The Panama Canal has emerged as the latest maritime flashpoint, with the United States and China exchanging barbs in recent weeks over influence in what is one of the world’s most important shipping routes. Earlier this week, Washington and its allies in the region accused Beijing of detaining and holding up Panama-linked ships – and…
China has detained nearly 70 Panamanian-flagged ships after a Supreme Court ruling on the Panama Canal, US officials say. Published On 29 Apr 202629 Apr 2026 Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States have released a joint statement in support of Panama, while criticising Chinese economic retaliation, after a Hong…
The Hengli refinery, China’s second-largest, has generated hundreds of millions of dollars for Iran’s military, the US Treasury says. Published On 25 Apr 202625 Apr 2026 The United States has sanctioned a Chinese oil refinery for buying hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Iranian oil. Ahead of potential new talks on ending the US-Israeli…
Life insurance sales in Hong Kong rose 50.6 per cent to another record last year as affluent customers continued to buy policies in the city for wealth transfer, protection and medical needs. The industry wrote HK$330.9 billion (US$42.2 billion) in new life policies in 2025, compared with HK$219 billion a year earlier, which was also…
Chinese startup says DeepSeek-V4-Pro beats all rival open models for maths and coding. Published On 24 Apr 202624 Apr 2026 China’s DeepSeek has unveiled the latest versions of its signature artificial intelligence-powered chatbot, a year after its flagship model sent shockwaves through the global tech scene. The Chinese start-up launched preview versions of DeepSeek-V4-Pro and…
Hong Kong International Airport expects revenue to grow by up to 10 per cent this year despite disruptions from the Iran conflict, with its chief executive aiming to position it as an alternative hub to the Middle East. In a wide-ranging interview with the South China Morning Post on Thursday, Airport Authority Hong Kong CEO…
The 1986 Chernobyl disaster fueled global fears about nuclear power and slowed its development in Europe and elsewhere. Four decades later, however, there’s a revival around the world, a trend that has been given a big boost by war in the Middle East. Over 400 nuclear reactors are operational in 31 countries, while about 70…
Mainland Chinese investors have slowed their purchases of Hong Kong-listed shares this year after last year’s record inflows, as more artificial intelligence investment opportunities have emerged in mainland markets, according to BNP Paribas. Southbound inflows via the Stock Connect cross-border system have reached about US$30 billion so far this year, a slower pace than 2025,…
As Chinese President Xi Jinping called for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz this week, the pragmatic approach Beijing has taken to the US-Israel war on Iran was on full display. Speaking to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) on the phone on Monday, Xi reiterated China’s support for “all efforts conducive…
The South China Morning Post received six honours at the State Street Institutional Press Awards Asia-Pacific 2025 on Tuesday. The awards, which recognise outstanding news reporting on institutional finance across Asia-Pacific (APAC), drew a record 246 submissions this year from eight economies – mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and France. Most…