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AI gives China ‘God’s-eye view’ of solar, wind...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/21

In a significant leap for green-energy tracking, researchers from Peking University and Alibaba Group’s Damo Academy have used AI to map hundreds of thousands of solar and wind installations across China. The initiative resulted in a first-of-its-kind national inventory designed to help coordinate the country’s ambitious green transition. By leveraging a self-developed AI model from Damo, the research team processed a massive 7.56 terabytes of satellite imagery. The algorithm identified

Russia, US increasingly see China as an anchor for...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/21

Beijing is increasingly seen as key to securing international stability and economic opportunities, a status which both Washington and Moscow are converging on. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent foreign policy interactions with the leaders of the United States and Russia highlight China’s rising strategic position – acting as a significant player in global affairs, from the conflict in Ukraine to the volatile situation with Iran. Xi’s relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin has...

Paris court finds Airbus, Air France guilty in 2009...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/21

A Paris appeal court on Thursday found Airbus and Air France guilty of corporate manslaughter over the 2009 Rio-Paris plane crash ‌that killed 228 passengers and crew in France’s worst air disaster. The verdict is the latest milestone in a legal marathon involving two of France’s most emblematic companies and relatives of the mainly French, Brazilian and German victims. Relatives of some of the 228 passengers and crew who died when the Airbus A330 vanished in darkness during an Atlantic storm...

China’s J-10CE jets defeat Eurofighters 9-0 in mock...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/21

China has confirmed that its J-10CE fighter went undefeated against Eurofighter Typhoon jets during nine simulated air combat exercises in 2024. State broadcaster CCTV reported last week that the aircraft won all nine of its engagements in simulated combat against the multi-role fighter, without specifying the details of the exercise or which countries took part. However, Pakistani media reported that the mock battles took place during the “Zilzal-II” joint air exercise in Qatar in January

Sino Land strengthens commitment to sustainability...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/21

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] Sino Group’s sustained efforts in environmental and social responsibility have earned Sino Land Company Limited a place in the global top 5 per cent of the Real Estate Management & Development industry in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2026. The result, announced earlier in March, marks the fourth consecutive year of inclusion in the Yearbook. Sino Land is the only property developer from Hong Kong to attain

Queen pushed for ex-prince Andrew’s appointment as...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/21

Queen Elizabeth pressed ⁠for her son Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor ⁠to be made a government trade envoy back in 2000, according to documents released on Thursday. Mountbatten-Windsor, brother of King Charles, served as the UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment between 2001 and 2011 in an unpaid role that allowed him to travel the world meeting senior business and government figures. David Wright, the chief executive of British Trade International, said that before

Hong Kong issues red travel alert for DR Congo as...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/21

Hong Kong has issued a red travel alert for the Democratic Republic of Congo as Ebola outbreaks escalate in Central Africa, with at least 139 suspected deaths from the disease reported. The red alert – the middle level in a three-tier outbound travel alert system under the Security Bureau – means residents travelling to the country should adjust their plans and avoid non-essential travel due to the significant threat there. The move on Thursday follows the health authorities’ announcement on...

China breaks ground on US$5b aviation complex in UAE...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/21

Despite instability in the Middle East, China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) has begun building the world’s largest aircraft maintenance complex in the United Arab Emirates, underscoring China’s growing dominance in overseas infrastructure. The project, worth more than US$5 billion and one of the largest construction deals a Chinese builder has secured in the region, will comprise eight large maintenance hangars for aircraft storage, covering about 1.21 million square metres (13

China slams US ‘big stick’ over Castro charges and...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/21

China has condemned the United States for charging former Cuban leader Raul Castro, as the Trump administration escalates pressure on the island’s socialist government. The US on Wednesday announced criminal charges against Castro over the 1996 downing of two civilian planes flown by Miami-based Cuban exiles. All four on board, including three American citizens, were killed in the incident. China “firmly opposes” illegal unilateral sanctions that lack a basis in international law and are not...

Hong Kong airport records 13% year-on-year rise in...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/21

Hong Kong International Airport has recorded a 13 per cent year-on-year increase in passenger traffic in the first four months of the year, while flight movements rose by 5.1 per cent. According to the Airport Authority, the Easter holiday boosted traffic in April, when the airport handled more than 5.6 million passengers and 34,000 flight movements, representing year-on-year increases of 9.4 per cent and 5.5 per cent respectively. “Overall passenger growth in April was supported by the

Man falls to death from flat amid dispute with wife,...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/21

A man plunged to his death from the balcony of his public housing flat in Hong Kong on Wednesday night after a dispute with his wife and son over education expenses, police said. A source said on Thursday that the man’s wife, 52, and their 21-year-old son were arrested, with preliminary investigations suggesting the death was accidental. The force received a report from the man’s son at 9.42pm on Wednesday, saying his father had lost his balance and fallen from their flat at Ming Yiu House in...

Austrian spy found guilty of giving secrets to...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/21

An ex-Austrian intelligence officer was found guilty of passing on state secrets to a fugitive former top executive at the fraudulent payments company Wirecard in a high-profile spy case that has prompted authorities in Vienna to tighten rules on espionage. Egisto Ott was handed a prison sentence of more than four years for spying, abuse of office, bribery and embezzlement, and other charges, according to a statement from the Vienna Regional Criminal Court late on Wednesday. He was found...

Labourer remanded after admitting he tossed seditious...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/21

A Hong Kong construction worker has been remanded in custody pending sentencing after pleading guilty to tossing 59 pieces of paper bearing seditious messages from his public rental flat in 2024 and last year. Raymond Wong Chan-fai, 55, was detained on Thursday morning by police’s National Security Department. He was escorted to West Kowloon Court in the afternoon, where he pleaded guilty to two counts of doing an act with seditious intention under the Safeguarding National Security...

Why a Trump call to Taiwan’s Lai could trigger...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/21

Beijing has reiterated its firm opposition to any official interactions between Washington and Taiwan, following US President Donald Trump’s remarks that he would be open to speaking with the person “running” the island, William Lai Ching-te. Such a move would cross Beijing’s red line and undo the progress made during Trump’s recent summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, analysts warn, though they note China should remain confident and that such a call would be highly unlikely. “China’s...

China blogger with 20 million followers takes a break...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/21

A top influencer in China has announced a halt to updates of his social media account for the sake of his health, arousing significant nationwide attention. The announcement comes after the sudden deaths of a slew of online celebrities at a young age due to work pressure, the Liaoshen Evening News reported. Wang Bowen, who uses the handle @dalianlaoshiwangbowen on social media and has amassed more than 20 million followers, said in mid-May that he would stop releasing videos for an

‘No ParknShop sale’: Li Ka-shing’s CK Hutchison rules...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/21

CK Hutchison Holdings, one of the flagship companies of billionaire Li Ka-shing, has no plans to sell ParknShop in Hong Kong to one of its largest competitors, according to a senior executive of the supermarket chain’s owner and operator. “There is really no such plan to sell ParknShop,” said Dominic Lai, group co-managing director of CK Hutchison, responding to a question at the company’s annual general meeting on Thursday. The group had been reported to be in talks with Jardine Matheson

Commercial humanoid robots in China may soon do...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/21

China’s robotics pioneers are rapidly expanding beyond the usual factory surroundings and into more challenging terrains: the unstructured, dynamic and complex world of domestic household chores. GigaAI unveiled the country’s first general-purpose household humanoid robot model on Wednesday, the SeeLight S1, in collaboration with Hubei Humanoid Robot Innovation Centre and Hubei Humanoid Robotics Industry Alliance. The robot will be given to families to test free of charge in Wuhan, the

Uber says Hong Kong ride-hailing cap ‘unusual’,...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/21

Uber has described Hong Kong’s plan to cap the number of ride-hailing vehicle licences as “unusual”, as the city enters the final stage of shaping its regulatory regime for the service. Andrew Byrne, the company’s US-based global head of public policy, was in Hong Kong on Thursday, and urged authorities to consider existing demand when setting any cap. The proposed ceiling has sparked controversy. Some lawmakers suggest the government may issue between 10,000 and 15,000 licences, while taxi...

US delegation may herald Hegseth trip to China

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/21

A Pentagon delegation may visit China within weeks, paving the way for a potential Beijing trip by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, the South China Morning Post reported on Thursday. Elbridge Colby, defence undersecretary for policy, may lead the group visit, which will aim to finalise arrangements for a Hegseth trip among other goals, the SCMP said, citing unidentified sources. It’s not clear when the Hegseth visit may happen. The defence secretary was among cabinet members that accompanied...

Can China team’s Greek dig unveil an untold truth in...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/21

Chinese archaeologists have started work on a joint excavation project at a site in Greece that may help answer some increasingly popular questions in China about the roots of ancient civilisations. Most global histories are written by European and American scholars. As China’s national power grows, scepticism within the country towards historical narratives shaped by Western perspectives is increasing. Much of this debate is based on second-hand information rather than primary evidence,...

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