https://www.scmp.com/rss/519434/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Richard Harris Richard Harris The mighty Zambezi River has its source in northern Zambia, and flows north, west, south, then east, tracing borders for several countries including Zimbabwe. As the river enters Zimbabwe, the water molecules begin to flow faster, unknowingly energised – developing first into a rush, then eventually a torrent as they plunge down the Victoria Falls. This is an excellent analogy of the extremes of stock market price movements. In a stock market crash, prices move slowly, then very fast. My... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348698/us-hong-kong-theres-no-excuse-insider-trading?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348698/us-hong-kong-theres-no-excuse-insider-trading?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 21:30:10 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Resource-rich African nations are increasingly asserting control over critical minerals to maximise domestic returns, sending global prices soaring and exerting pressure on Chinese supply chains. One price crunch started last month when Zimbabwe, Africa’s biggest lithium producer, abruptly suspended exports of raw lithium minerals and concentrates. The country had originally planned to impose the ban in 2027 to encourage more local value-added processing of the mineral but the government brought... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346717/chinas-supply-chain-meets-wall-african-resource-nationalism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346717/chinas-supply-chain-meets-wall-african-resource-nationalism?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 06:36:21 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Hong Kong’s public airmail services to 24 countries across the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia have been affected after a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran forced flight cancellations to two Gulf states and disrupted transit journeys. A Hongkong Post spokesman said on Sunday evening that the department’s airmail services to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were suspended with immediate effect until further notice. “Airmail services transiting through these locations will also be... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3345053/hongkong-posts-airmail-services-24-countries-affected-strikes-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3345053/hongkong-posts-airmail-services-24-countries-affected-strikes-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 15:45:39 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage From a satellite ground station in Namibia to an Egyptian laboratory in orbit, China has been building the hi-tech backbone of Africa’s space ambitions. Earlier this month, Beijing handed over a new satellite data ground station near Windhoek, Namibia – the latest in a growing network of space facilities across the continent built by China or with Chinese funding. The China-funded ground station at Windhoek’s Telecom Earth Station enables Namibia to process remote-sensing data from satellites,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344266/how-china-building-hi-tech-backbone-africas-space-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344266/how-china-building-hi-tech-backbone-africas-space-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 04:00:14 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Abandoned for months on their fishing boat off West Africa, Indonesian sailor Surono and his shipmates face a dilemma: return home without almost a year’s wages or stay on the docked vessel. He is among a growing number of migrant workers abandoned by shipowners, who flout their obligations and desert crews without paying the salaries owed. “My family cries because I can’t get any money. My children and wife need money to eat,” Surono, 47, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, said from... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342881/bitter-choice-indonesian-sailors-abandoned-africa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342881/bitter-choice-indonesian-sailors-abandoned-africa?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 05:03:21 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo The late president of Namibia Hage Geingob once lectured Norbert Lammert, the former president of the German parliament, about China’s pragmatic foreign aid and business approaches in contrast to Western arrogance and dominance, in a video clip that went viral. “Every time a Westerner comes, it’s all about the Chinese,” he said. “Why does it become your problem, heh! It looks like it’s more a European problem than our problem. You feel sorry for us? We will handle our own country …” Germany, of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3333863/how-china-goes-toe-toe-west-and-softly-softly-rest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3333863/how-china-goes-toe-toe-west-and-softly-softly-rest?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Nov 2025 14:15:56 +0000 Reuters Reuters Britain on Monday said it would make refugee status temporary and speed up the deportation of those who arrive illegally, in a major overhaul aimed at stemming the rise of the populist Reform UK party and tackling abuse of the current system. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood outlined changes to how the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) should be interpreted by UK courts to give the government greater control over who can remain in Britain. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, a former human... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3333164/britain-toughens-asylum-policy-major-overhaul-anti-immigration-sentiment-rises?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3333164/britain-toughens-asylum-policy-major-overhaul-anti-immigration-sentiment-rises?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 18:28:24 +0000 Divia Harilela Divia Harilela I have never been to Mars, but I imagine this is what it would look like. It’s been a long, at times arduous journey but after a somewhat terrifying one-hour flight in a cramped four-seater propeller plane, I have arrived at a private airstrip surrounded by nothing except sand and craggy, granite mountains. We are on the eastern edge of the Namib Desert. It very much lives up to its name that in the local Nama language means “an area where there is nothing”. One of the world’s oldest, dating... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3332350/exploring-africas-extremes-luxury-safari-through-namibia-and-botswana?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3332350/exploring-africas-extremes-luxury-safari-through-namibia-and-botswana?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 02:00:17 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong’s legislature has not sent any delegations to Europe or North America over its current four-year term, a first since the city’s return to Chinese sovereignty, the Post has found. Observers said such trips, which were routine in the past, were now seen as high risk and of little value amid geopolitical tensions with the West. However, a lawmaker expressed hope that the next Legislative Council would resume such official visits, arguing that the city could learn from the West, which... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3327924/legco-delegations-shun-west-4-years-first-hong-kong-handover?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3327924/legco-delegations-shun-west-4-years-first-hong-kong-handover?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Oct 2025 03:00:31 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan As the world’s two largest economies drift further apart, Malaysia’s top trade official has reached a sobering conclusion about what that means for Southeast Asia: businesses must build not one, but “two kitchens” to survive. “Our factories, our companies have to start preparing for having two kitchens,” Tengku Zafrul Aziz told This Week in Asia – an allusion to the reality that firms must now simultaneously cater to both American and Chinese demands and their increasingly divergent rules. The... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3327816/malaysia-touts-2-kitchens-solution-us-china-trade-war-we-have-no-choice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3327816/malaysia-touts-2-kitchens-solution-us-china-trade-war-we-have-no-choice?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Oct 2025 00:00:16 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Less than three weeks before the US port fee targeting China-built or China-operated vessels is scheduled to take effect, some major carriers have begun adjusting their vessel deployment to avoid or absorb the extra cost rather than resorting to imposing a surcharge on clients – at least initially. “On the transpacific, there are early signs of a reduction in the deployment of Chinese-built vessels,” shipping consultancy Sea Intelligence said in a report last week. After tracking vessel... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3326952/us-port-fee-hits-china-vessels-carriers-are-already-dodging-blow-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3326952/us-port-fee-hits-china-vessels-carriers-are-already-dodging-blow-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Sep 2025 08:00:10 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong rail giant the MTR Corporation has secured a landmark HK$30 billion (US$3.86 million) seven-year syndicated green term loan with the support of 57 banks worldwide, the company has said. The loan is the largest unsecured international syndicated green term loan in Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa ever closed by a Hong Kong firm with a tenor equal or longer than seven years. “With a total of 57 banks involved, the successful completion of the facility demonstrates the market’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3326588/hong-kongs-mtr-corp-secures-hk30-billion-7-year-syndicated-green-term-loan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3326588/hong-kongs-mtr-corp-secures-hk30-billion-7-year-syndicated-green-term-loan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Sep 2025 13:26:20 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun A trade fair in the southern Chinese city of Nanning has become a testing ground for exporters shifting their focus to Southeast Asia. Attracted by the region’s fast-growing economies and young consumers – and facing slowing demand in the West – many Chinese companies see the annual event as a potential gateway to court buyers and expand their overseas footprints. Li Wenqi, a manager at an electric scooter and battery manufacturer in Jiangxi province, is among the exporters seeking new... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3326167/chinese-firms-treat-trade-fair-testing-ground-southeast-asian-market-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3326167/chinese-firms-treat-trade-fair-testing-ground-southeast-asian-market-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Sep 2025 00:00:15 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s attendance at this month’s military parade in Beijing highlighted long-standing ties with China, forged during the African nation’s liberation struggle. More than two dozen world leaders joined the Victory Day event in Tiananmen Square on September 3, when China put its military might on display. Mnangagwa was one of just two leaders from Africa to attend the parade, along with Congo-Brazzaville President Denis Sassou-Nguesso. The following day, when... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325813/china-and-zimbabwe-liberation-struggle-ironclad-friendship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325813/china-and-zimbabwe-liberation-struggle-ironclad-friendship?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Sep 2025 06:00:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Colorful, speckled rocks found on the surface of Mars have offered among the most encouraging evidence yet of ancient life on our neighbouring planet, scientists at Nasa announced Wednesday. The Perseverance Mars rover collected the “Sapphire Canyon” rock samples in July 2024 from what’s thought to be an ancient lake bed, and its poppyseed and leopard-esque spots pointed to potential chemical reactions that piqued the interest of researchers. If the features resulted from microbial activity that... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3325142/speckled-rocks-clearest-sign-yet-ancient-life-mars-nasa-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3325142/speckled-rocks-clearest-sign-yet-ancient-life-mars-nasa-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2025 05:18:57 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday rolled out a multibillion-dollar relief package for businesses battered by tariffs imposed by both the US and China. Carney said his government will invest C$5 billion (US$3.6 billion) through a new fund to help firms adapt, diversify and grow, as well as boost Business Development Bank of Canada loans for small and medium-sized businesses and expand a loan facility for tariff-hit large enterprises. He also said his government would waive 2026 model... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3324575/canadas-carney-unveils-billions-relief-hit-trump-and-china-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3324575/canadas-carney-unveils-billions-relief-hit-trump-and-china-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Sep 2025 18:49:26 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong The Hong Kong government has strongly condemned “smear campaigns” by foreign forces and anti-China media companies in relation to the national security law trial of former newspaper boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, who is expected to return to court on Thursday. Prosecutors and defence lawyers will make their final oral arguments in his high-profile trial. The closing submissions procedure will be the Apple Daily founder’s last appearance at West Kowloon Court before the three presiding High Court... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3321764/hong-kong-slams-smear-campaigns-jimmy-lai-returns-court-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3321764/hong-kong-slams-smear-campaigns-jimmy-lai-returns-court-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Aug 2025 15:50:54 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang Distinguished cancer expert Feng Gensheng has returned to China this month after 40 years in North America, mostly in the United States. Feng, who was promoted to distinguished professor at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) earlier this year, has joined the Shenzhen Bay Laboratory (SZBL), where he will serve as director of the Cancer Research Institute. SZBL is a research platform established by Guangdong province and the southern city of Shenzhen to build leading science and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3321604/cancer-scientist-feng-gensheng-leaves-us-china-trump-cuts-funding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3321604/cancer-scientist-feng-gensheng-leaves-us-china-trump-cuts-funding?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Aug 2025 13:00:13 +0000 Sagina Walyat Sagina Walyat As geopolitical tensions realign global power centres, the trilateral forum of Russia, India and China (RIC) is seeing renewed diplomatic interest. While Moscow has expressed optimism about reviving the grouping and Beijing seems to support the idea, New Delhi has walked a cautious tightrope between signalling openness and managing its strategic autonomy. Against the backdrop of an increasingly transactional and multipolar world, the question arises: Can the elephant, the dragon and the bear... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3320703/can-russia-india-and-china-work-together-stabilise-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3320703/can-russia-india-and-china-work-together-stabilise-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Aug 2025 13:01:40 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage On the outskirts of the Namibian capital Windhoek, a Chinese-funded and built satellite data receiving ground station symbolises China’s growing cooperation in Africa’s nascent space industry. The station was described by the Chinese embassy as “a shining example of China-Namibia cooperation” as they celebrated the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations. In a social media post on July 18 announcing the completion of the satellite facility ahead of time earlier this year, the embassy said it... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3320537/china-built-satellite-station-shining-example-support-namibian-space-programme?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3320537/china-built-satellite-station-shining-example-support-namibian-space-programme?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Aug 2025 12:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US and more than a dozen of its allies on Thursday accused Iran of attempting to kill or kidnap people in Western countries, including dissidents, journalists and officials. “We are united in our opposition to the attempts of Iranian intelligence services to kill, kidnap and harass people in Europe and North America in clear violation of our sovereignty,” the countries said in a joint statement. The governments – of Albania, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3320344/us-and-allies-accuse-iran-covert-overseas-kill-kidnap-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3320344/us-and-allies-accuse-iran-covert-overseas-kill-kidnap-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Jul 2025 19:51:27 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Shanjin International Gold, one of China’s biggest and most profitable gold miners, is planning a new stock offering in Hong Kong to broaden its financing channels and facilitate its overseas expansion. The mining group will select an appropriate timing and offering window to complete the listing plan within 24 months after gaining consent from its shareholders, according to a Hong Kong stock exchange filing on late Monday. The plan would require approvals from all regulatory authorities in... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3319950/ipo-gold-miner-shanjin-plans-hong-kong-listing-amid-record-prices-precious-metal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3319950/ipo-gold-miner-shanjin-plans-hong-kong-listing-amid-record-prices-precious-metal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Jul 2025 06:12:34 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Coca-Cola said on Tuesday it will add a cane-sugar version of its trademark cola to its US line-up this autumn, confirming a recent announcement by US President Donald Trump. Trump said in a social media post last week that Coca-Cola had agreed to use real cane sugar in its flagship product in the US, which has been sweetened with high fructose corn syrup since the 1980s. Coke did not immediately confirm the change, but promised new offerings soon. On Tuesday, Coca-Cola Chairman and CEO James... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3319200/coca-cola-confirms-cane-sugar-version-its-trademark-soda-will-be-sold-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3319200/coca-cola-confirms-cane-sugar-version-its-trademark-soda-will-be-sold-us?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jul 2025 17:57:55 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain When Gulf leaders touched down in Kuala Lumpur for a summit with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this May, the ink was barely dry on their massive investment pledges of some US$2 trillion in the United States to placate President Donald Trump. But as the summit doors closed, the senior officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) turned their attention eastward, towards forging a pan-Asian economic zone reminiscent of Brics that could shield them and Asean from the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3318799/asean-gcc-economic-axis-global-souths-answer-us-volatility?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3318799/asean-gcc-economic-axis-global-souths-answer-us-volatility?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Jul 2025 09:00:10 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Global sales of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles surged 24 per cent in June from a year earlier, driven by strong demand in China and Europe, while the US fell behind, according to the market research firm Rho Motion. A total of 1.8 million battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids were sold last month, the London-based firm said on Tuesday. Sales in China jumped 28 per cent to 1.11 million units, or 60 per cent of the worldwide total, while Europe’s demand rose 23 per... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3318380/china-and-europe-power-24-growth-global-ev-sales-june?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3318380/china-and-europe-power-24-growth-global-ev-sales-june?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Jul 2025 04:21:28 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Mark Magnier Khushboo Razdan,Mark Magnier US President Donald Trump said he would slap a 35 per cent tariff on many goods coming from Canada, marking a dramatic escalation of trade tensions with America’s closest neighbour and long-term ally. In a pointed letter addressed to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and shared on his social media account Thursday, Trump argued that “instead of working with the United States, Canada retaliated with its own Tariffs”. “Starting August 1, 2025, we will charge Canada a Tariff of 35% on Canadian... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3317786/trump-says-35-tariffs-be-imposed-canada-floats-higher-blanket-rates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3317786/trump-says-35-tariffs-be-imposed-canada-floats-higher-blanket-rates?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jul 2025 01:56:30 +0000 Igor Patrick,Khushboo Razdan Igor Patrick,Khushboo Razdan Brics leaders have adopted a new declaration calling for the United Nations to take the lead in setting global rules for artificial intelligence, arguing that the fast-growing technology must not deepen inequalities between developed and developing nations. The statement, agreed late on Sunday at the summit in Rio de Janeiro, described AI as a “unique opportunity” for driving inclusive growth, innovation and sustainability but warned that without fair governance it could widen the digital... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317167/brics-push-un-take-lead-setting-rules-artificial-intelligence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317167/brics-push-un-take-lead-setting-rules-artificial-intelligence?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2025 01:01:56 +0000 Igor Patrick,Khushboo Razdan Igor Patrick,Khushboo Razdan Brics leaders meeting in Rio de Janeiro condemned recent bombing campaigns against Iran on Sunday, calling the strikes a “violation of international law” and “deliberate attacks” on civilian infrastructure, but avoided direct mentions of the US and Israel. The joint declaration, coming against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump’s threats to impose tariffs of 100 per cent on imports from Brics countries, underscored an apparent effort to state the members’ position without directly... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317159/brics-leaders-set-condemn-strikes-iran-avoid-direct-mention-us-israel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317159/brics-leaders-set-condemn-strikes-iran-avoid-direct-mention-us-israel?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Jul 2025 17:02:36 +0000 Harvey Kong Harvey Kong Hong Kong should develop new markets in Africa and South America as it faces obstacles in its traditional ones in Europe and North America, the head of the city’s trade promotion body has said. Trade Development Council chairman Frederick Ma Si-hang also said on Saturday that the city had to increase the size of its exhibition venues, noting that a “lack of space” was Hong Kong’s biggest disadvantage compared with different regions. Ma said that he expected Hong Kong’s exports in the second half... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3316211/hong-kong-should-look-africa-south-america-boost-trade-fred-ma?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3316211/hong-kong-should-look-africa-south-america-boost-trade-fred-ma?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Jun 2025 08:48:37 +0000 Mia Nulimaimaiti Mia Nulimaimaiti Chinese plug-in hybrid electric cars are rapidly flooding the European market, with exports to the bloc rising an extraordinary 600 per cent year on year in May as China’s brands take advantage of an exemption in European Union tariffs. The trend is part of a wider boom in sales of Chinese passenger plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), with China’s overall exports of the cars soaring 127 per cent year on year in May, according to data released on Monday by the China Automobile Dealers... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3315797/chinas-plug-hybrid-exports-spike-wake-eu-tariff-exemption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3315797/chinas-plug-hybrid-exports-spike-wake-eu-tariff-exemption?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Jun 2025 10:00:20 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Several Chinese ambassadors from West African nations have bid farewell to their host countries in recent weeks. While some analysts suggest their departure could be routine rotations for diplomats, one said it could be a subtle message sent to Sahelian regimes amid rising tensions over resource nationalism and security concerns. In Senegal, a new Chinese ambassador, Li Zhigang, was welcomed in May, replacing Xiao Han, who had served for around four years. In Guinea, Huang Wei is concluding his... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3315190/routine-or-rising-tensions-chinese-ambassadors-exodus-west-african-nations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3315190/routine-or-rising-tensions-chinese-ambassadors-exodus-west-african-nations?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Jun 2025 02:00:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A meeting between Iran’s foreign minister and top European diplomats on Friday yielded hopes of further talks but no indication of any immediate concrete breakthrough, a week after the crisis centred on the Iranian nuclear programme erupted into war between Israel and Tehran. Foreign ministers from Britain, France and Germany, as well as the European Union’s foreign policy chief, emerged from talks at a Geneva hotel about 3½ hours after Iran’s Abbas Araghchi arrived for the meeting. It was the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3315308/europeans-meeting-top-iranian-diplomat-yields-hope-more-talks-no-breakthrough?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3315308/europeans-meeting-top-iranian-diplomat-yields-hope-more-talks-no-breakthrough?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Jun 2025 19:54:41 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo There was a prescient headline in The Onion, the satirical publication, which read: “CIA uncovers Chinese plot to just sit back and enjoy collapse of United States.” And a photo caption said: “CPC president Xi Jinping actively engaged in the aggressive observation of American decay.” It first appeared in 2014, but it’s even truer today. Look at the big messes Donald Trump has made at home and abroad. Another “forever war”, over Iran this time? China’s foreign initiatives in recent years have... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3314960/new-world-order-greater-china-russia-and-israel-smaller-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3314960/new-world-order-greater-china-russia-and-israel-smaller-us?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Jun 2025 13:29:40 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Violeta Chamorro, who brought peace to Nicaragua after decades of war and was the first woman elected president in the Americas, died on Saturday at the age of 95, her family said. Chamorro, who led the Central American country from 1990 to 1997, “died in peace, surrounded by the affection and love of her children,” said a statement issued by her four children. As president, Chamorro managed to bring to an end a civil war that had raged for much of the 1980s as US-backed rebels known as the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3314480/violeta-chamorro-who-brought-peace-nicaragua-dead-95?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3314480/violeta-chamorro-who-brought-peace-nicaragua-dead-95?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Jun 2025 17:53:23 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem A recent case of a Chinese militia vessel running aground on a strategic island in the disputed South China Sea has raised concerns from the Philippine side of another wave of so-called grey-zone activities by Beijing, even as Manila’s officials acknowledge the incident could be down to inclement weather. Observers point to the Philippines having adopted the same strategy to stake claim over the Second Thomas Shoal when it permanently grounded the war vessel BRP Sierra Madre in 1999. The recent... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3314094/grounded-chinese-ship-near-philippine-held-island-sparks-concerns-more-grey-zone-tactics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3314094/grounded-chinese-ship-near-philippine-held-island-sparks-concerns-more-grey-zone-tactics?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Jun 2025 04:00:15 +0000 Cannix Yau Cannix Yau Hong Kong Airlines will launch flights to Urumqi in far western China in August and to Melbourne later, after making an ambitious comeback from a debt crisis three years ago and recording a 60 per cent year-on-year rise in passenger numbers in 2024. In an exclusive interview with the Post, airline president Jeff Sun Jianfeng said the airline, once struggling with losses and debts, had returned to profitability in 2023 after Hong Kong opened up to post-Covid international travel. He also noted... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3312797/hong-kong-airlines-open-routes-urumqi-melbourne-after-overcoming-debt-woes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3312797/hong-kong-airlines-open-routes-urumqi-melbourne-after-overcoming-debt-woes?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Jun 2025 00:30:06 +0000 Sammy Heung Sammy Heung In a makeshift hospital ward in Rafah, Gaza, reserved for the most severely wounded and dying patients, Hong Kong nurse Walter Leung Wai-yin, 66, walked up to a woman who had lost part of her face in an explosion. The woman was classified as a “blue case”, indicating catastrophic injuries and considered beyond saving. Medical professionals instead shift to end-of-life care, focusing on reducing pain with the heaviest dosage of morphine. “Her skull was gone and her brain was visible. Blood was... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3312578/sichuan-quake-gaza-war-hong-kong-nurse-wins-top-medal-life-saving-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3312578/sichuan-quake-gaza-war-hong-kong-nurse-wins-top-medal-life-saving-work?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 May 2025 06:52:57 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam K-pop sensation Blackpink will hold two shows at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Stadium in what appears to be the finale of the girl group’s “Deadline” world tour in January next year. The group last appeared in the city for three sold-out shows at AsiaWorld-Expo in 2023. According to details released by K-pop agency YG Entertainment on Tuesday, the world tour will commence in July in Goyang, South Korea, and is set to conclude with two shows in Hong Kong on January 24 and 25. The four-member girl group,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3311938/blackpinks-deadline-world-tour-conclude-hong-kongs-kai-tak-stadium?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3311938/blackpinks-deadline-world-tour-conclude-hong-kongs-kai-tak-stadium?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 May 2025 05:51:56 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren The Hong Kong stock exchange is set to be inundated with initial public offerings (IPOs) in coming months after Chinese electric vehicle (EV) battery king CATL’s bumper listing further whetted global investors’ appetite for Asian markets, according to JPMorgan Chase. The local bourse, buoyed by regulators’ efforts to promote fundraising, has made a strong comeback this year and is currently leading the race for the title of the world’s busiest IPO market. “There is a strong pipeline of IPOs that... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3311702/hong-kong-ride-ipo-wave-global-investors-pour-jpmorgan-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3311702/hong-kong-ride-ipo-wave-global-investors-pour-jpmorgan-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 May 2025 02:00:11 +0000 Leopold Chen,Kandy Wong,Frank Chen Leopold Chen,Kandy Wong,Frank Chen China’s escalating protests against new US restrictions targeting Chinese-made microchips are a sign of Beijing’s determination not to cede any more ground in its stand-off with Washington over a basket of tech and trade issues, analysts said. The United States last week announced a global ban on the use of advanced artificial intelligence-powered chips made by Chinese companies – the latest in a string of export curbs targeting China’s semiconductor industry. But unlike previous cases, where... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3311594/why-china-fighting-so-hard-against-us-new-chip-ban-and-will-it-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3311594/why-china-fighting-so-hard-against-us-new-chip-ban-and-will-it-work?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 May 2025 13:00:22 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Wars aren’t always fought with missiles and guns. Sometimes, the weapon is water. India demonstrated just how potent that weapon can be this month when it reduced the flow of a tributary to the Indus River, a lifeline for Pakistan’s food security. Weeks earlier, New Delhi had suspended a decades-old water-sharing agreement with its nuclear-armed neighbour in response to a deadly militant attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir. On Tuesday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3309799/water-wars-india-weaponises-rivers-pakistan-thirsts-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3309799/water-wars-india-weaponises-rivers-pakistan-thirsts-security?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 May 2025 00:00:10 +0000 Denise Tsang Denise Tsang Hong Kong has taken another major step towards ensuring a halal-friendly environment with a new certification developed in partnership with a leading business group and a major organisation representing the faith. The Hong Kong Federation of Hong Kong Industries and a top Muslim group signed a memorandum of understanding on Friday focusing on halal-sanctioned products and services. The accord with the Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong will pave the way for setting... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3309807/hong-kong-creates-halal-q-mark-certification-muslims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3309807/hong-kong-creates-halal-q-mark-certification-muslims?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 May 2025 13:32:15 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin Water ice is likely to exist at the moon’s south pole, but it would be fragmented, scattered and buried deep beneath the surface, posing significant challenges for detection and extraction, according to a new study by Chinese researchers. Using powerful Earth-based instruments, including the world’s largest radio telescope and one of the most advanced radar systems, the team estimated that ice made up no more than 6 per cent of the material within the top 10 metres (33 feet) of lunar soil in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3309441/china-fires-powerful-radar-search-lunar-ice-can-make-or-break-moon-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3309441/china-fires-powerful-radar-search-lunar-ice-can-make-or-break-moon-race?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 May 2025 04:00:09 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Chinese robotaxi company Pony.ai is teaming up with US ride-sharing services provider Uber Technologies to launch driverless taxis in the Middle East later this year, as the auto industry’s push for autonomous driving gains momentum. The two companies will first deploy Pony.ai’s robotaxis on Uber’s platform in a key market in the region, according to a joint statement on Tuesday, which did not specify any specific country. There are plans for expansion in more international markets, it added... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3309296/ponyai-uber-offer-robotaxis-middle-east-push-new-markets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3309296/ponyai-uber-offer-robotaxis-middle-east-push-new-markets?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 May 2025 12:15:07 +0000 Former Costa Rican president and Nobel Peace laureate Oscar Arias said he was stripped of his US visa, prompting him to brand the country under Donald Trump an autocracy. The two-time president won the Nobel in 1987 for his efforts to end civil wars in Central America. The former president said he was notified via email on Tuesday morning of the cancellation of his tourist and business visa. The reason was not fully clear, but Arias has been an outspoken critic of Trump’s migrant deportation... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3304956/costa-ricas-nobel-winning-ex-president-loses-us-visa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3304956/costa-ricas-nobel-winning-ex-president-loses-us-visa?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Apr 2025 14:01:11 +0000 China and the Republic of Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, have formulated “a timetable and road map” for how President Xi Jinping’s US$50 billion funding commitment will go into African infrastructure projects over the next three years. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, made the announcement in Brazzaville on Tuesday, on the second stop on his tour of Africa. Speaking to reporters after his meeting with President Denis Sassou Nguesso, Wang said the two countries will host a ministerial... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3294045/china-congo-draw-road-map-xi-jinpings-us50-billion-africa-investment-pledge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3294045/china-congo-draw-road-map-xi-jinpings-us50-billion-africa-investment-pledge?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Jan 2025 11:00:09 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Manulife Financial has promoted its Asia head as group CEO from next year, as Canada’s largest insurer acknowledged the region’s outsize contribution to its global revenue. Phil Witherington, the Asia CEO of Manulife, will take over as group CEO of the Toronto-based insurer from May 8 next year, according to a statement on Tuesday. He will replace Roy Gori, who will retire and serve as an adviser through August 31, it added. Manulife’s board was unanimous in its support for Witherington’s... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3287131/manulife-promotes-asia-ceo-witherington-group-chief-executive-nod-regions-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3287131/manulife-promotes-asia-ceo-witherington-group-chief-executive-nod-regions-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Nov 2024 01:25:09 +0000 SCMP Reporter SCMP Reporter The 2024 Family Business Summit (FBS) concluded in Hong Kong as the principal members of more than 100 wealthy families exchanged views on a broad range of topics with distinguished speakers from different fields. The second day of the by-invitation event kicked off with a discussion about opportunities in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) as Malaysia prepares to assume the rotating chairmanship of the regional bloc. The panel, moderated by the Post’s Executive Managing Editor... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3286932/2024-fbs-summit-wraps-talks-asean-scientific-research-europe-us-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3286932/2024-fbs-summit-wraps-talks-asean-scientific-research-europe-us-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Nov 2024 11:12:14 +0000 From railways and highways to ports and power dams, China has bankrolled most of Angola’s post-war reconstruction over the past two decades. Chinese presence in the South African country became apparent in 2002, when former president Jose Eduardo dos Santos invited Beijing to invest following the end of the 27-year Angolan civil war that devastated the country’s infrastructure and economy. Now, the United States is challenging the dominant Chinese foothold in the region, by betting on a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3286062/could-china-us-rivalry-go-rails-africa-over-resourceful-train-route?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3286062/could-china-us-rivalry-go-rails-africa-over-resourceful-train-route?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Nov 2024 22:00:08 +0000 Salina Li Salina Li Fintech companies from mainland China are setting up their headquarters in Hong Kong, drawn to the city’s accessible capital and robust talent pool, as they attempt to build up their businesses in Asean countries. KN Group, a non-traditional provider of financial data, rented a floor spanning 8,000 sq ft in Taikoo Place, where it has 80 to 100 employees, the company said. It was founded in 2014 and uses an artificial intelligence (AI) risk control model to generate data on consumer behaviour for... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3285749/mainland-chinese-fintech-companies-set-shop-hong-kong-access-asean-markets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3285749/mainland-chinese-fintech-companies-set-shop-hong-kong-access-asean-markets?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Nov 2024 04:15:07 +0000