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

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

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

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

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

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

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

40 h. ago Can Scott Bessent see China’s trade counterstrike with clear eyes?

After a video call last Saturday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng are expected to meet in Malaysia this week to hopefully ease tensions before US President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping potentially meet on the sidelines of this year’s Apec summit. The meeting was in doubt when Trump threatened to impose an additional 100 per cent tariff on China, despite later relenting that it might not be sustainable. Washington blamed Beijing for the escalation,...

Events

47 h. ago Chinese mum dies saving baby from South Korea fire caused by woman’s pest hunt

A woman in her 30s died after saving her two-month-old baby from a fire accidentally started by a neighbour attempting to kill a cockroach using a lighter and spray in Osan, South Korea’s Gyeonggi province, police said on Monday. According to Osan police station, the fire broke out around 5.35am on Monday in a mixed-use building where a woman in her 20s, identified only by her surname A, lived on the second floor. She tried to catch a cockroach by spraying flammable mist and igniting it with a...

Events

52 h. ago Video: The Chinese Influencer Who Made a Career of Lying Flat

Video: The Chinese Influencer Who Made a Career of Lying Flat  The New York Times

Politics

59 h. ago China doubles GenAI users, PLA ship near disputed shoal: 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 reports 4.8% quarterly GDP growth, moving closer to annual target China’s economy grew 4.8 per cent year on year in the third quarter of 2025, keeping the country largely on track to achieve its full-year target, but analysts said further policy support is still needed to maintain this stable trajectory and improve domestic demand. 2. China’s...

Politics

61 h. ago China’s Unitree Robotics unveils latest humanoid ahead of US$7 billion IPO

Unitree Robotics has teased a new humanoid model in a short video on its social media channels, its most humanlike model to date. In the video, the H2 model performed a series of dexterous dance moves – including perfectly executed pirouettes and arabesques – and sported a strikingly human face modelled in silver with well-defined eyes, lips and nose. Standing at 180cm – the tallest humanoid robot the company has yet developed – and weighing 70kg, the H2 featured the tagline: “Destiny Awakening...

Economics

67 h. ago Chinese man returns to terminally ill ex, vows unwavering support

A Chinese man has returned to his first love after learning about her rare disease, which has begun to manifest symptoms, touching many online. A July video featuring the man, known as Fusheng, making a heartfelt confession of love to his ex-girlfriend, Cheng Aixiao, in their hometown in eastern China’s Fujian province, quickly went viral. Cheng suffers from hereditary ataxia, a disorder that results in muscular dystrophy and leads to uncoordinated movements, as well as difficulties with walking...

Politics

3 d. ago Thieves steal crown jewels from France’s Louvre in daring minutes

Thieves raided Paris’ Louvre museum in broad daylight Sunday, taking just seven minutes to grab some of France’s priceless crown jewels, but dropping a gem-encrusted crown as they fled, officials and sources said. The spectacular heist, one of several to target French museums in recent months, forced the closure of the Louvre, the world’s most-visited museum and home to the Mona Lisa. President Emmanuel Macron posted on social media that “everything is being done” to catch the perpetrators and...

Events

3 d. ago Nobody ‘cares’: a crocodile caused barely a ripple at an Australian resort pool

A crocodile took a dip in a luxury hotel pool in northeastern Australia this weekend but failed to stir guests who relaxed in the sun a few steps away. Video posted on social media showed the juvenile carnivore lying on the bottom of the pool at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort in Port Douglas. “I don’t want to alarm anyone but there is a crocodile in the Sheraton pool,” TikTok user Lisa Keller said in a video showing the scaly predator. A handful of tourists could be seen taking it easy on sun...

Politics

3 d. ago ‘Nobody cares’: crocodile causes barely a ripple in Australian resort pool

A crocodile took a dip in a luxury hotel pool in northeastern Australia this weekend but failed to stir guests who relaxed in the sun a few steps away. Video posted on social media showed the juvenile carnivore lying on the bottom of the pool at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort in Port Douglas. “I don’t want to alarm anyone but there is a crocodile in the Sheraton pool,” TikTok user Lisa Keller said in a video showing the scaly predator. A handful of tourists could be seen taking it easy on sun...

Politics

3 d. ago Viral Video Shows Fire Erupt In Air China's Flight; Leading To Emergency Landing

Viral Video Shows Fire Erupt In Air China's Flight; Leading To Emergency Landing  NDTV

Events