https://www.scmp.com/rss/519494/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Orange Wang Orange Wang Germany’s defence chief has called on the US to honour its security commitments to the Indo-Pacific and signalled that Berlin will keep raising its military presence in the region. During his visit to Australia this week, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius shared concerns about “dangerous activities” in the South China Sea and sounded an alarm over Beijing’s “close” monitoring of Washington and its allies’ management of the Iran and Ukraine conflicts. “To me, one thing is crystal clear.... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348118/german-defence-minister-urges-strong-us-presence-indo-pacific-amid-china-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348118/german-defence-minister-urges-strong-us-presence-indo-pacific-amid-china-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 09:00:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Canberra banned an Australian citizen with alleged ties to the militant Islamic State (Isis) group from returning home from a detention camp in Syria, the latest development in the case of fraught repatriation of families of Isis fighters. The woman was planning to join another 33 Australians – 10 women and 23 children – and fly on Monday from Damascus, Syria, to Australia, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said on Wednesday. But the group was turned back by Syrian authorities to the Roj... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343932/australian-citizen-syria-alleged-isis-ties-banned-returning-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343932/australian-citizen-syria-alleged-isis-ties-banned-returning-home?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 12:16:32 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Australia and Indonesia’s leaders signed a security deal on Friday, one of a series of agreements that Canberra has secured with neighbouring countries to reinforce ties and limit China’s influence in the region. At a signing ceremony, President Prabowo Subianto met Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who said before he travelled to Jakarta that the pact was a “watershed moment” in ties. It “represents a major extension of our security and defence cooperation and demonstrates that our relationship... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342607/australia-indonesia-sign-deal-extend-security-cooperation-watershed-moment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342607/australia-indonesia-sign-deal-extend-security-cooperation-watershed-moment?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 04:55:37 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Beijing has pledged to step in if Canberra commits to regaining control of a strategic port in northern Australia that is leased to a Chinese firm. Chinese ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian said on Wednesday that Beijing “has the obligation to take measures” to protect the legitimate rights of Chinese companies overseas if the port of Darwin were taken back through a forced sale, according to Australian media reports. During last year’s successful re-election campaign, Australian Prime Minister... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341574/china-will-step-if-australia-moves-regain-control-darwin-port-envoy-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341574/china-will-step-if-australia-moves-regain-control-darwin-port-envoy-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 12:00:39 +0000 Lucy Quaggin,Khushboo Razdan Lucy Quaggin,Khushboo Razdan Australia’s former prime minister and a prominent China scholar, Kevin Rudd, will step down as ambassador to the United States a year ahead of schedule, a move some analysts say underscores a fundamental shift in how Canberra must navigate a Washington increasingly centred on the personal rapport with US President Donald Trump. The resignation follows a period of heightened friction between Rudd and Trump, punctuated by the “America first” leader’s blunt public declaration in October 2025 that... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3339796/not-trump-compatible-china-expert-rudd-exits-australias-us-ambassador-role?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3339796/not-trump-compatible-china-expert-rudd-exits-australias-us-ambassador-role?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 22:28:45 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Nearly 12 years after Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 vanished with 239 people on board, the search for answers to one of aviation’s most haunting riddles resumed on Tuesday in the remote southern Indian Ocean. Armed with cutting-edge deep-sea robots and smarter data, US investigators are scouring the seabed for clues that have eluded governments, experts and grieving families for more than a decade. MH370 took off from Kuala Lumpur just after midnight on March 8, 2014, bound for Beijing on what... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3338232/will-ocean-infinity-finally-solve-flight-mh370-mystery-indian-ocean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3338232/will-ocean-infinity-finally-solve-flight-mh370-mystery-indian-ocean?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Dec 2025 02:30:13 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth met their Australian counterparts on Monday in Washington for annual talks focused on Indo-Pacific security and countering mainland China’s increasing assertiveness in the region, including in the South China Sea and directed at Taiwan. Rubio, Hegseth, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles gathered at the State Department, with many eyes also on the Russia-Ukraine war, a fragile ceasefire in... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3335667/rubio-and-hegseth-discuss-indo-pacific-security-australian-counterparts-washington?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3335667/rubio-and-hegseth-discuss-indo-pacific-security-australian-counterparts-washington?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 20:23:01 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Pentagon said on Thursday it has endorsed the tripartite Aukus security pact with the United Kingdom and Australia, which would involve Canberra’s acquisition of at least three Virginia-class nuclear submarines within 15 years. The administration of Donald Trump said earlier this year it was reviewing a 2021 deal for the nuclear-powered attack submarines signed under his presidential predecessor, Joe Biden. The Department of Defence completed its five-month review, which endorsed the Aukus... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3335291/aukus-submarine-deal-move-full-steam-ahead-after-surviving-trump-review?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3335291/aukus-submarine-deal-move-full-steam-ahead-after-surviving-trump-review?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 05:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Snapchat has begun asking teenage Australians to verify their ages, the company said on Monday, just weeks before Canberra enforces sweeping laws banning under-16s from social media. From December 10, Australia will force social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, to remove users under the age of 16 or face hefty fines. “Starting this week, many users will be asked to verify their age to continue accessing Snapchat,” the company said. Users will be able to do so using an... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3333875/snapchat-makes-australian-teens-verify-age-social-media-ban-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3333875/snapchat-makes-australian-teens-verify-age-social-media-ban-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:37:43 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Australia signalled lingering unease on Thursday over whether Russia may seek access to an airbase in eastern Indonesia, stressing that Jakarta has an obligation to consult Canberra on matters affecting regional security. Foreign Minister Penny Wong was pressed over reports earlier this year that Moscow was looking for entry points in Indonesia’s Papua region, about 1,400km (870 miles) north of Darwin. Indonesia has publicly ruled out such access, but Wong noted the close ties between Moscow and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3332594/russian-airbase-unease-hangs-over-australia-indonesia-defence-treaty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3332594/russian-airbase-unease-hangs-over-australia-indonesia-defence-treaty?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 05:52:54 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Australia and Japan could serve as “core” members of potential US-led pre-emptive sanctions to deter Beijing from launching a military attack on Taiwan if Washington considers the threat imminent, according to an influential American think tank. Researchers from the Rand Corporation said that if the United States expected war to break out across the Taiwan Strait “within an ensuing three to six months”, it was possible Washington would put in place economic restraints “pre-emptively in a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332235/modelling-taiwan-war-shows-us-could-recruit-australia-japan-sanctions-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332235/modelling-taiwan-war-shows-us-could-recruit-australia-japan-sanctions-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 12:02:42 +0000 Frank Chen,Mandy Zuo Frank Chen,Mandy Zuo Less than a week after a high-profile summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump – a meeting that cooled the trade conflict between Beijing and Washington after months of heated recriminations – American exhibitors are expected to be more visible at this year’s China International Import Expo (CIIE). More than a dozen agricultural producers from US breadbasket regions will display their wares at a special pavilion at the high-profile trade show, and several of the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3331499/after-xi-trump-summit-us-firms-seize-window-opportunity-china-import-expo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3331499/after-xi-trump-summit-us-firms-seize-window-opportunity-china-import-expo?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 23:00:09 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Australia has secured backing from US President Donald Trump on two critical fronts through a new minerals investment deal and the future of the Aukus submarine pact, a development that analysts have said represents a major win for Canberra’s geopolitical status and economic security. During Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to the White House on Monday, the two countries signed a critical minerals agreement aimed at reducing their dependency on dominant supplier China and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330097/australia-scores-big-win-us-critical-minerals-deal-aukus-commitment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330097/australia-scores-big-win-us-critical-minerals-deal-aukus-commitment?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 00:00:19 +0000 Yuanyue Dang,Seong Hyeon Choi Yuanyue Dang,Seong Hyeon Choi Beijing is likely to view the growing defence cooperation between India, South Korea and Australia as a strategic effort to contain China in the Indo-Pacific, according to analysts. They said closer defence ties between the three reflected concerns over a possible security vacuum in case the United States reduced its military presence in the region. The Indian naval vessel Sahyadri docked at Busan naval port in South Korea on October 13, according to a statement from India’s Ministry of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3329978/counterweight-or-containment-how-china-views-defence-ties-between-asia-pacific-allies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3329978/counterweight-or-containment-how-china-views-defence-ties-between-asia-pacific-allies?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 04:00:08 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi,Zhao Ziwen Seong Hyeon Choi,Zhao Ziwen China and Australia exchanged accusations on Monday after an encounter over the disputed South China Sea, with the PLA’s Southern Theatre Command Air Force saying that it drove away a P-8A military aircraft that illegally intruded into Chinese airspace. “The People’s Liberation Army Southern Theatre Command organised naval and air forces to track and monitor the intruder in accordance with regulations, implement effective countermeasures, and issue warnings to drive it away,” Senior Colonel Li... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3329696/china-australia-trade-blame-after-pla-jet-releases-flares-mid-air-encounter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3329696/china-australia-trade-blame-after-pla-jet-releases-flares-mid-air-encounter?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Oct 2025 11:06:02 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Pacific Island leaders issued a call for an “ocean of peace” on Wednesday, urging respect for their sovereignty at a summit clouded by China’s alleged meddling and great power competition in the strategically vital region. After a day of largely closed-door talks in the Solomon Islands capital of Honiara, the 18 Pacific Islands Forum leaders endorsed a Fiji-backed push for a statement proclaiming the region’s cohesion and its desire for peace and climate action. A heavy police presence guarded... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3325042/pacific-islands-leaders-call-ocean-peace-forum-after-china-claims-make-waves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3325042/pacific-islands-leaders-call-ocean-peace-forum-after-china-claims-make-waves?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 09:15:21 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Australia will invest A$1.7 billion (US$1.1 billion) to develop and manufacture a long-range autonomous vehicle, known as “Ghost Shark”, as the nation boosts its naval capabilities, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said. Ghost Shark will be built under a contract with Anduril Australia, Marles told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday, flanked by Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy and the CEO of Anduril Australia. “This is the highest tech capability in the world,” Marles added. “It... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3324969/australia-dives-deep-us11-billion-purchase-ghost-shark-autonomous-submarines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3324969/australia-dives-deep-us11-billion-purchase-ghost-shark-autonomous-submarines?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 02:40:11 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Australia’s public broadcaster said on Thursday it will again base a correspondent in China, five years after two journalists fled the country under diplomatic protection as bilateral ties soured. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) Bill Birtles and Australian Financial Review correspondent Michael Smith were rushed out of the country in September 2020 after Chinese police conducted midnight raids on their homes and sought to question them. The broadcaster said it had been “eager to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3323539/australia-china-ties-abc-resumes-beijing-bureau-after-5-years-xi-albanese-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3323539/australia-china-ties-abc-resumes-beijing-bureau-after-5-years-xi-albanese-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Aug 2025 12:43:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Australia on Wednesday dismissed suggestions by Israel that its interventions prompted Canberra to expel Iran’s ambassador as it blamed Tehran for directing at least two antisemitic arson attacks in the country’s biggest cities, Sydney and Melbourne. “Complete nonsense,” Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke told ABC Radio when asked about Israel claiming credit for Australia’s decision to order Tehran’s ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi to leave the country. “There was not a minute between us receiving this... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3323277/australia-furious-after-israel-claims-credit-iran-envoy-expulsion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3323277/australia-furious-after-israel-claims-credit-iran-envoy-expulsion?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Aug 2025 03:35:07 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Australia and the Philippines’ push to finalise an “enhanced defence cooperation” agreement by next year underscores how regional allies are accelerating security coordination in response to China’s growing assertiveness in contested waters, a shift analysts say could reshape strategic dynamics in the South China Sea. The talks were announced during a Friday press conference in Manila, where Australian Deputy Prime Minister and defence chief Richard Marles and Philippine Defence Secretary... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3323161/australia-philippines-forge-defence-pact-counter-beijings-south-china-sea-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3323161/australia-philippines-forge-defence-pact-counter-beijings-south-china-sea-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Aug 2025 06:09:01 +0000 Reuters Reuters Israel’s foreign minister on Monday said he had revoked the visas of Australian diplomats to the Palestinian Authority, following a decision by Canberra to recognise a Palestinian state and cancel an Israeli lawmaker’s visa. The Australian government said it had cancelled the visa of a lawmaker from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition who had advocated against Palestinian statehood and called for Israel to annex the occupied West Bank. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3322281/israel-revokes-visas-australian-diplomats-over-palestinian-recognition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3322281/israel-revokes-visas-australian-diplomats-over-palestinian-recognition?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Aug 2025 15:08:55 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang The US appears to be strengthening its allied deterrence against China by deploying its Dark Eagle hypersonic missile, a move that could “further intensify” regional rivalry, Chinese experts have warned. The United States Army Pacific, a service component for America’s Indo-Pacific Command, confirmed on the weekend that it had deployed a Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) system – commonly referred to as Dark Eagle – to Australia’s Northern Territory as part of the three-week Talisman Sabre... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3320992/us-debuts-dark-eagle-hypersonic-australia-china-mind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3320992/us-debuts-dark-eagle-hypersonic-australia-china-mind?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Aug 2025 01:30:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison will testify at a US House panel hearing on Wednesday about countering China’s “economic coercion against democracies,” the committee said on Friday. Former US ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel will also testify before the House Select Committee on China. Relations with China, already rocky after Australia banned Huawei from its 5G broadband network in 2018, cooled further after Canberra called for an independent investigation into the origins of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3318853/ex-australian-pm-morrison-address-chinas-economic-coercion-us-house-panel-hearing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3318853/ex-australian-pm-morrison-address-chinas-economic-coercion-us-house-panel-hearing?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Jul 2025 09:35:08 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou A month after US President Donald Trump cancelled talks with Anthony Albanese, China rolled out the red carpet for the Australian leader this week. In Beijing, he had a two-hour meeting with President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People. Albanese’s fiancee, Jodie Haydon, joined the lunch that followed. He held separate talks with Premier Li Qiang, and they co-chaired a CEO round table attended by nearly 30 Chinese and Australian business executives. At the banquet hosted by Li that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3318724/albaneses-china-trip-shows-stiffening-canberras-spine-face-us-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3318724/albaneses-china-trip-shows-stiffening-canberras-spine-face-us-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Jul 2025 22:00:11 +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. US-China trade deal may resemble phase 1 pact from Trump’s first term: ex-official The US-China deal under negotiation is likely to bear similarities to the phase one trade agreement from Donald Trump’s first term, according to a former senior official in that administration – offering clues to what the highly anticipated pact may look like just weeks... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3318623/us-china-trade-deal-clues-emirates-flight-diverted-taiwan-scmp-daily-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3318623/us-china-trade-deal-clues-emirates-flight-diverted-taiwan-scmp-daily-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Jul 2025 13:15:08 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines is taking part for the first time in Australia’s largest bilateral military exercises with the United States, joining thousands of troops from across the region for war games running until July 27. Analysts say the move reflects Manila’s broader strategy of reinforcing defence ties, not just with Washington but also with like-minded regional powers, as US allies increasingly seek to diversify their security relationships and assert greater strategic autonomy amid uncertainty over... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3318615/philippines-debut-australia-us-war-games-new-normal-regional-defence-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3318615/philippines-debut-australia-us-war-games-new-normal-regional-defence-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Jul 2025 10:30:44 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong When Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrives in China next week for his second official visit, he will have more than the typical diplomatic niceties to discuss with President Xi Jinping. A major task on Albanese’s agenda, besides routine topics like trade, will be to explain his country’s stance on Chinese investment – in particular, addressing the controversy over the ownership and potential government-influenced sale of the Darwin Port – the Post has learned from sources with... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3317184/australias-albanese-address-darwin-port-sale-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3317184/australias-albanese-address-darwin-port-sale-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2025 04:00:17 +0000 Genevieve Donnellon-May Genevieve Donnellon-May Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s coming visit to China later this summer presents a timely chance to reframe Australia–China relations through an increasingly vital lens: climate cooperation. With bilateral ties having largely stabilised since 2022 and a joint Australia–Pacific bid for the 2026 UN climate summit under way, climate action offers a promising platform for stronger engagement. The rationale for cooperation is clear. Australia possesses vast reserves of critical minerals... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3316466/climate-action-china-aligns-australias-security-needs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3316466/climate-action-china-aligns-australias-security-needs?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Jul 2025 12:30:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Just when frayed relations between Beijing and Canberra are on the mend, Australia’s efforts to balance a security relationship with the United States and its trading relationship with China have hit a snag. China has intervened in a move to unwind Chinese control of a strategic asset – Darwin port on Australia’s northern border. The case has the potential for another flare-up similar to that over the proposal by Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison Holdings to sell off container ports including two... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3312166/port-storm-threat-china-australia-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3312166/port-storm-threat-china-australia-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 May 2025 22:45:07 +0000 US President Joe Biden’s absence from key Southeast Asian summits this week has raised concerns over Washington’s commitment to the region, though some analysts say it is a shift in strategy towards bilateral and multilateral partnerships rather than reduced engagement. Biden will be notably absent from the US-Asean summit and the East Asia summit in Laos that both begin on Friday, in his second consecutive year of absence. Vice-President Kamala Harris attended the summits last year, and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3282064/biden-skips-southeast-asia-summits-us-losing-influence-region?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3282064/biden-skips-southeast-asia-summits-us-losing-influence-region?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Oct 2024 05:30:44 +0000 A self-described Nazi will become the first person in Australia sentenced to prison for performing an outlawed Nazi salute when a magistrate sets his term next month. Magistrate Brett Sonnet told Jacob Hersant on Wednesday he will be sentenced to a “relatively modest term of imprisonment” at his next court appearance. “It will not be a severe term of imprisonment, but I have not determined the length,” Sonnet said. Sonnet initially intended for Hersant to be taken into custody on Wednesday until... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3281744/australia-jail-self-described-nazi-salute-i-regret-nothing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3281744/australia-jail-self-described-nazi-salute-i-regret-nothing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Oct 2024 13:21:03 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong China’s stocks fell in volatile trading after an underwhelming press conference by the country’s economic planner poured cold water on two weeks of frenzied buying, raising questions about the strength and durability of the world’s biggest market rally. The Hang Seng Index retreated 1.4 per cent to 20,637.24 in Hong Kong on Wednesday, after starting the day 1.7 per cent higher. The benchmark plunged 9.4 per cent a day earlier in its worst decline since 2008. The Hang Seng Tech Index slipped 1.2... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3281625/chinas-stocks-head-topsy-turvy-day-hang-seng-gains-while-mainland-markets-plunge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3281625/chinas-stocks-head-topsy-turvy-day-hang-seng-gains-while-mainland-markets-plunge?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Oct 2024 02:07:36 +0000 Jiaxing Li Jiaxing Li Hong Kong stocks soared for a sixth day in a row, hitting a 20-month high on mounting speculation China is not done with its stimulus to rescue the market. BlackRock said investors may expect more measures from Beijing to jump-start the ailing economy. The Hang Seng Index jumped 6.2 per cent on Wednesday to the highest level since January 2023, bringing the six-day cumulative gain to 23 per cent. The Tech Index surged 8.5 per cent. A gauge tracking US-listed Chinese stocks rallied 5.5 per cent... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3280741/hong-kong-stocks-surge-sixth-day-blackrock-modestly-overweight-china-shares?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3280741/hong-kong-stocks-surge-sixth-day-blackrock-modestly-overweight-china-shares?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Oct 2024 02:34:32 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Chinese electric vehicle (EV) builder Xpeng will begin exporting its cars to Qatar as it steps up a global expansion effort amid crushing competition in the mainland China market. The Guangzhou-based company signed an agreement with distributor Pioneer Motors on September 10, taking an initial step towards tapping consumer demand for premium electric cars in the Middle Eastern nation, according to a statement. By the end of the year, drivers in Qatar will have the chance to buy several... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3279572/chinese-ev-maker-xpeng-adds-qatar-export-list-amid-price-war-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3279572/chinese-ev-maker-xpeng-adds-qatar-export-list-amid-price-war-home?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Sep 2024 07:00:09 +0000 Hong Kong stocks rose, with the city’s benchmark capping its biggest weekly gain in nearly five months, taking cues from a global rally amid optimism that the US economy will achieve a soft landing. The Hang Seng Index climbed 1.4 per cent to 18,258.57 at the close. It advanced 5.1 per cent this week, delivering the best performance for a five-day period since April 26. The Hang Seng Tech Index also gained 1.4 per cent and the Shanghai Composite Index added less than 0.1 per cent. Among gainers,... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3279232/hong-kong-stocks-head-biggest-weekly-gain-nearly-5-months?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3279232/hong-kong-stocks-head-biggest-weekly-gain-nearly-5-months?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Sep 2024 02:26:00 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Yutong Bus, the world’s largest electric-bus maker, has unveiled a new technology platform that aims to boost driving ranges and cut operating costs, as it vies for a bigger slice of a growing market amid a decarbonisation push by public transport fleets worldwide. The company, based in Zhengzhou in China’s central Henan province, announced the Asia-Pacific launch of the platform on Tuesday at Australia’s biennial National Bus and Coach show in Brisbane, where it showcased four electric buses.... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3279100/chinas-yutong-worlds-top-electric-bus-maker-touts-new-technology-exports-grow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3279100/chinas-yutong-worlds-top-electric-bus-maker-touts-new-technology-exports-grow?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Sep 2024 07:00:08 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Five of Hong Kong’s major commercial banks cut their prime rates for the first time in almost five years, after the local monetary authority followed the US Federal Reserve in kicking off a rate-cut cycle. Bank of China (Hong Kong), HSBC and its Hang Seng Bank unit will trim their prime lending rates by a quarter percentage point to 5.625 per cent, and cut their savings rate by the same margin to 0.625 per cent per annum for deposits that exceed HK$5,000 (US$640), the banks said in separate... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3278874/hong-kong-cuts-base-rate-half-point-lockstep-us-feds-aggressive-bid-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3278874/hong-kong-cuts-base-rate-half-point-lockstep-us-feds-aggressive-bid-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Sep 2024 23:00:59 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Chinese stocks rebounded from their lowest levels in more than five years after a holiday break, as investors eagerly awaited a rate decision from the US Federal Reserve. Hong Kong’s market is closed for a public holiday and will resume trading on Thursday. The CSI 300 Index added 0.4 per cent to 3,171.01 at the close. On Friday, it closed at its lowest point since January 24, 2019. The Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.5 per cent and the Shenzhen Composite Index retreated 0.2 per cent. Mainland... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3278947/chinas-stocks-hover-around-5-year-low-trading-resumes-after-holiday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3278947/chinas-stocks-hover-around-5-year-low-trading-resumes-after-holiday?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Sep 2024 02:29:06 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao Investors are favouring student housing, co-living and serviced apartments among top assets in the emerging living sector in Asia-Pacific as growth in traditional areas like offices and logistics wanes, according to property consultancy CBRE. These assets remained underinvested in the region and have the potential to deliver better returns as investors look to hedge against inflation, it said. Rising demand from expatriates and low home ownership levels are also aiding the market fundamentals,... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3278763/student-housing-serviced-apartments-are-favour-offices-logistics-lose-shine-cbre?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3278763/student-housing-serviced-apartments-are-favour-offices-logistics-lose-shine-cbre?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Sep 2024 04:01:08 +0000 Jiaxing Li Jiaxing Li Hong Kong stocks advanced as local developers rallied ahead of an expected rate cut from the Federal Reserve, as appliance maker Midea Group surged on its trading debut. The Hang Seng Index jumped 1.4 per cent to 17,660.02 on Tuesday, the biggest single-day gain since August 16, taking the gauge to a two-week high. The Tech Index gained 1.2 per cent. Mainland markets are closed for a holiday. E-commerce giant Alibaba jumped 1 per cent to HK$82.85, food delivery platform Meituan rallied 1.7 per... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3278802/hong-kong-stocks-soar-ahead-expected-fed-rate-cut-midea-surges-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3278802/hong-kong-stocks-soar-ahead-expected-fed-rate-cut-midea-surges-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Sep 2024 02:35:31 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang The monetary authorities of Hong Kong and Macau will establish a direct link between their clearing, settlement, and custodian systems to promote the development of bond markets and deepen financial cooperation under the Greater Bay Area initiative. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) will link its Central Moneymarkets Unit (CMU) to the central securities depository unit under the Macau Central Securities Depository and Clearing for investors to clear, settle and hold bonds lodged in each... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3278739/hong-kong-link-its-bond-market-macau-create-deeper-bigger-hub-debt-finance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3278739/hong-kong-link-its-bond-market-macau-create-deeper-bigger-hub-debt-finance?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Sep 2024 10:30:11 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Warehouses across China are bulging with grain as a deepening economic crisis takes hold, leaving the world’s farmers to grapple with the prospect of a long-lasting slowdown gripping one of their largest customers. The strain across global markets is already showing. French barley exports to China have been tumbling, and the US has yet to sell a full corn cargo for the new season. Wheat farmers in Australia are likely to be nervous as they prepare to start harvesting their new crop over the... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3278677/chinas-fading-hunger-grain-spells-trouble-world-farmers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3278677/chinas-fading-hunger-grain-spells-trouble-world-farmers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Sep 2024 05:29:06 +0000 Jiaxing Li Jiaxing Li Hong Kong stocks reversed losses to climb for a third day, as lacklustre Chinese economic data spurred hope that Beijing would roll out more stimulus, while the US Federal Reserve’s imminent easing cycle lifted sentiment. The Hang Seng Index gained 0.3 per cent to 17,422.12 on Monday, after losing as much as 1.1 per cent in earlier trading. The Tech Index jumped 0.5 per cent; mainland markets are closed through Tuesday for a holiday. Food delivery platform Meituan advanced 2.8 per cent to... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3278646/hong-kong-stocks-fall-weak-china-data-alibaba-and-tencent-lead-losses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3278646/hong-kong-stocks-fall-weak-china-data-alibaba-and-tencent-lead-losses?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Sep 2024 02:26:28 +0000 Jiaxing Li Jiaxing Li Hong Kong stocks jumped for a second day to a one-week high as mainland developers rallied on speculation about mortgage-rate cuts. The Hang Seng Index added 0.8 per cent to 17,369.09 on Friday, adding to a 0.8 per cent gain on Thursday and narrowing the week’s loss to 0.4 per cent. The Tech Index gained 0.1 per cent while the Shanghai Composite Index dropped 0.5 per cent to a fresh eight-month low. Food delivery platform Meituan added 0.6 per cent to HK$123, smartphone maker Xiaomi added 1.6... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3278339/hong-kong-stocks-rise-speculation-about-mortgage-rate-cuts-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3278339/hong-kong-stocks-rise-speculation-about-mortgage-rate-cuts-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Sep 2024 02:31:54 +0000 Jiaxing Li Jiaxing Li Hong Kong stocks climbed from a one-month low, joining a rally in Asia-Pacific markets amid bullish bets on global rate cuts. Alibaba Group Holding led tech leaders higher on signs of surging demand from mainland-based investment funds. The Hang Seng Index rose 0.8 per cent to 17,240.39 on Thursday, after sliding on Wednesday to the lowest level since August 9. The Tech Index advanced 0.7 per cent, while the Shanghai Composite Index slipped 0.2 per cent to fresh eight-month low. E-commerce... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3278176/alibaba-wuxi-biologics-lead-hong-kong-stock-rebound-fund-inflows-fed-rate-focus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3278176/alibaba-wuxi-biologics-lead-hong-kong-stock-rebound-fund-inflows-fed-rate-focus?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Sep 2024 03:07:54 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang HSBC Holdings emerged as the world’s largest dividend payer during the second quarter of this year, while growth in the Asia-Pacific region lagged behind the rest of the world during the period, according to asset manager Janus Henderson Investors’ latest global dividend index. The largest bank in Europe and Hong Kong topped the dividend-payout list with a total disbursement of US$11.7 billion for the June quarter, aided by a US$4 billion special dividend with proceeds from the sale of its... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3278057/hsbc-tops-nestle-worlds-best-dividend-payer-while-china-mobile-leads-hong-kong-peers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3278057/hsbc-tops-nestle-worlds-best-dividend-payer-while-china-mobile-leads-hong-kong-peers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Sep 2024 01:46:13 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Hong Kong stocks retreated to a one-month low as a slump in crude oil prices revived jitters about the global growth outlook. The Hang Seng Index fell 0.7 per cent to 17,108.71 at the close, the lowest level since August 9. The Hang Seng Tech Index rose less than 0.1 per cent, and the Shanghai Composite Index retreated 0.8 per cent. China Petroleum and Chemical, also known as Sinopec, led the pack of decliners after crude futures tumbled by more than 4 per cent overnight to an almost three-year... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3278029/hong-kong-stocks-dip-1-month-low-amid-slumping-oil-prices-us-presidential-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3278029/hong-kong-stocks-dip-1-month-low-amid-slumping-oil-prices-us-presidential-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Sep 2024 02:27:08 +0000 Jiaxing Li Jiaxing Li Hong Kong stocks edged higher, reversing earlier losses, thanks to a rally from Alibaba and stronger-than-expected export data out of China. The Hang Seng Index added 0.2 per cent at 17,234.09 on Tuesday, after losing as much as 0.4 per cent in earlier trading, to climb out from a three-week low. The Tech Index added 0.4 per cent, while the Shanghai Composite Index added 0.3 per cent to claw out of an eight-month low. Alibaba jumped 4.2 per cent to HK$81.60 after exchanges in Shanghai and... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3277868/hong-kong-stocks-hover-around-3-week-low-ahead-china-trade-data?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3277868/hong-kong-stocks-hover-around-3-week-low-ahead-china-trade-data?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Sep 2024 02:29:55 +0000 Jiaxing Li Jiaxing Li Hong Kong stocks fell to the lowest in three weeks after a poor inflation report from the mainland reinforced concerns about slowdown risks. Citigroup joined other Wall Street banks in snubbing Chinese stocks, citing weak consumption and corporate earnings outlook. The Hang Seng Index retreated 1.4 per cent to 17,196.96 on Monday, a level last seen on August 15. The Tech Index declined 1.5 per cent, while the Shanghai Composite Index slipped 1.1 per cent to an eight-month low. E-commerce leader... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3277712/hong-kong-stocks-hit-3-week-low-china-inflation-data-fuels-worries-about-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3277712/hong-kong-stocks-hit-3-week-low-china-inflation-data-fuels-worries-about-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Sep 2024 02:43:48 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Chinese stocks traded at a seven-month low after a hint at more monetary easing from the nation’s central bank intensified concerns about the growth outlook. Hong Kong’s market did not trade Friday because of a typhoon. The Shanghai Composite Index dropped 0.8 per cent to 2,765.81 at the close, its lowest level since February 5. The benchmark fell 2.7 per cent this week, making for a third weekly loss. The CSI 300 Index also lost 0.8 per cent, while the Shenzhen Composite Index slid 1.6 per... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3277409/chinese-stocks-advance-pbocs-hint-easing-hong-kong-closed-due-typhoon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3277409/chinese-stocks-advance-pbocs-hint-easing-hong-kong-closed-due-typhoon?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Sep 2024 02:32:15 +0000