4 h. ago ‘Unprecedented’: Taiwan to test war fitness, urban survival under 24/7 live fire

For the first time, Taiwan’s largest annual military exercise will combine conventional war games and urban survival drills under “unprecedented” live-fire conditions when it gets under way next week. The move signals growing concerns in Taipei that Beijing could trigger a prolonged conflict requiring both military defence and civilian resilience. The 41st Han Kuang exercise from July 9 to 18 would test joint operational readiness under “unprecedented 10-day, round-the-clock live-fire...

Events

7 h. ago Potential Taiwan clash on the line as PLA, US military develop new fighter jets

America’s view of China as a “pacing threat” has shaped its defence priorities as the military seeks to maintain an edge over a rapidly modernising PLA. In the second of a three-part series on how US budget tensions will affect efforts to deter China, we look at the race for air superiority. The high-stakes race for air superiority between China and the United States will have profound implications should a conflict break out – including how a war over Taiwan would be fought. Both militaries are...

Events

14 h. ago Tesla upgrades Model 3 and Model Y in China, hikes price for long

Tesla upgrades Model 3 and Model Y in China, hikes price for long-range sedan  Teslarati

Politics

15 h. ago China’s Xi calls for oversight, Trump’s Golden Dome: 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. Trump’s Golden Dome: will the numbers add up to deter China in the Indo-Pacific? The planned defence system could make it harder for the PLA to strike US bases like those in Guam and Okinawa, or warships trying to defend Taiwan. 2. Beijing sanctions South China Sea legal claim architect Francis Tolentino China has sanctioned the former Senate majority...

Politics

39 h. ago Clean energy stocks fall as Trump bill taxes components from China, phases out credits

Clean energy stocks fall as Trump bill taxes components from China, phases out credits  NBC 7 San Diego

Politics

41 h. ago China could be the world's top semiconductor foundry hub by 2030 — despite US curbs, nation to hold 30% of global installed capacity, surpassing Taiwan

China could be the world's top semiconductor foundry hub by 2030 — despite US curbs, nation to hold 30% of global installed capacity, surpassing Taiwan  Tom's Hardware

Politics

42 h. ago Billions misused in China 2024 stimulus, from flood controls to gym gear: audit

China’s top audit watchdog has revealed that tens of billions of yuan in funding were misused by localities amid a roll-out of stimulus measures and flagship projects that the nation adopted last year, as Beijing injected trillions to boost China’s economy. The revelation – resulting from an assessment of the central government’s budget execution last year, as well as of other fiscal revenues and expenditures in 2024 – was spelled out in a report submitted by National Audit Office auditor...

Events

44 h. ago Drifting From the West’s Orbit, Russians Find a New Role Model in China

Drifting From the West’s Orbit, Russians Find a New Role Model in China  The New York Times

Politics

47 h. ago Japan unlikely to intervene directly if China attacks Taiwan, expert says

Japan unlikely to intervene directly if China attacks Taiwan, expert says  Stars and Stripes

Events

50 h. ago Most in U.S. support defending Taiwan against China invasion: Survey

Most in U.S. support defending Taiwan against China invasion: Survey  Focus Taiwan

Events

53 h. ago ‘Small wins don’t hide the truth’: Philippine tourism slumps amid Asean’s boom

A viral social media thread lamenting the Philippines’ seventh-place ranking for tourist arrivals in Southeast Asia has sparked soul-searching among Filipinos, who blame poor infrastructure, high costs and weak accessibility – even as experts say the country is quietly shifting towards a more sustainable, higher-value model of tourism. The online uproar began with a widely shared post by content creator Thea Tan, who wrote on social media earlier this month: “The Philippines has what other...

Politics

63 h. ago Deadline nears for Taiwan's Chinese immigrants to prove no China household registration

Deadline nears for Taiwan's Chinese immigrants to prove no China household registration  NPR

Events

64 h. ago Taiwan's VP stands firm against Beijing's intimidation tactics

Taiwan's VP stands firm against Beijing's intimidation tactics  Firstpost

Economics

3 d. ago Taiwan VP says will not be intimidated after Czech says China planned physical intimidation

Taiwan VP says will not be intimidated after Czech says China planned physical intimidation  Reuters

Politics

3 d. ago Palace intrigue conquers global screens: has China cast its new soft power?

Over the past month, one of the biggest hit streaming shows globally has been a fictional drama about a young man who plots revenge after his family is murdered. The made-in-China historical fantasy is the latest major production to showcase the growing international influence of one of the country’s fastest growing cultural exports – storytelling. In the week after its May 18 debut, Legend of Zang Hai topped multiple overseas rankings in 15 regions, including the No 1 spot on Disney+ in Taiwan...

Politics

3 d. ago China’s No 4 official joins in mourning death of Hong Kong tycoon Charles Ho

China’s No 4 politician was among senior Beijing officials and other heavyweights who sent wreaths to the wake for Hong Kong tobacco and media tycoon Charles Ho Tsu-kwok. The ceremony for Ho, former chairman of the Sing Tao News Corporation who died at the age of 75 earlier this month, was held at the Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point on Saturday. Ho became a standing committee member of China’s top political advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in...

Politics

3 d. ago Why Israel’s spy tactics against Iran have sparked fears in Taiwan

Israel’s sweeping intelligence operations against Iran have jolted Taiwan’s security community, raising concerns that Beijing could adopt similar tactics to cripple the island’s leadership or critical infrastructure. As assassinations and sabotage rattle Tehran, analysts in Taipei warn that Beijing’s infiltration of Taiwan is no longer a purely political threat, and it might be laying the groundwork for high-stakes covert warfare. In recent months, Taiwan has seen a surge in espionage cases...

Politics

3 d. ago Alibaba unveils new AI model for more precise image creation

Alibaba Group Holding has launched a new artificial intelligence (AI) model, Qwen VLo, said to be capable of generating and editing images with a finesse akin to that of a human artist, intensifying the competition in multimodal models as the tech giant seeks to redefine itself as an AI leader. Released on Friday, Qwen VLo was a “comprehensive upgrade” from previous models like QwenVL and Qwen2.5 VL, the company said. It could better understand input and create more precise images, accommodate...

Politics

3 d. ago China's secret Taiwan plan exposed: Czech intel report says Beijing plotted car crash to scare Taipei’s VP

China's secret Taiwan plan exposed: Czech intel report says Beijing plotted car crash to scare Taipei’s VP-elect  Firstpost

Events

4 d. ago US Strikes on Iran a Deterrent, Sending Broader Message to Beijing Regarding Taiwan: Analyst

US Strikes on Iran a Deterrent, Sending Broader Message to Beijing Regarding Taiwan: Analyst  NTD News

Events