Hong Kong ministers defend decision not to resign over deadly Tai Po fire

AI, fuelled by advanced chips, set to power semiconductor manufacturing: industry veteran

Artificial intelligence is no longer merely the driving force behind global semiconductor demand, but is also actively reinventing how chips are designed and built, industry leaders and scientists said at a major science forum in Shanghai on Friday. Chen Yunji, co-founder of AI chipmaker Cambricon Technologies, predicted that the integration between AI and chip design would eventually automate the chip design process entirely. “In the [next] 10 years, the most important development … is the RSI...

Beijing drills water cannons and drones near disputed South China Sea shoals

China’s coastguard has carried out an exercise featuring water cannons and drones near two disputed reefs at the centre of its simmering South China Sea contention with the Philippines to prepare for “foreign infringement”, according to state media. A China Coast Guard flotilla “recently” conducted “comprehensive maritime law-enforcement training” in the waters around Second Thomas Shoal and Sabina Shoal, according to state broadcaster CCTV, which did not specify dates. The official television...

Security chief vows his task force will root out bid-rigging in Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s security chief has expressed confidence that a new joint task force led by him will eradicate the decades-long problem of bid-rigging, while denying that the reforms came too late after the deadly Tai Po fire. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung also said on Friday that law enforcement officers would attend meetings of owners’ corporations where the risk of bid-rigging was deemed high to gather frontline intelligence and intervene early. Authorities also hope to pass new...

Hong Kong to be exclusive host of Vinexpo Asia trade fair for next 5 years

Hong Kong will be the exclusive host of Vinexpo Asia from 2027 to 2031, ending a rotation with Singapore. The organiser of the fair, Vinexposium, confirmed its five-year commitment to Hong Kong on Friday, signing a memorandum of understanding with the Tourism Board. Board chairman Peter Lam Kin-ngok called the partnership a milestone that underscored a commitment to strengthen Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s leading destination for wine, spirits and culinary experiences. “[Vinexposium’s]...

Tai Po fire report

Asian scientists are looking to South Korea as it becomes harder to stay in the US

As tightening US visa restrictions and geopolitics lock out Asian researchers from Western institutions, South Korea is emerging as a new academic sanctuary for top talent. According to Yoo Ji-beom, president of Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) in Seoul, that reflects a broader trend that has seen the West giving way to Asia after decades of dominance – particularly in the field of applied technology in China, Japan and South Korea. “Technological competition and global talent mobility are...

Amid brutal sell-off, what comes next for Google, Amazon and other Big Tech titans?

Soaring artificial intelligence revenues have failed to shield Intel, Amazon and Google’s parent company Alphabet from a brutal Wall Street sell-off, as their latest quarterly results deepened investor jitters over mounting capital spending and delayed returns. Intel plunged about 23 per cent in extended trading on Thursday, while Amazon shed 7.3 per cent. Alphabet tumbled 12.6 per cent during the regular session in its worst day on record, dragging the Nasdaq Composite down 1.4 per cent and...

8 companies apply for Hong Kong ride-hailing licences ahead of deadline

Eight companies have applied for licences to provide ride-hailing services in Hong Kong under the new regulatory regime ahead of Friday’s deadline, the Transport Department has confirmed. US-based Uber, Singapore-based Tada, Amap and Didi Chuxing, all of which currently serve the market, confirmed to the South China Morning Post that they had submitted applications. Amap is operated by Alibaba Group Holding, which owns the SCMP. “Drawing on its global operational experience and local track...

China carries out GJ-21 drone take-off, landing from first Type 076 warship: state media

China successfully conducted take-off and landing operations of the GJ-21 drone from its first Type 076 warship this month, state media said on Friday. In late October, the Sichuan conducted consecutive sea trials, according to Xinhua. “The [People’s Liberation Army’s] first shipborne reconnaissance-strike stealth UAV, the GJ-21, has successfully completed its maiden take-off and landing on the amphibious assault ship Sichuan,” Xinhua said. “It represents another breakthrough in the development...

Politburo promotion, Lula victory, US midterm elections

Chinese President Xi Jinping renewed a years-long anti-corruption drive at a major Communist Party meeting, while the general who led a military anti-graft purge was promoted to the Politburo. The party must “ensure that officials do not have the audacity, opportunity, or desire to commit corruption”, read a communique passed at the fifth plenum of the party’s Central Committee. The document also highlighted “unwritten rules” as a key issue to address. Zhang Shengmin, Xi’s vice-chairman on the...

Economist Stephen Roach warns the US and China are in a ‘conflicted co-dependency’

A leading economist warned on Thursday that the United States and China are in a “conflicted co-dependency” that this year’s two bilateral summits failed to address. “I think there’s a good chance that we’re in a temporarily more stable place. But to say that has solved the deep-rooted problems between us, I think is a real stretch,” said Stephen Roach, a veteran China-watcher and the former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, at the China Institute of America. “You mentioned the two summits that...

Cathay Pacific says data from 53,000 bookings compromised in Amadeus cyberattack

Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways has revealed that 53,000 bookings were compromised after hackers breached its technology service provider’s system. The carrier is among hundreds of airlines worldwide that use technology solutions provided by Amadeus IT Group. The revelation follows similar disclosures by Korean Air and Japan Airlines. Cathay said on Friday that the unauthorised access took place between August 2023 and September 2026. “We apologise to our customers for the concern...