Month: July 2025

This year marks half a century of formal diplomatic relations between China and the European Union as well as the 25th anniversary of the founding of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. In this, the first of a series of reports examining ties between the two powers, Shi Jiangtao looks at the influence the United States has on the relationship. Advertisement China has ramped up efforts to mend ties with the European Union ahead of a planned bilateral summit later this month, seeking to capitalise on transatlantic disaffection…

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China showcases full spectrum of drone technology in ‘border control’ exercise China has staged a warfare demonstration using a full spectrum of uncrewed systems, underscoring its role as a leading global drone supplier, according to a state media report. 2. As China’s economy beats expectations, why workers continue to carry the burden GDP growth is on pace to meet leadership’s goal for China, but…

With public bus companies across China struggling to keep the wheels going round and round amid rising financial pressures and declining ridership, some are embracing innovative and unorthodox measures – such as repurposing their idle fleet for delivery services, or allowing pets as passengers. Advertisement Zhengzhou Public Transport Group, which serves the capital city of Henan province, is among the latest to adopt an emerging “bus-plus-logistics” business model, having announced a partnership with courier giant SF Express earlier this month. The two companies will explore leveraging idle bus capacity, such…

Donald Trump’s approach to international relations has placed China on the defensive, but by also alienating key US allies and partners, it may have created an unexpected opening for Beijing. Advertisement Since the US president unveiled his tariff plans in April, Beijing has significantly ramped up efforts to improve ties with Europe, Southeast Asia, and even its most formidable regional rivals – Japan and India. In a sign of deepening detente between the Himalayan neighbours, India’s external affairs minister S. Jaishankar visited Beijing last week for the first time since…

As the European Union prepares to hold its summit with China ahead of the August 1 deadline to achieve a tariff deal with the United States, it is squeezed between two superpowers. Trump’s letter threatening the EU with 30 per cent tariffs suggests that his true negotiating stance is a minimum of 15-20 per cent general tariffs and an unwavering 25 per cent on auto tariffs. Given these harsh terms, could the summit with China strengthen the EU’s bargaining position with the US? Advertisement The EU fears an influx of…

The United States and Taiwan are exploring the possibility of a groundbreaking spaceport partnership that could slash travel time between them from over half a day to only a couple of hours. Advertisement According to the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which functions as the de facto US embassy in the absence of formal ties, the proposed collaboration will focus on suborbital flights – an emerging form of space transport in which a vehicle briefly exits the Earth’s atmosphere before re-entering and gliding to a runway landing. “Possible spaceport cooperation…

The race for China’s provincial economy crown has turned red hot, with Jiangsu closing the gap with Guangdong through tech-driven growth. Advertisement Jiangsu’s gross domestic product (GDP) now stands at 97.44 per cent of Guangdong’s, with the distance between the two provinces narrowing to 175.76 billion yuan (US$24.5 billion) in the first half of 2025 – compared to 191.62 billion yuan for the same period last year, according to data released by provincial authorities. That marks the closest margin in years, threatening Guangdong’s decades-long dominance as China’s top provincial economy.…