China

At least 2 hit in Philippine school shooting

At least two people were hit in a shooting in a high school on Tuesday in the southern Philippine city of Zamboanga, police said. Regional police spokesperson Major Shellamie Chang said police forces were trying to secure the school campus but she could not immediately provide other details. Witnesses said the campus was Ateneo de Zamboanga University. Journalists at the scene said the suspect was a Grade 7 student and the victims were shot in a classroom.

South China Morning Post • Associated PressAugust 18, 2026 at 2:25 AM

Cover Story: China’s Drive to Shore Up Social Security Funds Brings a Payroll Shock

A nationwide crackdown is pushing employers to base social security contributions on actual wages,

Caixin Global China Watch • Caixin GlobalAugust 18, 2026 at 2:20 AM

Bangkok gun shop trades bullets for baguettes as Thai firearm ban bites

Loaves of sourdough bread now fill the display window of Suchart and Friends Gun, a firearms shop-turned-bakery in Bangkok’s old quarter where pistols and rifles once lined the glass case.

South China Morning Post • ReutersAugust 18, 2026 at 2:15 AM

How warming in Siberia could shatter Trump’s Arctic ambitions

As the United States, Russia and China race to turn a melting Arctic into the world’s next major economic gateway, their strategic ambitions face a hidden threat: thawing permafrost. Since returning to office last year, US President Donald Trump has pushed to expand America’s Arctic footprint. This includes investing in icebreakers to counter Russian and Chinese shipping ambitions, unlocking natural resources in Alaska and renewing efforts to buy or annex Greenland.

South China Morning Post • Victoria BelaAugust 18, 2026 at 2:00 AM

Hongkong Post scraps permanent contracts for new staff amid financial strain

Hong Kong’s self-financing postal administration will stop offering permanent civil service contracts to new employees as part of cost-saving measures amid a worsening financial outlook. Postmaster General Leonia Tai Shuk-yiu said on Tuesday that new Hongkong Post employees who pass probation in or after September would be offered two-year contracts on civil service terms, as the organisation faces a decline in mail volume.

South China Morning Post • Leopold ChenAugust 18, 2026 at 1:58 AM

Trump’s decision to scale back South Korea drills ‘makes no sense’

President Donald Trump’s decision to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea does not just slight a long-time ally but raises broader concerns about the security interests of the United States in Asia and elsewhere.

South China Morning Post • Associated PressAugust 18, 2026 at 1:32 AM

Huanggang Port points to the future of Greater Bay Area travel

The much-anticipated revamped Huanggang Port, expected to open later this year, should be seen as more than a story about faster clearance. Its deeper significance lies in a question that deserves wider discussion: if border functions can be redesigned, where should border control actually operate? Living in the Greater Bay Area, where people and businesses move across administrative boundaries every day, I have watched the meaning of borders change.

South China Morning Post • Hu ChaoAugust 18, 2026 at 1:30 AM

Colombian minister’s Caribbean holiday amid quake crisis stokes fury

Colombia’s new housing minister has come under fire after it emerged that he took his family on a Caribbean holiday while the country was reeling from a devastating earthquake that left thousands homeless. The August 10 earthquake, which killed nearly 300 people in western Colombia, struck just three days after right-wing President Abelardo de la Espriella took office. The 7.4-magnitude tremor was the most powerful in Colombia in nearly half a century.

South China Morning Post • Agence France-PresseAugust 18, 2026 at 1:17 AM

Chinese workers turn bosses into virtual pets for stress relief amid rising trend

AI desktop pets are gaining popularity in China, offering young workers an outlet for workplace frustration and providing bereaved owners with a digital means to preserve memories of their deceased pets. Virtual pets first emerged on messaging platforms in the early 2000s, roaming across screens and interacting with users as they browsed the web, chatted, or watched videos.

South China Morning Post • Zoey ZhangAugust 18, 2026 at 1:00 AM

How Hong Kong infrastructure, AI firms are tapping Malaysia’s growth prospects

Hong Kong infrastructure and artificial intelligence (AI) firms are well placed to capitalise on a surge of expansion opportunities in Malaysia, but unlocking this potential will require cultural sensitivity and adapting to local market dynamics, industry insiders have said.

South China Morning Post • Vivian AuAugust 18, 2026 at 12:30 AM

Can Indonesia build a lasting EV ‘ecosystem’ and not just a market?

Indonesia’s next electric-vehicle push will test whether President Prabowo Subianto can turn rising demand, nickel wealth and consumer subsidies into an integrated domestic industry that captures more value at home, or merely make imported and locally assembled EVs cheaper to buy.

South China Morning Post • Vincent TanAugust 18, 2026 at 12:00 AM

Taiwan’s budget deadlock ends, for now

Plus: China calls Taiwan’s annual military drills a ‘wasteful charade’

ASPI's State of the Strait • Nathan AttrillAugust 17, 2026 at 11:09 PM

US diesel crack surpasses US$100 a barrel for first time on supply disruptions

The US diesel crack, a key measure of refining profitability, hit an all-time high of US$102.20 a barrel on Monday as global supply disruptions from the wars in Iran and Ukraine run into peak agricultural consumption season. Measured as the premium ‌of US diesel futures over US West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures, the US diesel crack was trading at US$99.82 a barrel, up 2.4 per cent from Friday.

South China Morning Post • ReutersAugust 17, 2026 at 11:09 PM

China 2025 Patent Filing Trends: Invention Applications Rise 5.43% as Utility Model Applications Fall 16 .81%

China’s National Intellectual Property Administration’s (CNIPA’s) recently released 2025 Intellectual Property Statistical Yearbook records 1,927,500 invention patent applications in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 5.43 percent, and 2,649,201 utility model applications, a year-on-year decrease of 16.81 percent, or approximately 535,000 fewer filings than in 2024. The two application types moved in opposite directions.

China IP Law Update • Aaron WiningerAugust 17, 2026 at 11:00 PM

Is Hong Kong’s property market recovery running out of gas? UBS flags 4 risks

The Hong Kong property market’s recovery is forecast to moderate in both prices and rents in the coming months as disruptions brought about by artificial intelligence, slower population inflows and other factors are likely to impact the upturn, according to UBS.

South China Morning Post • Cheryl ArcibalAugust 17, 2026 at 11:00 PM

Trump lets 60-day deadline for Iran peace deal expire, threatens to ‘bomb’ Oman

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he would not seek to extend the memorandum of understanding with Iran, claiming that while Iran wants to make a deal, “they’re not going to make the kind of a deal that I feel is necessary”. The agreement aimed to end the war and restore commercial navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy chokepoint, but negotiations stalled as both sides accused each other of violating the deal.

South China Morning Post • Lucy QuagginAugust 17, 2026 at 10:42 PM

Russia summons Japan envoy over disputed Kuril Islands row after Putin visit

Moscow said on Monday it had summoned the Japanese ambassador after Tokyo condemned President Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to Russia’s far-eastern Kuril Islands, which are also claimed by Japan.

South China Morning Post • Agence France-PresseAugust 17, 2026 at 10:30 PM

Exclusive | Claims Hegseth close to exit raise questions over future US-China defence ties

Speculation is growing that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth is at increasing risk of losing his job, raising questions about the possible implications for US-China relations, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly, said Hegseth was “on the verge of losing his job”.

South China Morning Post • Dewey Sim,Khushboo RazdanAugust 17, 2026 at 10:00 PM

US Pharma Firms Forge Deals with Chinese Biotechs Amid Regulatory Pushback

Major US pharmaceutical companies are accelerating partnerships with Chinese biotech firms despite efforts to decouple from Beijing's biomedical sector.

China Legal Blog • Investment Research TeamAugust 17, 2026 at 9:40 PM

China’s space race has a new problem: finding room for failure

There is something about the speed of consensus on China’s rocket failures that should give us pause. Within hours of Long March-7A rocket’s disintegration over the South China Sea on August 10, trade reports were pointing to an engine as the likely culprit. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) had said nothing of the kind. An official Xinhua report about three hours after the launch described only “a flight anomaly” and an investigation under way. The cause is unknown,

South China Morning Post • Tang Meng KitAugust 17, 2026 at 9:30 PM

Ecuador’s Noboa courts China on shrimp, copper without threatening US ties

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa arrived in Beijing on Sunday for his first state visit to China, an eight-day trip during which he will seek to lift suspensions on 14 Ecuadorian shrimp processors and secure fresh investment in energy and mining. Noboa will hold talks with President Xi Jinping and meet separately with Premier Li Qiang and Zhao Leji, China’s top legislator, according to Beijing’s foreign ministry.

South China Morning Post • Igor PatrickAugust 17, 2026 at 8:57 PM

Thousands mourn ex-Cambridge professor Jason Arday in London vigil

Thousands of people gathered in central London late on Monday to hold a vigil for black academic Jason Arday, blaming racism and relentless media pressure for his death last week. The vigil in central Trafalgar Square came as the head of Cambridge University on Monday condemned a “racist feeding frenzy” prompted by plagiarism claims against Arday.

South China Morning Post • Agence France-PresseAugust 17, 2026 at 8:28 PM

Trump approval rating falls to 33%, lowest of his presidency, poll finds

US President Donald Trump’s approval rating fell to the lowest level of his presidency with an overwhelming majority of Americans ‌concerned the US war with Iran will last a long time, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll that concluded on Monday. Just 33 per cent of respondents in the four-day survey said they approved of Trump’s performance in the White House, while 64 per cent disapproved.

South China Morning Post • ReutersAugust 17, 2026 at 7:35 PM

Long-awaited trial begins in rapper Tupac Shakur’s 1996 Las Vegas killing

Rapper Tupac Shakur was shot dead in an act of gang revenge ordered by a mobster who later boasted of it, jurors heard on Monday, as one of America’s most anticipated trials got under way, 30 years after the murder. Duane “Keffe D” Davis, a one-time leader of the South Side Compton Crips, one of a patchwork of gangs that ran parts of Los Angeles in the 1990s, ordered the killing after his nephew had been beaten by a rival mob, prosecutor Binu Pilal told a Las Vegas court. “On September 7, 1996,

South China Morning Post • Agence France-PresseAugust 17, 2026 at 7:07 PM

A ‘Separatism’ Charge Sparked by a Photograph: the Story of Zhang Yi and His Son From 1989 to Today

Wuhan activist Zhang Yi has been charged with “inciting separatism” after showing a photograph of the Dalai Lama in Lhasa. For his son, Zhang Hongyuan, who lives in the Netherlands, this was not an unforeseen tragedy, but a day he had spent three years preparing for—and dreading.

Human Rights in China • HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINAAugust 17, 2026 at 6:42 PM

一张照片引发的“分裂国家”案：张毅父子跨越三十七年的故事

武汉活动人士张毅因在拉萨展示达赖喇嘛照片，被控“煽动分裂国家”。对远在荷兰的儿子张弘远而言，这不是一场毫无预兆的灾难，而是他准备了三年、也害怕了三年的那一天。

Human Rights in China • HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINAAugust 17, 2026 at 6:39 PM

Mafia link feared in theft of grand master paintings from Sicily museum

The theft ⁠of four paintings by Renaissance master Antonello da Messina may have involved organised crime and raised troubling questions about security at a museum in the Sicilian artist’s hometown, a local official said on Monday. Enzo Caruso, Messina’s councillor for culture, said it was difficult to understand how thieves could have removed the works in a matter of minutes without detailed ‌knowledge of the museum’s layout. “It’s a very, very strange affair,” Caruso said.

South China Morning Post • ReutersAugust 17, 2026 at 5:53 PM

Nvidia to provide up to US$105 billion guarantee for OpenAI’s Ohio data centre

Nvidia has agreed to ⁠guarantee as much as US$105 billion ⁠in lease payments to help ⁠OpenAI secure a sprawling data centre in Ohio being developed by SoftBank-backed SB Energy, in one of the chipmaker’s largest infrastructure financing commitments.

South China Morning Post • ReutersAugust 17, 2026 at 5:30 PM

Kremlin critic jailed in Russia for 11 years for opposing the war in Ukraine

A Russian court on Monday convicted a prominent opposition politician for speaking out against the war in Ukraine and sentenced him to 11 years and one month in prison in the latest crackdown leading up to next month’s parliamentary election. The verdict against Lev Shlosberg, a senior member of the Yabloko party, was another step by the Kremlin to stifle dissent since Russia invaded its neighbour in February 2022. Yabloko is the only official political party overtly opposing the war.

South China Morning Post • Associated PressAugust 17, 2026 at 5:01 PM

UK PM Burnham exchanged messages with Trump aide impostor: reports

New British Prime Minister Andy Burnham exchanged messages with someone posing as Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, several media outlets reported on Monday. According to Politico, which broke the story quoting anonymous sources, the British leader sent a “few messages” via an unspecified communication channel to a person he believed to be Wiles before becoming suspicious.

South China Morning Post • Agence France-PresseAugust 17, 2026 at 4:22 PM

Ep 81 - The AI loophole Washington can’t afford to close

Chinese companies can’t legally buy the most advanced US-made AI chips, so they’re renting them instead – from data centers in Thailand, Malaysia, and beyond – completely legally.

The Trivium China PodcastAugust 17, 2026 at 4:00 PM

Suspected China APT Behind VMware Exploitation: Cybersecurity Recap

The cybersecurity landscape witnessed a surge in attacks this week, with various vulnerabilities being actively exploited by threat actors.

China Legal Blog • Investment Research TeamAugust 17, 2026 at 3:30 PM

US Urges Countries to Choose Between Pax Silica and Beijing’s AI Framework

The United States is set to inform numerous countries about a crucial decision they must make in the global artificial

China Legal Blog • Investment Research TeamAugust 17, 2026 at 3:30 PM

Before Taiwanization: Lee Teng-hui’s 1990 Vision of China, Democracy, and Unification

Lee's 1990 Inauguration Speech

Taiwan Radar • Taiwan RadarAugust 17, 2026 at 3:10 PM

Pentagon orders 30 US universities to scrutinise Chinese research ties

The Pentagon has ordered 30 US universities to conduct sweeping audits of their foreign research partnerships, including collaborations with Chinese institutions and organisations associated with former Confucius Institutes, or risk becoming ineligible for future federal funding.

South China Morning Post • Teresa Elena FrontadoAugust 17, 2026 at 3:07 PM

Why the Arctic sea route has become so important for China and Russia

Since Chinese container ships began plying the Northern Sea Route three years ago, the Arctic shipping lane has gained global importance. Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea later that year disrupted traffic through the Suez Canal – the fastest route between Europe and Asia – in what was the most serious conflict-driven disruption since the Arab-Israeli war nearly six decades earlier.

South China Morning Post • Albee ZhangAugust 17, 2026 at 3:00 PM

Opatra London distances itself from Hong Kong firm over deceptive sales allegations

UK-based beauty chain Opatra London has distanced itself from a Hong Kong distributor accused of using “deceptive sales practices”, even after the local branch said it offered to refund about a quarter of a HK$60,000 (US$7,650) shopping bill on skincare products. The company said on Monday night that it deeply regretted if any customers had a “distressing experience associated with our brand”, and revealed it had initiated an independent review of the local distributor.

South China Morning Post • Simpson CheungAugust 17, 2026 at 2:55 PM

Pregnant woman among 3 killed in suspected gang shooting in Spain

Three people have been shot dead in a suspected revenge attack linked to the drug trade in southwestern Spain, the authorities in the Andalusia region said on Monday. The three victims were a pregnant woman in her eighth month of pregnancy, a 62-year-old woman and a 16-year-old boy. The unborn child also did not survive, the authorities said, adding that two other people were injured in the attack.

South China Morning Post • dpaAugust 17, 2026 at 2:52 PM

Trump threatens to bomb Oman if it gets in way of Iran deal

President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to bomb Oman if it “gets in the way” of a US deal with Iran on the Strait of Hormuz and called for Iran to surrender. “If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them,” Trump told Fox News journalist Trey Yingst, referring to ongoing talks between Oman and Iran on control of the strait, while Washington is also pursuing its own talks.

South China Morning Post • Agence France-PresseAugust 17, 2026 at 2:24 PM

Hong Kong exchange extends CEO Bonnie Chan’s term for 3 more years

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) has extended the tenure of CEO Bonnie Chan Yiting for another three years amid the bourse’s aggressive push to enhance its international competitiveness. The tenure of the 57-year-old Chan, the first woman to serve as CEO of the city’s exchange operator, will be renewed from March 1, 2027, to February 28, 2030, according to an exchange filing on Monday evening.

South China Morning Post • Cheryl ArcibalAugust 17, 2026 at 2:16 PM

US top court again rejects Trump push to toss out E. Jean Carroll verdict

The US Supreme Court on Monday again rebuffed President Donald Trump’s push to throw out a jury’s US$5 million finding that he sexually abused the writer E. Jean Carroll at a New York City department store in the mid-1990s and later defamed her. The Republican president’s lawyers had asked the justices to reconsider their refusal to hear his appeal. It is unusual – although not unheard of – for the court to grant such requests.

South China Morning Post • Associated PressAugust 17, 2026 at 2:02 PM

Next silicon? AI data centre material faces price spike amid China supply crunch

The artificial intelligence boom is driving demand for optical modules that enable ultra-fast data transmission in data centres, with the latest beneficiary a chemical compound that is seeing an unprecedented surge in prices. Indium phosphide (InP) is used to make lasers that convert electrical signals into light, allowing data to travel rapidly through fibre-optic cables. As a major producer of the material, China has seen prices climb sharply.

South China Morning Post • Howard LiuAugust 17, 2026 at 2:00 PM

Chinamaxxing: is it really about China or Gen Z fleeing Western fatigue?

The iconic wrapper of White Rabbit, a six-decade-old Chinese milk confectionery, has recently gone viral in the West. Shared this month in a post on X, formerly Twitter, the retro packaging was hailed as an “absolute masterstroke of graphic design”. Its distinctive waxy paper – featuring a white rabbit against a red circle, with blue-and-white rabbit motifs lining both edges – has since racked up more than 6 million views and 260,000 likes.

South China Morning Post • Caroline LinAugust 17, 2026 at 2:00 PM

DJI Pentagon battle, ‘Chinese Schindler’: 7 US-China relations reads

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.

South China Morning Post • SCMPAugust 17, 2026 at 2:00 PM

A glum China pines for the 1990s

Back then, leaders delivered and opportunity beckoned–or so the story goes

ChinaAugust 17, 2026 at 1:52 PM

Unleashed 60kg dog fatally mauls 2 pets in Hong Kong

A large unleashed dog has fatally mauled two smaller pets in separate attacks within 20 minutes in Hong Kong, but authorities have yet to determine whether it is microchipped, as the animal remains too “aggressive” to handle. Police on Monday said the first attack occurred at 3pm near the taxi rank at the Yoho Mall car park in Yuen Long, where a 58‑year‑old man was walking his brown miniature poodle.

South China Morning Post • Danny MokAugust 17, 2026 at 1:35 PM

2 hygiene officers under investigation for smoking in public while in uniform

Hong Kong’s hygiene authorities are investigating two officers caught smoking in public while in uniform, an act that is strictly prohibited, adding that such will result in disciplinary action. A viral clip circulating on social media platform Threads shows two men in uniform smoking cigarettes in what appears to be a back alley during daytime.

South China Morning Post • Theodora YuAugust 17, 2026 at 1:20 PM

Insilico Medicine Included in MSCI Global Small Cap Index, Recognized for Core Strengths in Capital Markets

Insilico Medicine, a clinical-stage AI-driven drug development company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol 3696,

China Legal Blog • Investment Research TeamAugust 17, 2026 at 1:05 PM

CATL Achieves Core Operation Carbon Neutrality, Launches Industry-Leading Carbon Neutrality Action

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co.

China Legal Blog • Investment Research TeamAugust 17, 2026 at 1:05 PM

Taiwan teams up with US start-up on underwater drones to boost island’s defences

Taiwan has signed a deal with US defence start-up Vatn Systems to develop autonomous underwater vehicles and strengthen its asymmetric warfare capabilities amid growing military pressure from Beijing. The agreement with the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) – the island’s government-funded top weapons developer – is the latest in a series of moves to expand Taiwan’s unmanned underwater capabilities.

South China Morning Post • Lawrence ChungAugust 17, 2026 at 1:04 PM

IDC | IDC China Intelligent Industrial Control Security Audit Market: Market Size Declined 5.2% in 2025 as Demand Shifted Toward Intelligent Security Operations

China Intelligent Industrial Control Security Audit Market Share,

CyberSecurityMew • CyberSecurityMewAugust 17, 2026 at 1:02 PM

War Books For Journalists

Whiskey Mike's Highest Recommendations

China In Arms - Podcast and Newsletter • Wendell MinnickAugust 17, 2026 at 12:35 PM

America is arguing over the wrong AI obstacle

Last month, two Chinese companies released artificial intelligence models most people outside the industry know little about: Kimi K3 by Moonshot AI and Qwen3.8-Max by Alibaba Group Holding (which owns the South China Morning Post). The markets reacted even before publicly auditable evidence about the performance claims – detailed benchmark table, model card and licence – was made fully available. In the weeks that followed, global chip stocks shed about US$3 trillion in market value.

South China Morning Post • Bruno S. Sergi,Kevin K.F. ChenAugust 17, 2026 at 12:30 PM

Russia-India rail link plan: a ‘strategic’ shift in energy transport?

Russia is looking into a solution for a problem that has become hard for India to ignore: how to keep oil and other strategic goods moving when sanctions, war and maritime chokepoints threaten the world’s busiest energy routes. Moscow’s proposal for a direct rail link to India through Central and South Asia remains exploratory, but analysts say it points to a wider scramble by major powers to build trade corridors beyond the reach of the Strait of Hormuz, the Bosphorus and Western pressure.

South China Morning Post • Biman MukherjiAugust 17, 2026 at 12:11 PM

The Daily Roundup

August 17th, 2026 | Welcome to The Wire’s daily news roundup. Each day, our staff gathers the top China business, finance, and economics headlines from a selection of the world’s leading news organizations.

The Wire China • The WireAugust 17, 2026 at 12:00 PM

Chinese team aims to put ‘smart’ diabetes probiotic on US shelves within 2 years

Chinese researchers have engineered a probiotic that could make diabetes care as simple as drinking a cup of yogurt or swallowing a capsule. The “smart” bacterium, designed to sense high blood sugar and automatically release a glucose-lowering hormone, performed on par with the blockbuster drug Ozempic in animal tests, according to a study published in Nature last week.

South China Morning Post • Shi HuangAugust 17, 2026 at 11:58 AM

EU plans most far-reaching sanctions on Russia in coming months

The European Union intends to significantly expand sanctions against Russia in the coming months over its war in Ukraine, the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, told a ‌German newspaper. “EU sanctions have already cost Russia dearly, depriving Russia’s war machine of over €1 trillion (US$1.16 trillion) and for autumn I am putting forward the most far-reaching sanctions listings since the start of the war,” she told Die Welt.

South China Morning Post • ReutersAugust 17, 2026 at 11:48 AM

Billionaire Geely Auto head Li Shufu steps down as profit slips

Chinese billionaire Li Shufu has relinquished his role as chairman of Geely Auto, describing the planned succession as the foundation for the future sustainable growth of the country’s second-largest carmaker. Li, the 63-year-old founder of the automotive group, announced his resignation just after Hong Kong-listed Geely reported record first-half revenue in China’s cutthroat car market on Monday.

South China Morning Post • Daniel RenAugust 17, 2026 at 11:32 AM

Hong Kong halves environmental impact review times with AI in efficiency drive

Hong Kong authorities have slashed the time required for environmental impact assessments by up to half using artificial intelligence (AI), as part of flagship initiatives in the first batch of projects aimed at enhancing efficiency. The first batch of 30 projects, involving 13 government departments, was announced on Monday, covering transport and food business licensing, leisure and sports facilities, environmental hygiene, complaint handling, and environmental protection.

South China Morning Post • Matthew ChengAugust 17, 2026 at 11:20 AM

US envoy Kushner meets Netanyahu after visiting Hamas leader

Donald Trump’s envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday, a day after holding a rare meeting with Hamas’ leader in Cairo in a bid to push forward the US president’s Gaza ‌plan. Netanyahu, whose ruling coalition is trailing in Israeli opinion polls ahead of an October national election, publicly rejected this month a US-backed agreement that would see Hamas surrender its arms in exchange for Israel withdrawing from Gaza.

South China Morning Post • ReutersAugust 17, 2026 at 10:25 AM

South Korea on edge over Trump’s call to cut military drills, goodwill for Kim

US President Donald Trump’s call to “substantially” reduce US-South Korea military drills has revived speculation that he is trying to persuade North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un to attend another summit between them even though Kim has expressed no such interest.

South China Morning Post • Park Chan-kyongAugust 17, 2026 at 10:22 AM

Recomparing China’s Macro Tax Burden with OECD Countries: An Analysis Based on the Correlation Between Fiscal Revenue and Public Social Expenditure

OUYANG Mijian CF40 Institute Abstract: China’s macro tax burden has continued to decline in recent years. Is it currently too high or too low, and should it be raised, reduced, or kept stable? These are important questions for the study of tax reform and fiscal policy. A previous CF40 Policy Brief, Five Key Issues in Deepening China’s Reform of Fiscal and Tax System, noted that China’s macro tax burden had continued to fall, posing some challenges to the government’s revenue-raising capacity. This paper further examines the macro tax burden.

CF40 Research • CF40 ResearchAugust 17, 2026 at 10:04 AM

Han Kuang: What messages is Taipei sending?

On Friday, August 14th, Taiwan completed the 42nd edition of its annual Han Kuang exercises (HK42).

Taiwan Radar • Taiwan RadarAugust 17, 2026 at 10:03 AM

China’s pharma contractors rally on pushback to US supply chain pressure

China’s pharmaceutical contractors are showing financial resilience in the face of Washington’s push to curb reliance on Chinese supply chains. Analysts said investors were bullish because the US government’s recent measures to curb Beijing’s rise as a global pharmaceutical supplier had met resistance from industry players reluctant to give up China’s cost advantages.

South China Morning Post • Julie ZhangAugust 17, 2026 at 10:00 AM

Can China follow its own ‘technological path’ amid growing AI rivalry with US?

China’s ability to set its own technological course in the face of sustained US export restrictions may be the key factor in the two countries’ contest over artificial intelligence, a prominent analyst has argued. Zheng Yongnian, dean of the school of public policy at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), made the case in his preface to The Rise of Atlas, a new book about the development of Huawei Technologies’ Atlas 950 SuperPoD computing system.

South China Morning Post • Shi JiangtaoAugust 17, 2026 at 10:00 AM

Senior Hong Kong policeman loses appeal over jail term for HK$26m mortgage fraud

A Hong Kong court has dismissed an appeal by a senior police officer against his 6½-year jail sentence for fraudulently securing over HK$26 million (US$3.31 million) in mortgages by concealing his affiliation with the force.

South China Morning Post • Brian WongAugust 17, 2026 at 10:00 AM

Alibaba sheds gaming business Lingxi to double down on AI and e-commerce

Alibaba Group Holding has agreed to sell its wholly owned gaming business Lingxi Games to Trustar Capital as the Chinese technology giant pivots away from noncore sectors to prioritise e-commerce and artificial intelligence, according to an internal letter issued on Monday. “As part of Alibaba’s broader strategy to sharpen its focus, the group has decided to entrust Lingxi to Trustar Capital,” stated the letter seen by the South China Morning Post and signed by Lingxi CEO Zhou Bingshu.

South China Morning Post • Wency ChenAugust 17, 2026 at 10:00 AM

Anxious Chinese mothers turn to pricey ‘parent awakening camps’ for academic help

Controversial “parent awakening camps” are attracting anxious Chinese mothers willing to invest significantly in confronting gaming addiction and poor academic performance. Promoted by an increasing number of family-education services on mainland social media, these programmes promise to transform parenting practices and mend strained family relationships.

South China Morning Post • Zoey ZhangAugust 17, 2026 at 10:00 AM

Hong Kong’s sports sector in 2024 helped generate extra HK$46b in value

Hong Kong’s sports sector helped to generate an extra HK$46 billion (US$5.9 billion) in value for the economy in 2024, the year local athletes clinched two gold and two bronze Olympic medals, with a lawmaker calling for targeted policies to build on that success.

South China Morning Post • Ambrose LiAugust 17, 2026 at 9:45 AM

Malaysia to scrap 55-year-old university law, but will campus reform follow?

Malaysia may finally scrap the university law that generations of students have blamed for stifling campus dissent, but activists and academics say the harder fight will be over what comes next.

South China Morning Post • Iman Muttaqin YusofAugust 17, 2026 at 9:12 AM

United States Urges Countries to Choose Sides in Global AI Race Amid China’s Growing Influence

The United States is poised to send a letter to numerous countries,

China Legal Blog • Investment Research TeamAugust 17, 2026 at 9:10 AM

China’s Self-Driving Advances in Europe: Momenta and Pony.ai Expand Reach

China's self-driving technology is gaining traction in Europe, with Momenta and Pony.ai making significant strides.

China Legal Blog • Investment Research TeamAugust 17, 2026 at 9:10 AM

CXMT’s Emergence as China’s Most Valuable Company Marks Shift in Tech Landscape

CXMT's recent rise to become the most valuable company in China signifies a significant shift towards a new era dominated

China Legal Blog • Investment Research TeamAugust 17, 2026 at 9:10 AM

Alibaba’s Strategic Shift: Selling Lingxi Games Arm to Fuel AI Ambitions

Alibaba has made a strategic move by selling its Lingxi games arm to equity firm Trustar Capital,

China Legal Blog • Investment Research TeamAugust 17, 2026 at 9:10 AM

China’s economy cools amid debate about risks of global crisis

China’s retail sales growth trailed expectations, the pace of industrial output expansion slowed and a drop in investment worsened as its economy struggled to regain pace at the start of the second half of the year. July retail sales rose by 0.6 per cent, missing the 1.3 per cent expectation among economists polled by financial data provider Wind, and slowing from June’s 1 per cent rate. Industrial output rose by 4.5 per cent, trailing the 4.9 per cent forecast and June’s 5.3 per cent pace,

South China Morning Post • Brian Rhoads,Neil DenslowAugust 17, 2026 at 9:00 AM

CXMT tops 4 trillion yuan as global memory rally lifts China’s chip champion

Shares of ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), China’s leading DRAM maker, jumped 12 per cent on Monday to close at a record 61.80 yuan (US$9.16), lifting its market capitalisation to 4.13 trillion yuan and extending its lead as China’s most valuable listed company. The Hefei-based chipmaker first overtook Hong Kong-listed Tencent Holdings on Thursday as China’s most valuable listed company, when CXMT’s market value reached about 3.54 trillion yuan.

South China Morning Post • Howard Liu,Ann CaoAugust 17, 2026 at 9:00 AM

Hong Kong tourist arrivals up 3% in July as bad weather curbs mainland growth

Hong Kong recorded about 4.5 million visitor arrivals in July, up 3 per cent from a year earlier, as major international conventions boosted business travel while bad weather weighed on growth from mainland China, according to the Tourism Board.

South China Morning Post • Wynna WongAugust 17, 2026 at 8:42 AM

Movie that went viral for terrible animation becomes China box office hit

Niu Lai's confusing plot and laughable animation quality has won ironic fans on the internet.

BBC News • Koh EweAugust 17, 2026 at 8:35 AM

China’s property recovery is fragile, but ignoring it is a mistake

Global commercial real estate investment markets are roaring back to life. In the first half of this year, direct investment in commercial property rose 27 per cent in annualised terms. The sharpest increase was in the Asia-Pacific, where transaction volumes were up 38 per cent to US$92.5 billion, the strongest half-yearly performance on record, according to data from JLL.

South China Morning Post • Nicholas SpiroAugust 17, 2026 at 8:30 AM

Singaporeans urge forest protection at rally as housing plans spur concerns

Thousands of people have rallied in Singapore against plans to build homes on two forested sites in a large public display of concern over how the land-scarce city state should balance housing demand with conservation. The projects have brought renewed urgency to a long-running debate over land use: activists say remaining mature forests should be protected, while the government says conserving more greenery would mean fewer homes for Singaporeans.

South China Morning Post • Kolette LimAugust 17, 2026 at 8:23 AM

Typhoon Rose capsizes ferry in Hong Kong, killing 88 – SCMP archive

This article was first published on August 18, 1971. Ferry disaster: no hope for missing crew by T. S. Koo A large but undetermined number of the crew of the Hongkong-Macao ferry Fatshan, including her master and senior British officers, were feared drowned when she capsized off Lantao during the typhoon early yesterday (August 17, 1971). So far four survivors have been picked up, and four bodies found.

South China Morning Post • SCMPAugust 17, 2026 at 8:15 AM

Streaming site pulls Chainsmoker Cat series in Hong Kong over breach of ad rules

A Taiwan-based streaming platform has removed the Japanese anime series Chainsmoker Cat for Hong Kong audiences because the programme is in breach of the city’s ban on online smoking advertisements. Animation Crazy, a streaming platform launched by Bahamut, a Taiwanese internet forum and news website, said on Monday that it recently received a letter from the Hong Kong’s Department of Health concerning Chainsmoker Cat.

South China Morning Post • Edith LinAugust 17, 2026 at 8:01 AM

Ting Hui Lau, "Decolonial Endurance: Lisu Worldmaking Against Chinese Settler Colonialism" (Stanford UP, 2026)

A series of questions have been sparked by the indigenous urgency of the moment: What does it mean to live through a world coming undone? How do people carry on amid rupture, loss, and grief? Decolonial Endurance: Lisu Worldmaking Against Chinese Settler Colonialism (Stanford University Press, 2026) explores these questions through the turbulent lives of Indigenous Lisu subsistence farmers in China’s Eastern Himalayas, bordering Myanmar and Tibet.

New Books in Chinese Studies • New Books NetworkAugust 17, 2026 at 8:00 AM

Staying Afloat in the Wave of Zero-Fees Policies: Agreement on Reciprocal Trade and its Impact on the Taiwanese Fishing Industry – Part I

Written by Shao-Yun Chang, Vanny El Rahman, and Beatrice Zani. This article (part 1) examines how the US-Taiwan Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) and its mandatory "zero-fee" recruitment policies impact Taiwan’s fishing industry. While designed to protect foreign migrant workers from predatory debt bondage, the policy places heavy financial strain on small-scale vessel owners already facing declining yields and rising costs.

Taiwan Insight • NGA Shi YeuAugust 17, 2026 at 8:00 AM

All Malaysia Airlines pilots pass drug tests following Jakarta arrest

All pilots working for flag carrier Malaysia Airlines tested negative for drugs, owner Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) said on Monday, adding that its cabin crew would be tested next. The mandatory screening process was ⁠ordered after a Malaysian Airlines pilot was arrested in Indonesia on drug trafficking charges on July 28. Authorities found 26kg (57lbs) of the mind-altering drug MDMA in his luggage upon his arrival in Jakarta from Kuala Lumpur.

South China Morning Post • ReutersAugust 17, 2026 at 7:39 AM

From a Full House to a Full Heart

Homeschooling is a privilege. To have the time and insight to lead and shepherd our children’s hearts is invaluable.

ChinaSource • Kelly CarlsonAugust 17, 2026 at 7:10 AM

China’s self-driving push gears up in Europe as Momenta, Pony.ai expand

China’s autonomous-driving ambitions are winning growing recognition in Europe, with Deutsche Bank raising its target price for Momenta following a key regulatory breakthrough, and Pony.ai expanding its European robotaxi roll-out alongside Uber Technologies. In a research note released on Monday, Deutsche Bank analyst Bin Wang saw Momenta as the “No 1 independent autonomous-driving solution provider globally”, particularly in the urban “navigation on autopilot” (NOA) segment.

South China Morning Post • Zoe SL ChanAugust 17, 2026 at 7:00 AM

China adds an 800-passenger jet with ‘flying wing’ body to its big aircraft plan

A Chinese research team has unveiled an aerodynamic model for a massive flying-wing passenger aircraft that could carry more than 800 people, marking a bold new entry in the country’s large aircraft programme. Unlike conventional aircraft that have separate fuselage, wings and tail, a flying wing merges most of the structure into a single broad lifting body.

South China Morning Post • Chao KongAugust 17, 2026 at 6:44 AM

AI chipmaker Biren projects up to 22-fold revenue surge in first half of 2026

Chinese artificial intelligence chipmaker Biren Technology projects that its first-half revenue could shoot up by up to 2,107 per cent amid the AI hardware boom, joining industry peers like Hygon Information Technology and Cambricon Technologies in reporting accelerating demand for home-grown chips.

South China Morning Post • Ann CaoAugust 17, 2026 at 6:39 AM

Shoving incident in Singapore over man patting girl’s head stirs heated debate

A simple pat on a child’s head has sparked debate in Singapore after an elderly man was shoved to the ground by a girl’s father. Police said on Sunday they had identified a 40-year-old man in connection with the incident at a food court on Saturday afternoon, CNA reported. “Members of the public are advised not to speculate on the incident or its circumstances, and to allow the police to conduct investigations and establish the facts of the case,” they told the broadcaster.

South China Morning Post • SCMP’s Asia deskAugust 17, 2026 at 6:30 AM

Taiwan’s 42nd Han Kuang Military Drill

Taiwan Radar Weekly Update 10 August-16 August

Taiwan Radar • Taiwan RadarAugust 17, 2026 at 6:30 AM

7 die in Indian temple stampede after electric wire snaps

A deadly stampede broke out at a Hindu temple in eastern India’s Bihar state on Monday after a snapped electric wire reportedly triggered panic among worshippers, officials said, killing seven people and injuring more than a dozen. The incident occurred near Ashok Dham Temple in Lakhisarai district, as thousands of devotees gathered to offer prayers on the third Monday of Shravan, one of the holiest months in the Hindu calendar.

South China Morning Post • Associated PressAugust 17, 2026 at 6:23 AM

DSET Economic Security Research Program Latest Report: “The Age of Robotics: China-West Competition and Taiwan’s Indispensable Role in the Non-Red Supply Chain”

The Economic Security Program of the Research Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technology (DSET) has released a new report titled “The Age of Robotics: China’s Supply Chain Progress and Taiwan’s Indispensable Role in the Non-red Supply Chain,” focusing on physical AI and the state of humanoid and quadruped robot supply chains.

Research Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technology • 黃筱歡August 17, 2026 at 5:58 AM

Hong Kong inventors win top prize, 35 medals at Silicon Valley festival

Hong Kong innovators have won the top prize, eight special awards and 35 medals at a major international invention competition in Silicon Valley, with a solar-powered fertiliser production system claiming the event’s highest honour. The city’s delegation secured 22 gold and 13 silver medals at the Silicon Valley International Invention Festival (SVIIF), which concluded at the Santa Clara Convention Center in California on Sunday.

South China Morning Post • Wynna WongAugust 17, 2026 at 5:49 AM

Is Philippines’ aim to become an arms exporter like India overly ambitious?

The Philippines is looking to India as a model of defence self-reliance as it continues building its capabilities to manage maritime disputes following the purchase of its first BrahMos missiles from Delhi. While India’s experience is useful, it is more practical for Manila to cooperate with Delhi in stages than push quickly to manufacture its own weapons, according to analysts.

South China Morning Post • Sam BeltranAugust 17, 2026 at 5:17 AM

‘Heroes’ star Hayden Panettiere dies aged 36, father confirms

Hayden Panettiere, star of popular television series including Heroes and Nashville, has died. She was 36. Panettiere’s father, Skip, announced the actress’ death in a statement provided to ABC News on Sunday. “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her – and to the millions who watched her onscreen,” his statement said.

South China Morning Post • Associated PressAugust 17, 2026 at 5:10 AM

5 injured after taxi, 3 cars collide on Hong Kong highway

Five people have been injured after a taxi and three private cars collided on Tsing Kwai Highway in Hong Kong. Police said the four vehicles crashed on the Kowloon-bound carriageway near Lai King MTR station at 8.40am on Monday, leaving four men and one woman with minor injuries. The Fire Services Department said all five injured were taken to Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung for treatment.

South China Morning Post • Leopold ChenAugust 17, 2026 at 5:05 AM

Australia slows down ‘backpacker visas’ in fresh migration crackdown

Australia is slowing the issuance of new “working holiday” visas popular with backpackers as the government looks at policies to cut migration to the country. “They are still being processed, but they are being processed more slowly than they were previously,” Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said on Sunday. The visas allow people to come to Australia to work and travel for a set period of time, and are popular with European and Japanese citizens.

South China Morning Post • BloombergAugust 17, 2026 at 4:52 AM

2 more drills planned this month to stress-test revamped Huanggang port

Hong Kong will hold two more drills later this month at the revamped Huanggang border crossing, with up to 20,000 civil servants involved to test the new immigration clearance gates under “harsher scenarios”, according to the city’s security chief.

South China Morning Post • Edith LinAugust 17, 2026 at 4:51 AM

Hong Kong merchant jailed for trying to kill wife, daughters amid debt woes

A Hong Kong merchant has been jailed for five years and four months for attempting to murder his wife and three daughters by burning charcoal in their public rental flat after struggling to repay debts totalling nearly HK$900,000 (US$115,000). The High Court on Monday sentenced Wong Pak-ting in what the presiding judge described as a “tragic” case.

South China Morning Post • Brian WongAugust 17, 2026 at 4:30 AM

Far-right Ben-Gvir urges Israel to kill ‘30 to 40 every night’ in Gaza

An extremist Israeli lawmaker in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition publicly advocated for killing “30 to 40” people in Gaza each night, comments that surfaced Sunday and were quickly shared by Palestinian media. Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir made the statement while speaking to a former Gaza-held hostage, Rom Braslavski, on Braslavski’s podcast.

South China Morning Post • Associated PressAugust 17, 2026 at 4:21 AM

China embraces ‘Grandpa Cute’; Southeast Asia’s monarchies: 5 weekend reads

We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.

South China Morning Post • SCMPAugust 17, 2026 at 4:15 AM

Exercise, supplements, digital detoxing: Hongkongers' new lifestyle obsessions

South China Morning Post • Mario Cameira,Kaliz Lee,Joe Lo,Rocio Marquez,Victor Sanjinez,Connor MycroftAugust 17, 2026 at 4:08 AM

‘Inhumane’: UK’s extreme heat pushes NHS staff, patients to limit

“Horrific, horrendous, unbearable, unsafe.” That is how medical professionals describe the impact of this year’s heatwaves on Britain’s healthcare system, in response to a survey by the Doctors’ Association UK. In hospitals built for a cooler climate, staff are now dealing with patients too sweaty to receive intravenous drips, medication at risk of degrading in high temperatures and colleagues collapsing on the job with heat fatigue.

South China Morning Post • BloombergAugust 17, 2026 at 3:52 AM

Indonesia celebrates National Day with parade, flag-raising ceremony

Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto is presiding over celebrations marking the 81st anniversary of the country’s independence, with a flag-raising ceremony at the presidential palace in Jakarta, followed by a military parade.

South China Morning Post • SCMP’s Asia deskAugust 17, 2026 at 3:30 AM

Hong Kong maid cafe operator arrested for allegedly molesting staff, 14

The operator of a Hong Kong maid cafe has been arrested for allegedly molesting a 14-year-old employee multiple times, beginning on her first day at work. A police source said on Monday that the operator, a 35-year-old man surnamed Cheung, was arrested on Saturday at the cafe in Mong Kok’s Dundas Square.

South China Morning Post • Leopold ChenAugust 17, 2026 at 3:20 AM

Welcome the new Global Academic Fellow Dr Marianne Von Blomberg!

Welcome to Dr Marianne Von Blomberg who joined the Faculty of Law as a Global Academic Fellow. Marianne von Blomberg is a Global Academic Fellow (postdoctoral researcher) at the Law and Technology Centre of the University of Hong Kong.

HKU Legal Scholarship Blog • HKU LawAugust 17, 2026 at 3:00 AM

Analysis: Travel Is Booming in China, so Why Are State Tourism Firms Bleeding Red Ink?

Guizhou province’s Shuisi Building, an enormous faux-traditional tower, stands idle in July 2020.

Caixin Global China Watch • Caixin GlobalAugust 17, 2026 at 2:20 AM

Anchors aweigh in South Korea as Trump loosens US shipbuilding grip

South Korean shipbuilders could be among the first US partners to benefit from President Donald Trump’s push to rebuild America’s naval industrial base, analysts said. Trump last week signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum allowing foreign shipbuilders with US investments to build up to two vessels at their parent shipyards – a move aimed at quickly addressing gaps in US Navy capacity while restoring the country’s own shipbuilding sector.

South China Morning Post • Park Chan-kyongAugust 17, 2026 at 2:00 AM

Xi Jinping speaks at event to commemorate China’s former president Jiang Zemin

President Xi Jinping presides over a grand ceremony in Beijing on Monday to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of former state leader Jiang Zemin, who served as the country’s top leader between 1989 and the early 2000s and died in 2022. Xi is addressing thousands of officials and delegates from various sectors at the ceremony, held in the Great Hall of the People, delivering a speech that highlights Jiang’s contribution to the party and the country.

South China Morning Post • Jun MaiAugust 17, 2026 at 1:59 AM

How has John Lee’s promise of a ‘new chapter’ for Hong Kong held up?

It made perfect sense for Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu to hold public consultations on both the city’s first five-year plan and the last policy address of his current term at the same time. Many have been putting forward views that warrant serious consideration. It is clear that Lee needs to be bolder when it comes to the “new chapter” he promised in 2022 when he was elected.

South China Morning Post • Alice WuAugust 17, 2026 at 1:30 AM

Thousands in Indonesia await aid after quake kills 68

⁠An ⁠earthquake of magnitude ‌5.9 struck Indonesia’s Flores region ⁠on Monday, the ‌German Research ‌Centre for Geosciences ⁠said, ⁠hitting ‌at a ‌depth ‌of ‌10km (six miles). The aftershock comes two days after a magnitude 7.7 quake shook six regencies on Flores, a predominantly Catholic island in the Muslim-majority country.

South China Morning Post • Reuters,Associated PressAugust 17, 2026 at 1:29 AM

The Rise of China’s Electric Vehicle Industry

How did China grow its EV industry? Hint: it wasn’t really central planning from Beijing. It was a magical concoction of entrepreneurs and local officials using their guanxi to dance around giant SOEs and central-government regulation, leverage private and foreign capital, and just be really excellent business people. That’s led to our situation in 2026 — world-beating companies that have a ton of overcapacity and are set to take over the planet.

ChinaTalk • Jordan SchneiderAugust 17, 2026 at 1:13 AM

What does China want? The debate kind of continues

Hello! I am vary happy to share the link (Open Access for two weeks) to the Correspondence section of the latest issue of International Security.

Thoughts on China • Andrea GhiselliAugust 17, 2026 at 1:01 AM

USS Lincoln leaders making mental health ‘a priority’: US commander

A top US military commander said mental health was a valid concern after meeting crew deployed on the USS Abraham Lincoln, where conditions aboard the aircraft carrier have led to complaints during its long deployment in the Iran war.

South China Morning Post • BloombergAugust 17, 2026 at 1:00 AM

China dark tourism rises as adventurers brave simulated disasters at experience centres

As dark tourism gains traction, some Chinese youth are embracing a related form of experiential travel, paying to confront simulated typhoons, floods, and other disasters while acquiring survival skills. Also referred to as grief tourism, dark tourism involves visiting sites linked to death, catastrophe, and human suffering. Its origins trace back centuries, including connections to 17th century Britain, where public executions often attracted large crowds.

South China Morning Post • Zoey ZhangAugust 17, 2026 at 1:00 AM

Hong Kong firm bets on Chinese open-weight models to rival CoreWeave

The rise of Chinese open-weight models has shaken up the global artificial intelligence (AI) market in recent months. With China’s systems offering high performance at a lower cost, businesses around the world are looking at shifting away from Silicon Valley’s leading providers. Now, a new Hong Kong-based company aims to turn that trend into a billion-dollar business.

South China Morning Post • Xinmei ShenAugust 17, 2026 at 1:00 AM

CFA Institute and Zhaopin Explore Evolution Path of Financial Talent in AI Era

In a recent event held in Shanghai,

China Legal Blog • Investment Research TeamAugust 17, 2026 at 1:00 AM

How to help more of Hong Kong’s non-Chinese-speaking students reach university

The percentage of non-Chinese-speaking students who sat Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) exams and were admitted to the city’s public universities has remained persistently low over the past five academic years, with no clear signs of a change in sight. Veteran educators who teach such pupils, classified by the government as NCS students, attributed the trend to three main factors: high failure rates in core mathematics;

South China Morning Post • William YiuAugust 17, 2026 at 12:30 AM

Japan looks to Australia, India to sustain defence readiness

Japan is looking beyond the United States to enhance its defence capabilities, as mounting doubt over American munitions supplies pushes Tokyo to seek deeper industrial ties on this front with Australia and India.

South China Morning Post • Maria SiowAugust 17, 2026 at 12:00 AM

Northern Metropolis: Hong Kong homebuyers flock to flats launch

Hong Kong homebuyers flocked to the first batch of units at a major residential project in the Northern Metropolis with 44 – or more than half – of the 82 flats made available via regular sale finding buyers as of 7.30pm on Sunday, according to agents. Wheelock Properties’ Park Silicon project in Kwu Tung North also sold eight units via tender worth more than HK$78.43 million (US$9.99 million), the developer said. The units were among the 18 available via tender starting Sunday.

South China Morning Post • Cheryl ArcibalAugust 16, 2026 at 11:30 PM

US-South Korea joint military exercises start after Trump orders a scale-back

US President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon on Sunday to scale back planned joint military exercises with South Korea after the Republican president said South Korea declined to help denuclearise Iran. Trump said in a social media post that the exercises scheduled to begin this week are costly and “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea, which he said “has been unthreatening and respectful” while Trump has been in the White House.

South China Morning Post • Associated PressAugust 16, 2026 at 10:29 PM

Nirupama Rao and Lin Minwang on the great India-China face-off

Welcome to Open Dialogue, a series from the South China Morning Post where we bring together leading voices to discuss the stories and subjects occupying international headlines. In this edition, we invited a leading Chinese scholar of South Asian affairs and a former Indian foreign secretary and ambassador to China to reflect on the deep fault lines in India-China relations.

South China Morning Post • Khushboo RazdanAugust 16, 2026 at 10:00 PM

Chokepoints and the cost of cutting off access

In 2022, Ukraine asked SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to activate Starlink coverage around Sevastopol to support an attack on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. He refused, saying SpaceX would become “explicitly complicit in a major act of war”; he later also cited US sanctions covering Crimea. At the moment that mattered, one private actor had the final say. It exposed a question hidden inside every chokepoint. We usually ask where dependence is concentrated: a strait, mineral, technology, network.

South China Morning Post • Robin HuAugust 16, 2026 at 9:30 PM

Moonshot AI’s Yang Zhilin takes his shot, Zhu Rongji RIP, and the fall of Fang Xinghai

Plus, a look at China’s first private-sector carmaker, Geely.

The Wire China • Ella ApostoaieAugust 16, 2026 at 9:00 PM

China’s Anti-Corruption Campaign Roils On

A probe into influential securities regulator Fang Xinghai has sent shockwaves through the financial community.

The Wire China • Rachel CheungAugust 16, 2026 at 9:00 PM

Company in the News: Geely

Chinese carmaker Geely is aiming to conquer Europe through a new joint venture with Ford.

The Wire China • Savannah BillmanAugust 16, 2026 at 9:00 PM

The Moonshot Moment

The launch of Kimi K3, one of China’s most powerful AI models to date, prompted a reckoning in the U.S. and triggered a regulatory storm.

The Wire China • Rachel CheungAugust 16, 2026 at 9:00 PM

Michael Dillon On Shanghai — China’s Most Dynamic City

The historian talks about Shanghai’s long history as a center of commerce and political turmoil, and its extraordinary modern development.

The Wire China • Jonathan ChatwinAugust 16, 2026 at 9:00 PM

Attorney General Blanche backs Pirro after Trump criticism over Reflecting Pool

US Attorney General Todd Blanche said ⁠on Sunday that ⁠he backs top Washington prosecutor ⁠Jeanine Pirro, who was criticised by US President Donald Trump for the way she handled a case of alleged vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. “I absolutely support US Attorney Pirro, as does President Trump,” Blanche said ‌on NBC’s Meet the Press programme.

South China Morning Post • ReutersAugust 16, 2026 at 8:55 PM

Photos of the Day: PLA Type 56 85 mm Gun, where and when

Came across two old PLA propaganda photos, decided to do some forensic anthropology to see when and where those two were takenClue #1: The Type 56 (No, the other Type 56):the Type 56 85 mm anti‑tank gun, China’s clone of the Soviet D‑44 divisional gun. Factory 247 started cranking these out in 1956, eventually producing over 11,000 of them.

China Defense Blog • UnknownAugust 16, 2026 at 7:46 PM

5 dead, 4 seriously injured in head-on motorway collision in Ireland

A number of people have died and others have been seriously injured in a crash involving a car driving in the wrong direction on a highway in Ireland, Irish police said. Commissioner Justin Kelly described the head-on collision between two cars on the M9 as “horrific” and warned that “in some cases” cars are being driven on the wrong side of highways for social media likes. Police said they are investigating the circumstances of the crash at junction 3 at about 3am on Sunday.

South China Morning Post • dpaAugust 16, 2026 at 7:46 PM

Thieves steal 4 Renaissance artworks worth millions in Sicilian museum robbery

Thieves stole four works attributed to Renaissance painter Antonello da Messina worth millions of euros from the regional museum in the city of Messina in Sicily while crowds gathered across town for the traditional Assumption holiday celebrations, cultural officials and Italian media said on Sunday.

South China Morning Post • Associated PressAugust 16, 2026 at 6:45 PM

US envoy Kushner meets Hamas leader in push for Gaza road map

US negotiator and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner held a rare meeting with the Hamas chief on Sunday in a new diplomatic effort to make progress in the stalled Gaza ceasefire. Kushner will meet Israel’s prime minister on Monday. The talks aim to salvage the new 15-point, US-backed road map for Hamas to disarm in Gaza and Israel to withdraw from the Palestinian territory shattered by war.

South China Morning Post • Associated PressAugust 16, 2026 at 6:14 PM

Driver arrested after Hungary bus crash kills 12 people, injures at least 10

A passenger bus travelling on a highway in Hungary early on Sunday went off the road and into a ditch where it overturned, killing 12 and injuring others, police said. The bus, which was carrying a group of Polish tourists, was travelling on eastbound lanes near the town of Mezokeresztes when it overturned on the M3 motorway around 140km (87 miles) east of Hungary’s capital, Budapest, at around 1am on Sunday.

South China Morning Post • Associated PressAugust 16, 2026 at 5:47 PM

Iran offers US$30,000 bounty for killing or capturing US soldiers

Iran’s military announced on Sunday that it was offering a bounty equivalent to US$30,000 for killing or capturing US soldiers, with the reward doubled if carried out by a woman. Army chief Amir Hatami said the plan had been drawn up following a “large number of requests” to take part, according to the IRNA state news agency.

South China Morning Post • Agence France-PresseAugust 16, 2026 at 5:12 PM

BBC asks US court for help with testimony from Trump family in defamation suit

Britain’s BBC asked a US court for help in getting documents and testimony from members of US President Donald Trump’s family in connection with his US$10-billion defamation lawsuit against the British broadcaster, a court document showed.

South China Morning Post • Associated PressAugust 16, 2026 at 4:45 PM

Customs steps in over claims beauty chain Opatra cheated woman out of HK$60,000

Hong Kong customs has said it is actively following up on a case involving a London‑based beauty chain after a woman complained that she cheated into paying more than HK$60,000 (US$7,700) for products and raised concerns about the company’s operations. Opatra London’s outlet at Sha Tin New Town Plaza shopping centre posted a notice over the weekend saying that it had “temporarily suspended” operations, without elaborating.

South China Morning Post • Danny MokAugust 16, 2026 at 4:27 PM

‘Keep Politics in Games’: Reactionary Circuits between the Anglo-European Sphere and China

Black Myth: Wukong (黑神话: 悟空;

Made in China Journal • Dino Ge ZhangAugust 16, 2026 at 3:22 PM

🗞️DeepSeek’s Harness Debut, Unitree’s IPO Frenzy, and Manus’s Return from Meta

China AI Weekly Digest (Aug 9–Aug 15, 2026)

Recode China AI • Tony PengAugust 16, 2026 at 2:51 PM

C3S ISSUE BRIEF XXXVII - The Making of China's Global Leadership in Integrated Space and Geospatial Capability

By Commander YVV Prasad, IN (Retd.)Part IX of INDIA- CHINA SERIESINDIA AND CHINA : Lessons from Four Decades of Scientific, Technological and Industrial Transformation - Reflections on Science, Technology,

Chennai Centre for China Studies • Chennai Centre for China StudiesAugust 16, 2026 at 2:23 PM

Lee Kuan Yew’s Montblanc pen sells for US$360,000 in Singapore auction

A silver Montblanc fountain pen owned by Singapore’s first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew has sold for S$461,500 (US$360,000), nearly 10 times its highest estimate, after drawing 111 bids at an auction. Singapore auction house Hotlotz said the sterling silver Montblanc Meisterstuck No 146 fountain pen, engraved with “SM Lee Kuan Yew”, sold on Sunday at its “Interiors & Collectibles – August, Fine Art Focus” online auction.

South China Morning Post • SCMP’s Asia deskAugust 16, 2026 at 2:20 PM

How a ‘rough’ and ‘crude’ Chinese cartoon ox went from box office zero to hero

A raw, handcrafted Chinese animation has become an unlikely box-office sensation despite being widely panned by critics and social media users. Niu Lai, or The Arrival of the Ox, has been criticised for its “rough” and “broken” style and a plot that many viewers found hard to follow.

South China Morning Post • Cao JiaxuanAugust 16, 2026 at 2:02 PM

Moscow strikes Ukrainian steel plant as Kyiv targets Russian economy

Russia carried out a wave of air strikes on Ukraine overnight, killing two people at a steel plant, and Kyiv launched a heavy drone attack on the Moscow region that killed one person and set ablaze a warehouse ‌used by Russia’s leading e-commerce retailer. Romania, which borders Ukraine, said an F-18 fighter on a Nato air policing mission had shot down a drone that breached its airspace during the latest attacks.

South China Morning Post • ReutersAugust 16, 2026 at 1:28 PM

Communist Party invokes Jiang’s legacy in call to rally round Xi’s leadership

A leading Communist Party research group has invoked the legacy of China’s former leader Jiang Zemin in a call to rally round President Xi Jinping. The article by the Institute of Party History and Literature, published on Sunday in the party’s mouthpiece People’s Daily, formed part of the commemorations of the centenary of Jiang’s birth and highlighted the importance of supporting the leadership in the face of economic or geopolitical difficulties.

South China Morning Post • Alyssa ChenAugust 16, 2026 at 1:00 PM

Boy, 13, among 16 arrested as Hong Kong police tackle juvenile crime

Hong Kong police have arrested 16 people as part of efforts to clamp down on juvenile crime, with those apprehended including a 13‑year‑old boy linked to a shoplifting case involving stolen goods worth about HK$4,000 (US$510). Officers from the force’s New Territories South regional headquarters said on Sunday that the arrestees, aged 13 to 39, included 11 teenagers.

South China Morning Post • Danny MokAugust 16, 2026 at 12:54 PM

Australian foreign minister defends multiculturalism, attacks far-right

Australia’s foreign minister attacked the policies of the far-right One Nation party, arguing that its call for a monoculture would damage social cohesion at home and relations with friends and allies abroad. “The call for a monoculture is a call for Australia to curtail our choices and cut off our connections,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a speech on Friday in Sydney.

South China Morning Post • BloombergAugust 16, 2026 at 12:53 PM

Malaysia’s DAP backs Anwar’s alliance but faces growing pressure for reform

A crucial ally of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling alliance voted on Sunday to stay in government, giving him breathing room after months of uncertainty over whether the biggest party in the coalition would remain in cabinet. But the Democratic Action Party’s (DAP) decision also raises the stakes for its own political survival.

South China Morning Post • Joseph SipalanAugust 16, 2026 at 12:33 PM

US-China tech war is coming for AI’s plumbing

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is reportedly considering a ban on Chinese optical transceivers, signalling that the US-China tech war is expanding beyond the focus on semiconductor chips to shadow even the smallest link in the chain of essential artificial intelligence (AI) hardware. Optical transceivers are small devices that use fibre optic technology to send and receive data as light.

South China Morning Post • Ayesha ShaikhAugust 16, 2026 at 12:30 PM

HKU, CityU secure spots in global university top 100

Two Hong Kong universities have secured places in the top 100 of an academic ranking that assesses 1,000 institutions worldwide. The University of Hong Kong (HKU) rose five places from 67th last year to 62nd, while City University of Hong Kong (CityU) climbed four places from 99th to 95th in the Academic Ranking of World Universities, released by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy on Saturday.

South China Morning Post • Theodora YuAugust 16, 2026 at 12:20 PM

Pakistan border sees 724 humanitarian trucks enter Afghanistan

More than 700 trucks carrying international humanitarian aid arrived in Afghanistan via Pakistan despite a near-total closure of the land border between the two countries following clashes in October, the United Nations said on Sunday. The convoy was carrying “food and other critical humanitarian items,” Olga Cherevko, spokeswoman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Afghanistan, told reporters.

South China Morning Post • Agence France-PresseAugust 16, 2026 at 12:03 PM

From cargo to combat: China urged to prepare civilian ships for wartime use

China should speed up plans to commandeer civilian ships for wartime operations, drawing lessons from Britain’s use of commercial vessels during the 1982 Falklands conflict, according to a defence researcher at Beijing’s top economic planning agency. As maritime security threats and great-power competition grow, Beijing should make greater use of civilian ships to support military operations, according to an article published last month in Defence Industry Conversion in China.

South China Morning Post • Liu ZhenAugust 16, 2026 at 12:00 PM

500 PLA summer camp cadets battle heat as they step out of their comfort zone

Wilson Hui Chau-yuen, a 22-year-old final-year student at Hong Kong Metropolitan University, recalls that the scorching heat was the biggest enemy during an annual two-week summer camp organised by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) garrison. “Even on the city’s hottest day, our training continued without pause including martial arts, bayonet practice and marching drills,” Hui said on Sunday, adding that he hoped to join Hong Kong’s disciplined services in the future.

South China Morning Post • Kate ChanAugust 16, 2026 at 11:34 AM

Could Hong Kong character at centre of new Disneyland show be a pangolin?

Hong Kong Disneyland is collaborating with Pixar Animation Studios to offer an exclusive theatrical experience centred around a home-grown character, with the resort dropping clues in its concept art that suggest she could be a pangolin. The theme park announced on Sunday that a massive theatre space would be unveiled at Toy Story Land in the first half of 2027, with the theatrical experience to be exclusive to the city.

South China Morning Post • Leopold ChenAugust 16, 2026 at 11:30 AM

Ex-regulator manager charged over unauthorised access to confidential files

Hong Kong’s corruption watchdog has charged a former financial regulator manager with unauthorised access to the internal computer system to view confidential case files and licensee data. Tong Ka-lei, 39, who previously worked in the enforcement division of the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), faces 12 counts of obtaining access to a computer with a view to dishonest gain for herself or another, in breach of the Crimes Ordinance.

South China Morning Post • Danny MokAugust 16, 2026 at 11:29 AM

Partners, Not Allies: China’s Widening Footprint from Cairo to Tehran

I’ve been spending my summer mostly writing academic journal articles.

The China-MENA Newsletter • Jonathan FultonAugust 16, 2026 at 11:24 AM

Eat, move, live well: Hong Kong style

With health awareness rising and Hong Kong’s wellness market expanding, the South China Morning Post’s Health Matters series examines some emerging lifestyle trends and assesses their effectiveness.

South China Morning Post • SCMP StaffAugust 16, 2026 at 11:02 AM

Why are more Hongkongers turning to supplements to keep their ‘engine’ running?

In the first instalment of a five-part Health Matters wellness series on Hong Kong’s growing wellness trends, Lo Hoi-ying examines why younger residents are turning to supplements to boost energy, immunity and performance, as experts warn that excessive use should not replace a balanced diet. Tata Tse Yi-kwan spends around HK$2,000 (US$255) a month on supplements tailored to her different needs, including immunity, energy, digestion, performance and recovery.

South China Morning Post • Lo Hoi-yingAugust 16, 2026 at 11:00 AM

Hong Kong boy, 14, arrested for animal cruelty after badly injured cat dies

A 14-year-old Hong Kong boy has been arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty after bringing a badly injured cat that later died to a clinic for treatment. Police said on Sunday that they received a report from an employee of a veterinary clinic in Cheung Sha Wan at 6.25pm on August 10, suspecting that a cat had been ill-treated.

South China Morning Post • Leopold ChenAugust 16, 2026 at 10:54 AM

Rahman will not visit India until Hasina extradited to Bangladesh

Bangladesh said on Sunday that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would not visit India until New Delhi extradited Sheikh Hasina, the Bangladeshi former premier who fled during a 2024 uprising. The countries have had a strained relationship since deadly anti-government protests brought down Hasina’s government and prompted her to escape to neighbouring India, where she remains.

South China Morning Post • Agence France-PresseAugust 16, 2026 at 10:44 AM

Summer reading: The White House may have the map right

The White House recently published a report with a title difficult to ignore: The Great Transshipment Scam.

SOAPBOX • SOAPBOXAugust 16, 2026 at 10:42 AM

C3S China Watch Newsletter (August 1-15, 2026)

C3S China Watch is a fortnightly bulletin offering news and analysis related to China from an Indian perspective. The newsletter is compiled by Team C3S. It has emerged as an essential brief for the research community, strategic affairs community, and China watchers from around the globe.

Chennai Centre for China Studies • Chennai Centre for China StudiesAugust 16, 2026 at 10:42 AM

China to fly flags at half-mast for former premier Zhu Rongji’s funeral

Former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji will be cremated in Beijing on Tuesday, with flags across the country – including in Hong Kong and Macau – flown at half-mast, state media reported on Sunday.

South China Morning Post • Amber WangAugust 16, 2026 at 10:37 AM

Belgium battles worst wildfire on record, EU allies come to aid

Firefighters battling Belgium’s largest modern-day wildfire were counting on crucial air support on Sunday to help tame the blaze in a hard-to-access nature reserve, after it doubled in size over the previous 24 hours. More than 250 firefighters and emergency personnel were mobilised through the night, according to a Sunday morning update from the regional government which warned conditions in the High Fens park near the German border “remain challenging”.

South China Morning Post • Agence France-PresseAugust 16, 2026 at 10:09 AM

17 arrested, HK$3.67m seized in crackdown on scammers using Malaysian ‘runners’

Hong Kong police have arrested 17 people and seized HK$3.67 million in a crackdown on a fraud syndicate that recruited foreign “runners” from Malaysia to collect crime proceeds from victims. The force’s Kowloon West crime squad said on Sunday that the arrests were made in connection with “guess who I am” phone scams that duped 22 victims out of about HK$2.5 million between June and August.

South China Morning Post • Emily HungAugust 16, 2026 at 10:03 AM

Chinese brain-reading AI model may predict depression risk 4 years in advance

Chinese scientists have developed an AI model they say could be used to predict the risk of depression up to four years in advance. Major Depressive Disorder affects over 332 million people worldwide, according to the researchers at Shenzhen University, and is notoriously difficult to treat. The ability to predict the risk of depression and take preventive measures could prove a significant public health benefit.

South China Morning Post • Shi HuangAugust 16, 2026 at 10:00 AM

Musk’s headaches: meet China’s corporate matrix challenging his empire

US entrepreneur Elon Musk has long been highly respected in China. His business ideas – from electric cars to rockets, humanoid robots and brain implants – have spawned Chinese followers, many of which now pose growing threats to Musk’s business empire.

South China Morning Post • Christina ZhaoAugust 16, 2026 at 10:00 AM

Flags to fly at half-staff in Hong Kong as tribute to late ex-premier Zhu Rongji

Hong Kong will fly the national and regional flags at half-staff at various government sites on Tuesday to mourn the late former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji. The government said on Sunday it would lower the flags at government headquarters in Admiralty, Government House, all control points and checkpoints at border crossings and Hong Kong International Airport. The tribute will be paid on the day of Zhu’s cremation, in accordance with a notice issued by state news agency Xinhua.

South China Morning Post • Theodora YuAugust 16, 2026 at 9:54 AM

Exam body defends denying unwell DSE candidate access to lift before assessment

Hong Kong’s examination authority has defended an invigilator who refused to let a candidate with anxiety use a school lift after he started feeling unwell before his second assessment, arguing the man had not requested the facility in advance.

South China Morning Post • Kristen CheungAugust 16, 2026 at 9:42 AM

Subdivided flat residents suffering in heat that feels like 52 degrees: study

Indoor heat levels in Hong Kong’s subdivided flats and rooftop huts felt like a blistering 52.21 degrees Celsius (126 Fahrenheit) this summer, with 80 per cent of homemakers living in those homes reporting dizziness and headaches, according to a survey released on Sunday.

South China Morning Post • Eric JiangAugust 16, 2026 at 9:41 AM

C3S ISSUE BRIEF XXXVI - The Making of China's Strategic Agricultural Capability through Resource-Constrained Agricultural Modernization and Scientific & Technological Agrarian Transformations

By Commander YVV Prasad, IN (Retd.)Part VIII of INDIA- CHINA SERIESINDIA AND CHINA : Lessons from Four Decades of Scientific, Technological and Industrial Transformation - Reflections on Science, Technology, Industry and National Capability for India’s Next Leap: Strategic Insights for India’s Future Development.Image Source: Gen Ai”The true measure of a nation’s agricultural strength is not the extent of its fertile land, but its ability to transform science, technology,

Chennai Centre for China Studies • Chennai Centre for China StudiesAugust 16, 2026 at 9:02 AM

Death knell? Hong Kong’s five-year plan is a starting gun

I’m a little perplexed and bemused by the brouhaha surrounding Hong Kong’s decision to draft its first five-year plan, as if the sky is falling in around the city’s famed laissez-faire economy. Predictably, Yale University’s Stephen Roach (he of “Hong Kong is over” fame) warned in a commentary last month that “Chinese-style central planning” could “over-promise and under-deliver”. In a 2024 commentary, he said Hong Kong had been “shackled by the deadweight of autocracy”.

South China Morning Post • David DodwellAugust 16, 2026 at 8:30 AM

Beijing and Manila clash over arrests of ‘illegal’ workers as tensions worsen

Tensions between Beijing and Manila appear to have spilled over from the South China Sea to immigration, just as Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr indicated he wanted to “reset” ties. Manila on Sunday dismissed Beijing’s criticism of Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr over his role in the arrests of Chinese workers at a steel plant in Misamis Oriental in May.

South China Morning Post • Cao JiaxuanAugust 16, 2026 at 8:00 AM

24 hours with Tencent’s WeChat AI agent: successes and stumbles

Tencent Holdings’ WeChat is already the undisputed super-app for over a billion people in China, handling everything from splitting dinner bills to hailing taxis. Now, Tencent is embedding an artificial intelligence agent named Xiaowei into the platform, adding a hands-free, automated assistant to its vast digital ecosystem. In its latest earnings results announced on Wednesday, Tencent highlighted Xiaowei for the first time, touting its focus on user privacy and inference efficiency.

South China Morning Post • Ben JiangAugust 16, 2026 at 8:00 AM

Máximo Badaró, "Pedagogies of Value: Marketing Foreign Goods in China" (Berghahn, 2026)

Pedagogies of Value: Marketing Foreign Goods in China (Berghahn, 2026) by Dr. Máximo Badaró explores how China is reshaping global hierarchies of worth. Through ethnographic research among marketers, consultants, and brokers who promote foreign goods in Shanghai, Beijing, and beyond, this book investigates how value is taught, contested, and transformed in everyday encounters.

New Books in Chinese Studies • New Books NetworkAugust 16, 2026 at 8:00 AM

UK PM Andy Burnham shifts focus to TikTok and podcasts

Whether he is pulling a pint, tossing a builder’s helmet in the air or running with Olympic medallist Mo Farah, the UK’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has embraced social media with a deft touch. As well as putting out videos on his own accounts on X and TikTok, he has sought to broaden his audience by appearing on entertainment channels run by creators with large followings.

South China Morning Post • Agence France-PresseAugust 16, 2026 at 7:59 AM

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China In Arms - Podcast and Newsletter • Wendell MinnickAugust 16, 2026 at 7:23 AM

How US could squeeze Iran with economic isolation – and the risks involved

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the US is getting ready to squeeze Iran with unprecedented economic pressure, a claim critics greeted with scepticism given the country is already subject to a naval blockade and thousands of sanctions. While the Trump administration has not said what it is planning to do, there are still pressure points that Bessent’s Treasury Department could hit. The main challenge is that targeting the remaining options risks blowback on the US economy.

South China Morning Post • Tribune News ServiceAugust 16, 2026 at 6:52 AM

Planning for Climate Change & Extreme Weather - CICIR Chief on Xi’s Global Initiatives - Zheng Chunrong on Germany’s Political & Economic Predicament - Defining loyalty to the Party & How to Build It?

This edition of the newsletter offers a breakdown of 5 key articles from the latest edition of the Qiushi journal.

Tracking People's Daily • Manoj KewalramaniAugust 16, 2026 at 6:51 AM

Why the Chinese yuan could soon be Africa’s most important currency

Africa is emerging as fertile ground for Beijing’s drive to make the yuan a major international currency and reduce reliance on the US dollar, as an increasing number of financial institutions deepen their integration with China’s payment network.

South China Morning Post • Jevans NyabiageAugust 16, 2026 at 6:00 AM

Snooker stars not in Hong Kong just for low tax, immigration chief says

Hong Kong’s immigration chief has rejected claims that world‑class snooker players are using a local talent scheme primarily to cut their tax bills, saying zero‑tax Middle Eastern destinations would be more logical if avoidance were the only goal.

South China Morning Post • Leopold ChenAugust 16, 2026 at 5:58 AM

Impact of US trade policy shifts on Hong Kong ‘primarily psychological’: Paul Chan

Changes in US trade policy and interest rate trends will significantly affect Hong Kong’s economy but the impact will be “primarily psychological”, the finance chief has said, while expressing optimism for growth momentum to continue into the second half of the year.

South China Morning Post • Lo Hoi-yingAugust 16, 2026 at 5:49 AM

Father’s Day Fun Time at the NSC

Do you want to know who works at the National Security Council? China does!

China In Arms - Podcast and Newsletter • Wendell MinnickAugust 16, 2026 at 5:18 AM

‘House collapsed on me’: Indonesian quake survivors recount chaotic escape

Melania Nius was at her husband’s hospital bedside on Indonesia’s Flores Island when a powerful quake shook their town to its core, sending patients fleeing into the chaos outside. Melania, 56, recounted how she prayed as she fought to get her family to safety. “The four of us – my husband, our two children, and I – were on the bed,” when the 7.7-magnitude rattler struck just north of Flores island at around 5.30am on Saturday. At least 48 people were killed in the quake and dozens injured.

South China Morning Post • Agence France-PresseAugust 16, 2026 at 4:45 AM

Heatwave to persist in Hong Kong before thunderstorms set in midweek

Scorching weather in Hong Kong will persist on Sunday and Monday with maximum temperatures climbing to 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) before a low-pressure system brings squally thunderstorms and unsettled weather by midweek. The Very Hot Weather Warning has been in force since 6.45am on Sunday with temperatures across the city ranging from 28 to 33 degrees, according to the Hong Kong Observatory. Mercury levels in Tai Po soared to 34.8 degrees at noon.

South China Morning Post • Natalie WongAugust 16, 2026 at 4:35 AM

Bead Street’s fraying legacy: craft hub faces uncertain future as shops bow out

In a cramped handicraft shop in Hong Kong’s Sham Shui Po neighbourhood, 70-year-old Jen Kwong was sifting through reels of embroidered and sequinned ribbons while other shoppers around her were hunched over containers of tiny beads and trinkets. Kwong, who had worked for four decades during the golden age of Hong Kong’s textile manufacturing industry, still tailors and alters clothing for her grandchildren with her sewing machine at home.

South China Morning Post • Lo Hoi-yingAugust 16, 2026 at 4:01 AM

How Cambodian worker exodus exposes Thailand’s fragile labour model

After last year’s border conflict with Cambodia, hundreds of thousands of migrant workers left Thailand, exposing how dependent parts of its economy had become on cross-border labour. Thailand has tried to ease the squeeze by holding on to workers already in the country, especially Myanmar nationals.

South China Morning Post • Vincent TanAugust 16, 2026 at 4:00 AM

China’s ‘electric eel’ sensor lets robots feel an object without touching it

Electric eels hunt in pitch-black, murky waters by generating electric fields around their bodies. Now, Chinese scientists have mimicked this natural radar, giving robots the ability to “feel” objects without making physical contact. “We want the machine to sense an approaching target – distinguish its material and surface condition – before any physical contact,” said Zhang Weiqiang, a professor at Xidian University, in a video interview last week.

South China Morning Post • Zhang TongAugust 16, 2026 at 4:00 AM

Home province of DeepSeek, Moonshot founders seeks to retain future AI talent

China’s southern manufacturing powerhouse of Guangdong province welcomed nearly 40 computer science students from Tsinghua University this week, part of a targeted push by local authorities to bridge a widening gap in China’s artificial intelligence race by attracting top-tier talent from Beijing. Despite raising two of China’s brightest minds in artificial intelligence – Moonshot AI founder Yang Zhilin and DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng – Guangdong failed to retain either.

South China Morning Post • Coco FengAugust 16, 2026 at 3:00 AM

Chinese ‘family bridge’ connects remote elderly and overseas children

A man in central China has completed more than 200 trips to remote mountain villages in a year, visiting elderly parents on behalf of their children who work and live far from home or overseas. Tian Rui, 39, from Yichang in Hubei province, is a former rural courier who now operates a small convenience store, according to Jiupai News. Years spent delivering parcels through scattered mountain communities provided Tian with a deep understanding of the winding roads.

South China Morning Post • Zoey ZhangAugust 16, 2026 at 2:19 AM

As China launches new gang crackdown, lawyers fear wrongful convictions

During a crackdown on organised crime, Zeng Jianbin, a real estate developer in Mianyang, southwestern China’s Sichuan province, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for being a “gang leader”. In 2023, the Mianyang Intermediate People’s Court convicted Zeng of nine offences, including provoking trouble, illegal lending at high interest and intentional destruction of property. His sentence was particularly harsh because of the organised nature of the crimes.

South China Morning Post • Phoebe ZhangAugust 16, 2026 at 2:00 AM

Does K-pop need the Grammys? BTS’ boycott reignites debate

For Asian musicians, the Grammy Awards represent the ultimate dream and recognition of success in the global music industry long dominated by their Western counterparts. When BTS, widely regarded as the world’s most famous Asian pop act, decided not to submit their music for consideration at next year’s Grammys in an apparent protest against the creation of a new best Asian pop music performance category, it created a dilemma for their K-pop and regional peers.

South China Morning Post • David D. LeeAugust 16, 2026 at 2:00 AM

Hong Kong’s growing wealth inequality: will it be an M- or olive-shaped society?

An ageing society and a widening income gap threaten Hong Kong’s social fabric. In the last of a five-part series on the city’s five-year plan, we look at what can be done to address these key issues. Read part one here, part two here, part three here and part four here. At 71, Man Chi-ying is the sole carer for her husband, Fung Yu-hoi, a Parkinson’s disease patient. Fung, who is also 71, has stiff limbs and, on some days, needs his wife’s help getting dressed.

South China Morning Post • Matthew Cheng,Fiona SunAugust 16, 2026 at 1:00 AM

Rebound in China luxury home sales divorced from rest of market: analysts

Sales of luxury homes in mainland China’s top cities are picking up as high-net-worth individuals, benefiting from the country’s tech boom, splash out billions of yuan to improve their housing. The buying binge has sparked expectations of a broad market recovery after a six-year property slump across the country, according to brokers.

South China Morning Post • Daniel RenAugust 16, 2026 at 1:00 AM

Australia urged to lead Indo-Pacific cable shield as hybrid war risks rise

The cables that link Australia with the rest of the world lie mostly unseen, stretched across the seabed and threaded through some of the Indo-Pacific’s busiest and most contested waters. This vulnerability could also become a strategic advantage, a new report says, urging Australia to position itself as an “Indo-Pacific preferred cable hub” as threats to submarine cables raise economic and national security risks across the region.

South China Morning Post • Sam BeltranAugust 16, 2026 at 12:00 AM

Colombia leader asks Trump to suspend tariffs after deadly quake

Colombia’s new President Abelardo de la Espriella on Saturday called on his US counterpart Donald Trump to suspend tariffs currently targeting the South American nation, which is reeling after a deadly earthquake. US tariffs on Colombian products rose from 10 per cent to 12.5 per cent in late July, with a few exceptions including coffee and oil.

South China Morning Post • Agence France-PresseAugust 15, 2026 at 11:43 PM

China’s 1MW perovskite solar farm beats silicon system in industrial-scale test

A China-led team has cleared the last major hurdle in the race to commercialise the most promising alternative to conventional silicon solar technology, paving the way for the next generation of low-cost, high-efficiency panels to be made on an industrial scale.

South China Morning Post • Ling XinAugust 15, 2026 at 10:00 PM

Hong Kong’s new university town a test of the city’s global ambitions

Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis University Town is no longer just a planning concept. After site visits by a university town task force, the government has reportedly absorbed lessons from overseas models, expanded the university town area to more than 1,000 hectares, received 19 proposals from local institutions and moved towards phased site tendering and development.

South China Morning Post • Ryan Ip,David Yu Chak-waiAugust 15, 2026 at 9:30 PM

Photos of the Day: PLAAF/PLANAF Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation Pod

The PLAAF/PLANAF do, of course, use Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI) pods. It is the same real‑time telemetry and simulated‑weapons pods every modern air force relies on to make air‑combat training measurable instead of anecdotal.

China Defense Blog • UnknownAugust 15, 2026 at 8:22 PM

Iran urges Qatar to release pilots shot down in Middle East war

Iranian authorities revealed on Saturday that three of Tehran’s pilots who went down early in the Middle East war were still being held in Qatar, calling on the Gulf state to release them. Iran had previously reported one pilot killed and others missing after a sortie to Qatar in March, but news of their alleged capture was not publicised at the time.

South China Morning Post • Agence France-PresseAugust 15, 2026 at 6:44 PM

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