Nissan to bow out of historic tie-up with Honda, Nikkei reports
By Bloomberg
Nissan Motor is pulling out of its deal with Honda Motor to combine both brands and regain global competitiveness, the Nikkei newspaper reported Wednesday.
The pair had been negotiating the terms of a tie-up under which Honda would offer Nissan a lifeline by absorbing its struggling rival, and bring the two brands under a single holding company in 2026.
The two competitors failed to reach a consensus after seven short but tumultuous weeks of talks, according to the newspaper, which cited people it did not identify, bringing to a swift end what could have been a historic partnership for Japan’s auto industry.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange suspended trading of Nissan’s shares in response to the report. Honda’s shares rose as much as 12 per cent, while Nissan fell as much as 6.4 per cent.
Spokespeople for both companies said the report wasn’t based on announcements from either, and that a framework for ongoing negotiations will be announced as planned, albeit delayed once already, in mid-February. Friction emerged between the two this week after media reports said Honda floated the idea of a complete acquisition, a proposal that was met with strong opposition within Nissan.
From the moment initial reports of a so-called merger surfaced in December, it was clear that Honda, with more than quadruple the market value, had the upper hand. When the two announced the deal in December, Honda made it apparent that Nissan had to implement a restructuring plan in order for any transaction to materialise.
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By Bloomberg
Nissan Motor is pulling out of its deal with Honda Motor to combine both brands and regain global competitiveness, the Nikkei newspaper reported Wednesday.
The pair had been negotiating the terms of a tie-up under which Honda would offer Nissan a lifeline by absorbing its struggling rival, and bring the two brands under a single holding company in 2026.
The two competitors failed to reach a consensus after seven short but tumultuous weeks of talks, according to the newspaper, which cited people it did not identify, bringing to a swift end what could have been a historic partnership for Japan’s auto industry.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange suspended trading of Nissan’s shares in response to the report. Honda’s shares rose as much as 12 per cent, while Nissan fell as much as 6.4 per cent.
Spokespeople for both companies said the report wasn’t based on announcements from either, and that a framework for ongoing negotiations will be announced as planned, albeit delayed once already, in mid-February. Friction emerged between the two this week after media reports said Honda floated the idea of a complete acquisition, a proposal that was met with strong opposition within Nissan.
From the moment initial reports of a so-called merger surfaced in December, it was clear that Honda, with more than quadruple the market value, had the upper hand. When the two announced the deal in December, Honda made it apparent that Nissan had to implement a restructuring plan in order for any transaction to materialise.
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Sara Duterte’s impeachment moves forward in the Philippines
By SCMP’s Asia desk
A petition seeking the impeachment of Vice-President Sara Duterte, the daughter of the Philippines’ former president, received the required support on Wednesday of more than a third of lower-house lawmakers, paving the way for a trial in the Senate.
House Secretary General Reginald Veslasco told reporters there was a sufficient number of signatures on the petition to impeach Duterte. A source familiar with discussions said nearly 200 lawmakers had so far signed it.
The grounds for impeachment were not immediately clear. Duterte has consistently denied wrongdoing and described moves against her as a political vendetta.
A bill of impeachment will go to the upper house, where the 23 senators would serve as jurors in proceedings that could result in the removal of Duterte and her lifetime disqualification from holding office.
“It will be presented to the plenary and once it’s approved, it’s automatically transmitted to the Senate,” Velasco said.
Asked to comment on the petition, a media officer of Duterte said it was “a waiting game”. The moves to impeach Duterte come amid a bitter rift between her and President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr that has played out in public following the collapse of a powerful alliance between their families that brought them a landslide victory in the 2022 election.
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By SCMP’s Asia desk
A petition seeking the impeachment of Vice-President Sara Duterte, the daughter of the Philippines’ former president, received the required support on Wednesday of more than a third of lower-house lawmakers, paving the way for a trial in the Senate.
House Secretary General Reginald Veslasco told reporters there was a sufficient number of signatures on the petition to impeach Duterte. A source familiar with discussions said nearly 200 lawmakers had so far signed it.
The grounds for impeachment were not immediately clear. Duterte has consistently denied wrongdoing and described moves against her as a political vendetta.
A bill of impeachment will go to the upper house, where the 23 senators would serve as jurors in proceedings that could result in the removal of Duterte and her lifetime disqualification from holding office.
“It will be presented to the plenary and once it’s approved, it’s automatically transmitted to the Senate,” Velasco said.
Asked to comment on the petition, a media officer of Duterte said it was “a waiting game”. The moves to impeach Duterte come amid a bitter rift between her and President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr that has played out in public following the collapse of a powerful alliance between their families that brought them a landslide victory in the 2022 election.
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Indonesia’s nickel sector faces headwinds from Trump’s electric vehicle curbs
By Amy Sood
US President Donald Trump’s decision to revoke electric vehicle incentives has raised concerns over its impact on Indonesia’s vital nickel sector and China’s dominance widening in the Southeast country’s EV supply chain.
Trump targeted EVs immediately after he was sworn in on January 20, annulling a 2021 executive order by former president Joe Biden that called for half of all new vehicles sold in the United States to be electric by 2030.
While Biden’s policy was not legally binding, it prompted domestic and foreign carmakers to boost investments in EV technologies, creating ripple effects across Southeast Asia’s vehicle and other related industries.
In Indonesia, which holds the world’s largest nickel reserves, Biden’s incentives offered hope of a more diverse set of investors in the country’s nickel mining and downstream production. But analysts say Trump’s reversal could transform the global outlook for the strategic metal.
Indonesia banned the export of unprocessed nickel ore in 2020 to boost its EV battery supply chain in a move that has led to billions of dollars of related investments into the country, mostly from China.
The US has been unwilling to invest in Indonesia’s nickel industry, largely due to concerns about deforestation and water pollution in the country.
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By Amy Sood
US President Donald Trump’s decision to revoke electric vehicle incentives has raised concerns over its impact on Indonesia’s vital nickel sector and China’s dominance widening in the Southeast country’s EV supply chain.
Trump targeted EVs immediately after he was sworn in on January 20, annulling a 2021 executive order by former president Joe Biden that called for half of all new vehicles sold in the United States to be electric by 2030.
While Biden’s policy was not legally binding, it prompted domestic and foreign carmakers to boost investments in EV technologies, creating ripple effects across Southeast Asia’s vehicle and other related industries.
In Indonesia, which holds the world’s largest nickel reserves, Biden’s incentives offered hope of a more diverse set of investors in the country’s nickel mining and downstream production. But analysts say Trump’s reversal could transform the global outlook for the strategic metal.
Indonesia banned the export of unprocessed nickel ore in 2020 to boost its EV battery supply chain in a move that has led to billions of dollars of related investments into the country, mostly from China.
The US has been unwilling to invest in Indonesia’s nickel industry, largely due to concerns about deforestation and water pollution in the country.
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China keeps yuan stable against US dollar: what it means for the trade war
By Alice Li
China’s central bank set a stronger-than expected fixing rate for the yuan against the US dollar on Wednesday, signalling that China does not plan to offset the impact of US tariffs by allowing its currency to weaken.
The People’s Bank of China set the fixing rate for the yuan at 7.1693 per US dollar on Wednesday, compared with the 7.1698 rate it set in late January.
The fixing rate – also known as the midpoint rate – plays a crucial role in determining the onshore yuan’s exchange rate, as the PBOC only allows trading to rise or fall up to 2 per cent above or below its set rate each day.
Many analysts had expected the PBOC to set a lower rate for the yuan this year, as a weakening of the Chinese currency would mitigate the impact of US tariffs on Chinese exporters. The US government raised duties on Chinese imports by 10 per cent on Tuesday.
“Today’s fixing rate was set stronger than market expectations. This sends a signal that China is unlikely to counter the impact of tariffs through yuan depreciation,” said Ding Shuang, chief Greater China economist at Standard Chartered Bank.
“The trade negotiation between China and the US hasn’t started. Setting a strong fixing rate could contribute to a good negotiation atmosphere, as the US does not want the yuan to depreciate sharply either.”
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By Alice Li
China’s central bank set a stronger-than expected fixing rate for the yuan against the US dollar on Wednesday, signalling that China does not plan to offset the impact of US tariffs by allowing its currency to weaken.
The People’s Bank of China set the fixing rate for the yuan at 7.1693 per US dollar on Wednesday, compared with the 7.1698 rate it set in late January.
The fixing rate – also known as the midpoint rate – plays a crucial role in determining the onshore yuan’s exchange rate, as the PBOC only allows trading to rise or fall up to 2 per cent above or below its set rate each day.
Many analysts had expected the PBOC to set a lower rate for the yuan this year, as a weakening of the Chinese currency would mitigate the impact of US tariffs on Chinese exporters. The US government raised duties on Chinese imports by 10 per cent on Tuesday.
“Today’s fixing rate was set stronger than market expectations. This sends a signal that China is unlikely to counter the impact of tariffs through yuan depreciation,” said Ding Shuang, chief Greater China economist at Standard Chartered Bank.
“The trade negotiation between China and the US hasn’t started. Setting a strong fixing rate could contribute to a good negotiation atmosphere, as the US does not want the yuan to depreciate sharply either.”
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Sandwich chain Eggslut’s Hong Kong affair ends amid retail upheaval
By Cheryl Arcibal
Memorably named sandwich restaurant Eggslut is pulling out of Hong Kong less than two years after opening in Causeway Bay to long queues of people attracted by its trendy fare.
The Los Angeles-headquartered chain said late on Tuesday that it would regroup and return “when the right moment comes”. The chain’s only Hong Kong shop, which opened in June 2023, will close on February 23.
“We are deeply grateful to Hong Kong and to all Hongkongers for your support,” the company said on Instagram. “The long queues, the joy on our customers’ faces and every like and share online – these moments will forever be in our hearts.”
The closure of the outlet, in the Fashion Walk shopping centre in one of Hong Kong’s core shopping districts, adds another casualty to a growing list of retailers and brands that have found the city’s retail environment increasingly challenging amid a shift in spending patterns.
Outback Steakhouse, an American restaurant chain serving Australian-style food that has been operating in the city since 1999, closed nine of its 19 branches last year, citing poor market conditions.
As many as 650 street shops ended their operations in the first nine months of 2024, 44 per cent more than the same period in 2023, according to data from Midland ICI&I.
Hong Kong’s retail industry is in a period of upheaval that has forced even mainstay concepts and brands to adjust their strategies. Residents increasingly spend their money beyond the city’s borders – either in mainland China or overseas – while mainland Chinese tourists, the lifeblood of the retail industry, shell out less.
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By Cheryl Arcibal
Memorably named sandwich restaurant Eggslut is pulling out of Hong Kong less than two years after opening in Causeway Bay to long queues of people attracted by its trendy fare.
The Los Angeles-headquartered chain said late on Tuesday that it would regroup and return “when the right moment comes”. The chain’s only Hong Kong shop, which opened in June 2023, will close on February 23.
“We are deeply grateful to Hong Kong and to all Hongkongers for your support,” the company said on Instagram. “The long queues, the joy on our customers’ faces and every like and share online – these moments will forever be in our hearts.”
The closure of the outlet, in the Fashion Walk shopping centre in one of Hong Kong’s core shopping districts, adds another casualty to a growing list of retailers and brands that have found the city’s retail environment increasingly challenging amid a shift in spending patterns.
Outback Steakhouse, an American restaurant chain serving Australian-style food that has been operating in the city since 1999, closed nine of its 19 branches last year, citing poor market conditions.
As many as 650 street shops ended their operations in the first nine months of 2024, 44 per cent more than the same period in 2023, according to data from Midland ICI&I.
Hong Kong’s retail industry is in a period of upheaval that has forced even mainstay concepts and brands to adjust their strategies. Residents increasingly spend their money beyond the city’s borders – either in mainland China or overseas – while mainland Chinese tourists, the lifeblood of the retail industry, shell out less.
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By SCMP
We have put together stories from our coverage on electric and new energy vehicles from the past two weeks to help you stay informed. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.
Xiaomi’s market value breached HK$1 trillion (US$128.4 billion) for the first time after its shares surged to an all-time high, as China’s third-biggest smartphone maker reaps the benefits from its diversification into electric-vehicle (EV) manufacturing.
About 15 million new cars taking to mainland China’s roads – even models priced below 100,000 yuan (US$13,914) – will be fitted with preliminary autonomous-driving technology this year as the cost of the technology declines, according to industry estimates.An electric vehicle from Xpeng drives itself under the company’s X NGP (Xpeng navigation guided pilot) advanced driver assistance system. Photo: Xpeng
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Hong Kong flu cases to spike as students, residents return from holiday: expert
By Wynna Wong
Hong Kong can expect a spike in flu cases as students and residents return from holiday, a government health expert has warned, adding that the influenza season may last until April.
Dr Edwin Tsui Lok-kin, controller of the Centre for Health Protection, issued the warning on Wednesday following a surge in vaccine inquiries and bookings, after Taiwanese actress Barbie “Big S” Hsu Shi-yuan died from flu-triggered pneumonia in Japan.
Tsui said flu seasons in Hong Kong typically lasted two to four months, with this year’s beginning on January 9.
“Many Hongkongers travel abroad. So after they have returned from their trips, there are usually more outbreaks in schools … outbreaks often occur in workplaces as well,” he told a radio programme.
“We expect that children should start returning to school next week. In schools and workplaces, we anticipate that the transmission will be severe.”
Last year’s flu season lasted 28 weeks due to a shift from the influenza A H3 strain to the H1 strain.
Tsui said most flu cases detected were still H1, accounting for around 90 per cent, and there were no major changes in the dominant strain of flu this winter for now.
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By Wynna Wong
Hong Kong can expect a spike in flu cases as students and residents return from holiday, a government health expert has warned, adding that the influenza season may last until April.
Dr Edwin Tsui Lok-kin, controller of the Centre for Health Protection, issued the warning on Wednesday following a surge in vaccine inquiries and bookings, after Taiwanese actress Barbie “Big S” Hsu Shi-yuan died from flu-triggered pneumonia in Japan.
Tsui said flu seasons in Hong Kong typically lasted two to four months, with this year’s beginning on January 9.
“Many Hongkongers travel abroad. So after they have returned from their trips, there are usually more outbreaks in schools … outbreaks often occur in workplaces as well,” he told a radio programme.
“We expect that children should start returning to school next week. In schools and workplaces, we anticipate that the transmission will be severe.”
Last year’s flu season lasted 28 weeks due to a shift from the influenza A H3 strain to the H1 strain.
Tsui said most flu cases detected were still H1, accounting for around 90 per cent, and there were no major changes in the dominant strain of flu this winter for now.
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Guinea’s vast Simandou mine on track to start delivering for Chinese investors
By Jevans Nyabiage
After almost three decades of false starts, the massive Simandou iron ore mine in Guinea is on track to deliver a significant breakthrough this year to its Chinese investors and British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto.
US-based rail manufacturer Wabtec has secured deals worth US$525 million to supply the locomotives that will deliver the first shipments from the Simandou mountain range in the remote forests of southeastern Guinea to the ports.
Simandou, the world’s largest known undeveloped reserve of high-grade iron ore, is strategically important to China, which aims to diversify its suppliers from Australia and Brazil, that together account for about 80 per cent of seaborne exports.
Wabtec said it had won a US$248 million deal to supply locomotives to Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS), which is developing blocks 1 and 2 of the concession, covering an estimated 1.8 billion tonnes of reserves with an iron content of more than 65.5 per cent.
WCS shareholders include Winning International Group of Singapore, China Shandong Weiqiao Group and the state-owned China Baowu Steel Group.
Baowu, China’s largest steelmaker, has interests in the southern and northern parts of Simandou. In June last year, Baowu Resources completed the acquisition of a 49 per cent share of WCS mine and infrastructure projects.
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By Jevans Nyabiage
After almost three decades of false starts, the massive Simandou iron ore mine in Guinea is on track to deliver a significant breakthrough this year to its Chinese investors and British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto.
US-based rail manufacturer Wabtec has secured deals worth US$525 million to supply the locomotives that will deliver the first shipments from the Simandou mountain range in the remote forests of southeastern Guinea to the ports.
Simandou, the world’s largest known undeveloped reserve of high-grade iron ore, is strategically important to China, which aims to diversify its suppliers from Australia and Brazil, that together account for about 80 per cent of seaborne exports.
Wabtec said it had won a US$248 million deal to supply locomotives to Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS), which is developing blocks 1 and 2 of the concession, covering an estimated 1.8 billion tonnes of reserves with an iron content of more than 65.5 per cent.
WCS shareholders include Winning International Group of Singapore, China Shandong Weiqiao Group and the state-owned China Baowu Steel Group.
Baowu, China’s largest steelmaker, has interests in the southern and northern parts of Simandou. In June last year, Baowu Resources completed the acquisition of a 49 per cent share of WCS mine and infrastructure projects.
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By Fran Lu
Chinese artist Ye Yonqging, whose work is collected by the likes of Bill Gates and Rupert Murdoch, has apologised after Beijing’s Intellectual Property Court upheld a 2023 ruling ordering him to pay Belgian artist Christian Silvain 5 million yuan (US$690,000) and apologise for plagiarism.
Silvain, 75, accused Ye, 67, of plagiarising 87 works of his over the past 25 years, in 2019.
The Belgian artist only found out about the plagiarism after a gallery owner in Amsterdam told him he had seen a “substandard” version of one of his paintings.
He then learned that another similar work was exhibited in London in “the largest exhibition of Chinese art”.
Silvain filed a lawsuit against Ye in China.A 1990 artwork by Belgian painter Christian Silvain, left, and right, one by Chinese painter Ye Yongqing in 1994. Photo: weixin
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Indonesia fires dozens of immigration officers after leak details airport extortion scheme
By Resty Woro Yuniar
Indonesia has removed dozens of immigration officers and launched an internal probe after a leaked diplomatic letter from the Chinese embassy exposed allegations of systemic extortion at Jakarta’s main airport and reignited concerns over corruption in law enforcement.
The letter, dated January 21, appears to have been sent to Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and details how the embassy has “solved at least 44 cases of extortion” by immigration officials against Chinese nationals who arrived at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta airport between February of last year and January. It says more than 32 million rupiah (US$1,954) in extortion money has been returned to more than 60 Chinese nationals.
“It is just a tip of the iceberg since many more Chinese nationals who were extorted did not file complaints due to tight schedules or fear of reprisals upon future entries,” the letter reads.
To alleviate the problem, the message asks Indonesian officials to put up “no tips” or “please report if there is extortion” signs in Chinese, Indonesian and English at all immigration checkpoints. Chinese travel agencies were also advised to tell Chinese travellers not to “bribe the immigration officers”.
The letter, which went viral after it was shared online, also includes the names of the alleged extortion victims, who purportedly paid officials in amounts ranging from 50,000 rupiah to 1.6 million rupiah, sometimes more than once during entry and exit.
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By Resty Woro Yuniar
Indonesia has removed dozens of immigration officers and launched an internal probe after a leaked diplomatic letter from the Chinese embassy exposed allegations of systemic extortion at Jakarta’s main airport and reignited concerns over corruption in law enforcement.
The letter, dated January 21, appears to have been sent to Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and details how the embassy has “solved at least 44 cases of extortion” by immigration officials against Chinese nationals who arrived at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta airport between February of last year and January. It says more than 32 million rupiah (US$1,954) in extortion money has been returned to more than 60 Chinese nationals.
“It is just a tip of the iceberg since many more Chinese nationals who were extorted did not file complaints due to tight schedules or fear of reprisals upon future entries,” the letter reads.
To alleviate the problem, the message asks Indonesian officials to put up “no tips” or “please report if there is extortion” signs in Chinese, Indonesian and English at all immigration checkpoints. Chinese travel agencies were also advised to tell Chinese travellers not to “bribe the immigration officers”.
The letter, which went viral after it was shared online, also includes the names of the alleged extortion victims, who purportedly paid officials in amounts ranging from 50,000 rupiah to 1.6 million rupiah, sometimes more than once during entry and exit.
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OpenAI’s video generation tool Sora sees Hollywood resistance amid data, labour concerns
By Bloomberg
Newspaper publishers have licensed articles for millions of dollars. Record labels have filed lawsuits. But when it comes to the commercial potential of artificial intelligence (AI), movie studios are off to a much slower start.
OpenAI has spent months talking to the industry’s largest studios, including Walt Disney, Comcast’s Universal Pictures and Warner Bros Discovery, about the creative and commercial potential of Sora, according to people familiar with the discussions. OpenAI has discussed creating a tailored version of the AI tool for a studio to use on its own projects, said the people, who declined to be identified discussing confidential conversations.
Yet those talks have yet to produce any deals. Studios are reluctant to get into business with an AI company, wary of how it might use their data and of angering the labour unions with which they work every day. Concerns about the use of artificial intelligence were one of the biggest factors in two labour strikes that paralysed Hollywood in 2023. Both screenwriters and actors have continued to urge Hollywood studios to police tech companies and ensure their work isn’t being used illegally.
OpenAI, the US$157 billion operation behind ChatGPT, first unveiled Sora in early 2024, attempting to keep pace with a growing number of tech start-ups that offer tools to help users generate realistic-looking video clips from text prompts. Not long after that, OpenAI executives, including CEO Sam Altman, visited Los Angeles to attend some Hollywood events. They met with film studios, media executives and talent agencies to demonstrate the technology.
OpenAI has said it may be premature to rush into commercial partnerships for the product.
“We’re so early with Sora,” Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s chief operating officer, said at a conference in January. “I think part of getting these things right is you can’t just say, ‘Okay, we have a model, now we’re going to force a partnership.” The company is engaged with the industry, he said, adding that “their feedback is super valuable.”
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By Bloomberg
Newspaper publishers have licensed articles for millions of dollars. Record labels have filed lawsuits. But when it comes to the commercial potential of artificial intelligence (AI), movie studios are off to a much slower start.
OpenAI has spent months talking to the industry’s largest studios, including Walt Disney, Comcast’s Universal Pictures and Warner Bros Discovery, about the creative and commercial potential of Sora, according to people familiar with the discussions. OpenAI has discussed creating a tailored version of the AI tool for a studio to use on its own projects, said the people, who declined to be identified discussing confidential conversations.
Yet those talks have yet to produce any deals. Studios are reluctant to get into business with an AI company, wary of how it might use their data and of angering the labour unions with which they work every day. Concerns about the use of artificial intelligence were one of the biggest factors in two labour strikes that paralysed Hollywood in 2023. Both screenwriters and actors have continued to urge Hollywood studios to police tech companies and ensure their work isn’t being used illegally.
OpenAI, the US$157 billion operation behind ChatGPT, first unveiled Sora in early 2024, attempting to keep pace with a growing number of tech start-ups that offer tools to help users generate realistic-looking video clips from text prompts. Not long after that, OpenAI executives, including CEO Sam Altman, visited Los Angeles to attend some Hollywood events. They met with film studios, media executives and talent agencies to demonstrate the technology.
OpenAI has said it may be premature to rush into commercial partnerships for the product.
“We’re so early with Sora,” Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s chief operating officer, said at a conference in January. “I think part of getting these things right is you can’t just say, ‘Okay, we have a model, now we’re going to force a partnership.” The company is engaged with the industry, he said, adding that “their feedback is super valuable.”
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China’s biggest 2024 science advances are shaping future of healthcare, chips, space race
By Dannie Peng
As China and the United States go head-to-head in the arenas of science and technology, some of China’s top scientists have rated the most significant advances of 2024 that have helped push the country to the forefront of several fields – from space and deep-sea exploration to chips and quantum technologies.
On January 22 in Nanjing, leading scientists and engineers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) announced the nation’s top 10 achievements from last year.
Sun Peijie, a professor at the CAS Institute of Physics in Beijing, whose own research made the list, said the tabulations were decided directly by experts from the two academies and were evaluations of the previous year’s scientific achievements, designations that carry much weight in China’s scientific community.
These are the 10 most important scientific advancements in China last year, as judged by the nation’s leading scientific minds.
China published extraordinary findings after Chang’e-6 lunar mission retrieved first ever samples from moon’s mysterious far side
Early last year, China launched Chang’e-6, an extremely complex 53-day mission to collect rocks from the far side of the moon. The spacecraft scooped and drilled materials from the Apollo basin – located within the 2,500km (1,553 mile)-wide South Pole-Aitken Basin – and transported nearly 2kg (4.4 pounds) of samples to Earth in June.
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By Dannie Peng
As China and the United States go head-to-head in the arenas of science and technology, some of China’s top scientists have rated the most significant advances of 2024 that have helped push the country to the forefront of several fields – from space and deep-sea exploration to chips and quantum technologies.
On January 22 in Nanjing, leading scientists and engineers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) announced the nation’s top 10 achievements from last year.
Sun Peijie, a professor at the CAS Institute of Physics in Beijing, whose own research made the list, said the tabulations were decided directly by experts from the two academies and were evaluations of the previous year’s scientific achievements, designations that carry much weight in China’s scientific community.
These are the 10 most important scientific advancements in China last year, as judged by the nation’s leading scientific minds.
China published extraordinary findings after Chang’e-6 lunar mission retrieved first ever samples from moon’s mysterious far side
Early last year, China launched Chang’e-6, an extremely complex 53-day mission to collect rocks from the far side of the moon. The spacecraft scooped and drilled materials from the Apollo basin – located within the 2,500km (1,553 mile)-wide South Pole-Aitken Basin – and transported nearly 2kg (4.4 pounds) of samples to Earth in June.
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Saudi Arabia rejects Israel’s push for ties without Palestinian state
By Agence France-Presse
Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it would not formalise ties with Israel unless a Palestinian state was established, after the Israeli prime minister remarked that he thought normalisation with the Gulf kingdom was “going to happen”.
“Saudi Arabia will continue its relentless efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without that,” the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement.
Both US President Donald Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden have backed Israel and Saudi Arabia having diplomatic relations. Riyadh paused tentative talks on the matter early in the Gaza conflict and hardened its rhetoric as the war continued.
In a shock announcement on Tuesday, Trump said the US would take over the war-ravaged Gaza Strip after Palestinians were resettled elsewhere and develop it economically. He was speaking at a joint press conference with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Wednesday’s statement from the Saudi foreign ministry said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had affirmed the kingdom’s position in “a clear and explicit manner” that does not allow for any interpretation under any circumstances.
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By Agence France-Presse
Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it would not formalise ties with Israel unless a Palestinian state was established, after the Israeli prime minister remarked that he thought normalisation with the Gulf kingdom was “going to happen”.
“Saudi Arabia will continue its relentless efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without that,” the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement.
Both US President Donald Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden have backed Israel and Saudi Arabia having diplomatic relations. Riyadh paused tentative talks on the matter early in the Gaza conflict and hardened its rhetoric as the war continued.
In a shock announcement on Tuesday, Trump said the US would take over the war-ravaged Gaza Strip after Palestinians were resettled elsewhere and develop it economically. He was speaking at a joint press conference with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Wednesday’s statement from the Saudi foreign ministry said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had affirmed the kingdom’s position in “a clear and explicit manner” that does not allow for any interpretation under any circumstances.
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AI-assisted scam costs Thai beauty queen US$118,000, 2 arrested
By SCMP’s Asia desk
Two men in Thailand have been arrested for allegedly running an AI-assisted scam call centre that cost Thai-British beauty queen Charlotte Austin 4 million baht (US$118,000), raising fears about the growing threat of technologically sophisticated fraud in the region.
Police identified the suspects as 31-year-old Ramil Pantawong, who was apprehended in the Wang Nam Yen district of Sa Kaeo on Sunday, and 28-year-old Thanawut Kanyaphanthe, who was detained in the Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri on Monday.
They are accused of belonging to a 50-strong gang operating from a building in Poipet, a city in northern Cambodia near the Thai border.
Police Lieutenant General Jiraphop Bhuridej, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, said the group had targeted at least 163 people by impersonating Thai officers with the goal of deceiving them into transferring large sums of money, with AI technology being used to alter the scammers’ faces during video calls.
He said the fraudsters used scripts provided by Chinese gang leaders and posed as investigators of narcotics and money-laundering cases, instructing victims to transfer funds for supposed verification.
Austin’s ordeal reportedly began on December 7, when she received a call from someone purporting to be a member of the Department of Special Investigation. The caller insisted she had been linked to money laundering involving the scandal-plagued Stark Corporation and then told her to wire 4 million baht so her innocence could be proven. She did so and the money was never returned.
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By SCMP’s Asia desk
Two men in Thailand have been arrested for allegedly running an AI-assisted scam call centre that cost Thai-British beauty queen Charlotte Austin 4 million baht (US$118,000), raising fears about the growing threat of technologically sophisticated fraud in the region.
Police identified the suspects as 31-year-old Ramil Pantawong, who was apprehended in the Wang Nam Yen district of Sa Kaeo on Sunday, and 28-year-old Thanawut Kanyaphanthe, who was detained in the Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri on Monday.
They are accused of belonging to a 50-strong gang operating from a building in Poipet, a city in northern Cambodia near the Thai border.
Police Lieutenant General Jiraphop Bhuridej, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, said the group had targeted at least 163 people by impersonating Thai officers with the goal of deceiving them into transferring large sums of money, with AI technology being used to alter the scammers’ faces during video calls.
He said the fraudsters used scripts provided by Chinese gang leaders and posed as investigators of narcotics and money-laundering cases, instructing victims to transfer funds for supposed verification.
Austin’s ordeal reportedly began on December 7, when she received a call from someone purporting to be a member of the Department of Special Investigation. The caller insisted she had been linked to money laundering involving the scandal-plagued Stark Corporation and then told her to wire 4 million baht so her innocence could be proven. She did so and the money was never returned.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
US Postal Service suspends inbound parcels from Hong Kong, mainland China
By Natalie Wong
The United States Postal Service has announced it has temporarily suspended inbound parcels from Hong Kong and mainland China until further notice.
The flow of letters and large envelopes was not affected, it said.
The suspension notice was put up on the postal service’s website on Tuesday, with no explanation given.
It was not immediately clear if the move was related to China’s counter-tariffs in response to those imposed on Chinese products earlier announced by the Trump administration.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Natalie Wong
The United States Postal Service has announced it has temporarily suspended inbound parcels from Hong Kong and mainland China until further notice.
The flow of letters and large envelopes was not affected, it said.
The suspension notice was put up on the postal service’s website on Tuesday, with no explanation given.
It was not immediately clear if the move was related to China’s counter-tariffs in response to those imposed on Chinese products earlier announced by the Trump administration.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
