Senior US officials on Monday pushed back against suggestions of American retreat from the Indo-Pacific, declaring that Washington is recalibrating its foreign assistance to more effectively outcompete China in the strategically vital region while maintaining support for allies through targeted aid and security cooperation. The focus, they said, is shifting away from broad assistance towards…
Hong Kong’s High Court found former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying guilty on all charges in his national security trial on Monday, ruling that he had used his tabloid newspaper and international connections to push for foreign intervention and sanctions against the local and central governments. In open proceedings watched by a packed gallery of…
Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s guilty verdict in the former media boss’ landmark national security trial in Hong Kong has become a political flashpoint between China and its Western opponents, as they demand his immediate release while Beijing strongly rejects their interference. But while the High Court’s ruling on Monday could send the businessman-turned-opposition activist to jail…
Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s guilty verdict in the former media boss’ landmark national security trial in Hong Kong has become a political flashpoint between China and its Western opponents, as they demand his immediate release while Beijing strongly rejects their interference. But while the High Court’s ruling on Monday could send the businessman-turned-opposition activist to jail…
A landmark ruling of Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s marathon trial has revealed how the former media boss used his personal ties with foreign political figures to solicit intervention before and after the national security law took effect five years ago. In an 857-page judgment handed down on Monday, three High Court judges ruled that Lai intended…
At a sprawling industrial complex in the Inner Mongolian city of Baotou, workers feed bag after bag of rare earth additives into roaring furnaces, turning ordinary steel into a high-performance alloy worth twice as much. This is the front line of a technological leap being powered by China’s dominance in critical minerals and its strategic…
The global air travel market has bounced back to pre-pandemic levels, with the industry upbeat about 2026 and the Asia-Pacific region expected to lead worldwide traffic growth, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Monday. Load factors in Asia-Pacific were projected to hit an all-time regional high of 84.4 per cent next year, according…
Hong Kong recorded a 17 per cent rise in visitors in November to 4.2 million, compared with the same month last year, bringing total arrivals for the first 11 months close to the full-year forecast. The Hong Kong Tourism Board announced on Monday that between January and November, tourist arrivals rose 12 per cent to…
The dust has settled and Hong Kong’s eighth Legislative Council is getting ready, with new lawmakers finding their way. There were quite a few surprises, looking at the results. With many new candidates and political groups vying for seats, the contest for the directly elected geographical constituencies was highly competitive. Some candidates were fielded by…
This story 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. Three Hong Kong judges who presided over former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s high-profile national security trial for more than 1½ years are…