Introducing SCMP Plus, a subscription tier to help you better understand China
- SCMP Plus adds valuable curation, context, analysis and opinion focused on our core area of expertise
- The goal is to help you make informed decisions while gaining a well-rounded perspective on events related to mainland China and Hong Kong
Dear readers,
From its founding more than 120 years ago, the Post has served as the English-language newspaper of record for Hong Kong and a window on mainland China. Over the past three decades, the way people have read the Post has evolved; with the introduction of our free online version of the Post in 1996, for example, readers were able to read digital versions of print stories. After numerous refinements over the years, we introduced a digital subscription model in 2020, overcoming an industry taboo that for decades had led many publishers to overlook financial necessities in the face of the idea that consumers of digital journalism believe that it should be free.
Fortunately for us, our readers do recognise the value that our journalists provide by talking to newsmakers, gathering first-hand information in Hong Kong, throughout mainland China and overseas – and reporting it.
With the launch of SCMP Plus, we are taking the next step: we are adding a subscription tier that gives subscribers access to all of the award-winning journalism that the Post offers and adds valuable curation, context, analysis and opinion that is focused on our core area of expertise: China and how it is navigating its transition into a global superpower.
You may have seen the Daily Pulse in your inbox. Up to now, the newsletter has been sent twice a week, giving subscribers a preview of the kind of topics it will feature when it starts publishing daily from now on: the first several issues in early March provided analysis and context on the “two sessions”, China’s annual meeting of its highest legislative and advisory bodies, shedding light on the policy priorities of the country’s leaders in a challenging economic environment; the newsletter also chronicled the swift passage of Hong Kong’s home-grown national security law, as well as how the city should maintain a business-friendly investment environment, and covered a range of other topics, including the troubles faced by China’s big property developers and the successes and challenges of the country’s electric-vehicle makers.
