Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

US actions are fuelling fears that the Donald Trump administration is dismantling the rules-based global order. Photo: Getty Images via AFP

How US actions in Venezuela and beyond could spell opportunity for China

Beijing is trying to present itself as a more responsible power, but analysts say concrete actions will be needed to win over its neighbours.

4 hours agovideocam

Token gesture? Why US is spending US$45 million on Thai-Cambodian border war

US-Venezuela conflict

United States & Canada

Breaking | Trump hits 8 Nato allies with tariffs to force Greenland sale

The duties will start at 10 per cent in February and go up to 25 per cent in June if no deal is reached for the US to buy the island.

40 minutes ago

Diplomacy

China-led SCO warns against Iran ‘interference’ in veiled swipe at US

Security bloc expresses ‘grave concern’ over ‘tragic events’ as Iran is rocked by protests, calls for ‘political and diplomatic’ resolution.

5 hours agovideocam

Politics

Taiwan faces possible Beijing squeeze after US quits WHO and other agencies

Opposition lawmakers fear the island’s international space will shrink still further without Washington’s voice in dozens of global bodies.

6 hours agovideocam

Focus

China curbs US AI chips, shuns foreign capital in pursuit of tech self-reliance

Society

Hongkonger missing in protest-hit Iran safe and ‘in touch’ with authorities

Immigration Department says it has also advised the woman to leave Iran as soon as possible.

2 hours ago

Travel blogger “Bing” is safe, authorities have confirmed. Photo: Threads

Politics

Beijing slams US senators for ‘malicious’ bill targeting Hong Kong trade offices

Foreign affairs office in Hong Kong says bid to strip offices’ privileges or force their closure reflects ‘Cold War mentality’ and ‘prejudice’.

3 hours ago

Diplomacy

Japan urged to ‘correct historical errors’, return Tang dynasty stele to China

9.5-tonne stone slab shipped to Japan as ‘war trophy’ in 1908 is described as one of China’s most significant ‘lost national treasures’.

5 hours agovideocam

Business

The secret ingredient in your daily life: why Malaysian palm oil is used around the world

Found everywhere from food products to biofuel, this vegetable oil is preferred for its versatility, safety and sustainable production.

In partnership with:

MPOC

Palm oil is a versatile ingredient found in a wide range of everyday items, from ice cream and cake to lipstick and biofuel.

China Business

China’s AI and EV boom drives record power demand, widening energy gap with US

The main drivers of the growth are the tertiary sector – covering services including AI cloud services – and residential use.

6 hours ago

A drone photo taken on December 16, 2025 shows workers on a power transmission line in east China’s Anhui Province. Photo: Xinhua

Politics

Before Maduro’s capture in Venezuela, US spoke with hardline interior minister

Some politicians in Washington have questioned why the US did not grab Diosdado Cabello during its operation to seize Maduro.

3 hours ago

Europe

Thousands in Denmark join anti-Trump ‘Hands off Greenland’ protests

A US congressional delegation in Copenhagen says there is no security threat to Greenland to justify Trump’s demand to control the territory.

5 hours ago

Society

Hong Kong flags 1,600 at-risk elderly households, but experts say more unaccounted

Social welfare lawmaker says the number identified fails to reflect risk status of over 500,000 elderly people living alone or in pairs.

3 hours ago

Experts have urged the government to speed up efforts to locate more at-risk elderly residents. Photo: Sam Tsang

Africa

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni wins in election marred by fraud claims

Museveni’s main rival, Bobi Wine, claimed there was ‘massive ballot stuffing’ and that his party’s polling agents were abducted.

2 hours ago

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni leaves after casting his ballot in Rwakitura on Thursday. Photo: AFP

Middle East

Iran’s leader says ‘thousands’ killed in protests, Trump a ‘criminal’

The comments by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are the first admission by Tehran on the death toll from the unrest.

6 hours ago

China Economy

In wake of Trump post, calls mount for China to impose rate cap on online loans

Beijing tightened oversight of China’s online lending market last year, but many are still borrowing, especially those of younger generations.

17 Jan 2026 - 7:00PM

Politics

‘Love yourself’ – young China’s new wellness mantra to cope with the rat race

Stagnant job markets and long gruelling hours at work have led to widespread burnout and disillusionment when effort fails to yield rewards.

17 Jan 2026 - 6:00PMvideocam

Ai ni lao ji, a Chinese expression meaning “love yourself first”, has become a popular mantra for prioritising one’s own happiness. Photo: AP

Southeast Asia

Indonesian plane with 11 people missing, search and rescue under way

Hikers on Mount Bulusaraung have reported finding scattered debris, a logo consistent with Indonesia Air Transport markings.

3 hours agovideocam

An aircraft operated by Indonesia Air Transport. A turboprop ATR 42-500 operated by the company was on the way from Yogyakarta to the capital city of South Sulawesi when it vanished from radar on Saturday. Photo: Indonesia Air Transport’s website

Health & Environment

Hong Kong public hospital pricing reform slashes less urgent A&E visits by 24%

Health minister says new system, in place since January 1, offers ‘guiding role’ steering patients with mild conditions to alternatives.

3 hours ago

Diplomacy

China keeps pressure on Cambodia to target cross-border fraud and trafficking

The transnational crimes are a serious barrier to deeper cooperation, Beijing’s envoy says.

17 Jan 2026 - 5:00PMvideocam

OPINION

Cliff Buddle

My Take | Hong Kong marathon provides winning formula with no finishing line in sight

3 hours ago

Anthony Rowley

Macroscope | Multilateral institutions’ critique of Trump’s actions is too muted

17 Jan 2026 - 5:07PM

Marco Kamiya

Asian Angle | To win the future, Southeast Asia must rewrite its industrial rule book

17 Jan 2026 - 10:30AM

Letters

Letters | South Asians have a unique place in Hong Kong

17 Jan 2026 - 11:30AM

Wee Kek Koon

Reflections | What a Chinese hero’s fatal love of raw fish warns us about uncooked food

17 Jan 2026 - 8:15AM

Harry’s View | 18 Jan 2026

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LATEST

1 hour ago

United States & Canada

Breaking | Trump hits 8 Nato allies with tariffs to force Greenland sale

2 hours ago

Africa

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni wins in election marred by fraud claims

3 hours ago

Education

2 Hong Kong pupils win top prizes in first global youth storytelling competition

3 hours ago

Opinion

My Take | Hong Kong marathon provides winning formula with no finishing line in sight

3 hours ago

Southeast Asia

Indonesian plane with 11 people missing, search and rescue under way

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Politics

Beijing slams US senators for ‘malicious’ bill targeting Hong Kong trade offices

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SCMP Series China Inc. goes global

The US has played its hand in Latin America. Will China’s firms there cash out?

After the abduction of former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, many Chinese entrepreneurs in the region say they are staying put – for now.

13 Jan 2026 - 9:55AMvideocam

Why overseas residency is a ‘practical advantage’ for Chinese firms going global

12 Jan 2026 - 11:19AMvideocam

Chinese companies expand globally

12 Dec 2025 - 12:42PM

Open Questions series

Diplomacy

Open Questions | Zheng Yongnian on what US’ ‘neocolonialism’, Venezuela operation mean for China

Political scientist says the Western-led global order remains useful, and the Belt and Road Initiative isn’t a geopolitical project.

12 Jan 2026 - 10:06AMvideocam

Global Economy

Open Questions | ‘Embrace the moment’: on China, Daniel Kritenbrink puts pragmatism first

Former US ambassador to Vietnam says a return to the past for US-China relations is unrealistic, but both economic powers benefit from ties.

5 Jan 2026 - 9:11AMvideocam

Diplomacy

Open Questions | How new C100 chief plans to foster ties between Chinese-Americans and China

The Committee of 100’s president Paul Cheung has high hopes for Chinese-Americans’ relationship with China in these uncertain times.

9 Jan 2026 - 12:37PMvideocam

Diplomacy

Open Questions | Political scientist Ivan Krastev on European vertigo in a post-American world

While melancholy Europe frets that the US and China will shape the future, middle powers are jostling for a place at the big table.

29 Dec 2025 - 9:04AMvideocam

Key Industries:

Tech War

Zhipu AI breaks US chip reliance with first major model trained on Huawei stack

Zhipu claims GLM-Image achieved industry-leading scores among open-source models for text rendering and Chinese character generation.

14 Jan 2026 - 8:00PM

Zhipu said the achievement proved the feasibility of developing powerful multimodal models without US chips. Photo: Shutterstock Images

Policy

Hong Kong bolsters tech hub ambitions as city hosts global AI summit

Hong Kong’s turn to host a summit under WAIC reflects Beijing’s confidence in the city’s strategic development goals.

16 Jan 2026 - 9:15PM

Big Tech

China dominates global humanoid robot market with over 80% of installations

AgiBot and Unitree help China capture bulk of global deployments in 2025 as market heads for sixfold growth by 2027, report says.

16 Jan 2026 - 5:00PM

China Economy

A Chinese tech hub eyes 3- to 7-nanometre chip breakthroughs to beat US curbs

Province’s five-year plan backs national push for tech independence – but can it succeed?

16 Jan 2026 - 11:14AMvideocam

China is world’s largest chip manufacturer, demonstrating the country’s superiority in global supply chain. Photo: Shutterstock

Diplomacy

Counting China’s ‘swing nation’ wins and losses in new era of power rivalry

As US-China race for hi-tech resources heats up across Global South, countries caught in the middle are under pressure to strike a balance.

17 Jan 2026 - 7:43AMvideocam

China Economy

A Chinese tech hub eyes 3- to 7-nanometre chip breakthroughs to beat US curbs

Province’s five-year plan backs national push for tech independence – but can it succeed?

16 Jan 2026 - 11:14AMvideocam

Hong Kong Economy

Can new tricks save Hong Kong’s restaurants from ‘irreversible’ Shenzhen trend?

Business models are being overhauled as food and drink sector tackles ‘irreversible’ trend of Hongkongers spending their money elsewhere.

16 Jan 2026 - 10:06AMvideocam

Diplomacy

Why China fears Trump’s Nvidia H200 deal is a sophisticated Trojan horse

Can Washington bind Chinese rivals to American technologies or will access to the AI chips hasten Beijing’s challenge to US dominance?

15 Jan 2026 - 9:05AMvideocam

How US actions in Venezuela and beyond could spell opportunity for China

Beijing is trying to present itself as a more responsible power, but analysts say concrete actions will be needed to win over its neighbours.

Token gesture? Why US is spending US$45 million on Thai-Cambodian border war

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Breaking | Trump hits 8 Nato allies with tariffs to force Greenland sale

The duties will start at 10 per cent in February and go up to 25 per cent in June if no deal is reached for the US to buy the island.

China-led SCO warns against Iran ‘interference’ in veiled swipe at US

Security bloc expresses ‘grave concern’ over ‘tragic events’ as Iran is rocked by protests, calls for ‘political and diplomatic’ resolution.

Taiwan faces possible Beijing squeeze after US quits WHO and other agencies

Opposition lawmakers fear the island’s international space will shrink still further without Washington’s voice in dozens of global bodies.

China curbs US AI chips, shuns foreign capital in pursuit of tech self-reliance

Hongkonger missing in protest-hit Iran safe and ‘in touch’ with authorities

Immigration Department says it has also advised the woman to leave Iran as soon as possible.

Beijing slams US senators for ‘malicious’ bill targeting Hong Kong trade offices

Foreign affairs office in Hong Kong says bid to strip offices’ privileges or force their closure reflects ‘Cold War mentality’ and ‘prejudice’.

Japan urged to ‘correct historical errors’, return Tang dynasty stele to China

9.5-tonne stone slab shipped to Japan as ‘war trophy’ in 1908 is described as one of China’s most significant ‘lost national treasures’.

.css-f84qeq{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;font-style:italic;}The secret ingredient in your daily life: why Malaysian palm oil is used around the world

Found everywhere from food products to biofuel, this vegetable oil is preferred for its versatility, safety and sustainable production.

China’s AI and EV boom drives record power demand, widening energy gap with US

The main drivers of the growth are the tertiary sector – covering services including AI cloud services – and residential use.

Before Maduro’s capture in Venezuela, US spoke with hardline interior minister

Some politicians in Washington have questioned why the US did not grab Diosdado Cabello during its operation to seize Maduro.

Thousands in Denmark join anti-Trump ‘Hands off Greenland’ protests

A US congressional delegation in Copenhagen says there is no security threat to Greenland to justify Trump’s demand to control the territory.

Hong Kong flags 1,600 at-risk elderly households, but experts say more unaccounted

Social welfare lawmaker says the number identified fails to reflect risk status of over 500,000 elderly people living alone or in pairs.

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni wins in election marred by fraud claims

Museveni’s main rival, Bobi Wine, claimed there was ‘massive ballot stuffing’ and that his party’s polling agents were abducted.

Iran’s leader says ‘thousands’ killed in protests, Trump a ‘criminal’

The comments by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are the first admission by Tehran on the death toll from the unrest.

In wake of Trump post, calls mount for China to impose rate cap on online loans

Beijing tightened oversight of China’s online lending market last year, but many are still borrowing, especially those of younger generations.

‘Love yourself’ – young China’s new wellness mantra to cope with the rat race

Stagnant job markets and long gruelling hours at work have led to widespread burnout and disillusionment when effort fails to yield rewards.

Indonesian plane with 11 people missing, search and rescue under way

Hikers on Mount Bulusaraung have reported finding scattered debris, a logo consistent with Indonesia Air Transport markings.

Hong Kong public hospital pricing reform slashes less urgent A&E visits by 24%

Health minister says new system, in place since January 1, offers ‘guiding role’ steering patients with mild conditions to alternatives.

China keeps pressure on Cambodia to target cross-border fraud and trafficking

The transnational crimes are a serious barrier to deeper cooperation, Beijing’s envoy says.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}My Take | Hong Kong marathon provides winning formula with no finishing line in sight

Macroscope | Multilateral institutions’ critique of Trump’s actions is too muted

Asian Angle | To win the future, Southeast Asia must rewrite its industrial rule book

Letters | South Asians have a unique place in Hong Kong

Reflections | What a Chinese hero’s fatal love of raw fish warns us about uncooked food

Breaking | Trump hits 8 Nato allies with tariffs to force Greenland sale

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni wins in election marred by fraud claims

2 Hong Kong pupils win top prizes in first global youth storytelling competition

My Take | Hong Kong marathon provides winning formula with no finishing line in sight

Indonesian plane with 11 people missing, search and rescue under way

Beijing slams US senators for ‘malicious’ bill targeting Hong Kong trade offices

The US has played its hand in Latin America. Will China’s firms there cash out?

After the abduction of former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, many Chinese entrepreneurs in the region say they are staying put – for now.

Why overseas residency is a ‘practical advantage’ for Chinese firms going global

Chinese companies expand globally

Open Questions | Zheng Yongnian on what US’ ‘neocolonialism’, Venezuela operation mean for China

Political scientist says the Western-led global order remains useful, and the Belt and Road Initiative isn’t a geopolitical project.

Open Questions | ‘Embrace the moment’: on China, Daniel Kritenbrink puts pragmatism first

Former US ambassador to Vietnam says a return to the past for US-China relations is unrealistic, but both economic powers benefit from ties.

Open Questions | How new C100 chief plans to foster ties between Chinese-Americans and China

The Committee of 100’s president Paul Cheung has high hopes for Chinese-Americans’ relationship with China in these uncertain times.

Open Questions | Political scientist Ivan Krastev on European vertigo in a post-American world

While melancholy Europe frets that the US and China will shape the future, middle powers are jostling for a place at the big table.

Zhipu AI breaks US chip reliance with first major model trained on Huawei stack

Zhipu claims GLM-Image achieved industry-leading scores among open-source models for text rendering and Chinese character generation.

Hong Kong bolsters tech hub ambitions as city hosts global AI summit

Hong Kong’s turn to host a summit under WAIC reflects Beijing’s confidence in the city’s strategic development goals.

China dominates global humanoid robot market with over 80% of installations

AgiBot and Unitree help China capture bulk of global deployments in 2025 as market heads for sixfold growth by 2027, report says.

A Chinese tech hub eyes 3- to 7-nanometre chip breakthroughs to beat US curbs

Province’s five-year plan backs national push for tech independence – but can it succeed?

Counting China’s ‘swing nation’ wins and losses in new era of power rivalry

As US-China race for hi-tech resources heats up across Global South, countries caught in the middle are under pressure to strike a balance.

A Chinese tech hub eyes 3- to 7-nanometre chip breakthroughs to beat US curbs

Province’s five-year plan backs national push for tech independence – but can it succeed?

Can new tricks save Hong Kong’s restaurants from ‘irreversible’ Shenzhen trend?

Business models are being overhauled as food and drink sector tackles ‘irreversible’ trend of Hongkongers spending their money elsewhere.

Why China fears Trump’s Nvidia H200 deal is a sophisticated Trojan horse

Can Washington bind Chinese rivals to American technologies or will access to the AI chips hasten Beijing’s challenge to US dominance?

Breaking | Trump hits 8 Nato allies with tariffs to force Greenland sale

The secret ingredient in your daily life: why Malaysian palm oil is used around the world

My Take | Hong Kong marathon provides winning formula with no finishing line in sight