US midterm shift could squeeze China on AI, but bring clarity to bilateral talks

South China Morning Post - Nov 4, 2026

Follow the SCMP’s live coverage here Beijing has vowed to continue working with Washington towards a “constructive relationship of strategic stability” following the Democrats’ sweeping victory in the US midterm elections on Wednesday. But analysts said a Democratic-controlled US Congress would ramp up pressure on Beijing over Taiwan, artificial intelligence (AI) and export controls, though it might also eliminate uncertainties in negotiations. When asked by reporters about the results on...

Read full article

More News

Ex-HKEX vice-president and mother charged over alleged confidential data access

Ex-HKEX vice-president and mother charged over alleged confidential data access

A former vice-president of the Hong Kong stock exchange’s operator and his mother have been charged by the city’s corruption watchdog over allegedly accessing confidential information of listed companies, which yielded more than HK$500,000 (US$63,720) in investment profits. Geoffrey Tong Po-hang, 39, former vice-president of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX), and his mother Leung Yiu-chun, 68, appeared in Eastern Court for mention on Wednesday afternoon. They jointly face one count of...

As US-Iran war shows, China’s influence can’t secure its line to Gulf oil

As US-Iran war shows, China’s influence can’t secure its line to Gulf oil

China is becoming increasingly important to the Gulf’s economic future. Yet the Gulf remains capable of disrupting China’s own. That is the contradiction exposed by the US-Iran war. Beijing’s importance as an energy customer, investor and technology partner has grown, but its ability to guarantee the maritime routes connecting the Middle East to East Asia remains limited. The next contest in global energy will concern not only who produces and consumes it, but who can preserve access when...

Taiwan flags massive PLA naval mobilisation, spike in air sorties

Taiwan flags massive PLA naval mobilisation, spike in air sorties

Taiwan expressed concern on Tuesday over more than 100 People’s Liberation Army naval vessels and mainland Chinese coastguard ships sailing across the western Pacific, including the Liaoning strike group conducting drills in the Philippine Sea. The maritime deployment overlapped with a sharp spike in PLA aerial activity near the island. Taiwan’s defence ministry reported 49 sorties of PLA aircraft in the 24 hours to 6am on Tuesday, marking the highest single-day total this year. The number...

‘Fake democracy’ or a plus for Beijing? Chinese internet users on the US midterms

‘Fake democracy’ or a plus for Beijing? Chinese internet users on the US midterms

Follow the SCMP’s live coverage here Chinese social media users have voiced mixed views on the US midterm elections, criticising American politics while debating the implications of President Donald Trump’s political future for China. Held on Tuesday, the midterm elections saw Democrats win control of both chambers of the US Congress, taking the House of Representatives and the Senate from the Republicans. Democrats reached the 218-seat threshold needed for a House majority and also secured...

Operator should lose tender marks in future over meter glitch, experts say

Operator should lose tender marks in future over meter glitch, experts say

Hong Kong authorities should waive related fines and introduce a penalty mechanism for the city’s parking meter operator after a four-hour outage disabled about half of all meters, an industry expert and a lawmaker have suggested. They also called for clearer refund terms for Octopus card users on Wednesday, a day after the government promised to issue refunds to affected drivers. A back-end glitch cut off communication with about 11,000 parking meters from 8.20am to 12.15pm on Tuesday. The...

‘I wasn’t on the ballot’: Trump deflects blame as Democrats on track to control Congress

‘I wasn’t on the ballot’: Trump deflects blame as Democrats on track to control Congress

Follow the SCMP’s live coverage here In what appears to be an early attempt to distance himself from the Democrats’ historic gains, US President Donald Trump has sought to shift attention away from his party’s performance in the midterm elections, taking to social media to remind voters that he “wasn’t on the ballot”. “I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Trump wrote as early results showed Democratic gains in places...

John Lee begins Beijing, Shanghai trip to deepen mainland economic ties

John Lee begins Beijing, Shanghai trip to deepen mainland economic ties

Hong Kong’s leader has begun a four-day visit to Beijing and Shanghai to deepen economic ties with mainland China, calling for closer collaboration on finance and innovation and technology (I&T), while pledging to help Chinese enterprises expand overseas. Speaking at the annual Beijing-Hong Kong Economic Cooperation Symposium in the capital on Wednesday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the Northern Metropolis project would create a new platform for the two cities to cooperate on research...

US voters unleash blue wave, handing Congress to Democrats in rebuke to Trump

US voters unleash blue wave, handing Congress to Democrats in rebuke to Trump

Follow the SCMP’s live coverage here After weeks of insults, fearmongering and eye-popping spending on advertising, Americans settled down to vote on Tuesday, unleashing a blue wave that saw Democrats projected to take the House and the Senate, in a sharp rebuke to US President Donald Trump and his controversial governing style. In a stunning development, Associated Press also projected that Democrat James Talarico won the Texas US Senate election, defeating Republican nominee Ken Paxton and...

Frequently labelled as communists, who are the Democratic Socialists of America?

Frequently labelled as communists, who are the Democratic Socialists of America?

Follow the SCMP’s live coverage here For years, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) had little influence over the machinery of the Democratic Party. That is beginning to change. The organisation has more than doubled its membership since 2024, reaching roughly 120,000, while growing numbers of DSA-backed candidates are positioning to expand its presence in Congress from two members to as many as seven. The breakthrough came in New York, where Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the 2025 mayoral...

Record El Nino expected to affect China's winter climate

Record El Nino expected to affect China's winter climate

Record El Nino expected to affect China's winter climate

Tech adventure in Shenzhen: A visit to the city of tomorrow

Tech adventure in Shenzhen: A visit to the city of tomorrow

Tech adventure in Shenzhen: A visit to the city of tomorrow

Recommended

Asia Viral News

Asia Viral News features the latest and most trending news from Asia. Get ready to immerse yourself in the daily engaging topics with share-worthy news only in Asia Viral News.

ABOUT US
Newsletter

Copyright © 2015 - 2026 Asia Viral News. All Rights Reserved.