scmp

United Front chief Li Ganjie’s message to faith groups follows Xi Jinping’s call to ‘Sinicise’ religion in meeting with Tibet’s Panchen Lama

The head of China’s United Front Work Department, the Communist Party body that oversees religious organisations, has warned faith groups to guard against “hidden dangers in the religious field and resolutely resist foreign infiltration”.

Li Ganjie visited a number of religious organisations this week to deliver the warning, state news agency Xinhua reported.

The Panchen Lama is the second-highest spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism, after the Dalai Lama. The incumbent was selected by Beijing in a controversial process that passed over the Dalai Lama’s chosen candidate.

The slew of Chinese leaders checking on religious matters comes just weeks before the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday on July 6.

Increased visibility at sports events beloved by Europeans could help Chinese brands appear less threatening, researcher says

Parisian Alexandre Martins still remembers Chinese electronics brand Xiaomi’s old stores in the French capital, where his parents and sister used to shop.

“They were at good locations, like Chatelet [a commercial area in central Paris] … I used to go scout for stuff and then buy them online,” Martins said.

The Chinese tech brand opened its first boutique in France in 2018, but had shut all of its stores in the country by 2022, opting instead to maintain a presence online and with partnered retailers and operators.

“I don’t think they were making a lot of money … back then its image was not that good; there was always this sense that ‘Ah it’s Xiaomi, it’s a Chinese brand, the quality is not good’,” Martins said on Monday.

Xiaomi is now preparing for a comeback, announcing plans this month to open 500 new retail stores outside China this year, especially in “developed markets”. It said it aims to open 10,000 stores overseas in the next five years.

The decision to close all its stores in France in 2022 “corresponded to an adjustment in Xiaomi’s retail strategy, which aimed to respond to the purchasing behaviour of the French”, the company said on Thursday.

A Chinese woman, who works in South Korea, says swimming facilities there usually enforce strict rules about bathing before entering pool

A swimming stadium in South Korea has ignited controversy due to its rules, which appear to disregard the low-income group.

A photo of a notice from a privately run swimming facility in the country’s Gyeonggi province has circulated widely on social media since it was posted on June 12, as reported by Chosun Ilbo.

The notice outlines four rules for using the swimming pool, as depicted in the photo.

“Swimming pool is not a place for body scrubbing,” “Take a bath before you swim,” and “You must wear a swimming cap,” are the first three rules.

The fourth rule, which has sparked significant debate, states: “The turbidity of the swimming pool after you use it reflects your income level.”

“Research shows that the lower a person’s income is, the less hygienic they are,” the fourth rule adds as an alarming addendum.

Tuen Mun, Kennedy Town and Tai Wai Village have seen an increase in visitors who liken them – improbably – to Japan’s Sapporo, Kamakura and Kyoto

Visit Japan’s most instagrammable sites without actually leaving Hong Kong

A waterfront town in northwestern Hong Kong has improbably become a hit with mainland Chinese tourists who say its charming neighbourhoods remind them of picturesque cities in Japan, such as Sapporo.

Users of Chinese social media platform RedNote have been sharing various tips on how travellers can capture pictures of the above-ground Light Rail trains running through Tuen Mun and create scenes that could double for a Hokkaido cityscape.

Vicky Chong Ting-ting, a 27-year-old tourist from mainland China who works in a restaurant in Shenzhen, made her first trip to Tuen Mun to see the ocean, after visiting other spots in Hong Kong on previous trips.

“I would say the scenery here is beautiful,” said Chong, noting the similarities between the Light Rail station and that of Japan. “It has that kind of atmosphere.”

Tuen Mun is not the only spot in Hong Kong trending on Chinese social media platforms because of its supposed resemblance to Japan.

And while some locals noticed that there was indeed an influx of tourists to lesser-known locales in the city, others wondered if those places would live up to visitors’ expectations of a pseudo-Japanese travel experience.

As Paetongtarn Shinawatra tries to bolster her coalition, she could face a court challenge from Thai senators and planned street protests

Compounding her woes, Paetongtarn is set to face a court challenge from Thai senators and planned street protests demanding her ouster.

In the call, Paetongtarn addressed Hun Sen as “uncle” and appeared to criticise a senior Thai military officer, in a country where the powerful military has carried out a dozen coups and draws on a well of nationalist support.

Key coalition partner Bhumjaithai has left the government over the apparent failure by the prime minister to defend Thailand’s interests. Another partner in the coalition – United Thai Nation Party – is threatening to abandon the administration unless she resigns.

Thai government hangs by thread as leaked phone call shreds PM Paetongtarn’s credibility

Meanwhile, a petition from the Senate has been submitted to the Constitutional Court and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to have her removed from her post over the revelations in the call.

Aerial near-daily patrols, combat-readiness patrols and large-scale joint forces drills vary in scale, intensity and purpose, analysts say

What were occasional sorties before 2020 have evolved into a well-coordinated campaign designed not only for combat training but also for strategic signalling.

But not all PLA operations around Taiwan are the same. They fall into three main categories: near-daily aerial patrols, combat-readiness patrols, and large-scale joint forces exercises – each varying in scale, intensity and purpose.

So what kind of signals do each of these send?

According to PLATracker, an open-source database based on Taiwanese defence ministry reports, fewer than 20 PLA aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ) in 2019.

Three most common types of goods involved in such scams are concert tickets, electronics and food and drink

Hong Kong police have arrested 118 people in a citywide crackdown on online shopping scams involving losses of more than HK$5 million (US$636,940), largely linked to concert ticket sales amid a boom in the city’s live music scene.

One of the cases involved a victim selling a clothes iron who was swindled out of HK$1 million.

The arrested comprised 82 men and 36 women, aged between 18 and 74, who were linked to 120 online shopping scam cases, according to the cyber security and technology crime bureau’s Superintendent Ko Tik. The cases involved 321 victims, with total reported losses exceeding HK$5.2 million.

Last year, police received 44,480 fraud reports involving HK$9.15 billion in losses, with online shopping scams accounting for about 42 per cent of cases.

“This rising trend continues into 2025, with 3,076 online shopping scam cases recorded in the first quarter, a 30 per cent increase compared with the same period last year,” he said.

Between January and May, police requested that social media platforms remove more than 33,900 suspected scammer accounts and pages.

Hard-working dad who toils as a traditional ‘bang bang’ porter in mountainous area hailed by his now adult son on Father’s Day

A manual labourer who touched the hearts of Chinese internet users 15 years ago with the sacrifices he made for his toddler child has received a Father’s Day gift from his now young adult son.

“Father, please take care of your health. I hope I can share a bit of your pressure,” said Ran Junchao, 18, who used his pocket money to buy a watch and a coat for Ran Guanghui.

The heartfelt gesture has moved online observers, especially when people discovered the way Ran senior supports his family.

Ran works as a bang bang porter, a specialist job in Chongqing, southwestern China, which requires physical strength to transport goods for customers by carrying them on your back.

Bangbang labourers used to thrive in Chongqing, known as Mountain City because of its terrain, which vehicles found difficult to navigate.

They became known as bang bang porters because that is how locals referred to the thick bamboo poles they used to do their job.

In recent years, the type of work has diminished due to technological advances. Also, very few young people are willing to take up such a labour-intensive job.

City University Professor Chan Yan-chong stresses he never gives advice online, notes that many victims, including some in Singapore, are retirees

Well-known financial expert Chan Yan-chong only gives investment tips in face-to-face meetings, but the Hong Kong resident has seen many fraud messages purportedly sent by him to potential victims in a long-running online scam in the city and Singapore over the last few years.

The City University adjunct professor and columnist said the situation improved only after the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) approached him about the problem and was believed to have taken action last year.

But the Post has learned that such scams exploiting Chan have resurfaced again recently.

“I have never provided financial tips or advice online, even when my friends asked me through WhatsApp,” he told the Post. “When they do, I ask them to go for a tea instead.”

Chan, a Singaporean who is a Hong Kong permanent resident, stressed that all online messages offering financial tips under his name were fake.

He said his friends had told him that they were added to Facebook or WhatsApp groups by scammers as far back as a few years ago.

Aircraft carrier expected to carry out deck load strikes, which can help Chinese navy gain first-mover advantage, state broadcaster says

A deck load strike refers to the ability to rapidly launch a large number of aircraft at once. This tactic was used by the US Navy during the Vietnam war for shock effect.

While military experts had speculated that the Fujian would be able to carry out these attacks, the state media report on Saturday was the first to highlight the ability.

“China’s aircraft carrier technology is marking a historic leap as it enters the critical phase of combat capability development,” CCTV reported.

The Fujian is expected to be commissioned by the end of the year, according to a CCTV report in May, joining two active carriers, the Liaoning and Shandong.