85 m. ago Chinese passengers describe aircraft’s violent plunge before emergency landing

Japan Airlines flight JL8696 from Shanghai to Tokyo was forced to make an emergency landing at Kansai Airport on Monday evening after what passengers described as a sudden descent in the aircraft. The aircraft was on a code-share service operated by budget carrier Spring Airlines Japan as IJ004 from Pudong to Narita when it diverted to the airport in Osaka for an emergency landing at around 8.50pm local time. None of the 191 passengers and crew on board the Boeing 737-800 was injured. According...

Politics

89 m. ago Hundreds of mainland visitors in Hong Kong enjoy July 1 celebrations, deals

Hundreds of mainland visitors have made the most of Hong Kong’s holiday marking the city’s return to Chinese rule by flocking to popular tourist sites and enjoying discounts, free museum visits, ferry and tram rides, and cheap tickets at several major attractions. Undeterred by the cloudy and rainy weather on Tuesday, they gathered at popular locations across the city, including Central, Causeway Bay, Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui, with many planning to spend good money on the 3,800 restaurants...

Politics

1 hour ago Korean eatery’s sexy dance move for women staff ‘like working in a brothel’

A South Korean barbecue restaurant has sparked controversy after posting a video of women staff performing the provocative “Terminal Dance”. Eatery bosses also promised dancing staff a bonus if the clip reached 1 million views. Controversy surrounds Gopchang House in Seoul after asking its women employees to perform a suggestive “dance service” in front of customers by mimicking the viral, so-called Terminal Dance. The restaurant filmed their provocative moves and uploaded the video to social...

Politics

2 h. ago Beijing slams US official, EU body for attack on Hong Kong national security law

Beijing has hit out at a United States official and the European Union’s diplomatic wing for attacking Hong Kong’s national security legislation, criticising their “hypocrisy” and “malicious intention” of containing China by going after the city. The statement from China’s foreign ministry arm in Hong Kong on Tuesday was in response to remarks by Jim Risch, the chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the European External Action Service. Risch said that Hong Kong had become...

Events

4 h. 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

5 h. ago Hong Kong residents and tourists revel in handover anniversary festivities

From free museum visits and tram rides to discounted meals and fun runs, residents and tourists took full advantage of offers by thousands of businesses, braving the frequent showers to revel in the celebrations of the city’s 28th anniversary of its handover to Beijing. Rows of bright red national and Hong Kong flags adorned the streets and tourist attractions on Tuesday, as around 3,800 restaurants offered special discounts, hoping to attract diners and boost spending. A parade of about 30...

Politics

5 h. ago From free rides and museum visits to cheap meals, Hong Kong laps up July 1 deals

From free museum visits and tram rides to discounted meals and fun runs, residents and tourists took full advantage of offers by thousands of businesses, braving the frequent showers to revel in the celebrations of the city’s 28th anniversary of its handover to Beijing. Rows of bright red national and Hong Kong flags adorned the streets and tourist attractions on Tuesday, as around 3,800 restaurants offered special discounts, hoping to attract diners and boost spending. A parade of about 30...

Politics

5 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

7 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

9 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

9 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

11 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

11 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

11 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

19 h. ago Medical excellence to Olympic glory: Hong Kong honours outstanding contributions

A former chairman of Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority, a media mogul and a business leader have been awarded the city’s highest honour this year, while Olympic gold medal fencer Vivian Kong Man-wai was also recognised for her sporting achievements. Two Hongkongers who helped save residents from a deadly fire were also among the 427 individuals recognised on the 2025 Honours List on Tuesday for their contributions to society. Also honoured were a Hong Kong rescue team that had been deployed to...

Politics

21 h. ago Hong Kong in ‘critical stage of opening new chapter’, Beijing liaison chief says

Beijing’s new liaison office chief has said Hong Kong is in a “critical stage of opening a new chapter” and should further embrace reforms to broaden its economy in a speech delivered on the eve of the city’s 28th handover anniversary. Zhou Ji also said on Monday evening Hong Kong should “achieve breakthroughs and tackle core issues” to improve development while maintaining a robust “bottom line” of safety to pave the way for further growth. “Hong Kong is in a critical stage of opening a new...

Politics

21 h. ago Will Trump visit China for WWII victory parade? Optimism as speculation swirls

Speculation that US President Donald Trump may visit Beijing in September has sparked “cautious optimism” among some Chinese analysts about a possible diplomatic breakthrough as trade ties between the rival powers teeter on the edge of a fragile truce. A Kyodo report on Sunday citing unnamed sources said that China was planning to invite Trump to its Victory Parade in Tiananmen Square on September 3, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. When asked to comment on the report on...

Politics

22 h. ago ‘Risky choice’: why Canada’s tough stance towards US and China may backfire

The Canadian government appears to be caught between “a rock and a hard place” after trying to introduce tough measures targeting both American and Chinese companies last week, analysts said. Ottawa raised eyebrows by ordering a high-profile Chinese company to cease operations in the country due to national security concerns on Friday – the same day that US President Donald Trump announced he was breaking off trade negotiations with Canada over its proposed digital services tax. But Canada has...

Events

23 h. ago Adrian Cheng leaves New World after securing funding lifeline

Adrian Cheng Chi-kong, the third generation scion of New World Development (NWD), has left the company after the Hong Kong developer successfully refinanced its debt and concluded months of negotiations that pulled it back from the brink of default. Cheng resigned as non-executive director of NWD, effective July 1, to “devote more time to public services and other personal commitments,” according to a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange. Earlier, NWD said it successfully obtained HK$88.2...

Politics

26 h. ago China’s Communist Party tops 100 million members but growth is slowing

China’s Communist Party had more than 100 million members by the end of 2024, an increase of about 1 per cent from the previous year, according to official data released ahead of the party’s 104th anniversary. However, the rate of membership growth has continued to slow, with one insider attributing this to stricter screening by the Central Organisation Department (COD), the party’s top personnel office. In keeping with tradition, the membership data for the previous year was released a day...

Politics