27 h. ago Why the US could be China’s biggest ally in reining in Asia’s nuclear ambitions

Iran’s crushing defeat in its brief but devastating war with Israel has sent shock waves far beyond the Middle East, casting fresh doubts on the viability of nuclear non-proliferation and raising fears of a renewed global push to acquire nuclear weapons. Without a credible nuclear deterrent, Tehran proved unable to effectively defend or retaliate against Israel’s pre-emptive strikes on key personnel and nuclear facilities, despite its much-touted strategic alignment with China and Russia. While...

Events

49 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

50 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

4 d. ago Boom goes the deal? China’s Iran investments under fire, but Middle East beckons

Watching as missile bombardments threaten key shipping routes and blow up some of their trade deals in the Middle East, with Iran at the centre of the firestorm, Chinese exporters are feeling the heat. After finalising a deal with an Iranian buyer she met at China’s Canton Fair in April, Miya Yu, a trader of light industrial goods – valves, toys, aluminium containers, etc – collected the necessary materials to begin production and fill the order. Production never began. The contracted client...

Economics

4 d. ago Trump: US to tell countries ‘what they have to pay’; China, India deals coming

With the July 9 deadline for “Liberation Day” tariffs nearing, US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Washington would inform countries “what they have to pay” to do business with America “over the next week and a half or so”. His remarks came hours after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested trade talks could continue to September. Trump also directed a new salvo at Canada, announcing an immediate halt to trade talks in retaliation for Ottawa’s plan to introduce a digital trade tax...

Politics

5 d. ago Trump tariffs live updates: Trump says US, China framework 'signed' as Bessent targets Labor Day for key deals

Trump tariffs live updates: Trump says US, China framework 'signed' as Bessent targets Labor Day for key deals  Yahoo Finance

Economics

5 d. ago China should be alert to risk of US being drawn into war by allies, analyst says

There is more risk of a global military conflict breaking out under Donald Trump’s leadership, with the US more likely to be drawn into wars involving smaller nations or allies, according to Chinese analysts. The assessment came after the United States joined Israel’s war against Iran last weekend, carrying out military strikes on three nuclear sites in the Islamic Republic. US officials have signalled that the operation was a one-off intervention and – hours after Iran launched a missile attack...

Events

7 d. ago South Korean student shares harrowing escape from Israel amid missile barrage

A South Korean college student has recounted her harrowing escape from Israel amid a barrage of Iranian missile strikes as a fragile ceasefire between the arch-foes takes hold following a 12-day conflict. The woman, who is studying at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, chronicled her June 13 evacuation during the aerial clash in a video posted to YouTube last Thursday. She said she was woken up by air raid sirens at 3am, forcing her to rush into a bomb shelter. “I initially thought the...

Events

8 d. ago Chinese airlines’ advantage, Chongqing as key trade hub: 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. As skies in Mideast close, China airlines have key advantage – Russian airspace Western airlines risk suffering greater disruption than their Chinese rivals this summer, as the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel – compounded by US military strikes – forces most carriers to avoid flying over dangerous airspace on China-Europe routes. 2. Suez Canal...

Politics

8 d. ago Russia backs Iran with 'clear stance', slams US, Israel strikes; Beijing signals readiness to maintain stability | World News

Russia backs Iran with 'clear stance', slams US, Israel strikes; Beijing signals readiness to maintain stability | World News - Hindustan Times  Hindustan Times

Politics

8 d. ago As skies in Mideast close, China airlines have key advantage – Russian airspace

Western airlines risk suffering greater disruption than their Chinese rivals this summer, as the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel – compounded by US military strikes – forces most carriers to avoid flying over dangerous airspace on China-Europe routes. Analysts said that while almost all carriers have diverted services to bypass Iran and parts of the Middle East, Western firms are at a disadvantage: they remain barred from Russian airspace, which Chinese companies continue to...

Politics

8 d. ago China not likely to use navy to secure Hormuz Strait, analyst says

China is highly unlikely to use its navy to secure the vital Strait of Hormuz if Iran threatens to close it as Middle East tensions rise, a top US analyst told reporters Monday. Although China depends heavily on Middle Eastern oil, its approach would be shaped by quiet negotiations and self-interest, not direct military intervention, Richard Fontaine, chief executive of the Center for a New American Security, a Washington-based think tank, said. Fontaine spoke at a CNAS press briefing on the...

Politics

8 d. ago Iran attacks US military base in Qatar, after vowing response to strikes on nuclear sites

The Middle East crisis has intensified after Iran struck back against the United States following recent US actions targeting its nuclear programme. This critical development escalates an already volatile situation, building on weeks of rising tensions between arch-rivals Iran and Israel – and now, Israel’s key ally, the United States. Since June 13, Israel and Iran have exchanged wave after wave of devastating and deadly strikes. Israel launched its aerial campaign asserting that Tehran is on...

Events

9 d. ago US and Israel defend military strikes on Iran's nuclear sites at UN

US and Israel defend military strikes on Iran's nuclear sites at UN  Euronews.com

Events

9 d. ago Asian shippers fear spiralling costs as Iran threatens Strait of Hormuz closure

US air strikes on Iran sent oil prices soaring on Monday, leaving Asian shippers burdened with fresh costs on top of extra insurance premiums of US$1 million more per tanker, as Tehran threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz and paralyse the crucial sea lane. Up to 20 million barrels of oil pass each day through Hormuz, one-fifth of global supply, most of it destined for East Asia’s biggest economies – China, South Korea and Japan. The neck of water is controlled by Iran, whose parliament on...

Events

9 d. ago US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Labubu faces competition: 5 weekend reads

We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trump claims US ‘obliterated’ Iran nuclear sites, threatens more attacks 2. How much of a future does Elon Musk really have in US politics? 3. Move over Labubu – Fugglers look to take crown from Hong Kong-designed plush toy 4. How Huawei’s silicon strategy defies US sanctions, advances China’s...

Events

1 week ago Pentagon says US operation against Iran nuclear sites inflicted ‘severe damage’

The Middle East is plunged deeper into crisis after the United States launched strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, which US President Donald Trump said “completely and fully obliterated” three key sites, marking a major escalation in the Israel-Iran air war. Detailing a complex strike mission dubbed “Midnight Hammer” that involved seven B-2 bombers and the deployment of Massive Ordnance Penetrator “bunker buster” bombs for the first time in a conflict, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said...

Events

1 week ago Trump claims US ‘obliterated’ Iran nuclear sites, threatens more attacks

US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the US military carried out an aerial attack on three Iranian nuclear sites, following days of appeals by Israel for the American military to join its attacks on the Islamic republic, and vowed to launch more attacks if Tehran does not stand down. Trump delivered an address from the White House, in which he said Iran “must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier. There will be either peace or there...

Events

1 week ago ‘Maximum’ 2 weeks for US decision on joining Israel against Iran: Trump

US President Donald Trump on Friday reiterated his two-week timeline for deciding whether America would join Israel’s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, calling it the “maximum” window for action in an apparent bid to pressure Tehran to negotiate. Asked by a reporter whether the US could launch a strike before the two-week deadline, Trump on Friday replied: “I would say two weeks would be the maximum.” The American leader also on Friday declined Iran’s call for him to urge Israel to stop its...

Politics

1 week ago TikTok ‘continues to work with’ Vance on deal as its US fate remains uncertain

TikTok, the popular short video app owned by China’s ByteDance, thanked US President Donald Trump, while stating it was still working with Vice-President J.D. Vance who was tasked with brokering a deal under a sell-or-ban law. While TikTok’s fate remains in limbo after Trump offered another 90-day postponement on the deadline for a deal, it will not be business as usual and a US sale could result in a bifurcated platform given the deal’s complexity due to China’s export rules, according to...

Economics