66 m. ago Japan’s new PM talks up ties with South Korea but her past casts a long shadow

As Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office, she wasted no time extending an olive branch to South Korea, calling it an “important neighbour” and praising its culture. But how long will the goodwill last? Concerns linger in South Korea that Takaichi, known for her nationalist leanings, may eventually adopt a more hawkish stance, risking again straining ties over long-standing issues such as Japan’s wartime history and territorial disputes. “I would say there is optimism about the...

Politics

1 hour ago Editorial | Japan’s new PM must respect China’s red lines if ties are to improve

Editorial | Japan’s new PM must respect China’s red lines if ties are to improve  South China Morning Post

Politics

11 h. ago China pushes trilateral currency swap, new drone sighted: 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. China eyes currency swap with Japan and South Korea amid trade tensions: source China is in talks with Japan and South Korea – both US allies – about a possible trilateral currency swap to bolster the region’s financial safety net and deepen economic cooperation amid US President Donald Trump’s trade war, according to a source familiar with the issue. 2....

Events

12 h. ago Beijing will invite Taiwan guests to mark 80 years since Japan’s surrender of island

Beijing is inviting guests from Taiwan to a key commemoration of Japan’s surrender of sovereignty over the island 80 years ago, despite warnings from Taipei against attendance. The Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) in Beijing announced on Wednesday that guests from the island would be invited to attend the “Commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of the Restoration of Taiwan”, which falls on Saturday. But the actual commemoration may not take place on that exact date, according to past practice. Visits...

Politics

14 h. ago The Rise of a Bipolar Global Energy Order? Trump Slams China and India at the UN Over “War Funding”, While the EU Pivots Westward

The Rise of a Bipolar Global Energy Order? Trump Slams China and India at the UN Over “War Funding”, While the EU Pivots Westward  China-US Focus

Politics

15 h. ago China toy platform refund policy requires parents slap child for unapproved spending

A major Chinese second-hand platform has sparked online controversy after allegedly requiring a mother to submit an uninterrupted five-minute video of herself slapping her child as a condition for processing a refund. The case drew public attention when Li Yun, the mother of an unidentified 11-year-old girl, tried to get a refund after discovering that her daughter had secretly spent over 500 yuan (US$70) on trading cards on the Qiandao app. Qiandao is widely regarded as China’s leading platform...

Society

16 h. ago Opinion | Why China should stop worrying and embrace ‘Japanification’

Opinion | Why China should stop worrying and embrace ‘Japanification’  South China Morning Post

Politics

19 h. ago NX China Places 15th in China's International Forwarder Rankings for FY2024: Top

NX China Places 15th in China's International Forwarder Rankings for FY2024: Top-ranked Japanese Company in China's Logistics Market  Yahoo Finance

Events

21 h. ago New Chinese drone spotted flying for the first time. Is it a next

A new Chinese stealth flying-wing drone, possibly a next-generation bomber, has been spotted flying for the first time. A video of the large stealth “cranked kite” drone, unofficially dubbed the GJ-X, has circulated on Chinese social media since October 19. It appeared to be the same aircraft – or one with a very similar design – captured in satellite imagery taken in August at China’s Malan airbase in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, according to a report by The War Zone earlier this week. The...

Events

21 h. ago What’s behind the calls for Mindanao to secede from the Philippines?

Calls for Mindanao’s secession from the Philippines have erupted anew after a sitting lawmaker released a viral video echoing rhetoric once championed by former president Rodrigo Duterte, in a move analysts warn risks inflaming tensions and destabilising an already volatile political landscape. Observers say the renewed push, amplified by the ex-president’s allies and a network of online influencers, appears aimed at deflecting attention from corruption scandals and an ongoing International...

Politics

23 h. ago Japan Post stops forcing delivery staff to ride bicycles as punishment

Japan Post has scrapped a controversial practice of forcing delivery workers involved in minor accidents to complete their rounds by bicycle – even in extreme heat – after admitting the measure “could be perceived” as workplace harassment. The decision followed an internal investigation into an incident involving a delivery worker who was instructed to continue his rounds by bicycle for two weeks during a summer heatwave, despite daytime temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees...

Politics

24 h. ago Naked China boy running on all fours raises concerns over child welfare and safety

A Chinese boy was spotted running on all fours naked and behaving like a dog, while his parents dismissed government inquiries, claiming it was a form of “natural parenting.” On October 15, a video was posted online showing a naked boy running on all fours in a highway service area in southwestern China’s Sichuan province. Social media users were shocked to see the boy acting like a dog, picking up food from the ground with his mouth and sniffing it before eating. His parents were nearby,...

Politics

24 h. ago China's Innovent signs $11.4 billion cancer therapy deal with Japan's Takeda

China's Innovent signs $11.4 billion cancer therapy deal with Japan's Takeda  Reuters

Economics

28 h. ago China's 1st reusable rocket test fires engines ahead of debut flight (video)

China's 1st reusable rocket test fires engines ahead of debut flight (video)  Space

Events

32 h. ago Why China Is Worried About Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s New Prime Minister

Why China Is Worried About Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s New Prime Minister  Forbes

Politics

37 h. ago ‘Stealth husband’: Japan PM Takaichi’s spouse shuns the spotlight

Taku Yamamoto, husband of Japan’s first female Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, said he hopes to support his wife as a “stealth husband”, adding, “Unlike in the West, it is better for the partner to stay out of the spotlight here.” A former fellow Liberal Democratic Party member in the House of Representatives, Yamamoto said he was initially “drawn to the contrast” between Takaichi’s tough exterior and her femininity. The couple, who married in 2004, divorced in 2017 over political differences but...

Events

37 h. ago Trump is trying to break China’s monopoly on rare earths, but can’t cut deals fast enough to catch up

Trump is trying to break China’s monopoly on rare earths, but can’t cut deals fast enough to catch up  CNN

Politics

39 h. ago China shop clerk breaks jade bangles worth US$140,000; owner seeks no compensation

A shop clerk in eastern China accidentally broke jade bangles valued at over one million yuan (US$140,000), yet the owner chose compassion over compensation, giving the young man a chance to learn from his mistake. The incident, which occurred in October at a jewellery shop in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, was captured on surveillance video. While moving a table, the clerk accidentally knocked over a box of jade bangles, resulting in a loud crash. He attempted to gather the pieces but squatted in...

Economics

39 h. ago Chipmaker CXMT eyes US$42 billion Shanghai listing, sources say

Chinese memory chipmaker ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) plans an initial public offering (IPO) in Shanghai as soon as the first quarter of next year, eyeing a valuation of up to 300 billion yuan ($42.12 billion), according to two sources briefed on the matter. Founded in 2016 with government backing, CXMT leads China’s strategic push to build a foothold in a global DRAM market long dominated by companies from Japan, South Korea and the United States. China’s leading manufacturer of dynamic...

Economics

40 h. ago Why top Chinese scientist warned public against ‘hubris’ over country’s advances

The Chinese people have been urged to stay “calm and objective” about the country’s advances in cutting-edge weapons by a veteran rocket scientist, who warned “a lot of effort” was still needed. An array of advanced rockets, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, featured in last month’s Victory Day parade in Beijing along with other hi-tech weapons, generating considerable public enthusiasm. In an interview for a popular video account, Zhao Ruian, 84, a former researcher with the China...

Events