Beijing flexes its muscles in South China Sea, cold spell hits Hong Kong, how to survive Christmas: SCMP’s 7 highlights of the week

1. Beijing flexes muscles in South China Sea as Manila puts it on the defensive

China is likely to ramp up its actions in stand-offs with the Philippines in the South China Sea amid Manila’s “assertive transparency” tactic, observers say, while also warning Beijing to carefully calibrate any escalation to avoid drawing in the US to defend its Southeast Asian ally.

2. Gansu earthquake rescue ‘basically over’, focus now on survivors

Emergency workers responding to a massive deadly earthquake in northwestern China have shifted focus to housing and treating survivors, with rescue operations “basically over”, as the death toll from the disaster stood at 134 lives.

3. ‘We play with our money, so are careful’: is China uninvestable or invaluable?

As the year draws to an end, more foreign investors may be pondering as they look into the years ahead: is China uninvestable or irreplaceable? While the answer differs from industry to industry and company to company, a general trend is that foreign enterprises are divesting their China operations.

4. Anwar bans Israeli ships from Malaysian ports in new move for Palestinian cause

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said his government will bar vessels owned by Israeli shipping firm Zim from docking and unloading cargo at its ports, along with any ship bearing the Israeli flag, as global outrage surges over the mounting Palestinian death toll in Gaza.

5. Cold spell to chill Hong Kong in winter solstice, Christmas: forecaster

Hongkongers can expect chilly weather in the run up to Christmas, with the city’s weather forecaster saying the winter monsoon would continue to bring cold and dry weather to southern Chinese coastal areas over the next few days.

6. Should Hong Kong legalise ride-hailing apps? Critics slam taxis, urge changes

The taxi trade has long been frustrated by what it describes as government inaction in cracking down on the popular but illegal ride-hailing platforms, complaining that the likes of Uber, with its easy-to-use app, comfortable cars and credit card payment, were threatening the livelihoods of cabbies.

7. How to survive Christmas: expert tips on coping during the holiday season

Christmas is a time of year when we are expected to be joyful and relish the opportunities to spend time with friends and family. But for some, family duties and financial pressures can be crushing.