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More Chinese went to cinemas this summer, but filmmakers still face challenges
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China’s film market showed signs of recovery this summer, but industry insiders said it was still grappling with challenges. By the end of last month, this year’s domestic box office totalled 39.23 billion yuan (US$5.5 billion), according to the China Film Administration, with over 900 million film-goers. The summer season generated 11.96 billion yuan in box office revenue, up 2.76 per cent year on year but well down on the 20.62 billion yuan record set in 2023 and the pre-pandemic levels of...
Nuclear missiles and ‘loyal wingmen’: 8 surprises from China’s military parade
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China’s military parade on Wednesday celebrating the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II showcased various new weapons systems, including some surprises from key areas like nuclear missiles and advanced drones. Below are the surprises and takeaways from China’s display of its newest weapons systems, ranging from its new intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) playing a role as loyal wingmen for a next generation of fighter jets. New nuclear...
DeepSeek sheds light on data collection for AI training
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Chinese artificial intelligence start-up DeepSeek has lifted the veil on how it filters data to train its models, raising red flags about “hallucination” and “abuse” risks. In a document published on Monday, the Hangzhou-based start-up said it “has always prioritised AI security” and decided to make its disclosure to help people use its models, at a time when Beijing is ramping up oversight over the industry. The company said data in the pre-training stage was “mainly” collected from publicly...
Tomb-raiding fiction-fixated China thief breaches burial site, steals 20 relics
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A Chinese man became so obsessed with tomb-robbing fiction that he carried out a real-life heist, breaking into an ancient burial site and stealing 20 cultural relics dating back to 771 BC. The mastermind, surnamed Yu from Hubei province in central China, read tomb-robbing novels every day. When reading fiction no longer satisfied him, he began meticulously verifying details described in the stories, often cross-checking them with local county records when he came across questionable or vague...
Hong Kong’s sustainable debt market grows 15% on eve of Green Week
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The sustainable debt market in Hong Kong recorded solid growth in the first half of the year, with estimated issuances rising 15 per cent to US$34.3 billion from a year earlier, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) said on Wednesday as the city prepared to host the second annual Green Week event. Kenneth Hui, the authority’s executive director (external), said he hoped the momentum would extend to the second half, noting strong demand from international investors, particularly in Europe and...
Tipping point: foreign gratuities upend Japan’s tradition of gracious service
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On a bustling evening in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district, a handful of coins left behind by an American tourist creates confusion at a popular izakaya. In a nation where omotenashi – selfless hospitality – is a point of pride, the growing custom of tipping as millions of foreign visitors pour into the country is catching Japan off guard. “It’s not common to tip for services such as those provided in bars, cafés, restaurants, taxis and hotels,” the Japanese National Tourism Organisation reminds...
Japan Airlines pilot’s drinking delays flights for 18 hours
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Three recent Japan Airlines (JAL) flights from Hawaii to Japan were delayed, two by around 18 hours, after a pilot in command was found to have drunk alcohol, the carrier said on Wednesday, the latest in a series of similar scandals to plague the airline. The captain was scheduled to fly from Honolulu to Chubu Centrair International Airport in central Japan on Thursday, but called in sick on the day of the flight and admitted to drinking alcohol the day before at a hotel, according to the...
Hong Kong court orders arrest of talent scheme applicant who lied about degree
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A Hong Kong court has ordered the arrest of a mainland Chinese talent scheme applicant who jumped bail while facing prosecution for allegedly lying about his qualifications. Acting Principal Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong on Wednesday signed a warrant for the arrest of Che Yuyi after the 30-year-old twice failed to appear in Sha Tin Court to answer a charge of making a false statement to the Immigration Department in October 2023. The magistrate also ordered the confiscation of the defendant’s...
Kim-Putin talks: North Korea pledges help in ‘any way’ for Russia’s war in Ukraine
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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pledged to continue helping Moscow in “any way” in its war with Ukraine during talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Wednesday. That meeting came only hours after US President Donald Trump took aim at both leaders in a social media post. The summit between the two neighbours – the first in more than a year – revealed that it was Kim who took the initiative in sending military aid to Russia for its campaign in the western Russian region of...
China’s ‘Arctic Express’ shows its ambitions at the top of the world
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Could a single shipping route shift both trade flows and geopolitical influence? China’s new “Arctic Express” to Europe leverages melting ice to bypass chokepoints and challenge Western dominance. In a significant step for Arctic commercial shipping, China’s Haijie Shipping Company will launch the first regular container service linking Asia and Northern Europe via the Northern Sea Route on September 20. The Istanbul Bridge, with a 4,890 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) capacity and a low ice...
Indonesia’s Prabowo attends China’s military parade as protests rage at home
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Despite a deadly anti-government protest raging across his country, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto stood overlooking Beijing’s Tiananmen Square watching China’s grand military parade with a group of world leaders. His one-day trip was appreciated by Beijing, with the Chinese foreign ministry issuing a statement saying it “welcomed” the visit. Earlier this week, when Prabowo decided to skip the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, the ministry said it “respected” Jakarta’s...
South China’s Greater Bay Area boasts world’s largest innovation cluster
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A portion of China’s Greater Bay Area has been named the world’s largest innovation cluster, underscoring Beijing’s drive for technological self-reliance at a time of rising geopolitical uncertainties with the United States. The Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou technology hub – the heart of the bay area plan – has overtaken Tokyo-Yokohama to become the world’s largest innovation cluster, according to the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO) 2025 Global Innovation Index released on...
China’s budget-friendly EVs, Tesla price cuts: 7 EV reads you missed
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We have put together stories from our coverage on electric and new energy vehicles from the past two weeks to help you stay informed. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China reveals past EV subsidies, from Tesla to state giants, showing funds shift China has released a breakdown of the subsidy settlements for new-energy vehicle (NEV) companies from 2016 to 2020, along with the allocation plan for 2021 to 2022, and the data helps illustrate how the...
Afghan commandos airdrop to quake zones where helicopters can’t land
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Afghanistan airdropped commandos on Wednesday to pull survivors from the rubble of homes in mountainous eastern areas ravaged by earthquakes this week that have killed 1,400, as it ramped up efforts to deliver food, shelter and medical supplies. The first earthquake of magnitude 6, one of Afghanistan’s worst in recent years, unleashed widespread damage and destruction when it struck the provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar around midnight on Sunday at a shallow depth of 10km (6 miles). A second...
Hongkongers put their best foot forward in city’s first leg-shaking showdown
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A habit widely considered unrefined is getting a serious twist with dozens of contestants – shortlisted from hundreds – set to compete in Hong Kong’s first leg-shaking contest this Saturday. The finals of the quirky competition, featuring 64 contestants vying for the crown in Kai Tak’s Airside on Saturday, follow two qualifying rounds that involved more than 600 participants over the past two weekends. The event is organised by the World Serious Organisation, a group popular among young people...
Hong Kong’s ‘Cassette King’ offers to sell luxury property to pare debt
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One of Hong Kong’s best-known real estate investors has put another luxury home up for sale at a discount, as the city’s property glut and elevated interest rates weigh on highly leveraged entrepreneurs. David Chan Ping-chi, dubbed the “Cassette King” for his fortunes made from producing audiovisual cassettes and compact discs, plans to sell a three-storey mansion at 51 Mount Davis Road on Hong Kong Island to repay debt, he said in a phone interview with the Post. Chan is asking for about HK$450...
Pizza restaurant owner stabs 3 people to death in South Korea
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A man stabbed three people to death in Seoul on Wednesday at a pizza restaurant, police said, a rare attack in the normally safe South Korean capital. The attack in Seoul’s Gwanak district was carried out by the restaurant’s owner, who became embroiled in a dispute with contractors before stabbing three people and then attempting to harm himself, police said. Police said in a statement they had responded at around 11am (local time) to a call that said: “Help me, I’ve been stabbed.” The victims –...
‘Let us make an even greater Hong Kong contribution’: John Lee at Beijing parade
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Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has led 360 representatives from Hong Kong – the city’s largest-ever delegation – to attend a military parade in Beijing to mark China’s victory over Japan in World War II, while other senior officials, students and residents observed commemorative events held locally. The parade also saw former city leader Leung Chun-ying seated at the main podium of Tiananmen Square’s gate tower. Leung, a state leader, now serves as a vice-chairman of the Chinese People’s...
Hungry for justice: Southeast Asia sends Indonesia’s protesters food, solidarity
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It began with a few Malaysians buying meals on Grab for strangers across the Java Sea. Within days, thousands were taking part, from Manila to Bangkok, sending food to Indonesian delivery riders caught in the turmoil of mass protest. Struggling food delivery riders, emblematic of Indonesia’s urban underclass, have become the focus of sympathy, solidarity and support from across Southeast Asia. Starting last week, thousands of social media users from around the region began ordering meals via the...
‘Human barrier’: Chinese men rescue boy trapped between huge rocks in rapid river
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A group of Good Samaritans in China used their bodies to block fast-flowing river water and saved a boy who was stuck between giant rocks, earning widespread praise online The boy, 12, was playing in a creek in the countryside of southwestern China’s Guizhou province, on August 24 when he was suddenly washed away by the running water and became trapped between two rocks. Only his head was above the surface of the water as it surged down between the rocks. Hearing his call for help, several...
Jack Ma-backed Yunfeng Financial invests US$44 million in ether
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Yunfeng Financial Group, backed by Alibaba Group Holding founder Jack Ma, said it was investing in the cryptocurrency ether as part of its reserve assets, as the company expands into Web3 amid Hong Kong’s digital asset initiative. To date, Hong Kong-listed Yunfeng has invested US$44 million to acquire 10,000 ether for its “strategic reserve”, according to an exchange filing on Tuesday. Ether would provide “key infrastructure support” for real-world asset (RWA) tokenisation activities, Yunfeng...
Mainland Chinese listed firms’ first-half profit rises 2.5% to 3 trillion yuan
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Mainland Chinese companies listed onshore recorded a total net profit of 3 trillion yuan (US$420 billion) in the first half of the year, an increase of 2.5 per cent from a year earlier, the China Association for Public Companies said in a report on Tuesday. Nearly 60 per cent of the 5,432 listed companies registered revenue growth, while more than three quarters made a profit, reflecting a more optimised business structure, a sharper focus on technology and innovation and increasing shareholder...
Hong Kong stocks slide, weighed down by China stock pullback
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Hong Kong stocks headed for a back-to-back decline on Wednesday amid cautious sentiment, as a solid run on mainland equities showed signs of fatigue after a key benchmark hit a decade high. The Hang Seng Index slipped 0.4 per cent to 25,395.16 at the noon break. The Hang Seng Tech Index dropped 0.5 per cent. The mainland’s equity benchmarks edged lower for a second day. The CSI 300 Index shed 0.9 per cent and the Shanghai Composite Index retreated 1 per cent. Nomura Holdings warned of a possible...
Apple loses lead robotics AI researcher to Meta in ongoing exodus
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Apple’s lead artificial intelligence researcher for robotics has departed the company to join Meta Platforms’ competing effort, part of an exodus of AI talent from the iPhone maker. The employee, Zhang Jian, joined the Meta Robotics Studio, the social media company confirmed on Tuesday. Separately, three more AI researchers are leaving Apple’s in-house large language models team, adding to the upheaval in that group, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The latest string of...
Why Labubu craze is just the start of China’s branding boom
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Call them China’s Sputnik moments: DeepSeek. BYD and Xiaomi cars. A robot Olympics in Beijing. Huawei’s resurgence. And Labubu. Labubu did its job. The little gremlin doll made it clear that a brand being from China is no longer shorthand for cheap. Pop Mart has built trust to such an extent that company management is now forecasting US$4 billion in sales this year. So what’s next? Not more Labubu. The next chapter is bigger and more industrial than Pop Mart. Brand muscle is spilling into places...
China influencer builds mini underground for cats; video gets 100 million views
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A handicraft influencer from central China has spent four months building a mini underground station for his cats. Some netizens suspected the feline railway station was generated by artificial intelligence (AI), but its maker, Xing Zhilei, posted clips showing that every detail was handmade. A DIY creator from Henan province, Xing has more than 1.2 million followers on mainland social media platforms. His handmade work includes mini houses, banks and garages for pets. Xing lives with his wife,...
Nomura warns China’s stock surge risks a bubble with little benefit to economy
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China’s stock markets have surged to their highest levels in a decade, but the rally risks creating a bubble while offering little support to the slowing economy, according to historical lessons, Nomura has warned. The Japanese investment bank cautioned that the rally may have even less impact on growth than the 2014-15 boom, which ended in a painful crash and did little to lift consumption or investment. “The stock boom has the potential to lead to irrational exuberance, an increase in leverage...
Hong Kong’s MPFA reviews low-fee funds to address needs of silver economy
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The city’s pension regulator has begun a review of regulations related to a fee cap for a popular investment option under the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF), as Hongkongers get older and work past the traditional retirement age. In a recent interview, chairwoman Ayesha Macpherson Lau of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) said the review, to be completed next year, would be the first attempt at reforming the low-fee Default Investment Strategy (DIS) fund since its launch in...
Trump moves US Space Command from Colorado to Alabama
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President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that US Space Command will be located in Alabama, reversing a Biden-era decision to keep it at its temporary headquarters in Colorado. The long-expected decision from Trump caps a four-year tug of war between two states and opposing administrations about where to locate US Space Command, an intense fight because the headquarters would be a significant boon to the local economy. Alabama and Colorado have long battled to claim Space Command, with elected...
US sanctions shipping network for smuggling Iran oil
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The US Treasury Department on Tuesday sanctioned a network of shipping companies and vessels led by an Iraqi-Kittitian businessman for smuggling Iranian oil disguised as Iraqi oil. The administration of US President Donald Trump is keeping pressure on Iran while nuclear talks have stalled. A sixth round of negotiations was suspended after the start of a 12-day war in June. A senior Iranian official said on Tuesday that the path to nuclear negotiations is not closed but US demands for curbs on...
Indonesia’s Prabowo visits China after initially cancelling trip over protests
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Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will visit China for a military parade commemorating 80 years since the end of World War II on Wednesday, a minister said, after earlier cancelling his trip over deadly protests last week stoked by the death of a young delivery driver. “Tonight, President Prabowo Subianto departed for Beijing, China, at the invitation of President Xi Jinping. He monitored the situation and received reports from all relevant officials that public life was gradually returning...
Peru police hunt for shooter after Indonesian diplomat ‘assassinated’ in Lima
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An Indonesian diplomat was shot dead in Peru’s capital as he arrived on a bicycle to his apartment building, police said on Tuesday, in what local authorities called an “assassination”. Zetro Leonardo Purba, 40, who was attached to the Indonesian embassy in Lima, was shot three times on Monday night. Authorities said Purba was taken to a hospital but was later declared dead. Officials did not immediately provide a motive for the shooting. Police released footage from two surveillance cameras...
Another quake hits Afghanistan, hindering efforts as death toll exceeds 1,400
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An earthquake of magnitude 5.5 shook southeastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, sparking fears of further damage and destruction, almost two days after a large quake in the same region killed more than 1,400 people and injured thousands more. Tuesday’s quake occurred at a relatively shallow depth of 10km (6 miles), the same level as the one that struck at midnight on Sunday with a magnitude of 6. That was one of Afghanistan’s worst quakes in years, flattening houses in remote villages. The aftershock...
Xi reiterates support for Iran nuclear programme amid Western pressure
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Chinese President Xi Jinping doubled down on his support for Iran to “safeguard its national sovereignty” and vowed to promote a widely accepted solution to the Iranian nuclear issue as Tehran faces mounting Western pressures over its nuclear programme. “China attaches importance to Iran’s repeated affirmation that it does not seek to develop nuclear weapons, respects Iran’s right to peaceful use of nuclear energy,” Xi told his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, according to state-owned...
Trump’s State Dept blunder, Chinese student furore: 7 US-China relations reads
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We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering US-China relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trump’s overhaul of State Department may play into Beijing’s hands for decades The US effort to counter China’s growing global footprint is difficult enough. President Donald Trump’s radical State Department overhaul is not making it any easier and could play into Beijing’s hands for...
Hong Kong auxiliary policeman arrested for alleged indecency while driving cab
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An off-duty Hong Kong auxiliary police officer has been suspended from duty after he was arrested for allegedly performing an indecent act while driving a taxi in Causeway Bay. The man, 57, was transporting a female passenger when she reportedly noticed his alleged indecent act as the taxi drove along the Canal Road flyover. When she arrived at her destination in Happy Valley, the woman, 55, alerted police officers nearby, saying the man had allegedly been masturbating while driving. He was...
As China exports to Russia dip on less car demand, new deals show ‘room to grow’
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Despite a slowdown in automotive shipments from China to Russia, there is room for them to advance trade settled in yuan and roubles as both countries continue to be pressured away from the US market, analysts said on Tuesday during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the world’s second-largest economy. Russians want consumer goods, personal electronics and common machinery that are difficult to import from the West because of trade sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that began...
US revokes TSMC’s ‘fast track’ China export status as controls tighten
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The US has revoked Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s (TSMC) authorisation to freely ship essential gear to its main Chinese chipmaking base, potentially curtailing its production capabilities at that older generation facility. The change removes a fast track export privilege known as Validated End User (VEU) status, meaning future shipments of US-origin chipmaking tools to TSMC’s Nanjing site will require individual licences. The action mirrors steps the US took to revoke the same...
Trump’s use of National Guard in Los Angeles ruled illegal
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A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the Trump administration from deploying the National Guard in California to fight crime. San Francisco-based US District Judge Charles Breyer issued the order for the US District Court, Northern District of California, according to a court filing. He put the ruling on hold until September 12. The Trump administration is likely to appeal. Trump ordered 4,000 National Guard and 700 active duty US Marines to Los Angeles in June in response to protests against...
The breathtaking science behind YJ-19, China’s first hypersonic cruise missile
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The images leaked at the weekend from a rehearsal for Wednesday’s military parade showcased an impressive array of Chinese missile systems, including what could be the world’s first air-breathing hypersonic missile to make a formal appearance. The simultaneous appearance of the YJ-15, YJ-17, YJ-19, and YJ-20 anti-ship missiles showed China’s growing capability in integrated systematic operations. But it was the YJ-19, with its visible air inlet, that represented the most cutting-edge aerospace...
Chinese embrace their ‘exceptionalism’ but remain wary of US, new poll shows
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The vast majority of Chinese want their country to take an active role in global affairs and see their nation as moderately strong in the world, but they remain divided on whether the US or China is the greater power, according to a survey released on Tuesday. by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and The Carter Center contrasts with growing US wariness towards foreign engagement highlighted by US President Donald Trump’s “America first” agenda. “Nationalism is alive and well in China,” the...
Hong Kong’s universities will not be asked to return funds again: minister
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Hong Kong’s public universities will not be asked to return funds from their reserves again, the city’s education minister has said, months after authorities announced an unprecedented clawback of HK$4 billion (US$513 million) from eight institutions. Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin also said that an “accountability agreement” signed by the University Grants Committee (UGC) and the individual institutions in June sought to ensure they would implement what they had promised. She...
96 arrested, HK$479 million in drugs seized in Hong Kong police, customs effort
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Hong Kong police and customs have arrested 96 people and seized more than HK$479 million (US$61 million) worth of drugs in a months-long joint effort, with authorities warning that an increasing number of mainland Chinese and foreign air passengers are being lured into smuggling narcotics. Authorities said on Tuesday that the recruitment of non-local air travellers was part of attempts to confuse investigators, with other tactics including arranging convoluted flight routes to target...
Hong Kong official urges ‘heightened alertness’ among staff after water scandal
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Hong Kong’s logistics chief has issued a set of guidelines to senior civil servants, urging them to “heighten their alertness” and conduct due diligence to prevent potential fraudulent acts by tenderers and contractors, following a recent drinking water procurement scandal. “In light of the recent incident on procurement of bottled drinking water for which fraud elements involving the contractor are revealed, it is of utmost importance for bureaus and departments to step up efforts to prevent...
Who are the North Korean officials joining Kim Jong-un’s China visit?
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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrived in China by train on Tuesday, joined by a delegation including his foreign minister and lead official for engaging Beijing on a party-to-party level. Xinhua reported Kim’s arrival in a brief report. An accompanying photo captured Kim getting off the train, smiling, while honour guards stood by the door. He was greeted by Cai Qi, China’s number five-ranked official, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, AFP reported, citing the official Korean Central News...
Why huge China-Russia gas pipeline deal could face ‘key obstacle’
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President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin stood shoulder to shoulder at this week’s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, fuelling speculation about their countries’ “no limits” partnership. But beyond the optics, many analysts focused on energy: specifically, the long-delayed Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline. Valued at US$13.6 billion, the project was expected to be high on the bilateral agenda and would likely have featured when China, Russia and Mongolia – whose...
Xi hails China-Russia ties, EU ‘lost’ solar power fight: SCMP daily highlights
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Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Xi hails China-Russia ties withstanding the test of geopolitical uncertainty China and Russia have withstood the test of international changes and will continue to support each other, President Xi Jinping told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in a high-profile meeting that showed solidarity amid growing pressure from the United States and its...
Chloe Malle succeeds Anna Wintour as American Vogue editor
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Anna Wintour ended weeks of fashion-world speculation on Tuesday when she named Chloe Malle her successor as head of editorial content at Vogue – but the most powerful person in the business isn’t going anywhere. Wintour, 75, remains chief content officer for Condé Nast and global editorial director of American Vogue and its 28 other editions around the globe. Malle may be stepping into Wintour’s low-heeled slingbacks, but she’ll report to the original wearer while taking over day-to-day...
Chinese missile destroyer seen passing Japanese island in East China Sea: Tokyo
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A Chinese missile destroyer was seen passing by a Japanese island in the East China Sea, having nearly circled the country’s archipelago in a month-long sailing, Japan’s defence ministry said. According to the ministry, the Chinese navy’s Type 052D guided missile destroyer, also known as the Luyang-III class, bearing hull number 134, and its replenishment ship were spotted about 120km (75 miles) east of Miyako island of Okinawa prefecture by Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force on Sunday. “It was...
Why US export controls won’t stop China’s AI rise
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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has warned that export controls alone are not an effective strategy to curb China’s development of artificial intelligence (AI). He’s absolutely right. China’s rapid ascendancy in the global AI race is becoming increasingly evident, driven by its strategic focus on engineering, application-driven development and alignment with national policy. While the US continues to rely on export bans to slow China’s progress, this approach is unlikely to succeed against Beijing’s...