3 h. ago Chinese media contrasts US pageantry and violence on Trump’s parade day

Donald Trump’s first large-scale military parade in decades has prompted Chinese commentators to compare and mock the contrast between the US president’s pageantry and the nationwide unrest sparked by his immigration policies. The festivities in Washington on Saturday occurred on a day marked by protests around the nation that underscored the country’s deep divisions. In China, some state media and online commentators declared Trump’s “America First” policy a failure in light of the mass...

Politics

7 h. ago Corporate bond defaults disappear from China’s onshore market

Corporate bond defaults disappear from China’s onshore market  Financial Times

Events

14 h. ago Trump’s military parade ends, protest tensions in downtown Los Angeles

This live blog has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. For the first time in more than three decades, the United States has held a major military parade in the nation’s capital – fulfilling a long-standing desire of US President Donald Trump on a day that was marred by a political assassination. Echoing displays more typically seen in...

Events

14 h. ago Trump’s military parade ends, protest tensions in Los Angeles – as it happened

This live blog has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. For the first time in more than three decades, the United States has held a major military parade in the nation’s capital – fulfilling a long-standing desire of US President Donald Trump on a day that was marred by a political assassination. Echoing displays more typically seen in...

Events

25 h. ago Activist investor David Webb awarded MBE for contributions to Hong Kong

Hong Kong corporate governance activist David Webb has been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for his nearly three decades of contributions to the city, with the Briton saying he felt touched by the many tributes during his “final battle”. The former investment banker posted on his Webb-site platform on Saturday that he was delighted the United Kingdom government, “with its keen interest in Hong Kong affairs”, had recognised his efforts in the city over the past 27 years by...

Economics

34 h. ago Aukus pact up in the air but US to stay focused on China: analysts

The United States may be rethinking its Indo-Pacific strategy with its review of the Aukus security agreement, but its focus on countering China is unlikely to change, according to analysts. The pact with Australia and the United Kingdom has been thrown into doubt with the Pentagon’s announcement this week that it is reviewing the US’ role in the Biden-era agreement to supply nuclear-powered submarines to Australia. Some observers suggested that this could be cause for celebration in Beijing,...

Politics

34 h. ago Aukus pact up in the air but US to stay focused on countering China: analysts

The United States may be rethinking its Indo-Pacific strategy with its review of the Aukus security agreement, but its focus on countering China is unlikely to change, according to analysts. The pact with Australia and the United Kingdom has been thrown into doubt with the Pentagon’s announcement this week that it is reviewing the US’ role in the Biden-era agreement to supply nuclear-powered submarines to Australia. Some observers suggested that this could be cause for celebration in Beijing,...

Politics

35 h. ago Journey through 700 years of history on Beijing Central Axis

Journey through 700 years of history on Beijing Central Axis  Xinhua

Politics

43 h. ago Pentagon review rattles submarine deal amid fears of China’s naval edge

Pentagon review rattles submarine deal amid fears of China’s naval edge  The Washington Post

Politics

46 h. ago Air India crash witnesses recount horrific scenes of corpses and dead dogs

It was just another long and languorous summer afternoon for Chirag Patel at his mobile phone retail shop near Ahmedabad’s airport on the outskirts of the western city when he was greeted by a shocking sight in the sky – a massive Air India plane was plunging towards a building. “We are used to seeing planes taking off or landing at the airport, but I was horrified to see one heading right at us. The plane’s tail struck a building that houses a student hostel and got stuck. The front portion...

Events

52 h. ago China steps up global aviation expansion as Comac bids for Laos carrier

The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) has reportedly bid to take a majority stake in the flag carrier of Laos, as the state-owned Chinese aviation firm continues its push to expand its market in Southeast Asia. The deal – which is pending approval by the Lao authorities – would see Comac help Lao Airlines overhaul its operations and stem its losses in exchange for the carrier agreeing to use the Chinese company’s passenger jets, Vientiane Times quoted Prime Minister Sonexay...

Politics

62 h. ago China Forced to Keep Unprofitable Firms Alive to Save Jobs and Avoid Unrest

China Forced to Keep Unprofitable Firms Alive to Save Jobs and Avoid Unrest  Bloomberg.com

Society

2 d. ago How LA protests might force China to rethink its approach to US ties

The unrest in Los Angeles has revealed US domestic tensions that could momentarily divert Donald Trump’s attention from his China policies, potentially requiring a recalibration of Beijing’s approach towards Washington, according to Chinese analysts. One international relations expert urged Beijing to adopt a more pragmatic approach towards US ties and shift its focus to adapt to the conservative turn in American politics. After days of demonstrations in downtown Los Angeles over citywide US...

Events

3 d. ago Hong Kong tobacco tycoon Charles Ho dies at 75 after lung cancer diagnosis

Hong Kong tobacco and media tycoon Charles Ho Tsu-kwok, formerly the chairman of the Sing Tao News Corporation, has died at the age of 75. He revealed in February that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer last year. Two sources confirmed his death on Thursday, but it was unclear when he died. Ho previously served as a standing committee member of China’s top political advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and controlled the Sing Tao News Corp before he sold his...

Events

3 d. ago Pentagon chief warns China preparing for war, calls Beijing top US threat

Pentagon chief warns China preparing for war, calls Beijing top US threat  Business Standard

Events

3 d. ago Jack Ma replies to Alibaba employee’s letter lamenting ‘company disease’

Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba Group Holding, responded to the resignation letter of a long-term employee on Tuesday, a rare move for the tech veteran who stepped back from all corporate roles in 2019. In a response published on Alibaba’s internal website, Ma addressed the concerns raised by a 15-year employee, who criticised the “big company disease” afflicting the Chinese e-commerce giant in an extensive internal letter. The employee, a product development leader on the team responsible for...

Politics

3 d. ago China approves world’s biggest amphibious plane, AG600, for mass production

China’s home-grown AG600, the world’s largest amphibious aircraft, has been given the green light for mass production, marking a step forward in building an independent and globally competitive aviation industry. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) certified the plane on Wednesday, confirming that its developer, the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (Avic), has established a reliable system to consistently produce aircraft that meet safety standards, according to...

Politics

3 d. ago Rubio vowed to revoke Chinese student visas. Trump now says Chinese students are welcome

Rubio vowed to revoke Chinese student visas. Trump now says Chinese students are welcome  Los Angeles Times

Politics

3 d. ago Viewed from China, Trump’s crackdown on LA unrest a risky ‘political gamble’

Chinese analysts have been closely monitoring the Los Angeles unrest, which they said had been exploited by US President Donald Trump for political theatre, jeopardising public safety and stability. One high-profile commentator also predicted that Trump’s heavy-handed tactics could escalate into a constitutional crisis. The remarks followed days of protests in Los Angeles over immigration raids, which led to a curfew in some downtown areas of the city aimed at cracking down on vandalism. The...

Politics

3 d. 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