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News - South China Morning Post

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Was PLA’s Taiwan drill testing ‘inexpensive’ ways to...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

The latest People’s Liberation Army drills around Taiwan may have been testing how to wear down the island’s air defences using rockets that are “cheap enough to be used in large quantities”, military observers said. On Tuesday, the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command wrapped up a two-day live-fire exercise named Justice Mission 2025. The exercise surrounded large parts of the island and came less than a fortnight after the United States approved a US$11.1 billion weapons package for Taiwan – the...

Jimmy Lai verdict and Panama port saga: what shaped...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

A series of consequential political developments and controversies made 2025 a significant year for Hong Kong. Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing’s company CK Hutchison Holdings was caught in the crossfire of US-China tensions over a deal to sell its Panama Canal ports, which was eventually put on hold under pressure from Beijing. Locally, the city held its second Legislative Council election under Beijing’s “patriots-only” overhaul, with the voter turnout slightly surpassing the previous record...

Finland police say ship seized after cable damage...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Finnish police said on Wednesday they had seized a vessel suspected of damaging a telecommunications cable that runs between Helsinki and Tallinn in the Gulf of Finland several hours earlier. No details about the identity of the vessel were disclosed. The ship is suspected of being “responsible for the damage to the cable”, which is owned by Finnish telecoms group Elisa and located in Estonia’s exclusive economic zone, police said in a statement. Part of the Baltic Sea, the Gulf of Finland is...

China imposes beef-import quota, slaps over-quota...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

China is kicking off 2026 with a three-year import quota for beef shipments from major trading partners, in a move aimed at protecting its struggling domestic industry over the coming years. Effective Thursday, a 55 per cent tariff will be levied on over-quota beef from countries including Brazil, Argentina, Australia, Uruguay, New Zealand and the United States, the Ministry of Commerce announced on Wednesday. “The objective of these safeguard measures on imported beef is to help the domestic...

Meta’s multibillion Manus buyout draws plaudits, but...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Meta Platforms’ multibillion-dollar acquisition of Manus, a Chinese-founded artificial intelligence agent start-up, has set off a mix of excitement and unease in China’s tech circles, opening what some see as a new “cash-out” route for AI entrepreneurs beyond the traditional IPO playbook. Industry observers said the acquisition was made possible by two key developments: Manus’ progress in building a globally competitive general AI agent and the founders’ decision to relocate the business...

In New Year’s speech, Xi urges growth and vows...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

President Xi Jinping issued a rallying cry for the country to double down on efforts to boost economic growth and technological advancement as he delivered his annual televised New Year’s speech on Wednesday. The call came as Beijing faces complicated geopolitical challenges while pushing for economic transition at home, with the coming years seen as critical to consolidating its position in its rivalry with Washington. Xi also mentioned Taiwan, describing the island’s reunification with the...

Why Donald Trump will focus on the Fed in 2026

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

US President Donald Trump’s tariffs will undoubtedly play a significant role in how we will remember 2025. While economists predicted a growing possibility of a recession back in April, the US economy displayed unexpected resilience, with third-quarter growth reaching a stunning 4.3 per cent, bolstered by robust consumer spending and strong capital expenditure related to artificial intelligence. The impact of tariffs on inflation persists, although it appears less severe than economists

Japan’s PM, women MPs, call for more toilets

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Nearly 60 women lawmakers in Japan, including Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, have submitted a petition calling for more toilets in the parliament building to match their improved representation. Although the number of women politicians rose at the last election and despite Takaichi becoming the first female prime minister in October, Japanese politics remains massively male-dominated. This is reflected by there being only one lavatory containing two cubicles near the Diet’s main plenary

Nexperia, Wingtech set for fresh face-off in January...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Dutch chipmaker Nexperia and its Chinese parent, Wingtech Technology, are set for another showdown in early 2026, as the legal battle over control of the semiconductor firm intensifies. The two sides will face off before the Dutch Enterprise Chamber on January 14, a court representative told the Post on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity. The hearing aims to determine whether there were valid reasons to doubt the sound management of Nexperia before the chamber’s ruling in early

Hong Kong students, bankers have a ball for charity...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

An annual basketball fundraising tournament brought together Dah Sing Bank employees and Hong Kong students to promote teamwork and positive values both on and off the court. Held at the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong’s Kowloon Centre on December 13, the Dah Sing Charity Score Challenge set out to raise funds for Operation Santa Claus (OSC), an annual charity drive co-organised by the Post and public broadcaster RTHK since 1988. This year’s event saw more than 100 bank staff, along with their...

UK’s Queen Camilla describes assault by man on train

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Queen Camilla has described for the first time fighting off an attack by a man on a train when she was a teenager, speaking in an interview with the BBC in which she recounted how furious the assault had left her. “When I was a teenager, I was attacked on a train … I remember at ⁠the time being so angry,” she said during a discussion broadcast on Wednesday about violence against women. “I was reading my book and you know this boy – man – attacked me, and I did fight back.” She said she did

Hong Kong rings in 2026 as tens of thousands pack...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Tens of thousands of Hongkongers and tourists welcomed the new year, as cheers rang across the streets of Central and Tsim Sha Tsui, with many praying for world peace and a disaster-free 2026. People could be seen cheering, dancing and even popping a bottle of champagne on Chater Road, where the main event was held. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also joined the celebrations there. “This year’s countdown event, themed ‘New Hope, New Beginning’, conveyed positive energy and blessings. I also...

Great Green Wall 2.0: China is geoengineering deserts...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Deserts are hard to reclaim because plants cannot survive on shifting sand, but scientists in northwest China are changing that – by dropping vast amounts of blue-green algae onto the dry terrain. These specially selected strains of cyanobacteria can survive extreme heat and drought for long periods, according to China Science Daily on Thursday. When rain finally comes, they spring to life, spreading rapidly and forming a tough, biomass-rich crust over the sand. This living layer stabilises

Mali, Burkina Faso restrict entry for US citizens in...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Mali and Burkina Faso have announced travel restrictions on American nationals in a tit-for-tat move after the United States included both African countries on a no entry list. US President Donald Trump, who has long campaigned to restrict immigration, expanded a travel ban earlier this month by barring people from seven more countries. The list included Syrian citizens, as well as Palestinian Authority passport holders, and nationals of some of Africa’s poorest countries, including Niger,...

China widow runs late hero husband’s eatery with...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

The wife of a hotpot restaurant owner from northern China who died saving children has taken over running the business with the support of diners from across the country. Luan Liuwei, originally from Taian in Shandong province, moved to Beijing for work where he met his wife, Xue Qiaoyan. They had two daughters. In 2017, the couple opened a 200-square-metre lamb spine hotpot restaurant in Beijing, called Liangjian Rongtian Old Beijing Yangxiezi Hotpot. Last August, while on holiday in Hebei...

Multiple Chinese cities curb public New Year’s Eve...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Police in multiple Chinese cities have issued pre-emptive notices stating that no official New Year’s Eve countdowns will be held at popular landmarks, as they prioritise public safety and order ahead of the holiday. This coordinated messaging, consistent with recent years, emerged through a flurry of police notices issued on Tuesday and Wednesday. It reflects a cautious strategy by authorities to prevent a recurrence of tragedies like the 2014 Shanghai stampede. Authorities in major Chinese...

Nvidia asks chipmaker TSMC to ramp up H200 production...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Nvidia is scrambling to meet strong demand for its H200 artificial intelligence chips from Chinese technology companies and has ‌approached contract manufacturer Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) to ramp up production, sources said. Chinese tech companies have placed orders for more than 2 million H200 chips for 2026, while ‍Nvidia currently holds just 700,000 units in stock, two of the people said. The exact additional volume Nvidia intends to order from TSMC remains unclear, they...

China rolls out trade-in funding for 2026 as campaign...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

China has unveiled the details of an extension to its popular consumer goods trade-in scheme, a policy which has helped to fuel short-term boosts in consumption and contributed to the achievement of nationwide targets for economic growth. On Tuesday, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) – the country's top economic planner – announced with the Ministry of Finance that 62.5 billion yuan (US$8.93 billion) in ultra-long-term special bonds would be fast-tracked to local

Beijing renews trade-in subsidy scheme amid domestic...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

Beijing has renewed a trade-in subsidy for car purchases, at least a week ahead of schedule, in an apparent effort to prop up the country’s automotive sector amid worries of a sales slump in 2026. Buyers who replace their petrol and electric cars with new vehicles would receive a cash subsidy of up to 20,000 yuan (US$2,858) per unit, according to a circular jointly released on Monday by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance. The authorities were earlier...

Hong Kong police officer jailed for forging...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2025/12/31

A Hong Kong police officer was sentenced to two years in prison on Wednesday for unlawfully terminating 10 criminal investigations by forging statements of complainants agreeing to withdraw their cases. According to a probation officer’s report, 34-year-old Detective Constable Wong Yiu-chung had failed to manage stress at work, which drove him to forge statements and dishonestly obtain his supervisors’ approval to close cases between November 2022 and July 2023. The court heard that Wong was...

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