About Asia

SCMP Hong Kong desk editor Denise Tsang joins Chad Bray to discuss the reaction among Hong Kong-based American business leaders to Joe Biden's warning, amid fears Hong Kong’s new anti-doxxing laws may lead to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram being blocked in the city. Also, as Beijing continues to reject the South China Sea international court ruling, Beijing-based reporter Sarah Zheng analyses rising hostilities between Philippine fisherman and Chinese coastguard vessels in the disputed waters.

Following the official call from the Taliban welcoming Chinese investment, the SCMP’s Zhou Xin analyses China's past relationship with Afghanistan and its strategic and historic importance to Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative. In the wake of US investor uproar over the Didi IPO, business reporter Georgina Lee unpacks the new rules for Chinese companies listing on US stock markets, and how Hong Kong stands to benefit.

Chad Bray speaks with SCMP desk editors Zhou Xin and Peter Langan; analysing Xi Jinping's speech for China's Communist party centenary, and what was missed in the headlines about 'bloodied heads'; how China's relationship with Japan, South Korea and North Korea is changing amid calls for NATO to expand to East Asia Brussels-based correspondent Finbarr Bermingham reports on moves in the European Parliament to sanction Hong Kong over the closure of the Apple Daily newspaper and what he's hearing…

Washington correspondent Jacob Fromer details the Post exclusive that investigates how some of America's biggest investment funds are making millions from companies in Xinjiang, as the Biden administration escalates sanctions on companies involved in solar cell manufacturing. Political Economy desk editor Zhou Xin contrasts the style and career of Beijing's veteran ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai with incoming, relatively inexperienced diplomat Qin Gang and this means for US-China relations.

Analysis of US President Joe Biden's Europe visit and Beijing's response from the SCMP's Rob Delaney in Washington and Zhou Xin in Hong Kong. Also, how will the global "B3W" programme work and how does it differ from China's belt and road strategy? Brussels-based correspondent Finbarr Bermingham contrasts the language of the EU and the US over what Biden achieved, and unpacks the newly announced US-Europe trade and technology council to confront China and promote "digital governance". Produced…

SCMP’s political economy editor Zhou Xin and Washington bureau chief Rob Delaney analyse a week when Beijing and Washington targeted each other with bills on sanctions, competition and technology. Also in this week’s podcast, our European correspondent Finbarr Bermingham reports from Brussels on EU sentiment towards Biden's agenda at the G7 meeting, Nato’s push into the Indo-Pacific region, and the unveiling of a rival programme to China's Belt and Road Initiative.

Finbarr Bermingham and the team analyse the European Parliament's vote to freeze ratification of its agreement on investment with China; why the rekindled alliance of China and Russia is all about the G7 and why Biden's Endless Frontiers Act is more like Trump than a new era. Feature interview with Bernd Lange member of the European Parliament and Germany's Social Democratic Party, discussing the EU's changing relationship with China.

China forcefully defended its Xinjiang policy at a UN forum it labeled an “anti-China event”, where Germany and Turkey joined with the US and UK to ask for “immediate, meaningful and unfettered” access. SCMP reporters Simone McCarthy and Masha Borak examine how India's Covid crisis is impacting the global tech supply chain for Apple products as well as vaccine, PPE and medical supply-based diplomacy with China.

Is the G7 ganging up on China? This week, the team looks at how that perception may be pushing Beijing into a corner, causing it to double down. China’s suspension of economic talks with Australia may already be proof of that, as Canberra is made an example to the world. Hear also about Beijing's choice as its new ambassador to the United States and Tamas Matura, China expert from the Corvinus University of Budapest analyses why Hungary is China’s staunchest defender in the EU.

China, according to US President Joe Biden, is “deadly earnest” about becoming the world’s most “consequential” nation. In this week’s podcast, the team analyses Biden’s first speech to a joint session of Congress. Also, reports of China’s “declining” population are refuted by Beijing even though it has yet to release new figures. And SCMP China Desk reporter Sarah Zheng looks behind mask diplomacy and India’s snub of pandemic relief from border rival China.