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Groups welcome updated Hong Kong biodiversity plan...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

Concern groups have called for a more concrete timeline and clearer details in an updated action plan for Hong Kong’s biodiversity strategy, which for the first time lists assessing the capacity of ecotourism hotspots as a priority. The government on Wednesday unveiled its updated Hong Kong Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, which covers four strategic areas – nature conservation, deepening mainstreaming, capacity building and collaborative partnering. It lists 30 priority actions and 81...

The silk road: duties and responsibilities of Hong...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

To many, senior counsel appear to be an oddity of an antiquated system, reinforced visually by men and women dressed in funny wigs and medieval garb marching in an official procession together with all the judges at the Opening of the Legal Year in January each year. There are only 104 of them in Hong Kong – out of a total population of more than 1,700 barristers. What makes senior counsel special, and are they worth that special status? First, some basic facts about senior counsel. It is a...

Key lessons from China’s ascent over the past 25 years

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

Few developments over the past quarter century have been as consequential or widely debated as China’s ascent to global prominence as the vanguard of a rising Global South. To understand this change, we must look not only at outcomes but at the underlying drivers that made them possible. China’s development over the last 25 years did not occur by accident. It was not the result of any single policy. Rather, it was the cumulative product of farsighted design and vision as well as an evolving...

China launches super-powered AI science system to...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

China has built and launched a super-powered artificial intelligence (AI) system designed to tap directly into its national supercomputing network and conduct high-level scientific research on its own. The scheme was launched on December 23, a month after US President Donald Trump unveiled the Genesis Mission – an “AI Manhattan Project” aimed at securing US technological dominance. While the US plan is bound by tight timelines, requiring proof of progress within 270 days, China has already...

China’s Gen Z consumers drive rise in homestay...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

More young Chinese consumers are opting for bed-and-breakfast stays at private villas to ring in the New Year, drawn to the larger space, set-up options and enhanced privacy offered by these properties, leading to a fresh round of competition for hoteliers. That has prompted B&B operators to step up efforts in creating distinct ritualistic experiences – such as group countdown events, fireworks displays and complimentary bottles of wine – to attract more guests while standing out in a crowded...

Chinese man hand-feeds pet snake, suffers serious...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

A Beijing man who hand-fed his pet snake when it was ill was bitten by the reptile and ended up having his thumb amputated. The incident was reported by China’s state media CCTV on December 18. The man, surnamed Huang, kept the long-nosed viper as a pet because he had been interested in snakes since childhood. Chinese folklore has it that anyone bitten by such a reptile, also known as a “five step snake” in China, will die after walking five steps. Not long ago, Huang’s snake fell ill and

China’s next decade to cement status as hi-tech...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

China is expected to solidify its position as a hi-tech manufacturing powerhouse over the next decade as it edges closer to “innovation and excellence” alongside the United States, Germany and Japan, according to new reports issued by Chinese institutions. The documents, published on Tuesday, stated that China had achieved its “strategic goal” of becoming the world’s fourth-most-advanced “manufacturing power” in 2024, adding that the sector would play a central role in “real” economic...

Trump says National Guard being removed from Chicago,...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/01/01

US President Donald Trump said ‍on Wednesday that his administration was removing the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, but he added in his social media post that federal forces would “come back” if crime rates go up. Local leaders in those cities and Democrats have said ⁠the deployments, which have faced legal challenges, were unnecessary. They have accused the Trump administration of federal overreach and of exaggerating isolated episodes of violence at mostly peaceful...

How new C100 chief plans to help Chinese-Americans...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Paul Cheung was recently named president of the Committee of 100, a non-profit organisation of influential Chinese-Americans that promotes bilateral exchanges between China and the United States on all fronts. In this Open Questions interview, Cheung talks about the role of C100 in addressing anti-Asian hate in the US and bridging the gap between the two biggest economic powers in their ever-growing rivalry. For other interviews in the Open Questions series, click here. What’s your strategy

Is Hainan the next Hong Kong? That’s the wrong...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

On December 18, China made a bold move on the global economic chessboard. It launched a massive free-trade experiment by turning the entire island province of Hainan – an area, comparable in size to Belgium, whose gross domestic product was US$113 billion last year – into a duty-free customs zone. A new narrative has now taken hold: with its free-trade port status, Hainan is on track to rival or even supplant Hong Kong. Having followed this development closely, I believe this comparison is...

Trump issues first vetoes, as ally who backed Epstein...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

US President Donald Trump issued the first vetoes of his second term, killing two bills sponsored by Republicans in Congress, including one from a prominent lawmaker who bucked the administration over the release of files pertaining to Jeffrey Epstein. Trump vetoed legislation late on Tuesday to help complete a water pipeline project, a measure backed by congresswoman Lauren Boebert, a Colorado Republican who is close to the White House. Trump, in his veto message, said he rejected the bill

World welcomes 2026 with fireworks, lightshows and...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

As Wednesday turned to Thursday, people around the world said goodbye to a sometimes challenging 2025 and expressed hopes for the ‍new year to come. In Croatia, revels got off to an early start. Since 2000, the town of Fuzine has held its countdown at noon, a tradition that has since spread across the country. Crowds cheered, toasted each other with champagne and danced ⁠to music – all in the middle of the day. Some brave souls in Santa hats took a plunge into the icy waters of Lake...

6 patients spared higher fees as new hospital charges...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Six patients visiting accident and emergency (A&E) departments at public hospitals in Hong Kong shortly after midnight were spared higher fees despite a new pricing regime taking effect on Thursday, while others said they had no choice but to pay more or opted to see private doctors instead. The revamped pricing regime, which took effect on New Year’s Day, requires patients with milder conditions and stronger financial means to pay higher fees, while offering greater support to those with

China buys two-thirds of pledged US soybeans as 2025...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

China has bought at least 8 million tons (7.25 million tonnes) of US soybeans this year, according to people familiar with the matter, putting the world’s top importer on track to meet a pledge it made two months ago as part of an apparent trade truce with Washington. State-owned buyers have continued to book US cargoes into late December, the people said, asking not to be named as they are not authorised to discuss the purchases. That extends a buying spree that began in October and maintains

France plans social media ban for children under 15

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

France will make a fresh attempt to protect children from excessive screen time, proposing a ban on social media access for children under 15 by next September, according to a draft law seen by Agence France-Presse. The initiative is backed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who said earlier this month that parliament should start debating such a proposal in January. Australia this month imposed a social media ban on under-16s, in a world first. “Many studies and reports now confirm the...

Hong Kong leader vows to boost livelihoods,...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Hong Kong’s leader has vowed to improve livelihoods, put public housing projects on the fast track and foster growth in innovation and technology (I&T) in the new year.Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also described 2025 as a year full of challenges but also one that showcased perseverance. Lee made his pledges in his annual New Year’s speech, which was uploaded to his social media account on Wednesday night. “We will focus on two key objectives. First, to enhance livelihoods and well-being,...

Australia sees defiant start to 2026 after mass shooting

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Auckland was the first major city to ring in 2026 with a fireworks display launched from New Zealand’s tallest structure, Sky Tower, followed by a defiant celebration in Australia in the aftermath of a horrific mass shooting. South Pacific countries were the first to bid farewell to 2025. Clocks struck midnight in Auckland 18 hours before the famous ball drop in New York’s Times Square. The five-minute display involved 3,500 fireworks. Australia’s east coast welcomed 2026 two hours after New...

China’s January 1 silver curbs to deepen global...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

China’s move to restrict silver exports is set to keep the metal in the spotlight, with analysts warning of a supply crunch following weeks of volatile price swings. Effective Thursday, the Ministry of Commerce will implement a two-year special government licence for exports of silver, along with tungsten and antimony. While Beijing says the measure is aimed at protecting resources and the environment, market watchers see it as a signal that supply to overseas markets will be further...

Miles to go: Hong Kong’s premium taxi roll-out crawls...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Only 1,300 premium taxis – one-third of the government’s target – have hit Hong Kong’s streets since the new fleets were launched in July, with industry players blaming unattractive earnings, a lack of charging facilities and competition from ride-hailing services for the slow roll-out. The Transport Department, which confirmed the figures on Wednesday, did not say whether it would revoke the licences of operators who failed to meet the government’s minimum vehicle requirements by

Russia will win in Ukraine, says Putin in New Year...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that his country believed it would win in Ukraine, where Moscow has led an almost four-year offensive. Putin’s traditional New Year’s Eve speech was first aired in the far-eastern Kamchatka peninsula, the first Russian region to enter 2026. He called on Russians to “support our heroes” fighting in Ukraine, saying: “We believe in you and our victory.” He wished a happy New Year to “fighters and commanders” in Ukraine and said: “Millions of

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