https://www.scmp.com/rss/519160/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Kandy Wong Kandy Wong China’s reported decision to halt sulphuric acid exports, together with the failure of peace talks between the United States and Iran over the weekend, risks driving prices higher and disrupting global mining and fertiliser supply chains that have few readily available alternatives. Beijing had indicated it would halt shipments of sulphuric acid from May, according to reports from Acuity Commodities and Bloomberg, though no official announcement has been made. Economists said food security sat... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349884/china-iran-war-and-chemical-suddenly-stoking-global-supply-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349884/china-iran-war-and-chemical-suddenly-stoking-global-supply-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:00:01 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Peru’s Keiko Fujimori looked set to face a run-off against a conservative rival after a troubled first-round presidential election on Sunday marred by logistics foul-ups, police raids and allegations of fraud. First counts and exit polls showed the 50-year-old daughter of disgraced former president Alberto Fujimori ahead in the 35-candidate race, but she was well short of the 50 per cent needed to win outright. Her nearest rival was far-right Rafael “Porky” Lopez Aliaga – who has vowed to “hunt”... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3349823/peru-extends-voting-president-and-congress-amid-delays-polling-sites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3349823/peru-extends-voting-president-and-congress-amid-delays-polling-sites?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:56:40 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Chinese buyers were the end destination of a five-year smuggling pipeline that drained an estimated US$917 million worth of stolen copper from Chile, authorities said on Wednesday after police dismantled the network in one of the largest organised crime operations ever uncovered in the country. The group trucked stolen metal to Iquique, a port city in Chile’s far north, and shipped it to China in containers disguised as scrap cargo. Over the same period, it collected more than US$55 million in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349439/chile-exposes-smuggling-ring-shipped-us917m-stolen-copper-chinese-buyers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349439/chile-exposes-smuggling-ring-shipped-us917m-stolen-copper-chinese-buyers?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 22:04:40 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering Latin American relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. As Trump ramps up pressure on Cuba, China has ‘very limited options’ As Washington stepped up rhetoric and pressure on Cuba after the start of its campaign in Iran, Beijing found itself torn between geopolitical reality and ideological affinity. Read the full story here. 2. US threats... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3348581/us-threats-new-chile-leader-china-tariff-mexico-7-latin-america-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3348581/us-threats-new-chile-leader-china-tariff-mexico-7-latin-america-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 15:00:10 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Meltwater from snow-capped mountains is fostering an emerging trout-farming industry thousands of kilometres from the sea in western China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The region, famous for its cotton, is on track to become China’s top trout producer as it ramps up efforts to diversify its agricultural base following criticism of labour practices in the cotton sector that led to import bans overseas. In 2018, in response to rising domestic demand for Atlantic salmon and limited local... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347727/how-salmon-raised-landlocked-xinjiang-netting-fans-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347727/how-salmon-raised-landlocked-xinjiang-netting-fans-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 02:00:08 +0000 Emiliano Martínez Viademonte Emiliano Martínez Viademonte Chinese and Chilean scientists have reached the bottom of the Atacama Trench, where light does not penetrate, in what they called the “most ambitious” deep-sea expedition ever conducted in the eastern Pacific. The joint mission to one of the deepest ocean trenches – which runs parallel to the coasts of Peru and Chile – took place from January 19 to March 5. It comes as Chile’s expanding cooperation with China on science and technology has inflamed geopolitical tensions with the United... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3346781/china-and-chile-wrap-atacama-trench-mission-us-pressure-mounts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3346781/china-and-chile-wrap-atacama-trench-mission-us-pressure-mounts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast wasted no time. Less than a week after his inauguration, Chile’s arch-conservative president on Monday began overseeing preparations to build a border barrier - part of his flagship campaign promise to block immigrants from crossing illegally. From Chile’s northern frontier area of Chacalluta, where legions of immigrants have slipped across the Peruvian border into one of the region’s most prosperous nations, Kast vowed to implement what he calls his “Border... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3346819/channeling-trump-chiles-new-president-launches-work-border-barrier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3346819/channeling-trump-chiles-new-president-launches-work-border-barrier?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 02:32:31 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Chilean President Gabriel Boric left La Moneda presidential palace for the last time on Wednesday, ending a four-year term with a call for national unity that most observers took as a reference to the Chinese undersea cable dispute that defined his final weeks in office. “I wish success to the incoming government, success for Chile, and may our homeland always come first, above any interest, above any disagreement,” Boric said from the palace courtyard, where he arrived with his partner, Paula... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346275/chiles-boric-leaves-office-calls-unity-after-split-successor-over-china-cable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346275/chiles-boric-leaves-office-calls-unity-after-split-successor-over-china-cable?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 18:30:28 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick The Chilean capital Santiago awoke on Wednesday to a mixture of celebration and tension. As the city prepared for the inauguration of its centre-right president, the new government’s first crisis was already unfolding behind the scenes: an undersea fibre-optic cable linking the South American country to Hong Kong that had enraged Washington and may prove a watershed moment in how Latin America handles critical infrastructure projects and its partnership with Beijing. Jose Antonio Kast was... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346261/inauguration-day-chiles-new-president-inherits-chinese-cable-scandal-and-us-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346261/inauguration-day-chiles-new-president-inherits-chinese-cable-scandal-and-us-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 13:44:08 +0000 Fan Chen,Zhao Ziwen Fan Chen,Zhao Ziwen China has vowed to firmly safeguard its overseas interests – a core objective reaffirmed in its latest five-year plan – at a time when global volatility is testing supply chains and regional influence. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday that Beijing would continue to strengthen its capacity to protect Chinese interests and citizens abroad, put the people first, and develop a global system for security and risk prevention. According to analysts, his remarks reflect the growing pressures on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345902/world-full-turmoil-china-stands-firm-mountain-compatriots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345902/world-full-turmoil-china-stands-firm-mountain-compatriots?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 01:00:14 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou The Chilean government has turned down a request from a Chinese military hospital ship to treat Chilean residents on board the vessel. The decision reflects Santiago’s tilt towards Washington and US efforts to exert more influence in the western hemisphere, according to a Chinese academic. The Chilean Ministry of Health said on Friday that it had reviewed the Silk Road Ark’s request and decided not to grant it, citing a health code that restricts such services to professionals accredited ‌in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344972/why-wont-chile-let-chinas-silk-road-ark-military-hospital-ship-give-medical-aid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344972/why-wont-chile-let-chinas-silk-road-ark-military-hospital-ship-give-medical-aid?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 10:00:30 +0000 Mark Footer Mark Footer The Year of the Fire Horse is associated with intense energy, bold movement and pioneering spirit, making it, perhaps, a fitting time for a transformative travel experience. And what better way to channel a steed’s spirit of adventure than through some of the world’s most memorable equestrian experiences, from the Sandalwood ponies of Sumba, Indonesia, to the thoroughbreds that “dare to confront fire” in Marrakech, Morocco. Mongolia and the Naadam Festival “A Mongol without a horse is like a... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3342612/world-seen-saddle-6-equestrian-adventures-mark-year-horse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3342612/world-seen-saddle-6-equestrian-adventures-mark-year-horse?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 03:00:10 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji When India sealed a landmark free-trade pact with the European Union last month, Brussels’ top bureaucrat saw more than an economic deal taking shape. “India has risen and Europe is truly glad about it,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared. “Because when India succeeds, the world is more stable, more prosperous and more secure.” Her words were more than just a diplomatic nicety; they reflected a growing consensus in European capitals that India has become an... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3342704/indias-trade-blitz-seeks-keep-sinking-global-order-afloat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3342704/indias-trade-blitz-seeks-keep-sinking-global-order-afloat?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China’s trade with some South American nations is accelerating after the opening of Peru’s Chancay port, underscoring Beijing's push to secure resources and bolster industrial supply chains under the Belt and Road Initiative, analysts said. The surge in two-way trade builds on years of Chinese investment and comes as the United States seeks to roll back Beijing’s influence in the region under a strategy US President Donald Trump has called the “Donroe” doctrine – invoking a 19th-century policy... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342512/trumps-south-america-threats-fizzle-chinas-trade-surges-powered-peru-port?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342512/trumps-south-america-threats-fizzle-chinas-trade-surges-powered-peru-port?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 23:30:07 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage on science from the past two weeks to help you stay informed. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China’s Shenzhou-20 spacecraft returns to Earth broken and unbroken China’s Shenzhou-20 spacecraft returned to Earth with no astronauts inside – just metal, heat and a cracked window – touching down at the Dongfeng landing site in Inner Mongolia on Monday. 2. Nipah virus outbreak in India sparks worry in China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3341335/nipah-virus-alarms-china-semiconductor-fibre-breakthrough-7-science-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3341335/nipah-virus-alarms-china-semiconductor-fibre-breakthrough-7-science-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 07:00:08 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong Gold surged to an all-time high of US$5,100 an ounce on Monday, with analysts forecasting further gains as the precious metal is increasingly viewed as a strategic hedge amid heightened geopolitical risks linked to the current US administration’s foreign policy shifts and a growing push for de-dollarisation. “We see the recent move as justifiable, given the rise in geopolitical risks and [the] macro environment,” said Alexandra Symeonidi, a senior corporate credit and sustainability analyst with... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341217/gold-surge-has-analysts-eyeing-new-highs-after-us5000-record-amid-trump-era-geopolitics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341217/gold-surge-has-analysts-eyeing-new-highs-after-us5000-record-amid-trump-era-geopolitics?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 05:10:56 +0000 Zhihua Zheng Zhihua Zheng The United States’ abrupt withdrawal earlier this month from dozens of international institutions, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, was more than another episode of diplomatic retrenchment. It was a reminder that the post-war architecture of global governance, particularly in environmental affairs, is under strain. Against this backdrop, China’s decision to nominate Xiamen as the host city for the secretariat of the new High Seas Treaty should not be read as a quest for... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3340670/how-china-can-strengthen-high-seas-treaty-governance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3340670/how-china-can-strengthen-high-seas-treaty-governance?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 21:30:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Chile’s right-wing president-elect Jose Antonio Kast on Tuesday named two ex-lawyers of former dictator Augusto Pinochet to lead the ministries of defence and human rights when he takes office in March. Kast will be sworn in on March 11 as the first far-right head of state in Chile since the exit of Pinochet, whose brutal regime left deep scars on the South American nation. Pinochet led a dictatorship from 1973 to 1990 that left more than 3,200 dead or missing, and tortured or imprisoned tens of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3340648/chiles-president-elect-picks-pinochet-lawyers-ministers-human-rights-defence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3340648/chiles-president-elect-picks-pinochet-lawyers-ministers-human-rights-defence?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 05:03:43 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela In 2021, when Beijing finally pledged to stop building and financing new coal power plants overseas, Western governments and climate advocates rejoiced. John Kerry, US climate envoy at the time, said he was “absolutely delighted to hear” of the decision. It is “a key topic of my discussions during my visit to China”, Alok Sharma, a member of the British House of Lords, wrote on social media, suggesting it was a result of pressure from the West. But now, from Chile to Spain to Portugal, country... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339280/chinas-coal-fired-export-ban-was-cheered-west-then-came-massive-blackouts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339280/chinas-coal-fired-export-ban-was-cheered-west-then-came-massive-blackouts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 22:00:14 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou China has proposed to host the secretariat of a new treaty governing the high seas, in what observers say is the latest effort by Beijing to proactively play a bigger role in shaping international rules of order. Days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to pull the US from 66 international organisations, including United Nations commissions and major bodies set up to tackle climate change, China has bid for Xiamen in Fujian province – a coastal hub that sits on the Taiwan... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340455/china-bids-secretariat-high-seas-treaty-contrast-us-exit-un-bodies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340455/china-bids-secretariat-high-seas-treaty-contrast-us-exit-un-bodies?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 12:21:09 +0000 Emiliano Martínez Viademonte Emiliano Martínez Viademonte China and Chile are set to launch a three‑month expedition into the uncharted depths of the eastern Pacific Ocean – a “historic opportunity” to seek new forms of life and geological insights into the causes of earthquakes and tsunamis. Setting off aboard the Chinese research vessel Tan Suo Yi Hao on Monday, the researchers will cover 700km (435 miles) around the Atacama Trench, one of the deepest and least explored regions of the eastern Pacific. The expedition, three years in the making, is... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3340328/china-chile-explore-atacama-trench-pacific-tools-no-other-country-possesses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3340328/china-chile-explore-atacama-trench-pacific-tools-no-other-country-possesses?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 01:00:18 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Wildfires raging across central and southern Chile on Sunday left at least 18 people dead, scorched thousands of acres of forest and destroyed hundreds of homes, authorities said, as the South American country sweltered under a heatwave. Chilean President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe in the country’s central Biobio region and the neighbouring Nuble region, around 500km (300 miles) south of Santiago, the capital. The emergency designation allows the suspension of constitutional... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3340354/chile-declares-state-emergency-wildfires-kill-least-18-people?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3340354/chile-declares-state-emergency-wildfires-kill-least-18-people?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 21:52:56 +0000 Emiliano Martínez Viademonte Emiliano Martínez Viademonte The Chilean government has awarded a contract to Chinese biopharmaceutical firm Sinovac Biotech to supply its influenza vaccine ahead of the southern hemisphere winter. The vaccine will be part of Chile’s nationwide immunisation programme, which public health body Cenabast said was “internationally recognised for its impact on public health protection, particularly among high-risk groups”. Beijing-based Sinovac’s influenza vaccine uses an inactivated virus based on a split-virion platform – a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339739/chinese-firm-sinovac-supply-vaccine-chile-ahead-flu-season?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339739/chinese-firm-sinovac-supply-vaccine-chile-ahead-flu-season?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 12:00:18 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Eight years after leaving Venezuela, David Hou, a native of southern China’s Guangdong province, returned last year, pleased to find what he described as an improved economic environment. That optimism is now shrouded in uncertainty after the United States abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on allegations of narcoterrorism and possessing “destructive devices” – charges he has firmly rejected. While the full impact has yet to be felt, the situation is “making people anxious and very... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3338956/chinese-business-owner-venezuela-warns-knock-effects-following-maduros-abduction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3338956/chinese-business-owner-venezuela-warns-knock-effects-following-maduros-abduction?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 14:00:10 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong Washington’s abduction of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro last week has been characterised by many – including US President Donald Trump – as an attempt to gain control over the South American nation’s oil industry. But analysts said the crisis was also about Washington’s need to secure access to critical minerals – and that other resource-rich nations should be on guard. In addition to its vast oil reserves, Venezuela has significant deposits of an array of precious metals and other valuable... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3338894/behind-venezuela-crisis-us-china-tussle-over-critical-minerals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3338894/behind-venezuela-crisis-us-china-tussle-over-critical-minerals?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 08:00:29 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The United States, which on Saturday attacked Venezuela and is said to have abducted its president, has a long history of military interventions and support for dictatorships in Latin America. On multiple occasions the late Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez and his successor Nicolas Maduro – who Donald Trump says is now in US hands – accused Washington of backing coup attempts. Here are the main US interventions in Latin America since the Cold War. 1954: Guatemala On June 27, 1954, colonel Jacobo... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3338634/us-interventions-latin-america-history-coups-and-conflicts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3338634/us-interventions-latin-america-history-coups-and-conflicts?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jan 2026 15:16:04 +0000 dpa dpa Early in the morning, shortly after five, the tension is mounting. Dawn is breaking, and the sea lies deep and dark as foam dances on the waves. Behind the window in the cabin, it is cosy. Barren rocky outcrops pass by in the distance. Can Captain Omar Galindo make it past Cape Horn so that we can cross over to land in the stable inflatable boats? The manoeuvres are tricky, and safety always comes first. The wind is allowed to blow at a maximum of 30 knots. This is not a regular cruise. We are... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3338032/expedition-cruise-chiles-cape-horn-reveals-awesome-nature-end-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3338032/expedition-cruise-chiles-cape-horn-reveals-awesome-nature-end-world?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 23:15:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Chile’s state-owned Codelco, the world’s leading copper producer, and private miner SQM, which features Chinese capital, announced on Saturday the creation of a giant company to exploit lithium, a lightweight metal used in batteries for electric vehicles. The South American country is the world’s second-largest producer of lithium, a key component of EVs (electric vehicles) and other clean technologies, and has about 40 per cent of the world’s lithium reserves. The partnership between the firms... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3337916/chilean-firms-partner-form-giant-company-exploit-lithium?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3337916/chilean-firms-partner-form-giant-company-exploit-lithium?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Dec 2025 21:14:55 +0000 SCMP SCMP Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. PLA division overseeing Taiwan sees newcomers in charge The Chinese military’s Eastern Theatre Command, the division that oversees Taiwan and that has been hit hard in Beijing’s anti-graft campaign, appears to be presided over by two officers who joined the division only recently. 2. Senior US and Chinese defence officials continue ‘military-to-military’... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3336802/pla-divisions-new-leaders-lessons-2025-trade-war-scmp-daily-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3336802/pla-divisions-new-leaders-lessons-2025-trade-war-scmp-daily-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 13:15:13 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China congratulated ultraconservative José Antonio Kast on his victory in Chile’s presidential race, as the country competes with the United States for influence across Latin America. “China stands ready to work with Chile’s new government to further deepen mutually beneficial and friendly cooperation in all areas,” a foreign ministry spokesman said Monday. A day earlier, Kast, a 59-year-old former lawyer, clinched victory over the government-backed communist candidate Jeanette Jara in a... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3336759/china-seeks-greater-influence-us-backyard?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3336759/china-seeks-greater-influence-us-backyard?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 09:00:17 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Chile’s election of an ultraconservative leader has created another vocal ally for US President Donald Trump in a lithium-rich region where China has emerged as the dominant economic partner, positioning the South American country at the centre of an intensifying superpower rivalry. In what was probably Chile’s sharpest rightward shift since the end of its military dictatorship in 1990, Jose Antonio Kast, a right-wing former lawmaker who campaigned on Trump-style hardline positions on crime and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336564/chiles-sharp-shift-right-puts-it-centre-china-us-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336564/chiles-sharp-shift-right-puts-it-centre-china-us-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 14:00:11 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Hong Kong has signed a comprehensive avoidance of double taxation agreement (CDTA) with Norway, marking its fourth such pact this year as the city steps up efforts to strengthen its appeal as an international business and investment hub. Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu signed the agreement with the Government of the Kingdom of Norway in Beijing on Tuesday. Hui had visited Norway to discuss the matter in June. Under the agreement, Hong Kong residents who... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3336653/hong-kong-signs-tax-treaty-norway-marking-fourth-such-agreement-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3336653/hong-kong-signs-tax-treaty-norway-marking-fourth-such-agreement-year?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 10:47:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Hong Kong’s HK$141.5 billion (US$18.1 billion) investment in the expansion of its airport with a third runway is all about exploiting the city’s position as an international air cargo and passenger hub, and its connectivity with the mainland, amid rising air and sea competition. The pay-offs come in passenger and traffic volume and a network of destinations that circles the world. The latter has just received a big boost from the signing of aviation agreements with seven countries – mostly in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3336456/hong-kong-stepping-its-competitiveness-aviation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3336456/hong-kong-stepping-its-competitiveness-aviation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 22:45:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Chile elected its most right-wing president in 35 years of democracy on Sunday, with arch-conservative Jose Antonio Kast scoring a thumping victory over his leftist run-off rival. Kast won some 58 per cent of the vote and held an unassailable lead over Jeannette Jara, a communist who headed a broad leftist coalition. Kast campaigned on a promise to expel more than 300,000 immigrants, seal the northern border, take a “firm hand” on near-record crime rates and restart the stalled economy. “Chile... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3336416/far-right-candidate-jose-antonio-kast-wins-chile-presidential-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3336416/far-right-candidate-jose-antonio-kast-wins-chile-presidential-election?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:02:07 +0000 Harvey Kong Harvey Kong Hong Kong has signed aviation agreements with seven countries – mostly in Latin America – to expand its global reach and make better use of the airport’s three-runway system, according to a senior official. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan on Tuesday revealed that the government had signed deals with the Latin American countries of Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru and Cuba, along with Poland in Europe and Togo in West Africa, over the past two months. The new deals add to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3335729/hong-kong-signs-aviation-deals-7-countries-expand-global-network?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3335729/hong-kong-signs-aviation-deals-7-countries-expand-global-network?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 07:30:57 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick The White House released a national security blueprint on Friday, marking a sweeping assertion of US influence in the Americas. The framework pledges to prevent non-Western powers from expanding their foothold across the Western Hemisphere, a clear reference to China’s growing presence in the region. In US strategic parlance, the “Western Hemisphere” refers broadly to the Americas, a geopolitical space long regarded as a place Washington has sway over. This belief harks back to the Monroe... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3335430/trumps-new-national-security-blueprint-aims-combat-chinas-rise-latin-america?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3335430/trumps-new-national-security-blueprint-aims-combat-chinas-rise-latin-america?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 21:23:45 +0000 Wasi Mirza Wasi Mirza With the rise of social media and generative AI, how much of what we see online is true? In this new series, SCMP Fact-Check, the Post investigates claims circulating online and debunks viral misinformation impacting the daily lives of Hongkongers. A 16-second clip was shared on Facebook on Thursday and has amassed more than 200,000 views. “Firefighters’ first person perspective. A tribute to firefighters #HongKongFire #FireRescue #Firefighters,” the post’s Chinese caption reads. The video... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3334324/video-firefighters-hong-kong-actually-shows-blaze-chile-2024?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3334324/video-firefighters-hong-kong-actually-shows-blaze-chile-2024?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 08:15:07 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Hong Kong’s status as a superconnector between mainland China and the rest of the world stems in no small part from its deep water port and supply chain prowess. As global trade volatility and competition erode that maritime reputation, it was encouraging to see signs of strength from new “partner port” ties unveiled recently. City leader John Lee Ka-chiu said the partnerships with key maritime centres on the mainland and in South America “are of strategic importance” and true to Hong Kong’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3334483/partner-port-ties-will-help-hong-kong-navigate-global-trade-volatility?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3334483/partner-port-ties-will-help-hong-kong-navigate-global-trade-volatility?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Nov 2025 23:15:11 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered “closed in its entirety”, but gave no further details as Washington ramps up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro’s government. “To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY,” Trump said in a social media post. US officials contacted were surprised by Trump’s announcement and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3334635/venezuela-airspace-considered-closed-its-entirety-says-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3334635/venezuela-airspace-considered-closed-its-entirety-says-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Nov 2025 14:23:01 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Peru’s government declared a state of emergency at its southern border with Chile on Friday, expecting an influx of people trying to flee far-right candidate Jose Antonio Kast’s potential presidency. Under the decree, Peru’s military will reinforce border control in the southern Tacna region for 60 days, past Chile’s December 14 run-off election, in which immigration hardliner Kast is facing off against left-wing candidate Jeannette Jara. The state of emergency will also serve “to address crime... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3334606/peru-declares-state-emergency-fears-migrant-influx-chile-mount?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3334606/peru-declares-state-emergency-fears-migrant-influx-chile-mount?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Nov 2025 05:56:28 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Chinese electric vehicle (EV) builders are increasingly shipping their cars abroad to spur international sales ahead of an expected downturn in their home market, analysts say, as Beijing phases out incentives such as tax holidays and cash subsidies. The carmakers, which can enjoy a net margin of 20,000 yuan (US$706) per vehicle by selling their cars outside mainland China, are rolling out more models and pushing into untapped territories to chase high profitability. Stellantis-backed Leapmotor,... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3334300/chinese-ev-makers-step-gas-abroad-hedge-against-weaker-mainland-sales?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3334300/chinese-ev-makers-step-gas-abroad-hedge-against-weaker-mainland-sales?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Nov 2025 23:30:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Nasa released fresh images on Wednesday of the interstellar object called 3I/ATLAS that astronomers have determined is a comet probably even older than our solar system, as US space agency officials dismissed speculation that it was actually an alien spacecraft. 3I/ATLAS was first spotted in July by an Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, or ATLAS, telescope located in Rio Hurtado, Chile, and has been tracked by astronomers since then. Its unusual trajectory indicated that it was... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3333482/nasa-shares-new-images-3i/atlas-and-rejects-alien-spacecraft-rumours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3333482/nasa-shares-new-images-3i/atlas-and-rejects-alien-spacecraft-rumours?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Nov 2025 03:13:13 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Many Western critics of China seem to suffer from the same fallacy as some police detectives and anti-pornography activists who believe that porn turns people into rapists. You may find porn in the personal collections of some serial rapists and sadistic killers, but that’s because statistically, most men and some women also use porn. In something analogous, some critics of China remark that many Chinese public intellectuals and scholars have been turning to Western authoritarian or anti-liberal... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3333069/dont-blame-china-americas-authoritarian-turn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3333069/dont-blame-china-americas-authoritarian-turn?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 01:30:10 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Colombian President Gustavo Petro called for a high-level security meeting with the United States, China and regional partners, arguing that recent US military deployments and strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific are escalating tensions in the region. Joining other regional voices condemning the operations, he stressed that Latin America and the Caribbean should be treated with respect and repeated his proposal for talks in Pearl Harbour, noting that he... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3333166/colombia-pushes-talks-include-china-over-us-military-build-near-venezuela?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3333166/colombia-pushes-talks-include-china-over-us-military-build-near-venezuela?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 19:06:18 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Hong Kong has established new “partner port” relationships with key maritime centres in mainland China and South America, the city’s leader has said, with shipping experts calling it a strategic move to enlarge market catchment areas and strengthen supply chains amid global trade volatility. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced on Monday that partnerships had been formed with Guangxi and Dalian ports on the mainland and Port San Antonio in Chile. “These ports are of strategic importance,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3333149/hong-kong-links-3-key-partner-ports-ride-out-trade-volatility?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3333149/hong-kong-links-3-key-partner-ports-ride-out-trade-volatility?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 14:55:24 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Chile was headed to a tense presidential run-off after a closely fought first-round vote on Sunday set up a showdown between a member of the Communist Party and an ultraconservative veteran politician, sharply polarising the country between the political left and right. Jeannette Jara, 51, the communist former labour minister and candidate of Chile’s centre-left governing coalition, won 26.8 per cent of valid ballots with almost 100 per cent of the vote counted, failing to pass the 50 per cent... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3333021/polarised-chile-facing-presidential-run-between-conservative-and-communist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3333021/polarised-chile-facing-presidential-run-between-conservative-and-communist?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 00:46:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters Chileans are voting in a presidential election on Sunday that is pitting the governing leftist coalition against an array of right-wing candidates and will also redefine the country’s legislature. Polls opened at 8am and are expected to close at 6pm, but will remain open if there are voting queues. Initial results are expected quickly with a full count within hours. There are eight candidates in the race and none are expected to get the 50 per cent plus one vote needed to win the election... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3332991/chile-votes-pivotal-election-amid-crime-and-immigration-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3332991/chile-votes-pivotal-election-amid-crime-and-immigration-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Nov 2025 11:53:35 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Every time the British consulate sends me the latest six-monthly report on Hong Kong’s development, I either sigh or roll my eyes, and then delete. While the UK government continues to claim such monitoring is an obligation under the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, there is simply no specific treaty provision on how long this futile and offensive exercise needs to continue under its current format. So why do the Brits persist? One, they want to stay on the moral high ground, though that... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3331249/how-anglo-american-ideologues-have-exploited-hks-free-market-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3331249/how-anglo-american-ideologues-have-exploited-hks-free-market-success?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Nov 2025 15:14:20 +0000 Daryl Ng Daryl Ng The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is the world’s largest trade bloc. Including all 10 economies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), mainland China, Australia, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand, the group contributes to 30 per cent of global gross domestic product and over 25 per cent of global exports. In September, Asean’s economic ministers issued a joint statement affirming their desire to accelerate the addition of four new members into the RCEP –... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3327919/how-joining-rcep-will-boost-hong-kongs-role-superconnector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3327919/how-joining-rcep-will-boost-hong-kongs-role-superconnector?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Lee Min-Yong Lee Min-Yong The Apec Economic Leaders’ Meeting is just over a month away. Hosted in the ancient Korean capital of Gyeongju, the summit will bring together leaders from the 21 members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. With both the US and Chinese presidents expected to attend, the gathering is poised to serve as a significant diplomatic stage against the backdrop of mounting tensions on the Korean peninsula and growing uncertainty in global affairs. After North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3326567/apec-offers-stage-china-us-and-two-koreas-make-peace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3326567/apec-offers-stage-china-us-and-two-koreas-make-peace?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Sep 2025 21:30:09 +0000