https://www.scmp.com/rss/521402/feed The long-standing proxy conflict between Israel and Iran dramatically escalated into direct confrontations on June 13, 2025. Israel launched a surprise aerial campaign targeting sites across Iran, stating its aim was to prevent Iran from acquiring atomic weapons. Iran, which has long claimed its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, retaliated with missile attacks, leading to successive tit-for-tat exchanges and raising fears of an all-out war between the two foes. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat As trade wars and deadly conflicts expose Asia’s vulnerability to geopolitical shocks, Chinese policymakers and advisers are warning of an “urgent need” for the world’s biggest trading bloc to reshape regional energy and manufacturing supply chains. Members of the Beijing-backed Asia-Pacific framework must reduce their reliance on vulnerable shipping routes and use the certainty of collaboration to offset growing geopolitical uncertainty, the experts urged at a forum in China’s southern island... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353401/reshaping-rcep-china-advisers-urge-trade-overhaul-shield-bloc-global-shocks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353401/reshaping-rcep-china-advisers-urge-trade-overhaul-shield-bloc-global-shocks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 07:11:11 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump said a month-long ceasefire with Iran was on “massive life support” as he rejected Tehran’s response to a peace proposal. The Iranian reply was a “piece of garbage”, Trump told reporters in the White House on Monday. “I didn’t even finish reading it.” The comments helped to push the price of Brent crude oil above US$106 a barrel on Tuesday. Trump is expected to discuss the war with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a Beijing summit on Thursday, as Iran’s 10-week shutdown... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353252/trump-rejects-garbage-iran-peace-plan-heading-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353252/trump-rejects-garbage-iran-peace-plan-heading-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 09:00:12 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Israel’s next election campaign is well under way, with political defections, fractious coalition-building and naked appeals to ethnic exclusion marking its opening salvoes as a crowded field of challengers queues up to try Benjamin Netanyahu for the security catastrophe of October 7, 2023 and the wars that followed. The vote, constitutionally set for this October, is shaping up as a referendum on the prime minister’s central claim to power: that only he can keep Israel safe. But after two and a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352924/israels-election-may-end-netanyahu-era-not-forever-wars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352924/israels-election-may-end-netanyahu-era-not-forever-wars?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China is strengthening gas storage capacity in Hainan as part of an expanding energy security strategy aimed at reducing exposure to external supply shocks, including disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz during the US-Israeli war in Iran. Against this backdrop, the second phase of a major liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the southern island province has reached a crucial milestone, with construction nearly 50 per cent complete and full completion expected by 2027, state broadcaster... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352611/chinas-energy-security-strategy-expands-south-how-hainan-becoming-lng-storage-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352611/chinas-energy-security-strategy-expands-south-how-hainan-becoming-lng-storage-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 01:30:11 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado US forces struck an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday, even as Washington and Tehran appeared to move closer to a tentative agreement to end their two-month war, with US President Donald Trump warning that renewed bombing could begin if Iran rejects the proposed deal. A US fighter jet disabled the tanker by targeting its rudder as the vessel attempted to breach an American naval blockade of Iranian ports, US Central Command said in a social media post. The strike highlighted... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3352671/us-strikes-iranian-tanker-amid-reports-washington-and-tehran-near-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3352671/us-strikes-iranian-tanker-amid-reports-washington-and-tehran-near-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 19:57:00 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will visit China this week, less than 10 days ahead of a high-stakes visit to Beijing by US President Donald Trump. Araghchi was set to arrive on Wednesday and hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign ministry announced on Tuesday. The two top diplomats have held multiple rounds of calls since the US-Israeli strikes on Iran triggered the current conflict in late February. Throughout, Wang has consistently called for a ceasefire... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352532/irans-top-diplomat-abbas-araghchi-visit-china-days-ahead-donald-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352532/irans-top-diplomat-abbas-araghchi-visit-china-days-ahead-donald-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 13:55:12 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Seoul said on Monday that an “explosion and fire” had struck a South Korean ship in the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial Middle Eastern waterway effectively blocked following US-Israeli attacks on Iran. The foreign ministry said that, at around 8.40pm in Seoul, “an explosion and fire occurred on a vessel operated by a South Korean shipping company … anchored in waters near the United Arab Emirates inside the Strait of Hormuz”. There had been “no casualties to date” among the 24 crew members on... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352405/seoul-says-explosion-and-fire-south-korean-ship-hormuz-strait?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352405/seoul-says-explosion-and-fire-south-korean-ship-hormuz-strait?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 14:55:30 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The US stock market is holding tentatively near its record heights on Monday, while oil prices climb with uncertainty about when oil tankers can resume crossing the Strait of Hormuz and restore the world’s flow of crude. Duelling claims about a possible Iranian strike on a US Navy vessel in the strait heightened the tensions. The S&P 500 slipped 0.1 per cent, coming off its latest all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 216 points, or 0.4 per cent, as of 9.35am Eastern time, and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352398/wall-street-dips-oil-prices-rise-reports-strike-us-navy-vessel-near-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352398/wall-street-dips-oil-prices-rise-reports-strike-us-navy-vessel-near-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 12:44:31 +0000 Jordyn Haime Jordyn Haime Lost anti-fascist Yiddish language songs from World War II will be making their Asian debut this month. Yiddish Glory will be performing in Shanghai – a city where some 18,000 Jewish refugees found shelter from the Nazis – Hong Kong and in South Korea. The project is the brainchild of University of Toronto academic Anna Shternshis, who said Shanghai’s own history gave the choice of venue an extra significance, and songwriter and musician Psoy Korolenko. Their performances, which combine live... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352329/how-lost-yiddish-songs-wartime-ghetto-ukraine-revive-links-shanghais-past?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352329/how-lost-yiddish-songs-wartime-ghetto-ukraine-revive-links-shanghais-past?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The United States will launch an effort on Monday to “guide” stranded ships from the Iran-gripped Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump said, as two ships around the strait reported attacks. Trump gave few details about what could be a sweeping attempt to help hundreds of vessels and some 20,000 seafarers. Iran quickly denounced the move as a ceasefire violation. Trump said in a social media post on Sunday that “neutral and innocent” countries have been affected by the Iran war, and “we have... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3352291/cargo-ship-near-strait-hormuz-reports-being-attacked-iran-makes-new-peace-proposal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3352291/cargo-ship-near-strait-hormuz-reports-being-attacked-iran-makes-new-peace-proposal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 17:04:40 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A senior Iranian military officer said on Saturday that renewed fighting with the US was “likely”, hours after President Donald Trump said he was not satisfied with an Iranian negotiating proposal. Iran delivered the new draft to mediator Pakistan on Thursday evening, state media reported, without detailing its contents. The war, launched by the United States and Israel in late February, has been on hold since April 8, with one failed round of peace talks having taken place in Pakistan since... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3352237/iran-will-not-accept-imposed-peace-trump-not-satisfied-negotiations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3352237/iran-will-not-accept-imposed-peace-trump-not-satisfied-negotiations?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 13:00:18 +0000 Anthony Rowley Anthony Rowley Not a sudden, major crash but a series of mini-crises. That, according to some, is the prospect facing the global economy and financial system in the wake of conflict in the Middle East. But what if these mini-crises cascade into a collective collapse? And what if the Trump administration emerges as the only winner in the conflict by virtue of the fact that it has, in engineering the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, locked Europe and Asia into a desperate dependence on US oil and gas, especially... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3352013/mini-crises-sparked-iran-war-may-add-big-collapse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3352013/mini-crises-sparked-iran-war-may-add-big-collapse?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The US economy accelerated at the start of 2026, expanding at a modest 2 per cent pace from January through March after recovering from last fall’s 43-day federal government shutdown. But the outlook is clouded by the Iran war. The Commerce Department reported on Thursday that gross domestic product – the nation’s output of goods and services – rebounded from a lacklustre 0.5 per cent expansion the last three months of 2025. The federal government’s spending and investment grew at a 9.3 per cent... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352072/us-economy-grows-2-january-march-iran-war-clouds-outlook?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352072/us-economy-grows-2-january-march-iran-war-clouds-outlook?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:50:09 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg US President Donald Trump’s order for the US to attack Iranian gunboats is the latest sign that an asymmetrical war-fighting strategy is stymieing the world’s mightiest navy, with US aircraft and destroyers forced to track swarming speedboats in a vital energy waterway. “I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be,” Trump said Thursday in a social media post, claiming that those vessels are laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The target –... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3351295/trump-kill-order-highlights-threat-irans-small-fast-attack-boats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3351295/trump-kill-order-highlights-threat-irans-small-fast-attack-boats?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:12:27 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier In the latest cycle of threats and concessions that have marked US President Donald Trump’s approach to the war that he and his Israeli counterpart started against Iran, the mercurial leader said on Thursday he would destroy any boat attempting to lay mines in the blocked Strait of Hormuz. His focus on diminutive vessels followed his oft-repeated messaging that Iran’s larger naval vessels no longer exist as he renewed his effort to muscle Tehran’s frustratingly resilient regime to concede... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3351209/trump-says-navy-will-shoot-and-kill-boats-laying-mines-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3351209/trump-says-navy-will-shoot-and-kill-boats-laying-mines-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:15:37 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen As key allies turn away and war costs soar, the US military campaign against Iran is spurring a growing consensus among Chinese observers and state media – that Washington’s unrivalled global dominance is crumbling. Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily issued a sharp critique on Thursday, warning that the United States’ shift from an “international rule-builder” to a “predatory hegemon” would ultimately undermine its prosperity and influence. “In the post-Cold War era, while the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351155/why-iran-war-surest-sign-us-decline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351155/why-iran-war-surest-sign-us-decline?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Iran fired on three ships in the Strait of Hormuz and seized two of them on Wednesday, intensifying its assault on shipping in the key waterway. The attacks came a day after US President Donald Trump extended a ceasefire while maintaining an American blockade of Iranian ports. The stand-off between the US and Iran has effectively choked off nearly all exports through the strait – where 20 per cent of the world’s traded oil passes in peacetime – with no end in sight. Iranian media said the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3351022/iran-fires-3-ships-strait-hormuz-after-trump-extends-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3351022/iran-fires-3-ships-strait-hormuz-after-trump-extends-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:25:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Lebanese armed group Hezbollah said it fired rockets and drones into northern Israel on Tuesday, accusing the Israeli military of violating a ceasefire ahead of US-mediated talks between the Israeli and Lebanese governments this week. The Israeli military earlier said Iran-aligned Hezbollah had fired several rockets towards its troops operating in southern Lebanon, in what it described as a “blatant violation” of the ceasefire agreement. It was not immediately clear if the incidents were the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350943/israel-and-hezbollah-exchange-fire-testing-lebanon-truce-talks-loom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350943/israel-and-hezbollah-exchange-fire-testing-lebanon-truce-talks-loom?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 02:55:14 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan US President Donald Trump announced a last-minute extension of the ceasefire with Iran following a request from Pakistan’s top leadership, even as he appeared to suggest that American forces had intercepted a potentially lethal “gift from China” to Tehran. Describing the Iranian government as “seriously fractured”, Trump said on social media that he agreed to hold off military operations against Iran at the behest of Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Trump added... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350915/us-forces-intercepted-gift-china-iran-donald-trump-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350915/us-forces-intercepted-gift-china-iran-donald-trump-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:54:30 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen Beijing is putting its power strategy under the microscope as China navigates the impact of a shipping crisis in the Strait of Hormuz that risks becoming a long-term economic liability. Calling energy security a pillar of national stability, Premier Li Qiang on Monday convened a high-level study session of the State Council, China’s Cabinet, according to Xinhua. The meeting, focused on coordinating energy security and the sector’s transformation, was the latest in a series of policy discussions... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350896/china-confronts-middle-east-supply-shock-state-council-mulls-energy-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350896/china-confronts-middle-east-supply-shock-state-council-mulls-energy-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:00:14 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen The chief of China’s top economic planner has outlined strategies and priorities to safeguard economic security, as Beijing reassesses its preparedness and vulnerabilities amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz during the US-Israeli war on Iran. Zheng Shanjie, head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), warned external risks were mounting and said China had to reinforce its strategic reserves and response capabilities. “The evolution of the international situation is... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350753/hormuz-crisis-exposes-fragile-global-supply-chains-how-will-china-respond?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350753/hormuz-crisis-exposes-fragile-global-supply-chains-how-will-china-respond?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:00:08 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China’s trade with Iran and Gulf countries fell sharply in March as restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz tightened amid the US-Israeli war on Iran. Newly released data by Chinese customs showed imports from Iran plunged 48 per cent year on year last month, while exports to the country dropped 90 per cent. Across the broader Middle East, exports to eight Persian Gulf economies – including Saudi Arabia and Qatar – fell by 57 per cent, while imports declined by nearly 33 per cent. The disruption... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350703/chinas-trade-iran-gulf-states-plunges-strait-hormuz-crisis-hits-energy-flows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350703/chinas-trade-iran-gulf-states-plunges-strait-hormuz-crisis-hits-energy-flows?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:06:21 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Any “mischief” in the Strait of Hormuz would trigger “a chain-reaction response” in more critical shipping lanes, including the Malacca Strait in Southeast Asia, an adviser to the Iranian supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has warned. The warning from Ali Akbar Velayati, international affairs adviser to Khamenei, came hours after Iran declared another full closure of Hormuz – days before a fragile ceasefire with the US was due to expire. “The era of imposing security from across the oceans has... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350691/malacca-strait-risk-hormuz-chain-reaction-after-warning-iranian-adviser?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350691/malacca-strait-risk-hormuz-chain-reaction-after-warning-iranian-adviser?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:00:10 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier In an apparent sign that Tehran blinked first in the blockade showdown between Iran and the US, the two sides announced on Friday that the Strait of Hormuz was open and operational after nearly seven weeks that have seen hundreds of ships blocked and sent energy prices soaring worldwide. “IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT OF IRAN IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE. THANK YOU!” US President Donald Trump said on social media, using an unofficial name for the strategic waterway. Iranian... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3350530/iran-us-say-strait-hormuz-fully-open-commercial-vessels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3350530/iran-us-say-strait-hormuz-fully-open-commercial-vessels?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:51:26 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang An oil tanker sailing under the flag of Hong Kong has passed through the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Gulf of Oman, as a US blockade continues to target vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports, according to a maritime data firm. The tanker, AVA 6, departed from a port in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, Beijing time. It passed through the Strait of Hormuz sometime between 4am and 2pm on Thursday, according to data from Mingkun Technology, a Chinese maritime information provider based... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3350423/hong-kong-flagged-oil-tanker-passes-through-strait-hormuz-test-us-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3350423/hong-kong-flagged-oil-tanker-passes-through-strait-hormuz-test-us-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 06:29:35 +0000 Neeta Lal Neeta Lal The quiet conclusion of US and Iranian backchannel engagements in Islamabad left more than diplomatic ambiguity. It crystallised a striking image: a financially strained, politically volatile Pakistan briefly positioning itself as a facilitator in one of the world’s most combustible rivalries. Substantive or symbolic, the episode underscores a deeper churn in West Asian geopolitics – one in which agility trumps credibility. Pakistan’s role was not incidental. Islamabad offered itself as a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3350023/why-india-rankled-pakistan-playing-mediator-us-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3350023/why-india-rankled-pakistan-playing-mediator-us-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Israel’s spy chief has pledged more covert efforts to try to topple Iran’s government, a tacit acknowledgment the countries’ conflict would continue even as the US pursued a new round of peace negotiations with the Islamic Republic. David Barnea, the head of the Mossad, said Israel had not expected that its bombardment of Iranian military, nuclear and infrastructure sites, waged in concert with the United States, would be enough to end Iran’s 47-year-old clerical-led rule. “Our mission has yet... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350127/mossad-says-israel-will-keep-trying-topple-irans-government?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350127/mossad-says-israel-will-keep-trying-topple-irans-government?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:20:57 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has denounced proposed tolls in the Strait of Hormuz as a worrisome step in the wrong direction, while noting that several thousand stranded seafarers remain the international shipping community’s foremost concern. “Freedom of navigation has to be one of the pillars of free trade, and it would be a retrograde step – a really bad step,” said John Denholm, chair designate of the ICS, referring to the idea of charging vessels to transit the oil... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350067/hormuz-blockade-shipping-industry-slams-transit-fees-20000-seafarers-still-stranded?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350067/hormuz-blockade-shipping-industry-slams-transit-fees-20000-seafarers-still-stranded?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 03:00:27 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China has slammed the US blockade of Iranian ports as “dangerous and irresponsible”, calling for an immediate and full ceasefire and for the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened. Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters at a daily briefing in Beijing on Tuesday that the US action would only “inflame tensions, escalate the situation and undermine an already fragile ceasefire”, and that would further jeopardise the safety of navigation in the strait. “We urge all parties to abide by the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350054/china-hits-out-dangerous-and-irresponsible-us-blockade-irans-ports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350054/china-hits-out-dangerous-and-irresponsible-us-blockade-irans-ports?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Mia Nurmamat,Xinyi Wu Mia Nurmamat,Xinyi Wu China is feeling the economic pain of Iran war shocks, with export growth softening and imports surging considerably in March as disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz pushed up transport, commodity and energy costs. However, analysts said China was likely to weather the impact better than other countries this year, thanks to its huge domestic market and its complete and efficient manufacturing base. Exports rose 2.5 per cent year on year to US$321.03 billion in March, according to data released by... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3349849/chinas-imports-surge-march-exports-soften-amid-hormuz-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3349849/chinas-imports-surge-march-exports-soften-amid-hormuz-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 03:04:25 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Jet fuel shortages and surging prices are forcing flight cancellations across the Asia-Pacific, a squeeze that could intensify after the United States began controlling oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz following failed peace talks with Iran. Tehran’s effective closure of the strait – a chokepoint for about 20 per cent of global oil supply – is hitting regional airlines, particularly in countries without strategic energy reserves, analysts said. Jet fuel reached nearly US$198 in the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349928/asia-air-travel-faces-turbulence-iran-war-exposes-jet-fuel-vulnerability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349928/asia-air-travel-faces-turbulence-iran-war-exposes-jet-fuel-vulnerability?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 02:00:31 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Donald Trump’s threat to blockade the Strait of Hormuz “forces Beijing into a political dilemma” and could potentially derail the US president’s coming summit with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, analysts said. After talks in Pakistan between the US and Iran ended without a deal on Sunday, Trump said in a social media post that the US would seal off the strategically vital chokepoint. In a narrower order issued later, the US military said American forces would blockade only “maritime traffic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349942/could-trumps-hormuz-blockade-derail-china-summit-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349942/could-trumps-hormuz-blockade-derail-china-summit-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:15:52 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China is pushing a ceasefire in the Iran war as key to the Strait of Hormuz being open to international trade and energy, as US President Donald Trump announced a sweeping naval operation targeting the oil transit chokepoint. Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday that the strait was an important channel for international trade in goods and energy, and that “maintaining its safety, stability and unimpeded passage serves the common interests of the international community”. “The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349929/china-says-open-strait-hormuz-crucial-global-interests-trump-threatens-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349929/china-says-open-strait-hormuz-crucial-global-interests-trump-threatens-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:00:52 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma The US announced a blockade against ships calling at Iranian ports, ramping up pressure on the Middle East nation after marathon peace talks over the weekend ended without a deal. Action was due to start Monday at 10am New York time (10pm Hong Kong), according to US Central Command. Vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports won’t be affected, it said. President Donald Trump had earlier said that the blockade would cover all ships using the vital waterway. “Any Iranian... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/us/diplomacy/article/3349900/trumps-hormuz-blockade-may-target-china-along-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/us/diplomacy/article/3349900/trumps-hormuz-blockade-may-target-china-along-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:06:18 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong China’s reported decision to halt sulphuric acid exports, together with the failure of peace talks between the United States and Iran over the weekend, risks driving prices higher and disrupting global mining and fertiliser supply chains that have few readily available alternatives. Beijing had indicated it would halt shipments of sulphuric acid from May, according to reports from Acuity Commodities and Bloomberg, though no official announcement has been made. Economists said food security sat... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349884/china-iran-war-and-chemical-suddenly-stoking-global-supply-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349884/china-iran-war-and-chemical-suddenly-stoking-global-supply-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:00:01 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan US President Donald Trump has announced a sweeping naval operation targeting the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit chokepoints, in a move that risks deepening a global crisis and further complicating ties with Beijing in the countdown to next month’s summit. “Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump said in a social media post... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349813/blown-hell-trump-announces-us-blockade-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349813/blown-hell-trump-announces-us-blockade-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 13:10:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Orange Wang,Cao Jiaxuan Khushboo Razdan,Orange Wang,Cao Jiaxuan The United States and Iran did not reach a deal because Washington failed to win the other side’s trust, Tehran’s lead negotiator said on Sunday. In his first comments since the marathon round of talks in the Pakistani capital Islamabad broke up, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote on social media: “We have the necessary good faith and will, but due to the experiences of the two previous wars, we have no trust in the opposing side. “The opposing side ultimately failed to gain the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349767/bad-news-vance-says-no-agreement-reached-after-marathon-talks-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349767/bad-news-vance-says-no-agreement-reached-after-marathon-talks-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 01:37:47 +0000 Ralph Jennings,Mia Nurmamat,He Huifeng Ralph Jennings,Mia Nurmamat,He Huifeng As the Strait of Hormuz reopened and closed again this week, manufacturers across China are navigating a roller coaster of concerns rooted in supply and pricing volatilities. Soaring oil prices have already filtered through to processed fuel and petroleum-based raw materials that help power China’s manufacturing sector – the world’s largest – and a fragile two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States is unlikely to restore pre-conflict stability in the near term, according to industry... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349653/cancelling-orders-china-how-hormuz-oil-crisis-hitting-transport-manufacturing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349653/cancelling-orders-china-how-hormuz-oil-crisis-hitting-transport-manufacturing?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 05:00:11 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China’s green energy transition is expanding from a domestic security priority into a potent geopolitical asset at a time of heightened global uncertainty, according to the latest official reading of the country’s 15th five-year plan. That shift has been tested in recent weeks by the US-Israeli war in Iran and Tehran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz – a chokepoint for 20 per cent of global oil and gas supplies. While Tehran signalled it would reopen the strait on Tuesday under a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3349646/why-chinas-green-energy-strategy-may-shield-it-iran-war-oil-shock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3349646/why-chinas-green-energy-strategy-may-shield-it-iran-war-oil-shock?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The Pentagon and the Vatican denied allegations of a rift following Pope Leo’s criticism of the Trump administration and a news report of a contentious meeting between a papal envoy and a top US defence official. In separate statements, the two sides both professed an eagerness to get along, saying the meeting that occurred in January was frank but polite. The Defence Department issued a statement that said “we have nothing but the highest regard and welcome continued dialogue with the Holy... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349613/pentagon-plays-down-rift-vatican-despite-pope-leos-criticism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349613/pentagon-plays-down-rift-vatican-despite-pope-leos-criticism?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:15:07 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng While the world remains divided over the unresolved issue of toll collection in the Strait of Hormuz, some Chinese experts have proposed pegging fees to oil prices or using exportable digital tokens from China for settlements. If tolls were to be imposed in this strategic chokepoint for global energy trade, settlement mechanisms could be “innovative”, said Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University. “Tolls and settlements could be tied to oil prices or... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349545/hormuz-toll-debate-china-experts-propose-innovative-solutions-impasse-persists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349545/hormuz-toll-debate-china-experts-propose-innovative-solutions-impasse-persists?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:00:11 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma Rising demand for yuan settlement amid Middle East tensions is driving record transaction amounts in China’s cross-border payment system, analysts said, building on years of efforts to bolster financial infrastructure and expand its global network. “The Middle East conflict may have acted as a catalyst,” said Ding Shuang, chief economist for Greater China and North Asia at Standard Chartered, citing rising demand for yuan settlement, particularly in oil trade. China’s Cross-border Interbank... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349516/chinas-yuan-settlements-hit-record-and-iran-conflict-looking-catalyst?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349516/chinas-yuan-settlements-hit-record-and-iran-conflict-looking-catalyst?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:00:12 +0000 Kandy Wong,Ji Siqi Kandy Wong,Ji Siqi China’s exports of energy storage equipment are expected to keep rising as the US-Israeli war in Iran renews global calls for energy independence, industry insiders and analysts said. The total export value of Chinese inverters – key components in energy storage systems – jumped 57 per cent year on year to US$1.66 billion for the first two months of 2026, Chinese customs data showed. Inverters convert electricity generated from batteries and solar panels into usable power for homes, businesses... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349515/chinas-energy-storage-tech-exports-buffer-against-iran-war-oil-shock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349515/chinas-energy-storage-tech-exports-buffer-against-iran-war-oil-shock?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:00:17 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China has completed one of Southeast Asia’s largest solar power projects in Laos, at a time when regional economies are stepping up efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels amid global energy disruptions in the Persian Gulf. The initial phase of the 1 gigawatt (GW) solar project was officially connected to the grid on Tuesday, becoming the country’s first large-scale mountainous photovoltaic installation. Located in northern Laos, the installation is expected to generate about 1.65 billion... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349382/china-backed-solar-project-powers-laos-amid-iran-war-energy-shock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349382/china-backed-solar-project-powers-laos-amid-iran-war-energy-shock?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:12 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The United States has pulled back from the brink of an escalation of its bombing war against Iran. Just seven days after Pakistan and China called for a ceasefire and peace talks in a five-point plan, Pakistan has brokered a two-week pause in hostilities between the US and its ally Israel, and Iran, to open the way for negotiations. It reportedly calls for a halt to the bombing of Iran, to Iranian attacks on Israel and on neighbours who host US bases, and to the Iranian blockade of the Strait of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3349403/world-cannot-afford-breakdown-us-iran-ceasefire-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3349403/world-cannot-afford-breakdown-us-iran-ceasefire-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 23:15:11 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang The two-week ceasefire the United States agreed to with Iran on Tuesday not only sets a deadline to seal a deal with Tehran, but leaves just days before the expiration of the 60-day legal limit for waging war without congressional authorisation that is set out under America’s War Powers Resolution. This has left open the question of how the conflict will proceed if diplomacy fails and the legal clock runs out. “Almost all the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3349437/us-ceasefire-iran-sets-diplomatic-clock-war-powers-deadline-nears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3349437/us-ceasefire-iran-sets-diplomatic-clock-war-powers-deadline-nears?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:17:26 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Dewey Sim,Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin Khushboo Razdan,Dewey Sim,Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin Control of the Strait of Hormuz has emerged as the central fault line in US-Iran negotiations, with US President Donald Trump appearing to recast an earlier off-the-cuff idea into a more formal proposal that seeks to bridge Tehran’s push for dominance and Washington’s insistence on open passage. Following his Tuesday announcement of a two-week ceasefire, Trump on Wednesday told the American Broadcasting Company that his administration may seek a “joint venture” with Iran to safeguard the global... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3349436/strait-hormuz-trump-iran-joint-venture-really-possible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3349436/strait-hormuz-trump-iran-joint-venture-really-possible?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:02:48 +0000 Alyssa Chen,Fan Chen Alyssa Chen,Fan Chen The United States boasts military superiority over Iran but has emerged as the strategic loser in the five-week conflict, with gains limited to a fragile two-week ceasefire and conditional passage through the Strait of Hormuz, according to analysts. Shortly before US President Donald Trump’s deadline for Iran to meet his demands or face destruction of its civilian infrastructure, the US and Iran entered a two-week ceasefire agreement mediated by Pakistan. Beijing reportedly intervened at the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349423/why-us-iran-ceasefire-seen-failure-donald-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349423/why-us-iran-ceasefire-seen-failure-donald-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 15:00:07 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Orange Wang Khushboo Razdan,Orange Wang Even as the White House lauded China’s role in securing a long-awaited ceasefire that lifted global markets, US President Donald Trump reignited trade tensions by threatening a new 50 per cent tariff on countries supplying weapons to Iran, while Tehran kept the Strait of Hormuz closed and warned it could abandon the deal if Israeli attacks on Lebanon continue. “There were conversations that took place between top levels of our government and China’s government,” Trump’s spokeswoman Karoline... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349416/trump-warns-50-cent-tariffs-arms-suppliers-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349416/trump-warns-50-cent-tariffs-arms-suppliers-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:11:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Thailand’s foreign minister confirmed on Wednesday the deaths of three Thai crew members of a cargo ship struck by Iran while transiting the Strait of Hormuz a month ago. US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February prompted Tehran to respond by effectively closing the strait, a crucial artery for global oil supplies, and launching attacks on vessels. The Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree was struck on March 11 while travelling through the Gulf waterway, after departing a port in the United Arab... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349409/thailand-confirms-deaths-3-cargo-ship-crew-gulf-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349409/thailand-confirms-deaths-3-cargo-ship-crew-gulf-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:40:51 +0000