13 h. ago Chinese AI scientists, Beijing’s message to Brics: SCMP daily highlights

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trump vows tariff boost for ‘anti-American’ policies as China urges Brics action US President Donald Trump has threatened to slam an additional 10 per cent tariffs on countries supporting what he calls “anti-American policies” after the leaders of Brics nations condemned unilateral tariffs. 2. Australia’s Albanese to address Darwin Port sale on China...

Politics

14 h. ago Eating plastic: the hidden cost of convenience in Southeast Asia

More people in Southeast Asian countries could face health risks ranging from liver damage to poor brain development due to rising consumption of microplastics in their food, medical and regulatory experts have warned. Microplastics are formed when larger plastic items break down. As more animals, such as fish, eat microplastics due to plastic pollution, the near-invisible particles measuring less than 5mm (0.19 inch) can go up the food chain. “If the microplastics are absorbed by fish and then...

Politics

18 h. ago Trump’s Vietnam tariff pact challenges Asean unity in key summit

Southeast Asian nations are scrambling to recalibrate their approach to US tariffs ahead of a key diplomatic gathering that starts in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, as Washington’s preference for one-on-one trade deals casts doubt over Asean’s collective bargaining power. US President Donald Trump on Sunday announced a delay to the next round of his sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs – pushing the deadline from July 9 to August 1 – to give time for finalising deals with 18 major trade partners,...

Politics

43 h. ago Hong Kong rejected 12,452 visitors in first 5 months of this year: official

Hong Kong rejected more than 12,000 visitors from entering the city in the first five months of 2025, according to a top immigration official, who has said the move signals his department’s firm stance on border control. Director of Immigration Benson Kwok Joon-fung also said on Sunday that the 12,452 rejected visitors represented about 0.062 per cent of the nearly 20 million inbound travellers recorded over the same period. “There are a few reasons – for example, we might suspect their purpose...

Politics

43 h. ago Hong Kong denies entry to 12,452 visitors in first 5 months of 2025

Hong Kong denied entry to more than 12,000 visitors in the first five months of 2025, the immigration chief said on Sunday, stressing that the effort signalled his department’s firm stance on border control. Director of Immigration Benson Kwok Joon-fung also said that the 12,452 visitors who were not allowed into Hong Kong represented about 0.062 per cent of the nearly 20 million inbound travellers recorded over the same period. “There are a few reasons – for example, we might suspect their...

Politics

43 h. ago World number one Harvinder Singh takes Asian Para Championships title in Beijing

World number one Harvinder Singh takes Asian Para Championships title in Beijing  World Archery

Politics

2 d. ago Hong Kong enterprise’s drive to help ethnic minority groups through sport

A Hong Kong social enterprise is on a mission to help the city’s ethnic minority groups build a career in sports, while also offering culturally and religiously sensitive programmes. Inherited Sports supports ethnic minority communities by helping them qualify as coaches, opening up job opportunities and broadening career prospects. The group has helped 11 men and two women become certified coaches, and later this month will launch its annual programme to teach Muslim women to swim. “Inherited...

Politics

3 d. ago Malaysia’s new ‘luxury’ taxes hit the middle class where it hurts

In the calm of his kitchen, Christy Yoong once raised a glass to retirement – good wine, imported cheese and the spoils of a life’s work. But as Malaysia’s new tax regime lands with a thud, even these modest pleasures are slipping out of reach. When Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim unveiled his unexpected tax on imported luxuries in June, he promised the pain would be felt only by the affluent. The intent was clear: shore up government coffers by targeting the better-off. Yet the reality, for many...

Events

3 d. ago Is Japanese manga ‘megaquake’ possible on July 5 or have Hongkongers lost plot?

The plot of a Japanese manga has played a big role in fuelling online rumours about a “megaquake” striking Japan on Saturday, triggering fear among some Hongkongers and a decline in interest in trips to the country, a hugely popular destination for residents. But are the claims made by the comic book artist, based on her dreams, possible? The Post has gathered expert opinions to debunk the speculation. 1. Why have concerns about megaquakes arisen? The Japan Meteorological Agency last August...

Politics

3 d. ago Singh sets personal best to top qualifying as Asian Para Championships open in Beijing

Singh sets personal best to top qualifying as Asian Para Championships open in Beijing  World Archery

Politics

3 d. ago Malaysia’s latest gangland shooting linked to international crime syndicate

Malaysian police believe a man gunned down in his Ipoh home last week was the victim of an international organised crime syndicate, marking the latest in a string of unresolved gang-related assassinations in public places that left five people dead and shocked the country last month. Gun violence is rare in Malaysia, where unlicensed gun ownership and even brandishing a firearm as intimidation are capital crimes. But a series of shootings over 12 days in June has sparked public fear - as three...

Events

4 d. ago 150 live goats found, Hong Kong resident arrested in illegal slaughterhouse bust

A 51-year-old Hong Kong resident has been arrested for operating an illegal slaughterhouse in Yuen Long, where 150 live goats were discovered on a site with “extremely poor hygiene”. Authorities said the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, in a joint operation with police on Thursday, raided a secluded, enclosed plot of land spanning Ngan Kam Road in the New Territories, following a tip-off that someone was selling mutton online and was suspected of illegally slaughtering goats for...

Events

4 d. ago Can Rubio’s Asia tour ease region’s anxiety over looming US tariffs?

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio heads to Asia next week on a high-profile diplomatic tour, but his visit is not expected to ease growing anxiety in Southeast Asia, which is bracing itself for the return of steep US tariffs that threaten to derail growth and test ties with Washington. Rubio is expected to fly to Kuala Lumpur for meetings on July 10-11 with foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and other Asia-Pacific countries, according to media reports. He...

Politics

4 d. ago ‘Better than expected’: Chinese firms in Vietnam upbeat over US tariff deal

Chinese manufacturers in Vietnam breathed a sigh of relief on Wednesday, after Washington and Hanoi agreed a “better than expected” trade deal that will reduce US tariffs to 20 per cent and bring an end to three months of uncertainty. Most Chinese exporters are likely to continue operating in the Southeast Asian nation in the wake of the agreement, with firms viewing the final tariff rate as manageable, analysts and businesspeople in the country told the Post. US President Donald Trump announced...

Economics

5 d. ago Chinese fans bash ‘sore loser’ Zheng after Wimbledon exit, question her attitude

Chinese tennis fans made clear their disappointment after Zheng Qinwen crashed out of Wimbledon in the first round for the third straight year. The tournament’s fifth seed was beaten 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 by world No 81 Katerina Siniakova late on Tuesday – the second time in three years the Czech had knocked Zheng out in the opening round of the grass grand slam. Afterwards, many on Chinese social media rounded on the 22-year-old, questioning whether she truly belonged among the world’s best. “I feel...

Politics

5 d. ago Chinese fans rue ‘sore loser’ Zheng Qinwen’s Wimbledon exit, query her attitude

Chinese tennis fans have made clear their disappointment after Zheng Qinwen crashed out of Wimbledon in the first round for the third straight year. The tournament’s fifth seed was beaten 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 by world No 81 Katerina Siniakova late on Tuesday – the second time in three years the Czech had knocked Zheng out in the opening round of the grass grand slam. Afterwards, many on Chinese social media rounded on the 22-year-old, questioning whether she truly belonged among the world’s best. “I...

Politics

5 d. ago Chinese fans bash ‘sore loser’ Zheng over Wimbledon exit, question her attitude

Chinese tennis fans have made clear their disappointment after Zheng Qinwen crashed out of Wimbledon in the first round for the third straight year. The tournament’s fifth seed was beaten 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 by world No 81 Katerina Siniakova late on Tuesday – the second time in three years the Czech had knocked Zheng out in the opening round of the grass grand slam. Afterwards, many on Chinese social media rounded on the 22-year-old, questioning whether she truly belonged among the world’s best. “I...

Politics

5 d. ago Family of Hong Kong teenager who died on Sichuan peak arrive in province

Sichuan authorities are assisting the family of a 16-year-old Hongkonger who died while climbing a snow-covered mountain in the province. The Mount Siguniang Scenic Area Administration confirmed on Wednesday that the victim was 16 years old and told the Post that his family had arrived in the provincial capital Chengdu, with staff assisting them. Hong Kong’s Immigration Department said on Tuesday it was taking follow-up action through the city’s Economic and Trade Office in Chengdu, but did not...

Events

5 d. ago 2 Hong Kong students, both 12, arrested after knife used in school fight

Two 12-year-old pupils have been arrested in Hong Kong after they allegedly got into a fight and one slashed the other with a knife. Police said on Wednesday they received a report from staff at Tang Shiu Kin Primary School in Tuen Mun that a boy and girl had become embroiled in an argument. During the altercation, the girl allegedly attacked the boy with a knife while he was said to have hit back with his hands. The boy sustained an injury to one hand and the girl reported shoulder pain. The...

Events

6 d. 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