China

Residents of a housing complex destroyed in one of Hong Kong’s deadliest fires were misled into picking a convicted contractor for the estate’s renovation project amid “widespread” bid-rigging and other corruption in the construction industry, a public hearing has been told. The judge-led independent committee also heard on Friday that an […]

Swire Coca-Cola has secured a HK$31.9 million (US$4 million) contract to supply Bonaqua water to some Hong Kong government offices, following a HK$52.9 million bottled water procurement scandal last year. According to a Government Logistics Department notice, Swire Coca-Cola was awarded the 27-month contract on Tuesday to supply more than 1.46 million […]

Hong Kong should leverage its position as a “safe haven for investment” to attract foreign capital amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the head of InvestHK has said, noting that more companies using Dubai as a hub have shifted to the city to diversify risk. Alpha Lau Hai-suen, director general of the Hong Kong government’s investment […]

SHANGHAI, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Can rice be planted once and harvested for multiple years, just like fruit trees in an orchard? A groundbreaking study by Chinese scientists may turn this vision into reality, offering significant potential to reduce agricultural costs and promote sustainable development.A research team from the Center for Excellence in […]

HANGZHOU, March 20 (Xinhua) -- At a rubber company in Hangzhou, a tech hub in east China's Zhejiang Province, a virtual car raced across the screen at 120 km/h, while the intelligent agent driving the vehicle ran an astounding 300 durability tests per second."With the intelligent agent, we can get results that satisfy automakers in just a few days," said […]

(260320) -- KUNMING, March 20, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Tourists go through border inspection at Hekou Port in Hekou Yao Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, on Feb. 26, 2026. TO GO WITH "Across China: Border hospital serves as healthcare bridge between China and Southeast Asia" (Xinhua/Peng Yikai)

As Chinese thinker Liang Qichao wrote in his famous work The Young China, "As the youth are strong, so will China be." China's future lies not in economic indicators, but in the quiet confidence and determination shining on the faces of these young dreamers and doers.by Xin PingBeyond the headlines of tech giants and megacities, a quieter, more personal […]

(260320) -- SHANGHAI, March 20, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Han Bin, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and one of the leading scientists on a research team from the Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS) of CAS, presents research findings at a press conference held by CEMPS in east China's Shanghai, March 18, 2026. Can rice be […]

(260320) -- HANGZHOU, March 20, 2026 (Xinhua) -- This undated file photo shows a senior artisan making qipao accessories in Yongquan Town, Linhai City, east China's Zhejiang Province. TO GO WITH "Across China: Chinese town breathes new life into traditional qipao industry" (Xinhua)

LANZHOU, March 20 (Xinhua) -- A new study by Chinese researchers has summarized the generation mechanisms and key influencing factors of abiotic geological hydrogen, a well-concerned clean energy source amidst the global energy transition, according to the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources (NIEER) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.The […]

Hong Kong police have arrested 13 people on suspicion of laundering more than HK$113 million (US$14.4 million) using the government’s “iAM Smart” app in scams run by a syndicate. The force said on Friday that nine men and four women, aged between 38 and 75, were suspected of using victims’ “iAM Smart” accounts to launder money through “mule” […]

Hong Kong’s Security Bureau has apologised for an advertising blunder in its anti-drug campaign, after a banner in a railway station appeared to encourage the use of illegal substances when viewed from certain angles. The bureau addressed the issue in a social media post on Friday, a day after an internet user circulated a photo of the poorly placed […]

BEIJING, March 20 (Xinhua) -- As China's annual "two sessions" wrapped up, a people-centered vision has taken center stage, aiming to tap domestic demand and guide the economy toward a more sustainable trajectory.In the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), the country's policymakers have set a dual strategy focusing on investment in "both […]

by Xinhua writers Huang Yuzhang and Wang XiaopengBEIJING, March 20 (Xinhua) -- As Catherine and Heathcliff once again roam the Yorkshire moors on screens around the world, the tragic lovers are finding a chillier reception than expected from audiences in China."Wuthering Heights," the latest adaptation of Emily Bronte's 1847 classic, is directed by Emerald […]

As Hainan pushes ahead with its free-trade port, the tropical island is emerging as a potential rival to Hong Kong’s long-standing role as a regional shopping and low-tax hub – even as both sides signal interest in closer cooperation. Since launching a separate customs regime three months ago, Hainan – now a gateway to the Chinese market – has […]

Although humanoid robots are yet to be mature enough to be fully autonomous robotic pacers in a marathon, runners and experts say the blend of robot and human pacers could boost the sport's development.By sportswriters Liu Yang and Du YaningFUZHOU, March 20 (Xinhua) -- They don't sweat, cramp, or drift into a bad mood. As humanoid robots begin lining up […]

New Delhi [India], March 20 (ANI): Patiala House Court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to Manish Sharma in the AI summit protest case. He is directed to join the investigation tomorrow. In case of his arrest, Delhi police will give him a 7-day notice, the court said.He sought anticipatory bail in the AI Summit protest case. He is alleged key conspirator […]

SHANGHAI, March 20 (Xinhua) -- China's second domestically built large cruise ship was undocked in Shanghai on Friday, moving a step closer to trial voyages and final delivery as the country expands its push into the cruise tourism market.The vessel, Adora Flora City, was slowly pulled and guided out of the construction dock by powerful tugboats at Shanghai […]

Bangkok [Thailand], March 20 (ANI): The Indian U20 women's team, with 24 players, arrived in Thailand on Friday morning for the AFC U20 Women's Asian Cup, according to the All India Football Federation (AIFF).The Young Tigresses, who qualified for the Asian Cup after 20 years, will have 13 days to acclimatise to the local conditions in Bangkok before their […]

(260320) -- SHANGHAI, March 20, 2026 (Xinhua) -- This photo taken on March 20, 2026 shows China's second domestically built large cruise ship "Adora Flora City" in Shanghai, east China. China's second domestically built large cruise ship was undocked in Shanghai on Friday, moving a step closer to trial voyages and final delivery as the country expands its […]

Five people have been jailed in Hong Kong after an Immigration Department crackdown on illegal employment. The department said on Friday that it had raided 23 locations, including restaurants, cleaning companies and commercial buildings, during an operation carried out from Monday to Thursday. Officers arrested six men and 13 women, aged 22 to 62, found or […]

Shanghai became a city-wide showcase during the 2026 F1 Chinese Grand Prix, blending racing fervor with tangible economic impact and signaling a bigger future for motorsport in China.by sportswriters Dong Yixing, Shen Nan and Hu JiefeiSHANGHAI, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Metro Line 11 rolled toward the Shanghai International Circuit wrapped in Lego F1 livery, […]

(260320) -- SHANGHAI, March 20, 2026 (Xinhua) -- China's second domestically built large cruise ship Adora Flora City is undocked in Shanghai, east China, March 20, 2026. China's second domestically built large cruise ship was undocked in Shanghai on Friday, moving a step closer to trial voyages and final delivery as the country expands its push into the […]

Shanghai [China], March 20 (ANI): Since the beginning of 2026, the Consulate General of India in Shanghai, under the leadership of Consul General Shri Pratik Mathur, has carried out a wide-ranging and purposeful programme of engagements with Chinese municipal authorities, industry representatives, think tanks and international partners. These initiatives […]

New Delhi, [India] March 20 (ANI): The Ministry of Heavy Industries has invited global bids for setting up integrated manufacturing facilities for sintered rare earth permanent magnets (REPM) under a government scheme aimed at boosting domestic production.According to an official statement, the Ministry has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to select […]

Industry leaders have called on Hong Kong authorities to review crane safety guidelines to include mandatory testing for metal fatigue, following another fatal collapse. An operator was killed on Thursday afternoon when a tower crane toppled at a construction site for the second phase of a public housing project on Tai Wo Hau Road in Kwai Chung, crashing […]

Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino has accused a subsidiary of Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings of lying about the country’s response to an arbitration initiated by the company over the seizure of two strategic ports. Mulino’s rebuttal on Thursday was in response to claims several days earlier by the Panama Ports Company (PPC) that his […]

New Delhi [India], March 20 (ANI): The World Athletics Council has selected Odisha in India and Astana in Kazakhstan to host the World Athletics Indoor Championships in 2028 and 2030, respectively. The events were awarded during the 240th World Athletics Council Meeting held in Torun, Poland, ahead of the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze […]

Taipei [Taiwan], March 20 (ANI): Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) on Friday recorded the presence of 6 PLA aircraft and 8 PLAN vessels operating around its territory. As per the MND, four out of the six sorties entered Taiwan's southwestern and eastern part ADIZ. '6 PLA aircraft and 8 PLAN operating around Taiwan detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) […]

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. A public evidential hearing into a devastating fire that engulfed a residential complex in Hong Kong and killed 168 people entered its second day on Friday. Victor Dawes SC, lead barrister for an independent judge-led […]

(260320) -- NEW YORK, March 20, 2026 (Xinhua) -- A visitor looks at a Chinese porcelain work at the Bonhams auction house in New York, the United States, on March 19, 2026. Asia Week New York 2026 opened in New York City on Thursday, showcasing Asian art works from museums, galleries and auction houses. (Xinhua/Zhang Fengguo)

By the time this column appears, the world will feel very different from when my previous column appeared earlier this month. In just days, a conflict that some in Washington seemed to believe would quickly topple Iran’s leadership has instead become a potentially long and uncertain war, with little clarity on how or when it will end. The front lines will […]

Prime office vacancy rates in Hong Kong’s main business district dropped to single digits for the first time in 26 months, lifting overall rents in the city’s struggling office property market, according to JLL. The vacancy rate in Central for premium offices fell to 9.9 per cent in February from 10.1 per cent the previous month, the property […]

Hong Kong’s Baptist University placed a big bet when it told the government in 2023 that it was interested in moving its campus from the upmarket Kowloon Tong residential area to a proposed new academic town near the mainland Chinese border. The 70-year-old university’s move to the Northern Metropolis megaproject will mean giving up a prime site for a […]

Washington DC [US], March 20 (ANI): Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Thursday (local time) raised concerns over the deteriorating global security environment and underscored the need for coordinated international efforts to address conflicts in the Middle East and beyond, while expressing confidence in US President Donald Trump to play a key role in […]

Tehran [Iran], March 20 (ANI): Leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan and the United Kingdom condemened Iran 'in the strongest terms' for attacks on 'unarmed commercial vessels' and civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas facilities, as well as what they described as the 'de facto closure' of the Strait of Hormuz, Al […]

(260319) -- NAROK COUNTY, March 19, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President William Ruto unveils the commemorative plaque during the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), in Narok County, Kenya, March 19, 2026. Kenya on Thursday held a groundbreaking ceremony in southwestern Narok County for the […]

Beijing and Moscow are both close partners of Tehran. With the US-Israeli strikes approaching a third week and Iran retaliating across the region, the conflict is poised to possibly -- and significantly -- affect those ties, the broader roles Russia and China play in the Middle East, and their relations with Washington.In an interview with RFE/RL's Georgian […]

Beijing and Moscow are both close partners of Tehran. With the US-Israeli strikes approaching a third week and Iran retaliating across the region, the conflict is poised to possibly -- and significantly -- affect those ties, the broader roles Russia and China play in the Middle East, and their relations with Washington.Zineb Riboua is a research fellow with […]

Cuba keeps quietly floating to the top of the news cycle, even with Iran dominating every headline. And the question being asked in policy circles, Latin American capitals, and frankly on every political subreddit right now is a simple one: is Trump actually going to do it?The context matters here. Trump ordered the military operation that captured […]

Contractors for a renovation project at the site of Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades got away with covering up the use of substandard material because of systemic defects in government supervision, a public inquiry into the blaze that claimed 168 lives has heard. In the first of a series of evidential hearings, a judge-led independent committee was […]

New Delhi [India], March 19 (ANI): Two weeks before their opening clash against Japan in Thailand at the AFC U20 Women's Asian Cup, the Indian U20 women's national team skipper Shubhangi Singh believes her young side needs to play some preparatory matches.For Shubhangi, the significance of qualification has already been processed. The celebrations in […]

(260319) -- SHENZHEN, March 19, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Siobhan Bernadette Haughey (2nd R) of China's Hong Kong starts during the women's 100m freestyle final at 2026 China Open Swimming Championship in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 19, 2026. (Photo by Peng Zhigang/Xinhua)

BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- China will implement revised regulations on the registration of overseas manufacturers exporting food to the country starting from June 1 this year, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) has announced.The GAC will determine, under dynamic management, the catalog of imported food products subject to official recommendation […]

(260319) -- AUCKLAND, March 19, 2026 (Xinhua) -- This photo taken on March 19, 2026 shows a performance by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra at Auckland Town Hall in Auckland, New Zealand. The Shanghai Symphony Orchestra performed in Auckland on Thursday evening after a hiatus of over half a century, resonating with audiences in the largest city in New […]