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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: Lau Ka-kuen
2026 Xi-Trump summit

Trump and his CEOs want China’s business – but has Asia moved on?

The US delegation went to Beijing looking for deals, but a ‘super cycle’ of capital expenditures across Asia is already fuelling enormous growth.

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US-China tech war

Trump, Xi weigh AI ‘guardrails’ as Nvidia chip exports hang in the balance

2026 Xi-Trump summit

Trump, touting deal, says China to buy 200 Boeing jets with promise for more

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Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese EV makers hunt for idled plants in Europe as they expand global influence

BYD, the world’s largest electric car maker, says it is in talks with Stellantis about using European marques’ idled assembly facilities.

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A BYD Sealion 7 on display at the Baltic Motor Show in Riga, Latvia, on April 24. Photo: EPA
China birth rate

China to start certifying cities and workplaces as ‘birth-friendly’

Campaign aims to name 40 cities and 200 workplaces as being supportive of childbirth every three years.

2026 Xi-Trump summit

After Xi-Trump, China tech stocks retreat as market weighs ‘fantastic’ deals

Mainland benchmarks slip as investors lock in profits following Beijing summit, while analysts say the lack of specific deal terms suggests a deterioration ‘freeze’.

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China travel

China’s hotel sector shines, poised to outperform through 2026 on strong demand

International hotel chains ride China’s travel rebound, posting gains as domestic demand and inbound flows strengthen.

Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan by Hilton. Photo: Handout
US-China relations

Editorial | Xi-Trump summit in Beijing heralds start of constructive, stable relations

Through the meticulously planned welcome ceremony and Xi Jinping’s remarks, Beijing has emphasised the importance of stable bilateral ties to the world.

US-China trade war

The US-China trade war is entering a worrying new phase

The US and China are racing to roll out competing sanctions, rules and regulations, leaving firms trapped in a legal Catch-22.

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US-China relations

Is China set to benefit from new US Fed chair Kevin Warsh’s policy vision?

The appointment follows White House pressure on the central bank to lower interest rates – a move analysts warn could have unintended consequences.

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Kevin Warsh, the incoming chair of the US Federal Reserve, testifies before a Senate Banking Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on April 21. Photo: Reuters
Banking & finance

China’s credit demand weak in April despite policy support, strong industry

Lending growth slows as borrowing demand from households and businesses remains weak.

An elderly man walks past a bank branch in the Central Business District in Beijing in April. Photo: EPA-EFE
2026 Xi-Trump summit

Boeing nears ‘large’ China orders as Trump and Xi forge new trade board: Bessent

Washington and Beijing will discuss the board to manage commercial ties, and there is a plan to ‘pregame’ investments to avoid national security blocks.

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

Trump’s trillion-dollar business delegation arrives in China, eager for deals

The 17 American business executives accompanying US president are the wealthiest such delegation to visit the country.

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China-EU relations

Global shocks push European firms in China to rethink supply chains

Supply disruptions and rising costs linked to Middle East instability are forcing companies to adjust sourcing, production and investment plans.

Jens Eskelund, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, speaks at a press conference in Beijing on April 14. Photo: dpa
International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Opinion | Why the world needs China to save more, not less

The IMF assumes China should save less. China’s saving is key to financing the developing world’s need for green infrastructure.

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Workers head towards the connection point of the Chinese and Laotian sections of a shared power project on February 5. If China consumes more and saves less, there would likely be less global capital formation. Less infrastructure would be built abroad. Photo: Xinhua
China trade

Asia needs ‘institutional toolbox’ to survive global shocks, China experts warn

Ahead of Trump’s China visit, experts at an RCEP forum discuss a supply-chain overhaul, looking to insulate the world’s biggest trading bloc.

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

China and US teams race to find easy summit deliverables at meeting in Seoul

The two sides will seek to ‘iron out any last-minute issues’ in single day of talks, economist says.

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

Nvidia’s Jensen Huang joins Trump’s trip to China at last minute

The Nvidia CEO boarded Air Force One during a refuelling stop in Alaska, with Trump saying it was ‘an honour’ to have him on the trip.

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Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, will reportedly travel to China with US President Donald Trump this week. Photo: Reuters
Yuan

How Australia’s mining giants are helping China to globalise the yuan

Mining firms are increasingly using the yuan for financing and settlements, as China pushes to reduce its reliance on the US dollar.

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

After nearly 9 years, Trump is landing in a totally changed China. Is he ready?

China has strengthened its position since the US president’s last visit, analysts said, predicting more equitable results from any potential agreement.

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

Musk joins Trump’s Beijing delegation as a ‘natural bridge’ for trade

Gigafactory stakes and a push for self-driving software approval cast the billionaire as a key US envoy while seemingly sealing a reconciliation with Trump.

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Tesla’s massive Gigafactory is seen during a government-organised media trip in Shanghai on April 14. Photo: Reuters
China-EU relations

German firms in China more optimistic despite Iran war, trade headwinds: survey

Expectations for growth, profits and investment are all up, despite geopolitical turbulence.

German and Chinese national flags flutter on a lamppost at Tiananmen Gate in Beijing. Photo: Shutterstock
China property

Ex-adviser urges China to tackle inequality with higher taxes on ultra-rich

Raising taxes on assets, incomes of high earners will add to state revenues and incentivise protecting property rights, economist says.

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China airliners

European airlines adding China flights despite Russian airspace barrier

Demand for China-Europe flights surges as airlines avoid Iranian, Russian airspace and divert tourists away from Southeast Asia.

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China trade

Pakistan to tap China debt market with first sale of yuan-priced ‘panda bonds’

Islamabad turns to ‘panda bonds’ to secure cheaper credit and diversify its borrowing into yuan-denominated funding, with a focus on sustainable development.

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Pakistan and China continue to forge stronger economic ties. Here, a family rides past a roadside display in the shape of their national flags in Lahore, Pakistan, ahead of a visit by Vice-Premier He Lifeng in 2023 to mark the 10th anniversary of a mega economic plan. Photo: AFP
China shipbuilding

The US tried to rein in China’s shipyards. Now, they are even more dominant

China’s shipyards secured a staggering 85 per cent of global orders in the first quarter, as demand for oil tankers surges amid the Iran war.

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Workers build large vessels at the Jinling Shipyard in Nanjing, capital of China’s eastern Jiangsu province. Photo: AFP
2026 Xi-Trump summit

US-China negotiations seek a quick Seoul search for deals ahead of Trump’s visit

Setting stage for presidential summit with Xi in Beijing, Bessent and He to meet in South Korea, and the ‘3 Bs’ could be on the cards.

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China property

China’s bond market faces climbing re-defaults as property crisis drags on

Re-defaults erode credit differentiation as homebuyer confidence weakens under slow income growth and high leverage, analysts warn.

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