China watches divided White House, C919’s EU endorsement delay: SCMP daily highlights

From a shock to China’s finance sector to the C919 jet missing out on a coveted certification, here’s a round-up from today’s coverage

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Division in the White House has attracted Beijing’s attention during the high-intensity US-China trade war. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 9:22pm, 1 May 2025Updated: 9:34pm, 1 May 2025

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 waits to see which Trump adviser will come out on top on tariffs: sources

China will hold off on entering serious trade talks with the US while it waits to see which of Donald Trump’s advisers will have his ear and how other countries will respond to the 90-day pause on tariffs, according to sources.

2. China’s C919 stuck on tarmac in Europe as certification timeline extended

China’s home-grown C919 jet is facing a longer timeline for European certification than previously anticipated. Photo: Eugene Lee

As China continues to promote its home-grown C919 passenger plane to overseas markets – and builds a name for the jet in Southeast Asia – it could take longer than expected for the aircraft to receive a coveted endorsement from the European Union’s safety regulator.

3. China hawk David Perdue confirmed as US envoy to Beijing

The US Senate confirmed long-time China critic David Perdue as the new US ambassador to China on Tuesday, a key role amid escalated bilateral tensions and a high-stakes tariff showdown between the world’s two largest economies.