23 h. ago East Asia faces fresh US tariffs, China rare earth curbs: SCMP daily highlights

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Apparently impatient Trump slaps 25% tariffs on Japan, South Korea US President Donald Trump, apparently impatient with the slow progress of negotiations, on Monday slapped 25 per cent unilateral tariffs on Japan and South Korea and equal or higher import taxes on several other nations ahead of a self-imposed Wednesday deadline. 2. Rare earth dominance: why...

Politics

24 h. ago China’s new nationalistic diplomacy wins over Southeast Asia

China’s new nationalistic diplomacy wins over Southeast Asia  East Asia Forum

Politics

49 h. ago Students shelter in libraries as heatwave hits eastern China

Students shelter in libraries as heatwave hits eastern China  Reuters

Society

51 h. ago Chinese man smashes train window after collision traps passengers on hot day

Passengers on a train in eastern China’s Jinhua were trapped after the vehicle collided with a freight train on July 2. One man, finding the heat unbearable, broke a window for fresh air as the air conditioning had been off for more than two hours. He was later taken away by police and reprimanded.

Politics

4 d. ago China driver accused of sexual harassment for praising passenger for ‘nice smell’

A driver has been suspended from an online ride-hailing platform for 21 days following accusations of verbal sexual harassment by a female passenger, who claimed he commented on her fragrance by saying she “smells good”. The driver, identified only by his surname Zhao, from Hangzhou in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, was blocked from the platform after an incident on June 8, as reported by Zhejiang TV. During the ride, Zhao asked the woman three times if she was wearing perfume. When she...

Events

4 d. ago Eastern China swelters under early heatwave, threatening crops and industry

Eastern China swelters under early heatwave, threatening crops and industry  Reuters

Events

5 d. ago Tools unearthed in China are first evidence of East Asia’s ‘Wood Age’

The earliest tools used by humans were made of stone, followed by bronze, then iron, and finally steel. But was there a “Wood Age”? This question has been difficult to answer as wood decomposes easily, leaving behind little evidence of ancient wooden tools – especially in East Asia. However, a study published in the top journal Science on Friday suggests that wooden tools were widely used in southwest China 300,000 years ago. These wooden tools, unearthed during excavations in 2015 and 2018,...

Politics

5 d. ago China TV host faces criticism for serving men drumsticks, women wings, exposes bias

A renowned Chinese TV host ignited a heated online controversy after openly expressing her preference for boys over girls and presenting drumsticks to two young men instead of a young woman during a show. Zhu Dan bizarrely justified it by stating that “boys need more nutrition to grow.” Zhu, 44, hailing from Zhejiang province in eastern China, is celebrated for her work on popular TV programmes like Do You Remember and The X Factor. She is a mother to a daughter and a son with her husband, actor...

Culture

5 d. ago Is Japan facing higher risk of drone warfare over Diaoyu Islands?

China could test Japan’s resolve by flying drones near disputed islands in the East China Sea after Tokyo clarified that its military is authorised to shoot down such unmanned aircraft intruding into its airspace, according to analysts. In response to a written query from a lawmaker, the Japanese government affirmed at a cabinet meeting on June 27 that the Self-Defence Forces could take such an action even if foreign drones were not an immediate threat to the country’s security. Ryo...

Events

5 d. ago Will the Maghreb States Have to Pick Between the U.S. and China?

Will the Maghreb States Have to Pick Between the U.S. and China?  Middle East Council on Global Affairs

Politics

5 d. ago China, US ease export curbs but Trump’s Vietnam deal risks blowback: analysts

A week after announcing long-anticipated progress from high-level talks in London, China and the United States are taking concrete steps to clear export hurdles and issue licenses for strategic goods. The easing of trade restrictions signals a tentative reset between the world’s two largest economies. But the thaw remains fragile, as analysts warned that Washington’s new trade deal with Vietnam could provoke a response from Beijing. Still, for now, both sides have moved to restore access to...

Politics

6 d. ago Trump tariffs live updates: Trump announces Vietnam deal as US

Trump tariffs live updates: Trump announces Vietnam deal as US-China trade tensions ease  Yahoo Finance

Politics

6 d. ago China urges pupils to dance when studying to boost brains, morale, ease pressure

Secondary schools in China have urged pupils to dance while studying in a bid to activate their brains, boost morale and relieve heavy academic pressure. Several schools across the nation have applied the “passionate morning reading” method with their pupils. In video clips posted online, teenagers can be seen wiggling their bodies and waving their arms wildly while reading textbooks. In some schools, pupils stand still while studying but are encouraged to chant the text loudly. The activity...

Events

6 d. ago Philippines to view maritime rows with China as ‘one theatre’, partner Japan

The Philippines is adopting a Japan-led strategy to treat the East and South China seas as a unified theatre of operations – a shift analysts say reflects growing alignment among regional allies in the face of China’s expanding maritime footprint. Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said the “one-theatre” concept would promote operational synergy, intelligence-sharing and mutual reinforcement among members of the minilateral “Squad” – comprising the Philippines, Japan, the United States, South...

Politics

6 d. ago Tech war: US lifts export control of chip design software to China

The US said on Thursday it had lifted export controls on certain chip design software to China, according to statements from Siemens, Synopsys and Cadence Design Systems. Three of the world’s largest electronic design automation (EDA) software developers have been informed by the US government that sales of their products to China would no longer require special approval, signalling a further easing of bilateral tensions. San Jose, California-based Cadence said in an email that the US Bureau of...

Events

6 d. ago Trump has a US$30 billion plan to match China at shipbuilding. Can he win?

America’s view of China as a “pacing threat” has shaped its defence priorities as the military seeks to maintain an edge over a rapidly modernising PLA. In the last of a three-part series on how US budget tensions will affect efforts to deter China, we look at Trump’s massive funding request aimed at turbocharging naval construction. Read the rest of the series here. US President Donald Trump aims to invest tens of billions of dollars to revitalise American shipbuilding, as China’s rapidly...

Politics

6 d. ago Russia and China's influence wanes in the Middle East after 12

Russia and China's influence wanes in the Middle East after 12-Day War – analysis  The Jerusalem Post

Politics

7 d. ago China + Trump’s Abraham Accords Remake Middle Eastern Energy

China + Trump’s Abraham Accords Remake Middle Eastern Energy  Forbes

Politics

7 d. ago China And Trump’s Abraham Accords Remake Middle Eastern Energy

China And Trump’s Abraham Accords Remake Middle Eastern Energy  Forbes

Politics

7 d. ago ONMT, China Eastern Airlines Sign Agreement to Boost Morocco’s Appeal in Chinese Market

ONMT, China Eastern Airlines Sign Agreement to Boost Morocco’s Appeal in Chinese Market  Morocco World News

Politics