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1. Trump’s military push confronts US lawmakers and China’s shipbuilding edge

   US President Donald Trump’s long-standing obsession with sea power was underscored by his pledge to rebuild the US Navy into what he called a “Golden Fleet” as he returned to the White House. His financial year 2027 budget released on April 3 puts a price tag on the ambition: US$65.8 billion for 34 warships, including initial funding for a next-generation battleship he wants to name after...

2. Number of Hong Kong school leavers seeking education elsewhere hits 14-year low

   The number of Hong Kong secondary school leavers pursuing higher studies outside the city fell to a 14-year low in 2025, with an expert attributing the trend to a surge in mainland Chinese students targeting local universities. Only 2,671 students, or 6.5 per cent of 40,948 Form Six graduates pursuing full-time courses, chose to study outside Hong Kong last year, a survey by the Education Bureau...

3. Former Hong Kong trade office chief contesting UK local elections for Reform

   A former director of Hong Kong’s Economic and Trade Offices (ETO) in Jakarta and Bangkok is standing in the United Kingdom local elections for the right-wing Reform UK party. Lee Sheung-yuen, who left government in 2023 after serving as the first director of the Bangkok ETO and concurrently served as director general of its Jakarta office, is now contesting a seat on Ealing Council in London. He...

4. Hong Kong aiming to curb illicit fuel trade with tougher penalties: source

   Buyers of illicit fuel in Hong Kong could face a maximum penalty of HK$1 million (US$127,687) and one year in prison under proposed legal amendments aimed at curbing illegal refuelling amid surging global oil prices, the South China Morning Post has learned. According to a government source, the Security Bureau has also proposed tougher penalties for sellers, increasing the maximum fine for a...

5. Myanmar president seeks peace talks by July 31, 2 rebel groups reject offer

   Myanmar’s new military-backed government wants to hold peace talks with ⁠opposition armed groups by the ⁠end of July, the country’s ⁠junta leader-turned-president said, but two key rebel groups rejected the offer on Tuesday. State media reported that President Min Aung Hlaing, who led a coup five years ago that plunged the Southeast Asian country into a civil war that continues to ‌rage, told a...

6. Taiwanese leader Lai postpones Africa trip after 3 nations revoke overflight permission

   Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te was forced to postpone a visit to the island’s last African partner after three other nations abruptly refused to allow his aircraft to fly over their territory, in a move Taipei blamed on pressure from Beijing. This is the first time any Taiwanese leader has had to delay an overseas visit at the last minute, Lai’s office said. He had been due to depart on...

7. Japan’s new arms export rules trigger Chinese warning against ‘moves towards militarism’

   Japan has scrapped long-standing restrictions on arms exports in a major break with its post-war pacifist policy that is likely to derail any potential thaw in relations with China. The plans, given final approval by the cabinet on Tuesday, could clear the way for sales of lethal equipment that had long been banned and prompted expressions of “serious concern” from Beijing. Japan’s Three...

8. Economist Justin Lin urges West to adopt ‘Eastern wisdom’ as China moves up value chain

   The West’s narrative of Chinese “overcapacity” is a double standard, said a former chief economist of the World Bank as he urged advanced economies to draw on “Eastern wisdom” rather than protectionism to navigate the rise of hi-tech competition. Justin Lin Yifu, a prominent advocate of Beijing’s industrial policy, dismissed claims that China’s auto-export surge was a sign of industrial...

9. US forces intercepted ‘gift from China’ to Iran, Donald Trump says

   US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that American forces had intercepted a “gift from China” to Iran. Speaking ahead of the expiry of the current two-week ceasefire on Wednesday, Trump told CNBC that Tehran had “probably done a little bit of restocking” and implied that Beijing had been helping its efforts. He added: “We caught a ship yesterday that had some things on it, which wasn’t very...

10. First AI driverless trucks deployed to tackle Hong Kong port labour shortage

    Hutchison Port Holdings Trust has deployed Hong Kong’s first AI-powered driverless trucks, a move the container terminal operator said could help tackle a chronic manpower shortage and improve efficiency. The trust, affiliated with Hutchison Ports – a subsidiary of CK Hutchison Holdings, controlled by billionaire Li Ka-shing’s family – on Tuesday invited media to view a fleet of six electric...