![\"Anti-immigrant](\"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2026/06/30/d9d8db04-d2de-42bc-b395-e639697a7a65_15934e4a.jpg\")
The Communist Party\u2019s membership grew at a slower pace and its average age continued to climb last year, according to official data on the world\u2019s second-biggest political party.
In line with tradition, the data was released on the day before July 1, the date of the party\u2019s founding in 1921.
The party had 101 million members at the end of 2025, an increase of 1 per cent from the previous year, according to a report released on Tuesday by the Central Committee\u2019s Organisation Department, the party\u2019s top personnel office.
That was the slowest growth rate in at least five years. Annual growth has declined every year since 2021, when membership expanded by 3.7 per cent.
According to the report, nearly 30 per cent of members were aged 61 or older \u2013 the highest share in at least five years, up from just under 29 per cent in 2024.
The pace of ageing has also picked up. After a brief dip in 2022, the proportion of members over 60 has risen steadily, climbing by 1.43 percentage points between 2023 and 2025 alone.
", "summary": "The Communist Party\u2019s membership grew at a slower pace and its average age continued to climb last year, according to official data on the world\u2019s second-biggest political party.
In line with tradition, the data was released on the day before July 1, the date of the party\u2019s founding in 1921.
The party had 101 million members at the end of 2025, an increase of 1 per cent from the previous year, according to a report released on Tuesday by the Central Committee\u2019s Organisation Department, the party\u2019s top personnel office.
That was the slowest growth rate in at least five years. Annual growth has declined every year since 2021, when membership expanded by 3.7 per cent.
According to the report, nearly 30 per cent of members were aged 61 or older \u2013 the highest share in at least five years, up from just under 29 per cent in 2024.
The pace of ageing has also picked up. After a brief dip in 2022, the proportion of members over 60 has risen steadily, climbing by 1.43 percentage points between 2023 and 2025 alone.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-06-30T03:07:36Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-29T21:30:02Z", "authors": ["Meredith Chen"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3358907/chip-supply-chain-braces-more-price-hikes-upstream-parts-create-new-bottlenecks?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3358907/chip-supply-chain-braces-more-price-hikes-upstream-parts-create-new-bottlenecks?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "Chip supply chain braces for more price hikes as upstream parts create new bottlenecks", "content_text": "", "content_html": "By Wency Chen
The AI-driven price surge in the semiconductor supply chain is spreading beyond graphics processing units (GPUs) and memory chips to upstream materials and manufacturing inputs, creating new bottlenecks that could slow the buildout of global artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Suppliers of once less-visible parts are gaining leverage as customers compete for limited capacity.
These range from power chips and capacitors that regulate electricity inside AI data centres, to copper-clad laminates and glass fabric that form the base of printed circuit boards (PCBs), as well as industrial gases, valves and ceramic parts used in chipmaking tools.
\u201cCapacitors and power semiconductors are now both moving into a price-increase cycle,\u201d said Liu Gaochang, an analyst at Sinolink Securities, who noted that the adjustments have spread from selected products to wider categories.
AI servers use three to 10 times as many capacitors as traditional servers, and orders for power components were \u201cfully loaded\u201d, Liu said, adding that costs had also risen for aluminium foil, chemical materials and electricity.
Japan\u2019s Murata Manufacturing, the world\u2019s largest maker of multilayer ceramic capacitors, or MLCCs, will raise prices for products used in AI servers and high-end automotive electronics by 10 to 40 per cent from July, Shanghai Securities News reported.
", "summary": "By Wency Chen
The AI-driven price surge in the semiconductor supply chain is spreading beyond graphics processing units (GPUs) and memory chips to upstream materials and manufacturing inputs, creating new bottlenecks that could slow the buildout of global artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Suppliers of once less-visible parts are gaining leverage as customers compete for limited capacity.
These range from power chips and capacitors that regulate electricity inside AI data centres, to copper-clad laminates and glass fabric that form the base of printed circuit boards (PCBs), as well as industrial gases, valves and ceramic parts used in chipmaking tools.
\u201cCapacitors and power semiconductors are now both moving into a price-increase cycle,\u201d said Liu Gaochang, an analyst at Sinolink Securities, who noted that the adjustments have spread from selected products to wider categories.
AI servers use three to 10 times as many capacitors as traditional servers, and orders for power components were \u201cfully loaded\u201d, Liu said, adding that costs had also risen for aluminium foil, chemical materials and electricity.
Japan\u2019s Murata Manufacturing, the world\u2019s largest maker of multilayer ceramic capacitors, or MLCCs, will raise prices for products used in AI servers and high-end automotive electronics by 10 to 40 per cent from July, Shanghai Securities News reported.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-06-30T03:00:08Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-29T21:30:07Z", "authors": ["Wency Chen"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3358913/south-africa-anti-migrant-demos-draw-thousands-plus-huge-police-presence?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3358913/south-africa-anti-migrant-demos-draw-thousands-plus-huge-police-presence?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "South Africa anti-migrant demos draw thousands, plus huge police presence", "content_text": "", "content_html": "By Bloomberg
Thousands of people joined anti-migrant protests in South Africa on Tuesday, watched over by a massive police contingent that was deployed to prevent violence and intimidation.
The demonstrations in Johannesburg, Pretoria, the port cities of Durban and Cape Town and other towns were called by an organisation known as March and March to demand that all undocumented foreigners leave the country.
The rallies, which marked the culmination of weeks of protests that have displaced thousands of mainly African expatriates, appeared to be largely peaceful.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa met with three of the anti-migrant movement\u2019s leaders on Monday to urge them to avoid any unrest, according to his spokesman, Vincent Magwenya.
The president emphasised \u201cthat the right to protest is coupled with the responsibility to observe the law and to protest peacefully\u201d, Magwenya said.
The president emphasised \u201cthat the right to protest is coupled with the responsibility to observe the law and to protest peacefully\u201d, Magwenya said.
By Bloomberg
Thousands of people joined anti-migrant protests in South Africa on Tuesday, watched over by a massive police contingent that was deployed to prevent violence and intimidation.
The demonstrations in Johannesburg, Pretoria, the port cities of Durban and Cape Town and other towns were called by an organisation known as March and March to demand that all undocumented foreigners leave the country.
The rallies, which marked the culmination of weeks of protests that have displaced thousands of mainly African expatriates, appeared to be largely peaceful.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa met with three of the anti-migrant movement\u2019s leaders on Monday to urge them to avoid any unrest, according to his spokesman, Vincent Magwenya.
The president emphasised \u201cthat the right to protest is coupled with the responsibility to observe the law and to protest peacefully\u201d, Magwenya said.
The president emphasised \u201cthat the right to protest is coupled with the responsibility to observe the law and to protest peacefully\u201d, Magwenya said.
By Fiona Sun
This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP\u2019s journalism by subscribing.
Hong Kong\u2019s weather forecaster has warned of record high temperatures this year and next, with a developing El Nino potentially becoming the strongest on record.
The Observatory said on Monday that sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean were expected to rise further, developing into an El Nino event this summer that would last until at least early next year and reach \u201cstrong\u201d to \u201csuper strong\u201d intensity levels.
According to the forecaster, a strong El Nino generally increases the likelihood of abnormally high temperatures in different parts of the world.
\u201cIt is expected that under the combined influence of global warming, the average temperature in Hong Kong will be significantly higher this year and next, and record-breaking high temperatures may occur,\u201d it said.
El Nino is a climate phenomenon that warms surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, bringing worldwide changes in winds and rainfall patterns and erratic weather.
", "summary": "By Fiona Sun
This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP\u2019s journalism by subscribing.
Hong Kong\u2019s weather forecaster has warned of record high temperatures this year and next, with a developing El Nino potentially becoming the strongest on record.
The Observatory said on Monday that sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean were expected to rise further, developing into an El Nino event this summer that would last until at least early next year and reach \u201cstrong\u201d to \u201csuper strong\u201d intensity levels.
According to the forecaster, a strong El Nino generally increases the likelihood of abnormally high temperatures in different parts of the world.
\u201cIt is expected that under the combined influence of global warming, the average temperature in Hong Kong will be significantly higher this year and next, and record-breaking high temperatures may occur,\u201d it said.
El Nino is a climate phenomenon that warms surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, bringing worldwide changes in winds and rainfall patterns and erratic weather.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-06-30T02:37:52Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-29T21:00:06Z", "authors": ["Fiona Sun"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3358899/relay-love-china-court-names-shanghai-man-mentally-ill-neighbours-guardian-city-first?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3358899/relay-love-china-court-names-shanghai-man-mentally-ill-neighbours-guardian-city-first?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "\u2018A relay of love\u2019: China court names Shanghai man mentally ill neighbour\u2019s guardian in city first", "content_text": "", "content_html": "By Zoey Zhang
A Shanghai family\u2019s decades-long devotion to a vulnerable neighbour has led to the city\u2019s first legal guardianship case involving people unrelated by blood.
Ren, 71, inherited a quiet act of compassion from his parents, caring for his neighbour Xu, 56, for four decades, the Shanghai Law Journal reported.
Xu was born with a mental disability. Originally from Xinjiang in northwestern China, he never married, had no children and has no surviving relatives
He moved to eastern China\u2019s Shanghai in the 1980s with his grandfather, who died years later, leaving him to live alone.
Ren\u2019s parents, who lived in the same residential building, noticed Xu\u2019s plight and stepped in to help with his meals and daily care.
\u201cMy parents looked after him purely out of sympathy,\u201d Ren told local media.
![\"Ren](\"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2026/06/30/36c1488f-5d14-4f9a-b42d-7f93f4adbc5b_feffcd9c.jpg\")
By Zoey Zhang
A Shanghai family\u2019s decades-long devotion to a vulnerable neighbour has led to the city\u2019s first legal guardianship case involving people unrelated by blood.
Ren, 71, inherited a quiet act of compassion from his parents, caring for his neighbour Xu, 56, for four decades, the Shanghai Law Journal reported.
Xu was born with a mental disability. Originally from Xinjiang in northwestern China, he never married, had no children and has no surviving relatives
He moved to eastern China\u2019s Shanghai in the 1980s with his grandfather, who died years later, leaving him to live alone.
Ren\u2019s parents, who lived in the same residential building, noticed Xu\u2019s plight and stepped in to help with his meals and daily care.
\u201cMy parents looked after him purely out of sympathy,\u201d Ren told local media.
By Jean Iau
It has been nearly five years since then Workers\u2019 Party (WP) MP Raeesah Khan uttered her first lie in Singapore\u2019s parliament but its aftershocks continue to reverberate, as some political observers argue that public fatigue has set in.
They say it would be in the interest of both the ruling People\u2019s Action Party\u2019s (PAP) and the WP to avoid further drawing out the issue when there are more pressing matters to address for citizens.
Mustafa Izzuddin, a senior international affairs analyst at Solaris Strategies Singapore, said that as far as the WP was concerned, the line had been \u201cdrawn in the political sand\u201d and that the chapter was closed.
\u201cThe saga has been so long and drawn-out that it has resulted in public fatigue over a political matter. It is therefore in the interest of both government and opposition to focus their attention squarely on issues that directly impact the lives and livelihoods of Singaporeans,\u201d Mustafa said.
Implications from the case have rippled across multiple parliamentary debates and court hearings since Khan lied about accompanying a rape victim to a police station in August 2021.
In the wake of the incident, Khan stepped down from the party and as MP. A parliamentary committee was convened, which resulted in her being fined S$35,000 (US$27,000) and WP chief Pritam Singh prosecuted and later convicted and fined S$14,000 for lying to the committee over his handling of the matter.
", "summary": "By Jean Iau
It has been nearly five years since then Workers\u2019 Party (WP) MP Raeesah Khan uttered her first lie in Singapore\u2019s parliament but its aftershocks continue to reverberate, as some political observers argue that public fatigue has set in.
They say it would be in the interest of both the ruling People\u2019s Action Party\u2019s (PAP) and the WP to avoid further drawing out the issue when there are more pressing matters to address for citizens.
Mustafa Izzuddin, a senior international affairs analyst at Solaris Strategies Singapore, said that as far as the WP was concerned, the line had been \u201cdrawn in the political sand\u201d and that the chapter was closed.
\u201cThe saga has been so long and drawn-out that it has resulted in public fatigue over a political matter. It is therefore in the interest of both government and opposition to focus their attention squarely on issues that directly impact the lives and livelihoods of Singaporeans,\u201d Mustafa said.
Implications from the case have rippled across multiple parliamentary debates and court hearings since Khan lied about accompanying a rape victim to a police station in August 2021.
In the wake of the incident, Khan stepped down from the party and as MP. A parliamentary committee was convened, which resulted in her being fined S$35,000 (US$27,000) and WP chief Pritam Singh prosecuted and later convicted and fined S$14,000 for lying to the committee over his handling of the matter.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-06-30T01:45:19Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-29T20:00:01Z", "authors": ["Jean Iau"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3358903/uk-lays-out-defence-plan-drones-self-flying-fighter-jets-no-crew-submarines?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3358903/uk-lays-out-defence-plan-drones-self-flying-fighter-jets-no-crew-submarines?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "UK lays out defence plan with drones, self-flying fighter jets, no-crew submarines", "content_text": "", "content_html": "Self-flying fighter jets, uncrewed submarines and drones will be at the centre of Britain\u2019s future military under a defence plan being announced on Tuesday that reflects a world of conflicts transformed by technology.
The plan prioritises \u00a35 billion (US$6.6 billion) of investment in drones and a focus on autonomous systems to try to modernise and build up its depleted armed forces at a time of rising threats.
The Defence Investment Plan has been repeatedly delayed as military leaders and Treasury officials wrangled over the cost of equipping the nation\u2019s military for an increasingly dangerous world.
Like other Nato countries, the UK is under pressure to increase defence spending to counter a more aggressive Russia and less reliable United States.
John Healey resigned as defence secretary on June 11, accusing the government of being unwilling to spend enough on the military at a time of \u201crising threats\u201d.
Healey argued that UK defence spending must reach three per cent of GDP by 2030, citing a British intelligence assessment that Russia could attack a Nato member country by then.
", "summary": "Self-flying fighter jets, uncrewed submarines and drones will be at the centre of Britain\u2019s future military under a defence plan being announced on Tuesday that reflects a world of conflicts transformed by technology.
The plan prioritises \u00a35 billion (US$6.6 billion) of investment in drones and a focus on autonomous systems to try to modernise and build up its depleted armed forces at a time of rising threats.
The Defence Investment Plan has been repeatedly delayed as military leaders and Treasury officials wrangled over the cost of equipping the nation\u2019s military for an increasingly dangerous world.
Like other Nato countries, the UK is under pressure to increase defence spending to counter a more aggressive Russia and less reliable United States.
John Healey resigned as defence secretary on June 11, accusing the government of being unwilling to spend enough on the military at a time of \u201crising threats\u201d.
Healey argued that UK defence spending must reach three per cent of GDP by 2030, citing a British intelligence assessment that Russia could attack a Nato member country by then.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-06-30T01:39:24Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-29T20:00:07Z", "authors": ["Associated Press"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3358898/what-will-hong-kongs-proposed-reforms-sexual-offences-laws-change?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3358898/what-will-hong-kongs-proposed-reforms-sexual-offences-laws-change?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "What will Hong Kong\u2019s proposed reforms to sexual offences laws change?", "content_text": "", "content_html": "Hong Kong authorities have put forward a sweeping overhaul of the city\u2019s sexual offences laws, such as broadening the definition of rape, introducing new offences covering non-consensual acts involving children and persons with mental impairment, setting a uniform age of consent at 16, and removing gender-specific provisions.
The proposals, which follow the Law Reform Commission\u2019s reviews of sexual offences over the past decades, are undergoing a one-month public consultation. The government aims to introduce the new legislation by July next year.
Here is what you need to know about the proposed reforms.
1. Why is the government reforming the laws?
The commission formed a subcommittee in 2006 to conduct a comprehensive review of sexual offences. Between 2012 and 2020, it launched four consultation papers covering non-consensual sexual offences and rape, offences involving children and persons with mental impairment, as well as sentencing and related matters.
The current proposals are based on 72 final recommendations set out in the commission\u2019s reports published in 2019 and 2022.
", "summary": "Hong Kong authorities have put forward a sweeping overhaul of the city\u2019s sexual offences laws, such as broadening the definition of rape, introducing new offences covering non-consensual acts involving children and persons with mental impairment, setting a uniform age of consent at 16, and removing gender-specific provisions.
The proposals, which follow the Law Reform Commission\u2019s reviews of sexual offences over the past decades, are undergoing a one-month public consultation. The government aims to introduce the new legislation by July next year.
Here is what you need to know about the proposed reforms.
1. Why is the government reforming the laws?
The commission formed a subcommittee in 2006 to conduct a comprehensive review of sexual offences. Between 2012 and 2020, it launched four consultation papers covering non-consensual sexual offences and rape, offences involving children and persons with mental impairment, as well as sentencing and related matters.
The current proposals are based on 72 final recommendations set out in the commission\u2019s reports published in 2019 and 2022.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-06-30T01:22:03Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-29T19:30:01Z", "authors": ["Matthew Cheng"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3358894/should-china-worry-more-about-keeping-defence-customers-winning-new-deals?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3358894/should-china-worry-more-about-keeping-defence-customers-winning-new-deals?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "Should China worry more about keeping defence customers than winning new deals?", "content_text": "", "content_html": "Retaining existing customers and a potential resurgence of Russian competition may be among the biggest challenges for sales of Chinese weapons systems, according to a report from an Indian think tank.
The study, published this month by the Bengaluru-based Takshashila Institution, questioned whether weapons made in China were \u201cfoolproof or in muddy waters\u201d and cautioned against the \u201creductive assumption that Chinese weaponry is uniformly poor in quality\u201d.
Instead, the report\u2019s author Anushka Saxena argues that assessing Chinese military hardware requires a \u201cfar more disaggregated and theatre-specific assessment than the headlines typically afford\u201d.
While some systems performed well under favourable conditions, persistent problems with reliability, spare parts and after-sales support continued to undermine China\u2019s ambitions as a major arms exporter, the study found.
According to the report, Beijing\u2019s future in the global arms market may depend less on winning new customers than on retaining existing ones. It also noted that China\u2019s weapons exports and defence partnerships had a direct impact on India\u2019s security.
In May 2025, Pakistan relied heavily on Chinese-made aircraft and air defence systems during its four-day conflict with India.
", "summary": "Retaining existing customers and a potential resurgence of Russian competition may be among the biggest challenges for sales of Chinese weapons systems, according to a report from an Indian think tank.
The study, published this month by the Bengaluru-based Takshashila Institution, questioned whether weapons made in China were \u201cfoolproof or in muddy waters\u201d and cautioned against the \u201creductive assumption that Chinese weaponry is uniformly poor in quality\u201d.
Instead, the report\u2019s author Anushka Saxena argues that assessing Chinese military hardware requires a \u201cfar more disaggregated and theatre-specific assessment than the headlines typically afford\u201d.
While some systems performed well under favourable conditions, persistent problems with reliability, spare parts and after-sales support continued to undermine China\u2019s ambitions as a major arms exporter, the study found.
According to the report, Beijing\u2019s future in the global arms market may depend less on winning new customers than on retaining existing ones. It also noted that China\u2019s weapons exports and defence partnerships had a direct impact on India\u2019s security.
In May 2025, Pakistan relied heavily on Chinese-made aircraft and air defence systems during its four-day conflict with India.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-06-30T00:59:52Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-29T19:30:06Z", "authors": ["Khushboo Razdan"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/celebrating-50-years-excellence/article/3358750/celebrating-50-years-love-learning-and-confidence-life?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/hong-kong/education/topics/celebrating-50-years-excellence/article/3358750/celebrating-50-years-love-learning-and-confidence-life?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "Celebrating 50 years of a Love of Learning and Confidence for Life", "content_text": "", "content_html": "[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.]
Kellett, the British International School in Hong Kong, turns 50 this year and they have much to celebrate. Half a century from their humble beginnings as two primary classes in Wan Chai, they are now a through school across three campuses, with over 1600 students and a global reputation for excellence. This growth in itself is remarkable, but what is more remarkable is how true the school has stayed to the values on which it was founded in 1976.\u00a0
As part of their celebrations, they have interviewed staff, parents and students from the past five decades and they have been surprised by the consistency of two staples of the school \u2013 the community spirit and an unwavering commitment to their values. Paul Tough, Principal & CEO remarked, \u2018It has been astonishing to hear from those individuals who set up the school fifty years ago and how in tune they are with the school as it is today. The priorities and values on which they established the school ring true and loud to this day.\u2019
![\"Original](\"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/styles/660w/public/d8/images/2026/06/29/140---Class-photo-1977-(2).jpg?itok=dQVFqgY2\" "\\"Original")
To celebrate the 50th anniversary every Kellett student helped create a tapestry, called Noodles, that weaves together the narratives of both the school and Hong Kong, through iconic images of Hong Kong food, flora and animals. The huge tapestry takes pride of place in the school's Kowloon Bay campus lobby, and the artwork was shared with the wider community on the sides of an iconic Hong Kong tram throughout much of March and April!
[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.]
Kellett, the British International School in Hong Kong, turns 50 this year and they have much to celebrate. Half a century from their humble beginnings as two primary classes in Wan Chai, they are now a through school across three campuses, with over 1600 students and a global reputation for excellence. This growth in itself is remarkable, but what is more remarkable is how true the school has stayed to the values on which it was founded in 1976.\u00a0
As part of their celebrations, they have interviewed staff, parents and students from the past five decades and they have been surprised by the consistency of two staples of the school \u2013 the community spirit and an unwavering commitment to their values. Paul Tough, Principal & CEO remarked, \u2018It has been astonishing to hear from those individuals who set up the school fifty years ago and how in tune they are with the school as it is today. The priorities and values on which they established the school ring true and loud to this day.\u2019
To celebrate the 50th anniversary every Kellett student helped create a tapestry, called Noodles, that weaves together the narratives of both the school and Hong Kong, through iconic images of Hong Kong food, flora and animals. The huge tapestry takes pride of place in the school's Kowloon Bay campus lobby, and the artwork was shared with the wider community on the sides of an iconic Hong Kong tram throughout much of March and April!
By Leopold Chen
Mainland Chinese immigration authorities are standardising their assessment regime for approving residents to settle in Hong Kong and Macau by replacing the previous points-based system with unified criteria, offering applicants more certainty.
The National Immigration Administration announced the new criteria on Tuesday and said it would take effect the following day.
The current system calculates points based on factors such as how old an applicant is, the age of their parents or how many days they are separated from a partner already living in Hong Kong or Macau.
Cut-off levels for the points-based system would be published every six months, but the calculation method was not disclosed.
Successful applicants would be granted one-way permits for settling in their jurisdiction of choice.
The new system is more standardised and has unified conditions, such as reuniting mainland residents whose spouses have settled in Hong Kong or Macau but have been separated for more than three years.
Under the point-based system, the threshold has been maintained at 1,096 days since the first half of 2024, which is consistent with the new standards.
", "summary": "By Leopold Chen
Mainland Chinese immigration authorities are standardising their assessment regime for approving residents to settle in Hong Kong and Macau by replacing the previous points-based system with unified criteria, offering applicants more certainty.
The National Immigration Administration announced the new criteria on Tuesday and said it would take effect the following day.
The current system calculates points based on factors such as how old an applicant is, the age of their parents or how many days they are separated from a partner already living in Hong Kong or Macau.
Cut-off levels for the points-based system would be published every six months, but the calculation method was not disclosed.
Successful applicants would be granted one-way permits for settling in their jurisdiction of choice.
The new system is more standardised and has unified conditions, such as reuniting mainland residents whose spouses have settled in Hong Kong or Macau but have been separated for more than three years.
Under the point-based system, the threshold has been maintained at 1,096 days since the first half of 2024, which is consistent with the new standards.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-06-30T00:24:09Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-29T18:30:01Z", "authors": ["Leopold Chen"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3358879/thai-beer-dynasty-heir-opens-about-abuse-being-sued-his-mother-least-im-free?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3358879/thai-beer-dynasty-heir-opens-about-abuse-being-sued-his-mother-least-im-free?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "Thai beer dynasty heir opens up about abuse, being sued by his mother: \u2018at least I\u2019m free\u2019", "content_text": "", "content_html": "By Aidan Jones
For most of his adult life, Siranudh \u201cPsi\u201d Scott kept a dark secret.
Allegedly abused by his older brother as a teenager, he buried the trauma, chose to remain silent and \u2013 outwardly at least \u2013 carried on as a scion of one of Thailand\u2019s most powerful families.
Then, last month, he shared a raw, emotionally exposed confession with his hundreds of thousands of social media followers.
Psi, 29, publicly accused his brother Sunit of sexual abuse, eliciting a groundswell of public empathy, testimonies from abuse survivors and \u2013 in a country where family privacy borders on the sacrosanct \u2013 a crisis in one of its most prominent households.
The Bhirombhakdis, the dynasty behind Singha beer, are worth an estimated fortune of US$1.75 billion. Forbes lists the family as Thailand\u2019s 15th richest.
", "summary": "By Aidan Jones
For most of his adult life, Siranudh \u201cPsi\u201d Scott kept a dark secret.
Allegedly abused by his older brother as a teenager, he buried the trauma, chose to remain silent and \u2013 outwardly at least \u2013 carried on as a scion of one of Thailand\u2019s most powerful families.
Then, last month, he shared a raw, emotionally exposed confession with his hundreds of thousands of social media followers.
Psi, 29, publicly accused his brother Sunit of sexual abuse, eliciting a groundswell of public empathy, testimonies from abuse survivors and \u2013 in a country where family privacy borders on the sacrosanct \u2013 a crisis in one of its most prominent households.
The Bhirombhakdis, the dynasty behind Singha beer, are worth an estimated fortune of US$1.75 billion. Forbes lists the family as Thailand\u2019s 15th richest.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-06-30T00:00:12Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-29T18:30:06Z", "authors": ["Aidan Jones"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3358868/after-triggering-price-war-deepseek-reverses-course-surcharge-peak-hour-api-use?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3358868/after-triggering-price-war-deepseek-reverses-course-surcharge-peak-hour-api-use?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "After triggering price war, DeepSeek reverses course with surcharge on peak-hour API use", "content_text": "", "content_html": "By Ben Jiang
Chinese artificial intelligence unicorn DeepSeek is introducing peak-hour surcharges for its API services, bucking a fierce domestic price war it helped start, in which rivals have been aggressively undercutting each other to capture market share.
The Chinese AI champion will double the price for access to its V4 AI models through its application programming interface (API) during peak hours \u2013 9am to noon and 2pm to 6pm Beijing time \u2013 according to an email sent to service subscribers on Monday and seen by the South China Morning Post.
Hangzhou-based DeepSeek attributed the price increase to the need for \u201cbetter distribution of resources and [to] enhance service stability\u201d, according to the email.
Under the new pricing, peak hour costs for its V4 Pro will be increased to 12 yuan (US$1.77) for every million output tokens from the standard rate of 6 yuan during non-peak time. The new price applies to all V4 models, the company said in a separate notice published to its website.
AI companies sell access to their models via APIs and typically charge fees based on token usage, usually per million tokens.
DeepSeek triggered a price war in May when it announced a permanent 75 per cent discount on V4 API access, forcing rivals like ByteDance and Tencent Holdings to follow suit.
![\"Since](\"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2026/06/30/52c42c11-fcdf-4a45-a03c-8a86eae83350_095d03e2.jpg\")
By Ben Jiang
Chinese artificial intelligence unicorn DeepSeek is introducing peak-hour surcharges for its API services, bucking a fierce domestic price war it helped start, in which rivals have been aggressively undercutting each other to capture market share.
The Chinese AI champion will double the price for access to its V4 AI models through its application programming interface (API) during peak hours \u2013 9am to noon and 2pm to 6pm Beijing time \u2013 according to an email sent to service subscribers on Monday and seen by the South China Morning Post.
Hangzhou-based DeepSeek attributed the price increase to the need for \u201cbetter distribution of resources and [to] enhance service stability\u201d, according to the email.
Under the new pricing, peak hour costs for its V4 Pro will be increased to 12 yuan (US$1.77) for every million output tokens from the standard rate of 6 yuan during non-peak time. The new price applies to all V4 models, the company said in a separate notice published to its website.
AI companies sell access to their models via APIs and typically charge fees based on token usage, usually per million tokens.
DeepSeek triggered a price war in May when it announced a permanent 75 per cent discount on V4 API access, forcing rivals like ByteDance and Tencent Holdings to follow suit.
By CNA
More Singapore residents aged below 40 had never married in 2025 than in 2020, government data released on Tuesday showed, with the sharpest increases among those aged 25 to 34.
The findings come from the Department of Statistics\u2019 General Household Survey, Singapore\u2019s mid-decade national household survey conducted between the once-a-decade Population Census.
The survey also found that women who had been married had fewer children on average than five years earlier; English strengthened its position as the language most frequently spoken at home; and a larger share of residents reported having no religious affiliation.
Singapore\u2019s resident population stood at 4.2 million in 2025.
Among female residents aged 25 to 29, the proportion who were never married rose from 69 per cent in 2020 to 73.4 per cent in 2025, the largest increase among female residents.
Among men, the biggest increase was among those aged 30 to 34, where the proportion who had never married rose from 41.9 per cent to 47.6 per cent.
", "summary": "By CNA
More Singapore residents aged below 40 had never married in 2025 than in 2020, government data released on Tuesday showed, with the sharpest increases among those aged 25 to 34.
The findings come from the Department of Statistics\u2019 General Household Survey, Singapore\u2019s mid-decade national household survey conducted between the once-a-decade Population Census.
The survey also found that women who had been married had fewer children on average than five years earlier; English strengthened its position as the language most frequently spoken at home; and a larger share of residents reported having no religious affiliation.
Singapore\u2019s resident population stood at 4.2 million in 2025.
Among female residents aged 25 to 29, the proportion who were never married rose from 69 per cent in 2020 to 73.4 per cent in 2025, the largest increase among female residents.
Among men, the biggest increase was among those aged 30 to 34, where the proportion who had never married rose from 41.9 per cent to 47.6 per cent.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-06-29T23:50:43Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-29T18:00:01Z", "authors": ["CNA"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3358880/east-timor-targets-closer-asean-greater-bay-area-ties-spur-economic-growth?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3358880/east-timor-targets-closer-asean-greater-bay-area-ties-spur-economic-growth?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "East Timor targets closer Asean-Greater Bay Area ties to spur economic growth", "content_text": "", "content_html": "By Kolette Lim
East Timor is seeking to turn closer ties between Asean and China\u2019s Greater Bay Area into investment and technology opportunities, even as the bloc\u2019s newest member faces a major challenge of building capacity to benefit from regional integration.
While collaboration between the two regions could become a powerful engine of growth, policies had to ensure inclusive and sustainable advancement, East Timor\u2019s Vice Prime Minister Francisco Kalbuadi Lay said at the South China Morning Post\u2019s GBA-Asean Summit 2026 on Tuesday.
Their strengths complemented one another, with the Greater Bay Area \u2013 which links Hong Kong, Macau and nine cities in Guangdong province \u2013 leading in technology and finance, while members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations had a combined population of 680 million, Lay said.
\u201cAsean and the GBA [Greater Bay Area] represent one of the world\u2019s most dynamic engines of the economy,\u201d he added.
\u201cWe can build more resilient supply chains, accelerate digital transformation, strengthen sustainable industry and create greater prosperity for our people.\u201d
Newer Asean economies such as East Timor have been looking to closer regional ties for investment and technology transfer, while diversifying their economies and strengthening their institutions.
", "summary": "By Kolette Lim
East Timor is seeking to turn closer ties between Asean and China\u2019s Greater Bay Area into investment and technology opportunities, even as the bloc\u2019s newest member faces a major challenge of building capacity to benefit from regional integration.
While collaboration between the two regions could become a powerful engine of growth, policies had to ensure inclusive and sustainable advancement, East Timor\u2019s Vice Prime Minister Francisco Kalbuadi Lay said at the South China Morning Post\u2019s GBA-Asean Summit 2026 on Tuesday.
Their strengths complemented one another, with the Greater Bay Area \u2013 which links Hong Kong, Macau and nine cities in Guangdong province \u2013 leading in technology and finance, while members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations had a combined population of 680 million, Lay said.
\u201cAsean and the GBA [Greater Bay Area] represent one of the world\u2019s most dynamic engines of the economy,\u201d he added.
\u201cWe can build more resilient supply chains, accelerate digital transformation, strengthen sustainable industry and create greater prosperity for our people.\u201d
Newer Asean economies such as East Timor have been looking to closer regional ties for investment and technology transfer, while diversifying their economies and strengthening their institutions.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-06-29T23:44:05Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-29T18:00:06Z", "authors": ["Kolette Lim"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3358878/ex-prosecutor-loses-judicial-challenge-against-sacking-emails-flouting-neutrality?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3358878/ex-prosecutor-loses-judicial-challenge-against-sacking-emails-flouting-neutrality?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "Ex-prosecutor loses judicial challenge against sacking for emails flouting neutrality", "content_text": "", "content_html": "By Brian Wong
A former senior Hong Kong prosecutor has lost a judicial challenge against his dismissal over remarks made in two emails questioning the integrity of police and inviting colleagues to attend a June 4 Tiananmen Square vigil.
In a judgment delivered on Tuesday, the High Court ruled that the civil service had sufficient basis to sack William Wong Wa-fun and strip him of 26 years\u2019 worth of pension entitlements for violating the standards of conduct expected of a public servant.
Mr Justice Russell Coleman said Wong placed himself in an embarrassing position by alleging in an internal email that police, his close work counterparts, had lied about the motives for high-profile arrests of opposition politicians and activists during the 2019 anti-government protests.
Coleman said the judicial review applicant also aroused concern from colleagues and the press by sending a second mass email saying he wished he and his co-workers could \u201cdo the same thing\u201d on \u201cthe last June 4 before the enactment of the national security law\u201d on June 30, 2020.
A disciplinary inquiry into Wong\u2019s misconduct allegations was entitled to conclude that the appeal could be viewed as \u201cinviting or inciting others to take part in activities prohibited under the social distancing policy\u201d during the Covid-19 pandemic, the judge found.
\u201cBoth emails can properly be thought to have affected the applicant\u2019s proper discharge of his official duties,\u201d Coleman wrote.
", "summary": "By Brian Wong
A former senior Hong Kong prosecutor has lost a judicial challenge against his dismissal over remarks made in two emails questioning the integrity of police and inviting colleagues to attend a June 4 Tiananmen Square vigil.
In a judgment delivered on Tuesday, the High Court ruled that the civil service had sufficient basis to sack William Wong Wa-fun and strip him of 26 years\u2019 worth of pension entitlements for violating the standards of conduct expected of a public servant.
Mr Justice Russell Coleman said Wong placed himself in an embarrassing position by alleging in an internal email that police, his close work counterparts, had lied about the motives for high-profile arrests of opposition politicians and activists during the 2019 anti-government protests.
Coleman said the judicial review applicant also aroused concern from colleagues and the press by sending a second mass email saying he wished he and his co-workers could \u201cdo the same thing\u201d on \u201cthe last June 4 before the enactment of the national security law\u201d on June 30, 2020.
A disciplinary inquiry into Wong\u2019s misconduct allegations was entitled to conclude that the appeal could be viewed as \u201cinviting or inciting others to take part in activities prohibited under the social distancing policy\u201d during the Covid-19 pandemic, the judge found.
\u201cBoth emails can properly be thought to have affected the applicant\u2019s proper discharge of his official duties,\u201d Coleman wrote.
", "image": null, "banner_image": null, "date_published": "2026-06-29T23:35:37Z", "date_modified": "2026-06-29T18:00:11Z", "authors": ["Brian Wong"], "tags": [], "language": null, "attachments": ["\n {\"url\": string, \n 'mime_type': string, \n 'title': strinrg,\n 'size_in_bytes': int,\n 'duration_in_seconds': int\n "]}, {"id": "https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3358870/malaysia-enlists-military-veterans-boot-bullies-out-schools-you-touch-you-go?utm_source=rss_feed", "url": "https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3358870/malaysia-enlists-military-veterans-boot-bullies-out-schools-you-touch-you-go?utm_source=rss_feed", "external_url": null, "title": "Malaysia enlists military veterans to boot bullies out of schools: \u2018you touch, you go\u2019", "content_text": "", "content_html": "Malaysia will deploy military veterans as full-time hostel wardens at a group of elite boarding schools from Wednesday, in a new push to curb bullying after a series of abuse cases stirred public anger over student safety.
In a move reminiscent of Netflix\u2019s trending K-drama Teach You a Lesson, where a Special Ops veteran takes on school bullies, the first 16 former Malaysian Armed Forces personnel will report for duty at eight Mara Junior Science Colleges (MRSM).
MRSM is a network of state-run residential schools known for science education and places reserved mainly for bumiputra students, the country\u2019s ethnic Malay and indigenous majority.
The move comes a day after Mara chairman Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki vowed that six MRSM students in Johor would be expelled if found guilty of bullying a 14-year-old junior, whose parents said he had asked to leave the residential school because he could no longer endure the abuse.
\u201cI want to reiterate the stand that I have repeatedly stressed to the entire MRSM community, \u2018You touch, you go\u2019,\u201d Asyraf said in a social media post on Sunday night. \u201cThere will be no compromise and no place for bullies in MRSM.\u201d
![\"Students](\"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2026/06/30/a6720787-26a5-4556-a50b-b07ef8ced119_012b6eb0.jpg\")
Malaysia will deploy military veterans as full-time hostel wardens at a group of elite boarding schools from Wednesday, in a new push to curb bullying after a series of abuse cases stirred public anger over student safety.
In a move reminiscent of Netflix\u2019s trending K-drama Teach You a Lesson, where a Special Ops veteran takes on school bullies, the first 16 former Malaysian Armed Forces personnel will report for duty at eight Mara Junior Science Colleges (MRSM).
MRSM is a network of state-run residential schools known for science education and places reserved mainly for bumiputra students, the country\u2019s ethnic Malay and indigenous majority.
The move comes a day after Mara chairman Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki vowed that six MRSM students in Johor would be expelled if found guilty of bullying a 14-year-old junior, whose parents said he had asked to leave the residential school because he could no longer endure the abuse.
\u201cI want to reiterate the stand that I have repeatedly stressed to the entire MRSM community, \u2018You touch, you go\u2019,\u201d Asyraf said in a social media post on Sunday night. \u201cThere will be no compromise and no place for bullies in MRSM.\u201d
India has stepped up engagement with Chinese media as Beijing presses New Delhi to issue visas to its journalists ahead of a possible visit by President Xi Jinping later this year, though any breakthrough on the issue is likely to take time, according to people familiar with the matter.
The outreach includes a meeting between officials from the Indian embassy in Beijing and representatives of Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua on June 24. One person familiar with the discussions described the interaction as an initial engagement, saying any substantive progress on restoring visas for Chinese journalists would take time.
The meeting was held between Shweta Singh, minister at the Indian embassy, and Wang Jianxin, deputy director general of Xinhua\u2019s Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Department.
In a social media post on Sunday, the embassy said the two sides had \u201cexchanged views on issues of mutual interest\u201d.
The Xinhua meeting is part of a broader effort by the Indian embassy to engage senior editors at leading Chinese media organisations.
India asked the last accredited Xinhua correspondent to leave in June 2023, marking the first time since diplomatic ties were normalised in the late 1980s that China had no accredited journalists stationed there.
![\"Chinese](\"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2026/06/30/a23b79be-1f7d-4a9d-9f52-c343b34a277c_1126e908.jpg\")
India has stepped up engagement with Chinese media as Beijing presses New Delhi to issue visas to its journalists ahead of a possible visit by President Xi Jinping later this year, though any breakthrough on the issue is likely to take time, according to people familiar with the matter.
The outreach includes a meeting between officials from the Indian embassy in Beijing and representatives of Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua on June 24. One person familiar with the discussions described the interaction as an initial engagement, saying any substantive progress on restoring visas for Chinese journalists would take time.
The meeting was held between Shweta Singh, minister at the Indian embassy, and Wang Jianxin, deputy director general of Xinhua\u2019s Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Department.
In a social media post on Sunday, the embassy said the two sides had \u201cexchanged views on issues of mutual interest\u201d.
The Xinhua meeting is part of a broader effort by the Indian embassy to engage senior editors at leading Chinese media organisations.
India asked the last accredited Xinhua correspondent to leave in June 2023, marking the first time since diplomatic ties were normalised in the late 1980s that China had no accredited journalists stationed there.
By SCMP
This article was first published on July 1, 2011
by Will Clem, Shi Jiangtao
Two South China Morning Post reporters yesterday pitted the new high-speed Shanghai\u2013to\u2013Beijing train against an airliner and discovered that although taking to the skies had the edge for speed, rail won out for comfort and convenience.
They set off from the SCMP\u2019s Shanghai bureau at 2.34pm, taking separate taxis for Hongqiao International Airport and the adjacent railway station.
Will Clem was booked on the 4pm bullet train to Beijing; his colleague Shi Jiangtao on an Air China shuttle scheduled to take off 55 minutes later because of the longer check-in time required for air travel.
It was hardly the Amazing Race. Barring a significant delay, the 2\u00bd-hour flight was virtually guaranteed to arrive ahead of the train, scheduled to make the journey in just shy of five hours.
Still, why let almost certain defeat get in the way of a trip on the world\u2019s longest high-speed train route?
![\"A](\"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2026/06/30/b66a023a-6ad0-409f-b74b-85cc64a06bb4_7983b287.jpg\")
By SCMP
This article was first published on July 1, 2011
by Will Clem, Shi Jiangtao
Two South China Morning Post reporters yesterday pitted the new high-speed Shanghai\u2013to\u2013Beijing train against an airliner and discovered that although taking to the skies had the edge for speed, rail won out for comfort and convenience.
They set off from the SCMP\u2019s Shanghai bureau at 2.34pm, taking separate taxis for Hongqiao International Airport and the adjacent railway station.
Will Clem was booked on the 4pm bullet train to Beijing; his colleague Shi Jiangtao on an Air China shuttle scheduled to take off 55 minutes later because of the longer check-in time required for air travel.
It was hardly the Amazing Race. Barring a significant delay, the 2\u00bd-hour flight was virtually guaranteed to arrive ahead of the train, scheduled to make the journey in just shy of five hours.
Still, why let almost certain defeat get in the way of a trip on the world\u2019s longest high-speed train route?
By Theodora Yu
WhatsApp, one of Hong Kong\u2019s most popular messaging apps, will soon no longer require users to share their phone numbers before they start texting.
Starting this week, users can reserve a unique username, which allows them to text without swapping numbers, for use later this year when the Meta-owned service launches the feature.
Users will need to know a person\u2019s exact username before they can text them for the first time.
United States tech giant Meta said on Monday that the new move was a step towards making the app more private, allowing users to join large group chats even if they felt unready to give out their numbers to take part.
\u201cOnce we launch usernames, when you message a person or business for the first time, they will no longer see your phone number if you enabled your username,\u201d it said.
To control who can contact a user on WhatsApp via their username, Meta will introduce an optional username key that others will have to know beforehand.
![\"Content](\"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2026/06/30/21d151e3-8797-4f2b-a757-6632cc696f53_08edb6aa.jpg\")
By Theodora Yu
WhatsApp, one of Hong Kong\u2019s most popular messaging apps, will soon no longer require users to share their phone numbers before they start texting.
Starting this week, users can reserve a unique username, which allows them to text without swapping numbers, for use later this year when the Meta-owned service launches the feature.
Users will need to know a person\u2019s exact username before they can text them for the first time.
United States tech giant Meta said on Monday that the new move was a step towards making the app more private, allowing users to join large group chats even if they felt unready to give out their numbers to take part.
\u201cOnce we launch usernames, when you message a person or business for the first time, they will no longer see your phone number if you enabled your username,\u201d it said.
To control who can contact a user on WhatsApp via their username, Meta will introduce an optional username key that others will have to know beforehand.