TOPIC

/ location

Xinjiang

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Xinjiang. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Ürümqi

Head of Government

Party Secretary of Xinjiang Ma Xingrui

Elderly people rest at a park in Fuyang in eastern China’s Anhui province on September 13, 2024. Photo: AFP

China birth rate

In China, a France-sized population loss begins to test coastal powerhouses

Rising pension burdens and social security subsidies are also straining public finances – though trends remain uneven, analysts say.

28 Apr 2026 - 8:00AM

Science

Defects – not jumping tourists – caused deadly Xinjiang bridge collapse: report

23 Apr 2026 - 9:00PM

SCMP Highlights

Hormuz oil crisis hits China; a family of dentists: 5 weekend reads you missed

13 Apr 2026 - 12:12PM

Science

Chinese crystal ‘paves way’ for GPS-free thorium clock navigation

World-first crystal tunes laser light to power ultra-precise, compact nuclear clocks which could guide submarines and deep-space probes.

11 Apr 2026 - 10:00PMvideocam

A nuclear clock could enable navigation in places where the Global Positioning System does not work, such as deep space or underwater. Photo: AFP via Getty Images

Pakistan

Why has China mapped out a third new county in Xinjiang on its western frontier?

Cenling county, near Pakistan and Afghan borders and disputed frontier with India, follows Hean and Hekang as Beijing boosts security.

11 Apr 2026 - 3:46PMvideocam

Science

2 years on: China’s ‘desert wheat farms’ show the seeds of success

Chinese project turns sand dunes into cropland to combat desertification and strengthen food security.

10 Apr 2026 - 2:34PMvideocam

Science

China’s electric truck revolution: powerful painkiller for the Iran war?

Sales of electric heavy-duty cargo trucks surged by 182 per cent in 2025, with more growth forecast as oil and gas prices soar.

6 Apr 2026 - 3:00PMvideocam

An electric truck at a supercharging station in Yichang, in China’s central Hubei province. Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images

China-EU relations

Orban on the brink: could Hungary’s election dent China’s influence in Europe?

‘Most consequential’ vote is being pitched as a referendum on whether the country should move towards the East or West.

13 Apr 2026 - 6:40PMvideocam

100 Top Tables: Cities of Gastronomy

The Chinese Wine Awards shine a spotlight on flourishing mainland vineyards

Local restaurants and the Chinese Wine Awards mark the growing interest in home-grown vintages.

Supported by

Macau Government Tourism Office

China’s Communist Party

Ma Xingrui becomes China’s third Politburo member investigated for corruption

Former Communist Party chief of Xinjiang is under investigation for ‘serious violations of discipline and law’, according to state news agency Xinhua.

3 Apr 2026 - 7:53PMvideocam

Ma Xingrui abruptly stepped down as party boss of Xinjiang in July and has missed several key events since November. Photo: AP

Science

China’s far west site of a new bulwark against Mideast-induced resource woes

Ethylene glycol plant in Xinjiang is equipped with tech that includes green electricity coupling, carbon capture and storage.

1 Apr 2026 - 12:30PMvideocam

Construction has begun on the world’s largest coal-to-ethylene glycol project in Xinjiang’s Turpan prefecture, according to state media. Photo: CCTV

Corruption in China

China puts Ma Xingrui protege Guo Yonghang under corruption investigation

Fate of ‘right-hand man’ deepens mystery around former Guangdong governor and Xinjiang party chief who has not been seen for months.

28 Mar 2026 - 4:09PMvideocam

China consumption

How ‘salmon’ raised in landlocked Xinjiang is netting fans in China

Aquaculture in the far-western region is expected to grow even more rapidly after a dependence on imported eggs is diminished or ended.

25 Mar 2026 - 10:00AMvideocam

Hong Kong economy

Amid Iran war, Hongkongers choose short-haul high-speed rail trips

With war raging in the Middle East, tickets for mainland Chinese destinations are being snapped up.

23 Mar 2026 - 1:22AM

The high-speed rail station at West Kowloon. Photo: Sam Tsang

China society

Editorial | China’s ethnic unity law can foster a shared sense of belonging

The law seeks to bridge ethnic divides for social stability and national development while safeguarding diversity.

19 Mar 2026 - 7:15AM

Ethnic minority delegates leave after a plenary session of the National People’s Congress held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 9. Photo: AP

Cathay Pacific

Beijing first stop as Cathay launches global drive to hire 3,000 workers

Hong Kong carrier has openings for pilots, flight attendants and engineers as well as vacancies for digital positions.

14 Mar 2026 - 7:55PM

US-China relations

Exclusive | Sanctioned Rubio to visit China with Trump despite earlier missed opportunities

The formerly hawkish US secretary of state has been sanctioned by Beijing and sources say he has previously appeared reluctant to visit.

13 Mar 2026 - 6:18AMvideocam

Two Sessions 2026

China codifies ethnic assimilation with new ‘unity’ law as it counters the West

Legal safeguards heed Xi Jinping’s call to foster ‘shared spiritual home’ with an eye on staving off ‘domestic friction’, analysts say.

13 Mar 2026 - 11:02AMvideocam

Ethnic minority delegates leave a plenary session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday. Photo: AP

Two Sessions 2026

How will Hong Kong follow mainland China’s ethnic unity promotion law?

Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress set to be passed at the closing session of 14th National People’s Congress.

12 Mar 2026 - 8:30AM

US-China relations

In world of crisis, China urged to build deep below its western hinterlands

Critical facilities should be embedded deep beneath the Earth’s surface at a safer, less detectable level, energy expert says.

8 Mar 2026 - 4:57PMvideocam

Two Sessions 2026

Xinjiang official says region’s textile industry is growing despite US sanctions

Amid China’s annual ‘two sessions’, Wang Kuiran says region will boost legal support for businesses affected by US restrictions.

7 Mar 2026 - 6:17PMvideocam

A senior official in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region says he will fight external pressure on the textile industry, including from US sanctions, and boost legal support for affected companies. Photo: AFP

Retailing

Warm winter no match: China’s sportswear sector posts surprise growth

Policy support, Chinese New Year demand and Winter Olympics exposure lift China’s sportswear makers, with Li Ning and Anta leading gains.

1 Mar 2026 - 6:00PM

Anta has provided professional gear for 13 Chinese national teams during February’s Winter Olympics, including for freestyle skier Eileen Gu. Photo: AP

Diplomacy

China versus the West? Wang Yi tells UN no country is ‘human rights teacher’

Beijing’s top diplomat says issue should not be ‘exploited to adorn democracy’ or to ‘whitewash hegemony’ as he advocates for Global South.

24 Feb 2026 - 6:43PMvideocam

US-China relations

China has ‘massively expanded’ its nuclear arsenal, claims US State Department

Beijing’s UN ambassador Shen Jian said China opposes the smearing of its nuclear policy and ‘would not engage in any nuclear arms race’.

24 Feb 2026 - 4:48AM

Climate change

Opinion | Why China and Europe should care about Central Asia’s water crisis

Central Asian rivers shape Eurasian trade flows, affect global food markets and contribute to geopolitical instability across the region.

3 Feb 2026 - 5:30AM

The Dzungarian Alatau mountain range in Kazakhstan. Photo: Central Asia

Science

China’s first-of-kind ABF crystal creates most energised solid-state laser beam

Breakthrough could open possibilities in quantum computing, space platforms, precision manufacturing and the chip industry.

2 Feb 2026 - 9:00PMvideocam

The ammonium fluorooxoborate (ABF) crystal is at the heart of a breakthrough by Chinese scientists who say they have attained the shortest wavelength of a laser beam generated from a crystal. Photo: Handout

China-UK relations

China lifted sanctions on British lawmakers after Starmer–Xi meeting, UK says

Prime minister says Beijing has removed 2021 curbs on MPs as part of a wider reset, though sanctions on others appear to remain.

31 Jan 2026 - 3:46AM

Science

China’s man-made forest in Gobi produces good rubber for military use

Experimental cultivation of Chinese medicinal plant pays off as crops thrive in unfamiliar location, boosting national rubber supply.

30 Jan 2026 - 7:00PMvideocam

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Xinjiang

In China, a France-sized population loss begins to test coastal powerhouses

Rising pension burdens and social security subsidies are also straining public finances – though trends remain uneven, analysts say.

Defects – not jumping tourists – caused deadly Xinjiang bridge collapse: report

Hormuz oil crisis hits China; a family of dentists: 5 weekend reads you missed

Chinese crystal ‘paves way’ for GPS-free thorium clock navigation

World-first crystal tunes laser light to power ultra-precise, compact nuclear clocks which could guide submarines and deep-space probes.

Why has China mapped out a third new county in Xinjiang on its western frontier?

Cenling county, near Pakistan and Afghan borders and disputed frontier with India, follows Hean and Hekang as Beijing boosts security.

2 years on: China’s ‘desert wheat farms’ show the seeds of success

Chinese project turns sand dunes into cropland to combat desertification and strengthen food security.

China’s electric truck revolution: powerful painkiller for the Iran war?

Sales of electric heavy-duty cargo trucks surged by 182 per cent in 2025, with more growth forecast as oil and gas prices soar.

Orban on the brink: could Hungary’s election dent China’s influence in Europe?

‘Most consequential’ vote is being pitched as a referendum on whether the country should move towards the East or West.

.css-12ooj4n{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;}The Chinese Wine Awards shine a spotlight on flourishing mainland vineyards

Local restaurants and the Chinese Wine Awards mark the growing interest in home-grown vintages.

Ma Xingrui becomes China’s third Politburo member investigated for corruption

Former Communist Party chief of Xinjiang is under investigation for ‘serious violations of discipline and law’, according to state news agency Xinhua.

China’s far west site of a new bulwark against Mideast-induced resource woes

Ethylene glycol plant in Xinjiang is equipped with tech that includes green electricity coupling, carbon capture and storage.

China puts Ma Xingrui protege Guo Yonghang under corruption investigation

Fate of ‘right-hand man’ deepens mystery around former Guangdong governor and Xinjiang party chief who has not been seen for months.

How ‘salmon’ raised in landlocked Xinjiang is netting fans in China

Aquaculture in the far-western region is expected to grow even more rapidly after a dependence on imported eggs is diminished or ended.

Amid Iran war, Hongkongers choose short-haul high-speed rail trips

With war raging in the Middle East, tickets for mainland Chinese destinations are being snapped up.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Editorial | China’s ethnic unity law can foster a shared sense of belonging

The law seeks to bridge ethnic divides for social stability and national development while safeguarding diversity.

Beijing first stop as Cathay launches global drive to hire 3,000 workers

Hong Kong carrier has openings for pilots, flight attendants and engineers as well as vacancies for digital positions.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Exclusive | Sanctioned Rubio to visit China with Trump despite earlier missed opportunities

The formerly hawkish US secretary of state has been sanctioned by Beijing and sources say he has previously appeared reluctant to visit.

China codifies ethnic assimilation with new ‘unity’ law as it counters the West

Legal safeguards heed Xi Jinping’s call to foster ‘shared spiritual home’ with an eye on staving off ‘domestic friction’, analysts say.

How will Hong Kong follow mainland China’s ethnic unity promotion law?

Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress set to be passed at the closing session of 14th National People’s Congress.

In world of crisis, China urged to build deep below its western hinterlands

Critical facilities should be embedded deep beneath the Earth’s surface at a safer, less detectable level, energy expert says.

Xinjiang official says region’s textile industry is growing despite US sanctions

Amid China’s annual ‘two sessions’, Wang Kuiran says region will boost legal support for businesses affected by US restrictions.

Warm winter no match: China’s sportswear sector posts surprise growth

Policy support, Chinese New Year demand and Winter Olympics exposure lift China’s sportswear makers, with Li Ning and Anta leading gains.

China versus the West? Wang Yi tells UN no country is ‘human rights teacher’

Beijing’s top diplomat says issue should not be ‘exploited to adorn democracy’ or to ‘whitewash hegemony’ as he advocates for Global South.

China has ‘massively expanded’ its nuclear arsenal, claims US State Department

Beijing’s UN ambassador Shen Jian said China opposes the smearing of its nuclear policy and ‘would not engage in any nuclear arms race’.

Opinion | Why China and Europe should care about Central Asia’s water crisis

Central Asian rivers shape Eurasian trade flows, affect global food markets and contribute to geopolitical instability across the region.

China’s first-of-kind ABF crystal creates most energised solid-state laser beam

Breakthrough could open possibilities in quantum computing, space platforms, precision manufacturing and the chip industry.

China lifted sanctions on British lawmakers after Starmer–Xi meeting, UK says

Prime minister says Beijing has removed 2021 curbs on MPs as part of a wider reset, though sanctions on others appear to remain.

China’s man-made forest in Gobi produces good rubber for military use

Experimental cultivation of Chinese medicinal plant pays off as crops thrive in unfamiliar location, boosting national rubber supply.

The Chinese Wine Awards shine a spotlight on flourishing mainland vineyards

Editorial | China’s ethnic unity law can foster a shared sense of belonging

Exclusive | Sanctioned Rubio to visit China with Trump despite earlier missed opportunities