https://www.scmp.com/rss/522420/feed National University of Singapore (NUS): A prominent Singapore-based public research university, NUS is dedicated to providing world-class education and high-impact research with a focus on Asian perspectives. Headquartered in Singapore across three main campuses, it offers diverse undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in fields like engineering, medicine, law, and business. NUS is renowned for its significant contributions to research in areas such as Smart Nation initiatives, biomedical... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Nayan Seth,Fan Chen Nayan Seth,Fan Chen The global energy crisis stemming from the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has added complexity to already competitive China-India maritime relations. The bottleneck in the Gulf has disrupted the provision of vital supplies of oil, gas and fertilisers to Asia, underscoring the fragility of global supply chains and the significance of trade chokepoints. Amid uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz’s reopening, India’s US$10 billion plan to transform remote Great Nicobar Island into a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355108/what-indias-unsinkable-aircraft-carrier-project-near-malacca-means-its-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355108/what-indias-unsinkable-aircraft-carrier-project-near-malacca-means-its-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 03:10:50 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim As robots become more advanced to carry out complex tasks, they are set to be at the forefront of the next phase of Singapore’s goal to become a world-class artificial intelligence hub. The city state hopes to position itself as a hub for “physical AI” – robots and autonomous systems that can clean buildings, deliver goods, patrol public spaces and eventually work in factories, hospitals and homes. Singapore’s stable regulatory environment, strong digital infrastructure and experience deploying... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3354423/robots-singapores-ai-zone-clean-patrol-and-deliver-goods?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3354423/robots-singapores-ai-zone-clean-patrol-and-deliver-goods?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Indonesia has proposed hosting an Asean oil storage hub to reinforce the region’s emergency fuel reserves, as supply disruptions from the Middle East lay bare the region’s vulnerability to energy shocks. But analysts say the plan, while attractive in principle, is likely to be hampered by political distrust, uneven national priorities and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ record of rolling out regional mechanisms that are rarely tested under pressure. Indonesian Energy Minister Bahlil... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354057/indonesias-oil-hub-plan-collides-aseans-trust-deficit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354057/indonesias-oil-hub-plan-collides-aseans-trust-deficit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 05:21:51 +0000 Kishore Mahbubani Kishore Mahbubani Western social science has made three metaphysical mistakes. The first was to assume that its laws and lessons were, like the physical sciences, universally applicable to all societies. Harvard Professor Theodore Levitt captured the prevailing zeitgeist well when he wrote in 1983: “The world’s needs and desires have been irrevocably homogenised.” That may have been true 40 years ago. It is no longer. One indirect consequence of this assumption – that the whole world was converging towards a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3353739/west-was-never-whole-world-its-time-move?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3353739/west-was-never-whole-world-its-time-move?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 02:00:19 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang Stephen Lin Er Chow, a physicist who designed a groundbreaking copper-free superconducting oxide capable of high-temperature superconductivity, has joined Zhejiang University from the National University of Singapore (NUS). Last year, at 27, Chow published the findings in the journal Nature, marking the first top-tier publication for the NUS lab since its establishment two decades ago. Confirming that he had joined Zhejiang University full-time, Chow said: “I really like Hangzhou’s living... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3353695/top-singapore-based-physicist-relocates-china-after-superconductor-breakthrough?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3353695/top-singapore-based-physicist-relocates-china-after-superconductor-breakthrough?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 08:26:08 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Chinese-language videos suspected to be AI deepfakes with different narrators berating Singapore for its treatment of China and sidling up to the United States have caused a stir online and sparked discussion on their source. The clips, each featuring an individual in a different setting and circulating on Chinese platforms such as Douyin and WeChat, were most likely generated by artificial intelligence, according to digital experts, pointing to clues such as identical scripts. A check by This... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353210/ai-disinformation-singapore-accused-pro-china-videos-being-ungrateful?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353210/ai-disinformation-singapore-accused-pro-china-videos-being-ungrateful?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 02:06:40 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines has crowned its newest Miss Universe candidate, Bea Millan-Windorski, as the country – known for its penchant for beauty pageants – prepares to send its latest representative to the global competition in November. The 23-year-old, who grew up in Wisconsin in the United States and holds a degree in history and international relations from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, stood out among seven finalist last weekend with her winning answer. Asked why the Philippines was still... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3352890/what-authentic-filipino-identity-new-miss-universe-philippines-win-reignites-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3352890/what-authentic-filipino-identity-new-miss-universe-philippines-win-reignites-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 May 2026 05:00:15 +0000 Connor Mycroft,William Yiu Connor Mycroft,William Yiu The operations of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in London will remain unaffected by a UK spying verdict, observers have said, arguing that the British government is unlikely to seek its closure so as to maintain relations with Beijing. A British court on Thursday found Bill Yuen Chung-biu, the London HKETO’s manager, and Peter Wai Chi-leung, a retired Hong Kong police superintendent, guilty of spying on activists from Hong Kong on behalf of Chinese authorities. The Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352937/why-uk-unlikely-shut-hong-kongs-london-trade-office-despite-spying-verdict?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352937/why-uk-unlikely-shut-hong-kongs-london-trade-office-despite-spying-verdict?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 12:04:42 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau With Singapore facing a global energy crisis due to the conflict in the Middle East, the “storm clouds” that Prime Minister Lawrence Wong warned of at an election rally last year now appear to be an understatement. Under the scorching midday sun at a lunchtime speech in the heart of the city, Singapore’s leader last April urged voters to re-elect his tested People’s Action Party (PAP), arguing that voting for the opposition would weaken his team’s ability to navigate coming headwinds. On top of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3352538/one-year-singapore-election-has-lawrence-wongs-team-delivered-promises?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3352538/one-year-singapore-election-has-lawrence-wongs-team-delivered-promises?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Shortly after completing a bachelor’s degree in 2023, Warren Neo considered doing what many business graduates in Singapore do: look for a corporate job. Instead, he became a full-time barista. “I considered going into human resources, since that was what I specialised in at university, but I discovered my interest in making coffee during my part-time job,” said Neo, 29, who majored in business at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University. “I gave myself a chance to pursue being a barista... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3351756/why-more-singapore-graduates-are-choosing-jobs-below-their-qualifications-its-meaningful?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3351756/why-more-singapore-graduates-are-choosing-jobs-below-their-qualifications-its-meaningful?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 01:30:13 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Indonesia appears to have ceded its position as Asean’s natural leader to Singapore in a new survey of regional opinion leaders, with analysts pinning the shift on President Prabowo Subianto’s preference for pursuing Jakarta’s ambitions outside the regional bloc. More than 2,000 policymakers, researchers and business figures from across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations were polled by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute for its latest annual State of Southeast Asia survey. When asked... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350836/singapore-overtakes-indonesia-asean-leadership-poll-prabowo-blame?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350836/singapore-overtakes-indonesia-asean-leadership-poll-prabowo-blame?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 07:00:08 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju A cautious reset in India-China relations is taking root, according to analysts, with the two rivals increasingly walling off their border disputes from expanding cooperation on trade, security and multilateral diplomacy. The clearest marker yet came last week in New Delhi, where the two sides held their first-ever bilateral consultations focused exclusively on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the Eurasian security bloc that also includes Russia, Iran, Pakistan and four Central Asian... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350732/india-and-china-wall-border-rows-focus-trade-and-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350732/india-and-china-wall-border-rows-focus-trade-and-security?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:12:46 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Almost immediately after an Iranian-US ceasefire was announced, Israel worked to sabotage it by carrying out massive bombings across Lebanon, causing hundreds of casualties. Really, who are the terrorists? Even so, it’s hard to see how the supposed two-week ceasefire could hold when each side is making maximalist demands. As many experts have observed, control of the Strait of Hormuz, which carries a fifth of the world’s oil and gas, is ultimately the sticking point. Donald Trump may not... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3349824/irans-emergence-major-power-should-be-welcome-multipolar-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3349824/irans-emergence-major-power-should-be-welcome-multipolar-world?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 22:25:43 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof “You don’t even have to look for it,” nine-year-old Anaqi said of the short videos he watches online. “It just shows up automatically, and it’s super interesting.” That instinctive pull is familiar to his father, Firdaus Omar. The 39-year-old Malaysian civil servant said his two children – Anaqi and his six-year-old brother – could spend hours watching the kind of short, noisy, endlessly recommended clips now commonly dismissed online as “brain rot”. He is worried about the effect of such... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348957/malaysian-bookshop-hits-novel-idea-bring-back-readers-addicted-brain-rot-clips?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348957/malaysian-bookshop-hits-novel-idea-bring-back-readers-addicted-brain-rot-clips?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 05:00:11 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Asean’s neutrality in the Iran conflict is key to granting access to the coveted Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran likely seeking to win global opinion amid its war with the United States and Israel. Amid boiling tensions in the Gulf, Iran has wielded its control of the strategic channel to choke global oil supplies, especially to the US and its allies. Many countries – including those from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – have turned to diplomatic efforts to secure safe passage for... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348759/why-asean-neutrality-iran-war-key-unlocking-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348759/why-asean-neutrality-iran-war-key-unlocking-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 05:41:08 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang Seeram Ramakrishna, a leading researcher at the National University of Singapore and the most cited scientist from the city state, has joined one of China’s leading universities full time. He joined the department of mechanical engineering at Tsinghua University in September, but the university only announced the appointment this week. The Singaporean, who was described by MIT Technology Review China as the “father of electrospinning”, has been appointed as a Xinghua distinguished chair... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348141/top-singaporean-materials-scientist-seeram-ramakrishna-joins-chinas-tsinghua-university?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348141/top-singaporean-materials-scientist-seeram-ramakrishna-joins-chinas-tsinghua-university?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Two days before the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran, Washington asked Sri Lanka to let two armed warplanes use an airport on its southern coast. Colombo said no, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake recently revealed – a decision analysts said reflected the Indian Ocean island nation’s desire to avoid being drawn into a foreign conflict from which it had “nothing to gain”. The request, made on February 26, reportedly sought to relocate two aircraft from a US base in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347854/sri-lankas-refusal-host-us-warplanes-iran-war-risks-trade-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347854/sri-lankas-refusal-host-us-warplanes-iran-war-risks-trade-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 09:00:12 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat As China undergoes a sweeping economic transition, its regions are also in the process of embracing change. The powerhouses of yesteryear must adapt or risk falling behind, as traditional industries become less reliable growth drivers and new sectors take prominence. In this series, we explore three representative areas of the country as they attempt to navigate this rapidly changing environment. After Joyce Wu moved from Hainan province to Hong Kong in 2013, she marvelled for years at the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347581/chinas-hainan-wants-more-beach-tourism-will-new-customs-rules-cause-sea-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347581/chinas-hainan-wants-more-beach-tourism-will-new-customs-rules-cause-sea-change?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 22:00:10 +0000 Ralph Jennings,Mia Nurmamat Ralph Jennings,Mia Nurmamat China has cut exports of two metals used in military technology to Japan while increasing shipments of rare earth magnets, in what could signal a muted warning after geopolitical tensions between the two Asian economies flared last year. Exports of gallium to Japan registered zero volume in the first two months of the year, compared with 8,007kg (17,652 pounds) in the same period of 2025, customs data showed. Germanium exports were also at zero in January and February, compared with 400kg (882... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3347567/china-cuts-exports-two-hi-tech-metals-japan-increases-rare-earth-shipments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3347567/china-cuts-exports-two-hi-tech-metals-japan-increases-rare-earth-shipments?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 08:00:15 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Singapore sits just one degree north of the equator, where the air rarely drops below 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) and humidity clings year round. It is, by most measures, one of the worst places on Earth to cool a data centre. Yet the city state crams more into its small footprint than almost anywhere else. Home to more than 70 facilities and over 1.4 gigawatts of capacity, Singapore has one of the highest densities of data-centre infrastructure per capita on the planet – a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3346999/southeast-asias-ai-data-centre-gold-rush-tests-power-grids-tropical-heat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3346999/southeast-asias-ai-data-centre-gold-rush-tests-power-grids-tropical-heat?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 09:00:14 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has kicked off his visit to Japan, where he is expected to address strategies with counterpart Sanae Takaichi on enhancing cooperation against a backdrop of economic uncertainty brought on by the Iran war. Both leaders are likely to tread cautiously in discussions to avoid antagonising any superpower, analysts say. The three-day trip, which began on Tuesday, marks Wong’s first official visit to Japan since he became Singapore’s prime minister in May... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346929/singapores-lawrence-wong-seeks-stronger-ties-japan-amid-global-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346929/singapores-lawrence-wong-seeks-stronger-ties-japan-amid-global-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:15:44 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Biman Mukherji Joseph Sipalan,Biman Mukherji Malaysia’s government has been forced onto the defensive over its much-touted tariff deal with the United States, after a minister walked back an earlier claim that the agreement had been rendered “null and void” by a US Supreme Court ruling. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration signed the deal in October, promising US$240 billion in investments and purchases of American goods, including beef and aircraft, in exchange for continued access to the world’s largest consumer market at a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346749/confusion-over-malaysia-us-trade-deal-null-and-void-claim-retracted?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346749/confusion-over-malaysia-us-trade-deal-null-and-void-claim-retracted?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 09:14:40 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran #SEAblings – short for “Southeast Asian siblings” – has increasingly been used by young Southeast Asians to signal regional solidarity, be it over a controversial concert or a political event. Whether such moments are fleeting or have the potential to morph into a sustainable movement is a subject of debate. The hashtag’s latest surge in use followed a dispute over camera rules at a K-pop concert in Kuala Lumpur, which escalated into a much wider online clash. For some sociologists, the point is... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345477/why-seablings-became-southeast-asias-symbol-digital-solidarity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345477/why-seablings-became-southeast-asias-symbol-digital-solidarity?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 03:30:09 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan China is expected to rebalance its ties with Israel as US-Israeli air strikes on Iran reshape the region’s security landscape, but analysts say it is unlikely to abandon its long-standing “balanced diplomacy” in the Middle East. The strikes began on Saturday after nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran reached a stalemate and tensions spiralled. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the 86-year-old cleric who had dominated the Islamic Republic’s political system for nearly four... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345308/how-will-china-adjust-israel-ties-us-led-strikes-iran-reshape-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345308/how-will-china-adjust-israel-ties-us-led-strikes-iran-reshape-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 15:00:10 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Singapore’s long-standing effort to stay equidistant between the United States and China is entering a more volatile phase, with recent comments by officials reflecting their awareness of the mounting strain, analysts have said. Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Friday told parliament that Singapore would not act as a proxy for any major power, stressing that the city state must be prepared to “courteously stand up and say no”. Observers say his remarks come at a time when geopolitical... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345152/singapore-strives-remain-equidistant-amid-us-china-rivalry-same-same-different?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345152/singapore-strives-remain-equidistant-amid-us-china-rivalry-same-same-different?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 11:00:29 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, sales director Sabir Ansari relied on Deliveroo almost daily for burgers and pasta delivered to his door in Singapore. Over time, the 31-year-old said, it became harder to justify the service’s costs as rival platforms such as Grab and Foodpanda offered more food options and aggressive promotions that made “delivery fees way cheaper”. “It was a no-brainer,” he said. For Deliveroo, that kind of calculation among consumers became increasingly... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3344705/what-deliveroos-singapore-exit-says-about-citys-food-delivery-wars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3344705/what-deliveroos-singapore-exit-says-about-citys-food-delivery-wars?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 06:51:13 +0000 CNA CNA Hundreds of AI-generated Chinese-language YouTube videos have been targeting Singapore and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong as part of an ongoing disinformation campaign. Seven in 10 videos attack Wong specifically, fabricating narratives about his leadership role being under threat and spreading conspiracy theories about political infighting in Singapore. The videos have racked up millions of views since surfacing late last year, though experts suggested that bot traffic or automation could be... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344522/singapore-prime-minister-attacked-hundreds-chinese-language-fake-ai-videos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344522/singapore-prime-minister-attacked-hundreds-chinese-language-fake-ai-videos?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 01:31:19 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang,William Zheng Sylvie Zhuang,William Zheng Beijing has quietly tightened restrictions on officials with family members overseas in the past year as part of a sweeping anti-corruption drive, according to sources. Three people familiar with the situation said inspections had been carried out since early last year within government bodies and state-owned enterprises to scrutinise the overseas connections of top officials and executives. In the past, such inspections have sought to identify “naked officials” – those whose spouses and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3343893/china-widens-anti-corruption-net-catch-quasi-naked-officials?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3343893/china-widens-anti-corruption-net-catch-quasi-naked-officials?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 14:00:10 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen Artificial intelligence (AI) is a battleground for the United States and China, but it can also be an area for dialogue and cooperation on regulation and global governance, according to researchers in Hong Kong and Singapore. The team highlighted “policy convergence” on AI at the local level and challenged the “conventional and stereotypical” expectations of policy models in China and the United States that mainly focused on divergence. “Despite fierce competition between the two AI superpowers,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343497/how-policy-convergence-could-pave-way-us-china-cooperation-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343497/how-policy-convergence-could-pave-way-us-china-cooperation-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 04:00:14 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju The United States’ latest trade deal with India may be linked to a freeze on discounted Russian oil purchases, but analysts say it is unlikely to upset New Delhi’s decades-old defence ties with Moscow. Announcing the agreement last week, US President Donald Trump said tariffs on India imports would be cut from 18 to 50 per cent, tying the reduction to India halting its intake of Russian crude. “India has committed to stop directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil,” Trump said in an... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3342912/why-us-tariff-deal-cannot-sever-india-russia-defence-ties-structural-reality?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3342912/why-us-tariff-deal-cannot-sever-india-russia-defence-ties-structural-reality?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 08:30:16 +0000 Fan Chen,Shi Jiangtao,Cao Jiaxuan Fan Chen,Shi Jiangtao,Cao Jiaxuan In the deepening shadow of US-China rivalry, India’s back-to-back trade pacts with the United States and the European Union mark a major tilt towards stronger economic ties with the West. While critical details – especially the scope of any reduction in Russian energy imports under the vague US agreement – remain unclear, experts predict the twin deals will give India leverage in its relationship with China and may slow the fragile thaw between New Delhi and Beijing. Meanwhile, New Delhi is... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342600/could-indias-twin-trade-agreements-set-back-its-improving-ties-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342600/could-indias-twin-trade-agreements-set-back-its-improving-ties-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 08:00:17 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang Twenty years ago, technologies developed by Liang Jie at Microsoft were incorporated into products like the Windows Media Video Player and Blu-ray discs used by millions worldwide. A decade on, while a professor in Canada, Liang ventured into entrepreneurship, developing an intelligent sensor system for elderly care to address global population ageing. Today, he brings his top-tier expertise in image and video compression back to China. According to the Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3341662/north-americas-top-computer-vision-scientist-liang-jie-returns-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3341662/north-americas-top-computer-vision-scientist-liang-jie-returns-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 02:00:11 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang In its latest efforts to reinforce the Communist Party line in China’s armed forces, the PLA Daily took aim at one particular invasive species: “big rats”. The rats were eating away at the PLA’s budget and undermining combat readiness, the military mouthpiece said, adding that they had to be eradicated. “[We] must take strong and forceful measures to crack down on corrupt practices that undermine the building of combat abilities, and thoroughly investigate and root out those ‘big rats’ who... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341985/was-general-zhang-youxia-one-big-rats-eating-chinas-military-budget?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341985/was-general-zhang-youxia-one-big-rats-eating-chinas-military-budget?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 10:00:19 +0000 An excerpt An excerpt In a new memoir No Borders: Journeys Across Islands And Continents, renowned historian Wang Gungwu traces his life across Malaya, London, Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore, sharing both personal anecdotes and perspectives on the changes in China and the modern world. In the excerpt below, Wang reflects on his impressions of Singapore after arriving from Hong Kong with his wife Margaret in the 1990s, the differences between the two cities, and his work on contemporary China with Singapore’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3341918/tale-two-cities-singapore-hong-kong-and-their-contrasting-paths?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3341918/tale-two-cities-singapore-hong-kong-and-their-contrasting-paths?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 06:00:14 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Connor Mycroft Matthew Cheng,Connor Mycroft British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has told Chinese President Xi Jinping that Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability are in the shared interests of both China and the United Kingdom in a high-profile meeting during his four-day trip to Beijing. Starmer, the first British leader to visit China since 2018, confirmed after the meeting, when asked by the media, that he had mentioned the landmark national security trial of jailed former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying with Xi. According to the state... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3341709/starmer-stresses-hong-kongs-stability-key-stronger-ties-meeting-xi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3341709/starmer-stresses-hong-kongs-stability-key-stronger-ties-meeting-xi?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 10:30:25 +0000 Ann Cao,Coco Feng,Wency Chen Ann Cao,Coco Feng,Wency Chen Beijing has begun approving imports of Nvidia’s H200 graphics processing units (GPUs), according to two sources familiar with the matter, ending regulatory uncertainty over the US tech giant’s second most powerful artificial intelligence chip. The first batch was expected to go to Big Tech companies, which were in urgent need of the GPU, a source said. However, access for state-backed companies, such as telecommunication network operators, was expected to remain under tight control, the source... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3341568/beijing-clears-nvidias-h200-imports-ending-chip-uncertainty-china-tech-giants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3341568/beijing-clears-nvidias-h200-imports-ending-chip-uncertainty-china-tech-giants?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 12:00:12 +0000 Jolene Ang Jolene Ang I turned 30 on December 15. That morning, I got a text reminder from the Singapore government that I would need a new photo for my identity card. But renewing the card would also mean having to decide whether to change my surname. My surname today, Ang, is actually not mine by lineage. By blood, I am a Koh. My great-grandmother married a Koh and they had two sons. After his untimely demise, she married an Ang – a man she never had children with. But under social pressure, she changed the surname... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3340768/chinese-singaporeans-first-world-dilemma-should-i-change-my-surname?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3340768/chinese-singaporeans-first-world-dilemma-should-i-change-my-surname?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 01:30:11 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat An adviser to China’s central bank has publicly questioned the stability of the United States’ debt – highlighting growing concerns over Washington’s fiscal trajectory and the risk of a global spillover. “I’ve heard so many people telling me that [debt] as a share of GDP [gross domestic product] has been rising and probably will continue to rise. That’s probably not sustainable,” said Huang Yiping, an adviser to the People’s Bank of China, on Wednesday. The current institutional setting in the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3340716/china-central-bank-adviser-flags-us-debt-probably-not-sustainable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3340716/china-central-bank-adviser-flags-us-debt-probably-not-sustainable?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 04:00:13 +0000 Kolette Lim,Aidan Jones Kolette Lim,Aidan Jones Southeast Asian countries invited to join Donald Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace” should think carefully before entering what looks like a “more exclusive version” of the United Nations Security Council with the US president in ultimate control, analysts caution. Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam are among about 60 countries that have reportedly received invitations, alongside South Korea and India. The initiative, presented by Trump as a new international body to promote global... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340651/why-southeast-asia-wary-trumps-pay-play-global-peace-board?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340651/why-southeast-asia-wary-trumps-pay-play-global-peace-board?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 06:30:10 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Hong Kong’s oldest university has been ranked seventh in the latest global league table for education, and has placed among the top 20 for medical and health. Renowned British publication Times Higher Education (THE) released its annual subject rankings on Wednesday. The lists cover 11 subject areas and assess them using 18 performance metrics, such as teaching, research and internationalisation. The latest rankings also saw Peking University and Tsinghua University enter the top 10 rankings for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3340585/puts-university-hong-kong-7th-education-east-asia-climbs-rankings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3340585/puts-university-hong-kong-7th-education-east-asia-climbs-rankings?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:00:25 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau The US ambassador to Singapore, Anjani Sinha, has come under fire in the city state for asking businesses to make “substantially larger” financial contributions as his embassy plans for its July 4 celebrations, despite such fundraising being a standard annual practice of Washington’s diplomats. Observers told This Week in Asia that while soliciting businesses for contributions was not new, it was the language used by the ambassador that drew disbelief amid Washington’s more transactional foreign... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340565/us-ambassador-singapores-substantially-larger-gifts-call-mark-july-4-rankles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340565/us-ambassador-singapores-substantially-larger-gifts-call-mark-july-4-rankles?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 10:12:03 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell More than 2,300 years ago, Aristotle mused in Politics that to live alone, a man must be a god or a beast, or words to that effect. I wonder what he would have thought of the popularity of China’s “Are You Dead?” app. For Aristotle, we are social animals, thriving in the “polis” in the company of family, friends and fellow citizens. The average mother had at least five children. Many homes housed three, even four, generations. Family life was noisy and crowded, full of companionship, contest and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3340039/families-shrink-our-primary-relationship-increasingly-ourselves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3340039/families-shrink-our-primary-relationship-increasingly-ourselves?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju India is facing multiple geopolitical challenges in the region as Bangladesh and Myanmar show signs of drifting away from New Delhi’s orbit amid its long-standing disputes with Pakistan and China. Dhaka has been drawing closer to Islamabad following the downfall in 2024 of its former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who had close ties with Delhi during her rule, while China has continued to maintain its influence in Myanmar since the junta in Naypyidaw ousted the elected government in a coup in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340184/why-india-losing-ground-over-bangladesh-and-myanmar-regional-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340184/why-india-losing-ground-over-bangladesh-and-myanmar-regional-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 10:35:15 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji India ushered in the new year with a symbolic triumph as its economy edged past Japan’s to become the world’s fourth largest by nominal gross domestic product. The achievement unleashed a wave of national pride in New Delhi and among business leaders, but behind the celebrations lingers a question: can the world’s fastest-growing economy turn rapid growth into widespread prosperity? Economists warn that GDP figures alone cannot create jobs, lift incomes or bridge yawning inequality in a nation... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3339378/india-overtakes-japan-economic-size-prosperity-trails-far-behind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3339378/india-overtakes-japan-economic-size-prosperity-trails-far-behind?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Jan 2026 00:00:17 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Foreign money is flowing back into Southeast Asia, and analysts expect the region to remain a draw for global investors even as geopolitical tensions and domestic political risks cloud the outlook. Emerging Southeast Asian markets recorded US$337 million of equity inflow in December last year, the highest monthly figure since September 2024, according to a Bloomberg report. These economies include Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. Analysts say the rebound points to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3339114/why-investors-are-looking-southeast-asias-economies-amid-global-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3339114/why-investors-are-looking-southeast-asias-economies-amid-global-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 02:30:48 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang Biomedical scientist Professor Chen Xiaoyuan denies allegations of sexual harassment and says he will appeal against the termination of his tenure by the National University of Singapore (NUS) over an alleged breach of staff conduct policies. The termination, confirmed to the South China Morning Post by NUS on Wednesday, followed an internal investigation into claims by a female PhD candidate who accused Chen of repeated verbal and physical misconduct since early this year. Chen broke his... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3337808/top-biotech-scientist-chen-xiaoyuan-denies-sexual-harassment-claim-says-he-will-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3337808/top-biotech-scientist-chen-xiaoyuan-denies-sexual-harassment-claim-says-he-will-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 08:26:41 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim After finishing his postgraduate studies in May, Tan Kwan Ann expected the job hunt to be difficult, but not so disheartening. The 33-year-old, who specialised in structural biology at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU), sent out more than 600 applications while waiting for the formal conferment of his doctorate, but heard back from almost none of them. “It seemed like I was excluded from society and made me feel very lousy. It made me question if it was my fault that I chose to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3337546/singapores-young-graduates-feel-heat-draining-job-hunt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3337546/singapores-young-graduates-feel-heat-draining-job-hunt?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Dec 2025 05:00:14 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji For much of the past year, Asian exporters have been racing to stay ahead of a global tariff storm – re-routing shipments, reconfiguring supply chains and absorbing rising costs as the United States tightened its trade barriers. Now another pressure point is emerging. From the start of next year, Mexico plans to impose import duties of up to 50 per cent on a wide range of goods from Asia, threatening to choke off a key workaround companies have relied on to maintain access to the North American... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3337107/mexicos-50-tariff-shock-shuts-asias-north-american-trade-bypass?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3337107/mexicos-50-tariff-shock-shuts-asias-north-american-trade-bypass?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Dec 2025 05:30:09 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Singapore’s approach to curbing foreign interference and cybercrime is being tested by the sheer speed and borderless nature of online threats, according to analysts who say the city state’s legal powers provide important safeguards but are unlikely to fully keep pace with a rapidly evolving digital landscape. They note that while swift takedown orders and targeted legislation have strengthened Singapore’s defences against misinformation and coordinated online harms, long-term resilience would... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3335660/can-singapores-cyber-laws-keep-pace-speed-borderless-online-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3335660/can-singapores-cyber-laws-keep-pace-speed-borderless-online-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 02:30:08 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji The better-than-expected growth of India’s economy, driven by strong performance in the domestic consumer and manufacturing sectors, highlights its near-term resilience despite a slowdown in exports and US import tariffs. While India’s 8.2 per cent year-on-year growth figure in the July to September quarter was the fastest among major economies, analysts warn that the headline numbers may not provide a true picture of the challenges it faces. Private consumer spending, which accounts for more... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3334912/indias-strong-economic-growth-impresses-amid-doubts-overstated-data?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3334912/indias-strong-economic-growth-impresses-amid-doubts-overstated-data?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 10:30:14 +0000