2 h. ago US vows reprieve on some tech export restrictions as talks with China begin in London

Top economic officials from Washington and Beijing have launched a high-stakes round of trade talks in London, with a senior White House official signaling soon after the start that the US will ease some tech export restrictions on China, adding that he expected the Chinese government to ramp up rare earth mineral exports to American markets. The Chinese and American delegations – led by China’s vice-premier, He Lifeng, alongside US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard...

Politics

3 h. ago Philippine senators split over legality of delaying Duterte’s impeachment trial

Mounting calls from legal scholars, civil society and protest groups are putting the Philippine Senate under pressure to launch an impeachment trial against Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio – even as her allies move to have the case dismissed. Duterte-Carpio was impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5 on a wide range of serious charges that include large-scale corruption and plotting to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, his wife and the speaker of the house –...

Politics

6 h. ago China’s top drone maker DJI comes down to earth with launch of robotic cleaner

Chinese drone giant DJI is expected to launch a vacuum cleaning robot in a move set to intensify competition in the country’s crowded robotic cleaner market, according to a report by the state-backed financial newspaper China Securities Journal, citing internal sources. Shenzhen-based DJI will introduce a combination vacuum cleaner and mopping robot this month, a project that has been under development over the past four years, according to the report. The product is called DJI ROMO, according...

Events

12 h. ago China trade data for May misses expectations as export growth slows, imports dip

China’s export growth slowed last month amid lingering uncertainty over US tariffs, pointing to continued strain in the country’s manufacturing and trade sectors – and the slight uptick could also reflect front-loading by exporters anticipating future disruptions. China’s May exports were up by 4.8 per cent, year on year, to US$316.1 billion, customs data showed on Monday. The figure followed April’s 8.1 per cent growth and fell short of the estimate of a 6.28 per cent increase in a market...

Politics

12 h. ago US tariffs hit China’s exports in May, but June seen as ‘a better month’

China’s export growth slowed last month, weighed down by fewer US orders being made before the two countries came to a 90-day tariff truce. And while June’s prospects look poised to improve, China’s manufacturing and trade sectors remain under strain, according to economists, who also point to lingering uncertainties over American tariffs. China’s May exports were up by 4.8 per cent, year on year, to US$316.1 billion, customs data showed on Monday. The figure followed April’s 8.1 per cent growth...

Events

12 h. ago China trade balance grows in May; exports miss expectations amid US tariffs

China trade balance grows in May; exports miss expectations amid US tariffs  Investing.com

Economics

12 h. ago China exports growth misses expectations despite tariff truce; imports plunge amid weak consumption

China exports growth misses expectations despite tariff truce; imports plunge amid weak consumption  CNBC

Politics

13 h. ago Hongkongers to swelter in coming days as mercury to hit 34 degrees Celsius

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 will experience very hot weather over the next few days under the influence of a high-pressure area, with temperatures expected to hit 34 degrees Celsius (93.2 Fahrenheit) on Tuesday, according to the forecaster. “An anticyclone aloft [area of high pressure] is bringing generally...

Events

13 h. ago Hong Kong to issue No 1 typhoon warning signal as early as Tuesday night

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’s weather forecaster will issue the No 1 typhoon warning signal as early as Tuesday night, as an area of low pressure is expected to develop into a tropical cyclone and move towards the city amid sweltering heat. The Observatory said on Monday the tropical cyclone was expected to...

Events

13 h. ago China’s consumer prices fall for fourth month amid weak demand, trade tensions

China’s consumer prices declined for a fourth straight month in May, highlighting persistent deflationary pressures driven by sluggish demand and trade tensions with the United States, which are compounding inventory strains for manufacturers. The national consumer price index (CPI), a key gauge of inflation, fell 0.1 per cent year on year last month, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Monday. The figure beat market expectations after a poll by financial provider...

Events

13 h. ago Turkiye outlasts China for 4th straight win at volleyball VNL Beijing leg

Turkiye outlasts China for 4th straight win at volleyball VNL Beijing leg  chinadailyasia.com

Politics

23 h. ago Philippine Embassy in Beijing celebrates 127th Independence Day and 50 years of diplomatic relations with China

Philippine Embassy in Beijing celebrates 127th Independence Day and 50 years of diplomatic relations with China  BusinessMirror

Politics

23 h. ago Türkiye outlasts China for 4th straight win at volleyball VNL Beijing leg

Türkiye outlasts China for 4th straight win at volleyball VNL Beijing leg  Xinhua

Politics

30 h. ago Hong Kong’s Paul Chan expects tourism sector to make robust recovery in 2025

Hong Kong’s finance chief expects the tourism sector to make a robust recovery this year, citing the 10 and 18 per cent year-on-year growth in the number of mainland Chinese and international visitor arrivals recorded in the first five months. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po also said he was confident the figures would continue to go up, partly thanks to a series of mega-events set to be held throughout the year. In his weekly blog on Sunday, he noted that the city recorded about 20 million...

Politics

33 h. ago Chinese legends, Disney characters compete in Hong Kong dragon boat race

Competitors marked the final day of Hong Kong’s International Dragon Boat Races on Sunday by donning an array of colourful costumes that included beloved characters from animated films and Chinese folklore. Hongkongers, expats and a team of visiting Canadian paddlers were among those taking part in the fancy dress competition held on the event’s second day. The races were organised by the city’s Tourism Board and the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association. Toronto’s Water Vipers dragon boat...

Politics

33 h. ago Chinese legends, Disney characters compete in Hong Kong dragon boat races

Competitors marked the final day of Hong Kong’s International Dragon Boat Races on Sunday by donning an array of colourful costumes that included beloved characters from animated films and Chinese folklore. Hongkongers, expats and a team of visiting Canadian paddlers were among those taking part in the fancy dress competition held on the event’s second day. The races were organised by the city’s Tourism Board and the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association. Toronto’s Water Vipers dragon boat...

Politics

34 h. ago A star is born as Hong Kong pianist wins Van Cliburn competition

Hong Kong pianist Aristo Sham Ching-tao has won the 2025 edition of the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, putting him on track for global stardom. Sham, 29, is the first pianist from Hong Kong to win the competition, held in Fort Worth in the US state of Texas. The announcement on June 7 of his victory followed two-and-a-half weeks of intense anticipation as music lovers around the world followed live streams of the contest’s four gruelling rounds, which began on May 21...

Events

38 h. ago The kids are alright: Hong Kong AI scientist offers a vision for ‘parenting’ AI

For years, the story of artificial intelligence (AI) has been cast as a high-stakes contest between the US and China – a technological arms race with global consequences. But to De Kai, a pioneering machine learning scientist and advocate for AI ethics, this framing fundamentally misunderstands the technology. “I would prefer to think about it as the AI climate change challenge,” De Kai said in an interview with the Post at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, where he is a...

Politics

41 h. ago Officials race to comply with Xi’s austerity rules as inspectors come knocking

As Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency was shaking up federal agencies in America with deep spending cuts, bureaucrats in China were also feeling the heat. Since mid-March, thousands of Chinese officials have been scrambling to comply with President Xi Jinping’s austerity orders – making sure their offices are modest, their meal receipts are in order and returning any lavish gifts – as inspectors carry out checks. The campaign has been running since 2012 and takes aim at...

Politics

41 h. ago Why this key chip technology is crucial to the AI race between the US and China

Why this key chip technology is crucial to the AI race between the US and China  CNN

Politics