https://www.scmp.com/rss/520950/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Zhang Tong Zhang Tong A Chinese deep-sea mission has successfully tested an advanced device capable of cutting through underwater structures such as submarine cable at a depth of thousands of metres. The “Haiyang Dizhi 2” research vessel completed its first deep-sea scientific mission of 2026 on Saturday, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources. The expedition included a cutting test of a deep-sea electro-hydrostatic actuator at a depth of 3,500 metres (11,483 feet), using technology that has drawn attention... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350174/china-tests-submarine-cable-cutter-3500-metre-depth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350174/china-tests-submarine-cable-cutter-3500-metre-depth?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:01:06 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela As electric vehicle (EV) use surges globally, scientists have raised concerns about the performance of such batteries in high temperatures, including the possible impact of climate change on their usable lifespan. But a study published this month by researchers in China and the US has found that major advances in EV battery technologies will mitigate the impact of future warming. They studied the impact by creating an advanced model that captures future climate change and EV battery degradation... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347672/does-climate-change-accelerate-ev-battery-ageing-not-so-fast-researchers-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347672/does-climate-change-accelerate-ev-battery-ageing-not-so-fast-researchers-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 05:10:26 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo Ahead of China’s annual legislative meetings – typically a window into Beijing’s top-level policy agenda – this is the third entry in a series examining the complex economic recalibration driving China’s growth philosophy and its wide-ranging implications for local governments, financial investors and private enterprises. In China’s eastern province of Zhejiang, a sprawling laboratory for Beijing’s “common prosperity” campaign to reduce income inequality, statistics suggest success: between 2021... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344302/how-china-could-narrow-tech-hubs-income-gap-and-avoid-silicon-valleys-fate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344302/how-china-could-narrow-tech-hubs-income-gap-and-avoid-silicon-valleys-fate?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 02:00:12 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A new type of partner is heading towards becoming the next big thing in China’s dating market – so-called hunter-style lovers. This does not mean they work as hunters or see their dates as prey, but instead bring their lovers “prey” in the form, for instance, of tasty snacks they receive at work or beautiful items they discover on the street. According to Chinese social media users, the value of the “prey” does not matter. Even a milk tea costing less than 20 yuan (US$3), or even a cost-free... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3343124/china-dating-scene-sees-rise-hunter-style-lovers-known-attentiveness-and-caring-nature?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3343124/china-dating-scene-sees-rise-hunter-style-lovers-known-attentiveness-and-caring-nature?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 01:00:10 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou The South China Sea continues to act as a lightning rod for competing claims among regional powers. In the first of a three-part series, Laura Zhou examines how a new conservation framework is being leveraged to advance territorial ambitions within these highly contested waters. Amid simmering tensions in the South China Sea, a likely new legal and diplomatic battlefield has emerged. Two decades in the making, the High Seas Treaty, also known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342892/will-new-high-seas-treaty-open-fresh-front-line-south-china-sea-disputes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342892/will-new-high-seas-treaty-open-fresh-front-line-south-china-sea-disputes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 22:00:09 +0000 Ni Tao Ni Tao Hangzhou’s space industry got off to a flying start in 2026. On January 7, China’s leading private rocket firm Space Epoch broke ground on a medium-to-large liquid rocket assembly, testing and reuse facility in Hangzhou’s Qiantang district. Basing this in the port city allows the rockets to be transported by sea to launch areas in the East China Sea and recovered the same way. Logistics alone do not explain the decision. Space Epoch is plugging into an industrial ecosystem Hangzhou has been... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341303/how-hangzhous-tech-ecosystem-nurtures-dragons-and-rockets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341303/how-hangzhous-tech-ecosystem-nurtures-dragons-and-rockets?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik People carrying a specific gene mutation could have a significantly higher risk of developing the respiratory condition asthma, according to Chinese scientists who have created a detailed immune cell atlas. The team has mapped how genetic variations influence immune cell function and disease development, creating a tool to help researchers understand how particular gene variations make people more likely to develop certain diseases and potentially guide the development of precise treatments,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3340553/asthma-has-no-cure-some-risk-written-gene-china-team-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3340553/asthma-has-no-cure-some-risk-written-gene-china-team-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 06:00:22 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara A bullish Coleman Wong Chak-lam is promising to “go all in” to achieve a momentous 2026 after an eye-opening training block with three-time grand slam finalist Casper Ruud. Wong, who will launch his season at this week’s Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open, spent a week in Norway with fellow Rafa Nadal Academy alumnus Ruud last month. The Hongkonger reached the US Open third round during a largely progressive 2025, but he is aiming to consistently dwarf that achievement in the image of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3338544/hongkonger-coleman-wong-hungry-major-progress-after-norway-camp-casper-ruud?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3338544/hongkonger-coleman-wong-hungry-major-progress-after-norway-camp-casper-ruud?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jan 2026 11:08:15 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin China is set to break its own record in hypergravity research with a colossal new centrifuge that can spin multi-tonne samples at unmatched intensities. The machine, known as CHIEF1900, was built by Shanghai Electric Nuclear Power Group and shipped to Zhejiang University in eastern China on December 22 for installation. Once up and running, it will allow researchers to compress space and time, recreating catastrophic events such as dam failures and earthquakes inside a laboratory, according to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3338193/china-builds-record-breaking-hypergravity-machine-compress-space-and-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3338193/china-builds-record-breaking-hypergravity-machine-compress-space-and-time?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Dec 2025 04:00:10 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik Chinese scientists have turned allergy into a powerful weapon against cancer to deliver drugs and turbocharge the body’s own immune attack on cancer. The team loaded mast cells – which cause allergic symptoms when they encounter antigens such as seafood and pollen – with anticancer drugs to deliver them into tumours. The researchers said they were working on clinical applications, including exploring its potential combination with existing cancer immunotherapies. The scientists from Zhejiang... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3336725/how-chinese-scientists-turn-annoying-allergy-powerful-weapon-against-cancer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3336725/how-chinese-scientists-turn-annoying-allergy-powerful-weapon-against-cancer?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 06:03:59 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong Imagine a robot that could tie your shoelaces to the perfect degree of tightness, or a robotic hand capable of performing abdominal surgery and then suturing the wound with impeccable precision. You might assume these feats would rely on complex electronic sensors, and yet a breakthrough by Chinese scientists has made it possible for robots to rival the skill of experienced surgeons – even with their “eyes closed” – using just a simple knot. The achievement, by an interdisciplinary team from... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3335515/one-small-step-ai-chinese-scientists-make-giant-leap-humanity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3335515/one-small-step-ai-chinese-scientists-make-giant-leap-humanity?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2025 14:00:12 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang Nigel Slater, former pro-vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge and a distinguished figure in chemical engineering and biopharmaceuticals, has officially embarked on a new chapter in China’s rapidly rising biomedical frontier. The veteran academic, who spent over three decades shaping science and innovation at Cambridge, has joined Zhejiang University in Hangzhou as part of a strategic move fuelled by both personal ambition and global scientific realignment. For Slater, the journey from... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3335143/cambridge-university-ex-vice-chancellor-nigel-slater-joins-chinas-biotech-revolution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3335143/cambridge-university-ex-vice-chancellor-nigel-slater-joins-chinas-biotech-revolution?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Dec 2025 12:00:08 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao China’s Tsinghua University has set up a new cross-disciplinary institute to undertake robotics research, the latest sign of increased academic support from its top universities as the country doubles down on the embodied intelligence competition with the US. The Institute for Embodied Intelligence and Robotics will integrate resources from Tsinghua’s different schools, including automation, mechanical engineering, electronic engineering and computer science. Embodied intelligence is a field of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3334952/chinas-tsinghua-university-sets-research-institute-latest-push-robotics-talent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3334952/chinas-tsinghua-university-sets-research-institute-latest-push-robotics-talent?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:25 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng China is building a talent pipeline for the booming robotics industry, with the country’s top universities launching undergraduate courses in embodied intelligence to support Beijing’s ambitions to overtake the US. Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Zhejiang University were among a batch of seven prestigious universities that had recently applied to add “embodied intelligence” as a new course, China’s education ministry said in November. The new programme was driven by the demands of a national... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3334779/top-chinese-universities-offer-courses-embodied-intelligence-aid-robotics-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3334779/top-chinese-universities-offer-courses-embodied-intelligence-aid-robotics-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 23:00:12 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A law graduate from China’s prestigious Zhejiang University who spent nearly all of his income on his beautiful wife has been dumped by her after he lost his lucrative job. The story of the 43-year-old man, identified as Qianqian, has trended on mainland social media after it was reported by the news outlet 163.com. He had worked as a white-collar worker at a state-owned enterprise in Hangzhou, eastern Zhejiang province, and had a monthly income of 50,000 yuan (US$7,000). Five years ago Qianqian... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3332307/china-law-graduate-works-delivery-driver-after-exs-addiction-luxury-drained-finances?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3332307/china-law-graduate-works-delivery-driver-after-exs-addiction-luxury-drained-finances?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 10:00:14 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng Rising Chinese scepticism towards Western classical history and its scholarly framework has found its latest target in ancient Egyptian treasures, adding an unexpected twist to the two countries’ long-term partnership. From July last year until August this year, the Shanghai Museum hosted a major exhibition on ancient Egypt, marking the first collaboration between a Chinese state-run museum and the Egyptian government. It was the biggest exhibition of Egyptian artefacts staged outside Egypt over... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3328504/why-egypt-draws-fire-when-chinese-question-wests-version-world-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3328504/why-egypt-draws-fire-when-chinese-question-wests-version-world-history?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 07:00:16 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin China’s Tsinghua University has emerged as the world’s top institution in computer science across multiple major global rankings, marking a symbolic shift in a field once dominated by American universities. For the first time, Tsinghua now leads lists ranging from the widely recognised US News Best Global Universities to CSRankings, a system seen as rigorously academic and historically US-centric within the research community. In the latest CSRankings results – which weigh institutions by... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3327633/chinas-tsinghua-university-tops-multiple-global-rankings-computer-science?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3327633/chinas-tsinghua-university-tops-multiple-global-rankings-computer-science?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Oct 2025 07:00:08 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng The death of three prominent young scientists from top Chinese universities in recent months has again put the country’s ambitious science goals and ruthless academic system under scrutiny. While none of their institutions has issued any official statement about the deaths, the cases have once again prompted criticism of China’s flawed talent system, which is characterised by cutthroat competition that can push young academics to the limits. Issues within China’s academic system include an “up... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3325470/or-out-death-bright-young-scientists-highlights-chinas-ruthless-academic-system?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3325470/or-out-death-bright-young-scientists-highlights-chinas-ruthless-academic-system?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Sep 2025 14:00:09 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan University of Hong Kong (HKU) team members have lamented the lack of professionalism in the local ecosystem as the city’s representatives rounded off their debut in the Asian University Basketball League in Hangzhou with another loss on Saturday. Reigning local intercollegiate champions HKU lost 98-78 to hosts Zhejiang University in the placement game to finish with three losses and rank last among the 12 teams. Playing without a host of regular starters because local A1 Division teams did not... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3322936/hong-kong-college-coach-star-blame-system-asian-university-basketball-league-showing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3322936/hong-kong-college-coach-star-blame-system-asian-university-basketball-league-showing?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Aug 2025 02:00:12 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik Corn communicates with its neighbours by releasing a gas that prompts nearby plants to alter their soil, a new study has found. And when corn is densely planted, that can boost defences against pests and predation. But emission of the volatile gas – called linalool – can also reduce maize growth. The international team of scientists who discovered this mechanism says it offers clues on how the release of linalool could be optimised to combat pests and increase yield. The researchers from... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3322624/study-reveals-how-corn-has-evolved-sense-and-respond-environment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3322624/study-reveals-how-corn-has-evolved-sense-and-respond-environment?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 04:00:09 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan China’s next generation have an “incredible platform” to pursue their dreams, former NBA executive Greg Stolt has said as a basketball scholarship was hailed for allowing children to target academic and sporting goals simultaneously. Stolt, who also played professionally in France, Japan and Australia, on Thursday praised the opportunities offered by the Joe Tsai Basketball Scholarship (JTBS) at a training session for local pupils in the mainland Chinese city of Hangzhou. Officials running the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3322668/basketball-or-study-chinese-children-can-pursue-both-incredible-platform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3322668/basketball-or-study-chinese-children-can-pursue-both-incredible-platform?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2025 09:44:46 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A privately run secondary school in China has landed in trouble after it offered a controversial one million yuan (US$140,000) cash reward to a graduate who has been admitted to the prestigious Tsinghua University. In early August, Dajiang International School in Guigang, a small city in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region in southwestern China, held a graduation ceremony for its Class of 2025 students. The cash awards prompted the Guigang Municipal Education Bureau to intervene and stop the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3321690/china-school-hot-water-over-us140000-cash-prize-student-accepted-top-university?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3321690/china-school-hot-water-over-us140000-cash-prize-student-accepted-top-university?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 06:00:11 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Some Chinese universities appear to have distanced themselves from a US researcher invited to their events, after social media users in China took aim at his past remarks on Xinjiang and demanded an explanation from the institutes. The latest in the line of fire is Central South University in Changsha, Hunan province. It has faced a barrage of online criticism since last Tuesday for having hosted Darius Longarino, who is a research scholar at Yale Law School and senior fellow at its Paul Tsai... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3322107/xinjiang-posts-yale-researcher-put-chinese-universities-line-online-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3322107/xinjiang-posts-yale-researcher-put-chinese-universities-line-online-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Aug 2025 10:02:21 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Thanks to its combined strengths in artificial intelligence and manufacturing, China rose two places to rank 19th out of 151 countries in the 2025 Elite Quality Index – a Swiss study that assesses the extent to which national elites create sustainable value for their nations. Singapore topped this year’s rankings, followed by the United States and Switzerland, in the annual report produced by the Foundation for Value Creation Activities in partnership with the University of St. Gallen. Asian... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3322011/china-rises-elite-quality-league-table-ai-investment-booms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3322011/china-rises-elite-quality-league-table-ai-investment-booms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Aug 2025 13:00:08 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China is set to deliver its first domestically developed e-beam lithography tool for commercial use, advancing its chipmaking capabilities and taking a step forward in the race for technological advancement. Lithography systems – among the most sophisticated machines ever created – are crucial for the mass production of chips, though China remains in the very early stages of developing such tools domestically. Named Xizhi after the famed ancient Chinese calligrapher Wang Xizhi, the new machine... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3321887/china-debuts-first-e-beam-lithography-machine-commercial-use-chipmaking-milestone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3321887/china-debuts-first-e-beam-lithography-machine-commercial-use-chipmaking-milestone?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Aug 2025 13:00:15 +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. ‘Absolutely impossible’: how China created super steel for nuclear fusion Chinese scientists have detailed how they created CHSN01 (China high-strength low-temperature steel No 1), deployed it this year in the construction of world’s first fusion nuclear power generation reactor and put China in a leading... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3321515/chinas-super-steel-nuclear-fusion-new-darwin-monkey-computer-7-science-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3321515/chinas-super-steel-nuclear-fusion-new-darwin-monkey-computer-7-science-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Aug 2025 07:33:09 +0000 June Xia June Xia In China’s hottest new basketball league, the players are all amateurs, the mascots are a pair of live chickens riding a remote control Jeep, and the winning teams are presented with plastic bags full of fish. Welcome to the “ZheBA” – an intercity competition in China’s eastern Zhejiang province that has become a national sensation by tapping into the region’s fierce local pride and diverse culture. The contest, officially named the Zhejiang Provincial City Basketball League, features dozens of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320442/passion-pride-and-live-pigs-inside-chinas-booming-local-basketball-league?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320442/passion-pride-and-live-pigs-inside-chinas-booming-local-basketball-league?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Aug 2025 12:00:09 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela Chinese engineers have unveiled the world’s first brain-like computer made up of more than 2 billion artificial neurons. The neuron count of the “Darwin Monkey” approaches that of a macaque and could be used to advance human brain-inspired artificial intelligence (AI), according to its developers at Zhejiang University. The Darwin Monkey is the latest generation of brain-inspired computers produced by Zhejiang University researchers. “This is the world’s first brain-like computer based on a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3320588/how-chinas-new-darwin-monkey-could-shake-future-ai-world-first?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3320588/how-chinas-new-darwin-monkey-could-shake-future-ai-world-first?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Aug 2025 11:00:14 +0000 Stephen Chen Stephen Chen Scientists in northwest China have doubled the service life of high-temperature, high-pressure artillery barrels by refining a chromium plating technique first used by the Chinese military before 200BC. Bronze swords buried with the Terracotta Army of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, remained sharp and untarnished after more than 2,000 years underground. Microscopic analysis revealed a thin layer of chromium salts – just 10 to 15 micrometres thick – on their surfaces, protected by an... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3320219/chinese-scientists-double-artillery-gun-lifespan-2000-year-old-chromium-tech-upgrade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3320219/chinese-scientists-double-artillery-gun-lifespan-2000-year-old-chromium-tech-upgrade?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Aug 2025 14:00:10 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik Amid China’s tech revolution, a new kind of multidisciplinary star is emerging – one who dominates both coding and sport. Wu Yiquan, an artificial intelligence (AI) scientist pioneering legal large language models by day, is also making headlines as a rising provincial basketball sensation. Wu, an assistant professor at the Zhejiang University law school, specialises in developing and training legal large language models for applications in education and research. The 1.8m-tall (5 feet 9 inches)... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3319384/wu-yiquan-chinese-ai-researcher-scoring-big-basketball-court?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3319384/wu-yiquan-chinese-ai-researcher-scoring-big-basketball-court?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jul 2025 22:00:07 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong Chinese scientists have proposed a novel method for producing aerogels that significantly improves their heat resistance and mechanical properties, with potential for use in high-speed aircraft and space exploration, according to a paper published this month in a top journal. Aerogels are lightweight, porous solid materials with extremely low density and exceptional thermal insulation properties. They are widely used for insulation or thermal protection in spacecraft, military equipment and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3319454/chinese-teams-ultratough-aerogel-could-shield-aircraft-new-extremes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3319454/chinese-teams-ultratough-aerogel-could-shield-aircraft-new-extremes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2025 13:50:36 +0000 Nora Mankel Nora Mankel This year, Beijing’s Tsinghua University is up two spots to be just outside the top 10. Peking University and Zhejiang University have also moved up the list, climbing to 25th and 45th respectively. The rankings are the latest list of the Best Global Universities compiled by American media company US News and World Report, which looks at 2,250 top institutions from 105 countries. The assessment focuses exclusively on the overall academic research and reputations of the universities, weighing up... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3318178/talent-gambit-how-us-brain-drain-chinas-brain-gain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3318178/talent-gambit-how-us-brain-drain-chinas-brain-gain?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jul 2025 22:00:07 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Mirror Me, a Chinese start-up, has developed one of the world’s fastest four-legged robots, outperforming those made by market leader Boston Dynamics in some tests. During a live telecast on state-owned China Central Television on Sunday, the one-year-old company’s robot dog – Black Panther II – completed a distance of 100 metres in 13.17 seconds at an athletics track in Wuhan, the capital of central Hubei province. Jin Yongbin, a co-founder of Mirror Me, said in an emailed statement to the Post... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3317262/who-let-dogs-out-chinese-start-mirror-mes-robot-outpaces-boston-dynamics-wildcat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3317262/who-let-dogs-out-chinese-start-mirror-mes-robot-outpaces-boston-dynamics-wildcat?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:00:11 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng Men around the world dealing with sexual impotence have been treated for years with the drug sildenafil, sold under brand names including the well-known Viagra. A new Chinese study now suggests that the drug may perhaps also help to save lives. Sildenafil could combat cancer by strengthening a group of key anti-tumour immune cells, according to the study by researchers from China’s Westlake University, Zhejiang University, Peking Union Medical College and Shanghai Institute of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3316838/chinese-study-uncovers-cancer-fighting-potential-impotence-drugs-viagra?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3316838/chinese-study-uncovers-cancer-fighting-potential-impotence-drugs-viagra?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 10:00:13 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Meta Platforms’ announcement that several prominent Chinese names working in artificial intelligence (AI) would be joining the company has triggered an outpouring of admiration back home, as CEO Mark Zuckerberg races to fill his new Meta Superintelligence Labs (MSL) with top industry talent. Zuckerberg announced the formation of MSL in a memo on Monday, tasking it with developing Meta’s next-generation models, and emphasised the company’s vision of delivering “personal superintelligence”... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3316858/metas-ai-lab-stacked-chinese-talent-drawing-attention-back-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3316858/metas-ai-lab-stacked-chinese-talent-drawing-attention-back-home?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Jul 2025 23:00:08 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang A team led by China’s Nankai University has completed what it calls the world’s first human trial of a brain-computer interface (BCI) implanted via blood vessels, helping a paralysed patient regain limb movement. Unlike the open-skull approach of Elon Musk’s US-based neurotechnology company Neuralink, the Nankai University method reportedly reduces risk and shortens recovery time. This research was led by Professor Duan Feng, vice dean of the university’s medical college, and the interventional... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3316165/can-chinas-brain-tech-make-elons-neuralink-open-skull-surgery-out-date?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3316165/can-chinas-brain-tech-make-elons-neuralink-open-skull-surgery-out-date?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Jun 2025 04:00:14 +0000 Crystal Wu,Sophie Li Crystal Wu,Sophie Li Hangzhou is quickly emerging as China’s new Silicon Valley, home to tech start-ups like AI front runner DeepSeek and humanoid robotics leader Unitree. This video explores how the city has established itself as an innovation hub. SCMP Plus subscribers enjoy early access to selected SCMP videos. https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3313801/how-hangzhous-six-little-dragons-built-new-chinese-tech-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3313801/how-hangzhous-six-little-dragons-built-new-chinese-tech-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Jun 2025 06:10:52 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng The arrest of a Chinese researcher in the United States for allegedly importing an illegal biological pathogen that could kill crops was “politicised” by the US government and could speed up an exodus of Chinese talent from the country, according to some researchers. According to a press release from the US Department of Justice on Tuesday, Jian Yunqing, 33, and her boyfriend, Liu Zunyong, 34, allegedly attempted to smuggle the fungus pathogen Fusarium graminearum into the country. Jian, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3313083/will-chinese-scientist-jian-yunqings-arrest-risk-further-us-talent-exodus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3313083/will-chinese-scientist-jian-yunqings-arrest-risk-further-us-talent-exodus?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Jun 2025 14:26:51 +0000 Alice Li,Ralph Jennings Alice Li,Ralph Jennings They dance, they run, they punch – but they never break a sweat or flinch in pain. China’s humanoid robots are increasingly entering human arenas, participating in real-world sports competitions that expose them to unpredictable, complex environments – and, as analysts note, generate valuable data to advance their development. On Sunday, the world’s first kickboxing contest featuring humanoid robots kicked off in the eastern city of Hangzhou. Four Unitree G1 robots – donning helmets and boxing... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3311985/secret-behind-chinas-bombastic-robot-battles-these-shows-pack-unexpected-punch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3311985/secret-behind-chinas-bombastic-robot-battles-these-shows-pack-unexpected-punch?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 May 2025 00:00:12 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong Chinese scientists have unveiled a new material that could undermine the effectiveness of the new US missile defence system – known as the Golden Dome – proposed by President Donald Trump. The material may be used as a stealth material that is effective against both infrared and microwave detection and could prove suitable for high-speed aircraft and missiles. Modern battlefield surveillance relies heavily on infrared and microwave detection. Infrared systems detect thermal radiation emitted by... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3311539/can-chinas-new-stealth-tech-challenge-trumps-golden-dome?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3311539/can-chinas-new-stealth-tech-challenge-trumps-golden-dome?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 May 2025 12:00:10 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong A Chinese team has developed a unique algorithm that gives first-person-view (FPV) drones the ability to perform autonomous aerobatic manoeuvres, unlocking their full potential to outperform humans in intense flight missions. Details of the feat were published on April 16 in the peer-reviewed journal Science Robotics. Aerobatic flight, as the name suggests, involves high-risk manoeuvres that require unstable postures – movements rarely executed in conventional flight operations for most... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3309556/chinese-algorithm-beats-veteran-human-controller-fpv-drone-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3309556/chinese-algorithm-beats-veteran-human-controller-fpv-drone-race?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 May 2025 04:00:15 +0000 Cassey Lee Cassey Lee Chinese President Xi Jinping’s three-day visit to Malaysia in mid-April has been described in glowing terms by both countries’ leaders. Xi enthused that bilateral ties were entering a “new golden era”, while Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim affirmed that “Malaysia will remain an unwavering and principled friend to China”. The effusive statements from the two leaders undoubtedly signal closer diplomatic and economic cooperation in the future. This is evidenced by the exchange of 31 memorandums of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3309790/will-malaysia-gravitate-further-towards-china-new-golden-era-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3309790/will-malaysia-gravitate-further-towards-china-new-golden-era-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 May 2025 02:30:09 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang A new generation of Chinese entrepreneurs, represented by a group of start-up founders known as the “Fantastic Four”, are reshaping the global technology landscape and helping China in its rivalry with the US. Liang Wenfeng, founder of Hangzhou-based artificial intelligence (AI) start-up DeepSeek, along with Wang Xingxing, Zhang Yiming and Wang Tao, the founders of Unitree Robotics, ByteDance and DJI, respectively, are being hailed for their role in transforming China into a formidable tech... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3300594/chinas-fantastic-four-new-breed-entrepreneurs-reshaping-global-tech-landscape?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3300594/chinas-fantastic-four-new-breed-entrepreneurs-reshaping-global-tech-landscape?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Mar 2025 03:00:14 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai At the beginning of 2025, few were fully optimistic about China’s development prospects in the shadow of the US-China rivalry in trade, tech, security and other aspects. The world’s second-largest economy remained in the doldrums throughout most of 2024 until Beijing launched an array of stimulus policies in September. In the end, GDP expanded 5 per cent from 2023, meeting the official target of “around 5” per cent, according to official data. However, a sluggish job market, a protracted... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3300576/chinese-inspired-ne-zha-2-deepseek-and-tech-trailblazers-see-signs-brighter-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3300576/chinese-inspired-ne-zha-2-deepseek-and-tech-trailblazers-see-signs-brighter-future?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Mar 2025 02:00:10 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang From stiff-limbed dances to Bruce Lee-style whirlwind kicks, China’s humanoid robotics race just took a cinematic turn. Unitree Robotics, the Hangzhou-based firm behind the viral G1 robot, has open-sourced its cutting-edge algorithms and hardware designs, mirroring the collaborative ethos that propelled AI breakthroughs such as DeepSeek’s open-source models. A month after its awkward debut at China’s Spring Festival Gala, the G1 robot executed split-second martial arts manoeuvres in Unitree’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3300380/another-deepseek-moment-chinas-kung-fu-bot-goes-open-source?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3300380/another-deepseek-moment-chinas-kung-fu-bot-goes-open-source?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Feb 2025 09:03:05 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Chinese authorities have blocked dozens of trademark applications filed with the name DeepSeek, as the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) start-up faces a flurry of attempts, some possibly in Hong Kong, to take advantage of its global popularity. China’s National Intellectual Property Administration said in a statement on Tuesday that it had rejected 63 trademark applications containing the name DeepSeek. These companies and individuals showed a clear intention to exploit the hype around the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3300224/deepseek-knock-offs-flourish-china-curbs-false-trademarks-capitalising-ai-hype?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3300224/deepseek-knock-offs-flourish-china-curbs-false-trademarks-capitalising-ai-hype?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Feb 2025 11:00:09 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen A renowned professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), and a former artificial intelligence (AI) scientist at Chinese tech giants ByteDance and Alibaba Group Holding, is trying to work with experts across different fields to develop “affordable” domain-specific models. Yang Hongxia, who joined PolyU’s Department of Computing last year after decades in the technology industry, is at the forefront of an effort to use the capabilities of large language models (LLMs) in specialised... https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3300086/ais-new-frontier-affordable-domain-specific-models-are-coming-says-polyu-scientist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3300086/ais-new-frontier-affordable-domain-specific-models-are-coming-says-polyu-scientist?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Feb 2025 23:00:14 +0000 For years, Shenzhen has been synonymous with Chinese innovation. The southern megacity – and the firms it has spawned over the decades – have become the indisputable champions of the country’s drive for technological self-reliance, as well as its struggle against containment efforts led by the US. But as the tech race expands from chips, drones and telecommunications to more nascent products like artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, the sudden rise of a new cohort of start-ups has thrust... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3299942/will-hangzhou-chinas-start-upstart-dethrone-shenzhen-or-join-forces?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3299942/will-hangzhou-chinas-start-upstart-dethrone-shenzhen-or-join-forces?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Feb 2025 22:00:11 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela After Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence start-up xAI unveiled Grok 3, its latest chatbot, on Tuesday, the presence of a large number of Chinese developers at the company came under the spotlight. The United States and China continue to release new AI models in a bid to outperform each other. The victor in the global AI race may be determined by the efforts of Chinese computer scientists and engineers on either side. During a live stream on X announcing the release, Musk said Grok 3... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3299470/race-ai-supremacy-chinese-born-scientists-musks-grok-squad-line-against-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3299470/race-ai-supremacy-chinese-born-scientists-musks-grok-squad-line-against-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:57:20 +0000 In the wake of Chinese artificial intelligence start-up DeepSeek’s overnight success, the country’s universities are racing to create courses centred on the home-grown firm shaking up the global AI industry. Shenzhen University – located in China’s southern tech hub – has partnered with Tencent Cloud to introduce a general AI course based on DeepSeek, according to a Monday post on its official social media account. The class will be available to students starting this semester. Similarly,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3299288/chinas-universities-get-students-speed-deepseek-new-ai-classes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3299288/chinas-universities-get-students-speed-deepseek-new-ai-classes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Feb 2025 08:30:18 +0000