China

A Hong Kong fire services official has defended a decision to decline mainland Chinese firefighters’ help to combat the city’s deadliest inferno in decades, citing concerns they might be unable to immediately adapt to the new environment and effectively communicate with their local counterparts. On the 12th day of a public evidential hearing on […]

Hong Kong’s sole legal betting operator had earmarked HK$1 billion (US$127.7 million) and hired 180 people to develop a basketball wagering system, but will now take a financial hit after the government announced this week it was halting plans for its roll-out, a source has said. The source close to the Hong Kong Jockey Club told the South China Morning […]

Hong Kong’s leader has pledged to enhance the city’s governance in public security and safety, and carry out systemic reform following the deadly Tai Po fire, describing it as a key task in safeguarding national security. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s remarks came after Xia Baolong, Beijing’s top official overseeing Hong Kong affairs, said […]

Film buffs will be able to enjoy HK$30 (US$3.8) discounted tickets at 53 theatres across Hong Kong on April 25 as part of this year’s Cinema Day celebrations. A spokesman for the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau said that it was the fourth year the government’s Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency had sponsored the event, […]

Events such as Art Basel Hong Kong and ComplexCon helped drive a 14 per cent year-on-year growth in visitor arrivals in March, but the US-Israel war with Iran could bring volatility to the travel market, the Tourism Board has said. The increase contributed to a 17 per cent year-on-year rise in visitor numbers in the first quarter of the year, hitting a […]

BEIJING, April 15 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland is pressing ahead with the implementation of 10 newly released measures to boost exchanges and cooperation across the Taiwan Strait, a mainland spokesperson said on Wednesday.Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a press conference that the Democratic Progressive […]

KUNMING, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Serving as a "golden passage" for tropical fruits from Southeast Asian nations to enter China, the China-Laos Railway is leveraging its logistics efficiency to help durians from the region reach the Chinese market.Durians across Southeast Asia, including varieties from Thailand, Laos and Malaysia, are now entering their peak […]

(260415) -- ZHANJIANG, April 15, 2026 (Xinhua) -- A drone photo taken on April 15, 2026 shows vessels of a Russian navy fleet at a military port in Zhanjiang, south China's Guangdong Province. A Russian navy fleet consisting of two frigates and a medium-sized replenishment ship arrived in south China's Guangdong Province on Wednesday for a five-day friendly […]

Hong Kong’s finance chief has expressed confidence that the city will climb to at least second place in the global ranking of international financial centres within 10 to 15 years. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Wednesday at the HSBC Global Investment Summit that the city offered stability and prosperity in uncertain times, citing its strong […]

HANGZHOU, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Along China's eastern seaboard, the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in Zhejiang Province is barely ever quiet. Ships come and go around the clock, and inland, factory floors maintain a similar rhythm.This combination helps explain Ningbo's prominent role in China's industrial landscape. It is not just a major port, but also one of the […]

KUNMING, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists have discovered well-preserved multicellular animal fossils in Ediacaran strata of eastern Yunnan, indicating that complex animal communities existed in oceans long before the Cambrian explosion.The study, carried out by researchers from Yunnan University and the University of Oxford, was recently published […]

Beijing [China], April 15 (ANI): Spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Lin Jian on Wednesday busted media reports saying that China is providing military aid to Iran.Lin said that if the US tariffs China on the basis of these reports, China will take countermeasures.In a post on X, he said, 'Media reports accusing China of providing military […]

CHENGDU, April 15 (Xinhua) -- The inaugural World Drone Games, underway in Chengdu, the capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, have once again focused global attention on the country's fast-growing low-altitude economy.By merging cutting-edge drone technology with competitive sports, the event offers the world a glimpse into the future direction of […]

BEIJING, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Beijing.

Beijing [China], April 15 (ANI): Even as the world watches a tenous ceaefire between Iran and the US playout a key meeting was held on Wednesday in Beijning between Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Speaking after the meeting Lavrov said that China and Russia will not be pushed into the background, and will remain […]

NANCHANG, April 15 (Xinhua) -- At a tablet manufacturing workshop in the eastern Chinese city of Nanchang, four humanoid robots have completed an eight-hour live-streamed shift on a real assembly line requiring precision operations, marking another great leap in the country's embodied AI empowering its manufacturing sector.During Tuesday's working hours, […]

Malda (West Bengal) [India], April 15 (ANI): The growing makhana (fox nut) industry in West Bengal's Malda district has suffered a significant setback amid the ongoing West Asia conflict involving Israel, the US, and Iran, which has disrupted exports to key Middle Eastern markets.Traders and exporters associated with the business said that logistical […]

Beijing [China], April 15 (ANI): Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday held talks with Chinese President XI Jinping amid West Asia crisis and blamed Western powers for aggravating the international situation. 'We held negotiations with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The negotiations covered a wide range of issues, largely our bilateral […]

Attendance numbers at Hong Kong Sevens are expected to be resilient despite travel concerns over conflict in the Middle East, the event’s organiser has said, even though some operators have warned of potential pressure from rising costs and flight disruptions. The flagship rugby tournament, which runs from Friday to Sunday this week, traditionally draws […]

The number of secondary school students diagnosed with mental illness in Hong Kong has doubled over the past five academic years, with the increase potentially under-reported due to reluctance among some pupils and parents to disclose health information, education authorities have said. The data is in line with a trend recorded by the Health Bureau showing […]

Taipei [Taiwan], April 15 (ANI): Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected the presence of five sorties of Chinese military aircraft, six naval vessels and three ships operating around its territorial waters as of 6am (local time) on Wednesday.Of the five sorties, four entered Taiwan's southwestern part, ADIZ.In a post on X, the MND said, '5 sorties of […]

BEIJING, 15th April, 2026 (WAM) -- The People's Bank of China on Tuesday announced that it will carry out a 500-billion-yuan (about US$72.89 billion) outright reverse repo operation on Wednesday to maintain ample liquidity in the banking system, Xinhua News Agency reported.The operation will be carried out with a fixed quantity through interest-rate […]

Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs has urged businesspeople to serve as the “main force” driving the city’s economic development by investing in innovation and the Northern Metropolis megaproject, calling on them to demonstrate their patriotism through “concrete actions”. Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, […]

by Xinhua writer Ji HangJINAN, April 15 (Xinhua) -- As spring blooms across China and students enjoy their spring break, I traveled to Heze, a city in east China known as the "peony capital," home to more than 1,500 years of peony cultivation and 1,308 varieties of this flower.On the way, I wondered how Heze would differ from Luoyang, another famous peony […]

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. A judge-led panel investigating the causes of Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades, which killed 168 people in Tai Po, concluded its 12th day of evidential hearings on Wednesday. Representatives from the Fire […]

(260415) -- BEIJING, April 15, 2026 (Xinhua) -- To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and president of Vietnam, takes a high-speed train to Xiong'an New Area of north China's Hebei Province on April 14, 2026. To Lam arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for a state visit to China through Friday. Upon his arrival in Beijing, […]

(260415) -- ALGIERS, April 15, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Dong Guangli, Chinese Ambassador to Algeria, addresses the first International Symposium on Civilizational Exchange and Mutual Learning between China and Arab African countries in Algiers, Algeria on April 14, 2026. The symposium was held on Tuesday in Algiers, the capital of Algeria, with topics ranging from […]

Hong Kong authorities should consider the impact of technological developments when drafting policies, observers have said, noting the government’s decision to halt plans for basketball betting reflected a lack of thorough discussion. Their remarks on Tuesday followed the government announcing the suspension over concerns about new “prediction market” […]

For Hong Kong’s 3.3 million PayMe users, everyday transactions such as buying coffee or splitting bills with friends could soon involve stablecoins, with HSBC preparing to introduce the digital currency in the second half of this year. That comes after HSBC Holdings, together with a Standard Chartered-led joint venture, became the first to obtain a […]

Indonesia has agreed to buy crude oil and liquefied petroleum gas from Moscow amid global supply shocksBRICS member Indonesia has agreed to purchase crude oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from Russia, citing energy security concerns amid growing global supply disruptions, the Energy Ministry in Jakarta has said.Indonesia's crude purchases from Russia […]

WASHINGTON, D.C.: The global economy is entering a period of heightened risk as the war in Iran disrupts energy markets, with the International Monetary Fund warning that a prolonged conflict could push growth into recession. On April 14, the IMF cut its global growth outlook and outlined multiple scenarios showing how escalating tensions in the Middle East […]

The Russian Foreign Minister has arrived in Beijing for an official two-day visit Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in China on Tuesday for a two-day official visit, where he held extended talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi. The foreign ministers were to focus on a "number of high-prio

BEIJING, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday that China and Spain should strengthen cooperation in multiple fields and encourage exchanges in various areas, so as to bring about more outcomes in the comprehensive strategic partnership and deliver greater benefits to the two peoples.Xi made the remarks when meeting with Spanish […]

(260414) -- BEIJING, April 14, 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 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Beijing, capital of China, April 14, 2026. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

New Delhi [India], April 14 (ANI): The India U17 women's football team suffered a 0-3 defeat against Russia in the second of three friendly matches at the Matsesta Football Centre in Sochi, Russia, on Tuesday.Valeria Menyailova struck twice early in the second half (49', 52') after Sofia Svyatnaya (18') had opened the scoring, as the hosts capitalised on […]

Beijing [China], April 14 (ANI): China has once again attempted to push 'fictitious names' for Indian territories, despite a categorical rejection and 'heavy slamming' from New Delhi just days ago.The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday doubled down on its claim that the renaming falls within its 'sovereignty,' referring to Arunachal Pradesh by the […]

BEIJING, 14th April, 2026 (WAM) -- H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has concluded an official visit to the People's Republic of China, aimed at further enhancing the UAE-China comprehensive partnership across priority sectors, advancing economic and development cooperation between the two nations.During the […]

(260414) -- NANCHANG, April 14, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Humanoid robots work on the assembly line at a tablet manufacturing workshop in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi Province, April 14, 2026. TO GO WITH "China Focus: Chinese humanoid robots deployed on assembly lines for precision tasks" (Xinhua/Li Haiwei)

Washington DC [US], April 14 (ANI): The East Turkistan Government-in-Exile has strongly criticised Kazakhstan over the conviction of 19 of its citizens, calling the move a suppression of dissent and an act of compliance with Beijing, as stated in a press release issued by the organisation.According to the ETGE press release, the individuals were convicted […]

Beijing [China], April 14 (ANI): Amid the West Asia crisis and a tightening US naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday met in Beijing, marking their first in-person meeting this year. The discussions come amid escalating geopolitical tensions across multiple regions, […]

The US has announced a blockade of Iranian oil-linked shipping, tightening pressure on already constrained Middle Eastern exportsThe US has tightened its grip on energy exports from the Persian Gulf with a new naval blockade on Iranian supplies, risking fresh shocks to already fragile global markets.The move appears intended to increase pressure on Tehran […]

(260414) -- NEW YORK, April 14, 2026 (Xinhua) -- People attend a celebration marking the UN Chinese Language Day at the UN headquarters in New York, on April 13, 2026. A celebration titled Chinese Language Shining Civilizations was held at the UN headquarters in New York to mark the UN Chinese Language Day on Monday. (Xinhua/Zhang Fengguo)

Hong Kong landlords who fail to fix water seepage affecting flats below face a minimum inspection bill of HK$17,000 (US$2,170) if they take no action within 28 days of notification under a pilot scheme designed to fast-track such cases. The plan, launched by a joint office under the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and Buildings Department, […]

(260414) -- BEIJING, April 14, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, meets with Gerry Brownlee, speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, in Beijing, capital of China, April 14, 2026 (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

A resident of Hong Kong’s fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Tai Po has said that a drawer in her flat had been rummaged through, prompting a police investigation and rekindling burglary fears in the sealed residential complex. Police launched the probe after a resident surnamed Lee raised concerns about a possible burglary early on Tuesday. A […]