11 h. ago Chinese, Japanese groups issue joint call for Japan to return Tang dynasty stele

Chinese researchers and Japanese activists have renewed calls for Japan to return a Tang dynasty relic looted over 120 years ago. The effort to recover the Tang Honglu Well Stele comes amid rising regional tensions and Beijing’s ongoing national campaign to reclaim cultural heritage. Shanghai University’s Research Centre for Chinese Relics Overseas and Japanese cultural groups issued a joint declaration on Friday urging Tokyo to “correct historical errors” and return the stone monument, Chinese...

Politics

11 h. ago Iran’s leader says ‘thousands’ killed in protests, Trump a ‘criminal’

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday said “several thousand people” died in this month’s anti-government demonstrations, his first acknowledgment of the deadly scale of the unrest. Some of those were killed “brutally and inhumanely”, Khamenei said without offering details in a public meeting broadcast on state TV. He accused the US and Israel of aiding the killings and said the Islamic Republic had evidence to support the claim. Iran did not intend to push the country towards...

Events

16 h. ago Scam and corruption cases spark debate in China over cryptocurrencies’ future

The seizure of enormous cryptocurrency caches in two high-profile criminal cases in China – a former head of the central bank’s digital currency research institute accused of corruption, and an alleged scam centre kingpin linked to about US$15 billion in bitcoin – have sparked questions in the country about the safety and future of virtual money. But analysts said the long-term trend for the assets, especially bitcoin, depended on institutional capital, interest rate expectations and the...

Politics

17 h. ago Helsinki Welcomes China Southern Airlines’ First Ever Direct Beijing Route, Boosting Trade and Tourism Between China and Finland – Here’s What You Need to Know for Your Next Nordic Adventure

Helsinki Welcomes China Southern Airlines’ First Ever Direct Beijing Route, Boosting Trade and Tourism Between China and Finland – Here’s What You Need to Know for Your Next Nordic Adventure  Travel And Tour World

Society

19 h. ago ‘Will for Peace’ drills: Brics tests the waters of military cooperation

A week-long naval exercise off the South African coast involving the navies of China, Russia and the UAE has stirred debate over whether the primary purpose of Brics is evolving in the emerging post-Western global order. The exercise, held from January 9 to 16 under the banner “Will for Peace 2026”, was described by host nation South Africa as a routine maritime safety and interoperability operation. Officials said the drills aimed to improve coordination in protecting shipping routes and...

Events

29 h. ago China conducts static fire test of new reusable Long March 12B rocket

China conducts static fire test of new reusable Long March 12B rocket  SpaceNews

Events

38 h. ago China dominates global humanoid robot market with over 80% of installations

China accounted for more than four out of five humanoid robot installations globally in 2025, driven by domestic start-ups AgiBot and Unitree Robotics, as mass production and commercialisation accelerated, according to a report by Counterpoint Research. A total of 16,000 humanoid robots were installed globally in 2025, mainly for data collection and research, as well as in the logistics, manufacturing, and automotive sectors, according to Counterpoint data released on Wednesday. The market was...

Politics

43 h. ago China’s quantum warfare weapons; ‘rising star’ quits US: SCMP’s 7 highlights

We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond 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. Chinese military says it is developing over 10 quantum warfare weapons The People’s Liberation Army said more than 10 experimental quantum cyber warfare tools were “under development”, many of which were being “tested in front-line...

Events

43 h. ago Beijing Completes Rocket Street, China’s First Shared Testing and R&D Manufacturing Base for Commercial Spaceflight

Beijing Completes Rocket Street, China’s First Shared Testing and R&D Manufacturing Base for Commercial Spaceflight  Pandaily

Events

48 h. ago Exiled crown prince’s plan for Iran is mostly aimed at Trump, researchers say

No pursuit of nuclear weapons. Confronting drug trafficking. An immediate recognition of the state of Israel. Exporting copious amounts of oil and gas. Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi laid out his aspirations on Thursday for Iran if its theocracy is toppled – and experts say they sound exactly like what US President Donald Trump wants to hear. That plan is probably aimed at trying to secure support to lead Iran if the nationwide protests succeed in ousting the Islamic Republic. Activists...

Politics

48 h. ago Exiled crown prince’s plan for Iran seen as mostly aimed at Trump

No pursuit of nuclear weapons. Confronting drug trafficking. An immediate recognition of the state of Israel. Exporting copious amounts of oil and gas. Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi laid out his aspirations on Thursday for Iran if its theocracy is toppled – and experts say they sound exactly like what US President Donald Trump wants to hear. That plan is probably aimed at trying to secure support to lead Iran if the nationwide protests succeed in ousting the Islamic Republic. Activists...

Politics

51 h. ago China Southern launches Beijing Daxing–Helsinki route as European carriers retreat

China Southern launches Beijing Daxing–Helsinki route as European carriers retreat  Aviation24.be

Politics

55 h. ago Europe's aviation safety regulator conducted test flights of China's COMAC jets as part of certification process

Europe's aviation safety regulator conducted test flights of China's COMAC jets as part of certification process  Reuters

Politics

59 h. ago China’s alchemy: how it transforms critical minerals into global power

China’s alchemy: how it transforms critical minerals into global power  CaixaBank Research

Politics

60 h. ago Death toll from Hong Kong fire rises to 168 after more remains identified

The death toll of Hong Kong’s worst fire in decades has risen to 168 from 161 after the remains of more victims were identified, the city’s security chief has said. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung updated the figures for the Wang Fuk Court inferno in Tai Po, saying that all the victims had now been identified following dental examinations and DNA testing of remains. “We have notified the families of all 168 victims, and they have since confirmed the identities of the deceased,” Tang...

Events

63 h. ago Nexperia accuses Chinese owner of threats in testy chip feud

Nexperia accuses Chinese owner of threats in testy chip feud  Automotive News

Events

65 h. ago Mapping issues in 7 of 8 power bank rental platforms tested by Hong Kong watchdog

Seven out of eight power bank rental platforms tested by Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog displayed inaccurate navigation or positioning data on map applications, a problem that may waste users’ time and incur extra charges due to delays. The Consumer Council on Thursday also found a significant variance in rental fees across different stations within the same platforms, with charges for a 30-minute rental differing by nearly 1.3 times and the daily cap on charges differing by more than 2.3...

Politics

67 h. ago Chinese military says it is developing over 10 quantum warfare weapons

China’s military says it is using quantum technology to gather high-value military intelligence from public cyberspace. The People’s Liberation Army said more than 10 experimental quantum cyber warfare tools were “under development”, many of which were being “tested in front-line missions”, according to the official newspaper Science and Technology Daily. The project is being led by a supercomputing laboratory at the National University of Defence Technology, according to the report, with a...

Events

68 h. ago China’s C919 airliner put through paces by test pilots from European aviation regulator

European aviation evaluators have begun test flights of China’s home-grown C919 airliner in Shanghai, the Post has learned, as the manufacturer of the narrowbody jet presses ahead with its bid to secure Western safety certification – a crucial step in the journey to global adoption and being able to compete with industry leaders Boeing and Airbus. Two test pilots from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have conducted verification flights, according to a source with knowledge of the...

Politics

68 h. ago Exclusive | European test pilots put China’s C919 airliner through paces in Shanghai

Exclusive | European test pilots put China’s C919 airliner through paces in Shanghai  South China Morning Post

Politics