SCMP News Digest
Wednesday, 28 January 2026
Who are ‘we’? Why some Singaporeans bristle at ‘we first’ inclusive society call
Recent comments by Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong about an inclusive “we first” society potentially involving foreigners have drawn the ire of some locals, with experts noting that a cultural shift and greater cooperation are necessary to attain the goal.
The “we first” society call was first raised by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in his National Day Rally last year, when he stressed that Singaporeans had to band together to write the next chapter of their story.
On Monday, Gan…
Hong Kong police arrest 7 over bogus HK$10 million bankruptcy loan scheme
Hong Kong police have arrested seven members of a fraud syndicate accused of swindling nearly 100 victims out of HK$10 million (US$1.3 million) by luring them into taking out loans under a bogus bankruptcy scheme and then charging hefty handling fees that left them even further out of pocket.
The case first surfaced last year after four victims reported receiving cold calls offering help in securing low-interest loans. They were later invited to an office in Kwai Fong, which falsely claimed to…
Bank Indonesia’s autonomy under scrutiny as Prabowo’s nephew joins leadership
The appointment of President Prabowo Subianto’s nephew to the leadership of Bank Indonesia (BI) has reignited debate over whether Southeast Asia’s largest economy can preserve the central bank’s independence – a question closely watched by foreign investors and currency markets.
While some analysts warned that any perception the central bank could become more responsive to government financing needs risks capital outflows and pressure on the rupiah, others said Bank Indonesia’s collective…
Communist Party and KMT revive forum stalled by decade of cross-strait tensions
The Communist Party and the Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan’s main opposition party, will revive a long-stalled dialogue channel next week to navigate cross-strait tensions and discuss plans to promote industrial cooperation.
Beijing confirmed on Wednesday that the think tank forum would be held in the Chinese capital on February 3, according to an announcement by Zhang Han, a spokeswoman for the mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO).
The party-to-party channel, known unofficially as the Communist…
‘Teach our children well’: Jack Ma urges changes to China’s rural education in AI era
Education in China’s countryside should shift away from rote-based learning to focus on nurturing curiosity and creativity in the artificial intelligence era, Alibaba Group Holding founder Jack Ma said in a meeting with rural teachers on Monday.
In remarks published by the Jack Ma Foundation on Tuesday, former English teacher Ma said the dawn of the AI era posed a challenge for rural education, but also presented an opportunity to “return to the fundamentals of education”. Alibaba owns the South…
Vanuatu seeks Hong Kong’s regulatory expertise, woos investors and tourists
Vanuatu’s leader hopes to strengthen his country’s presence in Hong Kong as the Pacific island nation looks to tap the city’s regulatory expertise, financial markets and investment opportunities.
Prime Minister Jotham Napat said on Wednesday that his country had established a “communication mechanism” during his trip to Hong Kong, to improve coordination and deepen ties with the financial hub.
He called the visit a “pivotal moment” for bilateral relations, with his delegation holding high-level…
Would you intervene? Singapore train-spitting case puts bystander culture in spotlight
A Singaporean woman has been charged with public nuisance after a video showing her spitting water towards fellow commuters on a train went viral, igniting a debate over what is seen as bystander culture in the city state.
The footage prompted criticism not only of the woman’s actions but also of other passengers who appeared to avoid intervening, reviving questions about how Singaporeans respond when disorderly behaviour unfolds in public.
Sabrina Han, 37, was charged with one count of public…
Why US defence strategy may push South Korea, Japan towards ‘radical’ security realignment
Washington’s latest defence strategy of providing “more limited US support” to its allies is expected to damage domestic backing for leaders in Japan and South Korea and spur greater momentum among regional countries towards military self-reliance.
Analysts also warn that such a realignment could lead to a “radical swing” in regional security calculations, and in the case of South Korea, weaken its deterrence against the North.
In the National Defence Strategy (NDS) released by the US Defence…
Alex Pretti shot at by 2 different federal agents in Minnesota: report
Two federal officers fired their weapons during the fatal weekend shooting of nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report to Congress published on Tuesday by US media.
The shooting sparked bipartisan condemnation and fresh protests in Minneapolis, and US President Donald Trump on Tuesday called for an “honourable and honest investigation” into the matter.
He also suggested he would “de-escalate a little bit” the administration’s immigration…
Price rises on the horizon for Chinese cloud firms after Google and AWS set new rates
Several Chinese cloud service providers are “evaluating price increases”, according to analysts, following recent moves by Google and Amazon Web Services (AWS), as the explosive growth of artificial intelligence drives demand.
Google on Tuesday announced price rises of up to 100 per cent for certain services, effective May 1. For example, North American users of the CDN Interconnect, Direct Peering, and Carrier Peering services will pay US$0.08 per gigabyte, double the current rate. In Asia, the…
China couple, 102, born on same day, gain online attention, credit longevity to respecting privacy
A centenarian Chinese couple have gone viral for being born on the exact same day, month and year and revealing their simple secret to longevity.
Numerous netizens have been captivated by the 102-year-old couple’s remedy for a long life, which is minding your own business.
The couple went viral after a family portrait surfaced showing Yuan Guanjin and his wife Yin Hezhen wearing white shirts and red jumpers, sitting with their children and grandchildren.
The heartwarming photograph, taken on…
Is South Korea’s ‘metropolitan visa’ for shipbuilding worth the cost of foreign labour?
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has sparked intense debate with his comments on the “metropolitan visa” policy, aimed at supplying foreign labour to the country’s industrial regions.
The controversy escalated after President Lee openly criticised the shipbuilding industry’s reliance on low-wage foreign workers during a visit to Ulsan, a hub for the nation’s maritime sector.
His remarks have divided stakeholders. Local governments and businesses view the visa as a desperate measure to solve…
The US is working on cheaper munitions. Should China follow its lead?
China should consider following the US’ lead by investing in low-cost guided munitions to counter future mass drone warfare, according to a Chinese military magazine.
The suggestion surfaced in an article in Ordnance Science and Technology this month, which said the United States was finding it too expensive and unsustainable to use advanced munitions against Houthi drone harassment in the Red Sea and to support Ukraine against large-scale low-cost Russian air strikes.
The article said that in…
Death of Filipino in Russia-Ukraine war sparks fears of forced recruitment
The first documented case of a Filipino man who died fighting alongside Russian forces in the Ukraine war has raised concerns in the Philippines over coerced recruitment and sparked calls for compensation from Moscow.
In a report released on Monday, Ukraine’s intelligence operations identified the body of John Patrick, a Filipino national, among Russian troops killed near the village of Novoselivka in the Donetsk region, marking the first such report of its kind.
Kyiv officials said Patrick’s…
Hong Kong’s Exchange Fund reports record earnings in 2025
The Exchange Fund posted its best annual gain since the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) was set up in 1993, as solid stock market returns and rising gold prices boosted the city’s financial war chest used to defend the local currency.
The Exchange Fund’s full-year earnings for 2025 jumped 51 per cent to HK$331 billion (US$42 billion), compared with HK$218.8 billion in 2024, the HKMA said on Wednesday.
The returns surpassed the previous record of HK$264 billion set in 2017.
“Overall, the…
Hong Kong hit with record cyberattacks in 2025 as AI-linked threats rise
The number of cyberattacks in Hong Kong hit a record high in 2025, with detected system vulnerabilities tripling, prompting experts to warn that artificial intelligence (AI) could pose a major risk of further attacks this year.
Edmond Lai Shiao-bun, chief digital officer of the Hong Kong Productivity Council, warned on Wednesday that AI would pose three of the top five security threats to enterprises this year, urging firms to invest more in cybersecurity defences and staffing.
“It may not be…
On EV targets, Europe should take a page from China’s playbook
In the global shift towards carbon neutral mobility, a striking role reversal is taking shape. China, often seen as a top-down planner, has emerged as a pragmatic, market-responsive architect of new energy vehicle (NEV) policy. Europe, a champion of climate ambition, is seemingly executing a retreat amid a disconnect between ambition and reality.
The planned dilution of the European Union’s ban on new combustion-engine cars by 2035 to a carbon dioxide output reduction target of 90 per cent is…
As US naval strike force sails near Iran, Trump faces ‘no easy levers’ against Tehran
With the recent arrival of a US Navy aircraft carrier task force in the Middle East near Iran, President Donald Trump is set to have all the military assets in place needed to launch a war against Tehran by the end of this week.
While a last-minute diplomatic breakthrough is still on Washington’s cards, Trump may soon have to pick one of the plans drawn up by the Pentagon to meet his desired outcomes – none of which have been made public.
Washington has maintained diplomatic backchannels open…
Historic EU-India trade deal to slash auto tariffs, double bloc’s India exports by 2032
After nearly two decades of efforts, the European Union and India have formally concluded negotiations in New Delhi for a free-trade deal, shoring up the 27-member bloc’s ambitions to diversify trade ties while navigating tariff pressure from Washington and a ballooning deficit with Beijing.
The agreement, announced on Tuesday and praised by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen as “the mother of all trade deals”, is poised to reduce or eliminate tariffs on 96.6 per cent of the EU’s…
Authorities to seek public views on walkway for New Praya selfie hotspot
Hong Kong authorities will consult the public later this year on building a pedestrian walkway for a waterfront selfie hotspot in Kennedy Town, with the options including small-scale reclamation works.
Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho, speaking at the Legislative Council on Wednesday, said authorities were considering whether they could use “small-scale reclamation” to build a pedestrian walkway or sea wall along New Praya.
“To allow tourists at New Praya, Kennedy Town, to enjoy…