Is Donald Trump’s ‘Chinamaxxing’ pushing Beijing’s soft power?

Beijing drills water cannons and drones near disputed South China Sea shoals

The Chinese coastguard has carried out an exercise featuring water cannons and drones near two disputed reefs in the South China Sea to prepare for “foreign infringement”, according to state broadcaster CCTV. A China Coast Guard (CCG) flotilla “recently” conducted “comprehensive maritime law-enforcement training” in the waters around Second Thomas Shoal and Sabina Shoal, CCTV said on Friday, without specifying when these took place. The two shoals – part of the disputed Spratly Islands – are at...

Security chief vows his task force will root out bid-rigging in Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s security chief has expressed confidence that a new joint task force led by him will eradicate the decades-long problem of bid-rigging, while denying that the reforms came too late after the deadly Tai Po fire. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung also said on Friday that law enforcement officers would attend meetings of owners’ corporations where the risk of bid-rigging was deemed high to gather frontline intelligence and intervene early. Authorities also hope to pass new...

Hong Kong to be exclusive host of Vinexpo Asia trade fair for next 5 years

Hong Kong will be the exclusive host of Vinexpo Asia from 2027 to 2031, ending a rotation with Singapore. The organiser of the fair, Vinexposium, confirmed its five-year commitment to Hong Kong on Friday, signing a memorandum of understanding with the Tourism Board. Board chairman Peter Lam Kin-ngok called the partnership a milestone that underscored a commitment to strengthen Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s leading destination for wine, spirits and culinary experiences. “[Vinexposium’s]...

Tai Po fire report

Asian scientists are looking to South Korea as it becomes harder to stay in the US

As tightening US visa restrictions and geopolitics lock out Asian researchers from Western institutions, South Korea is emerging as a new academic sanctuary for top talent. According to Yoo Ji-beom, president of Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) in Seoul, that reflects a broader trend that has seen the West giving way to Asia after decades of dominance – particularly in the field of applied technology in China, Japan and South Korea. “Technological competition and global talent mobility are...

8 companies apply for Hong Kong ride-hailing licences ahead of deadline

Eight companies have applied for licences to provide ride-hailing services in Hong Kong under the new regulatory regime ahead of Friday’s deadline, the Transport Department has confirmed. US-based Uber, Singapore-based Tada, Amap and Didi Chuxing, all of which currently serve the market, confirmed to the South China Morning Post that they had submitted applications. Amap is operated by Alibaba Group Holding, which owns the SCMP. A department spokesman said receiving eight applications ahead of...

China carries out GJ-21 drone take-off, landing from first Type 076 warship: state media

China has successfully launched and landed a GJ-21 drone from its first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, state media said on Friday. The Sichuan conducted consecutive sea trials late this month, according to state broadcaster CCTV, which did not disclose the location. “The [People’s Liberation Army’s] first shipborne reconnaissance-strike stealth drone, the GJ-21, has successfully completed its maiden take-off and landing on the amphibious assault ship Sichuan,” the report said. “It represents...

Politburo promotion, Lula victory, US midterm elections

Chinese President Xi Jinping renewed a years-long anti-corruption drive at a major Communist Party meeting, while the general who led a military anti-graft purge was promoted to the Politburo. The party must “ensure that officials do not have the audacity, opportunity, or desire to commit corruption”, read a communique passed at the fifth plenum of the party’s Central Committee. The document also highlighted “unwritten rules” as a key issue to address. Zhang Shengmin, Xi’s vice-chairman on the...

Economist Stephen Roach warns the US and China are in a ‘conflicted co-dependency’

A leading economist warned on Thursday that the United States and China are in a “conflicted co-dependency” that this year’s two bilateral summits failed to address. “I think there’s a good chance that we’re in a temporarily more stable place. But to say that has solved the deep-rooted problems between us, I think is a real stretch,” said Stephen Roach, a veteran China-watcher and the former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, at the China Institute of America. “You mentioned the two summits that...

Cathay Pacific says data from 53,000 bookings compromised in Amadeus cyberattack

Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways has revealed that 53,000 bookings were compromised after hackers breached the system of its technology service provider. The carrier is among hundreds of airlines worldwide that use technology solutions provided by Amadeus IT Group. The revelation follows similar disclosures by Korean Air and Japan Airlines. Cathay said on Friday that the unauthorised access took place between August 2023 and September 2026. “We apologise to our customers for the...

Trump’s days of running US-China relations on personal ties are numbered

Amid attempts this year to impress each other with splendour, US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping appear to have decided that the relationship between their two countries should primarily run through their personal relationship. This has been a hallmark of the Trump years. The American executive branch has always held near-unilateral authority over foreign policy, but Trump has concentrated that in himself. Dozens of ambassadors and senior national security advisers have...

Prosecutors indict independent lawmaker for alleged sexual harassment

Prosecutors on Friday indicted Rep. Jang Kyung-tae without physical detention over allegations that he sexually harassed a female aide of another lawmaker. Jang, an independent who left the ruling Democratic Party of Korea in March over the scandal, is accused of sexually harassing the aide at a restaurant in western Seoul in October 2024, according to the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office. The lawmaker also faces charges of partially exposing the aide's identity in violation of the sexual violence punishment law. The indictment comes after the aide filed a complaint with the police last year. A police committee, convened at the lawmaker's request, recommended in March that he be referred to prosecutors over the allegations. The prosecution said it decided to indict Jang, who has denied the sexual harassment allegations, after questioning those involved in the case and reviewing evidence, including video footage of the incident.