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SCMP

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.
1. China pledges to spend more an hour before Donald Trump promises to cut back
Two starkly divergent views of the future were laid out on opposite sides of the Pacific on Wednesday, as Chinese Premier Li Qiang pledged more aggressive spending to drive growth, while US President Donald Trump vowed to scale back the federal government to balance the books.
2. Trump tells Congress China can no longer ‘take advantage’ of weak US policies
US President Donald Trump addressed a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, outlining his administration’s latest trade measures against China, including new tariffs and a push for economic decoupling.
3. What does Beijing have in mind for Taiwan in 2025 after Ukraine shock?

Military action by Beijing to reunite Taiwan has long prompted forecasts about the timing of such a full-scale operation. For some – the answer is 2025.
4. CK Hutchison to sell unit operating near Panama Canal amid Trump pressure
CK Hutchison Holdings announced on Tuesday that it had agreed to sell control of a unit operating ports near the Panama Canal after US President Donald Trump said he wanted the US to regain control of the critical trade route.
5. In an innovation arms race, China blitzes as the US retreats
As federal funding cuts put the US at risk of losing its long-held scientific leadership, China launched an all-out innovation offensive – turbocharging its R&D budget to unprecedented levels, attracting top-tier global talent, and executing a systematic strategy to dominate the technologies of the future.
6. China discovers 2 major shale oilfields in boost for energy security
China has discovered two major shale oilfields boasting combined reserves of 180 million tonnes, in another boost to the country’s push to reduce its reliance on fossil fuel imports.
7. Mystery lithium levels in Beijing’s pregnant women spark worries, study finds

Pregnant women and newborns in Beijing carry blood lithium levels up to 20 times higher than those in a comparable industrial city in central China, an alarming new study has revealed.


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SCMP Highlights

China pledges to spend as US plans cuts, cross- strait conundrum: SCMP daily highlights

Premier Li Qiang speaks during the opening session of the NPC in Beijing. Photo: AFP

Premier Li Qiang delivered his work report at the opening of the National People’s Congress in Beijing on Wednesday. A central theme was the need for government and the private sector to work together to spur growth. Photo: AP


Illustration: Henry Wong

Environmental scientists warn that up to 80 per cent of mined lithium could seep into ecosystems, posing risks to industrial and urban zones. Photo: EPA-EFE

8 takeaways from Premier Li Qiang’s work report at China’s ‘two sessions’

China has set a GDP growth target of around 5 per cent for this year as it grapples with a trade war with the US. Photo: Shutterstock

A screen at a shopping centre in Beijing shows Premier Li Qiang speaking during the opening of the annual session of China’s top legislature on Wednesday. Photo: Robert Ng

‘Two sessions’ 2025: Beijing to boost future tech, foreign investment, support Hong Kong – as it happened

Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the opening session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Trump State Department nominee says private sector investment should replace foreign aid

A sign and flowers lay near the entrance of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) headquarters in Washington on 07 February 2025. Following the Trump administration reorganization plans, spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk, around 300 members were expected to remain out of the USAID’s worldwide total of more than 10,000. Photo: EPA-EFE

Christopher Landau testifies at a US Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on his nomination to be deputy secretary of state, on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

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From China and the US’ contrasting views of future to mystery lithium levels in pregnant women, here’s a round-up from today’s China coverage


From China and the US’ contrasting views of future to mystery lithium levels in pregnant women, here’s a round-up from today’s China coverage.


China pledges to spend as US plans cuts, cross- strait conundrum: SCMP daily highlights

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}From China and the US’ contrasting views of future to mystery lithium levels in pregnant women, here’s a round-up from today’s China coverage

1. China pledges to spend more an hour before Donald Trump promises to cut back

From China and the US’ contrasting views of future to mystery lithium levels in pregnant women, here’s a round-up from today’s China coverage