5 h. ago Xi to meet Central Asian leaders as both sides seek ‘stronger coordination’

Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to reaffirm Beijing’s commitment to Central Asian ties and higher quality development projects when he visits Kazakhstan for a summit next week. Xi will be in Astana from Monday to Wednesday for the China-Central Asia Summit, which is expected to focus on areas including transport, energy, security governance and the digital economy, according to analysts. It follows the first such summit in the Chinese city of Xian in 2023, when Xi vowed to strengthen...

Politics

7 h. ago US vaccine sceptics are now in charge. That’s bad news for the world

When US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jnr removed the vaccine advisory panel of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), he framed it as a move for the “restoration of public trust”. But the implications stretch far beyond domestic politics. In dismantling one of the world’s most respected sources of vaccine expertise, the United States is not just undermining its public health, it is ceding global scientific authority to China. Trump’s elevation of figures like Pete Hegseth,...

Politics

8 h. ago Cairo calling: why Chinese factories are moving to Egypt amid the trade war

Until recently, Jiahao’s guest house in a quiet corner of Cairo was a modest pit stop for Chinese tourists on their way to visit the Egyptian pyramids. But this spring, the hostel suddenly began to attract a different kind of client. Jiahao, the hostel’s 26-year-old owner, began welcoming groups of factory owners from across China and Southeast Asia – grizzled businesspeople whose trips were not about sightseeing, but survival. “Many business owners now book week-long stays,” Jiahao said. “I...

Events

10 h. ago Hong Kong puts construction of 8,300 homes on hold in Fanling

Hong Kong’s housing authorities have suspended a key public residential development in a northern town consisting of 8,300 homes due to the suspected high costs of building the flats on deep rock strata, according to a lawmaker. The suspension of the development, including its site formation and infrastructure works, in Fanling came to light on Sunday in a document the Housing Department and the Civil Engineering and Development Department submitted to the North District Council, a day before a...

Society

10 h. ago Future of 8,300 public flats in northern Hong Kong uncertain as work put on hold

Hong Kong’s housing authorities have suspended a 8,300 public flat development in a northern town due to the suspected high costs of building on deep rock strata, a move lawmakers said showed serious failure at the initial planning stage. The legislators urged authorities on Sunday to invest more resources in land exploration to avoid such unexpected disruptions to housing goals that would only leave the public disappointed. The suspension of the development, including its site formation and...

Politics

11 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

11 h. ago ‘Setting sun’: on Trump’s parade day, Chinese media see a US in decline

Chinese state media were quick to declare the decline of the United States as protests throughout the country highlighted social divisions and overshadowed the pageantry of a large military parade in Washington on the weekend. The three-hour parade on Saturday was the first in the US in decades and staged to mark the 250th anniversary of the US Army. The event also coincided with the birthday of US President Donald Trump. But as soldiers and tanks were rolling past Trump in Washington,...

Politics

12 h. ago Hong Kong trade body plans 2026 conference to entice Gulf states

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) plans to host a conference next year to foster collaboration with Gulf states, the body’s new head has said, adding that US President Donald Trump’s unpredictable policies could result in further changes to its export projections. Frederick Ma Si-hang, who took office on June 1, also said on Sunday that the council was exploring the feasibility of organising exhibitions at government venues to address an ongoing shortage of event spaces. On the...

Politics

12 h. ago Study shows China’s temples act as rare sanctuaries for ancient trees

At the foot of Zhongnan Mountain in the Chinese city of Xian, the ancient Guanyin Chan Temple is home to a ginkgo tree with a history spanning over 1,400 years. As autumn approaches each year, this ancient ginkgo tree bursts into a spectacular golden display. The tree is said to have been planted by Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang dynasty (618-907) during a visit to the temple. According to a new study, temples across China – both Buddhist and Taoist – have safeguarded tens of thousands of ancient...

Politics

17 h. ago Trump tariffs challenge Asean’s unity and economic stability

When US President Donald Trump’s tariff chaos eventually calms, its long-lasting consequences will significantly affect the area just south of China and east of India – Southeast Asia – and its organisational bloc, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). Trump’s focus on protectionism is likely to replace uniform tariffs with varying import taxes for different countries. This shift could create divisive and harmful effects for Southeast Asia and Asean, which are interchangeable but...

Economics

22 h. ago Trump’s military parade to start on day marked by assassination, ‘No Kings’ protests

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 is holding a major military parade in the nation’s capital on Saturday – fulfilling a long-standing desire of US President Donald Trump on a day that was marred by a political assassination. Echoing displays more...

Events

22 h. ago Trump’s military parade starts on day marked by assassination, ‘No Kings’ protests

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 is holding a major military parade in the nation’s capital on Saturday – fulfilling a long-standing desire of US President Donald Trump on a day that was marred by a political assassination. Echoing displays more...

Events

22 h. ago Trump’s military parade under way on day marked by assassination, ‘No Kings’ protests

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 is holding a major military parade in the nation’s capital on Saturday – fulfilling a long-standing desire of US President Donald Trump on a day that was marred by a political assassination. Echoing displays more...

Events

22 h. ago Trump’s military parade ends, US president takes stage to close out festivities

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 is holding a major military parade in the nation’s capital on Saturday – fulfilling a long-standing desire of US President Donald Trump on a day that was marred by a political assassination. Echoing displays more...

Politics

22 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

22 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

30 h. ago Cuomo campaign aide who worked for companies tied to Chinese Communist Party quits after Post queries

Cuomo campaign aide who worked for companies tied to Chinese Communist Party quits after Post queries  New York Post

Politics

33 h. ago Rare earth minerals are the biggest card China can play in its negotiations with Trump

Rare earth minerals are the biggest card China can play in its negotiations with Trump  Business Insider

Politics

33 h. ago Trump military parade set for Washington, while protests are planned around US

For the first time in more than three decades, the United States is holding a major military parade in the nation’s capital on Saturday – fulfilling a long-standing desire of US President Donald Trump and echoing displays more typically seen in countries like China, France and Russia. Showcasing the nation’s political divisions, though, the display in Washington will come on the same day as mass protests across the US. Trump sparked nationwide outrage just days earlier when he ordered thousands...

Events

33 h. ago Political assassination shocks US ahead of Trump military parade set for Washington

A politically motivated assassination in Minnesota on Saturday sent shockwaves across the US just hours before the start of a major military parade in the nation’s capital. The killing of former state House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, and the wounding of a second state lawmaker, took place in the early hours of a day that was expected to highlight America’s political divisions. The parade fulfills a long-standing desire of US President Donald Trump, echoing displays more typically...

Events