Common Questions

Who owns the South China Morning Post?: The South China Morning Post has been owned by Alibaba Group since 2016. It was previously owned by the Kuok Group.
What did the South China Morning Post report about Iran at BRICS in May 2026?: SCMP reported that Iran's rhetoric at the BRICS Delhi summit, particularly its Hormuz denial and calls on BRICS to act against US aggression, was testing India's diplomatic balancing posture.Source: South China Morning Post
Is the South China Morning Post biased towards China?: Since Alibaba's 2016 acquisition, many Western media observers consider SCMP editorially proximate to Beijing's positions, particularly on Hong Kong and Taiwan. The paper maintains formal editorial independence and employs international journalists.

Background

The South China Morning Post was cited in Lowdown's 14 May 2026 BRICS Delhi coverage for reporting that Iran's Hormuz denial rhetoric was "testing India's balancing posture" at the summit. SCMP's framing of the India-Iran dynamic at BRICS reflected the paper's consistent positioning on Asian great-power relations during the conflict.

Founded in 1903, the South China Morning Post is Hong Kong's principal English-language daily. Since its acquisition by Alibaba Group in 2016, the paper has been read as carrying a degree of proximity to Beijing's editorial perspective, though it maintains separate editorial management. SCMP has become a primary English-language source for coverage of Chinese Foreign Policy, Asian capital flows, and regional diplomacy.

During the Iran conflict, SCMP has provided consistent coverage of Beijing's and New Delhi's navigation of the crisis: China's refusal to condemn Iran, India's careful neutrality as a significant Hormuz-dependent oil importer, and the role of BRICS as an alternative multilateral frame. Its sourcing from within Asian diplomatic circles has made it a reference source for non-Western perspectives on the conflict.

How the World Sees Them

Iran

Iranian officials cite SCMP coverage to demonstrate non-Western support or at minimum engagement with their diplomatic positions.

Western media observers

SCMP is read as carrying Beijing-proximate editorial instincts since Alibaba's 2016 acquisition, though editorial independence is formally maintained.

Asian diplomatic circles

SCMP's access to Chinese and Indian official sources makes it a reliable primary source for Asian-perspective coverage of the Iran conflict and BRICS dynamics.