South China Morning Post
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 09:00:10 +0000As Delhi scraps vehicle ban plan, what next for clean air in India’s capital?
India’s capital has put the brakes on a contentious vehicle scrappage policy aimed at curbing deadly air pollution after fierce resistance from residents, highlighting the city’s struggle to balance environmental urgency with economic realities a...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 08:57:52 +0000Business leaders call for efforts to combat ‘Hong Kong equals China’ perception
Hong Kong must work harder to be as international as possible under the “one country, two systems” framework to combat a growing perception in Western capitals that it is no different from any other mainland Chinese city, business leaders have ur...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 08:44:22 +0000Hong Kong’s hottest Xiaoshu: what does it mean and how can you cope?
Hong Kong experienced the hottest Xiaoshu on Tuesday, with the mercury at the Observatory hitting 34.3 degrees Celsius (93.7 Fahrenheit).
However, the hottest weather is still yet to come, it warned.
The Post explains what Xiaoshu is and presents tra...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 08:42:02 +0000Mainland driver charged in Hong Kong for offering ride-hailing service illegally
A mainland Chinese visitor has been remanded in custody pending trial in Hong Kong for allegedly offering ride-hailing services without the required permit.
Ye Hai, 41, was escorted to Kowloon City Court on Wednesday to face three charges after polic...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 08:40:39 +0000Wuhan mayor who defended city’s slow response to Covid faces corruption probe
The former mayor of Wuhan, whose handling of the early stages of the Covid-19 outbreak was widely criticised, has been placed under investigation for corruption.
On Tuesday, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the country’s top anti-c...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 08:30:06 +0000How China, Japan and South Korea can be titans of tech innovation
Just ahead of the July 9 deadline to reach an agreement on tariffs, US President Donald Trump announced his decision on the tariffs levels for 14 countries – including a rate of 25 per cent on Japan and South Korea – effective August 1.
Trump acc...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 08:00:16 +0000F-35 drills in Philippines signal US ramp-up in combat readiness in Asia-Pacific
The United States has deployed its most advanced fighter aircraft, the F-35, to the Philippines for the first time, a move analysts say signals Washington’s intent to stress-test forward combat readiness in a region increasingly shaped by China’s...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 08:00:09 +0000China’s optical chip advances such as Meteor-1 light the way for AI development
China’s recent advances in the development of high-performance chips, including research published on the new Meteor-1 parallel optical computing integrated chip, could transform the artificial intelligence industry, say analysts.
In recent months,...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 07:49:41 +0000Hong Kong developer Grand Ming’s crisis deepens with US$611 million loan default
Hong Kong developer Grand Ming Group warned investors that it has yet to repay a HK$4.8 billion (US$611.4 million) loan, with its gearing ratio surging past 200 per cent – another sign of the growing debt crisis among the city’s small and medium ...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 07:29:18 +000080% of Hong Kong Uber drivers worried about quota and fees under new rules
Nearly 80 per cent of 4,800 Uber drivers polled in Hong Kong are worried that a strict quota or high licensing fees under coming new regulations for ride-hailing platforms will threaten their livelihoods.
The results of the poll conducted by platform...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 07:24:36 +0000Malaysia’s Rosmah wins US$23,600 damages over black magic claims by TikTokker
Former Malaysian first lady Rosmah Mansor has won 100,000 ringgit (US$23,600) in damages in a defamation case against a TikTokker who uploaded a video claiming that she had dabbled in black magic.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court said on Tuesday that Rosm...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 06:40:09 +0000Hong Kong leaders say city is good place for investors to seek stability
Hong Kong is an ideal place for investors to seek stability and move resources away from riskier parts of the world, according to Alpha Lau Hai-suen, the director general of InvestHK.
Speaking at the South China Morning Post’s China Conference on T...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 06:35:08 +0000‘Truly regrettable’: Trump slaps 25% tariffs on South Korea and Japan. What now?
US President Donald Trump’s surprise announcement of 25 per cent tariffs on imports from key trade partners including South Korea and Japan has been viewed less as a final blow and more as a high-stakes bargaining tactic.
The move highlights Trump...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 06:28:47 +0000Experts urge Hong Kong to be a ‘value partner’, not just a ‘superconnector’
Hong Kong should ensure it acts as a “value partner” in addition to its role as a “superconnector” between mainland China and the rest of the world, rather than as a mere facilitator of connections, according to experts including the city’s...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 06:19:29 +0000Hong Kong scam losses down 25% in first 5 months of year, but cases up
Scam-related losses in Hong Kong have declined 25 per cent to HK$2.8 billion (US$357 million) in the first five months of this year, but the number of cases has increased amid an overall drop in crime.
Commissioner of Police Joe Chow Yat-ming reveale...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 06:10:35 +0000Bean there, done that? Starbucks’ Korean border outlet proves a smash hit
A Starbucks branch perched at the edge of one of the world’s most heavily militarised borders has brewed up a remarkable success, drawing more than 120,000 customers in just seven months thanks in part to its singular offering: sweeping views into ...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 06:00:19 +0000Rare earth dominance: why China still holds the cards despite global pushback
Beijing’s recent export controls on rare earths have spurred a flurry of international efforts to diversify supply chains and reduce China’s long-standing dominance in critical minerals.
In June, the Ministry of Commerce announced that it would a...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 06:00:14 +0000A third of chip supply threatened by climate change by 2035: PwC
Climate change could disrupt a third of the world’s semiconductor supply by 2035, as severe drought threatens the mining of copper – a critical material used in chip production – according to a new report from PwC released on Tuesday.
The extra...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 06:00:10 +0000Malaysian sisters wed foreigners, communicate with gestures, spark online hilarity
Three Malaysian sisters have caused online hilarity after they married men from different countries, forcing their family to break the language barriers by using gestures and facial expressions.
The women's father, Razali Yusof, 85, from Perak in nor...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 05:34:21 +0000Tuition and music: how Hong Kong’s pupils got into their first choice schools
Attending private tuition and relaxing by playing chess and listening to music were among the strategies used by Hong Kong’s Primary Six students to achieve good grades and be part of the record 74 per cent of pupils who got into their most preferr...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 05:32:57 +0000Bomb scare in Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui turns out to be false alarm
A bomb alert in Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui has turned out to be a false alarm, after police confirmed the object found at a construction site was a cannon barrel.
The British cannon barrel, which prompted the force to temporarily cordon off busy Gra...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 05:30:09 +0000Malaysia seeks urgent trade talks with US after 25% tariff blow
Malaysia will press ahead with talks towards a “comprehensive” trade agreement with the United States, its trade ministry has said, as Kuala Lumpur races to soften the blow of a newly imposed 25 per cent tariff on its exports unveiled by US Presi...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 04:30:08 +0000Eric Trump to headline Bitcoin Asia 2025 conference in Hong Kong
Eric Trump, the second-born son of US President Donald Trump, will attend next month’s Bitcoin Asia 2025 conference in Hong Kong as a headline speaker, as the city strives to position itself as a leading hub for digital assets, competing with the U...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 04:26:13 +0000Australia gets ‘unsolicited advice’; Indonesian mine concern: 7 Asia highlights
We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.
1. Malaysia’s new ...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 04:16:16 +0000Malaysian girl recalls father’s message before bodies found in submerged car
The sole surviving member of a family of seven who drowned when their car plunged into a river in Kedah last week has recalled seeing her father in a dream, telling her not to be sad, in a tragedy that has gripped Malaysia.
Putri Qisya Nur Izzat, 12,...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 04:00:11 +0000Will Myanmar block East Timor’s Asean entry? The junta draws a red line
As East Timor edges closer to joining Asean, Myanmar’s military rulers are seeking to block its entry, in a warning to it – and governments everywhere – against engaging with the war-torn country’s opposition forces.
Last week, sources cited ...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 03:56:03 +0000Hong Kong’s Metropol Restaurant to close in September as HKUST buys venue
A restaurant known for serving dim sum from traditional trolleys will close at the end of September after the venue was acquired by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology for HK$354.4 million (US$45 million), the Post has learned.
Sources...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 03:00:09 +0000Status, culture, cost: more Chinese students choosing Singapore as US declines
Miya Zheng once aimed to earn a master’s degree when she first arrived in the United States for her undergraduate studies. But now, three years later, the Chinese national has shifted her sights halfway across the world – to Singapore.
“After s...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 02:36:10 +0000Hong Kong vital link to world, where China anchors its trust, John Lee says
Hong Kong is a vital link that the world can rely on for security and development under the shifting geopolitical landscape as it connects the globe with China’s growth certainty and investible stability, the city leader has said.
“Hong Kong is t...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 01:00:18 +0000Alarms ring in Taipei as Beijing activates another Taiwan Strait flight route
Beijing’s sudden activation of another civilian air route near the Taiwan Strait’s unofficial median line has renewed alarm in Taipei, with defence experts and lawmakers warning the move could raise the risk of miscalculation in an already tense ...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 01:00:12 +0000Chinese design firm converts swimming pool into office, triggers safety probe
A Chinese decoration company has sparked online controversy and amusement after it converted a drained swimming pool into a temporary office.
Staff get down to business in the “deep end” before exiting the office using the original poolside ladde...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 00:30:14 +0000Does Hong Kong loan shark law proposal lack bite needed to tame debt collectors?
A proposal to tighten regulations covering Hong Kong’s notorious loan sharks is too narrowly focused and will not tackle the root of the problem of unruly debt collectors, according to lawmakers and legal experts.
The legislators and specialists cr...
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 00:00:10 +0000With US tariffs looming, China’s panda diplomacy returns as Japan seeks new loan
Panda diplomacy is back in play as Japan seeks to charm visiting Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng with hopes of securing one or two of the endangered bears on loan.
The gesture could help soothe bilateral ties and signal regional unity amid growing une...
Mon, 07 Jul 2025 23:30:13 +0000Death threats and harassment: Hong Kong couple’s ordeal with loan sharks
When his health supplement business struggled with cash-flow problems, Bobby Tan* turned to a so-called professional networking group in Hong Kong for help, borrowing HK$300,000 (US$38,220) from a licensed small lender in April last year.
Over the ne...
Mon, 07 Jul 2025 23:30:08 +0000HSBC, Manulife, BOC Life expand offerings for Hong Kong retirees
HSBC, Manulife and BOC Life are among the financial firms courting retirees with new investment products that offer regular income streams amid a broader government-led initiative to capture opportunities in the so-called silver economy.
The city’s...
Mon, 07 Jul 2025 23:00:10 +0000China could embrace universal basic income as AI takes jobs
It may seem far-fetched to suggest that China should consider implementing a universal basic income at this time, as authorities appear to be unenthusiastic about the idea. In the past, Chinese officials have rejected proposals to distribute cash to ...
Mon, 07 Jul 2025 22:42:57 +0000Apparently impatient Trump slaps 25% tariffs on Japan, South Korea
US President Donald Trump, apparently impatient with the slow progress of negotiations, on Monday slapped 25 per cent unilateral tariffs on Japan and South Korea and equal or higher import taxes on several other nations ahead of a self-imposed Wednes...
Mon, 07 Jul 2025 22:30:08 +0000Hong Kong economy’s ‘mixed signals’ portend retail ‘turbulence’, analysts say
Hong Kong’s retail industry will experience mixed fortunes in coming months, as rising unemployment threatens to dent consumer spending even as the economy and household incomes improve and tourist numbers surge, according to CBRE.
“Right now, th...
Mon, 07 Jul 2025 22:00:15 +0000‘Historic opportunity’: why China is betting on a poor province in trade war
The 2025 trade war launched by the United States is shaping up to become a watershed moment for Chinese policymakers.
While the country’s economic resilience and role at the centre of global supply chains helped secure a 90-day truce with Washingto...
Mon, 07 Jul 2025 21:30:08 +0000To quieten drumbeats of war in US and China, cool heads must prevail
While the Ukraine war drags on and new conflicts rage in the Middle East, we cannot overlook the drumbeats of great power tension across the Pacific at levels unmatched since the Cold War.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, a known China hawk, frames...
Mon, 07 Jul 2025 16:05:17 +0000‘We don’t want an emperor’: Brazil’s Lula speaks up as Brics silent on tariffs
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva rebuked US President Donald Trump for his latest tariff threat against Brics nations on Monday, while the bloc as a whole offered no public response to what critics called an alarming act of economic int...
Mon, 07 Jul 2025 15:25:01 +0000Surge in Hongkongers visiting Japan expected after manga ‘megaquake’ fears fade
Hongkongers’ enthusiasm for visiting Japan is expected to rebound “explosively” in the coming days and months after fears of a “megaquake” predicted in a manga proved unfounded, an industry leader has said.
Steve Huen Kwok-chuen, executive ...
Mon, 07 Jul 2025 14:40:04 +0000University of Hong Kong plans to cut size of development site after backlash
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) plans to reduce the size of a development project by 15 per cent following a public backlash, leaving most of a Pok Fu Lam green belt untouched, the Post has learned.
A source said on Monday that the university was c...
Mon, 07 Jul 2025 14:00:09 +0000China is making rapid space tech gains. Here’s how the military could use them
The new space race is heating up, with the United States warning that its major rival, China, is narrowing the gap as it makes rapid technological gains.
While China says its ambitious plans remain peaceful and that it rejects the weaponisation of sp...
Mon, 07 Jul 2025 13:15:07 +0000Chinese AI scientists, Beijing’s message to Brics: SCMP daily highlights
Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.
1. Trump vows tariff boost for ‘anti-American’ policies as China urges Brics action
US President Donald Tr...
Mon, 07 Jul 2025 13:00:12 +0000China’s visa-free policy pays dividends as overseas entries soar in 2025
China’s expansion of visa-free entry to nationals from dozens of countries appears to have yielded substantial results, with tourists arriving in droves from overseas and providing a much-needed boost to the country’s consumption in the first hal...
Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:53:21 +00004,200 temporary homes earmarked for displaced Hong Kong subdivided flat tenants
Around 4,200 transitional homes will be sufficient to meet the temporary housing needs of tenants displaced under new rules that could require 33,000 subpar subdivided flats to undergo major renovations, Hong Kong officials have said.
Undersecretary ...
Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:44:18 +0000Bodies of Malaysian family of 6 found in car in river
A family of six in Malaysia, including four children aged between six months and nine years, were found dead on Monday in a car submerged in a river.
A couple aged 32 and 31 and their children were found in the back seat of the Proton Iswara car in S...
Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:38:02 +0000‘Pessimistic’: Ukraine war, trade expected to mar progress at China-EU summit
European Union envoys to China say they have low expectations of any substantial achievement at the coming EU-China summit, citing complex trade challenges and the ongoing Ukraine war.
“I am sorry to be pessimistic – the next EU-China summit will...
Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:25:20 +0000Hong Kong lawmakers call for facial recognition system at upgraded land crossing
Hong Kong legislators have called for facial recognition technology to be adopted at the upgraded Huanggang land crossing while giving an initial green light to a HK$1.75 billion (US$223 million) government proposal to site border clearance facilitie...