Xpeng’s founder headlines SCMP Live’s 2025 Business Awards Xpeng’s CEO He Xiaopeng is among three corporate founders who have been shortlisted as finalists in the 2025 Business Awards organised by SCMP Live, in a reimagination of a series of accolades first introduced in 1990. A total of 43 nominations were received for the awards in six categories, honouring the most noteworthy business owner, corporate executive, company, small-and-medium-sized enterprise (SME), start-ups and the best globalised brand. A discretionary award honouring lifetime...

South China Morning Post

Xpeng’s founder headlines SCMP Live’s 2025 Business Awards

The winners of the awards in six categories will be announced on December 12 in Hong Kong.

On Taiwan, Japan’s Takaichi shouldn’t play with fire Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent remarks suggesting that Japan could intervene militarily in the Taiwan Strait under the pretext of a “survival-threatening situation” represent a strategic pivot away from Japan’s post-war pacifist ethos. These statements, explicitly condemned by Beijing as “blatant interference in China’s internal affairs”, transcend mere diplomatic indiscretion. They reflect a calculated alignment with containment strategies aimed at curtailing China’s...

South China Morning Post

Opinion | Takaichi’s Taiwan rhetoric is a strategic misjudgment

Hawkish statements might placate the Japanese prime minister’s base, but they will only put Beijing on alert and risk isolating Tokyo.

Europe refuses to be tech ‘vassal’ of China and US, France’s Macron says French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that Europe does not want to be a “vassal” that is dependent on US and Chinese tech companies, calling for a “European preference” in the sector. “Europe doesn’t want to be the client of the big entrepreneurs or the big solutions being provided either from the US or from China, we clearly want to design our own solutions,” Macron told a Berlin summit, adding that this stance represented “a refusal of being a vassal”. Macron was speaking at the...

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Europe refuses to be tech ‘vassal’ of China and US, France’s Macron says

The French leader made a push for prioritising domestic players in the sector to counter ‘Chinese exclusivity’ and ‘American preference’.

Japanese in China warned to be wary as row over Takaichi’s comments continues Japan has urged its citizens in mainland China to take safety precautions as diplomatic tensions sparked by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments on Taiwan continue to escalate. In a message on its website, the Japanese embassy in China said it reiterated “safety measures in light of recent local media coverage concerning Japan-China relations”. “When going out, please remain vigilant of your surroundings, such as the approach of suspicious individuals, and endeavour to ensure your safety as...

South China Morning Post

Hopes dim as China-Japan talks on Takaichi Taiwan Strait row end with no resolution

Foreign ministry’s Asian affairs chief Liu Jinsong ‘very unsatisfied’ after talks with Japan counterpart, Chinese media reports.

Singapore says Chinese firm’s electric buses not equipped with remote tech Singapore has 20 electric public buses by Chinese manufacturer Yutong Group, and none of these vehicles support any remote control functions, the Land Transport Authority said on Monday. LTA’s response came after Norway’s public transport operator Ruter found that Yutong had access to the buses’ control systems for software updates and diagnostics. This could allow the manufacturer to turn them off remotely. The discovery has also raised cybersecurity concerns, with Ruter saying earlier this...

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Singapore says Chinese firm’s electric buses not equipped with remote tech

The Land Transport Authority’s clarification came after Norway found the firm had access to the buses’ control systems for software updates.

What BJP’s dominance means for India’s democracy and fragmented opposition A sweeping election victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Bihar has raised fresh questions about the future of India’s political opposition. Analysts say the landslide outcome – which defied predictions of a close race – highlights an increasingly lopsided political landscape, with a dominant BJP facing a fragmented opposition, particularly a Congress party struggling with internal drift and unresolved leadership issues. The BJP, its main regional ally,...

South China Morning Post

What BJP’s dominance means for India’s democracy and fragmented opposition

The sweeping Bihar election win means Modi’s BJP will face ‘virtually no opposition’ as Congress continues to struggle, analysts warn.

Malaysia-Singapore crossing brawl, climate crisis in focus: 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. Bus queue brawl at Malaysia-Singapore crossing spotlights border bottlenecks Viral footage of two commuters wrestling on the floor of Johor Bahru’s main border terminal has once again highlighted the chronic congestion – and fraying tempers – at one of Southeast Asia’s...

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Malaysia-Singapore crossing brawl, climate crisis in focus: 7 Asia highlights

From a Bangladesh court sentencing Hasina to a Muslim trans woman’s secret, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

Ex-US Treasury chief stepping back from public roles after Epstein emails Former US Treasury secretary Larry Summers said on Monday he will step back from all public commitments, days after President Donald Trump ordered the Justice Department to investigate his and other prominent Democrats’ ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Summers, a former president of Harvard University, where he is a professor, told the university’s student newspaper that the move was to allow him “to rebuild trust and repair relationships with the people closest to me”. The...

South China Morning Post

Ex-US Treasury chief stepping back from public roles over Epstein emails

Larry Summers says he needs to ‘rebuild trust’ after correspondence with sex offender Epstein was revealed in files released by Congress.

Hong Kong set for further economic growth after robust quarter, says city leader Hong Kong’s economy is expected to continue growing after a strong performance in the previous quarter, supported by the global economic environment, a vibrant financial market and an interest rate cut, the city’s leader has said. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that a persistent rise in exports and sustained expansion in domestic demand had contributed to the city’s “robust” economic performance in the third quarter, despite turbulence in the global economy, which recorded a...

South China Morning Post

Hong Kong set for further economic growth after robust quarter, city leader says

Chief Executive John Lee expects sustained growth, driven by vibrant financial market activity, interest rate cuts and rising visitor numbers.

Australian poll reveals rising concerns over US influence, trade tactics More than half of Australians are concerned about US interference while support for defence spending has reached a new high, according to a nationwide poll that comes as friction mounts between the allies over issues such as trade. The survey released on Tuesday by the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney found that 54 per cent of respondents are worried about US influence on domestic affairs – a jump of nearly 20 percentage points since 2021. The increase...

South China Morning Post

Australian poll reveals rising concerns over US influence, trade tactics

According to the poll, 57 per cent of Australians believe Washington would force Canberra to pick sides in its rivalry with Beijing.

How League of Legends is still China’s top PC game after 15 years US video game developer Riot Games, creator of League of Legends, retains bragging rights to the most popular PC game in China nearly a decade and a half after its launch. First introduced in 2009 and brought to the mainland in 2011, the multiplayer online battle game has been around longer than many of those who play it – a remarkable feat in an industry known for its rapid shifts. The secret to the game’s longevity may lie in the sustained appeal of the League of Legends esports scene, as...

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How League of Legends is still China’s top PC game after 15 years

Vital esports scene surrounding the game, developed by Tencent subsidiary Riot Games, helps maintain its popularity.

US House to push forward on Epstein vote after Trump reversal The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives is expected to vote as soon as Tuesday to force the release of investigative files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with passage seen as all but guaranteed after US President Donald Trump dropped his long-standing opposition. Trump’s reversal late on Sunday came days after a House petition gathered enough support to force a vote, a rare instance of House Republicans defying the president’s wishes. Until the weekend, Trump and...

South China Morning Post

US House pushes forward on Epstein files vote after Trump reversal

The House of Representatives looks all but certain to vote on one of modern America’s most notorious case files.

What US anti-scam ‘strike force’ means for Southeast Asia’s cybercrime fight A US-led crackdown on online scams may hand Southeast Asia an opportunity to combat the scourge, analysts say, as Washington and Beijing find common purpose in dismantling criminal networks that exploit lax governance and human trafficking. The United States launched its “Scam Centre Strike Force” last week to counter cryptocurrency fraud linked to Southeast Asia, estimating that such crimes defraud Americans of nearly US$10 billion a year. Many of these schemes, dubbed “pig butchering” scams,...

South China Morning Post

What US anti-scam ‘strike force’ means for Southeast Asia’s cybercrime fight

Analysts say the US initiative can serve as a coordination blueprint to push back against transnational criminal enterprises.

Singaporean man jailed on rare charge of not reporting girlfriend’s death When a Singaporean man found his girlfriend dead in her bedroom, he tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate her before leaving with his belongings. He texted his girlfriend’s sister hours later to say only that the woman was uncontactable. When his girlfriend’s sister showed up at the unit with his girlfriend’s children, she found her sister dead and decomposing. Jason Hong Kai Qi, 34, was sentenced to one week’s jail on Monday for a rare charge of failure to report a death. He had earlier been...

South China Morning Post

Singaporean man jailed on rare charge of not reporting girlfriend’s death

Her body, found four days later, was in such an advanced state of decomposition that the cause of death could not be ascertained.

At least 32 killed in DR Congo after bridge at mine collapsed A bridge at a copper and cobalt mine in southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo collapsed due to overcrowding, killing at least 32 people, a regional government official said on Sunday. The bridge at the Kalando mine in Mulondo in Lualaba province fell on Saturday, Roy Kaumba Mayonde, the province’s interior minister, said during a press conference. “Despite the strict prohibition on accessing the site due to heavy rainfall and the risk of landslides, illegal diggers forced their way into the...

South China Morning Post

At least 32 killed in DR Congo after bridge at mine collapsed

Authorities say overcrowding and panic - allegedly sparked by soldiers’ gunfire - caused the bridge to fall at the copper and cobalt mine.

China’s Unitree Robotics completes pre-IPO tutoring for onshore listing Unitree Robotics, one of China’s leading humanoid robot manufacturers, has completed its pre-initial public offering (IPO) tutoring process, a major step towards an onshore listing, according to government documents. The Hangzhou-based unicorn passed regulatory checks with the Zhejiang Securities Regulatory Bureau, concluding a pre-listing tutoring period that began on July 18, the China Securities Regulatory Commission’s website showed. Citic Securities, the top investment bank in China by...

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China’s Unitree Robotics completes pre-IPO tutoring for onshore listing

The unicorn is reportedly aiming for a valuation of up to US$7 billion in a listing on Shanghai’s Nasdaq-style Star Market.

Hong Kong watchdog urges scrutiny of travel insurance terms amid claims disputes Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog has warned residents travelling abroad to carefully compare the scope of coverage and exclusions of different insurance plans, following complaints regarding disputes over travel insurance claims. The Consumer Council said on Monday it had received several cases that reflected discrepancies between consumers and insurance companies’ understanding of coverage terms under different circumstances. In one case, a traveller said she failed to receive compensation for...

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Hong Kong watchdog urges scrutiny of travel insurance terms amid claims disputes

Consumer Council says travellers should fully understand how policies define key terms and what activities are covered.

Chikungunya may be spreading silently in Hong Kong, experts say after fourth case Hong Kong may have silent chains of chikungunya fever transmission in the community, a leading infectious disease expert has warned, as authorities have yet to identify the source of the city’s fourth local case recorded last week. Joseph Tsang Kay-yan, co-chairman of the Hong Kong Medical Association’s advisory committee on communicable diseases, said on Monday that authorities should step up mosquito control, noting that cooler weather and declining cases in neighbouring Guangdong province...

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Chikungunya may be spreading silently in Hong Kong, expert says after fourth case

‘This latest case, I believe, highlights that we have some silent transmission chains in Hong Kong,’ expert says.

South Korean prison officer probed for asking Kim Ho-joong for millions in bribe A correctional officer at South Korea’s only private prison is under investigation for allegedly demanding 30 million won (US$20,600) from singer Kim Ho-joong in exchange for helping arrange his transfer to the facility – a claim authorities say is false. The Ministry of Justice said the officer, whose name was not released publicly, could face disciplinary action depending on the result of the investigation. According to the ministry on Sunday, the Seoul Regional Correctional Headquarters is...

South China Morning Post

South Korean prison officer probed for asking Kim Ho-joong for millions in bribe

The officer had allegedly claimed credit for the singer’s transfer to South Korea’s only private prison, justice ministry says.

Asbestos in play sand forces over 70 school closures in Australia, New Zealand More than 70 schools in Australia and New Zealand were closed on Monday for cleaning after asbestos was discovered in widely used children’s play sand products. Recalls have been issued for several colourful play sand products after laboratory testing detected traces of tremolite and chrysotile asbestos. A number of schools and preschools in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and one in Brisbane shut on Friday after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) issued a national...

South China Morning Post

Asbestos in play sand forces over 70 school closures in Australia, New Zealand

While respiratory asbestos fibres are unlikely to be released unless the sand is crushed, the risk is still there, Australian watchdog says.