Day: August 26, 2025

Scientists in the US and China say they have developed a one-step method to safely turn toxic mixed plastic waste into petrol, with more than 95 per cent efficiency at room temperature. Advertisement Compared to conventional ways of turning plastic into fuel, their process requires less energy, less equipment and fewer steps, making it scalable for industrial applications. At the end of this conversion process are the main components of petrol or gasoline, chemical raw materials, and hydrochloric acid. That means the end product could be used for water treatment,…

Julie Eadeh, the new US consul general for Hong Kong and Macau, is set to arrive in the city at the end of this month, having received Beijing’s approval for the much-watched appointment, according to sources. Advertisement The Post reported in July that Eadeh, a career diplomat who served as the political section chief at the US consulate in Hong Kong and Macau during the 2019 protests, would take the role, subject to Beijing’s approval. “Her agrément was granted recently, so she is set to come to Hong Kong,” said…

China is on a mission to turn its military into a modern fighting force. In the final article in this four-part series, we look at President Xi Jinping’s military goals and obstacles facing the People’s Liberation Army. Advertisement The 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan in World War II is intended to display both the strength and solidarity of the People’s Liberation Army. But just two weeks before it is set to take place, Beijing announced that former navy chief of staff Li Hanjun – a veteran who took…

It seems clear that US President Donald Trump achieved little more than a photo opportunity from the bilateral summit in Anchorage, Alaska, with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his subsequent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders. Now, a ceasefire seems more out of reach than ever. Advertisement For a negotiated peace agreement, Putin has insisted on his demands that Ukraine give up ambitions to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, as well as land occupied by Russian forces. However, with the backing of top European leaders,…

Brazilians now view the United States more negatively than positively for the first time in two years, according to a new survey released on Tuesday, while perceptions of China have improved. Advertisement The Quaest poll found 48 per cent of Brazilians hold an unfavourable opinion of the US, double the level recorded in early 2024 (24 per cent), while 44 per cent said their view was positive. China moved in the opposite direction, with 49 per cent now seeing it favourably, up from 38 per cent last year, and 37…

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended his proposal to admit hundreds of thousands of Chinese students, saying the US is “honored” to host them and warning that the American college system would “go to hell” without them. Advertisement Facing growing anger from his political base, Trump dismissed criticism of the plan as “insulting” and pointed to his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping as part of a broader strategy of engagement. “We’re getting along very well with China, and I’m getting along very well with President Xi,” he said…

Calls are mounting for the European Union to fire its “trade bazooka” at Washington after US President Donald Trump threatened tariffs and export restrictions on countries applying digital laws and taxes to American firms. Advertisement In a late-night post on social media, Trump vowed to slap “substantial additional tariffs” and restrict the export of “technology and chips” to countries enforcing “digital taxes, legislation, rules or regulations”. While he did not name Europe directly, the American leader has previously railed against the bloc’s digital services and digital markets acts, aimed at…

Revived threats of tariff increases from US President Donald Trump over China’s supply of rare earth elements highlight the minerals’ importance in global manufacturing, analysts said – and show Beijing its dominance in this area remains a potent source of leverage in trade negotiations. Advertisement China will face “200 per cent tariffs, or something” unless it continues to ensure shipments of permanent magnets containing the minerals will reach the US, Trump said during a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at the White House on Monday. He described…

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. Trump says China must ensure rare earth magnets or face 200% tariffs US President Donald Trump said on Monday that China must ensure the US supply of rare earth magnets or face 200 per cent tariffs, and that he will continue to allow Chinese students into the country. 2. Why China and US still invest in crewed military systems when they have drones Rapid…