53 m. ago How LA protests might force China to rethink its approach to US ties

The unrest in Los Angeles has revealed US domestic tensions that could momentarily divert Donald Trump’s attention from his China policies, potentially requiring a recalibration of Beijing’s approach towards Washington, according to Chinese analysts. One international relations expert urged Beijing to adopt a more pragmatic approach towards US ties and shift its focus to adapt to the conservative turn in American politics. After days of demonstrations in downtown Los Angeles over citywide US...

Events

74 m. ago WeChat Pay records fourfold rise in mainland tourist taxi payments in Hong Kong

WeChat Pay Hong Kong has recorded a fourfold increase in mainland Chinese tourist payments for taxi services in the city from last year and growing usage among locals and visitors alike, according to parent company Tencent. Vice-President of Tencent Financial Technology Daniel Hong Danyi said on Thursday that the number of transactions from mainland tourists paying for taxi fares through WeChat Pay had seen a fourfold increase year on year. “We saw that previously, many mainland tourists coming...

Economics

76 m. ago Xpeng and Chinese EV peers aim to win over Hongkongers amid global push

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Xpeng aims to start offering Hong Kong consumers smart cars featuring semi-autonomous driving systems next year as it gears up to take on Tesla’s FSD (Full Self-Driving) feature outside mainland China. He Xiaopeng, co-founder and CEO of the Guangzhou-based carmaker, said in Hong Kong on Thursday that testing of its Xpeng Navigation Guided Pilot (X NGP) driver-assistance system in the city would take only two months before sales could begin. However, he added...

Politics

1 hour ago Customs works with University of Hong Kong to develop crypto transaction tracer

Customs officials are working with the University of Hong Kong to develop a tool that can trace cryptocurrency transactions, with the authority stressing it had recorded seven suspected money laundering cases involving virtual assets and more than HK$9 billion (US$1.1 billion) in recent years. Mario Wong Ho-yin, assistant commissioner for intelligence and investigation at the Customs and Excise Department, said on Thursday it would ramp up collaborations with academics, finance and virtual asset...

Politics

1 hour ago China’s PLA Daily slams US Golden Dome plan, warns of space arms race

China’s military newspaper has condemned America’s planned “Golden Dome” space-based missile defence system, warning that it may threaten global strategic stability and trigger an arms race in space. “The development of the Golden Dome system and the US Space Force’s rapid expansion have further militarised outer space,” a commentary in the PLA Daily warned on Thursday, adding that such moves could potentially intensify great power rivalry and challenge international arms control norms. The...

Events

2 h. ago Are Robots The Answer To China's Aged Care Crisis? Beijing Launches Massive Trial To Test If Machines Can Cook, Clean And Console The Elderly

Are Robots The Answer To China's Aged Care Crisis? Beijing Launches Massive Trial To Test If Machines Can Cook, Clean And Console The Elderly  Benzinga

Events

2 h. ago China’s viral Labubu toy has an unlikely fan – the ruling Communist Party

As Chinese companies ponder how best to market their products internationally, the example set by Pop Mart – the Beijing-based brand behind the viral Labubu toy – has been praised by the country’s state media for the creativity that underlies its success. The wide-mouthed, bug-eyed toy’s global fan base is evidence of a shift in priorities for China as it transforms from a producer of low-value goods to a hub of innovation, Qiushi, the Communist Party’s top theoretical journal, said in a...

Politics

2 h. ago ByteDance helps jewellery firm Lao Feng Xiang push AI glasses to China’s elderly

Social media giant ByteDance is helping the 177-year-old Chinese jewellery company Lao Feng Xiang develop a new generation of smart glasses, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), that feature real-time voice navigation and translation functions. Lao Feng Xiang debuted their initial line of wearable gadgets at Wednesday’s opening of the International Exhibition of Senior Care, Rehabilitation Medicine and Healthcare, the world’s biggest senior care expo, that is being held in the company’s home...

Politics

3 h. ago Hong Kong tobacco tycoon Charles Ho dies at 75 after lung cancer diagnosis

Hong Kong tobacco and media tycoon Charles Ho Tsu-kwok, formerly the chairman of the Sing Tao News Corporation, has died at the age of 75. He revealed in February that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer last year. Two sources confirmed his death on Thursday, but it was unclear when he died. Ho previously served as a standing committee member of China’s top political advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and controlled the Sing Tao News Corp before he sold his...

Events

3 h. ago China to remove tariffs on nearly all goods from Africa as both criticise US

Twenty more African countries, mostly from the continent’s middle-income nations, are set to gain access to the world’s largest consumer market duty-free as Beijing plans to remove tariffs for all products from every African nation except eSwatini. The measure was announced as African ministers joined Beijing at a meeting in central China affiliated with the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Amid the tariff war, representatives from China and African nations accused the United States of...

Politics

3 h. ago Pentagon chief warns China preparing for war, calls Beijing top US threat

Pentagon chief warns China preparing for war, calls Beijing top US threat  Business Standard

Events

4 h. ago Why China’s rare earth exports are a key issue in trade tensions with US

Why China’s rare earth exports are a key issue in trade tensions with US  Al Jazeera

Events

4 h. ago ‘Overflowing with faeces, urine’: 150 dead cats found in Japanese woman’s home

A volunteer at an animal welfare group in Japan has been arrested after about 150 dead cats were discovered at her home in Kumamoto city. Police and animal rescue volunteers found the bodies, some in an advanced stage of decomposition, on Tuesday after they entered the woman’s home to investigate a pet owner’s complaint to the animal welfare group on May 27. The complainant said she had handed over four of her late mother’s pet cats to the suspect, who had promised her regular updates and...

Events

4 h. ago China’s Ant International to seek stablecoin licence in Hong Kong

Fintech firm Ant International, the global affiliate of Chinese tech giant Ant Group, said it would apply for a stablecoin issuer licence in Hong Kong once the new ordinance governing fiat-backed cryptocurrencies comes into effect in August. “We welcome the passage of the Stablecoins Bill and hope to contribute more to the city’s vision as a global hub for next-gen finance,” Ant International said in a statement on Thursday. “We plan to apply for the fiat-referenced stablecoins issuer’s...

Politics

4 h. ago Ant International and Ant Digital to seek stablecoin licences in Hong Kong

Singapore-based Ant International and the Hangzhou-based Ant Digital, two affiliates of Chinese tech giant Ant Group, have announced plans to apply for stablecoin issuer licences in Hong Kong once the new ordinance governing fiat-backed cryptocurrencies takes effect in August. “We welcome the passage of the Stablecoins Bill and hope to contribute more to the city’s vision as a global hub for next-gen finance,” Ant International, a spin-off of Ant’s global operations, said in a statement on...

Politics

5 h. ago Hong Kong Airlines cuts Japan routes over sluggish tourism and tremor concerns

Hong Kong Airlines is set to cancel flights to Kagoshima and Kumamoto in Japan in July and August, citing sluggish demand for tourism in the country, while flight schedules between the city and Nagoya will also be adjusted. The carrier announced the flight adjustments on Thursday amid growing concerns about a long-feared megaquake predicted to hit Japan. The airline said affected passengers could rebook to other destinations, including other cities in Japan and mainland China, as well as Taipei,...

Society

5 h. ago Hong Kong flights to 2 Japanese cities cut over sluggish tourism and quake fears

Hong Kong Airlines is set to cancel flights to Kagoshima and Kumamoto in Japan in July and August, citing sluggish demand for tourism in the country, while flight schedules between the city and Nagoya will also be adjusted. The carrier announced the flight adjustments on Thursday amid growing concerns about a long-feared megaquake predicted to hit Japan. The airline said affected passengers could rebook for other destinations, including other cities in Japan and mainland China, as well as...

Politics

5 h. ago Huawei 'has got China covered' if the U.S. doesn't participate, Nvidia CEO tells CNBC

Huawei 'has got China covered' if the U.S. doesn't participate, Nvidia CEO tells CNBC  CNBC

Politics

5 h. ago Firefighters put out blaze in busy Hong Kong shopping district

Hong Kong firefighters have extinguished a blaze that erupted in Causeway Bay on Thursday afternoon and caused smoke to billow into the streets of the busy shopping district. The Information Services Department said the fire was put out at around 4.48pm, nearly an hour and a half after the blaze was first reported. The Fire Services Department said that no injuries were reported, adding that the cause of the blaze was still under investigation. A Post reporter earlier observed smoke coming from...

Economics

5 h. ago Oil Prices Retreat. Investors Weigh Up China Deal and Middle East Tensions.

Oil Prices Retreat. Investors Weigh Up China Deal and Middle East Tensions.  Barron's

Economics