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The Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker “50 Years of Victory” on a voyage to the North Pole in August 2021. Photo: AFP

China Economy

Secure Arctic shipping route essential for China, senior official says

Trade lanes using Strait of Malacca, Red Sea and Suez Canal could be disrupted during ‘major international crisis’, Beijing forum told.

China discovers Asia’s largest undersea gold deposit

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China cuts US Treasury holdings to lowest level since 2008

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China Economy

Surviving the shocks: what China and the US learned from 2025’s trade war

Businesses and officials faced a year of disruption – and in some cases, resilience – as tariffs and export controls roiled global markets.

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Illustration: Davies Christian
Illustration: Davies Christian

China Economy

China confirms issuing of first general licences for rare earth exports

Beijing says it is now granting longer permits giving foreign companies easier access to vital minerals, but many details remain unclear.

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Global Economy

Discriminatory and egregious: China blasts EU’s subsidy crackdown

Commerce authorities vow to defend firms such as Nuctech and CRRC, while Beijing continues talks with Brussels over EV tariffs.

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China Economy

China jails antimony smugglers in tough stance on critical minerals

Dozens convicted of illegally shipping 166 tonnes of the strategic material, marking a major enforcement of Beijing’s export controls.

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The Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court in Guangdong province has found several people guilty of illegally shipping antimony without obtaining export licences. Photo: SCMPOST
The Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court in Guangdong province has found several people guilty of illegally shipping antimony without obtaining export licences. Photo: SCMPOST

China Economy

China’s Hainan launches separate customs regime allowing tariff-free imports

Most goods can enter Hainan with zero import duties under the new system, as China looks to turn the island into a strategic buffer zone.

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China Economy

As trade deficit mounts, is EU selling what China wants to buy?

Traditional European exports like cars are losing their appeal, while restrictions crimp sales of sought-after lithography machines.

China Economy

China’s youth-unemployment rate eases to 16.9% as graduates settle for less

Job market remains plagued by a mismatch between skills and vacancies, pushing more graduates towards blue-collar jobs or gig work.

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Applicants take part in a campus job fair at the Minhang campus of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Photo: Xinhua

China Business

BYD ups the ante on L3 autonomous cars, begins testing for mass production

BYD has pinned its hopes on preliminary self-driving technologies to bolster its sales in mainland China.

BYD says it has completed more than 150,000 kilometres of real-world L3 testing. Photo: Xinhua
BYD says it has completed more than 150,000 kilometres of real-world L3 testing. Photo: Xinhua

China Economy

Battle for China’s durian market gets even juicier as Laos enters the fray

Laos could present a real challenge to other players in China’s vast durian market due to its low costs and logistical advantages.

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Global Economy

‘A risk’: wealthy Chinese appear to shun Trump’s ‘gold card’ immigration scheme

Initial excitement fizzles amid limited benefits and security concerns, immigration agents say.

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China Economy

Explainer | What does future hold for Brazil, US in China’s soybean balancing act?

The two countries remain top suppliers, but efforts to promote self-sufficiency are set to reduce reliance on imports.

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Soybeans are loaded into a truck in Dwight, Illinois, in August. Photo: Getty Images

China Economy

No ‘lowest-price’ requirement: China warns platforms on monopolistic tactics

Regulators tell platforms that demanding the ‘lowest price’ from vendors may not be permitted under new draft guidelines.

Chinese regulators are warning platforms that demanding the “lowest price” from vendors may be deemed monopolistic under new draft guidelines. Photo: Shutterstock
Chinese regulators are warning platforms that demanding the “lowest price” from vendors may be deemed monopolistic under new draft guidelines. Photo: Shutterstock

Global Economy

China bets big on copper processing, but ‘weaponisation’ risks are low: analysts

Beijing views copper as critical for EVs and AI, but a reliance on imported ore limits China’s ability to use the strategic metal as leverage.

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China Economy

Not lovin’ it: Chinese fume at McDonald’s prices, costlier ‘poor man’s meal’

Fast-food giant increases menu items by 0.5 to 1 yuan, testing pricing power in a deflationary market where per-capita dining spending has been plunging.

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Global Economy

Why America’s brute-force effort on rare earths may not work against China

China spent decades carving out a commanding lead in the rare earth realm. Now the US wants its old piece of the supply chain back – is it still within reach?

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Illustration: Henry Wong
Illustration: Henry Wong

Global Economy

Chinese ‘vertical dramas’ are booming in America. Should Hollywood be worried?

Chinese platforms hosting bite-size soap operas about werewolves and mafia dons are drawing big audiences – and shaking up the streaming market.

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China Economy

As megacities slow, China’s smaller counties lead as new consumer hotspots

Survey last year found that nearly 80 per cent of consumers in China’s third- and fourth-tier cities were optimistic about the economy.

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China Economy

China rises up ‘elite quality’ league table as AI investment booms

China ranked 19th in the latest Elite Quality Index, which assesses whether national elites create sustainable value for their countries.

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Visitors watch humanoid robots fight at the Unitree Robotics booth during the World Robot Conference in Beijing. China has invested heavily in artificial intelligence, robotics and other emerging sectors in recent years. Photo: Reuters
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OPINION
Andrew Sheng

Opinion | Why China is cracking down on ‘involution’

Andrew Sheng
Nicholas Spiro

Macroscope | Fears of an AI bubble in Asian stock markets are misplaced

Nicholas Spiro
Matteo Giovannini

Opinion | Global finance is quietly moving east

Matteo Giovannini
Nicholas Spiro

The View | After vitalising its property market, India must shore up its weaknesses

Nicholas Spiro
Jianlu Bi

Opinion | China’s Politburo swaps emergency economic surgery for preventive care

Jianlu Bi
Anthony Rowley

Macroscope | As global spending needs grow and debt rises, business as usual won’t suffice

Anthony Rowley
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MULTIMEDIA
Video

Shares in Baby Shark creator soar on IPO debut

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China’s ‘Goddess of Wealth’ jailed for over 11 years by UK court

China cryptoqueen jailed for more than 11 years by UK court over US$6.4 billion bitcoin fraud
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US-China soybean row leaves farmers caught in the middle

US-China soybean row leaves farmers caught in the middle
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Why is China’s youth unemployment rate so high?

People read job information at a job fair in Haikou, south China’s Hainan Province, April 18, 2020.
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TRENDING TOPICS
China trade
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China's economic recovery
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MOST POPULAR
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China offers more support to returning overseas students as influx grows

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‘Efforts to choke China cannot succeed’: Xi Jinping to top leadership

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China cuts US Treasury holdings to lowest level since 2008

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China’s currency comeback: yuan seen breaking key dollar level in 2026

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China’s growth engines sputter as retail and investment hit in November

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