolerance for a modest deceleration from last year’s 5 per cent gross domestic product growth as Beijing highlights the importance of “high-quality” development and urges local officials to embrace “the right concept of political performance”, the sources said. The range, if confirmed, would serve... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3340889/china-set-gdp-growth-range-providing-policy-flexibility-2026-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3340889/china-set-gdp-growth-range-providing-policy-flexibility-2026-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 22:00:09 +0000