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China economy

China economy
Breaking news and analysis on China’s economy, including its opening up, the US-China trade war, the impact of tariffs and trade talks, growth rates and other key economic data, the Belt and Road Initiative, and Greater Bay Area plan.
Illustration: Craig Stephens
US-China relations

Opinion | 2025 marked the end of Pax Americana’s unipolar moment

China not only forced a trade war backdown, it displayed its hi-tech military might from the waters off Australia to the skies near Japan.

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US-China relations

As Trump upends US foreign policy, analysts see fresh openings for China

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China exports

China confirms issuing of first general licences for rare earth exports

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China-EU relations

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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The CRRC booth is seen in the advanced manufacturing section of the China International Supply Chain Expo in July. The train maker was probed by Brussels last month. Photo: Xinhua
China trade

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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Mergers & Acquisitions

Chinese brokerage CICC unveils merger details with Dongxing, Cinda

The three-way merger will create China’s fourth-largest investment bank with assets of US$128 billion.

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Hong Kong stock market

China stock optimism contends with economic risks

Stocks in Hong Kong and China are seen making further gains next year, even as weak consumption and trade risks threaten economic growth.

Photo: Getty Images
China trade

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.

US-China decoupling

Open Questions | Yeo on how Trump wants to avoid Taiwan upending China relations

Former Singapore foreign minister George Yeo says that Donald Trump is prioritising stable relations with China, and that the US is facing decline amid a shift to a multipolar world.

China jobs

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 trade

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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A local vendor sells durians at a stall near Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Several Southeast Asian nations including Cambodia export the fruit to China, which is the world’s largest buyer by far. Photo: AP
Hong Kong stock market

Standard Chartered keeps overweight call on China stocks, flags recovery in 2026

Despite renewed ‘bubble’ talk around AI valuations after a November sell-off, Standard Chartered says the cycle is different this time.

US-China relations

‘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 food security

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
E-commerce

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
China trade

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 consumption

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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China consumption

Policy body urges China to confront economic challenges, confident of recovery

Official cites headwinds from imbalances between supply and demand, but says outlook is bright.

People choose food at an AI-powered canteen in Hebei province’s Xiongan New Area last month. Photo: Xinhua
China property

China Vanke unveils proposal to extend US$366 million bond after 3 failed bids

Bondholders will vote on the revised plan from Thursday to Monday, and it requires over 90 per cent of the total voting rights to take effect.

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China consumption

‘Invest in people’: how a new slogan signals a pivot in China’s economic policy

Beijing is expected to strengthen investment in welfare, pensions, education and other public services to unleash domestic demand, analysts say.

Mainland China

Why retailers are beating a hasty retreat from mainland China

Hong Kong retailer Mannings will cease online operations from December 26 and close its physical stores after January 15.

Mannings is one of Hong Kong’s largest health and beauty retailers. Photo: Jonathan Wong
China travel

Why South Korea is becoming China’s new bargain travel hotspot amid Japan spat

A slump in the won is making South Korea increasingly affordable for mainland tourists just as China warns against travel to Japan.

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A large crowd of tourists walks through a street in Seoul. South Korea is expected to receive an uptick in Chinese tourism over the coming months. Photo: Reuters
Electric & new energy vehicles

Xpeng, Li Auto given approval to test ‘hands-off’ L3 cars amid slowing market

Deregulation to legalise L3 technology represents a leap forward in commercialising autonomous driving systems in China.

China-EU relations

China slaps anti-dumping duties on EU pork, but lowers final rates

Beijing goes ahead with tariffs of up to 19.8 per cent on pork products from the European Union after intense lobbying by several leaders.

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Banking & finance

Opinion | Global finance is quietly moving east

The IMF’s Shanghai Centre will not alter global finance overnight but shows that Asia’s voice in shaping international financial norms is growing louder.

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(From left to right) People’s Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, and Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng mark the launch of the IMF’s Shanghai Centre on December 8. Photo: Handout
China's economic recovery

China offers more support to returning overseas students as influx grows

As the number of students coming back to China soars, a new national service platform will help them find work and start businesses.

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Graduates applaud during commencement ceremonies at Harvard University in the US state of Massachusetts. The number of overseas students returning to China rose nearly 20 per cent last year. Photo: AP
China trade

Letters | World must learn to live with China’s manufacturing prowess

Readers discuss China’s record trade surplus so far this year, Hong Kong’s ambitions to be a cryptocurrency hub, and how to effectively curb social media overuse.

China-Latin America relations

Mexico stands by its decision for 50 per cent tariffs on Chinese goods

Government defends tariff package as vital to supporting domestic workers and producers, and not aimed at curbing imports from China.

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