https://www.scmp.com/rss/35783/feed News about international trade flows, statistics and policy decisions from the world’s most important trading economies and trade-related bodies, including the World Trade Organisation. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Australian comedian Jenny Tian set off a wave of deep laughter across an Adelaide audience at a recent comedy festival by saying she had tired of democracy at home. So, Tian explained, she moved to the US to give “fascism” a whirl instead. The 30-year-old showbiz pro was born to Chinese parents, making her race a rarity in Western stand-up comedy. But the crowd was a near sell-out. I saw Tian’s March performance during a visiting media tour of Australia after days of meetings with national... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348468/australias-180-degree-shift-5-years-ago-china-favour-us-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348468/australias-180-degree-shift-5-years-ago-china-favour-us-out?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg A French container ship and a Japanese-owned tanker have crossed the Strait of Hormuz, in what appear to be the first such transits since the war in Iran closed the crucial waterway. The CMA CGM Kribi container ship exited the strait on Friday, according to ship tracking data compiled by Bloomberg and two people familiar with the situation. That is the first ship linked to western Europe that is known to have made it through since the war began more than a month ago. Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349004/iran-war-french-and-japanese-owned-ships-make-first-strait-hormuz-crossings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349004/iran-war-french-and-japanese-owned-ships-make-first-strait-hormuz-crossings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:32:11 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji The Iran war is rattling Asian chipmakers as damage to Qatar’s gas facilities chokes off supplies of helium, an essential ingredient in manufacturing products ranging from smartphones to medical scanners. Analysts warn that the supply disruption is expected to trigger ripple effects across the global economy for some time. Pradeep Philip, head of Deloitte Access Economics, said that while there had been considerable focus on the energy shock arising from the conflict, the crisis over helium... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348954/helium-supply-shock-threatens-asian-chipmakers-economic-slowdown-fears-mount?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348954/helium-supply-shock-threatens-asian-chipmakers-economic-slowdown-fears-mount?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:00:01 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia is accelerating the transition to clean and renewable energy while pushing for more investments in oil and gas projects, critical minerals and rare earth mining, amid the global energy crisis triggered by the Middle East conflict. In the past week, Jakarta signed a raft of deals with international partners to develop renewable and fossil fuel projects, aimed at achieving energy security as an insurance against the impact of heightened geopolitical tensions. Green energy could also... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348911/indonesia-rebalances-energy-policy-iran-war-spurs-new-projects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348911/indonesia-rebalances-energy-policy-iran-war-spurs-new-projects?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 06:20:59 +0000 Dewey Sim,Teresa Elena Frontado Dewey Sim,Teresa Elena Frontado US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has voiced “serious concerns” over China’s intensified inspections of Panama-flagged vessels, vowing that the US “stands firmly” with Panama amid the Latin American country’s escalating fallout with Beijing. Rubio said China’s recent actions “raise serious concerns about the use of economic tools to undermine the rule of law in Panama, a sovereign nation and vital partner for global commerce”. “Detentions, delays, or other impediments to the movement of vessels... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348859/rubio-raises-concerns-over-chinas-detention-panama-flagged-ships?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348859/rubio-raises-concerns-over-chinas-detention-panama-flagged-ships?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 19:34:46 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Yuanyue Dang Khushboo Razdan,Yuanyue Dang Direct trade between China and the United States continues its shrinking trend, new US government data showed on Thursday, as the anniversary of “Liberation Day” highlights how last year’s tariff escalations deepened tensions between the two global powers. The figures come ahead of a planned leaders’ meeting in Beijing next month, where both sides are expected to explore ways to stabilise relations after a period of renewed economic strain, and just hours before he announced a fresh set of... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3348857/trump-tariffs-cast-shadow-us-china-trade-shrinks-ahead-leaders-meet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3348857/trump-tariffs-cast-shadow-us-china-trade-shrinks-ahead-leaders-meet?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 16:25:26 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A UK-led meeting of some 40 countries on the Strait of Hormuz crisis wrapped up on Thursday with a demand for the “immediate and unconditional” reopening of the vital shipping route but no immediate breakthrough. “Iran is trying to hold the global economy hostage in the Strait of Hormuz. They must not prevail,” British foreign minister Yvette Cooper said in a statement. “To that effect, partners today called for the immediate and unconditional reopening of the Strait and respect for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348854/britain-says-40-countries-discuss-reopening-strait-hormuz-after-iran-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348854/britain-says-40-countries-discuss-reopening-strait-hormuz-after-iran-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:09:08 +0000 Hao Nan Hao Nan A month into the Iran war, Washington still says it expects to achieve its objectives in weeks, not months. That may prove optimistic. The terms on offer from the United States and Iran barely overlap, and markets remain unconvinced a durable settlement is close. But one fact is clear: the war’s most consequential effects may be felt not only in the Middle East but across East Asia. It would be a mistake to see this as only an oil story. It is also about hierarchy. In East Asia, the war is... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3348429/how-east-asia-being-quietly-reordered-us-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3348429/how-east-asia-being-quietly-reordered-us-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:30:07 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong An oil-supply shock caused by the US-Israel conflict with Iran is complicating US President Donald Trump’s already fragile mineral-alliance strategy, analysts said, given the acute vulnerability of energy-intensive rare earth refining and critical metal supply chains to such disruption. Oil and gas are essential for the critical mineral industry, according to analysts. Hydrometallurgical extraction for rare earth elements and other metals, such as nickel and cobalt, relies on a suite of chemical... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3348809/trumps-fragile-ex-china-mineral-alliance-plan-faces-cost-surge-amid-iran-war-oil-shock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3348809/trumps-fragile-ex-china-mineral-alliance-plan-faces-cost-surge-amid-iran-war-oil-shock?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:00:11 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma A leading Chinese state media outlet has run back-to-back front-page editorials over the past two days pushing back against claims that China’s economy is losing steam and that the global economy is experiencing a “China shock 2.0”. “Looking across the globe, China’s growth target stands out as second to none,” the state-run Economic Daily wrote in a Thursday editorial, noting that the country’s goal of achieving 4.5 to 5 per cent growth in 2026 was far higher than the 2.6 per cent global growth... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348787/china-shock-20-false-narrative-born-western-anxiety-chinese-media?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348787/china-shock-20-false-narrative-born-western-anxiety-chinese-media?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 07:55:43 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Asean’s neutrality in the Iran conflict is key to granting access to the coveted Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran likely seeking to win global opinion amid its war with the United States and Israel. Amid boiling tensions in the Gulf, Iran has wielded its control of the strategic channel to choke global oil supplies, especially to the US and its allies. Many countries – including those from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – have turned to diplomatic efforts to secure safe passage for... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348759/why-asean-neutrality-iran-war-key-unlocking-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348759/why-asean-neutrality-iran-war-key-unlocking-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 05:41:08 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick With one of the world’s highest benchmark interest rates among major economies, Brazilian importers who buy from China are turning to a state-owned Chinese credit insurer to sustain trade flows that reached US$158 billion in 2024. Facing working capital lines that cost upwards of two per cent a month, equivalent to roughly 27 per cent a year according to market calculations, mid-sized importers are securing deferred payment terms directly from Chinese suppliers through credit limits backed by... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348719/how-chinas-state-insurer-turning-brazils-credit-crisis-export-advantage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348719/how-chinas-state-insurer-turning-brazils-credit-crisis-export-advantage?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:21:11 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Canada’s finance minister will travel to China for a four-day visit, China’s Finance Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. “Following the Prime Minister’s visit, I am travelling to the People’s Republic of China to re-engage with counterparts, strengthen our economic relationship, and advance priorities on trade and investment, building on our existing [Canadian] $118.9B [US$85.7 billion] in two-way trade,” Canadian Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said in a social media post on... https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3348710/canadas-finance-minister-visits-china-both-countries-seek-bolster-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3348710/canadas-finance-minister-visits-china-both-countries-seek-bolster-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:24:44 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma China’s top Communist Party journal has reaffirmed the country’s push to rebalance trade, saying a worsening global environment marked by rising protectionism and geopolitical tensions is adding urgency to its ongoing shift from an “unsustainable” export-driven growth model. “The underlying conditions, and both domestic and external environment shaping China’s trade balance, are undergoing profound changes, while deep-seated weaknesses in the foreign trade sector remain pronounced,” said a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3348651/qiushi-reaffirms-chinas-trade-rebalance-push-calls-old-export-led-growth-unsustainable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3348651/qiushi-reaffirms-chinas-trade-rebalance-push-calls-old-export-led-growth-unsustainable?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed on Wednesday to design a road map for critical minerals supply as they seek to deepen cooperation in the sector amid China’s dominance of global rare earths. The two leaders also affirmed that Japan and France will maintain close communication in support of efforts to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East and establish a high-level dialogue on artificial intelligence, Takaichi said at a joint press appearance... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3348694/japan-france-draw-road-map-supply-critical-minerals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3348694/japan-france-draw-road-map-supply-critical-minerals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 11:58:08 +0000 Chris Pereira Chris Pereira Against a backdrop of war and global uncertainty, Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivered a clear message at the recent China Development Forum: China is committed to being a “harbour of stability” for the world. The forum, which drew CEOs from global companies such as Siemens, Nestlé and Apple, signalled to the world that while the United States flails, China offers reliability and steady governance. Even before the US-Israeli war on Iran, however, my inbox was already telling me that something was... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3348213/surge-global-business-interest-chinas-harbour-stability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3348213/surge-global-business-interest-chinas-harbour-stability?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong China’s exports of jet fuel have declined sharply in recent weeks amid the US-Israel war on Iran, leaving countries including Australia and Japan facing a supply crunch and scrambling to find alternative sellers. China is Asia-Pacific’s largest jet fuel and kerosene exporter, but shipments from the country fell nearly 40 per cent month on month in March to 204,000 barrels per day, figures from trade data provider Kpler showed. The cutback is likely to hit hardest in Australia and Japan, which... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348642/australia-and-japan-face-jet-fuel-supply-crunch-china-cuts-exports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348642/australia-and-japan-face-jet-fuel-supply-crunch-china-cuts-exports?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 07:22:29 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Why didn’t China develop its own scientific and industrial revolutions when it made so many discoveries and advances over millennia? That is often called “Needham’s question”, named after the historian of Chinese science and tech Joseph Needham. Why didn’t China develop capitalism during the Song dynasty when it was so close to achieving a breakthrough with trade, commerce, currency and semi-industrialisation, and an emerging merchant class? The Hungarian-French sinologist Etienne Balazs, among... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3348381/why-china-always-misunderstood-and-misrepresented?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3348381/why-china-always-misunderstood-and-misrepresented?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Washington’s top trade negotiator suggested on Tuesday that, in a break from usual practice, members of US President Donald Trump’s cabinet will not visit Beijing ahead of the expected mid-May summit with President Xi Jinping to prepare or discuss deliverables. “I don’t think we’re going to need to do that,” Jamieson Greer, US Trade Representative, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television when asked about meeting his Chinese counterparts soon, ahead of the much-anticipated leaders’... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348590/trump-xi-summit-us-trade-chief-casts-doubt-pre-meeting-beijing-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348590/trump-xi-summit-us-trade-chief-casts-doubt-pre-meeting-beijing-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 20:19:16 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim The US-Israel war on Iran has crippled exports of fertiliser from the Persian Gulf, raising the spectre of higher food prices if the conflict drags on. The disruption could hand China – the world’s largest fertiliser producer – greater political leverage over countries already locked in disputes with Beijing, though it is unlikely to weaponise exports, according to analysts. Global fertiliser prices have soared since Iran effectively blocked shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348573/why-spike-fertiliser-prices-could-boost-chinas-political-clout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348573/why-spike-fertiliser-prices-could-boost-chinas-political-clout?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China has sufficient leeway to cope with imported inflationary shocks from Middle East instability, a monetary-policy adviser to the People’s Bank of China said, but the country must balance those pressures with economic-growth risks. Huang Yiping, a member of the PBOC’s Monetary Policy Committee, said that China was already experiencing upwards pressure on prices. But China’s consumer price index (CPI), a key gauge of inflation, has remained below its official target of 2 per cent in recent... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348567/china-has-room-imported-inflation-economic-risks-rising-pboc-adviser?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348567/china-has-room-imported-inflation-economic-risks-rising-pboc-adviser?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:00:08 +0000 Marco Vicenzino Marco Vicenzino Geopolitical competition has long been understood in territorial terms. Power was measured by control over land, resources and populations. Rivalry was expressed through military confrontation, alliance formation and the defence of borders. As economic interdependence deepened in the 20th century, globalisation was seen as an arena within which states competed, but not itself the object of competition. That assumption no longer holds. Increasingly, the infrastructure of globalisation is becoming... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347953/age-us-china-rivalry-supply-chain-statecraft-counts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347953/age-us-china-rivalry-supply-chain-statecraft-counts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi The world is bracing for an aluminium supply shock after two major Middle Eastern smelters were damaged in Iranian attacks over the weekend, a disruption likely to push more production to China in the near term and potentially for years to come, analysts said. Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), a leading regional producer, reported “significant damage” at its Abu Dhabi site following strikes by Iranian missiles and drones, while Aluminium Bahrain said it was assessing the extent of damage at its... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3348426/will-irans-strikes-gulf-smelters-strengthen-chinas-aluminium-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3348426/will-irans-strikes-gulf-smelters-strengthen-chinas-aluminium-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:00:12 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma Oil prices have surged amid the US-Israel conflict with Iran, with attacks having disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz – a critical chokepoint that roughly one-fifth of the world’s daily oil consumption moves through. With memories of 1970s stagflation still lingering, many are asking whether this is the start of another major oil crisis. Below is a concise look at prior shocks and what history suggests today. What happened during the 1970s oil shocks The first oil crisis in 1973-74... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3348425/how-hormuz-attacks-stoke-oil-shock-fears-and-memories-1970s-stagflation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3348425/how-hormuz-attacks-stoke-oil-shock-fears-and-memories-1970s-stagflation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:30:14 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Planning to update your wardrobe this summer? Industry insiders have some advice: do it soon. By the time autumn collections hit the racks, the aftershocks of war on Iran may have quietly picked your pocket. Clothing manufacturers and industry analysts are warning consumers to budget for price increases of 10 to 15 per cent as South Asia’s US$50 billion garment export industry reels from a cascade of war-driven shocks. Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has choked natural gas supplies to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348195/war-iran-about-make-clothes-more-expensive-heres-why?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348195/war-iran-about-make-clothes-more-expensive-heres-why?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:11 +0000 Sandra Marco Colino Sandra Marco Colino The European Union (EU) is a bystander in the Iran war, but it might end up sustaining significant collateral damage. On one hand, public opinion across Europe is opposed to a conflict that circumvents the core principles of international law. On the other, the continent remains deeply reliant on the United States for its energy and security needs. A definitive anti-war stance risks alienating President Donald Trump, leaving Europe strategically exposed. Talk about being caught between a rock... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3347867/europes-response-iran-war-risks-becoming-its-darkest-hour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3347867/europes-response-iran-war-risks-becoming-its-darkest-hour?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Singapore has seized over 830kg (1,800 lbs) of Asian pangolin scales hidden in a shipment bound for Cambodia, authorities said on Saturday, calling it the largest haul of its kind discovered in the city state. Falsely declared as “dried fish skin”, the scales – estimated to be from more than 2,200 pangolins – were found in 30 bags on December 29 after officials intercepted an inbound truck carrying sea cargo, Singapore’s National Parks Board said in a statement. The announcement came as... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348253/singapore-seizes-record-asian-pangolin-scales-disguised-dried-fish-skin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348253/singapore-seizes-record-asian-pangolin-scales-disguised-dried-fish-skin?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 09:59:47 +0000 Anthony Rowley Anthony Rowley The law of unintended consequences, a theory popularised by American sociologist Robert K Merton, has rarely been more applicable to any situation than to US President Donald Trump’s war with Iran. Those consequences will be far greater than generally imagined. Their impact will fall heavily on Asia, the world’s most energy-import-dependent region and will almost certainly hurt US ally Japan more than it will the US’ main rival, China. Indeed, China may even emerge from the crisis with an... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3348014/asia-worst-effects-trumps-war-iran-are-yet-come?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3348014/asia-worst-effects-trumps-war-iran-are-yet-come?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan As US President Donald Trump heads to a delayed, high-stakes mid-May summit with President Xi Jinping in Beijing, he is already claiming victory, touting on Friday past trade talks with Xi as a win for American farmers, a crucial electoral bloc battered by his tariffs and the ongoing war with Iran. “Thanks to our trade deals, you’re now sending over US$40 billion in American soybeans to China,” Trump said on Friday, telling farmers and ranchers at the White House he personally secured the... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348219/trump-pitches-china-trade-win-us-farmers-ahead-xi-meeting-midterms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348219/trump-pitches-china-trade-win-us-farmers-ahead-xi-meeting-midterms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 22:21:27 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick China denied on Friday that it had intensified inspections of Panama-flagged vessels in retaliation for Panama’s decision to strip a Hong Kong-based conglomerate of port concessions at both ends of the Panama Canal, accusing Washington of seeking to seize control of the strategic waterway. During the daily press briefing at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, spokesman Lin Jian charged that the US had made “repeated wrongful allegations” about the inspections that exposed... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348217/china-denies-retaliating-against-panama-ships-accuses-washington-canal-grab?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348217/china-denies-retaliating-against-panama-ships-accuses-washington-canal-grab?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 20:09:58 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Shandong Airlines, a subsidiary of flagship carrier Air China, has announced plans to lease 10 Boeing 737 aircraft, signalling China’s continued demand for the American jets as it looks to refresh an ageing fleet. The airline will pay a total fee of 2.88 billion yuan (US$405 million), with the aircraft to be delivered in batches over the coming two years, according to a notice Air China issued to the Shanghai Stock Exchange on Thursday. The deals include 10-year leases for three Boeing 737-800... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348170/air-china-subsidiary-lease-10-boeing-jets-deals-worth-about-us400-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348170/air-china-subsidiary-lease-10-boeing-jets-deals-worth-about-us400-million?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:00:09 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi The havoc unleashed on global shipping by the US-Israel war on Iran has underlined China’s urgent need to fix its lack of a robust maritime insurance industry, a shipping expert has said. “In the maritime shipping sector, China’s industrial chain for ‘hardware’ is very well-established and mature,” said Chen Jihong, director of the Shenzhen International Maritime Research Institute. “However, when it comes to ‘software’, we are still constrained by others, and it will be difficult to change any... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348096/iran-war-shows-chinas-urgent-need-plug-maritime-insurance-gap-expert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348096/iran-war-shows-chinas-urgent-need-plug-maritime-insurance-gap-expert?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 09:00:08 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell In these turbulent times, focusing on the World Trade Organization’s 14th ministerial conference (MC14) in Yaounde, Cameroon, is a bit like trying to focus on a picnic sitting alongside a bar brawl, or listening to a lesson in pruning bonsai while a lumberjack takes a chainsaw to a giant redwood. But try we must. Even if the deliverables are meagre and may take years to materialise, the symbolism of Yaounde points to a possible future very different from today’s chaotic hegemonic unilateralism –... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3348028/wto-meeting-cameroon-signals-rise-world-minus-one-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3348028/wto-meeting-cameroon-signals-rise-world-minus-one-order?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham After eight years in the deep freeze, the European Parliament is sending an official delegation to China next week in the clearest sign yet that Beijing’s targeted lobbying blitz of its members is paying off. Seven members from the parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) will travel to Beijing and Shanghai alongside Engin Eroglu, head of its China delegation. They will meet officials, customs and port authorities, lawmakers and companies, including Shein and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348098/european-parliament-heads-china-after-8-years-members-say-its-no-sign-giving?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348098/european-parliament-heads-china-after-8-years-members-say-its-no-sign-giving?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 05:55:21 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick China warned Mexico on Thursday it could impose retaliatory measures after concluding a formal investigation into tariffs Mexico imposed on more than 1,400 categories of Asian goods, in a dispute that threatens to complicate Mexico City’s parallel negotiations to renew its trade agreement with the United States. China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said the tariffs, which range from 5 to 50 per cent on 1,463 product categories in force since January 1, restrict the entry of Chinese goods,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3348054/china-threatens-mexico-trade-reprisals-over-50-import-duties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3348054/china-threatens-mexico-trade-reprisals-over-50-import-duties?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 19:04:39 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow A visit by a top American official to India this week has raised expectations that bilateral defence ties are getting “back on track” amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. But analysts warn that both sides are unlikely to reach full agreement on New Delhi’s energy and security concerns, while the US-Israeli war against Iran could unsettle the relationship. Speaking in New Delhi on Wednesday, US Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby said India would play a central role in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347980/india-and-us-seek-reset-defence-ties-iran-war-threatens-be-wild-card?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347980/india-and-us-seek-reset-defence-ties-iran-war-threatens-be-wild-card?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:07:43 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China is urging companies to release their fertiliser reserves in time for the crucial spring planting season, as the US-Israel war on Iran strains supplies of key raw materials to the world’s largest grain producer. Beijing is also expected to keep export restrictions on some fertiliser ingredients in place beyond the spring, as it strives to ensure Chinese farmers retain uninterrupted access to vital agrichemicals at reasonable prices despite the Middle East conflict. Tehran’s effective... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347964/china-rushes-stabilise-fertiliser-market-iran-war-chokes-imports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347964/china-rushes-stabilise-fertiliser-market-iran-war-chokes-imports?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 07:00:08 +0000 Fan Hou Fan Hou - https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3347946/evs-lead-chinas-going-global-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3347946/evs-lead-chinas-going-global-push?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 05:01:34 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Beijing’s long-standing geopolitical playbook – stay in your lane, avoid military entanglement, prepare exhaustively and issue bland “win-win” statements about the UN charter and calls to talk not fight – could see China emerge favourably from the Iran war, said economists, analysts and former US officials, as the conflict enters its fourth week with little end in sight and the US barrelling ahead. “People always say that China doesn’t understand the Mideast,” said Jeremy Chan, senior analyst... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347827/why-chinas-strategy-stay-out-iran-war-working-and-crisis-may-spur-opportunity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347827/why-chinas-strategy-stay-out-iran-war-working-and-crisis-may-spur-opportunity?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 22:00:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Mark Magnier Khushboo Razdan,Mark Magnier After weeks of speculation and behind-the-scenes intrigue over the delayed summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, the White House announced on Wednesday new dates for the long-anticipated, high-stakes meeting. “I’m pleased to announce that President Trump’s … long-awaited meeting with President Xi in China will now take place in Beijing on May 14 and 15,” White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said. In a social media post, Trump described Xi as “the highly respected... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347914/xi-trump-summit-white-house-locks-new-dates-may?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347914/xi-trump-summit-white-house-locks-new-dates-may?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 18:46:14 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China has accused Mexico of imposing trade and investment barriers through tariff hikes on its goods, a sign the friction between the two trading partners – fuelled by escalating pressure from Washington under US President Donald Trump – is continuing to build. The Ministry of Commerce announced on Wednesday that the Mexican government’s measures to raise tariffs on imports from countries not party to its free trade agreements constitute a breach of trade rules. The move primarily affects... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3347881/china-says-mexicos-tariff-hikes-constitute-trade-barriers-after-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3347881/china-says-mexicos-tariff-hikes-constitute-trade-barriers-after-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 13:00:08 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao For much of the post-war era, the architecture of global governance rested on the simple assumption that the United States would support the systems it largely designed and uphold the rules it helped to create. The first Trump administration was no isolated incident. Now, from the vantage point of 2026, amid the US-Israel attack on Iran and the subsequent closing of the Strait of Hormuz, it is quite clear that there is little sign of an appetite in Washington for the US to once again safeguard... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3346975/middle-powers-are-taking-mantle-multilateral-leadership?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3346975/middle-powers-are-taking-mantle-multilateral-leadership?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:30:07 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong and Hainan should forge a strong partnership and explore new models of cooperation, the city’s leader has said, urging the business sector to capitalise on the mainland Chinese province’s free-trade port status by offering professional services in areas such as finance, law and accounting. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s call followed a meeting with Feng Fei, the Communist Party secretary of the Hainan provincial committee, on the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia annual... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347807/hong-kong-hainan-can-forge-strong-partnership-build-strengths-john-lee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347807/hong-kong-hainan-can-forge-strong-partnership-build-strengths-john-lee?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:36:42 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat The disruption to shipping traffic along the Strait of Hormuz is starting to bite in China, where some manufacturers are reducing production due to soaring energy, raw material and freight costs. Zhao, who runs a bicycle factory in Guangzhou serving clients in the United States, Middle East and Europe, has already put most export business on hold. “We also cancelled all orders from Iran,” he said. “The cost of aluminium, a key raw material for bicycle production, has risen by 30 per... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347808/chinas-consumer-goods-factories-cut-output-iran-war-sends-costs-soaring?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347808/chinas-consumer-goods-factories-cut-output-iran-war-sends-costs-soaring?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:23:59 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen There is little chance the US could bring China to the table on any nuclear arms control agreements in the short term, despite upcoming leaders’ meetings this year, experts said on Tuesday, as the Trump administration pushes for a trilateral deal including China after the previous US-Russia treaty expired last month. There is “no shortage of good ideas” for how the upcoming summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could move the world towards ending a nuclear... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347775/us-unlikely-get-china-join-new-nuclear-arms-control-agreement-say-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347775/us-unlikely-get-china-join-new-nuclear-arms-control-agreement-say-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 23:02:23 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin Washington’s China policy lacks strategy, coherence and a clear framework in US President Donald Trump’s second term, mirroring his first, according to a former senior official in the Joe Biden administration. Former Biden officials, speaking at a Carnegie Endowment for International Peace event on Tuesday, said there was little evidence of systemic policy when they assumed power in early 2021, after Trump’s first term, a pattern that appeared to be repeating itself. “There were themes about how... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3347772/trumps-china-policy-lacks-strategy-and-coherence-former-biden-officials?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3347772/trumps-china-policy-lacks-strategy-and-coherence-former-biden-officials?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 22:00:13 +0000 Nong Hong Nong Hong Gulf exporters are scrambling to bypass the Strait of Hormuz after Iran choked off most of the maritime traffic in one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates rushed to divert exports through overland pipelines; officials warned that even naval escorts could not guarantee safe passage. About a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade passed through this narrow waterway. The immediate shock was felt in the Gulf. The strategic... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3347190/conflict-middle-east-boosting-value-arctic-windfall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3347190/conflict-middle-east-boosting-value-arctic-windfall?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo Global trade flows are facing severe disruption amid the US-Israel war on Iran and unpredictable tariff policies. But logistics giant DHL still expects its revenues to soar in the coming years thanks in large part to Chinese companies’ rising global ambitions. The resilience of China’s outbound trade is a major reason DHL has maintained such an ambitious growth target even amid the Middle East crisis and constantly changing trade barriers, according to Oscar de Bok, CEO of the firm’s global... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347709/why-dhl-betting-rising-chinese-exports-even-war-and-tariff-risks-grow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347709/why-dhl-betting-rising-chinese-exports-even-war-and-tariff-risks-grow?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 12:00:07 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen The deepening Strait of Hormuz crisis amid the war in the Middle East is choking the critical flow of not just oil but also fertilisers and perishable goods, and the Global South may face worsening food scarcity, warned the chief of a leading international business organisation. “We’re seeing the impact play out on fertilisers. A lot of people are not fully aware of the importance of the trade, particularly the shipment [of fertilisers] through the Strait of Hormuz and access,” said John Denton,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347666/global-south-bare-brunt-strait-hormuz-crisis-amid-worsening-food-scarcity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347666/global-south-bare-brunt-strait-hormuz-crisis-amid-worsening-food-scarcity?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 05:59:42 +0000 Haining Gao Haining Gao – https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3347653/china-starts-going-global-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3347653/china-starts-going-global-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 02:31:36 +0000