12 h. ago Bali named world’s second most crowded island – residents aren’t cheering

Indonesia’s Bali is now officially the second most crowded island in the world after neighbouring Java, as residents feel squeezed out by the influx of tourists and even their compatriots in their backyard. Measuring 5,780 sq km (2,230 square miles) in size, Bali is home to 731 people per sq km, excluding tourists, according to national newspaper Kompas citing data from online market researcher Visual Capitalist. More than 60,000 daily visitors arrive on the island with a population of 4.2...

Politics

6 d. ago ‘Marvellous achievement’: Hongkongers flock to see Chinese warship Shandong

Hundreds of residents and tourists lined Hong Kong's waterfronts on Thursday morning to catch a glimpse of the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong and its accompanying strike group entering local waters. Crowds packed the esplanade at the South Horizons private residential estate in Hong Kong Island’s Southern district, with many setting up cameras to get pictures of the passing warships. The Shandong was spotted near Lamma Island at 7.17am and is the first Chinese carrier to call at Hong Kong...

Events

9 d. ago By toy or tea, some China retailers still see US as path to profit

On a recent Sunday afternoon in lower Manhattan, a small shop inside the Oculus, a soaring curvilinear mall at the World Trade Center, stands out for the bustling crowd thronging its space. “We’re out of stock,” more than one employee can be heard telling customers. This is not one of New York’s many top-brand boutiques but Pop Mart, a Chinese designer toy brand that has become a sensation in the United States. Its signature “blind box”, containing collectable figurines revealed only when the...

Politics

1 week ago Buyer linked to Agile’s lender picks up Hong Kong sites at 63% discount

Two prime residential sites on Hong Kong Island, once owned by Agile Group Holdings, have been sold to executives linked to the private lender that helped fund the purchase by the distressed Chinese developer in 2022, government records showed. The adjacent sites – located at 992-998 King’s Road and 2-16 Mount Parker Road in Quarry Bay – were sold for HK$1.2 billion (US$152.9 million) via an offer to purchase and notice of acceptance earlier this month, according to the Land Registry. The...

Politics

2 w. ago Could manga be the unlikely saviour of this dying Japanese island?

On a tiny island in western Japan where just 11 residents remain, a bold experiment is under way to stave off extinction – by transforming the remote outpost into a global hub for manga. In April, the 1.34 sq km (0.5 square-mile) island of Takaikamishima opened a dedicated manga school in hopes of reviving its fortunes through one of Japan’s most iconic cultural exports. Twenty-three elementary and junior high school students from elsewhere in the Kamijima municipality – which includes...

Events

4 w. ago Megaquake scare in Japan, Philippines boosts air power: 7 Asia highlights

We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Japan on alert as Hokkaido tremors reignite megaquake fears A string of moderate earthquakes off the coast of Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido has reignited concerns among experts and residents about the risk of a catastrophic seismic event – though scientists stress...

Politics