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News - South China Morning Post

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85% of injured Hong Kong fire victims discharged,...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

About 85 per cent of those injured in the deadly Tai Po fire in Hong Kong have been discharged, while the rest are in a stable condition, according to health authorities. The Health Bureau also said on Wednesday that 63 affected residents received free family doctor consultations, 18 received free denture replacements in private dental clinics, and 24 were scheduled to receive Chinese medicine services. The fire at Wang Fuk Court in November claimed at least 161 lives and injured 79 others,...

China’s Wang Yi takes aim at Japan in call with South...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

With less than a week to go until a presidential summit, China’s top diplomat has used talks with his South Korean counterpart to reassert Beijing’s stand on Taiwan and take aim at Tokyo. In a phone call with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Wednesday, China’s Wang Yi raised the spectre of Japan’s colonial past to get support for his country’s position on Taiwan. Wang accused “certain political forces in Japan” of trying to “reverse the course of history and whitewash [the country’s]...

‘Be public representatives, not commentators,’ John...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

Newly elected lawmakers should be “representatives of the public” rather than mere commentators, Hong Kong’s leader has said after the swearing-in of all 90 legislators, warning against “soft resistance” and acts that stir conflicts under the guise of critique. Meanwhile, veteran lawmakers Starry Lee Wai-king and Ronick Chan Chun-ying, front-runners for the Legislative Council presidency, remained tight-lipped about their bids on Thursday, a day before the nomination period is set to...

Why investors should remain bullish on Hong Kong,...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

Judging by investor sentiment in the final quarter of last year, the spectacular rally in mainland Chinese and Hong Kong equities is over. The CSI 300 index of Shanghai- and Shenzhen-listed stocks declined 0.2 per cent while the MSCI China Index fell by over 7 per cent. The Hang Seng Index, meanwhile, lost 4.5 per cent. While most Wall Street banks remain bullish on Chinese stocks, some have turned more cautious. Morgan Stanley believes 2026 will be “a year of stabilization after 2025’s high...

Full throttle: Chinese EV makers to corner one-third...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

China’s carmakers are on track to capture about one-third of the global auto market by 2030 and generate most of their profits overseas, according to UBS, underscoring the resilience of the country’s electric vehicle (EV) advantage despite mounting trade barriers in the West. The Swiss bank said its forecast had remained unchanged from two years ago, even as Chinese carmakers accelerated factory construction in Europe and some global rivals scaled back electrification plans. “The main drag

Beijing slams Taiwanese leader Lai’s New Year’s...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

Beijing has condemned Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s New Year’s Day speech – including his vow to boost the island’s defences – as full of “lies, falsehoods, hostility and malice” and an attempt to “mislead the Taiwanese people and international public opinion”. Chen Binhua, spokesman for Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO), said on Thursday that Lai’s speech “once again peddled the fallacy of ‘Taiwan independence’, incited cross-strait confrontation and reiterated the old tune of...

Hong Kong’s new smoking rules just kicked in. Is...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

Some smokers are still lighting up at bus stops in Hong Kong despite new rules banning them from doing so while queuing, the Post has observed, with authorities saying they have stepped up inspections at tourist spots and ramped up publicity efforts. The new rules took effect on Thursday and include a ban on anyone smoking at designated boarding points for public transport when waiting in a queue of two or more people. But on the first day of the policy, a Post reporter spotted a man smoking

Dozens feared dead in explosion and fire at Swiss ski...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

Several dozen people are presumed dead and around 100 injured after a fire ripped through a crowded bar in the luxury Swiss ski resort town of Crans-Montana, police said early Thursday. Police, firefighters and rescuers rushed to the popular resort, one of the top-ranked ski destinations in Europe, after the fire broke out in the early hours of New Year’s Day. Authorities said they were still investigating the causes of the fire which erupted at around 1.30am at the Le Constellation bar, but...

Malaysia’s tourism minister urges warmer welcomes...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

Malaysia’s tourism minister has urged the public to be more friendly to visitors and take cleanliness seriously as the country ramps up preparations for Visit Malaysia 2026, after several government agencies flagged complaints from tourists about rude treatment when they sought help.Speaking on New Year’s Day at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing said he had asked for explanations after receiving the feedback. “I have received complaints

Japan may lose GDP race to India amid weak yen,...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

Japan’s economy is likely to fall behind India’s in 2026 to fifth place in the world, according to an International Monetary Fund’s estimate, potentially diminishing the East Asian nation’s presence on the global stage. The subdued economic outlook makes Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s planned growth strategy, due out in the summer, all the more important to combat the burden from the country’s shrinking population, economists say. They call for productivity improvements and further efforts

Chinese rocket firm LandSpace moves closer to US$1...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

Chinese rocket maker LandSpace aims to raise 7.5 billion yuan (US$1 billion) from an initial public offering (IPO) in Shanghai, after becoming the first home-grown aerospace firm to have its listing application accepted via a fast-tracked process. The Beijing-headquartered company, regarded as a challenger to Elon Musk-led SpaceX, said its listing aimed to “actively respond to national strategic plans and urgent market demands”, according to its prospectus. The Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE)...

‘Hong Kong has lived up to expectations,’ Beijing...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

Beijing’s top office overseeing Hong Kong affairs said on New Year’s Day that the city’s administration had lived up to expectations, stressing its effective response to the deadly Tai Po fire demonstrated unity and resilience. Acknowledging President Xi Jinping’s New Year wishes for the city, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also pledged in a social media post on Thursday that the city must focus on its priorities, promote high-quality development, further deepen reforms and open up. The

US grants TSMC annual licence to import American...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

The US government ‍has granted an annual licence to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) to import American chip manufacturing equipment to its fabrication facility in Nanjing, the capital of eastern China’s Jiangsu province, according to the company. The approval “ensures uninterrupted fab operations and product deliveries”, TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, said in a statement on Thursday to Reuters. South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have also received

China’s service sector shines as holidaymakers...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

More Chinese travellers are pivoting from mass-market sightseeing to bespoke adventures to ring in the new year, fuelling a surge in demand for pet-friendly itineraries and winter excursions as service consumption defies a broader economic gloom. “Tailored travel is gaining traction,” online travel platform Fliggy said in a December 23 statement, citing a shift towards immersive “experiences that go beyond sightseeing”, favouring more memorable moments and personalisation. In particular,...

China Bao’an ethnic group’s ritual playfully whips...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

A unique wedding ritual among China’s Bao’an ethnic group known as “flogging the father-in-law” sees the family of the groom symbolically whip the bride’s father 20 times. As he endures his “punishment”, the bride’s father kneels to apologise for “failing to properly discipline his daughter”. The Bao’an ethnic group primarily lives in Gansu province in northwestern China and has a population of around 24,000. They practise Islam and speak Banan, which belongs to the Altaic language

Stuck in Malaysia with no Wi-fi or Grab: how a...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

It was like any other day for 24-year-old sales adviser Kanimolhi Krisnan from Shah Alam in Malaysia’s Selangor state. She was at the MRT station waiting for the bus to go home after work when a stranger approached her for help. Frida Pigny, an education strategist from Indonesia, was in Kuala Lumpur with her French husband Samuel Pigny and their daughter Axelle. “We were stuck at the Kuala Lumpur Sentral with no Wi-fi, no Grab, no taxi app; just faith and people,” Frida said. “We needed to

Zohran Mamdani takes over as New York mayor in the...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

Zohran Mamdani, the young upstart of the US left, was sworn in on Thursday to take over as New York mayor for a term sure to see him cross swords with President Donald Trump. After the clocks struck midnight, bringing in 2026, Mamdani took his oath of office at an abandoned subway stop to begin managing the United States’ largest city. He is New York’s first Muslim mayor. His office said the understated venue beneath City Hall reflected his commitment to working people, after the 34-year-old...

Zelensky says deal to end Ukraine war ‘10%’ away as...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday his country was “10 per cent” away from a deal to end the war with Russia, but cautioned that the most important issues were unresolved and warned against rewarding Moscow. US-led efforts to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II have gained pace in recent weeks, but both sides remain at odds over the key issue of territory in a post-war settlement. Russia, which occupies around 20 per cent of Ukraine, is pushing for full...

We must not give corrupt officials any hiding place,...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

President Xi Jinping has sent a new warning to Chinese cadres – “no one should harbour any illusions” that they can get away with corruption as there will be no let-up in the long-running anti-graft campaign. He told officials at a key political meeting in October there would be no place for the corrupt to hide, according to excerpts from his speech released on Wednesday. “[We must] maintain a high-pressure stance against corruption at all times, investigate and punish corruption cases

Hong Kong public hospitals run smoothly despite fee...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

Emergency services at Hong Kong’s public hospitals have operated smoothly on the first day of the new year despite raising fees for non-urgent cases, but some patients from minority groups said they were unaware of the changes. Starting on Thursday, New Year’s Day of 2026, patients visiting accident and emergency rooms at Hong Kong public hospitals with less urgent conditions will have to pay higher fees of HK$400 (US$50) per visit. Meanwhile, the fees for those classified as critical and...

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