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

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 trade

Opinion | Why China is cracking down on ‘involution’

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China property

China Vanke’s managers have no plans to sell shares as firm fights for survival

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Liaoning province

China discovers Asia’s largest undersea gold deposit

Country has been steadily stepping up mineral exploration, with nearly 450 billion yuan invested since 2021.

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China is on the hunt for gold, and a string of finds suggests that the nation’s reserves may be substantially larger than previously estimated. Photo: AFP
US-China trade war

Trump signs defence bill restricting investment in Chinese tech, military firms

Key provisions target contracts with Chinese biotech companies and outbound investment in technologies with military applications in China.

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US-China relations

Opinion | Mark 2025. It’s the year China became a peer power to America

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

After a turbulent year, experts expect continued disruption to reshape global influence, testing alliances and altering the balance of power.

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Illustration: Brian Wang
China exports

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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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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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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Shoppers browse an international duty-free mall in Sanya, a city in China’s southern Hainan province. Hainan has implemented a slew of special policies to attract global talent and tourists in recent years. Photo: Xinhua
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.

CICC will issue some 3.1 billion new A shares at 36.91 yuan to acquire all outstanding shares in Dongxing Securities and Cinda Securities to facilitate the merger. Photo: CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images
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.

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.

illustration by Lau Ka-kuen
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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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.

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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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US President Donald Trump holds up the original US$5 million gold card as he speaks to reporters while on board Air Force One, on April 3. Photo: AP
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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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.

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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A coil of copper rod sits on the production line for copper flat wire at a factory in China’s Jiangxi province in August. Photo: Reuters
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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A woman sits on a swing attached to a giant McDonald’s logo in Beijing. Photo: Reuters
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.

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.

China has pledged to focus on “investing in people” in recent policy meetings, which could indicate an increase in spending on public services. Photo: Getty Images
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.

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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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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.

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