69 m. 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

97 m. ago 37,000 workers imported into Hong Kong since start of labour scheme in 2023

Hong Kong has imported more than 37,000 workers since the government’s introduction of a labour scheme two years ago, while a construction union has announced a wage freeze for most of the major trades in the industry. The Labour and Welfare Bureau on Wednesday revealed that it had received applications to import more than 62,000 workers in the catering and hospitality industries since the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme was launched in 2023. Between September 4, 2023, and September 30 this...

Politics

1 hour ago China calls itself a responsible AI force, as most in US think otherwise

China has positioned itself as a responsible major collaborative force in AI development and governance, contrasting with a recently released survey finding that most Americans view US leadership in the field as crucial. Beijing arrived at its assessment this week as China hosted a workshop on AI capacity building, the third of its kind in two years. The week-long event in Shanghai attracted participants from more than 20 countries. Details of the discussions were not disclosed. “Artificial...

Politics

2 h. ago Can the Philippines regain its tourism edge with revival of China e

The Philippines will revive its electronic visa programme for Chinese tourists next month, nearly two years after its abrupt suspension, as part of a broader push to boost lagging visitor arrivals and regain lost ground in the regional tourism race. The Philippine embassy in Beijing confirmed in a statement issued on October 15 that Chinese citizens – including those from Hong Kong and Macau – would again be able to apply for short-stay e-visas online for up to 14 days of travel for tourism or...

Politics

3 h. ago Hermès makes Q3 progress in China, US; says leather goods and RTW are strong

Hermès makes Q3 progress in China, US; says leather goods and RTW are strong  FashionNetwork USA

Politics

3 h. ago US safety agency investigators to assist Hong Kong with fatal plane crash probe

A United States’ transport safety agency is deploying five investigators to Hong Kong to assist with the city’s probe into the cargo plane crash that killed two security workers, while the four aircrew involved have met with local authorities. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), an independent US government agency responsible for investigating civil transport accidents, said on social media that it would send its team to Hong Kong to assist with the probe into the plane crash. “The...

Events

3 h. ago Russia launches deadly barrage on Ukraine after Putin–Trump summit shelved

Russia launched multiple drone and missile strikes on Ukraine as the latest peace attempts by US President Donald Trump appeared to be floundering. The attack killed at least six civilians, including two children, with more than a dozen injured across the country in the early hours of Wednesday, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on X. Zelensky said that 10 regions came under attack, including Kyiv, Odesa and Dnipro, adding that while the attack primarily targeted energy...

Politics

6 h. ago China’s Innovent Strikes Cancer Drug Deal With Takeda for Up to $11.4 Billion

China’s Innovent Strikes Cancer Drug Deal With Takeda for Up to $11.4 Billion  The Wall Street Journal

Economics

7 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

9 h. ago Nexperia crisis: how geopolitics disrupts a global chip supply chain

The ongoing dispute between China and the Netherlands over chipmaker Nexperia has highlighted how geopolitical tensions can disrupt an otherwise smooth global supply chain, according to analysts. Based in Nijmegen, Netherlands, Nexperia exemplifies a typical multinational company with front-end fabrication plants in Hamburg, Germany, and Manchester, UK, as well as back-end assembly facilities across Asia, including Dongguan, China; Laguna, the Philippines; and Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. The...

Politics

11 h. ago Why South Korea’s Gen Z are falling prey to the scam gangs of Southeast Asia

A growing number of young South Koreans are vanishing into Southeast Asia’s criminal underworld, lured by the promise of high-paying jobs – only to end up trafficked, tortured or killed. Many, fleeing a stagnant labour market at home, are being deceived by transnational crime syndicates into running online scams and illegal gambling operations. Others join willingly in search of easy money. But all eventually find themselves exploited, victims of criminal enterprises that span the lawless border...

Events

23 h. ago Families of Hong Kong pair killed in plane crash get no word from Emirates

The bereaved families of the two airport staff killed when an Emirates cargo flight veered off a runway have said they have not received any condolence messages from the airline, and are demanding a comprehensive investigation into the accident as soon as possible. A dozen relatives of security patrol vehicle driver Vincent Ho Kwok-cheung, 41, and his colleague, 30-year-old Chan Chun-yin, visited Kwai Chung Public Mortuary on Tuesday morning and were visibly shaken after identifying the...

Events

24 h. ago Hong Kong plane crash ‘could lead to manslaughter case if negligence found’

Hong Kong authorities could resort to manslaughter charges, which carry a penalty of life imprisonment, if a cargo plane crash that killed two airport staff members is found to have resulted from gross negligence, legal experts have said. Flight EK9788 veered off a runway during landing at Hong Kong airport on Monday morning and ploughed into the waters, knocking a security patrol vehicle into the sea and killing two people inside. All four crew members of the Emirates flight, which was operated...

Events

24 h. ago Plane crash in Hong Kong ‘could lead to manslaughter case if negligence found’

Hong Kong authorities could resort to manslaughter charges, which carry a penalty of life imprisonment, if a cargo plane crash that killed two airport staff members is found to have resulted from gross negligence, legal experts have said. Flight EK9788 veered off a runway during landing at Hong Kong airport on Monday morning and ploughed into the waters, knocking a security patrol vehicle into the sea and killing two people inside. All four crew members of the Emirates flight, which was operated...

Events

25 h. ago Will corruption backlash against Marcos reshape Philippine politics?

Public anger over corruption has boiled over in the Philippines, sending President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s approval ratings tumbling and potentially tilting the balance of power with his political rivals. The latest survey by Pulse Asia Research shows that Filipinos are increasingly blaming the government’s recent corruption scandals – from flood control “ghost projects” to lavish spending by politically connected contractors – for their daily struggles, such as inflation and inadequate...

Politics

26 h. ago Hong Kong an aviation hub for Greater Bay Area, beyond: Airport Authority chief

The Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is poised to serve as a major infrastructure for the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and markets beyond, as a fresh surge of Chinese companies moves to expand globally over the next decade, according to the head of the city’s Airport Authority. “We mustn’t see the HKIA just as an airport for Hong Kong,” said Fred Lam Tin-fuk, Airport Authority chairman, in a speech at the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Business Summit 2025 on Tuesday. “We very much see it as a...

Politics

26 h. ago Hong Kong retains top spot in finance, logistics and tourism in Greater Bay Area

Hong Kong has retained its leading position in three out of six major industries within the Greater Bay Area, according to an index comparing the relative advantages of 11 cities across the southern Chinese region. Shenzhen held onto its top spot in innovation and technology as well as manufacturing, while Guangzhou remained the leader in real estate. The Greater Bay Area Industry Development Index, compiled by Our Hong Kong Foundation and Dah Sing Bank, surveyed 3,400 companies across 11 cities...

Politics

27 h. ago Major foreign banks raise China’s GDP forecast, annual target seen as ‘on track’

Several major banks forecast stronger economic growth for China this year, buoyed by third-quarter data showing slightly better-than-expected expansion despite domestic and external headwinds. Investment bank Goldman Sachs raised its full-year gross domestic product forecast for 2025 from 4.8 per cent to 4.9 per cent, noting that the government’s target of “around 5 per cent” remains “largely on track”. The bank also revised its estimate for 2026, up slightly from 4.2 per cent to 4.3 per cent,...

Events

27 h. ago Overseas banks raise China GDP forecasts, say Beijing ‘on track’ for 2025 target

Several major banks forecast stronger economic growth for China this year, buoyed by third-quarter data showing slightly better-than-expected expansion despite domestic and external headwinds. Investment bank Goldman Sachs raised its full-year gross domestic product forecast for 2025 from 4.8 per cent to 4.9 per cent, noting that the government’s target of “around 5 per cent” remains “largely on track”. The bank also revised its estimate for 2026, up slightly from 4.2 per cent to 4.3 per cent,...

Events

28 h. ago Evangelista’s wealth under fire, Singaporeans flock to Johor: 7 Asia highlights

We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. US call centre bill threatens Philippines’ US$30 billion outsourcing boom As dusk settles over Angeles City, Justin Cunanan prepares for another long night. While the rest of the Philippines sleeps, he joins millions of his compatriots powering a global industry that is...

Events