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News - South China Morning Post

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Why US money may not be enough to break China’s rare...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/28

The United States was out in force in Cape Town this month, throwing down a direct challenge to China at Africa’s biggest mining conference, the Investing in African Mining Indaba. While Chinese firms showed their technological leadership with automation and green energy solutions, officials from the State Department, the Department of Energy and several US development agencies were among the record number of American diplomats and financiers at the event in South Africa. Analysts said the US...

Global powers divided as China expresses ‘deep...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/28

The world woke to a drastically altered Middle East as global powers and regional neighbours scrambled to respond to “Operation Epic Fury”, a “massive and ongoing” joint military assault by the United States and Israel against Iran. Beijing joined a growing chorus of international alarm on Saturday, with the Chinese Foreign Ministry issuing a stern response to the strikes. However, in a display of diplomatic caution, it stopped short of an outright condemnation. “China is deeply concerned

Missiles streak across Gulf skies as Iran responds to...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/28

Iran responded to Saturday’s attacks by the United States and Israel as it had been threatening to do for months - by first launching a wave of missiles and drones targeting Israel. It followed with strikes targeting US military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. Shrapnel from an Iranian missile attack on the capital of the United Arab Emirates killed one person, state media said. The UAE and Iraq shut down their airspace. Iran’s Foreign Ministry issued a defiant statement, saying

Applications fall short of target as 670 Hongkongers...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/28

Nearly 670 Hongkongers have been granted settlement in the United Kingdom under its bespoke BN(O) visa pathway, although the total number of applicants has fallen short of the British government’s lowest “core” estimate five years after its launch. While tens of thousands of Hongkongers are set to qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain, or settled status, this year, experts suggested that uncertainties over the UK’s long-term settlement of migrants could deter future applications. The UK...

US-Israeli strike on Iran signals new phase of global...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/28

The coordinated US and Israeli strikes inside Iran mark more than another episode in a long-running confrontation. They represent a structural escalation – one whose consequences extend well beyond the Middle East. This is not the start of a new war. It is the next stage in a conflict that has been unfolding since October 2023, gradually shifting from proxy exchanges and shadow operations to direct state-on-state confrontation. On February 28, Washington moved from strategic backstop to

Cathay Pacific suspends all Middle East operations...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/28

Hong Kong flagship carrier Cathay Pacific Airways suspended all passenger and cargo flights to and from the Middle East on Saturday following a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran. The move was announced on Saturday evening after Hong Kong’s Airport Authority said that at least nine flights have been cancelled or postponed, while the government issued a fresh warning against travel to Iran. The warning came after the United States and Israel launched major air strikes on targets across Iran on...

Taiwan is buying expensive US weapons systems, but...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/28

Taiwan’s procurement of three US arms packages has come under renewed scrutiny, with military experts now questioning their effectiveness in deterring Beijing. The debate has sharpened after opposition parties repeatedly blocked a proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) special defence budget in the legislature’s procedure committee last month. At the centre of the latest criticism are three US-approved systems for Taiwan: the Patriot PAC-3 missile defence system and its upgrades, the

US-Israel attack on Iran: how it unfolded

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/28

Starting before his first term, Donald Trump has issued a litany of threats against Washington’s arch-enemy Iran, while also urging it to talks. He warned in late January that “time is running out”, urging Tehran to “make a deal”. After indirect talks resumed between the two nations, he threatened Iran on February 12 with “very traumatic” consequences, giving them “10, 15 days, pretty much maximum” to reach an agreement. Israel’s leader Benjamin Netanyahu has for decades cast Iran’s nuclear...

North Korea unveils image of Kim’s teenage daughter...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/28

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un gifted new sniper rifles to top government and military officials following a weeklong ruling party congress celebrating his leadership, with state media highlighting an image of his teenage daughter taking aim at a shooting range as her increasingly prominent appearances fuel speculation Kim is grooming her as a future leader. Kim presented the rifles to senior party and military officials on Friday, calling them a sign of his “absolute trust” and gratitude

CK Hutchison subsidiary slams Panama over ‘unnotified...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/28

A subsidiary of Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings has accused Panamanian authorities of undermining due process by making an “unnotified intrusion” at a facility storing materials related to ongoing legal proceedings. The Panama Ports Company (PPC) on Friday accused the country’s government of creating a crisis, calling the “illegal takeover” of two port facilities at the Panama Canal a failure to comply with “constitutional, contractual and international obligations”. The former...

What military assets does the US have in the Middle...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/28

The massive US military presence in the Middle East, including warships, fighter jets and refuelling aircraft, lays the foundation for a major campaign against Iran. Here we examine key US military assets deployed in the region, after Washington launched strikes that President Donald Trump said were targeting Tehran’s naval and missile forces. Ships Washington currently has more than a dozen warships in the Middle East, including aircraft carrier the USS Abraham Lincoln operating in the

Scam-hit Cambodia tries to woo Hong Kong but travel...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/28

The head of Cambodia’s tourism body is looking to build partnerships with Hong Kong travel agencies as part of a drive to get visitors returning to his country, which has been plagued by safety concerns in recent years. Cambodia Tourism Board CEO Kim Minea also told the South China Morning Post that the government was “determined” to eliminate the notorious scam compounds that had trapped thousands of people, including Hongkongers, in recent years. But Hong Kong tour operators said safety was...

Aspiring taxi drivers taking tests each month up 30%...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/28

The average number of aspiring Hong Kong taxi drivers taking a crucial industry test each month has increased by nearly 30 per cent following the launch of a simplified version of the assessment last year, the transport minister has said. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan also said on Saturday that the government was increasing the number of dedicated meeting spaces for the city’s five premium taxi fleets at cultural and business landmarks. “We streamlined the written test...

Why won’t Chile let China’s Silk Road Ark military...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/28

The Chilean government has turned down a request from a Chinese military hospital ship to treat Chilean residents on board the vessel. The decision reflects Santiago’s tilt towards Washington and US efforts to exert more influence in the western hemisphere, according to a Chinese academic. The Chilean Ministry of Health said on Friday that it had reviewed the Silk Road Ark’s request and decided not to grant it, citing a health code that restricts such services to professionals accredited ‌in

China village holds ceremony where 600 men bow in...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/28

A traditional ceremony in a village in eastern China, where men bow and kowtow in reverence to their ancestors while women watch from the sidelines, has ignited debate over gender roles in cultural practices. In February, a viral video captured a compelling scene from Dalei village in Yanggu county, Shandong province, during the Chinese New Year holiday. The footage shows more than 600 men from the Lei clan lined up along a red carpet in front of the ancestral hall. Arranged by age and

US-Iran-Israel crisis: who are the main players?

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/28

The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Saturday following failed negotiations and a crackdown on mass protests against the Islamic republic. Here are the key actors in the crisis: US President Donald Trump The president has sought to position himself as a global peacemaker, but on Iran he has taken a consistently hard line. Last year, his forces joined Israel’s war with the Islamic republic by conducting strikes on nuclear sites. During the mass protests that shook Iran...

MWC 2026: Alibaba to launch new smart glasses powered...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/28

Alibaba Group Holding plans to launch new smart glasses powered by its artificial intelligence assistant Qwen at the coming MWC Barcelona trade show. On Saturday, a company representative confirmed the launch, adding that both online and offline presales would start on Monday, the first day of the annual trade show, formerly known as Mobile World Congress. Meanwhile, the company, which owns the South China Morning Post, is preparing a diverse product line-up this year for the global market,...

Cruise ship calls in Hong Kong may top 200 this year,...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/28

Cruise ship calls in Hong Kong may exceed 200 this year, the city’s tourism minister has said, as she revealed that authorities will consider measures to create synergy between the terminal and an emerging cultural hub in Kai Tak. Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui on Saturday also said cruise ships made 189 port calls in 2025, representing 88 per cent of peak levels, and Chinese vessels might stop in the city this year, which she described as “refreshing

Why Japan should push back on Trump’s investment demands

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/28

Ahead of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s scheduled summit next month with US President Donald Trump, the message from Tokyo appears to be that the US Supreme Court decision to invalidate Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs will not affect Japan’s promised capital investment projects in the United States. That could prove a costly misstep for Japan. With the Supreme Court invalidating the legal basis for Trump’s reciprocal tariffs, countries that have concluded trade agreements with the US...

From EVs to steel, how China’s price-setting deals...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/02/28

China and South Korea have resolved a trade dispute over hot-rolled steel coils through a price-undertaking deal, mirroring the solution used in China’s electric vehicle (EV) stand-off with the European Union. Analysts say the deal, which will see exporters raise export prices to avoid anti‑dumping duties, could avert punitive tariffs and safeguard market access for Chinese exports. The China Iron and Steel Association said in a statement issued on Thursday night that it “welcomed and

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