SCMP World

South Korea sends fact-finding team to assess Strait of Hormuz conditions

South Korea said on Tuesday it had sent a fact-finding team to assess the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, stressing…

China’s HQ-17AE Shorad system to boost Pakistani drone defence as India tensions simmer

Pakistan has unveiled a newly acquired Chinese-made short-range air defence system that analysts say could boost its…

UK, France, Canada block imports from Israeli West Bank settlements

Britain, France and Canada on Tuesday moved to block imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, while…

Elon Musk says Tesla has a rare-earth-free motor. Should China be worried?

As Tesla CEO Elon Musk touted the motor of his company’s Cybercab – which, he claims, contains no rare earth elements –…

Could China sanction US for illegal international seabed mining? A study says yes

For decades, the United States has used economic and financial restrictions as major foreign policy tools. But as China…

12 South Koreans arrested in Thailand scam centre crackdown

Thai authorities arrested 12 South Koreans and a Chinese national accused of running a scam call centre from a high-end…

Qatar’s PM vows to prioritise China’s energy supply amid Middle East tensions

Qatar on Tuesday vowed to prioritise China’s energy supply and safeguard shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, as…

Openness must not be sacrificed in US science and tech policy on China

When President Xi Jinping arrives in Washington for his planned September 24 visit – his first state-level visit to…

Thousands of Ecuadorians flee their homes as gang violence worsens

For one grandmother, it was when bullets began hitting ⁠the rooftops of her neighbourhood that she decided she would…

HKU launches wealth management academy to boost city’s role as hub for ‘new money’

Hong Kong’s first university-led wealth management academy was launched on Tuesday, as the city’s rapidly expanding…

Tour industry protests over Taiwan’s new mainland China travel registration rules

Taiwan’s opposition and tour operators have hit back at new registration rules for travellers heading to mainland…

Copper rally sets record price on LME as US tariff fears fuel ‘scramble’ for stockpiles

Copper prices have surged to an all-time high on the London Metal Exchange (LME) amid anticipations of potential US…

Hungary expels 10 Russian diplomats, Moscow vows ‘painful’ response

Hungary ⁠expelled 10 Russian diplomats on ⁠Tuesday, saying they had acted in ways incompatible with their diplomatic…

China’s highest court sets out new AI red lines with rules on deepfakes and privacy

China’s top court has issued new guidance on how judges should handle civil cases involving artificial intelligence,…

Indonesia knew a volcano was erupting. Could it have prepared better?

The eruption of Anak Krakatoa in Indonesia has tested the country’s disaster preparedness, disrupting nearly 3,000…

US port pledge ups China rivalry in Pacific but island nations stick to own course

The United States is stepping up its presence in the South Pacific with new funding and a reinforced diplomatic…

Why China’s sugar stockpiles may blunt an El Nino-fuelled global supply crunch

China is expected to slow sugar imports for the rest of the year as concerns grow over a global supply crunch and…

Uber to apply for Hong Kong licence by end of October as Macau rides surge

Ride-hailing platform Uber will submit its operator’s licence application in Hong Kong by the end of October, its local…

Will Malaysia’s potential Huawei AI deal risk clash with US trade pact?

Malaysia’s reported move to use chips from Chinese tech giant Huawei in its 2 billion ringgit (US$494 million)…

Record US$1.3 trillion pours into Hong Kong investment products

Sales of non-exchange-traded investment products in Hong Kong surged to a record HK$9.9 trillion (US$1.3 trillion) in…

‘Time waits for no man’: Chinese man’s 33-year, US$1.5 million world trip inspires many

A Chinese man has recently achieved his ambitious goal of travelling to 233 countries and regions around the world,…

Philippines wants to be a global semiconductor giant by 2030. Can it get there?

The Philippines has launched a five-year road map to expand its share of the global semiconductor and electronics…

Inside Japan’s military build-up

Cambodia’s scam gangs; Filipino-Americans decry ‘xenophobia’ games: 7 Asia highlights

We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and…

Hong Kong’s first astronaut to give live space lecture to students on Wednesday

Hong Kong’s first astronaut, Lai Ka-ying, will deliver a live lecture from space to students and teachers at her alma…

To match China’s economy, India must accept its investment

Although President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a brief exchange last week at the Shanghai…

Malaysian woman who stabbed boyfriend to death over sex demand gets 12 years

A Malaysian court has nearly doubled jail time for a woman who stabbed her boyfriend to death for demanding sex after…

A year on, Nepal remembers 76 lives lost in protests that ousted government

Dozens of young people congregated at Nepal’s burnt-out parliament building on Tuesday to mark the anniversary of…

China rallies Central Asian police chiefs on terrorism threats, energy and trade

China’s top police officer has pledged deeper cooperation with his Central Asian counterparts to crack down on…

Philippine ex-speaker stashed billions of pesos ‘he could no longer hide’: prosecutors

Martin Romualdez, a cousin of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, accumulated so much wealth over the past three…

Australian group calls for ties with US ‘war machine’ to be severed

A grass-roots group associated with Australia’s ruling Labor Party has called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s…

Eager capital prompts IPO plans for more Chinese makers of brain-computer interfaces

A handful of home-grown Chinese companies involved in brain computer interfaces (BCIs) are moving towards initial…

Expand Hong Kong’s MPF investment choices, lure mainland pension funds: financial council

Hong Kong should consider allowing the Mandatory Provident Fund to invest in more asset classes, and lure more…

Vietnam’s To Lam visits Russia and France amid South China Sea tensions

Vietnam’s president and Communist Party chief travels to Russia and France this week, on a trip analysts say is…

Chinese scientists propose turning abandoned coal mines into underground farms

Chinese scientists have proposed developing “underground agriculture” in abandoned coal mine tunnels as part of a push…

China targets fourfold boost in AI computing capacity by 2030 in major tech push

China plans to deploy artificial intelligence computing clusters containing 100,000 accelerator cards and sharply…