China News

China has drafted a law on Antarctic affairs, as Beijing looks to protect its interests and strengthen its role in the governance of the southernmost continent. The draft “Antarctic Activities and Environmental Protection Law” was submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the country’s top legislature, on Monday for the first review, state media reported. “The legislation on Antarctic activities and environmental protection will help better coordinate, manage and...

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Russia’s shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to China soared last month, consolidating Moscow’s role as the top energy supplier to the world’s second-largest economy even in the face of Western sanctions. Imports of LNG from Russia surged 142.6 per cent, year on year, to 1.6 million tonnes, displacing Australia to become one of China’s top two biggest suppliers alongside Qatar last month, according to the latest customs data. Russian LNG accounted for 23.5 per cent of China’s total...

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The Long March 12A, China’s first state-owned reusable rocket, made its debut launch on Tuesday morning but the recovery of the first stage was a failure. It was China’s second failed bid this month to return an orbital-class booster, a feat that has so far only been achieved by the US. The reusable rocket, designed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in China’s...

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Three in four multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in mainland China have maintained or increased their investments in 2025, according to a recent KPMG survey, despite Washington stepping up efforts to decouple from Beijing and its allies following suit. The survey published on Monday, polling 137 senior executives from global companies operating in the world’s second-largest economy between June and September, revealed that only 1 per cent reported preparing to exit the market. About 20...

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As 2025 draws to a close, it marks an important milestone in the reconfiguration of the global economic system. Every century is defined not only by changes in technological leadership and shifts in global power, but also by the restructuring of the global financial system. The 20th century was the century of the US dollar, but with the arrival of the 21st century, the contours of the global macroeconomic system have begun to change. A recent International Monetary Fund study, “Playing with...

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F-16V fighter jets ordered by Taiwan are undergoing ground tests in the United States, as Washington and the American contractor come under pressure to speed up deliveries following criticism of repeated delays. Photos circulating online in recent days showed at least one Taiwan-bound F-16V Block 70 two-seat aircraft during taxi and systems checks at a US airfield, offering the clearest public indication yet that the long-delayed programme had entered a substantive testing phase. Images of the...

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A Chinese combat robot tore through the competition at the Games of the Future Abu Dhabi 2025 on Sunday, sealing the Battle of the Robots title in a shower of sparks after slamming its rival into the glass wall of the arena. The robot, dubbed Deep-Sea Shark 3, was built by a China-based student team calling itself Fierce Roc, which was crowned champion, according to organisers. The contest was staged as part of a multi-sport festival of so-called “phygital” games – sport that blends real-world...

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China accused the United States on Monday of violating international law by seizing oil tankers off Venezuela, as Washington intensified pressure on President Nicolas Maduro’s government and a senior US official openly suggested that he should be removed from power. At a regular press briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the United States “seriously violated international law” by intercepting foreign vessels and reiterated China’s opposition to unilateral...

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A mistrial was declared on Monday in the closely watched case of a former senior New York official charged with acting as a Chinese agent after the jury was unable to reach a verdict. The jury remained deadlocked on all 19 counts after several days of deliberation in the case of Linda Sun, a former aide to New York governors Kathy Hochul and Andrew Cuomo, on charges of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (Fara). She and her husband and co-defendant Chris Hu were also charged with...

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All eyes are on how Beijing’s “Chinese dream” of eventual Taiwan reunification will unfold at a time when the leader of the United States – Taipei’s top international backer – appears less likely to intervene in case of a cross-strait conflict. In the first of a three-part series, Amber Wang looks at how recent moves signal a recalibration of Beijing’s Taiwan policy – outlining post-unity governance visions, ramping up messaging to the island’s public and scaling back military...

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The Federal Communications Commission said on Monday it is adding China’s DJI, Autel and ‍all foreign-made drones and components to a list of companies determined to pose unacceptable risks to US national security and will bar approvals of new types of drones for import or sale in the United States. The addition to the FCC’s “Covered List” means that going forward, DJI, Autel and other foreign drone companies will not be able to obtain FCC approval ⁠to sell new models of drones or critical...

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China recently announced it would impose an export licensing regime on around 300 steel products starting January 1. The move, while seemingly technical, sends a clear signal Beijing is attempting to address a key source of trade friction with its emerging market partners. To understand the policy’s intent, it needs to be placed in the broader context of China’s trade position this year. As global trade protectionism intensifies, China’s exports have shown remarkable resilience. Even as...

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Weeks after US immigration authorities arrested and separated 6-year-old Yuanxin from his father, Fei Zheng, during a routine immigration check-in in New York, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that the pair had been deported to China. “We are happy to report we were able to remove the family back to their home country on December 17, 2025,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to the South China Morning Post. Jennie Spector, a volunteer and community...

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Two senior Democratic lawmakers on Monday asked the ‌US Commerce Department to disclose details ‍and any approvals of continuing licence reviews for potential sales to Chinese firms of Nvidia’s second-most powerful AI chips. US President Donald Trump this month said he would allow sales of Nvidia’s (NVDA.O) H200 chips to China, with the US government collecting a 25 per cent ‍fee, and that the sales would help ‍keep US firms ahead of Chinese chipmakers by cutting demand for Chinese...

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While China has already logged a record-breaking trade surplus in the first 11 months of 2025, that milestone could be a harbinger of more protectionist pushback, an American research firm said on Monday – a development that could complicate the country’s efforts to meet its economic growth target in 2026. Though export performance remains the “most important” variable for China's real economic growth rate next year, trade measures adopted by other countries and weaker demand will also have an...

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China’s leader has promoted two PLA commanders who oversee the Taiwan Strait and the city of Beijing, suggesting that the dust has begun to settle following a massive purge in the military over corruption concerns. President Xi Jinping promoted Yang Zhibin, commander of the Eastern Theatre Command, to the rank of full general on Monday, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The move formally confirms Yang as head of the Eastern Theatre Command. Yang previously served as a lieutenant general in...

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A whispered word of command could allow spies to take control of an army of robots, security researchers have warned. The vulnerability in humanoid robots, which could see disruptive behaviour spread from one machine to another and cause widespread chaos, was exposed a few weeks ago at the GEEKCon competition in Shanghai. Since its inception in 2014, GEEKCon has successfully held 17 events, bringing together “white-hat hackers” from China, the US, Russia and elsewhere to compete. Security...

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China’s central bank has unveiled a credit-rehabilitation policy to help individuals who defaulted on small loans rebuild their financial standing – part of a broader push to bolster the economy and repair household balance sheets. The People’s Bank of China said the measure targets borrowers with a single instance of overdue debt incurred between 2020 and 2025 and not exceeding 10,000 yuan (US$1,421). If the debt is fully repaid by March 31, the default record will be hidden from credit...

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Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.

1. Blackpink for Ayumi? Why China may reward South Korea’s soft stance on Japan row In a bid to overhaul their economic relationship, China and South Korea are reviving long-stalled trade talks, with an eye on moving beyond factory floors to target the lucrative services sector as geopolitical shifts redraw the region’s alliances.
2. Holiday travellers hit...

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Beijing has lodged a protest with Tokyo over a series of visits to Taiwan by high-ranking officials from Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) amid a sharp downturn in bilateral relations. Koichi Hagiuda, an LDP lawmaker and the party’s executive acting secretary general, is on a three-day trip to Taiwan that will end on Tuesday. Hagiuda on Monday held a meeting with William Lai Ching-te, Taiwan’s leader. In total, about 30 Japanese lawmakers plan to visit the island between the end of...

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Huawei Technologies cut prices on its widescreen, flip-style Pura X handset over the weekend, as the foldable smartphone market braced for a new wave of high-profile launches from rivals Samsung and Apple. The Shenzhen-based smartphone giant said it was trimming as much as 800 yuan (US$114) from the Pura X, which debuted in March. The vertically folding model now starts at 6,899 yuan. The Pura X stands apart from Huawei’s other foldables for its wider 6.3-inch display and 16:10 aspect ratio –...

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China has slapped provisional anti-subsidy fees of up to 42.7 per cent on European producers of certain dairy products, including various types of cheese and cream, Beijing’s Ministry of Commerce announced on Monday. Chinese investigators made a “preliminary determination” – following a 16-month investigation – that the European Union provided “substantial subsidies” to the milk and dairy products industry “through programmes such as the common agricultural policy” and caused “material injury”...

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Hong Kong is putting gold at the centre of its push to become a global commodities trading hub, with officials prioritising plans for an international gold trading centre alongside a broader strategy to expand the city’s role in physical trade, derivatives and logistics. The government’s newly formed Commodity Strategy Committee held its first meeting on Monday under Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, as Hong Kong looked to build out a commodities ecosystem that would generate new growth...

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The US needs a more nuanced understanding of China to avoid policy missteps that hamper efforts to build trust between the two countries, a leading international relations professor has warned. Many scholars tended to interpret China primarily through an American lens, using frameworks designed to make sense of US politics and society, Diao Daming, from Renmin University, told a seminar last week. “Some view China simply as another superpower, assuming it follows the same logic as the US and can...

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Flight cancellations continue to disrupt travel between China and Japan into the holiday season with flights across 46 routes, including to popular tourism destinations, cancelled over the next two weeks amid deepening tensions between the two countries. Flight Manager, an app developed by Shenzhen-based Huo Li Tian Hui Technology, shows that there will be no flights on 46 air routes between the two neighbours for the next two weeks, affecting 38 airports in both countries. The widespread...

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