9 h. ago My Take | US politician claims China is spreading antisemitism. Really

My Take | US politician claims China is spreading antisemitism. Really  South China Morning Post

Politics

12 h. ago Inside China and Tanzania’s ‘very special’ ties – found nowhere else in Africa

Over the past two decades, China has considerably broadened its military and security diplomacy throughout Africa, establishing ties with 53 countries, excluding eSwatini. Observers say that of those countries, Tanzania stands out as an exceptionally strong and enduring military partner for Beijing, with more than 90 per cent of its military arms from China. According to a study released last month by the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies, Tanzania has “a very special relationship” with the...

Politics

13 h. ago Prada’s new US$1,200 sandal is an Indian classic. Is it cultural appropriation?

It began with a silhouette: supple leather, intricate stitching, the unmistakable toe ring of a Kolhapuri chappal. In Milan, it was hailed as luxury. In India, it was recognised as something far more profound – and its omission of origin as an affront. When Prada’s latest design walked the catwalk at Milan Fashion Week last month, it carried with it a legacy. And soon after, a controversy that reignited questions of cultural respect. The Italian fashion house’s latest collection, which included...

Politics

16 h. ago Hong Kong to cancel T1 warning on Sunday afternoon as Typhoon Danas moves away

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. The Hong Kong Observatory will cancel a No 1 tropical cyclone warning on Sunday afternoon as Typhoon Danas moves away from the city, with the forecaster also warning residents to be wary of the extreme heat. “In the past few hours, Danas accelerated northeastwards, moving away from Hong Kong...

Events

16 h. ago Hong Kong cancels T1 warning on Sunday afternoon as Typhoon Danas moves away

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. The Hong Kong Observatory cancelled a No 1 tropical cyclone signal on Sunday afternoon as Typhoon Danas moved away from the city, with the forecaster also warning residents to be wary of the extreme heat. “In the past few hours, Danas accelerated northeastwards, moving away from Hong Kong...

Events

20 h. ago New Communist Party rules hint Xi Jinping is delegating more power to deputies

New rules on certain Communist Party organs suggest China’s ruling party is aiming to standardise its decision-making process and that President Xi Jinping might be delegating more of his power, according to observers. One analyst said the move could hint at his plan for succession. The 24-member Politburo, the party’s top echelon, on Monday reviewed new rules that would apply to the various “party coordinative institutes” – organisations aimed at coordinating cross-agency policies in a specific...

Politics

20 h. ago Political dynasties threaten Philippines’ democracy, EU observers warn

The stranglehold of political dynasties on Philippine democracy risks deepening public disillusionment and limiting political pluralism, the European Union’s election mission has warned, as it called for sweeping reforms to the country’s “outdated” election code and party-list system. In its final report released on Thursday, the EU Election Observation Mission said political power in the Philippines remained concentrated within a small circle of elite families, even in institutions meant to...

Events

21 h. ago How Singapore’s early leaders supported Lee Kuan Yew’s vision by challenging him

In this excerpt from Ink and Influence: An OB Markers Sequel, Cheong Yip Seng, former editor-in-chief of The Straits Times, offers rare behind-the-scenes insights into the personalities who shaped post-independence Singapore. Through stories involving figures such as S.R. Nathan, a senior civil servant who later became president, and S. Rajaratnam, the country’s first foreign minister, Cheong reveals a founding leadership team unafraid to challenge even Lee Kuan Yew – while remaining bound by a...

Politics

22 h. ago Why Japan just tested a missile on its own turf for the first time

The distant thunder of a missile launch from Hokkaido late last month was less a provocation than a statement of intent: marking a turning point, analysts say, in Japan’s approach to its own defence. On June 24, more than 300 members of the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force’s 1st Artillery Brigade gathered at a remote firing range for the country’s first-ever live missile test from home soil. It saw a Type-88 surface-to-ship missile being launched towards an unmanned vessel parked 40km (25 miles)...

Events

34 h. ago China, EU near EV tariff deal, state media says, refutes ‘trade diversion’ fears

China and the European Union have largely finalised the “technical” part of negotiations towards resolving their electric vehicle (EV) tariff dispute, with the deal now hinging on “political will” from the European side, according to Chinese state-affiliated media. Yuyuan Tantian, a social media account linked to state broadcaster CCTV, reported on Friday night that the “technical negotiations” were essentially complete, with only the “final step” remaining. “The key now depends on whether the...

Economics

36 h. ago ‘Sheer delusion’ for Hong Kong landlords to refuse to cut rents: CY Leung

Former Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying has challenged landlords to “adjust their mentality” over rental yields as he renewed his call for price cuts to stem a 40-year-high vacancy rate for commercial properties from rising further amid a slackening economy. Leung, now a top political adviser to the country, also warned that landlords would be harmed in the end if they refused to budge on lowering rents. “It is sheer self-delusion if landlords think they can get the rent level they want by...

Politics

38 h. ago Did the US really ‘obliterate’ Iran’s nuclear ambitions, or just UN oversight?

Two weeks after the United States launched air strikes on three of Iran’s key nuclear sites, mounting evidence is puncturing President Donald Trump’s boasts that the facilities were “obliterated”. From the head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog to leading American non-proliferation experts, scepticism is growing over Washington’s assertions that the strikes set back Tehran’s nuclear weapons ambitions “by years”. Trump “appears to have already lost interest”, according to Barbara Slavin, a...

Events

42 h. ago Is Taiwan’s Lai rewriting ROC history ahead of WWII anniversary?

As Taiwan prepares to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, controversy is hanging over the administration of Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te as it faces criticism over its handling of the Republic of China’s (ROC) wartime legacy. The Lai government has used commemorations under the theme “Resist Aggression, Protect the Homeland” to warn retired ranking officers – many affiliated with the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) – not to attend Beijing’s September 3 military...

Events

44 h. ago Chinese ambassador’s ‘grandstanding’ advice for Australia raises eyebrows

The Chinese ambassador to Canberra has urged Australia not to be “incited” by Nato’s support for demands by the US to raise defence spending sharply and instead should cooperate with Beijing to resolve regional disputes. Analysts say the “unsolicited advice” is unlikely to sway Canberra and could backfire by reinforcing distrust of Beijing, ahead of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to China and amid an ongoing debate in Australia over its defence spending. In an opinion article published...

Politics

45 h. ago Why Singapore refused to be a ‘Third China’ – and how Lee Kuan Yew made it clear

In his new memoir Ink and Influence: An OB Markers Sequel, Cheong Yip Seng reflects on the intersection of geopolitics, media, and identity through the lens of his long career as editor-in-chief of The Straits Times. In this excerpt, Cheong recounts a revealing moment during an official visit to China in 1976 with then-prime minister Lee Kuan Yew. Among the officials present was S.R. Nathan, later Singapore’s sixth president, who witnessed Lee subtly rebuff a Chinese attempt to influence the...

Politics

45 h. ago No 1 typhoon signal to stay in effect on Saturday as hot weather grips Hong Kong

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. Typhoon signal No 1 will remain in force on Saturday, Hong Kong’s weather forecaster said, adding the chance of issuing a higher warning is “rather low”. The Hong Kong Observatory also issued a very hot warning at 6.45am. Temperatures in some districts will reach 35 degrees or above on...

Politics

45 h. ago T1 warning to remain in force on Saturday as hot weather grips Hong Kong

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. A No 1 typhoon warning will remain in force on Saturday, the Hong Kong Observatory has said, adding that the chance of issuing a higher signal is “rather low”. The forecaster also issued a very hot weather warning at 6.45am, with temperatures in some districts expected to reach 35 degrees...

Events

45 h. ago T1 warning to remain in force until Sunday noon as hot weather grips Hong Kong

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. A No 1 typhoon warning will remain in force until noon on Sunday, the Hong Kong Observatory has said, adding that the likelihood of issuing a higher signal is “rather low”. The forecaster also issued a very hot weather warning at 6.45am, with temperatures in some districts expected to reach 35...

Events

58 h. ago PM’s suspension reignites debate on ‘judicial activism’ of Thailand’s courts

The suspension of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has reignited debate over the Constitutional Court’s growing influence in Thailand’s democratic system, amid concerns electoral mandates risk being curtailed by judicial and conservative power centres. While the court’s decision on Tuesday to suspend Paetongtarn over a leaked phone call with Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen was framed as a procedural response to an ethics complaint, observers say it fits into a broader trend of...

Events

61 h. ago ‘Powerful’: why Shandong’s visit to Hong Kong is geopolitically significant

As Hong Kong celebrates the 28th anniversary of its return to Chinese rule, Beijing has once again deployed a powerful naval fleet, this time spearheaded by the aircraft carrier Shandong, highlighting both symbolic significance and strategic resolve amid escalating geopolitical tensions. China’s first domestically built aircraft carrier and its fleet arrived in Hong Kong on Thursday morning, embarking on a five-day visit, which is set to include public tours this weekend. The Shandong is...

Politics