South China Morning Post: Recent Episodes
South China Morning Post
Welcome to the Hong Kong Racing Weekly podcast. Episode 13 features a preview of Sunday's Hong Kong International Races, with predictions and the team's best bets.
Welcome to the Hong Kong Racing Weekly podcast. Episode 12 features a look at Wednesday's International Jockeys' Championship at Happy Valley, with predictions and the team's best bets.
Welcome to the Hong Kong Racing Weekly podcast. Episode 11 features an update on all things Hong Kong International Races, a look at Romantic Warrior's new plans for the season and the team's best bets for Sunday's 10-race card.
Welcome to the Hong Kong Racing Weekly podcast. Episode 10 features a look back at Sunday's Group Two action, the selected runners for December's Hong Kong International Races and the team's best bets for this weekend's 10-race card.
Welcome to the Hong Kong Racing Weekly podcast. Episode nine features a look at the abandonment at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, a preview of this weekend's Group Two action and the team's best bets for Sunday's 11-race card.
Welcome to the Hong Kong Racing Weekly podcast. Episode eight features a look at the International Jockeys' Championship line up and the team's best bets for Saturday's 10-race card, where Wunderbar takes on Magic Control down the Sha Tin straight.
Situated in the eastern Himalayas, the kingdom of Bhutan has become synonymous with serenity and spirituality. In this episode of Eat Drink Asia, Post reporter Lisa Cam visits Bhutan to learn how locals preserve and promote their traditional culture through food. Read more: https://sc.mp/vyukv
Welcome to the Hong Kong Racing Weekly podcast. Episode seven features a Hong Kong International Races update, while we hear from Zac Purton ahead of Massive Sovereign's return in Sunday's Group Three Sa Sa Ladies' Purse and get the team's best bets for Sha Tin's 10-race card.
Welcome to the Hong Kong Racing Weekly podcast. Episode six covers the first batch of entries for December's Hong Kong International Races and Ka Ying Rising's electric win in the Premier Bowl, plus we hear from James McDonald ahead of his winter contract in Hong Kong and get the team's best bets for this weekend's meeting at Happy Valley.
Welcome to the Hong Kong Racing Weekly podcast. Episode five covers Galaxy Patch's blistering win, David Hayes' thoughts on his exciting sprinter, Ka Ying Rising, ahead of the Premier Bowl, a preview of this weekend's feature and the team's best bets on the card.
Welcome to the new Hong Kong Racing Weekly podcast. Episode four covers David Eustace's promising start, Zac Purton's thoughts on his Caulfield Cup ride, Land Legend, a preview of this Sunday's Group Two Sha Tin Trophy and the team's best bets on the card.
Welcome to the new Hong Kong Racing Weekly podcast. Episode three covers an early look at this season's Classic Series contenders, Dan Meagher's HKIR dream and the team's best bets for Sunday's meeting at Sha Tin.
Welcome to the new Hong Kong Racing Weekly podcast. Episode two covers this weekend's Group One Sprinters Stakes, with Jay providing all the latest news from Nakayama, as well as an update on veteran trainer Benno Yung, the team's best bets for Saturday's meeting at Sha Tin and a preview of the Group Three National Day Cup.
Welcome to the brand new Hong Kong Racing Weekly podcast. Episode one covers Romantic Warrior's potential dirt campaign, Golden Sixty's farewell ceremony and this weekend's Group Three Celebration Cup.
Noodles with wontons, beef balls and shrimp roe as well as boat noodles are classic Hong Kong dishes, but where did they originate? In this episode of Eat Drink Asia, hosts Charmaine Mok and Sam Evans are joined by Post reporter Lisa Cam to discuss how these noodle varieties made their way to Hong Kong. They also make an argument for why noodles are more emblematic of Chinese cultural heritage than rice. This episode is made with the support of Cathay Pacific.
Pineapple buns, cocktail buns and egg tarts are among the cornucopia of delectables ready to be sampled at bakeries across Hong Kong. In this episode of Eat Drink Asia, hosts Charmaine Mok and Sam Evans explore the origins of these classic baked goods. They also speak with cookbook author Kristina Cho, who shares tips about making egg tarts at home and explains how Chinese-style bakeries in the United States compare with those in Hong Kong. This episode is made with the support of Cathay…
More Asian internet users are influenced by far-right causes including white supremacism in the digital age. Listen to Post reporter Kimberly Lim explain more about the ‘anti-woke’ movement’s slow creep in the region, while experts Munira Mustaffa, Jo Krishnakumar and Rizky Rahadianto provide context on how the internet has become so divisive. Read more: https://sc.mp/h43aw
The history of dim sum dates back thousands of years, but chefs in Hong Kong are taking the tradition to new heights. In this episode of Eat Drink Asia, hear how some restaurants in the city are putting their own spin on classic dishes. Hosts Charmaine Mok and Sam Evans also sit down with Ho Lee Fook’s chefs ArChan Chan and Winson Yip to discuss the balance between preservation and experimentation when it comes to dim sum food culture. This episode is made with the support of Cathay Pacific.
With slower growth in China’s economy, young professionals and middle-class people across the country are tightening their belts and cutting down on spending. But what can the rest of the world expect from diminished demand in the second-biggest economy?
Two years after taking office as Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee has shifted his focus from enforcing national security to improving the lives of residents and rebuilding the city's economy. But he faces formidable challenges, stemming from geopolitical tensions between China and the West with Hong Kong caught in the middle. Lee discusses all this and more with the Post's managing editor of content, Yonden Lhatoo, in this extended version of Talking Post.
How does a country deepen its relationship and do business with China without risking retaliation by the US and its allies? How can a nation protect its territorial claims in the South China Sea yet maintain a delicate balancing act with its neighbours with their own views and claims? Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim discusses these issues and more, including his deep anguish over the Israel-Gaza war, in this extended version of Talking Post with Yonden Lhatoo.
How does a country deepen its relationship and do business with China without risking retaliation by the US and its allies? How can a nation protect its territorial claims in the South China Sea yet maintain a delicate balancing act with its neighbours with their own views and claims? Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim discusses these issues and more, including his deep anguish over the Israel-Gaza war, in this extended version of Talking Post with Yonden Lhatoo.
Harajuku, a neighbourhood in the Japanese capital Tokyo, has long been known as the birthplace of some incredibly colourful and unique fashion subcultures. The district had gone relatively quiet for years, but now one of its best-known styles called decora is staging a surprise comeback. In this episode of About Asia, we chart the rise, fall and rebirth of Harajuku’s fashion scene. Read more: https://sc.mp/cdeb24
Once described as “the best pig” by the late food legend Anthony Bourdain, babi guling is no longer just a ceremonial dish in Bali. Post reporter Lisa Cam examines how overtourism helped turn the beloved spit-roasted pig into the Indonesian island’s most ubiquitous street food. Read more: https://sc.mp/3lkcz
The European Union and the United States claim that China is flooding global markets with cheap goods. China says these assertions are groundless. Post Europe correspondent Finbarr Bermingham breaks down the arguments for and against overcapacity, and looks at whether the EU and China are heading towards a trade war. Read more about this: https://sc.mp/a1e73f
The US has been grappling with an opioid crisis for decades, but the problem has been exacerbated by the arrival of fentanyl – a synthetic drug 50 times more potent than heroin. What roles do China and India play in the global illicit fentanyl trade? Post correspondent Khushboo Razdan and independent investigative journalist Ben Westhoff walk us through their reporting. For more on this: https://sc.mp/8c9626
The US has been grappling with an opioid crisis for decades, but the problem has been exacerbated by the arrival of fentanyl – a synthetic drug 50 times more potent than heroin. What roles do China and India play in the global illicit fentanyl trade? Post correspondent Khushboo Razdan and independent investigative journalist Ben Westhoff walk us through their reporting. For more on this: https://sc.mp/8c9626
Domestic tourism in China is steadily recovering, but what about inbound tourism? Post senior correspondent Ralph Jennings has a look at who is visiting China and who is not and explores the various hurdles foreigners face when travelling to China. For more on China travel: https://sc.mp/facef8
Hong Kong’s urban jungle was once regularly visited by wild tigers, with sightings of the big cats until the 1960s. While local history books only mention tiger killings in 1915 and 1942, the animals appear in oral accounts, newspapers and John Saeki's 2022 book The Last Tigers of Hong Kong – which tells tales of deadly attacks and terrified villagers hearing roars and frantic pig squealing. In this podcast, the Post tracks down Hong Kong’s links to the critically endangered South China tiger. 🐅
China is turning science fiction into fact, whether through the development of nuclear reactors for interplanetary space travel or the use of artificial intelligence to fight corruption. The Post’s science editor Stephen Chen and science reporter Holly Chik discuss some of the latest achievements by China’s scientific community and how the country is nurturing the next generation of scientists. Read the latest on China science: https://sc.mp/a3caf7
Oppenheimer will finally make its Japan premier on March 29, 2024, eight months after the film’s world debut. How will the only country to suffer wartime atomic bombings react to a biopic about the American physicist who led efforts to build the first such weapons of mass destruction? Yuki Miyamoto, a nuclear ethics professor at DePaul University who has seen Oppenheimer three times, discusses her reservations about the film. Read more: https://sc.mp/92s0
Protests continue in India against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which many say is a Hindu nationalist campaign targeting Muslims, spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Post spoke with independent journalist Angad Singh for more. Read more on this: https://sc.mp/5396d3
China has just concluded its biggest annual plenary event in Beijing, the “two sessions” of its top legislative and political advisory bodies. Post executive editor and resident China expert Chow Chung-yan sits down with managing editor Yonden Lhatoo in this extended version of Talking Post to unpack it all. Watch the video interview: https://sc.mp/6dae8c
The yakuza are seeing a pop cultural renaissance with hit TV shows like Tokyo Vice and video games such as Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. In reality, however, the Japanese organised crime groups are in serious decline. But do their shrinking numbers tell the whole story? To learn more, the Post’s Jonathan Vit spoke with Dr Martina Baradel, a criminologist at the University of Oxford. Read more on this: https://sc.mp/r6law
How might a second Trump presidency affect US relations with China, North Korea, Japan, Asean, India and more? Post US bureau chief Robert Delaney compares and analyses the foreign policies of incumbent President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump and explores whether Beijing prefers one over the other. Read the latest on the US presidential 2024 elections: https://sc.mp/0d0073
How might a second Trump presidency affect US relations with China, North Korea, Japan, Asean, India and more? Post US bureau chief Robert Delaney compares and analyses the foreign policies of incumbent President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump and explores whether Beijing prefers one over the other. Read the latest on the US presidential 2024 elections: https://sc.mp/0d0073
A growing number of women are freezing their eggs as a means of prolonging their fertility, but what are the economic and social barriers they face along the way? The Post spoke with Dr Geetha Venkat to learn more. Read more on this: https://sc.mp/3hse
The political marriage of the Philippines’ two most powerful families appears to be crumbling. Lucio Blanco Pitlo III, research fellow at the Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress Foundation, explains the history behind the apparent feud between President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, and its potential implication to the country’s political future. For the latest on the Philippines: https://sc.mp/ca9d66
Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia’s current defence minister, has won the presidential election by a wide margin, according to unofficial, but historically accurate quick count results. But there are lingering concerns about Prabowo related to past allegations of human rights abuses. In this episode of About Asia, we speak with Jacqui Baker of Murdoch University about the president-elect’s successful shift from fiery populist to a grandfatherly figure.
A century-old American trade provision known as the “de minimis” rule has drawn the attention of some US lawmakers. They argue that the rule gives Chinese e-commerce platforms, such as Temu, an unfair advantage over American retailers. Post reporter Siqi Ji explores the arguments for scrapping the rule and explains why changing it will be hard despite bipartisan support. Read Siqi’s story: https://sc.mp/5c57e8
Black moss is synonymous with Lunar New Year feasts because its name in Cantonese sounds lucky – fat choy being a homonym for “get rich”. However, cultivation of the moss has taken an unfortunate toll on some arid regions of mainland China. Post deputy culture editor Charmaine Mok reports on how overharvesting of black moss has turned some areas into desert. Read Charmaine’s full story: https://sc.mp/ldgag
Taylor Swift is one of the biggest musical acts in the world – and she’s coming to Singapore in 2024, along with Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars and Coldplay. For decades, so-called “world tours” have skipped much of Asia, but how has the tide of concert tourism changed? We sat down with Post reporter Kimberly Lim to discuss more. Read more on this: https://sc.mp/oh50b
Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami team travelled to Hong Kong for a highly anticipated football match on February 4, 2024. But the game ended with boos and demands for refunds after the player often referred to as the “greatest of all time” never took the field. Post sports editor Josh Ball has more on an event that for many was the greatest let-down of all time. For the latest updates: https://sc.mp/7a29b0
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has made the South its “principal enemy” in proposed changes to the country’s constitution. He has also ended hopes of reunification, while intensifying missile tests. Is the Korean peninsula on the brink of war? Former CIA analyst and North Korean expert Soo Kim has more. Read the full story: https://sc.mp/u6mb
Golden oysters are a plump delicacy symbolising prosperity and they adorn many tables at Lunar New Year in Hong Kong. Post reporter Lisa Cam travels to the city’s Lau Fau Shan area to discover how this delicacy is made and why it has been a staple for the local Shajing community. Read Lisa’s full story: https://sc.mp/k4583
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has made the South its “principal enemy” in proposed changes to the country’s constitution. He has also ended hopes of reunification, while intensifying missile tests. Is the Korean peninsula on the brink of war? Former CIA analyst and North Korean expert Soo Kim has more. Read the full story: https://sc.mp/u6mb
Sweet and sour pork is served around the world to diners who consider it among the most iconic and beloved of Cantonese dishes. Hosts Charmaine Mok and Sam Evans sit down with Post reporter Lisa Cam to discuss its evolution including how it made its way from the Chinese port city of Shanghai to Hong Kong, and around the globe including on the menus of British-Chinese takeaway shops.
Read more about sweet and sour pork: https://sc.mp/4xny
The ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s candidate won the Taiwan presidential race on January 13, 2024. The opposition Kuomintang managed to secure the most seats in the legislature. But as Post correspondent Kinling Lo explains, all eyes are now on the Taiwan People’s Party.
For more on Taiwan’s 2024 election: https://sc.mp/926c
American fast food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken or KFC has found its way onto the Christmas dining tables of millions of Japanese families. Hosts Charmaine Mok and Sam Evans explore how this surprising holiday tradition started. They speak with Tokyo-based chef Daniel Calvert, who is currently serving fried chicken at his restaurant and with Susan Jung, who wrote a cookbook about fried chicken in Asia.
Post reporter Emily Hung takes us through her reporting, exploring the unregulated world of “medical beauty” in Hong Kong, and the resulting tragedies. Check out the full article: https://sc.mp/m55x
The year 2023 was when China’s video gaming industry staged a comeback. More licences for games were approved, the biggest global launch of a Chinese game was recorded and gold medals were won. Post reporter Ann Cao takes us through the many highs for the sector over the year and explains what to expect heading into 2024. Read the latest on China’s video gaming industry: https://sc.mp/mgt1
Cui Tiankai is China’s longest-serving ambassador to the US. Ever since his retirement as Beijing’s top envoy to Washington in 2021, he has been active in backchannel diplomacy between the two countries. This extended version of Talking Post has more from Cui as he sat down with Post managing editor Yonden Lhatoo on November 13, 2023, to discuss geopolitical tension, war and peace, and diplomacy. Watch the video interview: https://sc.mp/zp3e Read more about Cui: https://sc.mp/mxm8
South Korean exports of coffee mixes and instant coffee sticks have risen as the world’s K-drama fans react to seeing the products featured on TV series such as Moving, Vincenzo and My Mister. This Post story, reported by Kwak Yeon-soo and narrated by Charmaine Mok, explores how entrepreneurs in South Korea and the US are remaking the humble product into something that is now contributing to hallyu or the “Korean wave”. Read Yeon-soo’s article here: https://sc.mp/2ecl
Post editor Josephine Ma explains where China stands on the Israel-Gaza war, how Israel and Palestine have responded to Beijing’s actions so far and what China stands to gain in trying to help mediate one of the most complex geopolitical issues in the world. Read the latest on the Israel-Gaza war: https://sc.mp/brs0
Classic dishes including siu mai and har gow can be found in nearly every dim sum restaurant around the world. But where can you find quail egg siu mai, soup dumplings and preserved sausage buns? Journey with hosts Charmaine Mok and Sam Evans to find out why these varieties of dim sum are endangered. Post reporter Lisa Cam has the story of a labour shortage the industry faces, and how a restaurant in Hong Kong is trying to revitalise these dishes before they go “extinct”.
Frozen Sara Lee pound cakes could soon become harder for fans to find after the Australia-based manufacturer went into voluntary administration on October 17, 2023. Post deputy culture editor Charmaine Mok muses about how the ready-to-eat dessert has been a staple found in the freezer compartments of many Asian families for years, even making an appearance on the popular Netflix show Beef. Read Charmaine’s full story here: https://sc.mp/7em1
Millions of migrant workers helped transform China from an agrarian economy into a manufacturing giant, but most have yet to see major changes in their own living conditions. Unequal distribution of benefits and precarious working conditions mean most remain in jobs well past the statutory retirement age. This Post story is reported by Mia Nulimaimaiti and narrated by Holly Chik. Read the full story here: https://sc.mp/s86o
Intelligence agencies in the US and China have apparently become intentionally more visible than ever. But why? Post US deputy bureau chief Mark Magnier explains what’s going behind the strategic leaks and veneer of transparency, and what they reveal about bilateral relations between the two superpowers. Read Mark’s full story here: https://sc.mp/chcv
Hong Kong’s nightlife is not what it used to be. Post reporter Connor Mycroft breaks down what’s changed, how the government wants to revitalise the city’s night economy and whether plans unveiled so far seem likely to work. Read Connor’s full story here: https://sc.mp/2jpi
As China’s property crisis continues and the growth of household wealth dwindles, some owners have had to sell their overseas investments. But with a saturated market and very few buyers, property owners are struggling to find buyers. This Post story is reported by He Huifeng and narrated by Regina de Luna. For the full text: https://sc.mp/ua7p
China has seen a significant increase in the size and influence of its middle class, but an ageing population is set to hinder the nation’s growth. In the US, the size of the middle class fell from 61 per cent of the population in 1971 to 50 per cent in 2022 amid flat wage growth and a drop in university enrolments. This Post story was reported by Ralph Jennings and He Huifeng and narrated by James Aitken.
For the full text: https://sc.mp/sx1u
Century eggs are often portrayed in the West with a tinge of disgust, but Charmaine Mok and Sam Evans are on a mission to demystify the traditional Chinese snack. Post reporter Lisa Cam also joins the Eat Drink Asia hosts on a journey to discover three Cantonese dishes made with century egg and crack open secrets about their health benefits linked to traditional Chinese medicine.
One week ago on September 7, 2023, Hong Kong was hit by a record-breaking rainstorm that flooded the city. South China Morning Post city desk reporter Harvey Kong breaks down what happened across the city and explores the questions Hong Kong’s government now faces as clean-up continues. Post Hong Kong news editor Denise Tsang describes what happened to her when she was stuck in traffic during the city’s heaviest downpour.
China’s southern metropolis of Shenzhen is the only mainland city where individuals can apply for bankruptcy, but it’s not easy since authorities reportedly frown on debt forgiveness. While debt is often taken to the grave, debtors’ families may continue to be hounded by creditors under a traditional belief that a “son must pay his father’s debt”. This Post story by Mandy Zuo and He Huifeng is narrated by Jasmine Tse.
Finbarr Bermingham reports on the EU response to Xi's absence at the G20, how 'de-risking' is playing out, and Beijing's reception to Germany's far right populist party AfD; Chad Bray analyses China's property giant Country Garden, its teetering on the brink of default and the forecast for what comes next; Zhou Xin looks at the big picture of the challenges for Xi Jinping and his central government.
Jarrod Watt and Jasmine Tse sift through the facts of how China came to levy nearly three years of escalating official and unofficial trade bans on Australian exports after comments made by the Australian Prime Minister at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. SCMP political economy reporter Kandy Wong reports on how one of Australia's oldest and most prestigious wine brands has made the pivot from the Barossa Valley to making wine in mainland China, and what obstacles still remain in the…
SCMP science reporter Victoria Bela speaks of the science behind China and Russia's opposition to the Fukushima water release plan and how it compares to the tritium water releases from Chinese nuclear power plants. Mimi Lau from HKU AnnieLab factcheck newsroom analyses the state-led social media campaign fusing anti-Japanese hatred with misinformation and pseudo-science, leading to panic buying of salt in mainland China and Hong Kong.
While many Western nations have Halloween, in Asia there’s the Hungry Ghost Festival. In this episode, Post reporter Lisa Cam shares what she learned from a feng shui practitioner who helps ghosts move on to the next realm – a spiritual negotiator some call an “exorcist”. Listen to find out how you know if you are haunted by spirits, and 10 things people should not do during the festival season.
US President Joe Biden has taken another step to counter China’s technological advancements. Post North America bureau chief Rob Delaney and Beijing-based correspondent Kinling Lo analyse Biden’s “small yard, high fence” strategy, the muted response from Beijing and how next year’s US elections may further escalate this tech war.
Andrew Collier, managing director of Orient Capital Research, analyses how the world of investment reacted to the latest US investment restrictions on China’s tech industry, and the options that are left for Beijing as it aims to become the world leader in artificial intelligence. Georgetown University’s CSET research analyst Ngor Luong knows exactly who has been investing in China, and explains why she expects more money to flow from China to Southeast Asia.
Hear how Chinese scientists and the semiconductor industry have responded to Biden’s latest executive order, why some are calling it a “lose-lose” situation, and why China’s goal towards technological self-sufficiency has become much more difficult. Also, the Post’s Shenzhen-based tech reporter Iris Deng shares her latest visit to the world’s largest electronics market in search of chips the US has barred from export to China.
The US and China have less than two weeks to decide whether to renew a landmark science and technology agreement. Post reporter Khushboo Razdan explains what this agreement has achieved in the past and what would be lost if it isn’t renewed by August 27. Particle physicist and acclaimed columnist Yangyang Cheng explains how US-China science cooperation is as old as the bilateral relationship and what kind of collaborations she hopes to see between the global superpowers.
China is predicted to have 400 million retirees in 2035 - the same year the state pension fund is expected to run out. In this episode, Jasmine Tse analyses the central government's race to prepare the nation's finances, infrastructure and health system. Global health policy expert Professor Winnie Yip unpacks the challenges ahead, explains why robots or immigrants won’t fix them, and reveals a shift in China's culture of filial piety and caring for the elderly. Post desk editor Zhou Xin looks…
Something's changed in China's youth and it's causing concern all the way up to President Xi Jinping. Jasmine Tse presents an episode tracing the roots of a cross-generational protest from the 90s 'slacker' Generation X in the West to the year 2019 and a lone Chinese developer angry at '996' working culture, to viral memes on Chinese social media that became slogans uniting China’s GenZ and millennials in their disaffection with the status quo.
A record 12 million Chinese college graduates are entering the workforce at a time of historic youth unemployment. Xi Jinping's response to China's GenZ and millenials was "eat bitterness'. King’s College sociologist Dr Ye Liu analyses why these generations differ from their elders; consumer trends journalist Yaling Jiang analyses how spending habits of China’s GenZ and millenials are changing the economy and Post reporter Luna Sun analyses the harsh economic reality for China’s new graduates.
What started as a government-backed campaign to shame women in their late 20s and 30s who didn’t marry and have children has backfired spectacularly. Hear from the daughters of the one child policy; now the most educated, affluent women in Chinese history, and what they think about career, marriage and children.
After 70 years as the world's most populated nation, the news of China's first decline in population since the Great Famine of the 1960s was a long time coming. King’s College sociologist Dr Ye Liu reveals the deeper impact of the one child policy, how the massive gender imbalance continues to play out in and how it forged generations of women with very different attitudes to their elders.
There’s more to the shock of China's declining population than just births, deaths and marriages. Chinese GenZ and Millenials are choosing career over kids - or choosing to “lay flat” or “let it rot”. The two most educated and affluent generations in China's history are making choices that are changing the economy and challenging Beijing's policies - but they're now facing historic levels of unemployment, just as a record 12 million Chinese college students are about to graduate. Jasmine Tse…
Wok hei is what differentiates an ordinary stir-fried dish from a perfect one. Hosts Charmaine Mok and Sam Evans speak with Post reporter Lisa Cam to discuss the art and science behind wok hei, and why it has become so beloved among Cantonese food fans. Hear from the cookbook author who first translated wok hei into English, and a Hong Kong chef who is breaking barriers by wielding the wok.
Holly Chik looks at how this year’s heatwaves in China presaged the announcement of an El Nino weather cycle. Shanghai-based sustainability expert Richard Brubaker analyses the challenges to secure water, food and power supplies. Siqi Ji reports on the ongoing drought in Yunnan province threatening China’s massive hydropower scheme that supplies its industrial heartland, and Echo Xie reports on a new type of climate disaster – the flash drought – and what it means to the world.
Alex So, managing director of the accounting consultancy, FastLane Group, believes digital transformation – the use of digital technologies to help modify, or create new, more profitable and effective working practices and customer experiences – could be the answer to tackling rapidly changing global business and market challenges, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises.
The final in a three part special on Hong Kong's new retail crypto trading era: SCMP tech reporter Xinmei Shen speaks with Vivien Khoo about her transition from compliance in banking and how that influeces her views on crypto and fintech; her forecast for the future of Hong Kong in the new retail crypto trading era; and her advocacy and leadership with women and challenging the culture of 'crypto bros'.
The second in a three part special on Hong Kong's new retail crypto trading era: SCMP specailist digital editor Jarrod Watt speaks with Neil Tan about how generative AI is changing crypto; his involvement in blockchain development in mainland China; how Hong Kong's legalising of retail crypto trading will attract talent that fled Beijing's crypto ban; and whether bitcoin mining will come to Hong Kong.
SCMP tech reporter Xinmei Shen presents an episode on Hong Kong’s new era of regulated retail cryptocurrency. Matt Haldane looks the major players and and the attraction to mainland Chinese talent and investment after Beijing’s crypto and bitcoin bans in 2021; Ken Lo of crypto exchange HKbitEX discusses how the regulations work; and Chengyi Ong from Chainalysis examines Hong Kong’s regulations, how they compare globally and analyses the risks ahead.
Hear analysis from Orient Capital Research managing director Andrew Collier of the raids and arrests on consulting firms conducting due diligence and sharing expert analysis in mainland China and the impact on foreign investment; Post tech desk editor Zhou Xin looks at why the Cyberspace Administration of China has labelled American chipmaker Micron a “national security risk”.
Finbarr Bermingham analyses the EU Indo-Pacific forum and the reality of "de-risking" from China; Kawala Xie reports on expectations for the role of China's peace envoy to Ukraine Li Hui; Rob Delaney looks at the Wang Yi-Jake Sullivan meeting as the US mends relations without raising balloon incidents; and Shi Jiangtao on Beijing's response to the G7 meeting and how it views Japan's increasingly hawkish call for Europe to focus on the Taiwan Strait.
Holly Chik presents the latest update on AI in mainland China. William Zheng reports on the first person arrested for using ChatGPT to generate fake news; while tech reporters Ben Jiang and Coco Feng explain the lag of China’s tech companies as they try to catch up, while the first wave of AI-related job losses begin.
Hear the stories going viral this week from the SCMP People and Society desk with Luisa Tam and Kevin Kwong. The airbnb guests from hell who protest a denied cancellation by turning the taps and gas on for days; the man who had his girlfriend's name added to his mother's tombstone, only to have her demand it be removed two years later; the grieving brother and sister who find out their dead mother left them millions, made even more distraught by the brother's wife demanding her fair share, and…
The 2023 “golden week” holiday period which includes May Day did more than just reveal how badly people in mainland China wanted to travel and visit tourist sites. Beijing-based reporter Luna Sun discusses the numbers and has a look at an island hoping to surpass Hong Kong as a free trade and travel destination, while the Post’s Oscar Liu and Harvey Kong look at new trends and behaviours seen among the hundreds of thousands of tourists who visited Hong Kong over the past week.
Holly Chik presents an episode analysing new announcements about the Chinese space programme. Post science reporter Xin Ling and Space.com journalist Andrew Jones report on Beijing’s timeline for developing a GPS system for the moon and 3D printing bricks for the first lunar base, its hopes for beating the US in a race to get soil samples from Mars and its plans for a survey of Jupiter’s moon Callisto.
Holly Chik looks at how people in China are using AI and ChatGPT. A dead woman holds a conversation with her grandson; a surveillance satellite operates without human control; and the PLA considers “cognitive warfare”. In Hong Kong, a stock brokerage with thousands of millennial and Gen Z investors prepares to launch a ChatGPT-powered investment assistant. And hear from nuclear weapons and China tech expert Dr Amy J Nelson on chances for a global AI arms treaty.
Holly Chik presents the second in a two part special. Technology reporter Xinmei Shen analyses Beijing’s new draft guidelines for generative AI and how it will affect China’s burgeoning chatbot industry. China technology and AI expert Matt Sheehan from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace compares the approach of China, the US and Europe in regulating AI and the prospects for superpower co-operation.
Despite it not being officially available, Hong Kong is adapting ChatGPT for use in finance, law firms, customer service and beyond. Hong Kong city reporter Oscar Liu reports on how it's being used, as well as the split among Hong Kong universities on whether to allow students to use ChatGPT. Hear from a secondary teacher on how ChatGPT and other AI applications are changing the way he teaches, how his students are using it to enhance their learning and his concerns for unregulated development…
Xi Jinping’s recent Moscow visit was upstaged by an unannounced trip to Ukraine by Japanese leader Fumio Kishida as well as Vladimir Putin’s announcement that Russian nuclear weapons will be staged in Belarus. The Post’s Europe correspondent Finbarr Bermingham analyses the EU response as well as why European leaders are making plans to visit Beijing. Diplomacy expert Shi Jiangtao explains why Kishida’s diplomacy with Ukraine, South Korea and India is being seen as a game changer for Xi’s plans…
China recently wrapped up the “two sessions'' of its national legislature and top political advisory body. Beyond the confirmation of an unprecedented third term for President Xi Jinping and the unveiling of his new leadership team, the annual gatherings in Beijing are key indicators of the country's economic, military and foreign policy direction. China expert and veteran journalist Chow Chung-yan, the South China Morning Post’s executive editor, breaks it down for us. In this episode of…
Kevin Kwong and Luisa Tam talk about the stories from mainland China that grabbed people's attention this week. Find more stories from the SCMP People and Culture desk: https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture
Holly Chik speaks with SCMP political economy editor Wendy Wu about how Xi Jinping's reference to 'brotherhood and love' for China's entrepreneurs has been received, and what the latest economic data portends for the plans put forward at the Two Sessions. Senior journalist William Zheng analyses the speeches of Xi Jinping and newly ascended premier Li Qiang.
Jasmine Tse hosts a special episode celebrating the success of Michelle Yeoh and her film Everything, Everywhere All At Once at the 2023 Oscars. Senior culture reporter Lisa Cam explains the power of films with Asian mothers and their daughters as central characters. And Hong Kong-born Hollywood veteran George Cheung talks about the barriers he’s confronted as an Asian actor in 50 years of films and tv, and why this year’s Academy Awards represent substantial progress for Asian actors.
The Post’s Kinling Lo reports from Beijing on its annual political assembly known as the ‘two sessions’, in a week when Chinese President Xi Jinping made an unusual direct remark on US policy while Foreign Minister Qin Gang in his first media briefing, also commented on US rivalry, Ukraine and Taiwan. North American bureau chief Rob Delaney analyses the US response, its ongoing legislative agenda for Taiwan and the impending visit of its leader Tsai Ing-wen.
China’s president Xi Jinping will seek to consolidate his power and update Beijing’s economic and security policies in the coming ‘two sessions’ meetings. Hear analysis on the expected ministerial changes as well as indications about how Beijing will change its approach to internal security, the administration of Hong Kong and how it will use the gatherings to send signals to China’s people as well as to the world.
Prisha Rai and Audrey So, Year 11 students from South Island School, discuss their global citizenship action project that aims to fight paper waste
It is now just over one year since Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin declared China and Russia's “no limits” friendship, just weeks before the Russian leader announced he had ordered troops into Ukraine. Hear Beijing diplomacy expert Shi Jiangtao and Europe correspondent Finbarr Bermingham analyse the optics of top diplomat Wang Yi’s meeting this week with President Putin, how Beijing’s relationship with Moscow has changed, and how European nations have changed their perspective on China over the…
One year after Russia's disastrous attempt to invade Ukraine and overthrow its government, Vladimir Putin finds his military bogged down in a stalemate, and his nation economically and diplomatically isolated. Yet one ally stands with Russia: one year after declaring a "no limits" friendship, Xi Jinping is about to announce a 'peace plan'. But how has China's reticence to condemn Russia's war changed its relationship with Europe? And what is Beijing getting out of the Sino-Russian relationship…
In this week’s episode, one Hongkonger talks about attending COP27 in Egypt as a youth climate advocate
While not officially released in China, the arrival of ChatGPT has sparked huge interest on Chinese social media and set off a race between tech giants Baidu, Tencent and Alibaba to develop similar AI chatbot technology. Post technology reporter Xinmei Shen speaks with fellow tech journalists Coco Feng and Ben Jiang in Beijing about this new AI tech gold rush, how China’s censorship system will have an impact, and why operating in Chinese language is a much more complicated task for AI. Alibaba…
SCMP Culture desk editor Kevin Kwong and China People and Society edesk editor Luisa Tam discuss the stories that have been most popular on scmp.com over the past week. What do you prefer - a deadly octopus in your hotpot or floor cleaning liquid in your fruit juice? Luisa Tam talks Kevin Kwong through some of the stories that got the biggest audience for the SCMP People and Society desk. Hear about the controversial court case over lai see and why gay couples are in the spotlight for the year…
SCMP science reporter Holly Chik presents the final in a series on how Hong Kong’s Covid policies have affected its economy and people. Child development expert Dr Fanny Lam, expert and founder of the Hong Kong Developmental Paediatrics and Child Neurology Centre, discusses how masks, home-schooling and staying indoors have affected toddlers, children and teenagers at a neurological level, and how parents can help them rebuild as they return to schools and socialising.
Holly Chik presents the third in a series looking at Hong Kong’s unique experience in this pandemic. Senior culture reporter Lisa Cam analyses the shocks and the changes to Hong Kong's famed restaurant industry, news desk editor Denise Tsang analyses the economic impact and loss of reputation as an aviation and finance hub; City desk reporter Jeffie Lam analyses the complexity of Hong Kong's vaccine anxiety and how it contributed to fatalities suffered in the Omicron wave of 2022.
Amid a tsunami of conspiracy, misinformation and xenophobia on social media during the Covid pandemic, Hong Kong saw something special on Twitter and Facebook. City desk reporter Laura Westbrook dicsusses the massive online community known as the Hong Kong Quarantine Support group, Jamie Gong reveals how a post about his elderly mother started "the greatest thread of the pandemic" and hear from the Twitter-based journalist known as Tripperhead, dedicated to parsing and posting the daily data…
SCMP science reporter Holly Chik presents part one of a three part series looking at how the pandemic changed Hong Kong, how its people used social media to support each other among constantly changing restrictions, and how the lessons of SARS point once again to how Hong Kong needs to prepare for the future. Video journalist Thomas Yau reflects on his reporting from Wuhan in 2020, 2021 and 2023, his experiences on the streets of Shanghai and how 60+ days of lockdown changed him, and what…
After a turbulent 2022 - which saw changes of leadership in countries like the Philippines and Malaysia, fluctuating stocks and foreign exchange markets, along with a gradual economic recovery from the pandemic - how will Asia look in 2023, politically, economically and socially? South China Morning Post Business Editor Eugene Tang and Asia Editor Bhavan Jaipragas give us their thoughts and insider insights, as well as responding to bold predictions from some of SCMP's subscribers on the Asian…
Holly Chik speaks with Post culture desk senior reporter Lisa Cam about the traditions for Lunar New Year in Hong Kong and among the broader Chinese diaspora around the world. Learn about what lies ahead for people born in the Year of the Rabbit as well as the food served at annual reunion meals, who gets red envelopes filled with money, why people wear red underwear, how to greet your Chinese neighbours in Mandarin or Cantonese and much more. More on Year of the Rabbit: https://sc.mp/l8az
Holly Chik looks at China's demographic crisis: a birth rate at its lowest in 60 years and a rapidly ageing workforce approaching retirement. Beijing-based reporter Luna Sun discusses the pressures on China's Generation Z and Millenials, who must care for ageing parents while confronting the reality of choosing between careers and starting families amid soaring costs of education and housing as well as a slowing economy.
China is struggling to contain the fallout from suddenly ending its draconian Covid-control regime. How bad is the situation and what’s next for the world’s second-largest economy?
Former SCMP editor-in-chief Wang Xiangwei, one of the most credible China experts on the scene, sits down with chief news editor Yonden Lhatoo to break it down.
Kinling Lo analyses a change of tone amid a staff change for Beijing’s senior diplomats; Rob Delaney on the future of US-China relations with Kevin McCarthy as Speaker; Zhou Xin reveals the deeper complexity of South Korean and Japanese involvement in US chip sanctions; Kandy Wong reports on a series of moves showing China might be ending its sanctions on Australian coal, barley, wine and lobsters; and a Chinese-Australian partnership in lithium mining and processing.
SCMP science reporter Holly Chik reports on mainland China opening its borders after three years, as the Omicron surge continues to wreak havoc. HKU epidemiologist Prof Ben Cowling contrasts the Hong Kong experience and forecasts how this surge will play out over the Lunar New Year holiday; Thomas Yau reports from Shanghai on the healthcare crisis; Xinlu Liang reports on the new black market in Paxlovid-style drugs and renewed misinformation on Chinese social media about treatments and the XBB…
Brussels-based SCMP correspondent Finbarr Bermingham recaps how Russia’s Ukraine invasion changed Europe’s relationship with China, and previews how the EU may change its tact to Chinese investment and trade; London-based correspondent Chad Bray analyses UK PM Rishi Sunak’s changing tone on China and the year ahead for HSBC; Lucio Blanco Pitlo III looks at Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s visit to Beijing and the dawn of “durian diplomacy”. as he balances US security and Chinese…
Post reporter Jack Lau analyses the energy and weapons deals signed by Saudi Arabia and China during Xi Jinping’s visit to Riyadh; hear about the historic Arab-China summit, and China’s push to expand the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation; New York-based reporter Khushboo Razdan discusses Joe Biden’s “America first” push, in a week where Taiwan’s TSMC opened its first US semiconductor plant and the EU agreed to subsidise its own vehicle industry to compete with Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. …
Mimi Lau presents the latest episode on China's pivot away from nearly three years of zero-Covid policies; Beijing-based reporter Luna Sun speaks of the confusion among residents and business owners and analyses the economic costs revealed by the harsh policies; epidemiologist Dr Ben Cowling looks at the efficacy of Chinese vaccines, the numbers of unvaccinated elderly and forecasts what lies ahead for mainland China in comparison to Hong Kong's experience earlier this year; senior…
Audrey Hom, a Form One student at Logos Academy, shares her thoughts on young entrepreneurship and how she was inspired by the world’s youngest tech titan.
How has the death of China’s former president Jiang Zemin inspired nostalgic memories of a different era of Beijing-Washington ties? Post North America bureau chief Rob Delaney gives his analysis on that, and reports on the spread of zero-Covid protests by Chinese students at US college campuses. Europe correspondent Finbarr Bermingham reports in increasing friction among European allies over the Biden administration’s efforts to curb China’s access to semiconductors and its role in the global…
Hear first-hand accounts of the zero Covid protests in Shanghai and Beijing; Mimi Lau speaks with Beijing-based reporters Luna Sun and Shi Jiangtao about the threats to food security caused by zero-Covid policy restrictions and a shift in narrative as days of mass protests across the country have called for an end to President Xi Jinping’s signature Covid strategy.
Former Singapore foreign minister and long-time Hong Kong resident George Yeo has been called a “China whisperer” for his ability to explain Beijing’s ambitions and perspective to the rest of the world. In this extended version of Talking Post, Yeo sits down with chief news editor Yonden Lhatoo to discuss rising tensions between Beijing and Washington, Singapore’s role in the region and what the Singapore-Hong Kong rivalry means for the two financial hubs. Watch the Talking Post video version…
Mimi Lau speaks with mainland China-based reporters Coco Feng and Luna Sun about the effect of district-based lockdowns in Beijing and rising discontent over the nation’s zero-Covid policy, as World Cup TV broadcasts from Qatar bring home to the public the reality of people ‘living with the virus’ elsewhere in the world.
Dr Neil deGrasse Tyson is one of the most recognizable and renowned science communicators in the world. He is famous for combining wisdom and wit to break down complex ideas for the masses and was recently interviewed for SCMP’s Talking Post video series. Here is an extended version of the Talking Post, where Tyson sits down with SCMP chief news editor Yonden Lhatoo to discuss China-US competition in space, UFOs and life after death and his new book ‘Starry Messenger: A Cosmic Perspective on…
Grace Ruoxi Zhong, a Grade 11 student at Thacher School in the US, shares her experiences organising fundraising concerts and developing a social networking app
Kinling Lo reports from Bali after three days of speeches and sideline meetings, including the first face-to-face talks of presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden since China-US ties worsened. Shi Jiangtao looks at the optics of Xi’s mask-free public appearance; what China watchers are saying was achieved in Xi’s meetings with Biden and other world leaders; and whether they signal a change in the US-China narrative or merely a ray of light in the storm.
Shenzhen-based reporter Phoebe Zhang reports on the districts of the giant southern Chinese manufacturing hub undergoing lockdowns and mass testing, the mass exodus of workers from the Apple supplier Foxconn’s Zhengzhou plant and the nationalist blogger who publicly criticised Beijing’s zero-Covid strategy. News editor Josephine Ma on the paradox of Beijing permitting the Pfizer vaccine for foreign residents only, 22 months after the jabs were widely available in Hong Kong, and the quandary…
Valerie Shek, a student at the Independent Schools Foundation Academy, shares how a bread run inspired her to one day start her own community initiative
Asia desk editor Bhavan Jaipragas previews a crucial Asean summit that will include US President Joe Biden sparring for relevance amid soaring Chinese investment in Southeast Asia, the ongoing Myanmar crisis, and tumultuous Malaysian elections. Political economy reporter Kandy Wong reports on China’s plan to expand private security forces overseas to protect its Belt and Road investments, and a special meeting in Beijing encouraging US multinationals to invest in China.
Clarisse Poon, a student at St Paul’s Co-educational College, shares how the pandemic opened her eyes to the plight of the needy in society
Sheryl Law, a Primary Six pupil at Holy Angels Canossian School, delves into research about how face coverings during the pandemic have changed how we socialise, especially for young children.
A week on from the harshest US sanctions yet on China’s access to semiconductor technology, Post tech-desk editor Zhou Xin unpacks the effect on China’s economy, the implications for American manufacturers and the dilemma faced by South Korean tech firms with big investments in China. Europe correspondent Finbarr Bermingham analyses the European Commission’s leaders meeting, where the focus is on Germany’s decision to allow Chinese shipping giant Cosco to invest in its biggest port and…
Mimi Lau presents the second part of the Post analysis of China’s 20th Communist Party congress. Beijing-based editors Mai Jun and Wendy Wu unpack the deep changes to the party beyond the ascent of President Xi Jinping to a historic third term. Hear about the implications for China’s foreign and domestic policy, and also how for the first time in decades no woman has been selected for the Politburo.
When the head of the US Navy declares his forces must be ready to “fight tonight” over the Taiwan Strait, is he referring to intelligence reports or the seasonal fight for funding? Hear from North America bureau chief Rob Delaney about this and on an unconfirmed report of a US-Taiwan weapons production deal as US midterm elections approach. Senior Asia correspondent Maria Siow analyses the historic Japan-Australia defence and energy deal announced over the weekend, and what it means for East…
Last year, Rhea Saxena was facing her GCSE exams, unsure if she could pass. The King George V School student shares what she did to relieve stress and develop a healthier mindset on the uncertainty of the future.
Washington-based Post journalist Kinling Lo analyses the latest US national security strategy, which focuses on China and climate change as the biggest threats. New York-based deputy bureau chief Mark Magnier unpacks new sanctions on China’s access to US technology and their global reach, and to claims they are aimed at stifling China’s economic development. Post columnist Lucio Blanco Pitlo III analyses how Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr must carefully balance US and China interests…
Mimi Lau presents an episode looking at the historic 20th party congress in Beijing, what it means for China’s Communist Party and what we can expect from it. Veteran China diplomacy experts William Zheng and Mai Jun unpack some of the event’s process and how it is expected to set the stage for Xi Jinping’s historic third term as leader and ascension to a level on par with Mao Zedong.
Form One student Valerie Chiu from St Mary’s Canossian College shares how she started a science podcast with friends to alleviate stress and emphasises the importance of reaching out for help when you're struggling.
Post journalist and North America deputy bureau chief Mark Magnier details the rejection of a proposed vote at the UN Human Rights Council to debate the High Commissioner for Human Rights report into alleged abuses in Xinjiang and what that says about China's influence inside the United Nations. Also, analysis of Washington’s escalating sanctions on Chinese tech companies and US companies doing business with them, and a review of Henry Kissinger's statements about Xi Jinping at the latest Asia…
Primary Six student Anson Ng Wai-yan shares that she has struggled with her mental well-being because she is limited in how long she can chat and play with friends at school.
The US announced a historic US$810 million-aid package for 14 Pacific nations after a two-day conference in Washington. Post China desk reporter Kawala Xie reports on the reaction from China watchers and analysts, and recaps Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's bid to get nations on board a similar deal in early 2022. Brian YS Wong, founding editor-in-chief of the Oxford Political Review and Rhodes scholar from Hong Kong, discusses reports that US businesses are making exit plans from China if…
Jocelyn Yow has just started Grade Six at the Independent Schools Foundation Academy. Though she was nervous at first, her new classes and friends have taught her a lot about adjusting to new environments.
In-depth analysis of the speech by China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the 77th United Nations General Assembly, and China's relationship with the UN, from Professor Rosemary Foot, Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Politics and International Relation at Oxford University and author of China, the UN, and Human Protection: Beliefs, Power, Image.
In a week dominated by the UN General Assembly in New York, Post correspondent Khushboo Razdan analyses the distinct chill between China and India, and the ambiguity both have shown towards Russia over its Ukraine invasion; Carnegie Endowment for Peace fellow Temur Umarov unpacks Xi Jinping’s visits to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and how Moscow’s war has pushed Central Asian nations to pivot towards China for economic stability and security.
Emmy Woo, whose parents are from Hong Kong, discusses the bittersweet beginnings of the end of her secondary school years in Vancouver, Canada – from enjoying campus traditions to savouring all of her “lasts”.
Post diplomacy expert Shi Jiangtao pulls apart the language of the Xi-Putin meeting in Uzbekistan and looks at the agendas at play, how they relate to China’s troubled domestic politics and what this means for the future of the Sino-Russian partnership. Europe correspondent Finbarr Bermingham looks at the state-of-the-union speech from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and how it targets new aspects of the EU relationship with China.
Janice Mook Ching-lam, a first-year student studying information systems at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, shares her thoughts on transitioning from secondary school to university and making new connections on campus as part of her self-discovery journey.
What does it mean for Russia and China to declare they will use the ruble and the yuan instead of US currency for their oil and gas deals? Have Chinese refineries decided they can avoid sanctions and buy cheap Russian crude? Siqi Ji analyses the growing Sino-Russian energy relationship, while William Zheng looks at the geopolitics of the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting and how Xi Jinping will use it to form an anti-US alliance. Chad Bray looks at the new UK government and PM…
Ling, a Form Six student who hosts a mental well-being podcast called Leave Your Worries, shares her thoughts on preparing for the DSE exams and wanting to make the most of her final year in secondary school.
Post journalists Finbarr Bermingham and Mimi Lau unpack the UN human rights report on conditions in China’s Xinjiang region and subsequent vehement rejection of it by Beijing; Kinling Lo on worries about drones flying over Taipei-controlled islands west of Taiwan as the US reaches another big arms deal; Japan-based correspondent Julian Ryall analyses Tokyo's concerns over Sino-Russian military drills on its doorstep and its plans to develop long-range missiles that could reach Russia and China.
Two months of record-breaking heatwaves in the Sichuan province of south west China, resulted in widespread power outages as rivers ran dry, exposing the weakness in the region’s reliance on hydroelectric power. Post reporter Holly Chik speaks with fellow journalists Echo Xie and Siqi Ji about what they found on the farms and in the manufacturing centres, while veteran Shanghai-based sustainability expert Richard Brubaker unpacks the impact on global food prices and China’s approach to water,…
Post North American bureau chief Rob Delaney looks at two announcements that may feature highly in the US-China political narrative to come. What is the agenda behind a proposed formal trade deal between Washington and Taipei? Has a lone Republican in Dakota proposed legislation that could blacklist Chinese agribusiness investment? London correspondent Chad Bray unpacks the anti-China rhetoric coming from the two contenders for Boris Johnson’s job as well as the blocking of the sale of a…
Now Washington has passed the US Chips and Science Act with tens of billions of dollars for the US semiconductor industry, what of its effect on China? Post technology journalist Xinmei Shen speaks with her Beijing-based colleague Che Pan about why the 3-nanometre revolution in semiconductors is so vital and how China's semisconductor industry might compete. SCMP technology editor Zhou Xin analyses how Beijing sees the new law, and how the US push to form the Chip 4 coalition is a bid to…
Beijing ends its massive military exercises around Taiwan and issues a white paper laying out exactly its ambitions for when it "re-unifies" the self-ruled island with the mainland. The US Congress moves forward its Taiwan Act which declares Taiwan to be an important non-NATO ally. Post journalists Jacob Fromer and Shi Jiangtao analyse the reactions from each side, and Brussels based correspondent Finbarr Bermingham reports on an increasingly concerned Europe, as Baltic nations suddenly pull…
What are the political and diplomatic ramifications of Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan? Post US Bureau chief Rob Delaney analyses how the House Speaker’s visit has changed US politics, the G7 reaction and if her agenda included lobbying Taiwan’s semiconductor industry; Post diplomacy expert Shi Jiangato unpacks the nationalist and political pressures on Xi Jinping and how mainland analysts view the visit; Asia correspondent Maria Siow reports on reaction from Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and the…
US-based Post journalist Owen Churchill goes beyond the "playing with fire" headlines to analyse what was discussed – and what was not – in the 2.5-hour phone call between Xi Jinping and Joe Biden, as well as the domestic pressures from Nancy Pelosi's potential visit to Taiwan. Post diplomacy expert Shi Jiangtao looks at political scientist Graham Allison's theory of the 'Thucydides Trap', its forecast of war between the US and China and its relevance to the current state of Sino-US relations.
Post North America bureau chief Rob Delaney looks into the hype around US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s reported plans to fly to Taiwan, as preparations continue for US President Joe Biden’s vital call with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, and US lawmakers consider legislation targeting Beijing. Indonesia-based reporter Resty Woro Yuniar analyses President Joko Widodo's visit to Beijing amid concerns over rising costs for a Belt and Road-funded high-speed rail project and his need to draw…
Post journalist Holly Chik and Beijing-based reporter Amanda Lee look into the Henan bank scandal where savings accounts were frozen and a subsequent protest was violently quashed; business desk reporter Pearl Liu unpacks the growing number of people across China with mortgages suspending payments on unfinished flats as more property developers slide into default, and how Beijing is trying to defuse a ticking timebomb of debt.
The Post's Beijing-based diplomacy correspondent Laura Zhou analyses Beijing's political and economic relationship with Sri Lanka, “debt traps” and the Hambantota port; tech desk editor Zhou Xin discusses the US pressure on Netherlands-based ASML, the world's premier builder of semiconductor-making machines, to ban exports to China and its impact on China's tech industry.
Post political economy editor Wendy Wu reports from Beijing on China’s reaction to the assassination of Shinzo Abe. Wendy analyses the complex relationship the former Japanese prime minister had with Xi Jinping and the legacy Abe leaves of economic cooperation and heightened militarism; Professor James Laurenceson of the Australia-China Relations Institute analyses the Wang Yi/Penny Wong meeting at the G20, whether claims of Beijing’s “demands” were lost in translation as Australia embarks on a…
Grave warnings on China from the FBI and MI5 on the eve of the G20 conference in Bali: how will this affect the agenda? SCMP correspondent Mark Magnier and Beijing-based political economy editor Wendy Wu analyse the pressures on Joe Biden to reduce tariffs to lessen inflation while not looking “weak” on China and what Beijing will do in response; veteran trade lawyer Ben Kostrzewa analyses how four years of tariffs and trade war has changed trade between the US and China.
Veteran SCMP diplomacy correspondent Shi Jiangtao reports on Beijing's response to US president Joe Biden's trip to South Korea and Japan, with angry phone calls to Tokyo, warnings to Jake Sullivan and corresponding incursions of Chinese bombers and naval vessels amid increasing concerns among Chinese analysts of a "NATO for Asia" being assembled. Trade expert Dr Deborah Elms unpacks the reality of Biden's IPEF trade agreement and how it might (or might not) work within the existing RCEP and…
What comes next after the historic election of Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jnr as the Philippines' new president, with Sara Duterte as his VP? Veteran analyst Lucio Blanco Pitlo III unpacks what to expect for Sino-Philippine ties, economic development and how the US will seek to wedge Beijing over fishing disputes and island development in the South China Sea. Global fisheries expert Prof Rashid Sumaila looks at the science of China’s recently announced fishing ban in the disputed “nine-dash…
SCMP's Washington-based corrrespondent Kinling Lo reports on the diplomatic full-court press delivered by the White House for the two day ASEAN summit, and picks up on the significant omissions in the offers of support from the US. Korea Times journalist Kim Bo-eun analyses the inauguration ceremony of South Korea's new president Yoong Suk-yeol and why the attendance of China's vice premier and Japan's foreign minister made history, amid plans for US president Joe Biden to fly personally to…
Jasmine Tse presents the latest episode looking at the ongoing lockdown in Shanghai, as China pursues increasingly draconian zero Covid measures. Video reporter Thomas Yau reports in life inside the Puxi district as residents look at the second month of lockdown and restrictions and increased anxiety over the potential of being taken away to quarantine facilities if any of their neighbours test positive for Covid. SCMP China desk news editor Josephine Ma reports on Beijing's reaction to the WHO…
SCMP tech desk editor Zhou Xin looks at reports the US Treasury is about to sanction the world’s biggest maker of surveillance tech and why this worries Wall Street and China’s tech sector. Analyst Edward Cavanough, specialising in ties between the Solomon Islands and China, looks at comments by PM Sogavare on China’s links to Christian communities and why Australia’s Pentecostal PM Scott Morrison is now wedged, with few options to redress his foreign policy failure.
SCMP China desk reporter Holly Chik looks at how mass testing and lockdowns are affecting Beijing and Shanghai. Video reporter Thomas Yau reports on ongoing stress and anger of residents in Puxi district over food supplies, and the shocking videos evading social media censorship. Amanda Lee in Beijing and Siji Ji in Shenyan analyse the economic data and discuss the silencing and disappearance of a prominent Chinese economist who criticized Beijing's harsh zero Covid policies as concerns mount…
Finbarr Bermingham reports onthe EU's legislative tools aimed at trade with China; why Xi Jinping phoned French president Macron; and complications for the UN human rights mission headed to Xinjiang. Hear a deep-dive into the security pact signed by Beijing and Solomon Islands: Dr Anna Powles, geopolitics and security expert analyses the Pacific balance of power; former Solomon Islands diplomat and Melanesian diplomacy expert Mihai Sora on why climate change, not military power, is the primary…
As parts of Shanghai enter a sixth week of lockdown, SCMP video producer Thomas Yau reports from Puxi district on the mood of residents, as more videos elude censorship, including the viral Voice of April. In Beijing, Post reporters Luna Sun and Amanda Lee report from the locked down Chaoyan district on residents' anxieties and preparations. SCMP news desk editor Josephine Ma returns to answer the big question: why are there no mRNA vaccines despite a Shanghai company licensed to distribute…
SCMP senior Asia correspondent Maria Siow analyses the geopolitical bombshell deal signed by the Solomon Islands with Beijing for security and a possible military base. What does this mean for the US Asia-Pacific pivot, and is this Australia’s single biggest foreign policy failure? Mark Magnier in New York looks at Chinese ambassador to the US Qin Gang’s courting of conservative opinion over China’s stance on the Russian war in Ukraine, and what actually happened with US House Speaker Nancy…
SCMP reporter Holly Chik speaks with video journalist Thomas Yau from the Puxi district on bartering for food, increasingly violent street clashes appearing on social media and protest banners demanding Covid deaths be acknowledged. Shanghai-based NYU economics professor Rodrigo Zeidan analyses the growing buildup of cargo ships outside Shanghai's port and what it means for global trade. Senior correspondent William Zheng looks at Xi Jinping's political challenges with Shanghai in the leadup to…
SCMP Europe correspondent Finbarr Bermingham analyses the fallout of the meeting between the EU senior leadership and China’s Li Keqiang and Xi Jinping, labelled a ‘dialogue of the deaf’ by one attendee. While Beijing refuses to discuss the Ukraine war or China’s state media amplifying alleged Russian disinformation and war crimes denials, Bermingham reveals the US is actively modelling the types of sanctions employed against Russia for use on China’s financial system. Hear also of how the…
SCMP journalists in Shanghai report on the ongoing lockdown in the Puxi district. Thomas Yau discusses rising tensions among residents amid supply shortages, why he’s bartering noodles for toothpaste and anger directed at local neighbourhood committees. Tracy Qu analyses China's food delivery companies responding to the food crisis while authorities seek to quell social media unrest. Shanghai-based sustainability expert Richard Brubaker analyses supply chain bottlenecks and when the West will…
SCMP's Brussels-based reporter Finbarr Bermingham previews the China-EU summit, and what the EU leaders want from Xi Jinping regarding the Ukraine war. China desk reporter Shi Jiangtao analyses Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. China desk senior editor Peter Langan reports from Tokyo about Japan’s recent discussions on nuclear weapons, and how Japan being (still) officially at war with Russia since WW2 complicates its multi-billion dollar…
China’s most-populous city Shanghai has plunged its people into a historic half-half lockdown, starting with all districts east of the Huangpu River to be followed by similar measures for all areas west. Post reporter Holly Chik speaks with Shanghai bureau chief Daniel Ren from lockdown about how residents are coping, and to explore the economic impact on the finance and manufacturing base. Video journalist Thomas Yau is on the other side of the river, where there is panic buying and rising…
Beijing is under growing pressure to offer diplomatic assistance for peace negotiations as Nato issues a historic statement taking aim at China’s state media for pushing Russian misinformation. Mumbai-based journalist Kunal Purohit unpacks the agenda of Beijing’s top diplomat Wang Yi as he visits the Taliban before landing in India. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping makes an unprecedented call to South Korean president-elect Yoon Seok-yeol after North Korea’s latest missile launch…
The Post’s Europe correspondent Finbarr Bermingham reports on the one-year anniversary of China’s sanctions on European politicians and diplomats over Xinjiang, as the EU’s foreign and defence ministers meet in Brussels to discuss the war in Ukraine and Beijing’s support for Moscow. North America bureau chief Rob Delaney analyses the words used by Chinese ambassador Qin Gang on US television to balance Beijing’s refusal to condemn Putin’s war, and what Joe Biden had to say about the Russian…
SCMP's EU reporter Finbarr Bermingham analyses Xi Jinping’s phone call with his French and German counterparts and provides the latest on the UN human rights chief visit to Xinjiang. Chad Bray analyses sanctions on Russian oil, its financial system and high-profile resignation of Huawei executives. China foreign policy expert Dr Courtney Fung analyses China’s abstention at the UN General Assembly vote and explains why the ‘no-limits’ Sino-Russian partnership comes with costs for Beijing’s UN…
When China’s foreign minister Wang Yi held his annual extended press conference on the sidelines of the Two Sessions this week, there was one pressing question: what will China do about Russia and Ukraine? SCMP’s Beijing-based reporter Shi Jiangtao analyses Wang’s comments on Ukraine and Russia as well as what his words revealed about Beijing's policy for the EU, India, South Korea and Japan, amid growing international calls for Beijing to step in to end the worsening humanitarian crisis in…
SCMP specialist digital editor Jarrod Watt speaks with NY-based reporter Mark Magnier about China’s telling abstention from the UN vote on Ukraine, Joe Biden’s China remarks in his State of the Union, and reports that Xi Jinping was told by Vladmir Putin of his plans to invade Ukraine after the Beijing Winter Olympics. Brussels-based reporter Finbarr Bermingham discusses EU’s plea for Beijing to broker peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv, and the importance of the Beijing-based AIIB development…
As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues, SCMP reporters Finbarr Bermingham and Mai Jun explore how tectonic policy shifts by Germany and others toward Moscow sanctions will change China's European relationships; Zhou Xin looks at how China's banks are reckoning with Swift bans on Russia, and how China's tech companies are navigating the tricky issue of Western sanctions and Beijing's firm opposition to such moves.
Brussels-based reporter Finbarr Bermingham and the Post’s Mai Jun from Beijing detail the diplomatic tensions between the EU and Beijing. Sino-Russian affairs expert Dr Stefan Auer analyses the end of “soft power” in Europe and how 50 years after Nixon played the “China card” against the USSR, Putin has done the same against the US. Taiwan-based academic Weng-Ti Sung analyses Russia’s actions and the response on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Get our podcast newsletter: sc.mp/c56a65
SCMP’s Mimi Lau presents the latest update on Hong Kong's Omicron surge, with reporter Gigi Choy discussing images of the sick and elderly in beds on the streets outside overcrowded hospitals;, William Zhang updates efforts from mainland China to send assistance and reports on people trying to flee across the border. Tara Joseph from AmChamHK talks about the ongoing exodus of expats; HK resident Vivian Lin shares her experience of being stranded in Melbourne, unable to return to the city.
SCMP’s North America correspondent Mark Magnier analyses the agenda and impact of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s unofficial summit with Central Asian leaders at the Beijing Winter Olympics, as the geopolitics of citizenship weigh on Chinese-American athletes competing for gold. Political economy journalist Kandy Wong looks at what two years of Trump’s tariffs and the phase-one trade deal have brought to the US, and how Australian exporters are calling for a new approach to relations with China…
Hong Kong is desperately implementing new Covid-19 rules and penalties in an effort to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. The SCMP’s Hong Kong reporter Gigi Choy explains how one case became hundreds, chief Asia correspondent Bhavan Jaipragas unpacks Singapore’s experience of “living with Covid-19”, and epidemiologist Dr Ben Cowling returns with a forecast for what happens next, and whether Hong Kong’s “dynamic zero-Covid” strategy can be resuscitated. Presented by Mimi Lau.
With his military massed on the Ukraine border, Russian President Vladmir Putin is in Beijing to sign a new agreement with Xi Jinping with huge implications for global geopolitics. SCMP reporter Laura Zhou unpacks the evolving relationship between the two nations; China desk senior editor Peter Langan reports from Tokyo on Japan's historic resolution on human rights for Xinjiang and Hong Kong, and how the Xi-Putin meeting resonates for Japan's establishment. Get our podcast newsletter: https:/…
An SCMP archive special: the story of dumplings is the story of the globalisation of Chinese cuisine - take the journey from Beijing to Shanghai, Hong Kong and down the ancient Silk Road to discover who invented them - and how a traditional Chinese medicine cure evolved into a meal enjoyed around the world. Interviewees: Lu Hongbin; Du Yichu restaurant, Beijing; Hu Wei-I, Wan Shou Zai restaurant, Shanghai; Wang Hong Chun, Ah Cun Shandong Dumpling, Prince Edward; Dr Dai Zhaoyu, senior lecturer,…
Hear from Post correspondent in Washington, Jacob Fromer, about the US House of Representatives proposing a huge bundle of legislation known as the America Competes Act of 2022, with action proposed on everything from semiconductors to Xinjiang, Taiwan, the Quad and replacing Confucius Institutes in American universities with language centres that teach Mandarin, Cantonese, Mongolian and Uyghur. Brussels-based correspondent Finbarr Bermingham returns with analysis of the European Union's…
Hear about Hong Kong’s fifth wave of the pandemic. Microbiologist Dr Siddharth Sridhar unpacks Hong Kong's 2020-era zero Covid policy as the reality of low vaccinations in the elderly and the Omicron variant hits; Hong Kong Veterinary Association president Dr Owen Swan reveals the science and emotions behind the order to cull thousands of hamsters, SCMP journalists Chad Bray and Gigi Choy report on the exodus of Hong Kong's finance sector and the quest to track Hong Kong's omicron spread.
SCMP Brussels correspondent Finbarr Bermingham analyses the data showing Lithuania's exports to China have collapsed and asks: does this mean Beijing's trade coercion works? Meanwhile the European Parliament proposes measures to punish Hong Kong over media freedom. East Asia reporter Maria Siow unpacks the high-level meeting between Japan and France on defense co-operation, as the Philippines announces a purchase of cruise missiles from India. Get our podcast newsletter: https://sc.mp/c56a65
As the Winter Olympics and the Lunar New Year holiday loom, Mimi Lau looks at Beijing's desperate measures to maintain its zero-Covid policy amid new outbreaks in Tianjin and Henan province. Holly Chik unpacks the claim that Covid-19 is entering China by mail; Shanghai-based journalist Thomas Yau on what it's like to travel through China right now, and Bernice Chan details the massive changes to Hong Kong's famed restaurant industry amid a harsh 6pm lockdown policy. Get our Listening Post…
China has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 and announced new policies to achieve its green transition. Jing Liu, an HSBC economist and China watcher, shares her views on the plans.
Hear how Beijing is making big inroads to Middle East diplomacy this week, meeting with foreign ministers of Turkey and Iran right after a five-day meeting with ministers from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and other oil-rich Gulf nations. Learn more of Beijing’s agenda and how they connect to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Also, dive deep into China’s connection with Kazakhstan and amid the recent unrest. Subscribe to the Listening Post podcast newsletter: https://www.scmp.com…
SCMP journalist Xinmei Shen is joined by her fellow technology reporters Josh Ye and Jane Zhang to unpack and analyse the numerous crackdowns Chinese authorities have launched on the nation's tech sector this year. They start with a record-smashing antitrust fine, then move on to explore how new regulations for gaming, after-school tutoring and data privacy impacted Chinese society as well as Wall Street.
The SCMP's European correspondent Finbarr Bermingham unpacks the new 'anti-coercion instrument' announced by the EU, and its relevance to what looks like the weaponisation of trade with China, in a year where European attitudes to Beijing have dramatically changed. SCMP China desk editor Peter Langan reports from Tokyo with analysis on Japan's policy shift and changing military stance towards Beijing, and warnings over any future incursions in Taiwan.
Owen Churchill from the SCMP US bureau and William Zheng from the SCMP China desk discuss landmark US sanctions announced over products sourced from Xinjiang. They analyse a year in US-China relations from the start of Joe Biden’s presidency and his promise of a change in style from Donald Trump’s Twitter-based diplomacy. From confrontations in Alaska and Tianjin to new ambassadors in Washington and Beijing, it's been a rollercoaster ride for Sino-US relations. For podcast reviews and news…
In a year celebrating the centenary of the Chinese Communist Party, this week saw the unveiling of the concept of ‘Chinese democracy’, days before Joe Biden hosted his Democracy Summit. Hear analysis from Post reporters in SCMP Beijing and New York bureaus, contrasting contesting claims over legitimate democracy. You’ll also hear an extraordinary moment during a report from Brussels-based reporter Finbarr Bermingham as a senior Lithuanian minister calls in to respond to China’s economic…
Mimi Lau talks with SCMP deputy sports editor Josh Ball about the diplomatic snub announced on the Beijing Winter Olympics; historian Nicholas Sarantakes recaps the saga of the 1980 Moscow Olympic boycott and other political actions over the decades, and analyses the impact of Joe Biden’s decision on the American public; Sophie Richardson, China director for Human Rights Watch, looks at past commercial boycotts and pressure on the Olympics and the IOC's ongoing role in the Peng Shuai story.
SCMP digital editor Jarrod Watt speaks with Professor Ben Cowling, Chair Professor of Epidemiology at the School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong. Cowling has been on previous episodes of Inside China, but in this special feature he discusses the Omicron variant, the need for travel bans, the science behind 21 day quarantine, and delves into his experience of Hong Kong quarantine. Hear about air purifiers, "selfish masks" and his predictions for Hong Kong and mainland China in…
The SCMP’s Rob Delaney previews the coming “democracy summit” called by US President Biden and the opportunity Taiwan sees to further its legitimacy; Biden’s Asia advisor Kurt Campbell declares China’s trade war on Australia lost, amid revelations the US profited from Beijing’s sanctions; and Asia desk correspondent Maria Siow analyses Solomon Islands unrest. Are the Honiara riots over switching diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing, or linked to Beijing and Washington vying for…
SCMP reporters Mimi Lau, Simone McCarthy and Josephine Ma discuss the latest coronavirus news from inside mainland China and around the world. Hear what we know about the variant called Omicron, the new pandemic treaty agreed to at an historic World Health Assembly meeting, and hear about how China stands on the verge of a new policy on booster shots as well as the latest updates on advances and trials for monoclonal antibody treatments to treat Covid-19 infections.
SCMP’s Europe correspondent Finbarr Bermingham details his trip to Lithuania where he found himself at an event that has outraged Beijing: the ‘Taiwan Representative Office’ opening - a de facto embassy and the first to bear the name "Taiwan" in Europe. Hear what went on and the deep historic symbolism Lithuanian MPs attached to the event; hear an in-depth interview with foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis on why his government chose this course amid its border crisis. Presented by Chad…
Mimi Lau looks at how a since-deleted social media post by Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai has ignited global concern for her welfare, China’s state media reply on Twitter response and a billion-dollar ultimatum from the WTA. Hear from exiled feminist activist Xiaowen Liang, information/economy expert Peter Lorentzen and senior SCMP staff on the battle for the narrative and how the WTA actions compare with the NBA and IOC. Subscribe to our podcast newsletter: sc.mp/Listening-Post-Newsletter
Chad Bray speaks with SCMP North American bureau chief Rob Delaney and Beijing-based news editor Mai Jun to compare and contrast the details and reactions of American and Chinese media and audiences to this week's Xi-Biden summit. Bhavan Jaipragas reports from the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore on what was being talked about on and offstage, including: is the US trying to lobby for a new regional trade deal?
SCMP China desk reporter Holly Chik presents the second part of our series looking at the technological and economic changes under way in order for China to meet its 2030 and 2050 carbon emissions targets. Hear from energy, resources and transition expert Prakash Sharma and research analyst and battery storage specialist Xu Le on how China is moving to a post-coal society in which everything is electric. Subscribe to our new podcast review newsletter: http://sc.mp/Listening-Post-Newsletter
Mimi Lau speaks with the Post’s Beijing-based news editor Mai Jun about the historic resolution issued by the Sixth Plenum of the 19th Central Committee in Beijing. How does it compare to the previous historic resolutions issued by Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping? Does it grapple with historic errors, does it focus on contemporary problems, or is it all about facing the future? Hear how Hong Kong and Taiwan both received mentions and hear about the significant omissions.
Chad Bray presents an episode in a week of historic announcements: US-based correspondent Owen Churchill analyses the US-China deal at COP26, the surprise visit to Taiwan of US Congress members ahead of a new arms deal and ongoing moves to pick the next US ambassador to China. Senior China correspondent William Zheng unpacks the politics and agenda behind Xi Jinping’s “historic resolution” and his moves toward a third term as President.
Practise your English with our short listening exercises: play the audio; answer the questions; and check the answers at the bottom of the page.
With the COP26 global climate summit being seen as one of the last chances for the planet, SCMP China desk reporter Holly Chik looks at how China's ongoing power crisis has lead to a huge shake-up in its economy and opened the way for renewable energy to compete against coal. Norway-based energy analyst Qin Yan contrasts the operation of China's new national emissions trading market with that of Europe, how changes in China's energy market are a tectonic change for its economy. China energy…
Chad Bray speaks with SCMP US bureau chief Rob Delaney and European correspondent Finbarr Bermingham about the increasing prominence of Taiwan on the agenda of the White House and the European Parliament. Hear about the upcoming G20 meeting in Rome and how Xi Jinping's absence is being seen as a missed opportunity for face to face diplomacy - and what will replace it.
Are you ready, player one? A change is coming, promising to transform the web into the “metaverse”. SCMP tech desk reporters Xinmei Shen and Josh Ye analyse what it means, and why the likes of Facebook as well as China’s major tech giants, game developers and investors are all focused on a change some believe will be as big as the arrival of the World Wide Web itself. Hear from Bloomberg Intelligence senior analyst Mark Kanterman on the investments he's documenting and just what the metaverse…
Practise your English with our short listening exercises. In this week’s podcast, the lead singer of a rising band sits down for her first-ever solo interview.
SCMP’s Tokyo-based correspondent Julian Ryall analyses China and Russia exploiting a loophole to send a navy group on a historic passage between Japan’s main island of Honshu and northern island of Hokkaido. How will this play in upcoming Japanese elections and what has been the reaction from new Prime Minister Fumio Kisihida? Former Australian PM Kevin Rudd speaks in-depth with SCMP chief news editor Yonden Lhatoo on China’s relationship with Australia, the Aukus deal and prospects for a new…
Practise your English with our short listening exercises: play the audio; answer the questions; and check the answers and the script at the bottom of the page.
As the US, UK and other nations deal with supply chain issues, how are traders at the top of the global supply chain faring in the world’s largest wholesale market? SCMP reporter Luna Sun details what she's seen and heard at China’s massive Yiwu wholesale market as it deals with power outages, soaring container costs and ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, and New York correspondent Mark Magnier reports on the US return to the UN Human Rights Council amid escalating tensions with China.
SCMP reporter Echo Xie reports from Kunming and the COP15 Biodiversity conference, where China’s president Xi Jinping announced a $US232 million fund for developing nations to protect biodiversity, a massive expansion of solar and wind power projects and China’s first official national parks. Meanwhile, as floods in Shanxi province shut coal mines, reporter Siqi Ji discusses the ongoing power crisis in China’s northeastern ‘rust belt’ amid concerns and growing anger as the cold winter looms.
SCMP presents the Post Book Podcast, with Literary Editor Charmaine Chan, in conversation with authors worldwide about their craft and their books. In this episode Charmaine Chan speaks to lawyer Christie Tate about her memoir Group, which explores therapy, writing and life changes. Is it a self-help book? Which authors did she turn to for guidance? Now she's bared all, what's next?
Practise your English with our short listening exercises: play the audio; answer the questions; and check the answers at the bottom of the page.
SCMP's US reporter Owen Churchill analyses USTR Katherine Tai’s speech on the US-China trade deal, the new ‘China office’ of the CIA and the reality behind news reports of US Marines in Taiwan; China desk reporter William Zheng discusses China’s increasing PLA aircraft deployments across the Taiwan Strait in the leadup to 10/10 day, and Brussels-based reporter Finbarr Bermingham analyses the recent EU leadership summit and its pivot from China policy to crisis talks about the Aukus military…
Mass power outages, factories with restricted hours and the prospect of major disruptions in the production of Christmas retail goods. This is the reality of China's three-pronged power crisis, comprising supply, price and regulation of coal-powered electricity. SCMP China desk reporter Holly Chik speaks with political economy journalist Cissy Zhou about how long this power crisis is expected to last, how a ban on Australian coal complicates things and the prospects for the global economy.
Practise your English with our short listening exercises: play the audio; answer the questions; and check the answers at the bottom of the page.
Chad Bray speaks with Sarah Zheng in the SCMP’s Beijing office as China’s “golden week” holiday begins against a backdrop of power outages and factory shutdowns. Hear how Meng Wanzhou’s homecoming has affected US-China relations, with talk of a Xi Jinping-Joe Biden summit. Brussels-based reporter Finbarr Bermingham analyses Germany’s election results with Chinese characteristics, and why Taiwan was the focus of the EU-China strategic dialogue, amid growing calls for Europe to increase…
SCMP tech journalist Xinmei Shen speaks with Vancouver-based correspondent Ian Young about his three years covering Meng Wanzhou, how her court saga irrevocably changed Canada’s relationship with China and what questions remain after Meng and two Canadians were freed; tech desk editor Zhou Xin discusses Huawei’s changing fortunes and how Beijing managed nationalist sentiment around the company exec’s homecoming.
Practise your English with our short listening exercises. In this week’s podcast, Kerry shares some first-hand tips on telling her parents about her online-to-offline boyfriend.
The SCMP’s Washington bureau chief Rob Delaney analyses speeches from Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden at the UN General Assembly, and calls for the Quad to expand membership; Beijing-based reporter Laura Zhou on an ex-diplomat's calls for China to change its policy regarding nuclear weapons and missile proliferation, including its first-strike nuclear strategy towards the US, and the University of Tasmania’s James Chin explores Southeast Asian tension and Asean affairs.
Mimi Lau speaks with SCMP reporter Pearl Liu about the background to the US$300 billion debt crisis for China's property giant Evergrande, the warning signs from 2019 and escalating events this year that lead to protests across China. Desk editor Zhou Xin explores how Evergrande is part of China’s economic success story, Beijing’s changing “red lines” and how the capitalist excess of its "Belt Brother” CEO contrasts with Xi Jinping’s “Common Prosperity”.
Image-based abuse, including sextortion and non-consensual porn for profit, is on the rise in Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, the Philippines & Indonesia. SCMP presents a multinational collaboration, led by the SCMP Asia reporter Raquel Carvalho, exploring the trend through the voices of victims and those exposing abuse and fighting for justice. Hear a discussion with Carvalho and the journalists who worked on this project: https://bit.ly/ImageAbuseJournalism
Online feature: https://sc.mp…
Practise your English with our short listening exercises: play the audio; answer the questions; and check the answers at the bottom of the page.
SCMP Washington bureau chief Rob Delaney unpacks the week’s surprise announcement of 'AUKUS' - a new military pact between the US, UK and Australia promising increased US troops, hardware and a new fleet of nuclear submarines to be stationed in Australia. Brussels-based reporter Finbarr Bermingham analyses the shocked European response as well as how China’s economic relationship with Germany is influencing the upcoming German elections. Special tribute: John Carter RIP. Presented by Chad Bray.
Julian Cribb plunges into the toxic soup that is modern life. The author of Earth Detox describes the scale of contamination caused by man-made chemicals, and how we can clean up our poisoned planet. The SCMP presents the Post Books Podcast, with Literary Editor Charmaine Chan, in conversation with authors worldwide about their craft and their books.
SCMP tech journalists Xinmei Shen and Josh Ye analyse the the impact of Beijing's crackdown on online gaming for players under 18. Hear how the ban is driving players to Steam and other servers in the West, how it affects the multi-billion dollar games development industry, and what will come of China's huge esports ecosystem and the desire to become the world's dominant esports nation. Hear the gaming addiction podcast: spoti.fi/3nvMirb
Practise your English with our short listening exercises. In this week’s podcast, three upset individuals have a rant on the air.
This week Post literary editor Charmaine Chan speaks with Maxine Bedat, author of Unraveled: The Life and Death of a Garment, about her idea to follow the journey of an imaginary pair of jeans, from fibre to retail before being cast off, ending up at the final destination for all second-hand apparel from the West - landfill in Ghana. Hear also of her journey through textile manufacturing in China and what she found out about the environmental damaging processes used to make the clothes we throw…
Practise your English with our short listening exercises. In this week’s podcast, Kristen and Hoi-ki discuss some new graffiti pieces by the street artist known as Banksy.