https://www.scmp.com/rss/524096/feed Guo Jiakun: A seasoned Chinese diplomat, he assumed the role of Foreign Ministry Spokesman in January 2025, bringing over two decades of experience in foreign service. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Minxiao Chang,Coco Feng Minxiao Chang,Coco Feng The administration of Donald Trump has threatened action to shield the US artificial intelligence industry from being “distilled” by Chinese rivals, in a move analysts say could weed out weaker players in China’s AI sector within a year. In a memo released on Thursday, Michael Kratsios, the science and technology adviser to the US president, warned that “surreptitious, unauthorised distillation campaigns” were enabling foreign entities – mainly in China – to release models that appear to match... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3351359/us-crackdown-threat-could-shake-out-chinas-distillation-ai-copycats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3351359/us-crackdown-threat-could-shake-out-chinas-distillation-ai-copycats?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:00:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Far-flung Pacific nations ⁠are reeling from the impact of a global ⁠fuel crisis as authorities scramble to manage energy supplies while families must grapple ⁠with fuel curbs and higher costs for food and access to healthcare. Global oil supplies are running down as the US-Israeli war with Iran disrupts traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which typically carries about 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flows. Aid agencies have warned that the crisis has driven up prices... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3350937/pacific-islanders-skip-food-medicine-amid-global-fuel-shortage-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3350937/pacific-islanders-skip-food-medicine-amid-global-fuel-shortage-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 01:37:07 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Japan has scrapped long-standing restrictions on arms exports in a major break with its post-war pacifist policy that is likely to derail any potential thaw in relations with China. The plans, given final approval by the cabinet on Tuesday, could clear the way for sales of lethal equipment that had long been banned and prompted expressions of “serious concern” from Beijing. Japan’s Three Principles on Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology had previously limited exports to five non-combat... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350913/japans-new-arms-export-rules-trigger-chinese-warning-against-moves-towards-militarism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350913/japans-new-arms-export-rules-trigger-chinese-warning-against-moves-towards-militarism?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:01:07 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan Risks of conflict in the Gulf of Oman are rising after the US Navy fired on an Iranian-flagged cargo ship, though analysts say both Washington and Tehran have shown a reluctance to prolong the war. US President Donald Trump on Sunday confirmed that the guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance opened fire on the Touska after its crew reportedly ignored repeated orders to halt. The incident, occurring in the strategic waters connecting the Persian Gulf to the open sea via the Strait of Hormuz, marks... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350738/what-does-us-and-irans-fight-talk-dynamic-mean-their-ceasefire-expires?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350738/what-does-us-and-irans-fight-talk-dynamic-mean-their-ceasefire-expires?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:55:42 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China has lodged a protest with New Zealand about the activities of a military aircraft near its coast, suggesting it had put commercial airlines at risk. Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Friday that a P-8A anti-submarine patrol aircraft had “conducted continuous close-in reconnaissance and harassment in the airspace and waters of the Yellow Sea and East China Sea”. He said such actions undermined China’s security interests, heightened the risks of misunderstandings and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350508/china-complains-harassment-new-zealand-aerial-patrols-close-coastline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350508/china-complains-harassment-new-zealand-aerial-patrols-close-coastline?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:50:59 +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 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 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai has come under fire over what he said was a private visit to Japan to support the island’s team at the World Baseball Classic last week – a trip that drew a sharp rebuke from Beijing. Cho travelled to Tokyo on March 7, watching Taiwan defeat the Czech Republic 14-0 at the Tokyo Dome in the tournament’s Pool C round. He returned to Taipei the same day. It was the first visit to Japan by a sitting Taiwanese premier since Tokyo ended official ties with Taipei in 1972... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346546/swing-and-miss-taiwans-premier-under-fire-over-baseball-trip-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346546/swing-and-miss-taiwans-premier-under-fire-over-baseball-trip-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 04:00:15 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan Beijing on Friday warned Washington against making moves involving Hong Kong or Taiwan ahead of the expected visit by US President Donald Trump later this month. It condemned US calls for the release of jailed former Hong Kong media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and reiterated opposition to American arms sales to Taiwan. Speaking at a regular press briefing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Lai “should be severely punished according to the law”, and accused external forces of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346526/beijing-warns-us-over-jimmy-lai-hong-kong-and-taiwan-arms-sales-ahead-trump-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346526/beijing-warns-us-over-jimmy-lai-hong-kong-and-taiwan-arms-sales-ahead-trump-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 11:30:43 +0000 Orange Wang,Alyssa Chen Orange Wang,Alyssa Chen The US-Israeli war on Iran could prove difficult to end in the short term, with Israel expected to continue to “fan the flames”, Chinese experts have warned. However, they still believe that the intense back-and-forth attacks and high tensions in the Strait of Hormuz are unlikely to last. They also reject the notion that a prolonged Middle East conflict involving the United States would benefit Beijing. It has been 12 days since the US and Israel launched joint air strikes on Iran on February... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346263/why-war-iran-not-trumps-end-will-israel-fan-flames?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346263/why-war-iran-not-trumps-end-will-israel-fan-flames?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 04:00:12 +0000 Orange Wang,Shi Jiangtao Orange Wang,Shi Jiangtao Chinese analysts expect Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new supreme leader, to continue and possibly harden his assassinated father’s policies towards the US and Israel. The appointment of the 56-year-old cleric could signal a sense of continuity inside Iran, as well as stabilise ties between Beijing and Tehran, the analysts added. Iran’s Assembly of Experts confirmed on Monday that the younger Khamenei would succeed the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the supreme leader – a post holding the final say... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346134/why-china-sees-stability-hardliner-mojtaba-khameneis-rise-lead-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346134/why-china-sees-stability-hardliner-mojtaba-khameneis-rise-lead-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 13:15:51 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou China will resume passenger train services to North Korea for the first time in six years – the latest sign of warming ties between the two countries as Pyongyang grapples with increasing tensions with the South and Donald Trump’s unpredictability. From Thursday, passenger trains between Beijing and Pyongyang will run four times a week – on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, China Railway Group (CREC) said on social media Tuesday night. The train will depart from Beijing at around 5.30pm... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346128/china-north-korea-rail-services-restored-neighbours-try-get-relations-back-track?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346128/china-north-korea-rail-services-restored-neighbours-try-get-relations-back-track?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 13:00:12 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A US citizen was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison on Wednesday for offering China sensitive information while working as a civilian contractor at a US military base in Germany. The defendant, only partially named as Martin D., was put on trial in a German court in the western city of Koblenz, with proceedings held partly behind closed doors. In 2024, prosecutors charged that Martin D. had “contacted Chinese government agencies several times and offered to pass on sensitive... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343221/german-court-jails-us-military-contractor-china-spy-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343221/german-court-jails-us-military-contractor-china-spy-case?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:05:12 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Beijing has lifted sanctions on British peers and lawmakers, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said, following his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “This has been a cause of concern in parliament and for parliamentarians for some time and that is why I raised it on this visit,” Starmer told ITV News in Shanghai. “And the response from the Chinese is that the restrictions no longer apply and President Xi has told me that that means that all parliamentarians are welcome to visit,” he... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3341900/uk-says-china-lifts-sanctions-british-lawmakers-after-starmer-xi-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3341900/uk-says-china-lifts-sanctions-british-lawmakers-after-starmer-xi-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 17:17:50 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang A Chinese court has executed 11 people, including several citizens of Myanmar, linked to a notorious telecoms fraud group based in the Southeast Asian country for crimes including fraud, drug trafficking and murder. The Wenzhou Intermediate People’s Court in eastern Zhejiang province carried out the executions of people who formed the core leadership of the Ming family crime syndicate and associated telecoms fraud groups, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Thursday. According to China’s Supreme... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3341710/china-executes-11-core-members-myanmar-based-telecoms-fraud-ring?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3341710/china-executes-11-core-members-myanmar-based-telecoms-fraud-ring?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 12:00:17 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi will travel to China next week, in what is expected to be the first visit by a Latin American leader to Beijing since the United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in an early January operation. Beijing says the trip will focus on strengthening political dialogue and expanding economic cooperation. The state visit will run from February 1 to 7, according to China’s foreign ministry, and comes at a tense moment in the western hemisphere following... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341315/xi-meet-uruguays-orsi-first-latin-america-china-visit-us-capture-maduro?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341315/xi-meet-uruguays-orsi-first-latin-america-china-visit-us-capture-maduro?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 21:55:02 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen At the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week, world leaders warned of an increasingly fractured global order and took veiled swipes at the United States. But they held back on directly criticising China, which experts said signalled a recalibration in their approach to Beijing as US President Donald Trump’s political unpredictability left allies on edge. Recent moves by the US president have been widely seen as assaults on the global order, including the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341058/trump-shakes-world-order-western-countries-recalibrate-approach-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341058/trump-shakes-world-order-western-countries-recalibrate-approach-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 15:00:12 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen China will closely monitor developments in Greenland as it seeks to become an important player in Arctic affairs. Still, Beijing is unlikely to respond with any major action in the near future to counter US President Donald Trump’s bid to annex the island, analysts said. “The Arctic is certainly a central matter for policy for China, and they know it’s going to be important in the future, especially with climate change,” said Eurasia Group’s China practice head, David Meale. In his escalated... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340914/china-quietly-track-greenland-developments-curb-arctic-ambitions-now-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340914/china-quietly-track-greenland-developments-curb-arctic-ambitions-now-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:01:33 +0000 Ralph Jennings,Luna Sun Ralph Jennings,Luna Sun Chinese and US negotiators are expected to discuss stepping up trade in AI chips and farm products, as well as what to do later this year when their hard-fought 2025 truce expires – all before President Donald Trump visits China for the first time in his current term, analysts said on Wednesday. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested on Tuesday that the pieces were in place for an April summit in Beijing between Trump and President Xi Jinping, as announced by the US leader in late... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3340710/chips-soybeans-tariffs-whats-tap-us-china-talks-trumps-next-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3340710/chips-soybeans-tariffs-whats-tap-us-china-talks-trumps-next-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 14:00:12 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim China has confirmed that it received an invitation from the United States to join Donald Trump’s “board of peace for Gaza”. When asked about China’s position on the US president’s proposal on Tuesday, foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said the invitation had been received but he did not say whether Beijing would accept. Trump has invited dozens of world leaders to join the initiative as part of his efforts to push forward his 20-point plan to resolve the conflict in Gaza. The board was... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340562/china-confirms-invite-join-trumps-gaza-peace-board-wont-say-if-will-accept?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340562/china-confirms-invite-join-trumps-gaza-peace-board-wont-say-if-will-accept?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 10:30:09 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan has secured a US deal slashing export tariffs to 15 per cent after more than nine months of talks, with Taipei hailing the result as a “home run” that will put the island on an equal footing with Japan and South Korea. But observers and opposition parties have raised sharp concerns over Taiwan’s commitment to invest up to US$500 billion in the United States in exchange for the tariff cut. The arrangement could hollow out Taiwan’s industrial base – particularly its prized semiconductor... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3340216/taipei-hails-us-15-tariffs-home-run-despite-fears-over-us500-billion-cost?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3340216/taipei-hails-us-15-tariffs-home-run-despite-fears-over-us500-billion-cost?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:23:48 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall An editorial in the Sankei Shimbun has reopened a long-taboo debate in Japan over whether the country should even discuss acquiring nuclear weapons, after off-the-record remarks by a senior security official arguing the country should have them sparked domestic and regional backlash. The conservative daily argued that growing threats from Japan’s neighbours meant no option for protecting the public should be beyond discussion, a stance that has drawn praise from some on the right and alarm from... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338570/why-talk-japanese-nuclear-option-resurfacing-and-why-it-alarms-critics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338570/why-talk-japanese-nuclear-option-resurfacing-and-why-it-alarms-critics?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jan 2026 01:30:24 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang On August 6 last year, atomic bomb survivors held their annual commemorative lantern-floating ceremony at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Japan. Two months later, their group, Nihon Hidankyo, won the Nobel Peace Prize for decades of campaigning against nuclear weapons. Fifteen years earlier, in Chongshan village in China’s eastern Zhejiang province, Wang Jinti took his last breath. Wang died in near-total obscurity, never having received an apology or compensation for the suffering he... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3337900/why-chinese-victims-unit-731-and-japans-wwii-bio-warfare-are-still-waiting-justice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3337900/why-chinese-victims-unit-731-and-japans-wwii-bio-warfare-are-still-waiting-justice?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Dec 2025 04:00:10 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The long-running saga of TikTok that has caused much friction and resentment between China and the United States may finally come to an end. A deal has been signed between the commercial parties and blessed by US President Donald Trump, though it’s unclear whether Chinese regulators have cleared it. What was supposed to be a forced sale on national security grounds is now a joint venture. In response to a question, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Guo Jiakun said the country’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3337208/tiktok-deal-could-show-way-forward-us-china-engagement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3337208/tiktok-deal-could-show-way-forward-us-china-engagement?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Dec 2025 23:15:17 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng Beijing on Friday accused Washington of using its new US defence policy act to hype up the so-called China threat and interfere in its internal affairs. It also urged Washington to view their relationship “rationally” and refrain from enforcing negative China-related provisions. The latest National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA), signed into law by President Donald Trump on Thursday, restricts US outbound investment in Chinese technology and curbs federal contracts with Chinese biotechnology... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3337124/us-defence-policy-act-overstates-china-threat-beijing-says-urges-rational-view?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3337124/us-defence-policy-act-overstates-china-threat-beijing-says-urges-rational-view?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Dec 2025 13:14:59 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng Beijing has condemned Washington for its decision to sell about US$11 billion in weapons to Taiwan, calling it a grave violation of its sovereignty and a dangerous signal to separatist forces. Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) spokesman Chen Binhua said on Thursday that the sale amounted to “flagrant interference in China’s internal affairs”. Chen said it also “gravely violates” the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques, particularly the August 17 communique –... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336961/beijing-condemns-washingtons-landmark-us11-billion-arms-sale-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336961/beijing-condemns-washingtons-landmark-us11-billion-arms-sale-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 14:07:46 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen Cambodia and Thailand have expressed willingness to de-escalate and cease fire following recent border clashes, according to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, also the country’s deputy prime minister, and Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow made the comments in separate phone conversations with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday, according to the ministry. The Thai and Cambodian foreign ministers briefed Wang about the latest... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336944/china-sends-special-envoy-mediate-thailand-and-cambodia-exchange-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336944/china-sends-special-envoy-mediate-thailand-and-cambodia-exchange-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 10:55:11 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Chile’s election of an ultraconservative leader has created another vocal ally for US President Donald Trump in a lithium-rich region where China has emerged as the dominant economic partner, positioning the South American country at the centre of an intensifying superpower rivalry. In what was probably Chile’s sharpest rightward shift since the end of its military dictatorship in 1990, Jose Antonio Kast, a right-wing former lawmaker who campaigned on Trump-style hardline positions on crime and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336564/chiles-sharp-shift-right-puts-it-centre-china-us-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336564/chiles-sharp-shift-right-puts-it-centre-china-us-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 14:00:11 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela Beijing has accused Tokyo of attempting to “mislead the public and hope that somehow the issue would resolve itself”, after Japan’s foreign minister selectively quoted its position on Taiwan from a joint communique that was the foundation of establishing diplomatic ties with mainland China in 1972. During a parliamentary session on Monday, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi repeated Tokyo’s position on Taiwan as stated in the document that established and normalised ties with Beijing. However,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336663/japan-spelled-out-its-stance-taiwan-its-what-tokyo-didnt-say-angers-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336663/japan-spelled-out-its-stance-taiwan-its-what-tokyo-didnt-say-angers-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 11:37:45 +0000 Oscar Liu,Harvey Kong,Connor Mycroft Oscar Liu,Harvey Kong,Connor Mycroft Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s guilty verdict in a landmark Hong Kong national security trial has become a political flashpoint, as China’s Western opponents demand the former media boss’ immediate release and Beijing strongly rejects their interference. But while the High Court’s ruling on Monday could send the businessman turned opposition activist to jail for life, Western countries were unlikely to hit Hong Kong with more sanctions as they needed to cooperate with Beijing to offset unfair trade... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3336533/jimmy-lais-conviction-hong-kong-becomes-flashpoint-between-china-west?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3336533/jimmy-lais-conviction-hong-kong-becomes-flashpoint-between-china-west?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 15:00:29 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai Beijing has accused Manila of organising a “premeditated” provocation and dangerous manoeuvres near a disputed reef in the South China Sea, and Washington of making false statements that have escalated tensions in the region. Manila said Philippine fishing boats near Sabina Shoal had been targeted with water cannons by Chinese coastguard ships in an incident on Friday, while Beijing said Philippine personnel had threatened Chinese officers with knives. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336509/china-accuses-philippines-premeditated-provocations-near-sabina-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336509/china-accuses-philippines-premeditated-provocations-near-sabina-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:14:14 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. Three Hong Kong judges who presided over former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s high-profile national security trial for more than 1½ years returned their verdict on Monday, finding him guilty on all charges. The 78-year-old founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily has spent most of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3336418/jimmy-lai-trial-all-eyes-hong-kong-court-set-deliver-verdict?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3336418/jimmy-lai-trial-all-eyes-hong-kong-court-set-deliver-verdict?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 01:48:37 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang A top official warned against moves to revive Japanese militarism as China held its annual national commemoration of the Nanking massacre amid tense ties with Tokyo. Speaking at a memorial ceremony in the eastern city of Nanjing on Saturday, Shi Taifeng, head of the ruling Communist Party’s organisation department, said that any attempt to revive militarism, challenge the post-war international order or undermine global peace and stability was “doomed to failure”, according to state broadcaster... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3336337/china-marks-nanking-massacre-anniversary-warning-against-japans-militarism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3336337/china-marks-nanking-massacre-anniversary-warning-against-japans-militarism?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Dec 2025 11:18:31 +0000 Sylvia Ma,Frank Chen Sylvia Ma,Frank Chen After witnessing the effects of a tumultuous trade war with the United States this year, China’s top leaders have issued a directive to fortify the domestic economy against persistent or even heightened trade frictions. Following the annual central economic work conference, which concluded on Thursday and set the agenda for 2026, officials emphasised “better coordinating domestic economic work and international economic and trade struggles”, anchoring a pro-growth strategy for the start of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336271/china-digs-trade-struggles-beijing-eyes-dual-strategy-growth-and-resilience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336271/china-digs-trade-struggles-beijing-eyes-dual-strategy-growth-and-resilience?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 14:00:09 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai As Beijing prepared to mark the 88th anniversary of the Nanking massacre, China’s military mouthpiece warned on Friday that provocative actions by right-wing Japanese politicians risked plunging Asia into peril. PLA Daily published the warning in a commentary the day before sirens will sound out across Nanjing, the capital of eastern Jiangsu province, at 10.01am during national commemorations led by the Communist Party’s Central Committee and the State Council. According to China’s official... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336248/provocative-japanese-actions-risk-plunging-asia-peril-chinas-pla-daily?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336248/provocative-japanese-actions-risk-plunging-asia-peril-chinas-pla-daily?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 10:15:24 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi Beijing’s push to advance the domestic chip industry will remain unchanged regardless of whether it allows Chinese companies to buy Nvidia’s H200, analysts said. Days after US President Donald Trump announced Washington would permit Nvidia to ship the chips to approved Chinese customers – on the condition that 25 per cent be “paid” to the United States – Beijing has yet to publicly state whether it will approve purchases. So far, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued the only official... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336100/china-may-tap-nvidias-h200-ai-gains-domestic-chip-strategy-here-stay-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336100/china-may-tap-nvidias-h200-ai-gains-domestic-chip-strategy-here-stay-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 13:00:18 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang US bombers and stealth fighters took part in a joint military exercise with Japan on Wednesday while an American aircraft carrier arrived at a Japanese port on Thursday, in a show of force amid heightened tensions between Beijing and Tokyo. Japanese Self-Defence Forces (SDF) and the US military conducted the exercise “amid an increasingly severe security environment surrounding Japan”, Tokyo’s Ministry of Defence said on Thursday. “Through this exercise, we confirmed the strong commitment of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336085/us-military-sends-show-strength-japan-chinas-navy-air-drills-continue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336085/us-military-sends-show-strength-japan-chinas-navy-air-drills-continue?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 11:00:12 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi acknowledged that China had notified Japan in advance about drills involving the aircraft carrier Liaoning that led to a stand-off between warplanes from the two countries over the weekend. However, Koizumi told a press conference on Wednesday that the notification lacked detail about the scale and location of the exercise in the Pacific southeast of Okinawa’s main island and Beijing had not provided “notices to air missions”, a warning to ships and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3335816/china-reveals-radio-communication-heard-mid-air-standoff-japanese-fighter-jets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3335816/china-reveals-radio-communication-heard-mid-air-standoff-japanese-fighter-jets?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 20:06:34 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Beijing has warned against foreign interference in its internal affairs following reports that US President Donald Trump privately pressed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to dial back her rhetoric on Taiwan. During a call on Tuesday, the US leader urged Takaichi not to provoke China, according to a Wall Street Journal report that cited government officials. While reportedly briefed on Takaichi’s domestic political constraints, Trump asked her to “temper” her tone, but stopped short of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334388/china-warns-internal-affairs-limits-after-report-trump-asked-takaichi-temper-tone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334388/china-warns-internal-affairs-limits-after-report-trump-asked-takaichi-temper-tone?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Nov 2025 11:40:00 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang China and the United States have held their second round of maritime security talks this year to help manage risks between their militaries, according to the Chinese navy. The talks, held in Hawaii from Tuesday to Thursday, were “candid and constructive,” the PLA Navy said in a statement on Saturday. It said both sides exchanged views on the security situation, discussing cases of air and sea encounters and measures to improve operational safety. The meeting marked the latest effort by the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3333801/china-us-hold-candid-maritime-security-talks-amid-japan-south-china-sea-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3333801/china-us-hold-candid-maritime-security-talks-amid-japan-south-china-sea-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Nov 2025 12:08:42 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has accused Germany of making “groundless accusations” and called on Berlin to support reunification with Taiwan in a phone call with his German counterpart, Johann Wadephul. The call, at the request of Wadephul, came a week after he postponed his first trip to China, saying that Beijing had confirmed only one of his requested meetings. “China and Germany have different histories, cultures and social systems, so differences are unavoidable,” Wang said in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331437/germany-must-resist-megaphone-diplomacy-wang-tells-wadephul-after-trip-china-postponed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331437/germany-must-resist-megaphone-diplomacy-wang-tells-wadephul-after-trip-china-postponed?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 05:38:55 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong North Korea pre-emptively slammed any discussion of its denuclearisation as a “pipe dream” just hours before Chinese President Xi Jinping was scheduled to meet South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea. Analysts suggest Pyongyang’s blunt intervention was aimed at deterring both Seoul and Beijing from prioritising the explosive topic. This intervention was also seen as a show of “displeasure” that... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3331145/north-korean-denuclearisation-pipe-dream-pyongyang-warns-ahead-seoul-beijing-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3331145/north-korean-denuclearisation-pipe-dream-pyongyang-warns-ahead-seoul-beijing-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 02:17:45 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang US President Donald Trump said he had approved plans for South Korea to build a nuclear-powered submarine in Philadelphia – praising Seoul as a “serious partner” in efforts to revive US shipbuilding – in a social post released just ahead of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “South Korea will be building its nuclear-powered submarine in the Philadelphia shipyards,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account on Thursday morning. “I have given them approval to build a nuclear-powered... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3330850/trump-greenlights-south-korea-nuclear-submarine-plan-ahead-xi-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3330850/trump-greenlights-south-korea-nuclear-submarine-plan-ahead-xi-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 04:49:19 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan American soybean farmers got some rare good news on Wednesday just hours before a high-stakes meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump when news broke that Beijing had placed its first order after months of trade tension that saw shipments blocked. The Trump administration hailed the move as a “positive step forward” for farmers, touting the “America first” leader’s deal-making prowess. “Today’s purchase by China of multiple ships of American soybeans signals... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3330823/relief-and-caution-china-resumes-us-soybean-purchases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3330823/relief-and-caution-china-resumes-us-soybean-purchases?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 17:15:56 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao China’s ambitious five-year strategic blueprint has revealed the country’s plan to become a global sea power, with pledges to secure its maritime periphery while countering American sanctions and other perceived external security threats. The aspirations were outlined in a broad policy document for the country’s 15th five-year plan adopted at the Communist Party’s fourth plenum in Beijing last week and released by state news agency Xinhua on Tuesday. While stressing “Chinese-style modernisation”... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330802/china-eyes-rise-global-sea-power-while-countering-us-five-year-plan-shows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330802/china-eyes-rise-global-sea-power-while-countering-us-five-year-plan-shows?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 13:00:29 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged Japan’s new administration to take a constructive “first step” in engaging with Beijing and to properly address sensitive issues such as Taiwan and wartime history. Wang made the remarks during a phone call with his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi on Tuesday – the first high-level diplomatic engagement between Beijing and Tokyo since Sanae Takaichi became Japan’s first female prime minister a week ago. Chinese leaders, including President Xi Jinping,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330654/china-urges-japans-new-administration-take-solid-first-step-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330654/china-urges-japans-new-administration-take-solid-first-step-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Oct 2025 11:24:26 +0000 Sylvia Ma,Alice Li Sylvia Ma,Alice Li US President Donald Trump has said a final ownership deal on TikTok could be struck during an expected meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, a summit that would build on the latest round of trade talks between representatives of the world’s two largest economies in Malaysia. When asked whether he anticipated a concrete deal over Chinese firm ByteDance’s divestment of the American version of its short-video app – a persistent sticking point in bilateral relations – Trump said it... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3330504/trump-hints-trade-deal-end-tiktok-saga-run-china-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3330504/trump-hints-trade-deal-end-tiktok-saga-run-china-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 14:00:26 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai China has held off on congratulating Japan’s new prime minister nearly a week after her appointment, a break with precedent that sends alarm about the state of relations between the two countries. China hawk Sanae Takaichi, 64, took office on Tuesday, becoming the first woman prime minister in the country’s history and the fifth person to hold the office in five years. She took over from Shigeru Ishiba, who was congratulated by both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on the day he... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330382/china-gives-japans-new-prime-minister-sanae-takaichi-cold-shoulder?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330382/china-gives-japans-new-prime-minister-sanae-takaichi-cold-shoulder?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 15:55:08 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen Premier Li Qiang will arrive in Singapore on Saturday for a two-day visit that the Chinese foreign ministry said aimed to deepen cooperation and reaffirm a shared commitment to multilateralism. The ministry confirmed the trip on Friday, saying it came at a pivotal moment as the two countries marked 35 years of diplomatic ties. “China hopes to work with Singapore through the visit to … deepen cooperation in various fields, have close communication and cooperation on international and regional... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330204/premier-li-qiang-visit-singapore-china-looks-shore-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330204/premier-li-qiang-visit-singapore-china-looks-shore-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 08:15:39 +0000