Breaking China, Asia, HK News, Opinions and Insights

Robots perform during China Central Television’s Spring Festival Gala 2026 on Monday. Photo: Handout

China’s humanoid robot orders surge after Spring Festival spotlight

Interest also spiked in Noetix’s Bumi, a companion robot that appeared in a family-themed comedy sketch at the gala.

1 hour agovideocam

China’s Unitree eyes 20,000-robot output after viral success of annual gala

Robotics

Politics

12 killed in China’s second deadly Lunar New Year firework explosion

The blast in Hubei came days after a similar incident in Jiangsu that prompted calls from the government to prevent a repetition.

1 minute ago

Diplomacy

Exclusive | Trump’s claim of Chinese, Russian ships near Greenland ‘not supported by facts’

Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, the ex-president of Iceland, also says it’s ‘important not to use scaremongering to justify major policy changes’.

2 hours agovideocam

Hong Kong Economy

Hong Kong Lunar New Year fireworks dazzle crowds with gold ingots, horseshoes

City leader John Lee vows to carry out reforms with full speed, says to public ‘let’s march forward bravely and confidently together’ in new year.

2 minutes agovideocam

Infographic

All you need to know about the Year of the Horse

China Business

China’s biotech boom sends price of lab monkeys for drug tests climbing

The cost of a single monkey exceeds the average annual salary in China and approaches a pandemic-era spike amid growth in drug licensing deals.

3 hours ago

Founder Securities expects the annual domestic supply of experimental monkeys in China to range between 49,000 and 52,400 animals from 2025 to 2027. Photo: Shutterstock

Tech Trends

Moonshot AI targets US$12 billion valuation as revenue surges for Kimi models

The latest round was jointly led by existing investors including Alibaba, Tencent, Andon and 5Y Capital, according to a source.

24 minutes ago

People

‘Wake-up call’: child deaths in Indonesia spotlight gaps in social aid

Experts warn many other such cases may not be recorded, and urge educators to be more vigilant to signs of emotional distress among students.

2 hours ago

Business

The secret ingredient in your daily life: why Malaysian palm oil is used around the world

Found everywhere from food products to biofuel, this vegetable oil is preferred for its versatility, safety and sustainable production.

In partnership with:

MPOC

Palm oil is a versatile ingredient found in a wide range of everyday items, from ice cream and cake to lipstick and biofuel.

China

Open-source sci-fi beloved in China tech circles sends geeks to ‘fix’ late Ming

The Morning Star of Linggao has attracted attention in the US but has remained outside the Chinese mainstream.

1 hour agovideocam

A poster for open-source time-travel novel The Morning Star of Linggao which has been continuously added to by often anonymous contributors for nearly 20 years. Photo: Handout

Tech

Colour matters: how AI is changing car premiums and services in China

Car colour, driving habits and location influence insurance premiums, according to a digital solutions provider using ByteDance’s AI model.

4 hours ago

Military

English language instruction in Chinese military is outdated, unbalanced: report

Senior lecturers warn that troops are not being given the communication skills they need to operate on the international stage.

18 Feb 2026 - 10:56AMvideocam

China

Breaking | Snowboarder Su Yiming wins China’s first gold of Winter Olympics

Su goes one better in men’s slopestyle, with Japan’s Taiga Hasegawa taking silver and America’s Jake Canter the bronze.

4 minutes ago

China’s Su Yiming celebrates during the men’s snowboarding slopestyle finals in Livigno. Photo: AP

Australasia

Australian citizen in Syria with alleged Isis ties banned from returning home

This is the first known use of a temporary exclusion order introduced in 2019 to prevent high-risk citizens from returning to Australia.

8 minutes ago

Australian family members of suspected Isis militants walk toward a van bound for the airport during the first repatriation operation of the year at Roj Camp in eastern Syria on Monday. Photo: AP

Society

Hong Kong marks start of Lunar New Year with surge of visitors

Visitor numbers hit 153,383 on first day of holiday, up by 10 per cent year on year, with more than 120,000 coming from mainland China.

4 hours ago

Politics

Hong Kong’s sports minister regrets comments about coach of local football team

Rosanna Law vows to be more careful with personal opinions after questioning Ashley Westwood’s coaching of team during Asian Cup qualifying match.

1 hour ago

China Economy

China and South Korea team up on a vexing issue: their fast-ageing populations

After years of tense relations, the two nations are finding common ground over their need to adapt to an era of ‘super-aged societies’.

6 hours ago

An elderly resident interacts with a humanoid robot at a care home in Shenzhen, China’s southern Guangdong province. Photo: Xinhua

Diplomacy

Chinese missions in Vietnam, Singapore warn citizens to stay away from gambling

Consulate and embassy issue statements after two separate incidents in which Chinese men fell to their deaths, allegedly after gambling.

5 hours agovideocam

Beijing has been cracking down on gambling activities and operations involving Chinese citizens. Photo: Shutterstock

China Economy

Chinese tourist arrivals to Japan plunge 41% in January amid simmering tensions

Impact ripples through Japan’s retail sector, with falling duty-free sales at top department stores highlighting the pain for the industry.

4 hours agovideocam

Politics

‘Knowing your friend’: Japan to join US-Philippines drills for first time

Australia also joins the fray as the US and its allies shift away from simple bilateral deals towards tighter regional security networks.

4 hours ago

OPINION

Futao Huang

Opinion | Universities in Japan and China are becoming tools of national strategy

18 Feb 2026 - 9:30AM

Lijia Zhang

Opinion | Why trade alone won’t make China beloved in South America

18 Feb 2026 - 7:06AM

Chang Zi Qian

Being Chinese | The great Lunar New Year divide and how I bridged it

17 Feb 2026 - 9:30AM

Liu Zongyi

Opinion | Bangladesh’s BNP could struggle to enact reforms despite election win

17 Feb 2026 - 9:51AM

Sophie Wushuang Yi

Opinion | Can Manila’s South China Sea strategy of defiance and diplomacy hold?

16 Feb 2026 - 5:30AM

Harry’s View | 18 Feb 2026

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Giving red packets (also called lai see or hong bao) is a Lunar New Year tradition, but when should you open them? Photo: Getty Images

SCMP Series Year of the Horse 2026

When is the best time to open Lunar New Year red packets in the Year of the Horse 2026?

It is considered rude to open lai see in front of the giver but don’t leave the red packets unopened for more than a couple of months.

18 Feb 2026 - 8:15AMvideocam

Feng shui advice for Rabbits for luck in money, health and romance

18 Feb 2026 - 7:15AMvideocam

Which zodiac signs must appease the tai sui in the Year of the Horse 2026?

17 Feb 2026 - 2:15PMvideocam

Open Questions series

Global Economy

Open Questions | Why Trump’s April trip to China may not deliver ‘grand bargain’: James Zimmerman

The American Chamber of Commerce in China chairman says this year’s expected Trump-Xi meetings can put countries on a ‘visionary’ path.

13 Feb 2026 - 9:03AMvideocam

Diplomacy

Open Questions | Trump’s ‘imperial’ agenda and the end of the old world order: Luuk van Middelaar

Political theorist says rapid acceleration of the US president’s ‘offensive, almost imperial’ agenda has left Europe disoriented.

9 Feb 2026 - 1:10PMvideocam

Diplomacy

Open Questions | Lawrence Lau on why China must ‘work smarter’ and how it can invent from scratch

China must shift from quantity to quality by focusing on 12-year schooling, more basic research and GBA integration, renowned economist says.

2 Feb 2026 - 10:02AMvideocam

China

Open Questions | How China’s 15-fold rise in Latin America dents US influence: Francisco Urdinez

A leading scholar says US action in Venezuela shows how Beijing’s economic ties now face rising geopolitical pushback.

29 Jan 2026 - 11:50AMvideocam

Key Industries:

China’s AI arms race sees sector brace for major flagship model launch week

A ‘stealth’ model has emerged, while advancements by Alibaba’s Qwen-3.5 and Zhipu’s GLM-5 aim to spur domestic competition following releases by US heavyweights.

9 Feb 2026 - 8:02PM

China’s AI sector is bracing for a monumental week, with a flurry of anticipated model releases. Photo: Shutterstock

Tech Trends

Moonshot AI targets US$12 billion valuation as revenue surges for Kimi models

The latest round was jointly led by existing investors including Alibaba, Tencent, Andon and 5Y Capital, according to a source.

24 minutes ago

Tech Trends

China’s humanoid robot orders surge after Spring Festival spotlight

Interest also spiked in Noetix’s Bumi, a companion robot that appeared in a family-themed comedy sketch at the gala.

1 hour agovideocam

China Business

China’s biotech boom sends price of lab monkeys for drug tests climbing

The cost of a single monkey exceeds the average annual salary in China and approaches a pandemic-era spike amid growth in drug licensing deals.

3 hours ago

Big Tech

Humanoids go mainstream as China’s robotics champions appear at CCTV spectacle

ByteDance, Unitree, RedNote, Bilibili and Kuaishou among the firms involved in the unparalleled nationwide marketing opportunity.

17 Feb 2026 - 4:46PMvideocam

Bot the star of the show: a dancing robot delights during China Central Television’s Spring Festival Photo: CCTV

Military

Will China’s state-backed thriller spill details of little-known spy cases?

‘Scare Out’ depicts leak of PLA jet secrets, and some speculate the plot could be based on true story involving stealth fighter tech.

15 Feb 2026 - 7:00AM

Companies

Pop Mart balances boom and bust: can Labubu’s leap match Molly’s momentum?

As Labubu’s meteoric rise cools, Molly’s longevity highlights the challenge Pop Mart faces in turning hype into stable intellectual property.

14 Feb 2026 - 10:01AM

Diplomacy

How Manila’s ‘naming and shaming’ challenges Beijing’s South China Sea stance

Analysts say the Philippines’ approach of ‘assertive transparency’ may be wearing thin at home and in the region.

12 Feb 2026 - 11:07AMvideocam

China’s humanoid robot orders surge after Spring Festival spotlight

Interest also spiked in Noetix’s Bumi, a companion robot that appeared in a family-themed comedy sketch at the gala.

China’s Unitree eyes 20,000-robot output after viral success of annual gala

12 killed in China’s second deadly Lunar New Year firework explosion

The blast in Hubei came days after a similar incident in Jiangsu that prompted calls from the government to prevent a repetition.

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Exclusive | Trump’s claim of Chinese, Russian ships near Greenland ‘not supported by facts’

Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, the ex-president of Iceland, also says it’s ‘important not to use scaremongering to justify major policy changes’.

Hong Kong Lunar New Year fireworks dazzle crowds with gold ingots, horseshoes

City leader John Lee vows to carry out reforms with full speed, says to public ‘let’s march forward bravely and confidently together’ in new year.

All you need to know about the Year of the Horse

China’s biotech boom sends price of lab monkeys for drug tests climbing

The cost of a single monkey exceeds the average annual salary in China and approaches a pandemic-era spike amid growth in drug licensing deals.

Moonshot AI targets US$12 billion valuation as revenue surges for Kimi models

The latest round was jointly led by existing investors including Alibaba, Tencent, Andon and 5Y Capital, according to a source.

‘Wake-up call’: child deaths in Indonesia spotlight gaps in social aid

Experts warn many other such cases may not be recorded, and urge educators to be more vigilant to signs of emotional distress among students.

.css-f84qeq{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;font-style:italic;}The secret ingredient in your daily life: why Malaysian palm oil is used around the world

Found everywhere from food products to biofuel, this vegetable oil is preferred for its versatility, safety and sustainable production.

Open-source sci-fi beloved in China tech circles sends geeks to ‘fix’ late Ming

The Morning Star of Linggao has attracted attention in the US but has remained outside the Chinese mainstream.

Colour matters: how AI is changing car premiums and services in China

Car colour, driving habits and location influence insurance premiums, according to a digital solutions provider using ByteDance’s AI model.

English language instruction in Chinese military is outdated, unbalanced: report

Senior lecturers warn that troops are not being given the communication skills they need to operate on the international stage.

Breaking | Snowboarder Su Yiming wins China’s first gold of Winter Olympics

Su goes one better in men’s slopestyle, with Japan’s Taiga Hasegawa taking silver and America’s Jake Canter the bronze.

Australian citizen in Syria with alleged Isis ties banned from returning home

This is the first known use of a temporary exclusion order introduced in 2019 to prevent high-risk citizens from returning to Australia.

Hong Kong marks start of Lunar New Year with surge of visitors

Visitor numbers hit 153,383 on first day of holiday, up by 10 per cent year on year, with more than 120,000 coming from mainland China.

Hong Kong’s sports minister regrets comments about coach of local football team

Rosanna Law vows to be more careful with personal opinions after questioning Ashley Westwood’s coaching of team during Asian Cup qualifying match.

China and South Korea team up on a vexing issue: their fast-ageing populations

After years of tense relations, the two nations are finding common ground over their need to adapt to an era of ‘super-aged societies’.

Chinese missions in Vietnam, Singapore warn citizens to stay away from gambling

Consulate and embassy issue statements after two separate incidents in which Chinese men fell to their deaths, allegedly after gambling.

Chinese tourist arrivals to Japan plunge 41% in January amid simmering tensions

Impact ripples through Japan’s retail sector, with falling duty-free sales at top department stores highlighting the pain for the industry.

‘Knowing your friend’: Japan to join US-Philippines drills for first time

Australia also joins the fray as the US and its allies shift away from simple bilateral deals towards tighter regional security networks.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | Universities in Japan and China are becoming tools of national strategy

Opinion | Why trade alone won’t make China beloved in South America

Being Chinese | The great Lunar New Year divide and how I bridged it

Opinion | Bangladesh’s BNP could struggle to enact reforms despite election win

Opinion | Can Manila’s South China Sea strategy of defiance and diplomacy hold?

Australian citizen in Syria with alleged Isis ties banned from returning home

12 killed in China’s second deadly Lunar New Year firework explosion

Breaking | Snowboarder Su Yiming wins China’s first gold of Winter Olympics

Footbridge linking Hong Kong’s Central Pier with IFC to close for demolition

Moonshot AI targets US$12 billion valuation as revenue surges for Kimi models

Hong Kong Lunar New Year fireworks dazzle crowds with gold ingots, horseshoes

When is the best time to open Lunar New Year red packets in the Year of the Horse 2026?

It is considered rude to open lai see in front of the giver but don’t leave the red packets unopened for more than a couple of months.

Feng shui advice for Rabbits for luck in money, health and romance

Which zodiac signs must appease the tai sui in the Year of the Horse 2026?

Open Questions | Why Trump’s April trip to China may not deliver ‘grand bargain’: James Zimmerman

The American Chamber of Commerce in China chairman says this year’s expected Trump-Xi meetings can put countries on a ‘visionary’ path.

Open Questions | Trump’s ‘imperial’ agenda and the end of the old world order: Luuk van Middelaar

Political theorist says rapid acceleration of the US president’s ‘offensive, almost imperial’ agenda has left Europe disoriented.

Open Questions | Lawrence Lau on why China must ‘work smarter’ and how it can invent from scratch

China must shift from quantity to quality by focusing on 12-year schooling, more basic research and GBA integration, renowned economist says.

Open Questions | How China’s 15-fold rise in Latin America dents US influence: Francisco Urdinez

A leading scholar says US action in Venezuela shows how Beijing’s economic ties now face rising geopolitical pushback.

China’s AI arms race sees sector brace for major flagship model launch week

A ‘stealth’ model has emerged, while advancements by Alibaba’s Qwen-3.5 and Zhipu’s GLM-5 aim to spur domestic competition following releases by US heavyweights.

Moonshot AI targets US$12 billion valuation as revenue surges for Kimi models

The latest round was jointly led by existing investors including Alibaba, Tencent, Andon and 5Y Capital, according to a source.

China’s humanoid robot orders surge after Spring Festival spotlight

Interest also spiked in Noetix’s Bumi, a companion robot that appeared in a family-themed comedy sketch at the gala.

China’s biotech boom sends price of lab monkeys for drug tests climbing

The cost of a single monkey exceeds the average annual salary in China and approaches a pandemic-era spike amid growth in drug licensing deals.

Humanoids go mainstream as China’s robotics champions appear at CCTV spectacle

ByteDance, Unitree, RedNote, Bilibili and Kuaishou among the firms involved in the unparalleled nationwide marketing opportunity.

Will China’s state-backed thriller spill details of little-known spy cases?

‘Scare Out’ depicts leak of PLA jet secrets, and some speculate the plot could be based on true story involving stealth fighter tech.

Pop Mart balances boom and bust: can Labubu’s leap match Molly’s momentum?

As Labubu’s meteoric rise cools, Molly’s longevity highlights the challenge Pop Mart faces in turning hype into stable intellectual property.

How Manila’s ‘naming and shaming’ challenges Beijing’s South China Sea stance

Analysts say the Philippines’ approach of ‘assertive transparency’ may be wearing thin at home and in the region.

Exclusive | Trump’s claim of Chinese, Russian ships near Greenland ‘not supported by facts’

The secret ingredient in your daily life: why Malaysian palm oil is used around the world

Opinion | Universities in Japan and China are becoming tools of national strategy