https://www.scmp.com/rss/505242/feed China is the world’s largest manufacturer in terms of output and gained a reputation as the “world’s factory” shortly after its accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2001. Lured by cheap labour, China’s new commitment to opening up its economy, and low tariff access to Western markets, all due to its WTO entry, foreign firms and investors rushed to do business in the world’s most populous country in the new millennium. Aided by state investment, China has since become a world leader... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Tesla China has launched a new financing scheme to attract more budget-conscious buyers after its sales in the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) market fell behind its domestic rivals. The US carmaker said on Wednesday that the down payment for a Shanghai-made Model 3 vehicle – priced at 235,500 yuan (US$34,672) – would be slashed to 55,900 yuan from 79,900 yuan if the buyer chose a five-year car loan offered by Tesla. “Our strong products, combined with attractive incentives for car... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3353446/tesla-lures-budget-conscious-chinese-buyers-cheap-loans-ahead-state-visit-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3353446/tesla-lures-budget-conscious-chinese-buyers-cheap-loans-ahead-state-visit-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 10:44:52 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li Some European companies operating in China are shifting more production to the country as part of broader supply chain adjustments in response to the US-Israeli war on Iran, according to a new survey by the EU Chamber of Commerce in China. The flash survey of European companies found that more than a quarter of firms had adjusted their supply chain strategies in China following the Middle East conflict, as higher energy and logistics costs weigh on operations. Six in 10 chemicals and petroleum... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353423/european-firms-china-rethink-supply-chains-iran-war-drives-costs-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353423/european-firms-china-rethink-supply-chains-iran-war-drives-costs-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 10:30:06 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat As trade wars and deadly conflicts expose Asia’s vulnerability to geopolitical shocks, Chinese policymakers and advisers are warning of an “urgent need” for the world’s biggest trading bloc to reshape regional energy and manufacturing supply chains. Members of the Beijing-backed Asia-Pacific framework must reduce their reliance on vulnerable shipping routes and use the certainty of collaboration to offset growing geopolitical uncertainty, the experts urged at a forum in China’s southern island... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353401/reshaping-rcep-china-advisers-urge-trade-overhaul-shield-bloc-global-shocks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353401/reshaping-rcep-china-advisers-urge-trade-overhaul-shield-bloc-global-shocks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 07:11:11 +0000 Sylvia Ma,Ann Cao Sylvia Ma,Ann Cao When US President Donald Trump’s delegation touches down in Beijing on Wednesday night, he looks to be flanked by a cadre of corporate executives, headlined by a man seen by much of the Chinese public as the most familiar American entrepreneur of his generation: Elon Musk. The Tesla and SpaceX chief’s presence alongside Trump for meetings with President Xi Jinping adds a distinctive commercial and personal layer to a diplomatically delicate trip. “Musk’s inclusion in Trump’s China delegation has... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353293/elon-musk-joins-trumps-beijing-delegation-natural-bridge-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353293/elon-musk-joins-trumps-beijing-delegation-natural-bridge-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 13:30:07 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China’s shipyards have mounted an astonishing comeback after facing down US efforts to curb their dominance last year, as they saw orders for new vessels nearly double in the first quarter of 2026. Chinese shipbuilders received 59.53 million deadweight tonnes in new orders during the first three months of the year, a staggering 195.2 per cent increase compared with the same period last year, according to data released by the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry on... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3353147/china-tightens-its-grip-global-shipbuilding-grabbing-85-new-orders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3353147/china-tightens-its-grip-global-shipbuilding-grabbing-85-new-orders?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 14:30:06 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren The pace of electrification on western Europe’s roads is likely to fire up sales of Chinese-developed smart cars, where they could command a 20 per cent share of the regional market in 2028 at the expense of local peers, according to a JPMorgan forecast. Chinese carmakers from BYD, the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) builder, to Stallentis-backed Leapmotor, were expected to deliver 2.5 million cars to customers in countries like Germany, Italy, France and the United Kingdom in 2028, a... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3353170/chinese-smart-cars-set-control-20-western-european-market-2028-jpmorgan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3353170/chinese-smart-cars-set-control-20-western-european-market-2028-jpmorgan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 11:56:52 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will meet for trade talks in Seoul on Wednesday, probably to iron out final details before a presidential summit in Beijing the following day. The discussions would focus on “economic and trade issues of mutual concern”, China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Sunday. The country also confirmed that US President Donald Trump will make a state visit from Wednesday to Friday, the first by a US president in almost nine years. Trump... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3353144/china-readies-trump-visit-amid-rebound-trade-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3353144/china-readies-trump-visit-amid-rebound-trade-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 09:03:07 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng A major benchmark of China’s factory-gate prices continued to rise last month, as the energy shock linked to the US-Israel war on Iran weighs on producers in the world’s second-largest economy. After returning to growth for the first time in more than three years the month before, the producer price index (PPI) recorded a higher-than-expected year-on-year increase of 2.8 per cent in April, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). This followed March’s 0.5 per cent year-on-year... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3353089/chinas-producer-consumer-inflation-april-iran-war-pressures-persist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3353089/chinas-producer-consumer-inflation-april-iran-war-pressures-persist?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 03:54:15 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Six-seat premium electric sport utility vehicles (SUVs) are emerging as an unlikely game changer in China’s automotive market, with more than a dozen new locally developed models set to challenge German luxury brands this year. The spacious vehicles, increasingly popular among wealthy families in mainland China, could drive a rebound in the world’s largest car and electric vehicle (EV) market as they combined Chinese EVs’ technological edge with competitive pricing, according to Morgan... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3353028/chinese-6-seat-electric-suvs-stand-out-amid-weak-domestic-sales-says-morgan-stanley?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3353028/chinese-6-seat-electric-suvs-stand-out-amid-weak-domestic-sales-says-morgan-stanley?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 23:00:10 +0000 Tony Zhao Tony Zhao China may finally have a chance to loosen the grip of deflation. Yet, the more important question is whether it can do so without making households feel poorer first. The latest producer price index (PPI), which measures the prices factories charge, brings that possibility back into serious debate. China’s March PPI rose by 0.5 per cent year on year, ending 41 months of decline; it was up 1 per cent from February. After years of weak prices, cautious household spending and squeezed corporate... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352619/can-china-engineer-price-recovery-doesnt-make-people-feel-poorer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352619/can-china-engineer-price-recovery-doesnt-make-people-feel-poorer?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 08:30:04 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen China’s flagship civilian aircraft maker is planning to upgrade the cabin capacity of its C919 narrowbody airliner to improve passenger experience and boost the plane’s chances of challenging the Boeing-Airbus duopoly, a source with knowledge of the plans said. Bigger overhead luggage compartments and drip-proof air conditioning outlets are among the design upgrades being sketched out by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac). “Comac has realised it must make passengers as... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352901/chinas-comac-looking-upgrade-c919-flying-experience-more-cabin-luggage-capacity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352901/chinas-comac-looking-upgrade-c919-flying-experience-more-cabin-luggage-capacity?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 08:00:12 +0000 Yeon Woo Lee Yeon Woo Lee China wants artificial intelligence to become a new engine of growth, powering everything from factory upgrades to scientific discovery. But outside the country’s technology hubs, the economic benefits promised by AI may be harder to realise. Recent studies suggest that AI will widen regional divides. Big cities with deep pools of talent, capital and innovative firms are best placed to adopt the technology, while smaller cities and rural areas may struggle to keep up. According to analysts, the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352918/chinas-ai-drive-seen-widening-wealth-gap-testing-common-prosperity-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352918/chinas-ai-drive-seen-widening-wealth-gap-testing-common-prosperity-push?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Huaqiangbei, home to the world’s largest electronics marketplace in southern China’s tech hub Shenzhen, is reinventing itself as the world’s artificial intelligence showroom, drawing back foreign traders and tourists hunting for the latest gadgets. For first-time visitors like Abigail Slagveer from Rotterdam, the Netherlands, the sheer scale of Huaqiangbei’s electronics market is overwhelming. “I came here one and a half hours ago through that front door,” she said, pointing to an entrance just... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3352938/chinas-huaqiangbei-bets-ai-innovations-revive-global-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3352938/chinas-huaqiangbei-bets-ai-innovations-revive-global-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 May 2026 07:00:05 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier US President Donald Trump filed an appeal on Friday after the latest legal setback to his signature tariff policy, piling on more chaos and global uncertainty and setting up a new tussle over billions of US dollars in refunds. The appeal follows a decision on Thursday by the US Court of International Trade that invalidated his use of a Section 122 trade provision that saw him slap 10 per cent import taxes on nearly every country on earth. In its ruling, the court found that he failed to meet the... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3352965/trump-appeals-latest-court-loss-tariffs-chaos-and-uncertainty-amp?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3352965/trump-appeals-latest-court-loss-tariffs-chaos-and-uncertainty-amp?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 22:29:53 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Leapmotor, one of China’s strongest-performing electric vehicle (EV) makers this year, has taken a major step towards building cars locally for European customers after agreeing with shareholder Stellantis to add a line at a Spanish plant previously earmarked for Opel. The Hangzhou-based company and Stellantis, owner of Peugeot, Fiat and Jeep, would jointly build Opel’s new fully electric C-sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and B10 models at the Figueruelas plant in Zaragoza, according to a... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3352948/chinese-ev-maker-leapmotor-taps-stellantis-spanish-plant-eu-production?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3352948/chinese-ev-maker-leapmotor-taps-stellantis-spanish-plant-eu-production?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 13:40:59 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Chipmaking giant Nvidia’s deepening partnership with US fibre optics maker Corning to replace copper links in next-generation rack-scale artificial intelligence systems is shining a spotlight on mainland China’s optical communications supply chain. The domestic optical value chain is also doubling down on AI scenarios, emerging as the global bedrock for the high-capacity components required to power AI infrastructure. “The global optical fibre and cable market had entered a period of both rising... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3352907/how-nvidias-corning-pact-shines-light-chinas-dominant-role-global-fibre-supply?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3352907/how-nvidias-corning-pact-shines-light-chinas-dominant-role-global-fibre-supply?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 13:00:06 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China’s rapid technological gains and aggressive pricing are making it increasingly difficult for South Korean firms to find profitable areas of industrial synergy with their Chinese counterparts, according to experts. Speakers at a recent forum in Beijing urged firms from both countries to pivot towards building more interdependent ecosystems in high-growth sectors such as batteries and artificial intelligence, while also calling for the advancement of negotiations towards an upgraded... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3352913/how-chinas-sharper-tech-edge-forces-south-korea-rethink-decades-industrial-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3352913/how-chinas-sharper-tech-edge-forces-south-korea-rethink-decades-industrial-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 10:30:13 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s nascent electric vehicle market may be decimated before it gets up to speed, as business experts warn of a sharp drop in demand and delay in the renewable energy transition if the government imposes strict price curbs on imported units from July, in a move to protect the country’s vehicle makers. The ministry of investment, trade and industry (Miti) on Wednesday announced that from July 1, it will only allow the sale of imported EVs that have a cost, insurance and freight (CIF) value... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3352893/malaysias-ev-import-curbs-protect-local-car-sector-criticised-inconsistency?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3352893/malaysias-ev-import-curbs-protect-local-car-sector-criticised-inconsistency?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 09:15:32 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow US President Donald Trump will bring a scaled-back group of chief executive officers with him on a trip to Beijing next week, reflecting limited expectations for a summit that may be overshadowed by the war on Iran. The White House considered inviting about a dozen business leaders on the May 14-15 trip, compared with the 29 high-profile executives on Trump’s last visit in 2017, Reuters said, citing unidentified people briefed on preparations. Nvidia, Apple and Boeing are among the companies... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352886/trumps-beijing-trip-iran-war-diplomacy-tech-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352886/trumps-beijing-trip-iran-war-diplomacy-tech-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 09:00:11 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu As the world held its breath over the fate of the Middle East this week, France has been gripped by a very different story: a scandal over a chewy rubber giraffe. Sophie la Girafe, the country’s national toy, has long been a symbol of “made in France” craftsmanship, sold as a gift to newborns across the country. But this week, it was revealed the beloved toy has secretly been manufactured in China for the past decade. Vulli, the company behind the toy, quietly began moving production to China as... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3352872/fury-france-national-toy-revealed-be-secretly-made-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3352872/fury-france-national-toy-revealed-be-secretly-made-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 07:56:14 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Tesla’s Shanghai factory reported a big year-on-year rise in deliveries last month as it benefited from local governments’ subsidies and increasing interest in electric vehicles (EVs) amid the global energy shock. The US carmaker said in a statement that the so-called Gigafactory delivered 74,478 units in April, up 36 per cent from the same period in 2025. The number comprises sales in mainland China and exports to overseas markets. However, on a month-to-month basis the factory’s sales in April... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3352856/tesla-china-posts-36-sales-rise-local-rivals-new-models-nip-heels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3352856/tesla-china-posts-36-sales-rise-local-rivals-new-models-nip-heels?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 06:34:44 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China’s rapidly growing low-altitude economy has reached a new milestone, with the first four domestically trained commercial airship pilots receiving their licences – a step officials believe could help address a critical talent shortage in the sector. Issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the licences “signify a breakthrough that addresses the vacuum”, the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) said in a statement this week. AVIC said the achievement... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352833/china-marks-milestone-first-home-certified-airship-pilots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352833/china-marks-milestone-first-home-certified-airship-pilots?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 03:00:31 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma China is poised to leverage the humanoid and robotics market to consolidate its dominance over global manufacturing – a move that echoes its decade-long rise to the top of the electric vehicle (EV) sector, according to a new report. “Looking ahead, humanoids and robots will be the next key driver of China’s export machinery over the coming 5 to 10 years,” analysts from Morgan Stanley said in a note. “Indeed, we see parallels between the development of the humanoids and robots industry and that... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3352781/humanoids-robots-drive-next-chapter-chinas-manufacturing-dominance-morgan-stanley?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3352781/humanoids-robots-drive-next-chapter-chinas-manufacturing-dominance-morgan-stanley?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 01:11:22 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told US President Donald Trump on Thursday that his country’s rare earth reserves are open to investment from China and any other nation willing to process the minerals on Brazilian soil, resisting pressure to side with Washington in its contest with Beijing over critical mineral supply chains. “We have no preference. What we want is to share with whoever wants to invest in Brazil,” Lula said at a press conference at the Brazilian embassy in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352824/lula-wont-sideline-china-or-anyone-rare-earths-tells-trump-refining-stays-brazil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352824/lula-wont-sideline-china-or-anyone-rare-earths-tells-trump-refining-stays-brazil?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 23:01:58 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Beijing’s tighter oversight of vicious price competition in the automotive sector is expected to increase borrowing pressure on mainland carmakers and accelerate the exit of weaker, debt-laden players amid softening consumer demand, according to S&P Global Ratings. The warning is likely to deepen bearish sentiment surrounding mainland China’s more than 100 car assemblers, many of which have been at the forefront of global electric vehicle (EV) technology and production. “Financially fragile... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3352760/chinas-move-cut-ev-payment-cycles-may-push-weaker-carmakers-out-sp?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3352760/chinas-move-cut-ev-payment-cycles-may-push-weaker-carmakers-out-sp?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 23:00:11 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado The Trump administration has expanded its pressure campaign against Cuba into the critical minerals sector, sanctioning a nickel joint venture tied to Canadian miner Sherritt International in a move that could reverberate through China-linked battery supply chains. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions on Thursday against Moa Nickel SA, a joint venture between Sherritt and Cuba’s state-owned General Nickel Company, as part of a broader effort targeting Havana’s military-controlled... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352815/us-targets-cuba-nickel-operation-move-implications-china-linked-supply-chains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352815/us-targets-cuba-nickel-operation-move-implications-china-linked-supply-chains?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 18:15:08 +0000 Dominik Mierzejewski Dominik Mierzejewski As Beijing increasingly sees the country as a chessboard, the central government is no longer simply asking every province to grow faster; it wants them to grow differently. Reporting on the end of the 14th five-year plan and preparation for the 15th five-year plan frames provinces and cities as specialised implementation units, reflecting a territorial division of labour. The central government wants provinces to find their rightful place in national development and act in accordance with their... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352501/why-beijing-wants-provinces-find-their-own-productive-forces?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352501/why-beijing-wants-provinces-find-their-own-productive-forces?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 12:30:05 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The EU’s outgoing top trade official used her departing appearance at the European Parliament to pour cold water on the prospect of an investment deal with China, hinting instead that new weapons for dealing with Chinese “macroeconomic imbalances” could be on the way. Sabine Weyand, who is leaving her role as the EU’s director general for trade after a seven-year tenure, said the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment – signed in the last days of 2020 but frozen soon after in a row over human... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352714/china-eu-investment-deal-should-stay-deep-freezer-warns-outgoing-trade-chief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352714/china-eu-investment-deal-should-stay-deep-freezer-warns-outgoing-trade-chief?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 06:35:20 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Profit trajectories between automotive assemblers and electric vehicle (EV) battery producers in China are set to diverge further due to lacklustre car sales and buoyant demand for energy-storage systems. Leading players, including China’s EV battery king Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL), would continue to attract buying interest in their shares, spurred by improved profitability, according to analysts. They added that flat vehicle prices, coupled with a dip in new car sales, had... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3352561/falling-sales-widen-profit-gap-between-chinas-ev-makers-and-battery-suppliers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3352561/falling-sales-widen-profit-gap-between-chinas-ev-makers-and-battery-suppliers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 01:00:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Stellar economic development can exact a price in industrial accidents, as China found in its very high-growth years. Since then, one of its less noticed achievements – alongside lifting hundreds of millions out of extreme poverty – is to have also made mines and factories safer for those who work in them. As a result, reports of deaths and injuries in major workplace accidents are no longer so commonplace. Sadly, they continue to happen – everywhere, including Hong Kong. Reminders can still be... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3352605/china-fireworks-factory-blast-sharpens-focus-workplace-safety?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3352605/china-fireworks-factory-blast-sharpens-focus-workplace-safety?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 23:15:07 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng While the world’s largest memory-chip makers are reaping record profits from the artificial intelligence boom, traders in Shenzhen’s Huaqiangbei electronics market are being left to deal with the fallout of a speculative frenzy that has sharply reversed, wiping out much of the value of their inventories since late 2025. “The market surge last year became so frantic that everyone from shoemakers to fishmongers piled into memory-chip speculation,” a trader surnamed Liu said from his cramped stall... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3352642/after-frenzy-fallout-why-chips-are-down-shenzhens-tech-traders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3352642/after-frenzy-fallout-why-chips-are-down-shenzhens-tech-traders?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 13:00:13 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma The European Commission is working on a new trade weapon as the continent struggles to contend with a flood of low-cost imports from China. The tool may be presented at a May 29 gathering of the European Union’s executive branch, the South China Morning Post reported on Tuesday. Plans for a China-focused meeting were delayed from last month after the US-Israeli war on Iran prompted a new agenda focused on energy prices. It’s not clear what form the instrument will take. Business groups have been... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3352604/europe-readies-trade-war-weapon-amid-china-export-deluge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3352604/europe-readies-trade-war-weapon-amid-china-export-deluge?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 09:02:57 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu The European Union’s push to bar Chinese suppliers from its critical infrastructure under a proposed new Cybersecurity Act would cost the bloc a jaw-dropping €367.8 billion (US$431.4 billion) over the next five years, a new study has warned. The law’s vast price tag comes from the need to rip out and replace huge amounts of Chinese hardware – a task that alone could cost €146.2 billion – with other losses stemming from resource reallocation, service disruptions, employment adjustments and legal... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352610/eu-cyber-plan-barring-chinese-suppliers-will-cost-us430-billion-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352610/eu-cyber-plan-barring-chinese-suppliers-will-cost-us430-billion-report?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 08:59:46 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao In China, computing facilities have emerged as a new form of infrastructure over the past two years, sparking an arms race among cities and technology companies to build 10,000-card computing clusters. These clusters – which link 10,000 or more artificial intelligence accelerator chips – enable faster iteration of AI capabilities and significantly reduce model training times. Domestic champions, from tech giants such as Huawei Technologies and Alibaba Group Holding to graphics processing unit... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3352200/supersized-and-scaling-china-pushes-10000-card-computing-clusters-ai-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3352200/supersized-and-scaling-china-pushes-10000-card-computing-clusters-ai-race?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 15:00:08 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat On a Monday morning, Li Hangyan hurried through the doors of her shop, just as she does every day. Lately, however, the pace of work has picked up as a growing stream of customers arrives with questions about orders ahead of the 2026 Fifa World Cup. In Yiwu, a city in eastern China’s Zhejiang province about 300km (186 miles) from Shanghai and home to the world’s largest wholesale market for small commodities, foreign buyers from across the globe are once again gathering to source goods. At Li’s... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352306/how-chinese-city-netting-profits-amid-world-cup-fever?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352306/how-chinese-city-netting-profits-amid-world-cup-fever?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 13:00:06 +0000 Yeon Woo Lee Yeon Woo Lee Samsung Electronics’ surprise leadership reshuffle in its TV division points to a strategic pivot away from a hardware-led model, analysts have said, as intensifying competition from Chinese rivals pushes the company to rethink how it generates revenue beyond television sales. The South Korean tech giant on Monday appointed Lee Won-jin, former head of its global marketing office, to lead the visual display business. Samsung said Lee was “expected to spearhead business turnarounds and identify... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3352511/samsung-reshuffle-signals-shift-beyond-hardware-china-rivalry-intensifies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3352511/samsung-reshuffle-signals-shift-beyond-hardware-china-rivalry-intensifies?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 10:29:35 +0000 Matt Terrell Matt Terrell When it comes to artificial intelligence, the United States still dominates the headlines – and, by most conventional measures, the technology itself. American institutions continue to produce a large share of high-impact AI research, and private investment reached over US$109 billion in 2024, nearly 12 times China’s total, according to the Stanford Institute for Human-Centred AI. At the same time, the economics of AI are rapidly improving. Training and deployment costs have fallen dramatically... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352235/america-builds-ai-china-uses-it-gap-may-decide-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352235/america-builds-ai-china-uses-it-gap-may-decide-future?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen A desk with a laptop and a stack of books. A shirt waiting to be folded. A kitchen counter, a milk-tea stand and pile of building blocks – all in a single room. Robots of different shapes face their tasks with focus, controlled by a human operator. Pick up. Place. Fold. Repeat. This is not a film set, it is a data collection factory for embodied intelligence – a de facto “data foundry”. The facility, in Shanghai’s Zhangjiang hi-tech zone, is run by Agibot, a fast-rising robotics company. The... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3351817/hype-or-real-cash-flow-chinas-robot-boom-faces-reality-check-commercialisation-lags?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3351817/hype-or-real-cash-flow-chinas-robot-boom-faces-reality-check-commercialisation-lags?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 03:00:06 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Finbarr Bermingham Xiaofei Xu,Finbarr Bermingham The EU has taken its most direct step yet to cut Chinese clean energy hardware out of publicly funded projects, banning Chinese inverters from all EU-funded schemes in a move Brussels described as the first in a series of actions targeting high-risk suppliers. “We decided we will take concrete action right now … that has included developing guidance on restricting the use of EU funds for projects involving inverters from high-risk suppliers,” European Commission spokeswoman Siobhan McGarry said... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352435/brussels-bans-chinese-inverters-eu-funded-power-projects-connected-european-grid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352435/brussels-bans-chinese-inverters-eu-funded-power-projects-connected-european-grid?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 02:57:16 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick China’s top diplomat on the US-Mexico border denounced protectionism as a dead end at the weekend, delivering a pointed defence of open trade just weeks before Mexico, the United States and Canada sit down to review the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that governs North American commerce. Consul General Fu Xinrong told a business gathering in Tijuana that unilateralism benefits no one and called on nations to build economic ties based on sovereignty and mutual respect rather than... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352418/chinas-consul-tijuana-calls-protectionism-dead-end-trade-tensions-us-escalate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352418/chinas-consul-tijuana-calls-protectionism-dead-end-trade-tensions-us-escalate?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 19:40:46 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen China’s top tech hub, Shenzhen, saw retail sales grow by just 0.5 per cent year on year in the first quarter after reporting gross domestic product growth of 5.8 per cent for the same period, casting a spotlight on its unbalanced development as mortgage and living costs weigh heavily on residents’ sentiment. A policy analyst said the city, in southern China’s Guangdong province, could have already seen retail sales decline if not for the rising number of bargain-hunters from Hong Kong crossing... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352367/shenzhens-retail-sales-flatline-export-boom-fails-benefit-residents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352367/shenzhens-retail-sales-flatline-export-boom-fails-benefit-residents?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 14:00:09 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings US technology companies should stay in China, despite persistent political pressure for their exit, to capitalise on revenue potential and stifle local competition while monitoring consumer trends, according to a Washington-based policy think tank. Sales generated by American firms within China can be reinvested in research and development back in the United States, thereby helping “sustain US innovation leadership”, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) said in a new... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3352371/us-tech-can-use-china-listening-post-global-edge-washington-think-tank-explains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3352371/us-tech-can-use-china-listening-post-global-edge-washington-think-tank-explains?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 13:00:13 +0000 Nikola Mikovic Nikola Mikovic Amid the trade war with the United States, the last thing China needs is an economic confrontation with the European Union – Beijing’s major export destination. But with the EU seemingly determined to protect its market by introducing measures that many see as controversial, an economic stand-off appears inevitable. When European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen blamed China last June for showing an “unwillingness to live within the constraints of the rules-based international system”,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352160/made-europe-law-sets-stage-economic-showdown-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352160/made-europe-law-sets-stage-economic-showdown-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers – including BYD and Geely Automobile – saw their sales stabilise in April, as exports and new technologies continued to help offset weakening demand at home. BYD, the world’s largest EV manufacturer, sold 321,123 vehicles last month, a drop of more than 15 per cent compared to a year ago, according to its exchange filing on Sunday. However, compared with March, April’s sales figure was nearly 7 per cent higher, while the year-on-year decline was nearly five... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3352384/chinese-ev-sales-edge-higher-april-despite-weakening-domestic-demand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3352384/chinese-ev-sales-edge-higher-april-despite-weakening-domestic-demand?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 10:59:38 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng China’s smartphone and electronics supply chain is adapting its expertise to support the country’s fledgling but fast-growing humanoid robotics industry, as component suppliers seek new growth beyond a slowing mobile market. The sector received a glimpse of that crossover after Honor’s humanoid robot D1, a dark-horse entrant from the smartphone maker, won Beijing’s recent robot half-marathon, beating established Chinese robotics names such as Unitree. Honor entered the humanoid robotics sector... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3352212/phones-robots-chinas-supply-chain-eyes-next-growth-curve-humanoid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3352212/phones-robots-chinas-supply-chain-eyes-next-growth-curve-humanoid?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 04:00:17 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng The eight-year-old son of Guangzhou businessman Terry Fang recently arrived at a blunt conclusion: Chinese tech is “cool”. The boy’s impression was formed not in the classroom, or even online, but through repeated exposure to real-world industrial settings. Earlier this year, Fang took his children to a local low-altitude aviation company, where they watched electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft navigate and avoid obstacles in real time. For China’s urban middle class, hi-tech... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352023/how-chinas-industrial-tourism-boom-creating-new-generation-tech-savvy-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352023/how-chinas-industrial-tourism-boom-creating-new-generation-tech-savvy-children?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 03:00:14 +0000 Zongshuai Fan Zongshuai Fan Driven by intensifying competition in advanced manufacturing, the world is waking up to “China shock 2.0”. The first “shock”, associated with China’s accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001, focused on low-tech manufacturing. Of course, this latest “shock” isn’t framed as such by Chinese policymakers. They present it as an upgrade in export strength, often described as a shift from the “old three” of textiles, furniture and home appliances to the “new three” of electric vehicles,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3351863/beyond-subsidies-whats-really-driving-chinas-industrial-climb?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3351863/beyond-subsidies-whats-really-driving-chinas-industrial-climb?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 21:30:07 +0000 Daniel Ren,Themis Qi Daniel Ren,Themis Qi At the close of his presentation at this year’s Auto China show, Li Fenggang, president of Beijing Hyundai Motor, surprised the audience by asking them to lift LED boxes placed on their seats. “We’ll use this beam of light to kick off Hyundai’s new journey in China,” he said, raising the device stamped with the logo of Ioniq, the new brand the Korean carmaker has just launched in mainland China. After years of lacklustre performance in the country, Hyundai was preparing to regain lost ground by... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3352094/comeback-trail-can-foreign-marques-regain-lost-ground-amid-chinas-ev-revolution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3352094/comeback-trail-can-foreign-marques-regain-lost-ground-amid-chinas-ev-revolution?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 03:00:08 +0000 Daniel Ren,Ben Jiang Daniel Ren,Ben Jiang China’s latest electric vehicle (EV) innovations – from ultra-fast battery charging to headlights capable of projecting films – have drawn strong attention at Beijing’s Auto China show, underscoring how the country’s automotive technology is pulling ahead of global rivals. As domestic carmakers and key suppliers recast vehicles as “mobile living spaces” powered by artificial intelligence and digital systems, they are increasingly looking beyond the mainland to drive export growth. “We are... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3352100/lights-camera-traction-film-projecting-headlights-steer-chinas-ev-feature-fight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3352100/lights-camera-traction-film-projecting-headlights-steer-chinas-ev-feature-fight?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 09:00:09 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell If the “China shock” of the early 2000s was about China catching up, then “China shock 2.0” is about the country redefining the boundaries of what is economically possible across manufacturing sectors, according to Columbia University professor Adam Tooze. Amid complaints about the trade and industrial policies accelerating China’s rise in many sectors – including aviation, space, artificial intelligence (AI), telecoms, microprocessors, robotics, nuclear and fusion power, quantum computing,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352065/chinas-manufacturing-rise-here-stay-west-must-recalibrate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352065/chinas-manufacturing-rise-here-stay-west-must-recalibrate?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 08:30:08 +0000