56 h. ago Hong Kong steps up awareness of money laundering, scam risks for migrant workers

Hong Kong police and various consulates in the city have stepped up efforts to educate migrant workers about money laundering and scam risks, following an uptick in cases among certain ethnic minority groups. Kamy Lee Ka-wai, chief inspector of the force’s financial intelligence and investigation bureau, said police had ramped up collaboration with consulates and religious organisations to reach out to the city’s ethnic minority residents and workers since last year. She said the main reason...

Events

3 d. ago Chinese boy rolls across newlyweds’ bed while chanting on wedding day

At some Chinese weddings, a little boy is invited to roll across the wedding bed while chanting blessings, praying for the couple to have children and enjoy prosperity. Known as gun chuang or “rolling the bed”, this centuries-old tradition originated in northern China but has since spread nationwide. In ancient China, when populations were small and productivity low, families desperately hoped for a male heir to help with agricultural work. Legend tells of a woman from the Zhao family who,...

Politics

3 d. ago Why Chinese boy rolls across newlyweds’ bed while chanting on wedding day

At some Chinese weddings, a little boy is invited to roll across the wedding bed while chanting blessings, praying for the couple to have children and enjoy prosperity. Known as gun chuang or “rolling the bed”, this centuries-old tradition originated in northern China but has since spread nationwide. In ancient China, when populations were small and productivity low, families desperately hoped for a male heir to help with agricultural work. Legend tells of a woman from the Zhao family who,...

Politics

5 d. ago Alibaba banks on AI to boost Singles’ Day sales on Taobao, Tmall

Alibaba Group Holding is taking advantage of artificial intelligence to turn its online marketplace into a “comprehensive consumption platform”, as the e-commerce giant regains momentum in an extremely competitive market. The company kicked off its annual Singles’ Day event – the world’s largest shopping festival – on Wednesday, riding on the back of strong growth in online shopping and on-demand delivery. Taobao and Tmall, Alibaba’s two domestic e-commerce platforms, are offering 50 billion...

Economics

6 d. ago Shutdown costing US economy US$15 billion a day, Treasury chief Bessent says

The two-week-old federal government shutdown is costing the US economy about US$15 billion a day in lost output, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday, putting an estimate on its economic toll and urging Democrats to “be heroes” and side with Republicans to end it. Bessent told a news conference that the shutdown was starting to “cut into muscle” of the US economy. “We believe that the shutdown may start costing the US economy up to US$15 billion a day,” he said. The wave of...

Economics

8 d. ago Volunteer network opens doors for ethnic minority women in Hong Kong

A volunteer network of business leaders, educators and professionals has joined forces to help ethnically diverse young women gain confidence and access careers in Hong Kong. Founded in 2017, Empower by the Amber Foundation has grown into a citywide community of more than 250 mentors and coaches, earning the group a place as a finalist in this year’s Spirit of Hong Kong Awards in the teamwork category. The Spirit of Hong Kong Awards, co-organised by the South China Morning Post and Sino Group,...

Politics

9 d. ago Why brides from China Bai ethnic minority wear sunglasses on their wedding day

A fascinating and unique wedding ritual among China’s Bai ethnic minority involves brides wearing sunglasses on their wedding day to hide their tears as they bid farewell to their families. The Bai, whose name means white in Chinese, originally referred to themselves as Baipzix due to their strong preference for the colour white, which they hold in high esteem. In 1956, they were officially recognised by the Chinese government as the Bai ethnic group. Today, they primarily live in the Dali Bai...

Politics

9 d. ago Explainer | Why brides from China Bai ethnic minority wear sunglasses on their wedding day

Explainer | Why brides from China Bai ethnic minority wear sunglasses on their wedding day  South China Morning Post

Politics

1 week ago To drink or not to drink – China Derung ethnic minority uses tea in marriage proposal

China’s Derung ethnic minority uses a single cup of tea to convey acceptance or rejection when it comes to a proposal of marriage. This unique ritual takes place during the “Saying the Marriage” custom, or Shuohun in Chinese. It is practised by the Derung ethnic group, whose population is around 7,000 and which primarily lives in the Derung River Valley of Gongshan Derung-Nu Autonomous County in Yunnan province, southwestern China. They speak the Derung language, one of the Sino-Tibetan...

Politics

1 week ago China’s ‘super golden week’ box office lags, but annual picture improves

China’s extended “super golden week” holiday saw cinemas’ box-office revenues slump compared to last year’s National Day break, but nationwide takings since the start of the year have already exceeded the total for all of 2024. According to box-office tracker Dengta Data, cinemas raked in 1.83 billion yuan (US$257 million) during the eight-day holiday, which ended on Wednesday. That was the second-lowest total since 2017 and down from the 2.1 billion yuan reported for the regular seven-day...

Politics

1 week ago Hong Kong retailers, caterers enjoy ‘golden week’ business growth of up to 20%

Hong Kong retailers and caterers have reported business growth of up to 20 per cent year on year during mainland China’s National Day “golden week” break, with one tourist spending a whopping HK$1 million (US$128,500) on international brands, business leaders have said. Industry leaders said stores selling gold, jewellery and cosmetic products emerged as the big winners as the eight-day break wrapped up on Wednesday, while cha chaan teng were the top dining choice, followed by Chinese...

Politics

1 week ago China braces for record travel peak on final day of ‘golden week’

China’s transport system braced for a massive travel surge on Wednesday as millions of people returned to work at the end of the annual “super golden week” holiday, one of the busiest times of the year. Transport authorities added hundreds of extra trains and additional temporary EV charging stations to manage the rush on the final day of the week-long break, which included National Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival. The Ministry of Transport on Wednesday said the total number of journeys during...

Sport

1 week ago China’s Draft Law on Ethnic Unity Threatens Minorities—and Religions Too

China’s Draft Law on Ethnic Unity Threatens Minorities—and Religions Too  Bitter Winter

Events

2 w. ago Why China Red Yao ethnic minority women grow hair long, only cut it twice

The remote mountains in southwestern China are home to an ethnic minority whose signature feature is remarkably long hair, which can stretch to as much as two metres in length. Women of Red Yao, a branch of the Yao ethnic minority in China, live in mountainous hamlets in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. They only cut their hair on two occasions in life, 100 days after they are born and when they turn 18 years old. As a result, hair of women aged 60 or above grows to at least one metre in...

Politics

2 w. ago Delhi, Beijing must collaborate to unlock Asia's growth potential: China's Chong En Bai

Delhi, Beijing must collaborate to unlock Asia's growth potential: China's Chong En Bai  irishsun.com

Politics

2 w. ago Alibaba’s Amap hits record 360 million users as ‘golden week’ begins

Amap, Alibaba Group Holding’s answer to Google Maps, saw a record 360 million daily users on the first day of China’s “golden week” National Day holiday, as the company strengthens its local service offerings amid increasing competition with Meituan. On Wednesday, the first day of the extended eight-day break, Amap provided navigation for trips totalling over 9 billion km, also a record high, according to Alibaba, owner of the Post. Meanwhile, Amap’s new road safety alert system, Eagle Eye...

Events

2 w. ago Hong Kong, mainland China adapt to gold prices amid wedding jewellery demand

Since the beginning of the year, Kelvin Siu and his fiancée had waited for gold prices to decline before buying jewellery for their wedding. Last week, they finally pulled the trigger to purchase, as gold prices continued to climb to fresh highs. “We had no choice but to buy the gold dragon and phoenix bracelets and other jewellery last week because our wedding day is getting close,” said Siu, who has booked his wedding in December. Gold prices, which have surged more than 48 per cent this year...

Politics

2 w. ago Fourth storm in five weeks threatens after Hong Kong recovers from Ragasa

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong is bracing for its fourth storm in five weeks, with a typhoon forecast to move close to the city this weekend, hot on the heels of Super Typhoon Ragasa which brought life to a standstill for two days last week. The Hong Kong Observatory said on Wednesday that a tropical depression formed earlier in the day to the east of the Philippines would...

Events

2 w. ago Fourth storm in 5 weeks threatens after Hong Kong recovers from Ragasa

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong is bracing for its fourth storm in five weeks, with one forecast to move close to the city this weekend, hot on the heels of Super Typhoon Ragasa, which brought life to a standstill for two days last week. The Hong Kong Observatory said on Wednesday that a tropical depression formed earlier in the day to the east of the Philippines would intensify...

Events

2 w. ago Hong Kong marks National Day with fireworks, naval ship tours and horse races

Hundreds of thousands of spectators packed Hong Kong’s harbourfront for a fireworks display on National Day, capping off celebrations that included an open day at PLA naval ships and visitors descending upon the city for shopping, sightseeing and hiking. Police said 344,000 people packed both sides of Victoria Harbour to watch the 23-minute display on Wednesday, the local highlight of the first day of mainland China’s “golden week” holiday. The Immigration Department recorded a net inflow of...

Events