PLA division’s new leaders, lessons from 2025 trade war: SCMP daily highlights
From the newcomers in charge of PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command to retailers’ retreat from China, here’s a round-up from today’s coverage
1. PLA division overseeing Taiwan sees newcomers in charge
The Chinese military’s Eastern Theatre Command, the division that oversees Taiwan and that has been hit hard in Beijing’s anti-graft campaign, appears to be presided over by two officers who joined the division only recently.
2. Senior US and Chinese defence officials continue ‘military-to-military’ dialogue
Senior US and Chinese defence officials met in Washington this week in the latest sign of renewed military-to-military communication as the two countries seek to stabilise ties.
3. Surviving the shocks: what China and the US learned from 2025’s trade war
2025 has reshaped global trade and restructured supply chains, as technological competition and geopolitical tensions intensified following Trump’s return to the White House in January. As the year draws to a close, stakeholders across the global economy are left wondering whether the upheaval has brought them back to square one.