China

About 20 per cent of the 50 places in the inaugural intake of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s new graduate medical school in 2028-29 may be reserved for non-local students, with most expected to come from mainland China, according to the institution. Applicants for the four-year graduate entry-level medicine programme must pass an […]

A Hong Kong man has been sentenced to four years in prison for fatally assaulting a construction worker who refused to pay HK$800 (US$102) for a bicycle from the defendant. The High Court on Monday sentenced Wong Koon-ming for manslaughter after a seven-member jury earlier this year cleared him of murder but convicted him of the lesser charge following a […]

The escalating conflict in the Middle East is set to drive up travel costs for Hong Kong passengers as many are forced to opt for more expensive direct routes to Europe, according to analysts. They said on Monday that the suspension of major transit hubs in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Doha in Qatar had left travellers scrambling for seats on […]

(260302) -- BEIJING, March 2, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Students, along with a humanoid robot, offer Chinese New Year greetings at the opening ceremony for new semester at a primary school in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 2, 2026. A new semester kicked off for primary and secondary schools as well as kindergartens in many parts of […]

Kollam (Kerala) [India], March 2 (ANI): An offshore supply vessel with 12 crew members on board, which was on its way to Saudi Arabia from Hong Kong, was forced to anchor at the Kollam port on Monday.The development comes as military conflict in West Asia continued for the third day after the US-Israel military campaign against Iran on February 28 and […]

Beijing [China], March 2 (ANI): As the conflict in West Asia intensified on Monday, China has voiced deep concern over the escalation, following military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran. The Chinese Foreign Ministry highlighted the potential regional repercussions and emphasized the need to respect the sovereignty of all Gulf nations, […]

BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday that the Strait of Hormuz and its adjacent waters are important international trade channels for goods and energy, urging relevant parties to immediately stop military operations to prevent further escalation of tensions.Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a daily […]

A mainland Chinese firm has won the tender to build a supercomputing hub in Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis, agreeing to pay a land premium of HK$581 million (US$74.25 million) and invest HK$23.8 billion over the first three years to boost the city’s computing power 36-fold. Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong revealed on Monday […]

Shehbaz Sharif has delayed his trip due to the current domestic and regional situationsPrime Minister Shebaz Sharif has postponed his planned trip to Russia, the Pakistani government has said.Sharif was scheduled to visit Russia March 3-5.The decision to postpone the trip was made due to the current domestic and regional situations, the Pakistani government […]

Hong Kong and Shanghai have signed an accord deepening their collaboration in promoting digitised cargo trade finance and strengthening mainland China’s connection to the global data ecosystem. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Shanghai Data Bureau and the National Technology Innovation […]

Conflicts in the Middle East highlight Hong Kong’s attractiveness as a talent hub promising safety and stability, the city’s labour chief has said. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han on Monday said that while Hong Kong already drew global talent because of its status as an international city, its safety and security were “equally […]

China has surged ahead in manufacturing automation and is now spearheading growth in the global robotics industry, said Takayuki Ito, president of the International Federation of Robotics, highlighting the country's unprecedented pace in expanding its industrial robot fleet and modernizing factories.BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- When dozens of humanoid […]

(260302) -- SOUTH CHINA SEA, March 2, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Philippine vessels navigate through a dolphin activity zone in waters off China's Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea, Jan. 30, 2026. The Philippine side has in recent days repeatedly directed its coast guard and official vessels to organize fishing boats for intrusions into the territorial waters off […]

Adverse economic impacts from the US-Israel strikes on Iran unfolded on Monday, disrupting supply chains, driving up oil prices and leaving many Middle East business leaders at a major trade fair in Hong Kong in an awkward position. As the strikes entered a third day, oil prices surged by 13 per cent – the biggest rise in four years – briefly climbing […]

Hong Kong will expand its tax exemptions for operators of family offices and funds set up by international organisations, such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), in line with efforts to promote the city as a wealth management hub, a minister told lawmakers on Monday. In a financial affairs panel meeting, Secretary for Financial Services and […]

(260302) -- BEIJING, March 2, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Students attend a class at a primary school on the first day of a new semester in Pinggu District of Beijing, capital of China, March 2, 2026. A new semester kicked off for primary and secondary schools in many parts of China on Monday. (Xinhua/Ren Chao)

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hongkongers should brace for cooler and rainy weather on Tuesday as temperatures are expected to drop progressively to as low as 16 degrees Celsius (61 Fahrenheit) as a cold front approaches, according to the city’s […]

BAOFENG, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The annual Majie Quyi Fair, a grand feast for Quyi fans, was staged as scheduled here on Sunday, as part of the ongoing Chinese New Year celebrations.Quyi refers to a school of traditional Chinese folk arts in narrative and singing forms, including ballad singing, comic dialogues, clapper talk and crosstalk, still popular among […]

(260302) -- SYDNEY, March 2, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese national women's football team captain Wu Haiyan (L) speaks during Team China's press conference of Women's Asian Cup at Western Sydney Stadium in Sydney, Australia, March 2, 2026. (Photo by Hu Jingchen/Xinhua)

Hong Kong’s cash-for-residency scheme has attracted about HK$95 billion (US$12 billion) from more than 1,700 investors over the past two years, with around two-thirds of the approved capital channelled into authorised funds and equities, the latest figures from InvestHK show. The government’s investment promotion arm on Monday released the figures for […]

By Sabita MishraNew Delhi, [India] March 2 (ANI): A reset in transatlantic trade ties is reshaping global business calculations, and India may be the biggest beneficiary, particularly in the small and medium enterprise (SME) segment.The political trade understanding between the United States and the European Union, commonly referred to as the Turnberry […]

BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- With China's annual "two sessions" just around the corner, global attention once again turns to Beijing. A city defined by over 3,000 years of history and 870 years as China's capital, Beijing remains a repository of Chinese cultural heritage. At its heart lies the Central Axis, a 7.8-kilometer meridian stretching from the Drum […]

(260302) -- MADRID, March 2, 2026 (Xinhua) -- People run during an event in celebration of the Chinese New Year in Madrid, Spain, on March 1, 2026. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)

Six men have been injured in an explosion aboard a Marine Department vessel moored at Stonecutters Island in Hong Kong. According to police, the blast occurred at about 10.35am on Monday. The Marine Department said one of its vessels was undergoing an annual inspection when a minor explosion occurred in the forehold, releasing plumes of white smoke. […]

US-Israeli strikes on Iran have grounded at least 37 flights between Hong Kong and the Middle East, with flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways suspending its Dubai services until Thursday and immigration authorities reporting 432 residents are stranded in the region. Cathay also announced on Monday that it would suspend its Riyadh flights until Tuesday due to […]

HANGZHOU, March 2 (Xinhua) -- In warmer parts of China where heavy snowfall is rare, ski resorts are drawing growing crowds, fueled by advances in snowmaking technology, the rapid growth of indoor ski resorts and rising enthusiasm for winter sports among southern Chinese holidaymakers.At the SkyLand ski resort, located over 1,100 meters above sea level in […]

Hong Kong hit a record low in births last year despite a range of government incentives, including a HK$20,000 (US$2,560) baby cash bonus for new parents launched in 2023. Just 31,714 babies were born last year. This might have come as a surprise for the authorities, which had projected a rise to 39,000 births. So was the baby bonus worth the try? Yes, if […]

(260302) -- ISMAILIA, March 2, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Wang Yaqi (L, rear) of China breaks through during the FIH Hockey Men's World Cup 2026 Qualifiers match between China and Pakistan in Ismailia, Egypt, March 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

Fines worth HK$2.1 billion (US$268.39 million) flowed into Hong Kong’s coffers in 2025‑26, nearly 26 per cent more than initially forecast, following an increase in cigarette penalties and a surge in forfeitures. According to budget estimates analysed by the South China Morning Post, the HK$2.1 billion income amounted to 0.3 per cent of the […]

Minna Honkanen could not have anticipated the seismic events that would grip Hong Kong after she decided to try her luck there in early 2019. Two months after she arrived, unprecedented social unrest engulfed the city, followed immediately by the coronavirus pandemic, which shut borders and restricted travel for more than two years. Least of all did the […]

HSBC, the largest lender in Europe and Hong Kong by assets, has signalled for the first time its intent to engage with the city’s forthcoming stablecoin regime, citing Hong Kong’s sound regulatory environment and its potential to drive innovation in the digital asset space. “We are interested in every part of Hong Kong’s innovation landscape, and we […]

(Photo credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images)Wade Ormsby will step in for Phil Mickelson at LIV Golf Hong Kong next weekend while the latter continues to deal with an undisclosed family health matter, HyFlyers FC announced on Sunday.Mickelson revealed on Feb. 1 that he planned to miss the first two events of LIV's season in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Adelaide, […]

Washington confronts a different kind of war'Shock and awe' was the term used to describe the US operation against Iraq in spring 2003. In hindsight, it marked a turning point. The rapid defeat of the Ba'athist regime and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein created the impression that the US had acquired the ability to reshape entire regions at will.Reality […]

Beijing [China], March 1 (ANI): The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday condemned the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling it a trampling of basic tenets of international law and the United Nations.The Spokesperson of the Chinese MFA urged for stopping the escalations.In a post on X, the MFA said, 'The attack and […]

(260302) -- BAKU, March 2, 2026 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese national evacuated from Iran arrives in Azerbaijan, March 1, 2026. Eighteen Chinese nationals were evacuated from Iran to Azerbaijan Sunday as the conflict between Iran and the United States and Israel continues.TO GO WITH "18 Chinese nationals evacuated from Iran to Azerbaijan" (Xinhua/Chen Junfeng)

(260301) -- BARCELONA, March 1, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Honor's "Robot Phone" is displayed at a global product launch event in Barcelona, Spain, March 1, 2026. Chinese tech brand Honor on Sunday unveiled what it called the industry's first "Robot Phone" ahead of the 2026 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, and introduced its new concept of Augmented Human […]

Hong Kong’s public airmail services to 24 countries across the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia have been affected after a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran forced flight cancellations to two Gulf states and disrupted transit journeys. A Hongkong Post spokesman said on Sunday evening that the department’s airmail services to Saudi Arabia and the […]

(260301) -- SINGAPORE, March 1, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Wang Chuqin of China hits a return during the men's singles final between Wang Chuqin of China and Lin Yun-Ju of Chinese Taipei at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Singapore Smash 2026 in Singapore on March 1, 2026. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

(260301) -- JAKARTA, March 1, 2026 (Xinhua) -- A drone show is staged during the first national-level Chinese New Year celebration in Jakarta, Indonesia, Feb. 28, 2026. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto delivered a video address at the first national-level Chinese New Year celebration held in Jakarta on Saturday. While extending new year greetings, […]

(260301) -- SINGAPORE, March 1, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Sun Yingsha of China holds the champion trophy during the awarding ceremony after the women's singles final between Sun Yingsha of China and Wang Manyu of China at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Singapore Smash 2026 in Singapore on March 1, 2026. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

(260301) -- YINCHUAN, March 1, 2026 (Xinhua) -- People perform during a Shehuo gala in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, March 1, 2026. The gala, which was attended by 20 performing teams, featured various shows of Shehuo, a type of traditional Chinese folk art form. The Shehuo gala, a time-honored performance enjoying widespread […]

New Delhi [India], March 1 (ANI): Modern Pythian Games is set to mark a historic milestone in global cultural history as India leads its maiden Indian Youth Team of artists to participate in the 1st Youth Delphic Games for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Member Nations.This will be the first occasion when an Indian team of artists will represent […]

A “relatively flexible” legal framework for Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis will be introduced to the Legislative Council later this month to fast-track the megaproject’s development, a minister has said. Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho shared the update on the planned framework on Sunday, days after the city’s latest budget […]

Hong Kong aims to host fairs on robotics, yachts and small jets – events never before held in the city – to cement its status as an international exhibition hub and attract big spenders, the commerce minister has said. Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau Ying-wah on Sunday said the push was in response to the HK$100 million […]

BEIJING, March 1 (Xinhua) -- China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the attack and killing of Iran's supreme leader, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Sunday.The spokesperson made the remarks when asked to comment on the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the military strikes launched by the United States and Israel […]