16 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

16 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

28 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

36 h. ago India, China agree to expedite resumption of direct air services

India, China agree to expedite resumption of direct air services  Reuters

Politics

38 h. ago Will Air India’s crash in Ahmedabad derail its revival plans?

Air India’s crash of a Boeing 787 jet that killed more than 200 people will be a huge setback to the former state-run carrier’s comeback plans after a change in its ownership to the Tata Group three years ago, according to analysts. The London-bound plane, carrying 242 passengers and crew, went down shortly after taking off from the western Indian city of Ahmedabad. Only one person survived. The deadly accident has raised questions about what possibly went wrong for the Boeing Dreamliner, one of...

Events

45 h. ago China, Japan: Close Encounter in the Air as Beijing Shows Off Naval Capabilities

China, Japan: Close Encounter in the Air as Beijing Shows Off Naval Capabilities  Stratfor: The World's Leading Geopolitical Intelligence Platform

Politics

3 d. ago DJI launches US$10,000 enterprise drone that can avoid power lines at night

DJI, the world’s biggest maker of consumer drones, this week launched a US$10,000 enterprise flagship model, the Matrice 400, with extended flight time and an obstacle-sensing system to avoid buildings, mountains and high-voltage power lines at night. The new enterprise drone offers a 59-minute flight time, a payload capacity of up to 6kg, and a powerful lidar and mmWave radar-based obstacle-sensing system that makes this a versatile drone for applications such as emergency air response, power...

Events

4 d. ago Megaquake scare in Japan, Philippines boosts air power: 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. Japan on alert as Hokkaido tremors reignite megaquake fears A string of moderate earthquakes off the coast of Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido has reignited concerns among experts and residents about the risk of a catastrophic seismic event – though scientists stress...

Politics

5 d. ago India’s landmark production of Rafale fuselages a ‘welcome’ boost for defence

France’s Dassault Aviation will manufacture the main body section of its Rafale multirole fighter jets in India – the first time production has taken place outside France – in a move analysts say marks a strategic milestone in New Delhi’s push for defence self-reliance amid growing pressure to modernise its ageing air force. The fuselage of the Rafale fighter aircraft will be produced through a partnership with India’s Tata group, as part of a broader effort to expand domestic manufacturing of...

Politics

6 d. ago 8 million Chinese viewers moved by boy, 6, who operates crane for acrobat parents

Massive numbers of people across China have watched in amazement as a thoughtful six-year-old boy operates a crane that is integral to an acrobatic show his parents perform. Xie Yule expertly worked the machine that held his parents in the air to perform in a town in eastern China’s Anhui province on a rainy evening ahead of Children’s Day. As rain fell heavily, the diminutive Xie stood on a stool as his hand never left the crane’s control panel, his eyes locked on his parents. His father, Xie...

Politics

7 d. ago U.S. engine and component ban poised to cripple China’s commercial aircraft manufacturing

U.S. engine and component ban poised to cripple China’s commercial aircraft manufacturing  The Air Current

Politics

9 d. ago Australia’s Albanese to meet China’s Xi in Beijing this summer: source

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to become the latest world leader to travel to Beijing for trade talks, as countries around the world scramble to navigate the turbulence unleashed by US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies. The Australian leader is expected to arrive in the Chinese capital in July or August, a source with knowledge of the situation told the Post on condition of anonymity, with the European Union also scheduled to hold a crunch summit with China during the...

Politics

1 week ago ‘Treated like a criminal’: fury over Hong Kong student’s Australian deportation

The mother of a 16-year-old Hong Kong girl studying in Australia is considering legal action after her daughter was deported from the country less than eight hours after a quarrel with her homestay family led to the teen’s eviction from her accommodation. The mother told the Post in late May about her follow-up action regarding the incident in March, even as Australian authorities said the welfare of international students was their top priority after concerns were raised over the lack of...

Events

1 week ago Leaked files reveal how China is using AI to erase the history of the Tiananmen Square massacre

Leaked files reveal how China is using AI to erase the history of the Tiananmen Square massacre  Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Events

1 week ago Beijing restaurant replaces US beef with Australian alternatives due to impact of Washington’s tariff policy

Beijing restaurant replaces US beef with Australian alternatives due to impact of Washington’s tariff policy  Global Times

Events

1 week ago Malaysia’s Kelantan eyes rare earth riches. Can it dig its way out of debt?

Kelantan’s rare earth reserves offer a potential lifeline for the impoverished Malaysian state, promising a path to slashing debt and driving much-needed economic development. But experts warn it will need to secure more federal funding to build the infrastructure needed to unlock billions of dollars in projected revenue. The Kelantan state government signed a preliminary deal with Australian mining giant Lynas last week to explore the state’s capacity to supply rare earths to the company’s...

Politics

1 week ago In China, 'The Great American' burger is now made with Australian beef

In China, 'The Great American' burger is now made with Australian beef  CNBC

Politics

1 week ago Member loses HK$38,000 as Hong Kong branch of Singaporean 1880 club faces probe

The sudden closure of 1880 Hong Kong, a private members club based out of Singapore, left members reeling, with one losing HK$38,000, paid out for a full-year membership just two months prior, while others have complained to Customs, alleging a violation of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance. The club, located in Quarry Bay’s Two Taikoo Place, operated for only seven months before shutting down last Friday due to “cash flow difficulties”. It has been accused of owing rent and wages to more than...

Politics

1 week ago China adds aerial refuelling to pilot training in move to boost combat readiness

China’s air force has introduced aerial refuelling to its pilot training programme as the People’s Liberation Army tries to step up combat readiness and long-range capabilities. The move was highlighted in a report by state broadcaster CCTV on Friday that included footage from a PLA training video. It showed instructors from the PLA Air Force’s Shijiazhuang Flight Academy piloting two J-10 fighter jets in a refuelling drill, supported by a YU-20 tanker. The J-10 – seen as China’s answer to the...

Politics

2 w. ago Chinese forces patrol Scarborough Shoal to ‘defend sovereignty’

The Chinese military and coastguard on Saturday launched a sea and air combat readiness patrol around Scarborough Shoal, known as Huangyan Island in China, to “further strengthen its control and defend its sovereignty”, according to an official statement. The show of force came a day after China’s state broadcaster aired rare footage of Chinese military drills in contested waters near the Spratly Islands, known as the Nansha Islands in China, highlighting Beijing’s ability to take military...

Politics