55 m. ago Civilian group hosts Taiwan tabletop simulation of attack from mainland China

A think tank in Taiwan has started a two-day war game with retired US and Japanese generals to simulate the island’s defence in the event of a military attack from the Chinese mainland. The Taipei School of Economics and Political Science Foundation, which organised the tabletop exercise, said the aim was to “identify the defence issues that Taiwan urgently needs to strengthen and provide recommendations for the government”. Described as the first operational-level military simulation by a...

Events

1 hour ago Hong Kong to mark July 1 anniversary with 71,000 free MTR tickets: John Lee

More than 70,000 free MTR tickets will be up for grabs on July 1 as part of citywide celebrations to commemorate the 28th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule, the chief executive has said. City leader John Lee Ka-chiu also said on Tuesday he would bring forward his annual policy address by a month to September, in light of the Legislative Council election scheduled for the end of this year. Public consultation is set to kick off on Monday next week. He said the government would...

Politics

4 h. ago Japan spots Chinese navy’s show of force in west Pacific amid maritime row

China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier has for the first time ventured into the easternmost edge of Japan’s exclusive economic zone, in what is seen as a show of force aimed at Tokyo, Washington and the broader region. The Liaoning – Beijing’s first aircraft carrier – and at least three accompanying warships were spotted on Saturday around 300km southwest of Minamitori, a remote Japanese island in the western Pacific, which serves as a bulwark for Tokyo to assert its maritime claims. The group, which...

Politics

4 h. ago Hong Kong Observatory may raise No 1 typhoon signal on Wednesday morning

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. The Hong Kong Observatory is expected to issue the No 1 typhoon warning signal on Wednesday morning at the earliest and assess the need to raise the alert to a higher level the following day. The forecaster said a broad area of low pressure over the central part of the South China Sea was...

Politics

4 h. ago Chinese soldier, famed for striking resemblance to actress Dilraba, is elite sniper

A woman soldier from northwestern China who is known for her resemblance to a famous actress has developed into an outstanding sniper. Buzainafu Yasenjiang looks strikingly similar to Dilraba Dilmurat, one of China’s top entertainers, who has more than 81 million followers on social media. The 33-year-old actress and singer is a native of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in the northwest of the country. She is celebrated for her unique beauty and talent, and has even been praised by the...

Events

6 h. ago Chinese stocks ‘not particularly cheap’ with weak earnings power, JPMorgan says

Chinese equities are not as cheap as they seem because the nation’s economic slowdown has weakened corporate earnings, making it imperative for investors to screen stocks and sectors carefully to pick winners, according to JPMorgan Asset Management. While they traded at 14 times historic earnings in line with the average valuation over the past decade, investors were getting less oomph from the current scenario because the return on equity was faltering due to weaker profitability trend, said...

Politics

7 h. ago ‘Irresistible trend’: why Chinese firms are rushing to open factories in Hungary

When Agosto Bodo took a job at a Chinese law firm’s Budapest office last year, he found himself catapulted into the centre of a China-fuelled investment boom. Yingke Law Firm, a major player in Chinese corporate law, had opened the new office to serve a wave of Chinese companies looking to open factories in Hungary. And the business was quickly gaining momentum. “We helped our clients with sourcing labour, looking for offices – we provided the whole service to help them overcome the language and...

Politics

8 h. ago Chinese Aircraft Carrier Operating Near Iwo Jima for First Time

Chinese Aircraft Carrier Operating Near Iwo Jima for First Time  USNI News

Transport

9 h. ago US arrests another Chinese scientist with no permit to send biological material

Another Chinese researcher has been arrested upon entering the United States, amid an escalating federal probe into the alleged smuggling of biological materials – marking the second such case in less than a week. Han Chengxuan, a PhD candidate at Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) in Wuhan, was accused of shipping four undeclared packages containing biological materials from China to a University of Michigan lab—and lying to federal agents about it. Her arrest on Sunday...

Events

9 h. ago Third Chinese national accused of smuggling biological materials into Michigan

Third Chinese national accused of smuggling biological materials into Michigan  CBS News

Politics

12 h. ago US Pentagon orders 700 Marine Corps troops to Los Angeles as unrest spreads

The US Pentagon ordered hundreds of Marine Corps members to Los Angeles to quell unrest that has led to a political stand-off between Washington and officials in the West Coast state. Earlier on Monday, California Governor Gavin Newsom threatened to sue US President Donald Trump for dispatching National Guard troops to America’s second-most-populous city without state authorisation. Chinese and Asian residents in the economically powerful state expressed concern amid fear that, having already...

Politics

12 h. ago US Pentagon deploying 700 Marines to quell Los Angeles unrest

The US Pentagon ordered hundreds of Marine Corps members to Los Angeles to quell unrest that has led to a political stand-off between Washington and officials in the West Coast state. Earlier on Monday, California Governor Gavin Newsom threatened to sue US President Donald Trump for dispatching National Guard troops to America’s second-most populous city without state authorisation. Chinese and Asian residents in the economically powerful state expressed concern amid fear that, having already...

Politics

12 h. ago Trump deploying 700 Marines and 2,000 more National Guard to quell LA unrest

The US Pentagon ordered hundreds of Marines to Los Angeles and an additional 2,000 National Guard members on Monday to quell unrest that has led to a political stand-off between Washington and officials in the West Coast state. Earlier in the day, California Governor Gavin Newsom threatened to sue US President Donald Trump for dispatching National Guard troops to America’s second-most populous city without state authorisation. Chinese and Asian residents in the economically powerful state...

Politics

12 h. ago Trump orders 700 Marines, more National Guard to quell LA unrest

The US Pentagon ordered hundreds of Marines to Los Angeles and an additional 2,000 National Guard members on Monday to quell unrest that has led to a political stand-off between Washington and officials in the West Coast state. Earlier in the day, California Governor Gavin Newsom threatened to sue US President Donald Trump for dispatching National Guard troops to America’s second-most populous city without state authorisation. Chinese and Asian residents in the economically powerful state...

Politics

12 h. ago FBI busts second Chinese scholar at UM in widening smuggling probe

FBI busts second Chinese scholar at UM in widening smuggling probe  The Detroit News

Events

13 h. ago Bitcoin surges to $108,000 as top US and Chinese officials meet to discuss tariffs

Bitcoin surges to $108,000 as top US and Chinese officials meet to discuss tariffs  Fortune

Politics

14 h. ago America Relies on Chinese Minerals, and Beijing Wants to Keep it That Way

America Relies on Chinese Minerals, and Beijing Wants to Keep it That Way  MSN

Politics

14 h. ago Blink and you’re in. Macau launching iris scan immigration for Hongkongers this week

Hongkongers travelling to Macau can speed up immigration clearance using an eye scan starting this week. Authorities in the gaming hub said on Monday eligibility for its iris recognition immigration clearance had been extended to Hong Kong permanent residents who had registered for its automated passenger clearance service. Eligible Hongkongers can begin using the service from noon on Wednesday. Eighty-one iris recognition channels have been installed at six Macau border checkpoints: the Border...

Politics

15 h. ago US and Chinese officials meet in London for pivotal trade talks

US and Chinese officials meet in London for pivotal trade talks  Reuters

Politics

16 h. ago US stocks drift and Chinese markets rise as trade talks start between the world's largest economies

US stocks drift and Chinese markets rise as trade talks start between the world's largest economies  AP News

Economics