https://www.scmp.com/rss/517733/feed The latest news on Chinese politician Wang Wentao, including political stories and updates. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham At a top-level meeting of her 26 department chiefs in March, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen quietly approved a plan to stop EU funds from going to clean technology projects containing Chinese inverters. Inverters are the essential power electronics at the heart of solar and wind systems. Industry groups estimate that Chinese companies led by Huawei Technologies control more than 220 gigawatts of Europe’s installed solar capacity via the devices. The commission wants to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350056/eu-cut-funding-chinese-inverters-quiet-offensive-replaces-grandstanding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350056/eu-cut-funding-chinese-inverters-quiet-offensive-replaces-grandstanding?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:01:18 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong authorities have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with mainland China’s top internet regulator to promote the digital economy, with the city’s leader pledging to contribute to building a strong technological nation. The MOU was signed on Sunday by Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong and Wang Jingtao, deputy director of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), and covers topics including artificial intelligence (AI) promotion, cross-boundary data... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349815/hong-kong-mainland-china-sign-milestone-mou-promoting-digital-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349815/hong-kong-mainland-china-sign-milestone-mou-promoting-digital-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 14:18:43 +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 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Beijing has launched two trade barrier investigations into the United States in response to a pair of Section 301 probes that allege unfair trade practices by China and other economies and could pave the way for Washington to reimpose higher tariffs. According to the Ministry of Commerce, the investigations would focus on US measures deemed harmful to global industrial and supply chains, including those that obstruct trade in green products. The ministry said in a statement on Friday that... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3348193/china-launches-investigations-us-trade-practices-why-now?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3348193/china-launches-investigations-us-trade-practices-why-now?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:30:08 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said he can imagine a trade deal with China in the future, signalling a new softening stance towards Beijing in European capitals. “We have set quite a lot in motion when it comes to trade policy. I can also envisage further agreements, for example, in the longer term an agreement with the People’s Republic of China,” Merz said in the German parliament on Wednesday. Merz’s remarks underscore how surging trade and geopolitical tensions with Washington are... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348030/germanys-merz-floats-eu-china-trade-deal-capitals-soften-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348030/germanys-merz-floats-eu-china-trade-deal-capitals-soften-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:00:51 +0000 Sylvia Ma,Carol Yang Sylvia Ma,Carol Yang Beijing has pledged to expand imports and use its vast market to help other countries boost exports to the world’s second-largest economy – a move that could help balance global trade at a time when China’s export machine faces growing scrutiny. Beijing also planned to diversify markets and nurture new trade drivers such as artificial intelligence, seeking to stabilise trade as global supply chains come under mounting pressure from geopolitical conflicts, officials said. Commerce Minister Wang... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345772/beijing-vows-expand-imports-amid-china-shock-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345772/beijing-vows-expand-imports-amid-china-shock-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:10:26 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Mia Nurmamat,Coco Feng Xiaofei Xu,Mia Nurmamat,Coco Feng China has outlined a basket of measures to support its technology sector, from creating a more flexible and inclusive fundraising ecosystem to boosting demand for hi-tech products. During a high-profile press conference in Beijing, the country’s top economic officials laid out plans to deepen reforms to ChiNext – China’s board for start-ups – and make it easier and quicker for companies to refinance. “Technological innovation requires high investment, long cycles, and carries significant risks,”... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345764/china-pledges-full-support-tech-sector-broad-range-new-policies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345764/china-pledges-full-support-tech-sector-broad-range-new-policies?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 13:05:08 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China’s top economic officials held a press conference on the sidelines of the “two sessions” – the annual meetings of China’s top legislature and advisory body – in Beijing on Friday. The briefing, which came a day after Beijing unveiled its economic goals for 2026 and a draft outline for its 15th five-year plan, offered fresh insights into China’s agenda for trade, investment and technological development. Here are the main takeaways from the meeting: Exchange rate Pan Gongsheng, governor of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345737/8-takeaways-economic-briefing-chinas-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345737/8-takeaways-economic-briefing-chinas-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 10:57:01 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The European Union’s trade chief Maros Sefcovic has railed against the bloc’s glacial trade defences, warning that years-long probes and rigid rules will not protect the bloc from China’s increasingly fierce export machine. Speaking in the European Parliament on Tuesday, Sefcovic lashed out at Beijing’s “unsustainable” trade surplus and called for an urgent overhaul of world trading rules to account for “overcapacities”, “unfair trade policies” and “state subsidies”. He confirmed, meanwhile,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344517/eu-too-slow-act-china-rewrites-global-trade-rules-trade-chief-sefcovic-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344517/eu-too-slow-act-china-rewrites-global-trade-rules-trade-chief-sefcovic-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 18:55:55 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings As US President Donald Trump’s tariff increases have roiled global markets and strained America’s alliances in recent months, China has been pursuing the opposite strategy: keeping import duties low and pledging further cuts as a way to secure strategic resources and build ties across the developing world. China’s average effective tariff rate – calculated by dividing total duties raised by the value of imports – has fallen steadily over the past decade and came to just 1.3 per cent in 2025,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340558/trump-threatens-more-tariff-rises-china-uses-low-duties-secure-resources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340558/trump-threatens-more-tariff-rises-china-uses-low-duties-secure-resources?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 14:30:08 +0000 Yeon Woo Lee Yeon Woo Lee In a bid to overhaul their economic relationship, China and South Korea are reviving long-stalled trade talks, with an eye on moving beyond factory floors to target the lucrative services sector as geopolitical shifts redraw the region’s alliances. The thaw follows a December 12 agreement between Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao and South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan to accelerate negotiations on the second phase of their free-trade agreement (FTA). The push aims... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3337086/blackpink-ayumi-why-china-may-reward-south-koreas-soft-stance-amid-japan-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3337086/blackpink-ayumi-why-china-may-reward-south-koreas-soft-stance-amid-japan-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 02:00:09 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has warned that Europe must be “extremely cautious” about slapping tariffs on China, as it could prompt Beijing to take countermeasures that could turn into a “spiral”. The remarks came after French President Emmanuel Macron said he had told Beijing during his visit to China last week that Europe would be forced to take “strong measures” against Chinese goods if the trade imbalance was not addressed. “I told them that if they do not react, we Europeans... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335679/hitting-china-tariffs-should-be-last-resort-german-foreign-minister-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335679/hitting-china-tariffs-should-be-last-resort-german-foreign-minister-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 02:43:59 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen China’s deliveries of rare earths, semiconductors and other commodities to Germany dominated the talks between German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao on Monday. “In all of these areas, there has been uncertainty, and that needs to be eliminated,” Wadephul said as he began a trip to China aimed at addressing Berlin’s trade and geopolitical concerns. According to Reuters, Beijing was far from being persuaded to grant general export licences for rare earth... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335643/german-foreign-minister-calls-end-uncertainty-chinese-rare-earths-chips?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335643/german-foreign-minister-calls-end-uncertainty-chinese-rare-earths-chips?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 12:50:36 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China’s commerce minister has urged the country to push forward with opening-up policies over the next five years to reshape China’s role in the global economy while bolstering domestic consumption, as Beijing gears up for one of its most important economic planning meetings of the year. Commerce Minister Wang Wentao highlighted China’s commitment to open markets and multilateral trade in an article published in the Communist Party’s flagship newspaper, People’s Daily, on Monday. His remarks... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335608/chinese-minister-calls-more-opening-key-planning-meeting-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335608/chinese-minister-calls-more-opening-key-planning-meeting-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 10:30:08 +0000 Zhou Xin Zhou Xin A fierce war of words has erupted between Dutch chipmaker Nexperia and its Chinese owner, Wingtech Technology, after China and the European Union signalled that their dispute should be resolved at the corporate level. Wingtech accused Nexperia’s head office of being insincere after the Dutch head office publicly released a letter that said the chipmaker’s Chinese unit had been unresponsive to requests for talks. The heightened tensions underscore the complexity in resolving the two sides’... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3334574/tensions-flare-wingtech-slams-chipmaker-nexperias-head-office-over-deception?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3334574/tensions-flare-wingtech-slams-chipmaker-nexperias-head-office-over-deception?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 14:24:20 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Both China and the European Union have signalled that a dispute over semiconductor maker Nexperia should be resolved at the corporate level, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce, as affected countries continue to seek a solution to supply-chain disruptions. The push for a corporate resolution came after two separate video conferences that Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao had on Wednesday – with German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche and European Commissioner for Trade Maros... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3334389/china-eu-push-nexperia-and-chinese-owner-end-corporate-dispute-amid-chip-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3334389/china-eu-push-nexperia-and-chinese-owner-end-corporate-dispute-amid-chip-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Nov 2025 13:00:20 +0000 Coco Feng,Bien Perez Coco Feng,Bien Perez When Dutch authorities seized control of chipmaker Nexperia almost two months ago, it resulted in a clash between the head office in Nijmegen and the company’s mainland China unit, which vowed to operate and meet orders as an independent enterprise. That dispute also exposed the vulnerability of global car supply chains, as any disruption in Nexperia’s shipments of so-called legacy chips would affect nearly every major European carmaker, as well as those in Japan and the United States. Here are... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3333737/timeline-sino-dutch-row-over-control-chipmaker-nexperia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3333737/timeline-sino-dutch-row-over-control-chipmaker-nexperia?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Nov 2025 13:00:10 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo Xiao Mei, a kindergarten teaching assistant living in the suburbs of Hangzhou in eastern China, has barely seen her income rise for three years and is not optimistic about her chances of getting a pay rise any time soon. Still, she counts herself as relatively fortunate. “At least I haven’t had my pay cut or lost my job,” she said, adding that several of her friends had suffered such setbacks recently. Earning around 6,000 yuan (US$845) a month – well below the local average of 13,500 yuan for... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3333084/800-million-how-china-plans-double-its-middle-income-population?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3333084/800-million-how-china-plans-double-its-middle-income-population?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 08:12:04 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi As China and the Netherlands prepare to hold talks next week over the Nexperia chipmaker dispute, Beijing has the patience to resolve the issue through multiple rounds of negotiations to ensure the case remains isolated, analysts said. On Thursday, Dutch Economy Minister Vincent Karremans said a senior government delegation would visit Beijing “to continue our efforts to find a mutually agreeable solution”. The Dutch government took the unusual step of seizing control of Nexperia from its... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3332847/china-signals-patience-nexperia-row-escalation-seen-possible-talks-loom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3332847/china-signals-patience-nexperia-row-escalation-seen-possible-talks-loom?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 11:30:19 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s suggestion that Japan could deploy its military in response to a Taiwan contingency has escalated diplomatic tensions and risks further damaging bilateral ties, analysts have warned. According to Beijing, Takaichi “seriously damaged bilateral ties” when she told the Japanese parliament on Friday that use of military force in the Taiwan Strait could be seen as a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, a situation that could allow Tokyo to engage in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332537/has-sanae-takaichi-planted-taiwan-time-bomb-tokyos-ties-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332537/has-sanae-takaichi-planted-taiwan-time-bomb-tokyos-ties-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 04:00:12 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi As Beijing continues advocating for deeper regional economic cooperation in East Asia amid ongoing tensions with Washington – including by working towards a free-trade agreement (FTA) with Japan and South Korea – analysts say that making substantial progress remains challenging, given the existing trade framework and conflicting interests. In a meeting with South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan on Saturday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3331365/beijing-pushes-china-japan-south-korea-trade-pact-amid-us-tensions-hurdles-remain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3331365/beijing-pushes-china-japan-south-korea-trade-pact-amid-us-tensions-hurdles-remain?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 01:00:15 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai Chinese observers have downplayed Beijing’s reference to Okinawans as “indigenous”, saying the comments were mainly a critique of the militarisation of Japan’s southernmost prefecture – home to dozens of US military bases – rather than a challenge to Tokyo’s sovereignty over Okinawa. On October 9, China’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, Sun Lei, urged Japan to “stop prejudice and discrimination against Okinawans and other indigenous peoples”. Sun made the remarks during a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331110/chinas-okinawa-remarks-challenge-militarisation-not-sovereignty-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331110/chinas-okinawa-remarks-challenge-militarisation-not-sovereignty-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 01:00:23 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen With smiles, firm handshakes and warm gestures, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump set a cordial, friendly tone before their historic summit. More than an hour and a half later, they emerged from their first face-to-face encounter in six years with the same genial manner. In front of reporters before the meeting in Busan, South Korea, a grinning Trump said “Good to see you again” as the two leaders shook hands. “Me too,” Xi replied through an interpreter. Trump... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330929/charm-whispers-and-pats-back-xi-and-trump-break-summit-ice-loads-warmth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330929/charm-whispers-and-pats-back-xi-and-trump-break-summit-ice-loads-warmth?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 11:19:06 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng In a sign of worsening disruption to the global semiconductor supply chain, the main Dongguan assembly plant of Nexperia – the China-owned, Netherlands-based chipmaker – has sharply scaled down production in recent days, reducing working hours and idling one third of the machines in one part of the production area. Three employees said in an interview with the South China Morning Post on Monday that the company had reduced monthly working hours, while another said his daily shift was operating... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3330516/nexperias-china-factory-cuts-output-dutch-takeover-deepens-global-chip-supply-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3330516/nexperias-china-factory-cuts-output-dutch-takeover-deepens-global-chip-supply-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 13:02:51 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Wency Chen,Coco Feng Xiaofei Xu,Wency Chen,Coco Feng Semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia’s homebase in Nijmegen – the biggest city in Gelderland, the Netherlands’ largest province – offers few clues that it sits in the eye of a storm that threatens to disrupt the global car industry’s supply chain. Dutch daily newspaper De Gelderlander, for example, featured more local stories including an explosion at a neighbourhood cannabis store, referred to as “coffeeshop”. There were no banner headlines to be found about talks in Brussels on Tuesday between... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3330305/nexperia-crisis-sino-dutch-dispute-over-chipmaker-puts-car-industry-supply-chain-risk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3330305/nexperia-crisis-sino-dutch-dispute-over-chipmaker-puts-car-industry-supply-chain-risk?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 03:00:27 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Amid a geopolitical storm over its Dutch chip unit Nexperia, Wingtech Technology delivered stellar third-quarter earnings while warning of potential future disruptions. The impact of the power struggle at Nexperia, the biggest revenue earner for Wingtech, was “difficult to quantify precisely”, the Chinese company said in its filing to the Shanghai Stock Exchange outside trading hours on Friday evening. “Should control over Nexperia fail to be restored by the end of 2025, the company may face the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3330307/nexperia-parent-wingtech-warns-cash-flow-risk-despite-280-surge-quarterly-profit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3330307/nexperia-parent-wingtech-warns-cash-flow-risk-despite-280-surge-quarterly-profit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Oct 2025 10:00:32 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The European Union is ready to retaliate against China’s export restrictions on rare earths, commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said in a hardline speech on Saturday. “In the short term, we are focusing on finding solutions with our Chinese counterparts. But we are ready to use all of the instruments in our toolbox to respond if needed. And we will work with our G7 partners on a coordinated response,” von der Leyen told the Berlin Global Dialogue conference. She also announced a new plan to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330313/von-der-leyen-vows-strike-back-against-china-eu-feels-rare-earths-squeeze?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330313/von-der-leyen-vows-strike-back-against-china-eu-feels-rare-earths-squeeze?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Oct 2025 09:51:37 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo In the face of an increasingly turbulent world, China will employ “strategic proactiveness” as it addresses growing risks and challenges, senior officials said at a Friday press conference detailing the country’s priorities under its next five-year plan. The world’s second-largest economy will shift more attention to the development of its domestic market amid global uncertainty, focusing on the production of tangible goods and technological advancements to ensure growth “remains within a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3330256/china-tackle-risks-inject-certainty-global-economy-over-next-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3330256/china-tackle-risks-inject-certainty-global-economy-over-next-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 13:30:09 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The European Union has sanctioned two mainland Chinese oil refineries and one Hong Kong-based oil trader as part of its latest efforts to hobble Russia’s war economy, drawing a stern rebuke from Beijing. The companies were listed in a broader package of sanctions agreed by the EU’s 27 member states on Thursday morning, punishing in total 15 mainland Chinese or Hong Kong-registered entities over what Brussels considers illicit trade with Russia. China’s foreign ministry hit back immediately,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330109/eu-sanctions-state-linked-chinese-oil-companies-over-russia-war-support?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330109/eu-sanctions-state-linked-chinese-oil-companies-over-russia-war-support?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 13:30:17 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Chinese investors are grilling listed companies with European exposure after the Dutch government seized management control of Nexperia from its Chinese owner Wingtech Technology, in a sign that public trust in European business ties is being undermined. At least seven companies listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen have been publicly asked by investors about risks stemming from their investments and operations in the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, France and Italy. The souring sentiment is a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3330059/nexperia-seizure-chinese-investors-grill-companies-european-units-after-dutch-move?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3330059/nexperia-seizure-chinese-investors-grill-companies-european-units-after-dutch-move?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 13:00:13 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng A Chinese firm under chipmaker Nexperia has openly challenged its Netherlands-based head office, accusing it of spreading misinformation to customers and further raising tensions in a dispute that could affect the stability of global industrial supply chains. Nexperia (Shanghai), one of nine China-registered entities under the Dutch company, asserted its independent operational status in a public letter to customers on its WeChat account, published in both English and Chinese, on Thursday. The... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3330052/nexperia-china-accuses-dutch-head-office-spreading-misinformation-customers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3330052/nexperia-china-accuses-dutch-head-office-spreading-misinformation-customers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 08:31:06 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma The European Union and China agreed to hold crisis talks amid simmering tensions over Chinese supplies of rare earths and the Netherlands’ seizure of a Chinese-owned chipmaker. A Chinese delegation would visit Brussels “in the coming days to find urgent solutions”, EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic told reporters. Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao accepted the invitation at the end of a near two-hour-long video call, Sefcovic said. During the call, Sefcovic complained about Beijing’s... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3329934/europe-brings-knife-chinas-rare-earth-gunfight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3329934/europe-brings-knife-chinas-rare-earth-gunfight?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Oct 2025 09:02:40 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China urged the Dutch government to uphold “the spirit of contracts” and safeguard the stability of global supply chains as both sides discussed how to resolve the Nexperia case in a phone call on Tuesday. The discussion between Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao and Dutch Minister for Economic Affairs Vincent Karremans was the first publicised call between senior officials from Beijing and The Hague since the Netherlands seized control of chip firm Nexperia from its Chinese owners on... https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3329878/china-urges-dutch-properly-resolve-nexperia-case-talks-continue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3329878/china-urges-dutch-properly-resolve-nexperia-case-talks-continue?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Oct 2025 03:43:32 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham,Xiaofei Xu Finbarr Bermingham,Xiaofei Xu China’s commerce minister has accepted an “urgent” invitation to Brussels, the EU’s trade chief Maros Sefcovic said on Tuesday, as the bloc looks to unpick Beijing’s restrictions on rare earth mineral exports and defuse a row over Dutch-based chipmaker Nexperia. The EU is seeking China to relax export licensing requirements for rare earth elements and magnets, which are crucial to manufacturing hi-tech goods, from fighter jets to electric vehicles, and which were broadened earlier this month. It... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3329855/china-agrees-crisis-talks-brussels-rare-earth-and-nexperia-sagas-boil-over?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3329855/china-agrees-crisis-talks-brussels-rare-earth-and-nexperia-sagas-boil-over?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 17:55:06 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Japan’s unstable political landscape is expected to cast doubt over its diplomatic commitments and could hinder progress in its trilateral summit with China and South Korea, analysts have observed. Uncertainties are mounting as the path to the Japanese premiership for recently elected Liberal Democratic Party leader Sanae Takaichi has been complicated by the abrupt exit of the LDP’s junior coalition partner, Komeito. Takaichi, aiming to be Japan’s first female prime minister, remains short of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3329281/turbulent-japanese-politics-could-stall-progress-china-and-south-korea-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3329281/turbulent-japanese-politics-could-stall-progress-china-and-south-korea-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 05:00:09 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Apple’s iPhone Air sold out within minutes of its launch in China on Friday, underscoring the device’s popularity among Chinese consumers despite competition from Android devices. The strong sales followed CEO Tim Cook’s visit this week to promote the product in the world’s largest smartphone market amid ongoing geopolitical tensions between China and the US. As chairman of an advisory body at Tsinghua University’s management school, Cook also met Vice-Premier He Lifeng on Thursday. Pre-sales... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3329336/apples-iphone-air-sells-out-minutes-china-after-ceo-tim-cooks-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3329336/apples-iphone-air-sells-out-minutes-china-after-ceo-tim-cooks-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 04:00:09 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong While Kazakhstan is cooperating closely with China on the digitalisation of trade, a government official from the Central Asian country said this week that more infrastructure investment is needed – including along the Middle Corridor trade route – for it to realise its aim of becoming a bridge between Asia and Europe. Exporters turned to the Middle Corridor – which connects China and Europe via Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey – as an alternative to the northern route of the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3328371/kazakh-official-urges-investment-help-country-connect-china-and-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3328371/kazakh-official-urges-investment-help-country-connect-china-and-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Oct 2025 13:00:15 +0000 Bochen Han Bochen Han US President Donald Trump on Thursday declared that a deal for TikTok satisfied the requirements of the US’ sale-or-ban law for the Chinese-owned short-video app, punctuating months of deliberations and years of angst in Washington over the app’s security implications. “I have determined that the proposed divestiture would allow the millions of Americans who enjoy TikTok every day to continue using it while also protecting national security,” Trump wrote in an executive order issued on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3326902/trump-signs-order-saying-tiktok-sale-meets-us-requirements?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3326902/trump-signs-order-saying-tiktok-sale-meets-us-requirements?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 21:04:16 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China has pledged to safeguard the legitimate rights of its companies operating in the United States and work to stabilise economic and trade relations, as Beijing and Washington seek progress in ongoing trade negotiations. Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao convened a round-table meeting in New York on Tuesday with executives from more than a dozen Chinese companies operating in the US, joined by the head of the China General Chamber of Commerce in the US. Wang warned that the global trade... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3326839/beijing-vows-protect-chinese-firms-us-boost-bilateral-ties-amid-negotiation-process?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3326839/beijing-vows-protect-chinese-firms-us-boost-bilateral-ties-amid-negotiation-process?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 09:05:02 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China is making a renewed push to boost service consumption by relaxing market access and increasing supply – across sectors such as culture, sports and healthcare – as Beijing doubles down on expanding domestic demand for economic growth. The measures, which also include strengthening fiscal support and investments, were released in a 19-point set of guidelines jointly released by the Ministry of Commerce and nine other departments on Tuesday. Authorities pledged to further open up the culture... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3325829/china-pulls-out-stops-get-people-spending-19-consumption-minded-measures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3325829/china-pulls-out-stops-get-people-spending-19-consumption-minded-measures?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Sep 2025 07:04:11 +0000 Ralph Jennings,Kandy Wong Ralph Jennings,Kandy Wong Despite its vague wording, the new China-US framework deal on popular video-sharing app TikTok represents an important step in advancing bilateral talks and keeping ties warm ahead of any future meetings between the world’s two largest economies, according to analysts. And they added that Beijing could potentially try to leverage the TikTok deal by seeking tariff cuts or relief from hi-tech export controls. Officials from both powers confirmed after negotiations in Madrid, Spain, on Sunday and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3325752/peeling-us-china-tiktok-deal-analysts-see-layers-leverage-tariffs-and-soybeans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3325752/peeling-us-china-tiktok-deal-analysts-see-layers-leverage-tariffs-and-soybeans?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 13:00:16 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on Thursday to discuss artificial intelligence (AI) cooperation, days after the chipmaker said it was resuming sales of its H20 chips to the country. Wang said China’s policies for attracting foreign investment remained unchanged, and its doors would only open wider, according to a statement issued by the ministry on Friday. Highlighting the country’s vast market, Wang encouraged multinational firms, including Nvidia, to continue... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3318801/nvidia-ceo-meets-chinas-commerce-minister-discuss-ai-cooperation-foreign-investment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3318801/nvidia-ceo-meets-chinas-commerce-minister-discuss-ai-cooperation-foreign-investment?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Jul 2025 13:00:24 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China has vowed to continue cutting red tape and attracting foreign investment to boost service consumption over the next five years, as Beijing turns to domestic demand for a reliable source of economic growth in an uncertain environment for international trade. There is a “shortage of high-quality service on the supply side” even as service consumption grows at a faster rate than that of goods, Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao said at a press conference in Beijing on Friday. To address the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/policy/article/3318779/china-pledges-more-consumption-incentives-service-service-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/policy/article/3318779/china-pledges-more-consumption-incentives-service-service-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Jul 2025 11:30:08 +0000 Ben Jiang,Wency Chen Ben Jiang,Wency Chen The pending resumption of Nvidia H20 chip sales to China promises to clear a major stumbling block that had threatened to derail the nation’s booming artificial intelligence sector. A shortage of H20s in China was beginning to bite as developers were unable to access chips vital for the creation of new products. DeepSeek, for instance, reportedly delayed a new version of its artificial intelligence (AI) model due to a dearth of the Nvidia graphics processing units (GPUs). Trump ended the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3318526/nvidia-chips-return-stokes-chinese-ai-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3318526/nvidia-chips-return-stokes-chinese-ai-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Jul 2025 07:00:09 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang China and the European Union have largely finalised the “technical” part of negotiations towards resolving their electric vehicle (EV) tariff dispute, with the deal now hinging on “political will” from the European side, according to Chinese state-affiliated media. Yuyuan Tantian, a social media account linked to state broadcaster CCTV, reported on Friday night that the “technical negotiations” were essentially complete, with only the “final step” remaining. “The key now depends on whether the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317099/china-eu-close-ev-tariff-deal-state-media-says-dismisses-trade-diversion-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317099/china-eu-close-ev-tariff-deal-state-media-says-dismisses-trade-diversion-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 12:03:50 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has downplayed EU concerns over restrictions on rare earth exports and offered assurances that the needs of European companies will be met if they adhere to proper application procedures. Controlling dual-use goods was a sovereign right and an international responsibility for all nations, Wang said during a news conference with his German counterpart in Berlin on Thursday. He was responding to a question about European companies’ unease over Beijing’s export... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3316937/rare-earth-exports-should-never-come-between-china-and-eu-wang-yi-says-europe-tour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3316937/rare-earth-exports-should-never-come-between-china-and-eu-wang-yi-says-europe-tour?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2025 09:00:10 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend next week’s Brics summit in Rio de Janeiro, marking his first-ever absence from the gathering of leading emerging economies, the Post learned from multiple sources on Tuesday. According to officials familiar with the matter, Beijing told the Brazilian government that Xi had a scheduling conflict. Instead, Premier Li Qiang is expected to lead the Chinese delegation, as he did at the G20 summit in India in 2023. Chinese involved in preparations, they... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3315708/first-xi-will-miss-brics-summit-rio-li-qiang-leads-china-delegation-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3315708/first-xi-will-miss-brics-summit-rio-li-qiang-leads-china-delegation-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Jun 2025 20:34:54 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li Chinese commerce minister Wang Wentao and European trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic held a video call on Thursday, as the two sides strive to keep a lid on simmering economic tensions and pave the way for a leaders’ summit in Beijing. “Both sides agreed to work together to lay the groundwork for key economic and trade items on the China-EU agenda this year,” the Ministry of Commerce said in an online statement released on Friday. The two officials discussed a series of topics during the call,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3315242/chinese-and-eu-trade-officials-hold-talks-after-von-der-leyen-outburst?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3315242/chinese-and-eu-trade-officials-hold-talks-after-von-der-leyen-outburst?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Jun 2025 11:30:07 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Chinese and US officials agreed “in principle to a framework” for trade following two days of talks in London, getting a tariff-war pause back on track. Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump now have to approve the framework, representatives for the two countries said, without giving specific details on what it contained. The two presidents held a call last week that revived negotiations amid signs that an accord struck in Switzerland last month was beginning to unravel. In London, both sides... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3313982/us-china-trade-framework-still-leaves-lots-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3313982/us-china-trade-framework-still-leaves-lots-work?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Jun 2025 09:00:27 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi Top officials from China and the United States are expected to start a second day of negotiations in London on Tuesday morning local time, as the two sides strive to de-escalate a stand-off over trade and technology that has sent shock waves across the global economy. No official statements were released after the first round of talks on Monday, which finished without a deal being agreed. But both sides have sent signals regarding their expectations. US A White House official indicated soon... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3313786/us-china-trade-showdown-where-do-talks-stand-after-day-1?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3313786/us-china-trade-showdown-where-do-talks-stand-after-day-1?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Jun 2025 03:16:29 +0000