45 m. ago China’s ethnic affairs chief to take Communist Party helm in Xinjiang

A senior Chinese official with a background in water resources and ethnic affairs has been named as the new Communist Party boss of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. In a one-paragraph announcement on Tuesday, state news agency Xinhua said the party’s Central Committee “recently decided” that Chen Xiaojiang would serve as party secretary of Xinjiang. The move might clear the path for Chen, one of the 300 or so members of the Central Committee, to be promoted within the party’s hierarchy, given...

Society

1 hour ago For Hongkongers, a skip and a hop to Shenzhen via Heung Yuen Wai checkpoint

Hundreds of Hongkongers have crossed the border for the July 1 holiday, with many favouring the Heung Yuen Wai crossing due to its convenient transport links and easy access to shopping centres in Shenzhen’s Liantang district. Residents streamed into Shenzhen via the Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point on the 28th anniversary of the city’s return to Chinese rule on Tuesday. Among them was security guard Cheung Ming-fung, 68, who relished the cheap commute between his home in Sheung Shui and...

Politics

2 h. ago 'Tiantan Award Panorama·Sydney' Concludes Successfully, Chinese Films Receive Widespread Acclaim

'Tiantan Award Panorama·Sydney' Concludes Successfully, Chinese Films Receive Widespread Acclaim  GlobeNewswire

Events

2 h. ago Hong Kong train driver’s antics have passengers laughing as MTR clips go viral

A video clip in which a Hong Kong train driver can be heard imitating a recorded passenger announcement in an MTR carriage has gone viral online, along with two others involving the rail giant’s staff, with internet users applauding the workers’ creative and personal approaches. In one video, the East Rail line driver can be heard mimicking the standard announcement telling passengers to “please step back from the train doors” and then adding, “Du du du du du du duuu”, the warning sound that...

Politics

2 h. ago Chinese scientists uncover coal power’s dirty secret in satellite data study

In the first high-precision satellite mapping of carbon dioxide emissions from large international coal power plants, Chinese scientists have found that existing databases are underestimating discharges from facilities across the globe. They include China’s Tuoketuo – the largest coal-fired power station in the world – and Alabama’s James H. Miller Jnr facility, the most polluting plant in the United States, according to a paper published on June 9 by the peer-reviewed Journal of Cleaner...

Politics

3 h. ago Chinese President Xi calls to regulate exercise of power to fight corruption

President Xi Jinping has called for a “clear, transparent and traceable” mechanism to regulate the exercise of power in China’s anti-corruption drive and boost supervision by the people and the media to better rein in disciplinary and legal violations. Xi made the remarks while presiding over a group study session of the 24-seat decision-making Politburo in Beijing on Monday, a day before the 104th anniversary of the party’s founding, according to Xinhua. Xi spoke on enforcing party discipline...

Politics

3 h. ago Chinese President Xi Jinping calls to regulate exercise of power to fight corruption

Chinese President Xi Jinping calls to regulate exercise of power to fight corruption  South China Morning Post

Politics

3 h. ago Musical Chinese man, 102, strikes up sweet bond with grandma in nursing home

A 102-year-old man in central China has formed a sweet bond with an 85-year-old woman at a nursing home by charming her with his artistic talent, winning the admiration of many online. Centenarian Jiang Weidi has lived at Enjoy Ages Nursing Home in Wuhan for over three years, according to Hubei Daily. His room is filled with books, calligraphy, and paintings. He also plays the hulusi, a traditional Chinese cucurbit flute, and taught himself to play the piano. Carers at the home say Jiang is...

Events

3 h. ago Two Chinese chip firms plan $1.7 billion IPOs, bet US export curbs to spur growth

Two Chinese chip firms plan $1.7 billion IPOs, bet US export curbs to spur growth  Reuters

Economics

4 h. ago China's Luckin Coffee opens first U.S. locations in New York City

China's Luckin Coffee opens first U.S. locations in New York City  upi.com

Politics

4 h. ago Certain ferry services in Hong Kong to be suspended during Chinese naval fleet visit

Hongkongers will have to make changes to their transport plans during the visit of a naval fleet led by the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong from Thursday as certain ferry services will be temporarily suspended, with authorities also implementing restrictions in some flying zones. The Transport Department on Monday evening announced the adjustments, with nine outlying island licensed ferry service routes operating on the western fairway to be suspended gradually between about 7.20am and 9.50am...

Politics

5 h. ago On anniversary of Hong Kong handover, John Lee vows to be a ‘reformer’

Hong Kong’s leader has vowed to be a “reformer” that rises to challenges rather than becoming a “complacent idler” in the face of the economic restructuring and geopolitical tensions, as he enters his fourth year in office. In a speech to mark the 28th anniversary of the city’s handover to Chinese rule, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Tuesday also laid down three priorities in his governance: boosting development backed by security; expediting the Northern Metropolis megaproject near the...

Politics

5 h. ago Why China’s yuan is forecast to keep strengthening against the US dollar

Market optimism for the Chinese currency continues to rise, with analysts projecting the yuan to appreciate further against the US dollar amid a stronger-than-expected domestic economy and growing concerns over US debt sustainability. On Tuesday, the People’s Bank of China set its daily reference rate at 7.1534 per US dollar – strengthening from Monday’s 7.1656, and the strongest level since early November. In June, the onshore yuan appreciated by 0.41 per cent against the greenback, bringing...

Politics

7 h. ago Beijing sanctions Manila’s South China Sea legal claim architect Francis Tolentino

China has announced sanctions on former Philippine Senate leader Francis Tolentino, a key ally of the Southeast Asian country’s President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr on South China Sea issues. Beijing accused Tolentino of “egregious conduct on China-related issues” and will bar the former Philippine lawmaker – whose term ended yesterday – from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, according to the Chinese foreign ministry. “For some time now, individual anti-China politicians in the Philippines...

Events

7 h. ago Beijing sanctions South China Sea legal claim architect Francis Tolentino

China has sanctioned the former Senate leader of the Philippines Francis Tolentino, a key ally of the Southeast Asian country’s President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr on South China Sea issues. Beijing accused Tolentino of “egregious conduct on China-related issues” and will bar the former Philippine lawmaker – whose term ended on Monday – from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, according to the Chinese foreign ministry. “For some time now, individual anti-China politicians in the Philippines...

Events

8 h. ago Photographer finds surreal beauty — and few humans — inside a Chinese EV factory

Photographer finds surreal beauty — and few humans — inside a Chinese EV factory  CNN

Culture

9 h. ago Japan probes Chinese student’s role in exam fraud amid rising cheating scandals

A Chinese student at one of Japan’s top universities has been charged for the third time with helping others cheat in English proficiency tests, a case that observers say may be part of a broader and more sophisticated cheating network involving overseas university admissions. Wang Likun, a 27-year-old studying artificial intelligence at Kyoto University, was first arrested in May when he attempted to enter a TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) venue while impersonating...

Society

9 h. ago ‘I’d rather be an arduous reformer than complacent idler’: Hong Kong’s John Lee

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. Hong Kong marks the 28th anniversary of its return to Chinese sovereignty on Tuesday. The day’s events start with a flag-raising ceremony at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai and a reception at the nearby Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, where Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu will...

Politics

9 h. ago Hongkongers, visitors enjoy discounts, freebies as city marks July 1 anniversary

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. Hong Kong marks the 28th anniversary of its return to Chinese sovereignty on Tuesday. The day’s events started with a flag-raising ceremony at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai and a reception at the nearby Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, where Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu...

Politics

9 h. ago Hongkongers, visitors enjoy discounts, freebies as city marks July 1 anniversary – as it happened

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. Hong Kong marked the 28th anniversary of its return to Chinese sovereignty on Tuesday. The day’s events started with a flag-raising ceremony at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai and a reception at the nearby Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, where Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu...

Politics