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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.
China’s yuan has appreciated steadily against the US dollar in recent months. Photo: Getty Images
Yuan

As China’s yuan hits multi-year highs, Beijing puts the focus on stability

China’s top foreign exchange regulator said in an article that authorities would seek to keep the yuan ‘basically stable’.

Rare earths

Australia to force investors with China ties to divest from rare earths company

China consumption

China’s unexpected retail slowdown shows Hormuz strains

Science

China’s northeast, poor in rare earths, scores big find

A new type of deposit in Heilongjiang and Jilin promises easier, cheaper mining than in southern clay-rich areas, say scientists.

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A rare earth mine at Bayan Obo, in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region of China, seen in 2011. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
China manufacturing

China’s economy ‘weaker than expected’ in April as Iran war headwinds bite

China’s retail sales growth fell to just 0.2 per cent in April, while industrial output and fixed-asset investment softened more than forecast.

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Banking & finance

Resilient economy lifts Chinese banks, but property debt drags, experts say

Steady growth and stabilising China-US ties support banks, with PBOC expected to keep rates steady, according to economists.

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Aviation

Locked out of Russia, could Japan’s airlines face new risk in Chinese skies?

Pilots say such a move would mark a major escalation of retribution for Japanese PM’s remarks on Taiwan.

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People depart Japan from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on April 18. Photo: Kyodo
China’s private sector

‘Explosive’: why China’s gold recycling industry is growing at record speed

More than half of the country’s gold recycling firms are less than three years old.

Transport and logistics

China’s up-and-coming cities plan second airports as competition soars

Emerging economic centres are looking to broaden their aviation networks as local governments seek greater international, regional connectivity.

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

China, US agree to establish trade, investment councils after Xi-Trump summit

The world’s two biggest economies also agree to roll back tariffs, deepen investment and establish a new board to manage disputes.

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President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for US President Donald Trump, who is on a state visit to China, outside the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing on May 14. Photo: Xinhua
2026 Xi-Trump summit

Bought the farm? Details still fuzzy on scope of US-China agriculture deal

China granted five-year export licenses to 77 US beef facilities, while renewing expired licenses of 425 other plants for another five years.

Imported soybeans from Brazil are seen in a cargo vessel at a port in Yantai, in China’s eastern Shandong province. Photo: AFP
China’s film industry

How a tiny indie movie sparked a major tourist boom in southern China

Made on a shoestring budget, the hit drama Dear You has triggered a surge of interest in the history of southern China’s Teochew diaspora.

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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

Meeting in Beijing, the presidents weighed safety protocols for the rapidly emerging technology, and H200 chip shipments were a ‘sovereign decision’ for ‌China.

Billionaire Elon Musk gestures after attending a welcome ceremony for US President Donald Trump with President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday. Photo: Reuters
2026 Xi-Trump summit

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

After leaving Beijing, the US president announced a pledge to buy at least 200 jets, and up to 750 under certain conditions.

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An Air China Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner taxis to a runway before takeoff in Beijing on Saturday. Photo: AFP
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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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.

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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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US President Donald Trump shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during his state visit to Beijing on May 14, 2026. Photo: Pool via Reuters
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.

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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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
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.

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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Elon Musk follows Eric and Lara Trump down the stairs from Air Force One after its arrival at Beijing Capital International Airport on Wednesday night. Photo: AP
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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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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