Xi on North Korean military ties; US blacklists Chinese tech firms: SCMP’s 7 highlights

We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.1. Was Xi’s stance on North Korea military ties also a message for US, Russia?During his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping said both sides should “enhance exchanges in diplomacy, law enforcement and military affairs”, according to state news agency Xinhua.2. US adds Alibaba, BYD, other Chinese tech champions to military company blacklistE-commerce giant Alibaba has been added to a list of entities that the US says are linked to China’s military. Photo: APThe Pentagon signalled on Monday that it was adding Alibaba, BYD, Baidu and dozens of other Chinese companies to its list of entities it says are linked to China’s military, widening a blacklist that increasingly targets sectors at the heart of US-China technological competition.3. ‘Attacker would need to say sorry’: South Korea’s Lee rejects Japan defence tiesSouth Korean President Lee Jae Myung has ruled out expanding military ties with Japan any time soon, insisting that historical grievances must be resolved first.4. Sacking of school principal for Singapore row is ‘death sentence’, lawmaker saysA Hong Kong school that summarily dismissed its principal after he was filmed swearing at security guards in Singapore could face a high legal threshold to justify the move if the dispute goes to court, a lawmaker has stated, likening the decision to a death sentence in the labour sector.5. Once world’s largest, Thai shrimp industry on the edge as Malaysia bans importsPiles of dried shrimp and prawns are seen for sale with other small crustaceans and fish at Tha Tian market in Bangkok. Photo: AFPThai shrimp farmers have warned they face being driven out of business after Malaysia banned imports of five shrimp species over apparent safety concerns, as the industry also grapples with disease outbreaks, rising competition and renewed US tariff threats.6. China’s space start-ups eye IPO boom as SpaceX heads for record listingThe landmark listing of US aerospace giant SpaceX is expected to accelerate and reshape the initial public offering (IPO) plans of China’s emerging commercial space companies, according to industry executives and investors.7. Chinese homeowner buys 34th-floor flat in 32-storey building, gets no compensationA man in China bought a new-build 34th-floor flat in a building that turned out to have just 32 floors. Photo: ShutterstockA Chinese man bought a flat on the 34th floor of a newly developed building only to be told four years later that the building only had 32 floors.Further Reading