Daily Asia briefing

China’s military mouthpiece accused Japan of “dangerously expanding” its defence industry – in capacity, technology and international engagement – and said it had “crossed the red line”. In a rare full-page report on Mon...

Japan’s defence ministry said on Tuesday that long-range missiles with counterstrike capabilities have been brought into service at two Ground Self-Defence Force bases in the country. The deployment of the missiles at Ca...

Saudi health authorities have detained Arab gym trainers for illegally selling unregistered weight loss medications, hormonal drugs, and peptides. Investigations uncovered a warehouse storing these substances, including...

Singaporeans are not flocking to Malaysia’s Johor just for groceries these days – fuel is the “obsession” for the moment. Petrol prices have spiked sharply in the city state due to the Middle East conflict, with RON95 at...

Gulf allies of the United States, led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, are urging President Donald Trump to continue prosecuting the war against Iran, arguing that Tehran has not been weakened enough by the...

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US may need to reassess its relationship with Nato after the Iran war is finished, calling the military alliance’s alleged lack of support during the Middle East conflict “very dis...

Emmanuel Macron touches down in Tokyo this week with a packed agenda and a receptive audience in a Japanese government anxious about a choked oil route and looking for support amid its diplomatic falling-out with Beijing...

Taiwan has pushed back against a growing number of foreign governments that label it part of China in their internal systems. But questions are mounting over whether Taipei’s retaliatory moves can deliver results. The di...

Geopolitical competition has long been understood in territorial terms. Power was measured by control over land, resources and populations. Rivalry was expressed through military confrontation, alliance formation and the...

A Hong Kong court has sentenced 13 parents and a businessman to up to 14 months in jail for offering bribes ranging from HK$20,000 to HK$200,000 (US$2,600 to US$25,600) to a kindergarten administrator at the city’s bigge...

Malaysia’s central bank has raised its 2026 growth outlook, saying the economy is on track to expand between 4 and 5 per cent despite mounting risks from the Iran war. The revised forecast from Bank Negara Malaysia marks...

UAE motorists will face significant fuel price increases in April 2026, with petrol and diesel rates set to rise by up to nearly Dh2 per litre. This sharp hike, approved by the UAE Fuel Price Committee, reflects escalati...

Times of India World is tracking Economy & Trade developments tied to US strikes Isfahan: Why is it key to Iran's military, nuclear infrastructure.

European governments breathed a sigh of relief in October when the US and China sealed a fragile trade truce that paused more sweeping Chinese rare earth restrictions and papered over a Sino-Dutch row over chipmaker Nexp...

China is ramping up efforts to deeply integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into its shipping industry by 2027, targeting breakthroughs in core technologies to build a smart maritime system as global competition intensi...

EnerVenue – a rechargeable battery start-up co-founded by Full Vision Capital, the family office of Hong Kong tycoon Peter Lee Ka-kit – has raised US$300 million in its latest round of financing and appointed a new CEO t...

Hong Kong’s key decision-making body has approved plans for an elevated smart mass transit railway system in Kai Tak that will connect the cruise terminal and other major facilities in the area to the local MTR station....

A Chinese influencer gained more than a million followers in just two weeks by simply teaching people how to rent a home. His efforts earned widespread support and appreciation from Chinese netizens. The influencer, know...

A former Hong Kong truck driver who caused the death of a pregnant woman was sentenced to 22 months in prison on Tuesday, with the judge saying the man had made “continuous” wrong decisions in his driving. District Judge...

We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscri...

The UAE has extended distance learning for all educational institutions until April 17, 2026, impacting millions of students. This decision, announced by the Ministry of Education, prioritizes safety while maintaining le...