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China Economy

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Belt and Road Initiative
Asia housing and property
US-China trade war
A meeting between President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung is expected in the coming days. Photo: Shutterstock
China trade

China’s diplomatic divide: red carpet for Seoul, cold shoulder for Tokyo firms

While Tokyo’s corporate leaders stay home amid fallout from prime minister’s remarks on Taiwan, Beijing prepares to welcome South Korean president and top executives.

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China's economic recovery

No ‘piecemeal’ steps: Chinese journal urges more support for property sector

China consumption

China’s box office up 22% in 2025 to US$7.4 billion, led by smash hit Ne Zha 2

China inflation

China must take action to avoid Japan-style deflation spiral, scholars warn

Unless Beijing introduces more forceful policies, consumers could get locked into a mindset that is ‘nearly impossible to break’, scholars say.

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New cars are advertised for sale at deep discounts at a showroom in Chengdu, southwest China. Photo: Reuters
New cars are advertised for sale at deep discounts at a showroom in Chengdu, southwest China. Photo: Reuters
China trade

How the ‘world’s supermarket’ rode out Trump’s tariffs – and grew even stronger

Yiwu, one of China’s biggest export hubs, was expected to take a hit from US tariffs. Instead, it has seen trade surge.

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China travel

China’s service sector shines as holidaymakers eye bespoke adventures with pets

While broader consumption remains soft, demand for personalised itineraries and snow sports is growing, offering a boost to the holiday economy.

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China’s private sector

Small restaurants in China starve as consumers suppress spending appetite

Per-capita spending per meal has dropped nearly 24 per cent since 2023, data provider says, as property slump sows uncertainty.

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A costumed man promotes restaurant specials in Beijing on December 2, 2025. Photo: AFP
A costumed man promotes restaurant specials in Beijing on December 2, 2025. Photo: AFP
Tourism

China’s Gen Z consumers drive rise in homestay bookings to ring in the new year

Gen Z travellers made up more than 50 per cent of total homestay bookings for the 2026 New Year’s holiday period.

China manufacturing

China’s next decade to cement status as hi-tech manufacturing power: reports

The coming 10 years will see significant advances in cutting-edge sectors, reinforcing industrial dominance, according to new reports.

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China trade

China’s January 1 silver curbs to deepen global crunch amid volatility: analysts

Beijing’s new export-licensing system seen squeezing foreign buyers, pushing price towards US$100 an ounce; Elon Musk joins warning chorus.

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Bars of silver are stacked at a processing plant in Glogow, Poland. Spot silver briefly surpassed US$80 an ounce for the first time in December. Photo: Reuters
China trade

China imposes beef-import quota, adds over-quota tariffs to guard local industry

From Thursday, over-quota imports from Brazil, Australia, US and other trade partners face new duties to help local producers recover amid price declines.

Handlers move cattle at a livestock market in Canuelas, Argentina, in October. China is kicking off 2026 with additional tariffs on beef imports exceeding specific quotas for major trading partners. Photo: AP
Handlers move cattle at a livestock market in Canuelas, Argentina, in October. China is kicking off 2026 with additional tariffs on beef imports exceeding specific quotas for major trading partners. Photo: AP
Nexperia

Nexperia, Wingtech set for fresh face-off in January with US$8 billion at stake

Dutch chipmaker’s Chinese owner warns of multi-track legal action, seeking full control of the firm and damages for improper seizure amid supply-chain tensions.

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China property

China housing market gets VAT relief on resales but demand outlook stays subdued

Policy lowering VAT to 3 per cent reduces seller costs but demand recovery is key to stabilising the housing sector, property agents say.

China consumption

China rolls out trade-in funding for 2026 as campaign to spur spending continues

The programme, which has helped stimulate consumption increases, will continue to subsidise purchases of big-ticket goods and refurbishments.

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China’s consumer goods trade-in programme subsidises, among others, the purchases of big-ticket items such as automobiles and home appliances. Photo: Getty Images
Electric & new energy vehicles

Beijing renews trade-in subsidy scheme amid domestic car market’s gloomy outlook

Buyers who replace their petrol and electric cars with new vehicles will receive a cash subsidy of up to US$2,858 per unit.

A BYD electric car at an exhibition in Shanghai. Buyers of an electric vehicle for replacement purposes would get a subsidy equivalent to 12 per cent of the newly bought car’s price. Photo: AFP
A BYD electric car at an exhibition in Shanghai. Buyers of an electric vehicle for replacement purposes would get a subsidy equivalent to 12 per cent of the newly bought car’s price. Photo: AFP
China manufacturing

China’s factory activity breaks 8-month contraction, but headwinds persist

China’s manufacturing PMI rose to 50.1 in December, but analysts said it was too early to point to a sustained recovery.

China-EU relations

Airbus scores major win in China with orders for 148 A320 aircraft

The flurry of orders, worth billions of US dollars, marks a big victory for the European aviation firm over US rival Boeing in a key market.

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China food security

Xi renews call to boost grain output after trade war sharpens food security push

Beijing renews push to fortify domestic crop supplies and modernise agriculture amid a tense geopolitical climate.

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President Xi Jinping has long called for boosting China’s food security, calling it a “political responsibility”. Photo: Xinhua
President Xi Jinping has long called for boosting China’s food security, calling it a “political responsibility”. Photo: Xinhua
Banking & finance

How China is upgrading its digital yuan for the stablecoin era

Beijing is upgrading its digital currency in response to the rise of stablecoins, but the goal is to create a fundamentally different system.

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US-China trade war

China’s Shenzhen targets AI in ‘every household’ as US tech rivalry heats up

Local officials want to embed cutting-edge tech across society in coming five-year plan.

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US-China tech war

China’s lagging basic research calls for core tech pivot, economic adviser urges

Wang Yiming says Beijing must innovate from the ground up to create deterrents against foreign supply cuts, citing missed R&D spending target.

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Shipping containers are seen at Qingdao Port in China’s Shandong province on Saturday. Photo: Xinhua
China consumption

China’s Hainan hosts duty-free shopping spree under new customs regime

A flurry of activity accompanied the official establishment of the island’s tariff and tax exemptions - but will the frenzy last?

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The Haikou International Duty Free Shopping Complex in Haikou, capital of Hainan province. Photo: Xinhua
The Haikou International Duty Free Shopping Complex in Haikou, capital of Hainan province. Photo: Xinhua
China trade

China has logged a US$1 trillion trade surplus. Where is all that money going?

Trade surplus growth has not been matched in foreign exchange reserves – a gap analysts said can be explained by private sector outflows.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s oldest carmaker FAW buys US$534 million stake in EV assembler Leapmotor

‘Leapmotor aims to achieve annual deliveries of 4 million units a year in 10 years’ time,’ founder and CEO Zhu Jiangming says.

Yuan

China sets yuan fixing rate at 15-month high amid offshore gains

The move follows offshore yuan briefly breaching seven-per-US-dollar mark, with analysts citing dollar weakness, seasonal factors for rally.

The People’s Bank of China set the yuan’s midpoint, or daily fixing rate, at 7.0331 to the US dollar on Monday. Photo: Getty Images
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