8 h. ago Hong Kong lawmakers back criminalising of subletting public rental flats

Hong Kong lawmakers have approved the government’s proposal to criminalise the subletting of public rental flats or the use of such properties for business purposes, with the offence to carry a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a HK$500,000 (US$63,700) fine. Lawmakers on Wednesday voted on the Housing (Amendment) Bill, which introduces new offences under the Housing Ordinance to combat serious abuse of public flats. Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin stressed that the amended law...

Society

11 h. ago China’s military says Japan ‘breaching pacifist constitution’ with missile tests

China’s military has accused Japan of undermining regional security after it tested new long-range anti-ship and hypersonic missiles. A commentary published by the military mouthpiece People’s Liberation Army Daily on Wednesday said that the extended range of missiles would be “a real deterrent to multiple surrounding areas”. It also argued that the increased ability to strike long-range targets was “breaking the restrictions of the pacifist constitution that the Japanese Self-Defence Forces...

Events

11 h. ago From AI to chips: China courts private tech firms to help drive next 5

China has signalled growing support for the private sector, as the head of the government department that oversees economic reform sat down with representatives of the tech industry to gather input ahead of Beijing’s next five-year development blueprint, analysts said. Zheng Shanjie, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), met leaders from five private enterprises to “gather opinions and suggestions for the scientific formulation of the ‘15th Five-Year Plan’, with a...

Economics

12 h. ago Hong Kong environment chief rejects relaxed quarantine rules for imported pets

Hong Kong’s environment chief has ruled out flexible quarantine arrangements, including at home, for imported cats and dogs, but will consider extending hours and increasing the number of checkpoints for pet transport from mainland China. Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan told a Legislative Council meeting on Wednesday that existing quarantine facilities are sufficient for imported pets, adding that the government would not consider altering the quarantine method for now due to...

Politics

12 h. ago Hong Kong shouldn’t let lack of space hold up Guangdong driver scheme: minister

Hong Kong should not be held back by a lack of land or parking spaces in pushing ahead with a plan to let Guangdong province residents drive to the city, the transport minister has said, as she reiterated that the scheme would be rolled out with strict controls. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan told lawmakers on Wednesday that the government was working with mainland Chinese authorities to implement the scheme and had ruled out the need to establish separate restricted zones or...

Politics

13 h. ago This move by China in Africa is making US restless, top American military official claims Beijing is copying Washington's..., aim is to...

This move by China in Africa is making US restless, top American military official claims Beijing is copying Washington's..., aim is to...  DNA India

Events

14 h. ago China and Japan must beat mutual hostility while also handling tariffs: envoy

China and Japan must work hard to improve public opinion towards each other, Japan’s top envoy in Beijing said, as the Asian neighbours move to stabilise ties amid shared concerns about tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump. “The most difficult aspect of current Japan-China relations is the sentiment between the two peoples and, very unfortunately, there are still some negative perceptions that linger in Japan regarding China, and vice versa in the Chinese society regarding Japan,” said...

Politics

16 h. ago ‘Uncertainty has costs’: the Asian students rethinking US education plans

As a teenager in military-ruled Myanmar, Muang* viewed a US college degree as the ultimate escape – a passport to freedom, stability and a future unbound by the limits of a junta-run state. At 19, he made it. A full scholarship to one of America’s most prestigious universities marked the culmination of years of perseverance. But today, that hard-won dream feels precarious. “You grow up in a country where it’s a dictatorship and you don’t have any opportunities to build your own life,” Muang...

Politics

17 h. ago Top US envoy in Hong Kong may be headed for senior role in Beijing embassy

The top US diplomat in Hong Kong is likely to be heading north to take up a leading role in the United States’ Beijing embassy, the South China Morning Post has learned. Gregory May, who arrived to serve as the US consul general for Hong Kong and Macau in September 2022, is tipped to be a top candidate for a ministerial role in the US embassy in Beijing, according to sources. It is a critical time in the relationship as Beijing and Washington engage in a series of high-stakes talks to manage...

Politics

17 h. ago Exclusive | Top US envoy in Hong Kong may be headed for senior role in Beijing embassy

Exclusive | Top US envoy in Hong Kong may be headed for senior role in Beijing embassy  South China Morning Post

Politics

17 h. ago How India Cracked China & Turkey’s Missile Secrets To Set Stage For Decisive Payback Against Beijing, Islamabad

How India Cracked China & Turkey’s Missile Secrets To Set Stage For Decisive Payback Against Beijing, Islamabad  Zee News

Events

17 h. ago Mobile game advocating Hong Kong independence disappears from Apple’s App Store

A mobile game application banned for advocating Hong Kong and Taiwan independence can no longer be found on Apple’s App Store, according to checks by the Post, following its earlier removal from the Google Play Store. Reversed Front: Bonfire, a war-themed game developed by ESC Taiwan and launched in April, did not appear in search results on Wednesday, despite being available for download on the store the previous day. On Tuesday evening, Hong Kong police warned residents against downloading the...

Events

22 h. ago Hong Kong must ‘seize opportunities’ to attract talent amid US student visa woes

Hong Kong should capitalise on the opportunities arising from US-China tensions to attract more talent to its academic and tech sectors, heads of the city’s top medical schools have said, ahead of a visit to the world’s largest biotechnology event in Boston. Representatives from the medical faculties of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) will join the delegation of the government-funded Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP)...

Politics

33 h. ago ‘Chaotic era’: Chinese state media say LA protests are proof of a broken America

Chinese state media have sought to portray the escalating Los Angeles protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies as proof of a broken government and the lack of social cohesion in the United States. Such a framing, alongside a mix of gloating and schadenfreude on Chinese social media, comes amid sustained US-China tariff tensions and ongoing high-level trade talks in London. The state-backed Beijing Youth Daily, in a commentary published on its social media page on Tuesday,...

Events

36 h. ago Did China’s first emperor launch westwards mission to find ‘elixir of life’?

History records the Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang as sending the alchemist Xu Fu eastwards towards Japan on a quest for the elixir of immortality. However, the ancient texts make no mention of any similar expedition heading west. But according to a state media report, findings by Chinese archaeologists suggest that a western expedition for the “elixir of life” may indeed have been launched during the reign of Qin Shi Huang. Qin Shi Huang, or the “first emperor of China”, was so named because he...

Events

38 h. ago 3 gambling giants to close 11 satellite casinos in Macau amid industry shake

Three gaming concession holders in Macau will shut down 11 satellite casinos by the end of this year, when a three-year transition period for amended legislation is set to expire, with local authorities to monitor the impact on the venues’ more than 5,000 affected employees. Macau authorities announced on Monday that the government had been officially notified by SJM Resorts, Melco Resorts (Macau) and Galaxy Casino that the satellite casinos would cease operations by December 31. The venues set...

Politics

39 h. ago Malaysia’s new luxury tax a hard sell for Anwar as popularity wanes

Many Malaysians may find life’s little indulgences suddenly beyond their reach from next month, when fresh taxes bite on premium goods and services like salmon and silk – and even haircuts – after the cash-strapped government said it would raise revenue from so-called luxury spending. Taxes of between 5 and 10 per cent will be imposed on “discretionary and non-essential goods” as well as financial and beauty services and private education from July 1, the Finance Ministry said in a statement...

Events

40 h. ago Civilian group hosts Taiwan tabletop simulation of attack from mainland China

A think tank in Taiwan has started a two-day war game with retired US and Japanese generals to simulate the island’s defence in the event of a military attack from the Chinese mainland. The Taipei School of Economics and Political Science Foundation, which organised the tabletop exercise, said the aim was to “identify the defence issues that Taiwan urgently needs to strengthen and provide recommendations for the government”. Described as the first operational-level military simulation by a...

Events

41 h. ago Hong Kong to mark July 1 anniversary with 71,000 free MTR tickets: John Lee

More than 70,000 free MTR tickets will be up for grabs on July 1 as part of citywide celebrations to commemorate the 28th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule, the chief executive has said. City leader John Lee Ka-chiu also said on Tuesday he would bring forward his annual policy address by a month to September, in light of the Legislative Council election scheduled for the end of this year. Public consultation is set to kick off on Monday next week. He said the government would...

Politics

44 h. ago US students discover Unit 731 horrors, and an American war crime cover

As thousands of students gather this week for the finals of the National History Day contest in the US state of Maryland, one research project may stand out – not only as a sobering reminder of an infamous, often forgotten Japanese military unit, but also for America’s role in keeping its war crimes quiet. The project, a documentary produced by four students from a New Mexico high school, is an investigation of Unit 731 – a secret group that carried out unspeakable experiments on people in China...

Events