SCMP China·Monday, December 29, 2025

SCMP China - Monday, December 29, 2025

10 stories~15 min

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Stories Covered

Nuclear game changer: China builds crab-walking electric ICBM mobile launcher prototype

Researchers in China have developed a fully modular, intelligent electric-drive heavy-duty vehicle that could be used as a mobile launcher for an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The researchers said the vehicle could “crab walk” through tight or obstructed terrain that would defeat conventional launchers and its near-silent operation improved its stealth abilities. A prototype was unveiled in Beijing on December 21, less than two years after the project was approved in January 2024 as

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PLA holds Taiwan drills, China powers up record ‘air battery’: SCMP daily highlights

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. PLA holds drills around Taiwan in warning to ‘separatists’ after US arms deal The People’s Liberation Army kicked off drills around Taiwan on Monday that it called “legitimate and necessary” to safeguard national unity, soon after Washington approved the largest-ever arms sale to Taiwan. 2. Cambodia and Thailand agree to resume exchanges after meeting with

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Taiwan’s leader seeks T-Dome ‘connectivity’ network to defend against Beijing attack

Taiwan is seeking to fuse satellite, radar and drone data into a “connectivity” network as part of Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s multibillion-dollar bid to build a layered defence shield to counter Beijing’s possible missile attacks. The plan, which Lai calls the “Taiwan shield” and officials and analysts often refer to as the backbone of a broader “T-Dome” concept, is intended to overhaul how Taiwan detects, tracks and intercepts incoming threats. In a televised interview on Sunday,..

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China has logged a US$1 trillion trade surplus. Where is all that money going?

Recent data on China’s external accounts presents a conundrum: while the country’s trade surplus has broken records, surpassing the US$1 trillion benchmark in the first 11 months of the year, growth in its official foreign exchange reserves has lagged. This seeming paradox prompts a question – where did the money go? Analysts said the gap reflects how much of the surplus has flowed back overseas through asset investment, largely made by private-sector players, leaving China’s external accounts..

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China protests to Panama over destruction of memorial to Chinese labourers

China has protested to Panama over the removal on the weekend of a monument to the Chinese community, calling on Panamanian authorities to investigate the incident. The Chinese-Panamanian Friendship Park has reportedly been in need of repair and the demolition was deemed by Beijing as “hurting the broad interests of China-Panama friendship”. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Monday that China was “seriously dissatisfied” with Arraijan authorities for the demolition of the park.

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Cambodia and Thailand agree to resume exchanges after meeting with China

Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to consolidate their ceasefire and restore exchanges after trilateral talks held in China. The three sides had “in-depth exchanges on working step by step through mutual efforts to resume normal exchanges, rebuild political mutual trust, improve Cambodia-Thailand relations and safeguard regional stability”, according to Beijing’s foreign ministry. The ministry issued the statement following a meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, his Thai counterpart

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China hits out at ‘support for separatist forces’ after Israel recognises Somaliland

China has criticised Israel’s decision to recognise Somaliland, a move that prompted strong criticism from neighbouring countries. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that no country should “incite or support separatist forces” for “selfish interests”, characterising the territory as an “inseparable part” of Somalia. “China firmly supports Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, and opposes any act of splitting Somali territory,” ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Monday.

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Chinese robot vacuum maker Dreame gives gifts of gold and trip to Antarctica to employees

Chinese household appliances maker Dreame Technology will present gifts of gold and a trip to Antarctica to employees, on top of their year-end bonuses, as the company boosted its position as one of the world’s leading vendors of robot vacuum cleaners. The additional largesse was revealed over the weekend by Dreame founder and CEO Yu Hao in two WeChat Moments posts. Yu said every employee will receive a one-gram gold bonus in addition to their standard year-end payout. The company also planned..

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China suggests ‘illegal’ Philippine fishing is damaging disputed Scarborough Shoal

A Chinese government report into the ecosystem of the contested Scarborough Shoal has concluded the reef is in a good overall condition, but suggested that “illegal fishing and frequent intrusive activities” by the Philippines are putting it at risk. The report, released on Monday, said the overall condition of the shoal’s coral reef was “good”, with 135 different species of reef-building coral present. Scarborough Shoal, known as Huangyan Island in China and Panatag Shoal in the Philippines, is

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Tariffs, truces, Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’: key developments in US-China trade war in 2025

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trump signs executive orders imposing steep tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico US President Donald Trump made good on his threat to impose 10 per cent tariffs on Chinese imports and 25 per cent on goods coming from Canada and Mexico, launching a potential trade war less than two weeks into his administration. 2. China to impose tariffs on US products,...

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