
US-China trade talks, Qin Shi Huang's western expedition: 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
Top officials from China and the United States are expected to start a second day of negotiations in London on Tuesday morning local time, as the two sides strive to de-escalate a stand-off over trade and technology that has sent shock waves across the global economy.
Chinese state media have sought to portray the escalating Los Angeles protests against President Donald Trump's immigration policies as proof of a broken government and the lack of social cohesion in the United States.
Visitors look at depiction of human experiments at the Unit 731 museum in Harbin, in northeast China's Heilongjiang province. The facility was built to conduct research into germ warfare, weapons capabilities and the limits of the human body, rather than for mass extermination. Photo: AFP
As thousands of students gather this week for the finals of the National History Day contest in the US state of Maryland, one research project may stand out – not only as a sobering reminder of an infamous, often forgotten Japanese military unit, but also for America's role in keeping its war crimes quiet.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Trump admin launches review of Aukus submarine pact with Australia and UK
US President Donald Trump's administration has launched a formal review of a defence pact worth hundreds of billions of dollars that his predecessor Joe Biden made with Australia and the United Kingdom, allowing Australia to acquire conventionally armed nuclear submarines, a US defence official said. Advertisement The formal Pentagon-led review is likely to alarm Australia, which sees the submarines as critical to its own defence as tensions grow over China's expansive military build-up. It could also throw a wrench in Britain's defence planning. The Aukus security alliance is at the centre of a planned expansion of its submarine fleet. 'We are reviewing Aukus as part of ensuring that this initiative of the previous administration is aligned with the president's America First agenda,' the official said of the review, which was first reported by the Financial Times. 'Any changes to the administration's approach for Aukus will be communicated through official channels, when appropriate.' 02:52 China warns Aukus against going down 'dangerous road' over nuclear-powered submarine pact China warns Aukus against going down 'dangerous road' over nuclear-powered submarine pact Aukus, formed in 2021 to address shared worries about China's growing power, is designed to allow Australia to acquire nuclear-powered attack submarines and other advanced weapons such as hypersonic missiles.


South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Trump's crackdown on international students affects far more US schools than Harvard
US President Donald Trump's proclamation last week that he would bar Harvard University from enrolling new international students put the spotlight back on an unprecedented stand-off between the White House and America's pre-eminent university. Advertisement Trump's move came less than a week after a federal court injunction blocked the US Department of Homeland Security's termination of Harvard's ability to host international students. It was also just hours after the administration threatened Columbia University's accreditation standing , contending that the New York school – like Harvard, an Ivy League university whose founding predated the creation of the United States – had permitted antisemitism on campus. The hardline measures underscored Trump's determination to keep elite education in his crosshairs as part of a wider culture war that defines his political brand and raise fresh questions about whether they will be able to survive an onslaught that does not appear to have an off-ramp. With many governmental measures targeting international students – or those from mainland China and Hong Kong, in particular – on national security grounds before US courts, the price that America's most prestigious universities will pay is unclear. Advertisement Muddying the picture even more, Trump has made comments over the past week suggesting that Chinese students are welcome, topping them off with an all-caps green light for Chinese students when, on Wednesday, he trumpeted a long-awaited trade deal with China as 'done', once Chinese President Xi Jinping approves. 'WE WILL PROVIDE TO CHINA WHAT WAS AGREED TO, INCLUDING CHINESE STUDENTS USING OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOOD WITH ME!),' he posted on his Truth Social account.


South China Morning Post
3 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Protests spread across US despite Trump threats, Los Angeles crackdown
Protests against Donald Trump's harsh immigration policies spread Wednesday across the United States despite a military-backed crackdown in Los Angeles and a threat by the Republican president to use 'heavy force'. Advertisement In Los Angeles, where the unrest began last Friday, an overnight curfew in the downtown area saw police make 25 arrests by morning. Heavily armed officers patrolled near government buildings, and storekeepers boarded up windows to protect against vandalism. US Marines – ordered by Trump to deploy in addition to more than 4,000 National Guard soldiers – were expected to make their first appearance on the streets on Wednesday. The mostly peaceful protests ignited over a sudden escalation in efforts to apprehend migrants who were in the country illegally. Advertisement Pockets of violence – including the burning of self-driving taxis and hurling stones at police – triggered a massive response from authorities using tear gas and other crowd-control weapons.