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Hong Kong to test first flying cars carrying heavy...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/16

Trial flights for Hong Kong’s first unmanned two-tonne electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft could take place within the next six months, initially to transport heavy construction materials to remote sites in the New Territories. Infrastructure consultancy AECOM said once aviation safety for cargo logistics was proved, the potential next step was ecotourism, providing an alternative sustainable option for Victoria Harbour aerial sightseeing tours. The trial was part of a...

China couple make wedding memorable by hosting...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/16

A couple in southwestern China turned their wedding into a professional wrestling showdown, with the loser agreeing to do the housework for life. Unlike conventional competitive sports, professional wrestling is a choreographed combat performance. The groom, He Yinsheng, a professional wrestler from Zunyi in Guizhou province, staged the unusual celebration with his wife at a local hotel in early May. In place of a traditional wedding stage, the couple installed a wrestling ring, with a giant...

Trump leaves China after much pomp and pageantry, but...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/15

As US President Donald Trump landed back in Washington on Friday after his two-day summit in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a quick US assessment on one of the most consequential diplomatic visits of Trump’s presidency was: impressive optics, trademark flawless Chinese hosting, but disappointing concrete achievements, according to analysts, industry trade groups and former US officials. “The economic deliverables coming out of the Trump-Xi meeting are way below expectations. In

Trump and his CEOs want China’s business – but has...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/15

US President Donald Trump’s landmark visit to China comes as the US-Iran war disrupts global energy supplies, fuels economic uncertainty and adds fresh strain to Washington-Beijing ties. In the latest instalment of a series examining how rivalry, interdependence and geopolitical crises are reshaping the relationship between the two powers, we explore the massive upswing in capital expenditures across Asia that is driving a broad shift in economic power.When US President Donald Trump made his...

Travolta gets surprise Cannes prize: ‘beyond the Oscar’

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/15

Hollywood star John Travolta was given a surprise lifetime achievement award at the Cannes Film Festival Friday as he premiered the first movie he has ever directed. The man who became an icon overnight with Saturday Night Fever was visibly moved as he accepted the honorary Palme d’Or before the screening of Propeller One-Way Night Coach, which is based on a book about his first experience in an airliner. “I just can’t believe it. This is beyond the Oscar, really,” he said as he accepted the...

How to deal with this ‘very Chinese time’ in Western...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/15

What comes to mind when you think of China, Japan and South Korea? This was a question posed in a second-year sociology seminar during my time at Bristol, and it has stayed with me ever since. We were split into three groups and given 10 minutes to create posters capturing our immediate associations. Japan came first. Sketches of anime, sushi platters and temples appeared. My classmates spoke with enthusiasm, drawing on travel memories or aspirations to visit. A country that, less than a

Canada takes key step towards new oil pipeline to...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/15

Prime Minister Mark Carney and the leader of Canada’s oil-rich Alberta province took a major step on Friday towards building an oil pipeline that could substantially increase crude exports to Asia. Expanding overseas energy exports has emerged as a key part of Carney’s strategy to reduce Canada’s economic reliance on the US, but plans for a new pipeline are facing stiff resistance over environmental concerns. Alberta’s conservative Premier Danielle Smith was a relentless critic of Carney’s...

Taiwan casts long shadow over Trump’s summit with Xi

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/15

Taiwan has emerged as the first test of Beijing and Washington’s new “strategic stability” formula, according to analysts. In the aftermath of the high-profile summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Beijing, subtle differences have emerged in how the two sides have characterised Taiwan, which Beijing defines as the most important issue in the bilateral relationship. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said on Friday that during Trump’s state visit to China

AI supremacy, ‘secret police station’, Taiwan...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/15

We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering US-China relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. The Xi-Trump summit is over. What comes next in the US-China rivalry? Xi described Trump’s visit as “historical” and “a landmark”, adding that “important consensus was made on issues both sides are interested in”, according to the Chinese summary. Read the full story here. 2. US Senate

Xi-Trump summit: all you need to know from the final...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/15

We have put together stories from our coverage on the second day of Xi and Trump’s meeting in Beijing. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. ‘We’ll be back’: the latest takeaways from the Xi-Trump talks Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump chat as they stroll through the grounds of Zhongnanhai, with Trump again dangling the idea of a “G2”. 2. Meet Zhou Qunfei: the woman seated between Cook and Musk at China state

Lebanon and Israel extend ceasefire despite new strikes

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/15

Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend a ceasefire and hold new talks on a political settlement, the US announced on Friday, even as Israel carried out new strikes that it insists are not subject to the truce. Israel has been pounding Lebanon and invaded its south in response to fire from Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Shia movement that is not part of the ceasefire diplomacy. Envoys from Israel and Lebanon’s government, which has struggled to restrain Hezbollah, met for two days in Washington

Harvey Weinstein’s third New York rape trial ends in...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/15

Harvey Weinstein’s third trial in New York over allegations he used his Hollywood clout to prey upon and sexually abuse women ended ‌in a mistrial on Friday, after a jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict on a charge he raped the aspiring actress Jessica Mann. Weinstein, 74, was a top film producer until sexual misconduct allegations led to his downfall and fuelled a wider social movement that encouraged women to come forward with accounts of sexual abuse by ⁠powerful men. The case, brought

Peru’s leftist Sanchez to face Fujimori in...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/15

Peru’s leftist ⁠presidential candidate Roberto Sanchez will face ⁠Keiko Fujimori in the June run-off after narrowly securing second place in April’s first-round vote, official results showed Friday, with 100 per cent of votes tallied. The month-long count led to allegations of fraud in ‌the politically turbulent South American nation, notably from right-wing candidate Rafael Lopez Aliaga, who narrowly trailed Sanchez for much of the counting process. Fujimori, the daughter of late former...

The Xi-Trump summit is over. What comes next in the...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/15

In the past, the last day of state visits to China has typically featured a deal-signing ceremony presided over by leaders from both sides. However, the last day of US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing was marked by discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a more intimate setting and an assurance that both would continue to meet this year. The two men strolled the gardens of the secluded Zhongnanhai compound, where Communist Party leaders live and work, a rare backdrop for...

Health authorities order halt to use of medical...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/15

Hong Kong health authorities have ordered hospitals to stop using a batch of blood pressure monitoring sets after an improperly sealed device was linked to the death of an elderly man undergoing a heart operation. The Department of Health also said on Friday that it had ordered the local supplier to halt sales of the affected batch and it was investigating the incident at Tuen Mun Hospital. The Hospital Authority noted on Thursday the 75-year-old man had a history of chronic obstructive...

Palestinians in Gaza mark anniversary of 1948 mass...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/15

Blink and you might miss the few stone walls that are all that is left of the village that Yusuf Abu Hamam’s family was forced to flee when he was an infant in 1948.The village, al-Joura, was demolished by the Israeli military at the time. It has since vanished under neighbourhoods of the southern Israeli city of Ashqelon and the grounds of a national park. The neighbourhood where Abu Hamam’s family ended up, and where he spent most of his life, now lies also largely in ruins. Buildings in

Hong Kong police call to criminalise bid-rigging in...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/15

Hong Kong police have proposed introducing legislation enforced by a designated agency to criminalise bid-rigging, along with more attractive leniency and cooperation agreements for whistle-blowers, in the wake of the city’s deadliest fire in decades. In a submission to a judge-led independent committee investigating last November’s disaster at Wang Fuk Court released on Friday, Superintendent Lam Kai-chor of the organised crime and triad bureau said the current civil regime of the

‘May do it. May not do it’: Trump keeps up suspense...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/15

The United States will not fight a war over Taiwan, President Donald Trump has declared, while revealing that he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping “talked a lot” about the island during his state visit to Beijing. However, Trump stopped short of approving arms sales to the island, leaving open the future of major arms packages. In an interview with Fox News host Bret Baier in Beijing, Trump said: “I’m not looking to have somebody go independent and we’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles (about...

Peugeot, Jeep take on Chinese rivals with new models...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/15

Peugeot and Jeep, owned by French-Italian automotive group Stellantis, have committed to fresh investments to build electric cars with its partner Dongfeng Motor, as more international marques join the fight against Chinese rivals in the world’s largest car market. Stellantis announced on Friday that four electric vehicles (EVs) under the two storied auto brands would roll off the production lines in 2027 as the European carmaker leverages Chinese technologies to assemble best-class cars for

Rapid-fire to restrained: China state visit reveals a...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/05/15

US President Donald Trump – known for his combative and prolific social media style – struck an unusually restrained online tone during his state visit to China. Trump has shared only 10 social media updates since landing in Beijing on Wednesday evening – mostly videos of his arrival in Beijing and official greetings received from Chinese President Xi Jinping. The latest posts include hailing Xi as “one of the World’s Great Leaders” and asserting that the US should have a ballroom like China...

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