China

Two Hong Kong men convicted of violating the Beijing-decreed national security law have said they joined a pro-independence group either to obtain asylum in Canada or “out of curiosity”. Courier Chan Tai-sum, 27, and waiter Ng Chi-tung, 25, pleaded guilty in the District Court on Friday to conspiracy to commit secession for their involvement with […]

We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond 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. Chinese tech makes desalinating seawater cheaper than producing bottled water Desalination […]

New York [US], July 3 (ANI): A 42-year-old man carrying a Tibetan flag died after setting himself on fire outside the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan on Thursday evening in an apparent act of protest, the NY Post reported.The individual was identified by a friend as Lobga Rangzen, who had reportedly been residing in the United States for around two […]

This article was first published on July 3, 2006. Workers more efficient over five days: civil service chief by Ng Kang-chung Civil servants can work more efficiently and serve citizens better by not having to work on Saturdays, the city’s 6.9 million residents have been promised on the eve of implementation of a five-day week. The new working week would […]

(260703) -- GUANGZHOU, July 3, 2026 (Xinhua) -- A visitor takes photos at Guangdong-Macao Traditional Chinese Medicine Technology Industrial Park in Hengqin, Zhuhai City, south China's Guangdong Province, July 2, 2026. Hengqin, located in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, is separated from Macao by a narrow stretch of water. The Guangdong-Macao In-Depth […]

Taipei [Taiwan], July 3 (ANI): Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence detected the presence of 30 sorties of Chinese military aircraft, seven naval vessels and five official ships around its territorial waters as of 6am (local time) on Friday.Of the 30, 26 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, central, southwestern and eastern parts […]

Hong Kong lawmaker William Wong Kam-fai has resigned from the Legislative Council and issued a fresh apology after his arrest over alleged drink-driving and a hit-and-run. His announcement on Friday came hours after the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) suspended Wong, also the associate dean of the engineering department, from administrative duties. […]

(260703) -- BEIJING, July 3, 2026 (Xinhua) -- A visitor experiences an exoskeleton product at a digital economy experience fair in the Longfusi commercial area in Dongcheng District, Beijing, capital of China, July 1, 2026. The 2026 Global Digital Economy Conference kicked off in Beijing on Thursday. On the sidelines of the event, the digital economy […]

The latest child suicide figures from the Education Bureau make for grim reading. For three academic years in a row, suspected suicide cases among primary and secondary school students have remained stubbornly high – 32 in 2023, 28 in 2024, and 31 in 2025. Despite a deluge of government resources, the three-tier emergency mechanism in secondary schools […]

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong issued the amber rainstorm warning on Friday afternoon, after the local forecaster said it would keep the No 1 typhoon signal in force at least until the evening before deciding whether to upgrade the storm […]

Washington's de-facto "envoy" to the island pushed for "democratic" UAV production as "deterrence" against Beijing The top US diplomat in Taiwan has called for turning the self-administered Chinese island into a "hornet's nest" of air, surface and subsurface drones, as Washington continues to

Washingtons de-facto envoy to the island pushed for democratic UAV production as deterrence against BeijingThe top US diplomat in Taiwan has called for turning the self-administered Chinese island into a "hornet's nest" of air, surface and subsurface drones, as Washington continues to expand military cooperation with Taipei despite repeated warnings from […]

Washington DC [US], July 3 (ANI): Defending his administration's strategic focus on emerging technologies, US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) asserted that the United States is outpacing China in artificial intelligence (AI) and cryptocurrency, while simultaneously dismissing conflict-of-interest concerns regarding his family's highly […]

Hong Kong authorities’ proposed overhaul of the city’s sexual offence laws has gone further than suggestions made by a law reform body, but some advocates remain concerned over a legal defence loophole. Advocacy groups have welcomed authorities’ proposals to include a list of circumstances that define situations of no consent to a sexual act, as well […]

(260702) -- COPENHAGEN, July 2, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen in Copenhagen, Denmark, on July 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang)

Hong Kong is trapped in a structural economic paradox that threatens both its long-term competitiveness and social stability. Organisations are paralysed by the urgent need for artificial intelligence (AI) transformation, complaining day in and day out that they lack technological talent. An International Data Corporation (IDC) study last year revealed that […]

New Delhi [India], July 2 (ANI): Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth felicitated Havildar Lakshay and Havildar Ujjwal Kumar Singh of the Army Rowing Node on their achievement of winning India's first-ever Gold Medal at the World Rowing Cup in the Lightweight Men's Double Sculls (LM2x) event at Lucerne, Switzerland.The pair on June 27 won the men's lightweight […]

By Ajit DubeyNew Delhi [India], July 2 (ANI): In the first Defence Acquisition Council meeting to be held with new Chief of Defence Staff, Army and Navy Chiefs in attendance, the Defence Ministry is expected to clear mega proposals including the acquisition of the HAMMER air to ground precision guided munitions for the Rafales and LCA Tejas aircraft, the […]

Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 2 (ANI): China has permanently closed the Hungkar Dorje Vocational High School, a well-known Tibetan educational institution founded by the late Buddhist leader Tulku Hungkar Dorje, in what rights advocates describe as another blow to Tibetan language and cultural education.Authorities ordered the school's […]

Taipei [Taiwan], July 2 (ANI): Taiwan has accused China of intensifying its 'grey zone' tactics by increasing maritime incursions around the main island and its outlying territories in what authorities describe as an effort to gradually normalise Beijing's presence in waters under Taiwan's jurisdiction, according to a report submitted by Taiwan's Coast […]

A cyberattack on leading Hong Kong appliance distributor Shun Hing Group has compromised the personal information of more than 1 million people, according to the city’s privacy watchdog. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data said on Thursday that it had launched an investigation into the incident after receiving a data breach report […]

CHENGDU, July 2 (Xinhua) -- On the high slopes of southwest China's Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, tartary buckwheat has been long grown for survival, not the health-food market.In Boshwahei Village of Zhaojue County, Yi farmer Madula recalls a diet built around two dependable crops: potatoes and tartary buckwheat. The grain was […]

by Xinhua writers Tian Ying, Zhang Yunlong and Xu XiaoqingSHANGHAI, July 2 (Xinhua) -- A small light bulb glows in the hand of a teacher dressed in a traditional Chinese scholar's gown, drawing curious students closer for a better look. Behind them, a screen displays a life-size recreation of an early-20th-century room, immersing everyone in the scene.The […]

BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun on Thursday slammed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's so-called "free and open Indo-Pacific" vision."Ostensibly, it champions openness and freedom, but its real agenda is about division and confrontation," Guo said at a regular press briefing, adding that it runs counter to […]

HAIYANG, Shandong, July 2 (Xinhua) -- As the summer vacation season begins in China, kids across the country are badgering their parents to book trips to watch rockets blast into the sky.Once off-limits to the public, these secretive launch sites have now turned into unexpected tourist hotspots, giving regular people a front-row seat to the nation's soaring […]

Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te has said he is deeply saddened by the death of Hong Kong bookseller Lam Wing-kee, who publicly recounted being abducted and detained by mainland Chinese authorities in 2015. Lam died at the age of 70 after a years-long battle with lung cancer, according to Taiwanese media. Local reports said Lam, who moved to Taiwan in […]

(260702) -- DONGGUAN, July 2, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Technicians work on products design at Dongguan Moldbao Smart Technology Co. in Dongguan, south China's Guangdong Province, July 2, 2026. Dongguan Moldbao Smart Technology Co. specializes in the research, development and production of precision molds for smart hardware, designer toys and other products. By […]

LANZHOU, July 2 (Xinhua) -- A new study by Chinese scientists offers valuable insights for regional desertification control and ecological restoration, filling a gap in long-term, high-temporal-resolution reconstruction of desertification using annual rings from a specific desert shrub.This study was conducted by researchers at the Northwest Institute of […]

(260702) -- BEIJING, July 2, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Belarusian First Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai Snopkov in Beijing, capital of China, on July 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

HONG KONG, July 2 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) celebrated the 29th anniversary of the city's return to the motherland with a significant visit on Thursday by a Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy fleet.The fleet consists of guided-missile destroyer Nanning and guided-missile frigate Hengyang, along with ship-borne […]

The Vac Smart Fulfillment Center has established cooperation with multiple China-Europe Railway Express routes, serving as a consolidation hub in Central and Eastern Europe for services such as the Qilu and Gan-Europe lines.BUDAPEST, July 2 (Xinhua) -- At a 33,000-square-meter warehouse in the Hungarian town of Vac, about 35 km north of Budapest, robots […]

Taipei [Taiwan], July 2 (ANI): Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence detected the presence of 22 sorties of Chinese military aircraft around itself on Thursday.Of the 22, 20 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, central, and southwestern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ).In a post on X, the MND said, 'Overall, 22 sorties of […]

BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) -- A think tank report released on Thursday delves into the fine qualities and key factors behind the Communist Party of China (CPC)'s remarkable feats.The report, titled "Contemporary Features and Global Significance of Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building," was jointly released by the National High-Level Think Tank of the Party […]

(260702) -- BEIJING, July 2, 2026 (Xinhua) -- This photo shows copies of a report titled "Contemporary Features and Global Significance of Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building." The report was jointly released on Thursday by the National High-Level Think Tank of the Party School of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee (National Academy of […]

BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) --How do you fit 1,000 years of history into the palm of your hand?In Jingdezhen, the grandest history is told through the smallest details. Using miniature photography as our guide, we zoom into a world where time-honored Chinese heritage finds its modern canvas.Explore how a single drop of glaze and a touch of clay tell a story […]

JIUQUAN, July 2 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday sent a new marine satellite into orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.A Long March-4B rocket carrying the Haiyang-2E (HY-2E) satellite took off at 7:46 a.m. (Beijing Time), sending the satellite into its planned orbit.The launch was the 654th involving the Long March rocket […]

XI'AN, July 2 (Xinhua) -- The place where U.S. journalist Edgar Snow trudged his way across the rugged revolutionary heartland in northwest China nine decades ago has been transformed with high-speed trains, upgraded orchards and improved ecological and living conditions.After months of interviews in Yan'an of Shaanxi Province in the 1930s on the arid Loess […]

(260702) -- BEIJING, July 2, 2026 (Xinhua) -- A representative of a company providing services for individual entrepreneurs shares her experience during the Digital Economy Industry Expo 2026 at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, July 2, 2026. Under the theme "Building a digital-friendly city: Inclusive Intelligence, […]

TIANJIN, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Electrodes taped to her forearm and a sensor-studded cap on her head, a stroke patient watched a screen where a virtual hand slowly closed. She fixed her gaze on the image, let her attention narrow, and held one thought: make a fist.The electrodes fired, and her fingers curled inward. She looked at her hand and smiled, then […]

Hong Kong health authorities have called on the public to stay vigilant as the city has entered the summer flu season, with Covid-19 cases also on the rise. Dr Albert Au Ka-wing, head of the communicable disease branch of the Centre for Health Protection, said on Thursday that surveillance data suggested flu cases rose significantly last week, signalling […]

(260702) -- ONTARIO, July 2, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Wang Chuqin (front)/Sun Yingsha of China compete during the mixed doubles quarterfinal match against Alexis Lebrun (France)/Odo Satsuki (Japan) at the WTT United States Smash 2026 in Ontario, California, the United States, July 1, 2026. (Photo by Qiu Chen/Xinhua)

(260702) -- ONTARIO, July 2, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Wen Ruibo (R)/Yuan Licen of China compete during the men's doubles quarterfinal match against Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah of India at the WTT United States Smash 2026 in Ontario, California, the United States, July 1, 2026. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

(260702) -- ONTARIO, July 2, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Wang Manyu (rear R)/Kuai Man (rear L) of China compete during the women's doubles quarterfinal match Anna Hursey (Wales)/Maria Xiao (Spain) at the WTT United States Smash 2026 in Ontario, California, the United States, July 1, 2026. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

by Xinhua writer Chen DongshuDHAKA, July 2 (Xinhua) -- China's institutional advantages, rooted in the centralized and unified leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), have helped transform the country's long-term blueprints into concrete national achievements, offering a viable alternative model for Global South countries seeking accelerated […]

* Overseas political leaders, scholars and policy researchers pointed to the CPC's long-term strategic vision, people-centered governance and capacity for constant self-improvement as key drivers of China's development as the CPC marked its 105th founding anniversary on Wednesday.BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) -- A gathering marking the 105th founding anniversary […]