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US-China trade war

US-China trade war
Breaking news and analysis on the US-China trade war, its history and timeline, and the impact on the global economy.
US President Donald Trump, flanked by Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick speaks during a press briefing at the White House, following the Supreme Court’s ruling that Trump had exceeded his authority when he imposed sweeping global tariffs last year. Photo: Reuters
Donald Trump’s China policy

China braces after Trump imposes new global tariff – how will it respond?

Beijing is on alert but signals readiness to engage ahead of high-level trade talks and Trump’s first visit to China in his second term.

United States

Opinion | Despite Supreme Court ruling, Trump has legal cards for tariffs in hand

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China food security

Explaining China’s 2026 rural blueprint

Mainland China

US trade chief’s statement on Trump’s global tariff

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer issued a statement elaborating on Trump’s decision to impose a new global tariff following Supreme Court’s ruling.

Photo: Reuters
China trade

US-Indonesia deal threatens China’s ‘entrenched position’ in nickel market: analysts

A new deal gives America unrestricted access to Indonesia’s nickel – and challenges China’s ‘preferential’ position in the market, analysts say.

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US-China relations

US tariff ruling points to steadier US–China ties before April summit: analysts

Court decision lowers effective duties, easing tensions and steering Xi-Trump talks towards stability rather than escalation.

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China-Africa relations

Opinion | China’s zero-tariff offer to Africa is a game changer

In contrast to Western proposals that come with strings attached, China has turned its own market into the main instrument of partnership.

A volunteer grinds coffee beans with children during a hands-on experience session at the Ethiopian pavilion of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Promotion Innovation Demonstration Park in Changsha, Hunan province on August 30, 2024. Photo: Xinhua
China manufacturing

What next for China’s export machine after top US court blocks Trump’s tariffs?

The high-stakes meeting between Trump and Xi may determine whether current reprieve gives way to a more durable trade deal, analyst says.

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US-China relations

Trump tariff loss is win for Chinese exporters

Chinese manufacturers will no longer face higher tariffs than rivals elsewhere in the world after the US Supreme Court ruled against President Donald Trump.

US-China relations

Critical minerals rivalry expands to copper, silver

The US and China are intensifying efforts to secure copper and silver supply chains amid surging industrial demand which has driven up prices of the metals, delivering big returns for investors in 2025.

Critical minerals rivalry expands to copper, silver
Donald Trump

Open Questions | Abraham Newman on ‘weaponised interdependence’ in ‘neo‑royalist’ Trump era

American political scientist on how ‘interdependence’ can be exploited as part of the rivalry between major powers.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Food and agriculture

Opinion | How China’s national food security push could reshape global markets

Amid increasing pressure from trade wars and climate change, Beijing is reframing agriculture as a matter of national security.

United States

Trump lashes out at US Supreme Court, rolls out new 10% global tariffs

Decision threatens administration’s trade agenda; casts shadow on Xi-Trump summit as some China tariffs wiped out before Beijing talks.

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Mainland China

Why looming US-China trade talks could hinge on an obscure metal: gallium

China’s ban on exports of the vital metal could kick in again in November – and the US still has no realistic alternative supplier.

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A block with the symbol, atomic number and mass number of Gallium. Illustration: Reuters
China trade

China defends WTO’s ‘equal treatment’ rule – what it means for global trade

Beijing warns that ending non-discrimination in global trade rules could see powerful countries dominate smaller ones.

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The WTO launched a formal self-review in 2022, and is expected to discuss reform proposals in March. Photo: AFP
China trade

US trade deficit widens, Spring Gala performances, Merz visit

This week: US trade deficit widens, humanoid robots dazzle in Spring Festival Gala, Wang Yi and Marco Rubio at Munich Security Conference. Next week: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visits China, Politburo meets ahead of ‘two sessions’, Hong Kong budget speech and more.

Trade

Outside In | Try as it might, the US alone can’t reverse the tide of globalisation

Accounting for a significant share of world trade, Europe and Asia are far more decisive players in the fast-changing globalised economy.

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South Korea

Washington offers US$200 million to boost US smartphone industry in Indo-Pacific

State Department subsidies for US companies to shore up US artificial intelligence supply chain in region and counter China’s dominance.

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Jacob Helberg, the State Department’s Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, believed the US$200 million in government funding would make “millions of smartphones more competitive”. Photo: Getty Images
US-China relations

Former Biden official says US must work with allies to counter China

Kurt Campbell warns Trump’s strategy risks weakening Washington leverage as policy machinery erodes and Beijing sharpens its approach.

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Diplomacy

Opinion | The 21st-century order has outgrown 20th-century institutions

Despite international tensions, countries still seek cooperation based on shared interests. Institutions must embrace this trend.

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Trade

US trade deficit widens sharply in December, testing Trump tariff claims

Trade with China remains a major driver of the US deficit, even as imports shift towards Southeast Asia and other partners.

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In December, the US goods deficit with China stood at US$12.4 billion, underscoring Beijing’s continued role in America’s trade gap. Photo: Getty Images
US-China relations

Opinion | US and China can again find common ground – in AI’s risks

If Beijing and Washington could meet in 1972 to manage a shared threat, today’s leaders can cooperate to shape the rules of AI.

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People use augmented reality headsets during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference at the Shanghai World Expo and Convention Center in Shanghai on July 28, 2025. Photo: AFP / Getty Images / TNS
China-Latin America relations

Chinese steel hit with duties up to US$670 per tonne after Brazil dumping probe

Government anti-dumping investigation found Chinese imports were being sold at unfairly low prices, harming domestic producers.

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Mainland China

Has Trump ceded EV market to China with latest string of policy shifts?

Analysts say rolling back regulations pushes US further towards petrol cars, discourages EV innovation, and gives China competitive edge.

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US-China relations

Sudden Xi-Trump call, secret nuclear testing claims: 7 US-China relations reads

From China’s grip on minerals to the US’ Apec plans, here are highlights from our overseas correspondents in the first half of February 2026.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio holds a press conference during the Critical Minerals Ministerial at the State Department in Washington DC on February 4, 2026. Photo: Reuters
China’s crackdowns

Gold rush backlash: why China is clamping down on ‘get rich’ promises

Regulators intervene to contain fallout after volatility in global prices sparks market turmoil at home.

Decorative items made of gold are displayed at a jewellery store in Beijing on January 28. Photo: EPA-EFE
US-China relations

Open Questions | Why Trump’s April trip to China may not deliver ‘grand bargain’: James Zimmerman

The American Chamber of Commerce in China chairman says this year’s expected Trump-Xi meetings can put countries on a ‘visionary’ path.

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Americas and the Caribbean

Why China’s BYD and Geely are eyeing Mexico’s idle auto plants

With Mexico’s auto sector battered by tariffs, Chinese investment offers a lifeline that threatens to inflame tensions with Washington.

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