Taiwan’s ‘carrier killers’, what makes China Coast Guard so powerful: 7 highlights

From Taiwan’s ‘carrier killers’ to the new mainland travel permit for Hong Kong permanent residents, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting

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Taiwan will have two more Tuo Jiang-class stealth missile corvettes join its fleet this week as it looks to enhance capabilities in the face of Beijing’s PLA. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:15pm, 5 Jul 2024Updated: 4:27pm, 24 Jul 2024

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1. Taiwan’s ‘carrier killer’ ships prepare to boost island’s asymmetric war plan

Taiwan will commission two Tuo Jiang-class stealth missile corvettes this week to enhance its asymmetric warfare capabilities in response to growing threats from Beijing’s People’s Liberation Army.

2. Beijing struggles to keep it bilateral as South China Sea tensions go global

Flare-ups between Chinese and Philippine vessels in the South China Sea have drawn greater regional and even global attention, posing a challenge to Beijing’s preference for a bilateral approach to resolving maritime disputes.

3. All you need to know: mainland China permit for Hong Kong permanent residents

Beijing has announced that non-Chinese nationals with permanent residency in Hong Kong and Macau will be able to apply for five-year travel permits, allowing them entry into mainland China starting from next Wednesday.

The Post unpacks what you need to know about the new permit.

4. China Coast Guard: what does it do and how did it become so powerful?

Formed in 2013, China’s coastguard has quickly become the world’s most formidable maritime law enforcement fleet. Photo: Weibo/China Coast Guard

It has only taken around a decade for the China Coast Guard (CCG) to evolve into a powerful instrument of China’s maritime strategy. With a fleet of some of the biggest and most heavily armed coastguard vessels in the world, the CCG’s capabilities now far exceed those of many other nations.

5. Gold-buying frenzy grips Vietnam and Thailand as economic fears mount

Anxious consumers in Vietnam and Thailand are rushing to buy gold – a sign of Asia’s mounting alarm, analysts say, over currency devaluations against the US dollar, inflation, and geopolitical uncertainty.

6. Chinese student targeted in ‘racially motivated’ attack in New Zealand

The teenager lost three teeth in the attack. Photo: Weibo

The Chinese consulate in Auckland has urged the local police to investigate a “racially motivated” attack on a Chinese teenager. The 16-year-old was attacked by an unidentified person on a bus in the city at around 9am on Friday – a public holiday to mark Matariki, the Māori New Year.

7. China military-style training camp under fire for harsh swimming lessons

A video surfaced showing an instructor in China forcefully grabbing a boy and repeatedly pushing his head into the water, he claimed this method helps the child conquer inhibitions. Photo: SCMP composite/X.com

A military-style “training camp” in southern China sparked online controversy for the ruthless hardships it places on its young campers, with some describing it as “devil training”.