뉴스

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers are opening a new front in their battle with Tesla: humanoid robots. After spending years competing on electric cars and autonomous driving technology, leading Chinese manufacturers including BYD and Xpeng are now accelerating plans to mass-produce humanoid robots, betting that advances in artificial intelligence will unlock a vast new market beyond transportation. The push is expected to strengthen China’s position as a global manufacturing powerhouse for...

South China Morning Post

중도 성향

정치

China’s Xi Jinping arrives in a North Korea armed with advanced warships and AI drones

When Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang on Monday, he was entering a country undergoing notable development in both its nuclear programme and conventional combat capacity. North Korea has been aided in these developments by Russian military technology and economic aid, which Pyongyang received in exchange for sending troops and equipment to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine. These advances could help Pyongyang threaten the balance of power against South Korea and the United...

South China Morning Post

중도 성향

기타

China’s new battery tech set to turbocharge EVs, energy storage

Next-generation Chinese electric-vehicle (EV) batteries that charge in minutes are expected to add fuel to global sales of the country’s carmakers. An EV battery that goes from a 10 per cent to a 98 per cent charge in under six-and-a-half minutes was the star of the Super Technology Day event staged in Beijing in April by the world’s biggest producer of batteries for EVs, Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL). Earlier, the world’s leading EV maker, Shenzhen-based BYD, unveiled a battery...

South China Morning Post

중도 성향

기타

China turns African port into tourist spot, students rethink Hong Kong: 5 weekend reads

We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China is transforming historic African slave port into waterfront tourism magnet 2. The new Panama? Why Nicaragua could be next front in US-China influence battle 3. Is the dream over? Mainland students rethink Hong Kong over costs and cultural fit 4. How Chinese drink chains are testing the...

South China Morning Post

중도 성향

정치

China’s Xi Jinping arrives in North Korea

Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in Pyongyang on Monday for a two-day visit, his first to North Korea since 2019. In an article published by Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, on Monday morning, Xi said the combat friendship “forged in blood” and comradely bond of mutual trust between the two countries stood the test of time and the changing international landscape. Xi pledged to deepen strategic communication and interact frequently...

South China Morning Post

중도 성향

기타

As Asia’s strategic landscape evolves, what is the Quad’s purpose?

When foreign ministers of countries that are part of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) gathered in New Delhi last week, the agenda looked familiar: supply chain resilience, telecommunications security and maritime domain awareness. The talking points have evolved, the initiatives have multiplied and the meetings have become routine. Asia is entering a new strategic era. However, its geopolitical debate remains stuck in the previous one. Across the region, governments are investing in...

South China Morning Post

중도 성향

정치

China urged to fast-track carrier fleet upgrades as Japan boosts strike power

China should speed up aircraft carrier group upgrades and boost their combat capabilities to counter Japan’s growing defence strength amid mounting tensions, military experts have said. This comes as Tokyo ramps up its defence posture with long-range anti-ship missiles and deployments on Japanese islands near Taiwan, putting Beijing on high alert. A recent simulated attack also highlighted the potential threat. As tensions escalated in December over the Japanese prime minister’s comments on...

South China Morning Post

중도 성향

정치

Will ‘Trump-class’ battleship be a sitting duck for Chinese carrier-killer missiles?

A US congressional committee has cast doubt on Donald Trump’s “Golden Fleet” programme, warning it could overwhelm already strained nuclear-powered shipbuilding capacity and calling for a detailed review of its centrepiece battleship. One lawmaker also warned of the vulnerability of battleships in modern maritime warfare, citing the capabilities of the People’s Liberation Army’s Dongfeng missile series, which includes the DF-21D ballistic missile – widely dubbed a “carrier killer”. The...

South China Morning Post

중도 성향

정치

Inside Gaza’s tent cities without a single proper toilet: ‘it’s humiliating’

In their bare-bones tent in southern Gaza, Mostafa Shaaban built his family’s makeshift toilet behind a curtain in a corner. He dug a shallow pit in the sandy soil, poured a concrete slab around it, fixed a bottomless bucket over the hole, then topped it off with a battered, plastic toilet seat. It reeks with a foul odour and buzzes with flies and mosquitoes only a few feet from where they sleep and prepare meals. Every week, Shaaban has to dig the sewage sludge out of the pit. But at least it...

South China Morning Post

중도 성향

사회

Malaysian hiker missing for 2 weeks miraculously survives on forest berries

Jaslinda Saludin, the Malaysian hiker who went missing after descending Gunung Batu Putih mountain in Perak state’s Tapah two weeks ago, has been found and is now undergoing treatment. “Thank you to everyone involved, especially the police, Fire and Rescue Department personnel, NGOs, the Orang Asli (indigenous people) and all those who participated in the search operation,” said her husband, Haszman Othman, 61, who was full of gratitude over the successful rescue. He was met by the media at the...

South China Morning Post

중도 성향

정치

Trump has squeezed China in Cuba, Panama and Venezuela. Is Nicaragua next?

US President Donald Trump’s drive to reassert US supremacy in Latin America has already squeezed China’s interests in Cuba, Panama and Venezuela. Now, Nicaragua could be shaping up as the next economic battleground between the two powers, a scholar has warned. The American leader has yet to target Nicaragua since returning to office, but that could change if China revives an ambitious project to build a canal cutting across the country to connect the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, said Zhang...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

중도 성향

기타

Public urged to get jabs as flu cases spike

An expert on infectious diseases called on the public on Saturday to get vaccinated against influenza before the current batch of available jabs expires at the end of this month, as cases are on the rise. A recent serious case involved a 17-year-old who was left in a critical condition yesterday after developing complications, including severe pneumonia and shock from catching influenza B. He was not inoculated against the flu. Speaking on a Commercial Radio programme, Professor Ivan Hung, head of the infectious diseases division at the University of Hong Kong and an honorary consultant at Queen Mary Hospital , said the hospital has also logged more flu cases among children and the elderly. “Right now we're seeing a rise in the number of cases in both flu A, which is [subtype] H3, and also flu B, with quite a number of older adults being admitted to hospitals with severe flu cases, and also for children as well. Recently, we have had a 17-year-old with a severe flu B infection,” he said after the show. “But whether it's peaking – it's not yet the so-called summer peak – I think we really have to wait for a few more weeks to see how the trend plays out. "I do recommend anyone who has not been vaccinated to get vaccinated before the end of June because the vaccine is going to expire by the end of June.” Hung urged the elderly, particularly those with chronic diseases, to wear masks in crowded places and use hand sanitisers. People do not have to be too worried over Covid-19, he said, adding that it has become endemic in the city. “I think the coronavirus itself is relatively benign. If you look at the variant, the latest is NB.1.8.1, it’s actually quite close to the LP.8.1, which is the vaccine candidate," Hung said. "Basically, I think it’s not a major concern in terms of coronavirus. “Overall, we have very, very few severe cases being hospitalised. For the last year or so, we didn’t really have a surge in Covid cases. In general, it’s very mild, even for the older adults.” However, those who are immunodeficient and suffer from chronic illnesses should get vaccinated regularly, Hung said, urging those who have not been inoculated against flu to take the jab without delay, as vaccines won’t be available for a short period until the next batch arrives in the fourth quarter. Edited by Robert Kemp

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

중도 성향

IT/기술

Tech MoUs highlight last day of CE's Central Asia trip

Chief Executive John Lee announced a series of innovation and technology agreements with Uzbekistan, following a visit to the Central Asian nation’s flagship IT hub on Friday. Writing on his social media, Lee detailed the delegation’s visit to Uzbekistan IT Park, a national special economic zone in Tashkent, where they met with Ayubkhon Sultanov, Uzbekistan’s First Deputy Minister of Digital Technologies. He said the IT Park serves as a core engine for Uzbekistan’s digital economic transformation, offering tax incentives and rental concessions and facilitating visa arrangements to attract tech enterprises and talent. The park, he said, is central to implementing the “Digital Uzbekistan 2030 Strategy” and the country’s national AI Strategy. The CE noted that while Uzbekistan is accelerating its economic transformation and I&T development, Hong Kong — as an international financial centre — is actively building itself into a global innovation hub. “Leveraging its world-class financing platform, professional services and unique bridging role connecting the mainland and international markets, Hong Kong is highly complementary to Uzbekistan’s development,” the CE wrote. Both places, he added, are important partners within the Belt and Road Initiative and can strengthen exchanges of development experience. Lee said senior executives from the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), Cyberport and the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (HSITP) signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with IT Park during the visit. The agreements aim to establish platforms for startup incubation, acceleration programmes and cross-border market access. Under the deals, Uzbekistan’s I&T companies would gain a strategic gateway into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and global markets, while Hong Kong enterprises would be able to tap into Uzbekistan’s young IT talent pool for software development and innovative collaborations. “Going forward, we can further synergise the innovation and technology ecosystems of both sides, explore collaborative projects and achieve complementary advantages and win-win partnerships,” the CE said. Lee concludes his Central Asia trip on Friday. Edited by Tony Sabine

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

중도 성향

사회

TIA to work with Shenzhen to combat coercive shopping

The Travel Industry Authority (TIA) said it had exchanged views with relevant officials from Shenzhen to ramp up supervision on industry misconduct such as tours that involve coercive shopping. In a statement released on Friday, the authority noted its chairperson, Kevin Lam, led a team last month to meet with Ding Zhongyuan, deputy director-general of the Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports, Tourism, Radio & Television on May 18. The team also met with representatives from Shenzhen's tourism, cybersecurity, market supervision and enforcement departments, as well as travel associations and certain key online platforms. Together, they discussed how to strengthen collaboration to combat illegal tours as well as tours that involve coercive shopping. Speaking at their meeting, Lam noted Hong Kong has been cracking down on unlicensed tour activities, citing a recent case in which authorities arrested a mainland worker for the offence of breaching conditions of stay and offering hiking tour guide services at High Island Reservoir in early May. The man was later convicted and sentenced to six weeks in prison, according to the TIA. Meanwhile, the two sides also touched on issues in which mainland visitors were forced to buy items while on their packaged tours in the SAR. Authorities revoked a tour guide's licence in one case, following an investigation in April. The revocation took effect today. The TIA reiterated that it has "zero tolerance over actions that damage the reputation of Hong Kong's tourism industry", adding it would work with its peers in Shenzhen to enhance education and publicity. It also called on tourists to check if their travel agencies have obtained proper legal certificates before joining their tour groups. Edited by Tony Sabine

South China Morning Post

중도 성향

기타

Auditors shine light on UK royal housing, disgraced Andrew’s ‘peppercorn rent’

King Charles’ disgraced younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor held leases for 10 properties, three of which he sublet, while the monarch ⁠pays rent for the former prince’s daughters’ palace ⁠homes, a report by the UK’s spending watchdog said. In the most ⁠detailed review ever of royal property arrangements, the National Audit Office (NAO) report on Friday showed some leases were based on commercial valuations, while for others, senior figures paid no rent or negligible amounts for their...

South China Morning Post

중도 성향

기타

Malaysia’s new university rules rekindle multilingualism debate

A revision to Malaysia’s public university admissions rules has reopened one of the multicultural country’s most sensitive political debates: how far its national education system should accommodate Chinese-language schooling. Malaysia’s government on May 15 said students from Chinese independent secondary schools could apply to public universities through specified pathways using the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), the school-leaving qualification used by those institutions. The decision...

South China Morning Post

중도 성향

기타

The real story of 11 Skies is not about a failed shopping centre

Few things age faster than a business plan built for a world that no longer exists. That may be the most important lesson from the saga of 11 Skies, the vast retail, entertainment and commercial complex beside Hong Kong International Airport that now appears destined for a dramatic reset. Reports that the Airport Authority could take majority control of the project from its private developer have triggered debate over who should bear the cost and who made the wrong bets. The real story of 11...

South China Morning Post

중도 성향

정치

Putin says Trump ideas could bring peace in Ukraine, urges Kyiv to compromise

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that US President Donald Trump’s proposals for peace in Ukraine could end the fighting, but said Kyiv needed to compromise – and that he saw no signs of that, so was ready to fight on to victory. Speaking to foreign media editors on the sidelines of Russia’s annual economic forum in what is the fifth ‌year of Europe’s deadliest land war since World War II, Putin said Russia would defeat Ukraine on the battlefield if necessary. But he said it was also...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

중도 성향

기타

Noisy, flashing toys can harm your child: watchdog

Toys that can damage a child's hearing or induce epileptic fits have been found on sale in Hong Kong with some products lacking the necessary warnings for parents, the Consumer Council said on Thursday. The watchdog said it tested 30 battery-powered products with sound or light features, including toy phones, keyboards, walkie-talkies and trains, priced at between HK$28 and HK$399. Eight of the items failed battery safety checks, with the batteries left exposed after drop or pull tests. Of the 22 toys with light features, three did not have the required labels to warn of a potential risk they could trigger photosensitive epilepsy. One toy also played music louder than the 80-decibel limit set out in safety standards, with the council warning that prolonged exposure to excessive noise can harm a child's hearing at a time when their auditory system is still developing. "We urge relevant manufacturers and suppliers to check the results of this test and improve the product design and labelling to improve the safety of toys and strengthen the protection of children," the watchdog said. "The Consumer Council reminds parents and caregivers to pay close attention to product labels and safe usage when purchasing and using battery-operated toys with sound or light features, in order to reduce potential risks to children." It added that parents should check the recommended ages for individual products, make sure children don't hold noisy toys too close to their ears, and not to let children stare at lights coming from toys for too long. Edited by Thomas McAlinden

South China Morning Post

중도 성향

IT/기술

A Chinese robotics start-up beat Nvidia on a global AI ranking. Is a new tech war brewing?

As artificial intelligence steps out of the digital realm and into the real world, the race to build the embodied “brains” powering next-generation robots has become the newest battleground in tech competition between China and the United States. Two days after US chip giant Nvidia launched its Cosmos 3 model – designed to help physical AI “think before it acts” – a Chinese start-up stole the spotlight. On Wednesday, Hangzhou, Zhejiang province-based Spirit AI said its foundation model for...

1 / 5 (총 82건)다음

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

중도 성향

기타