https://www.scmp.com/rss/517886/feed The latest news on Chinese economist and politician He Lifeng, Vice Premier of the People’s Republic of China, including political stories and updates. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Minxiao Chang,Wency Chen,Eunice Xu Minxiao Chang,Wency Chen,Eunice Xu A recent meeting between Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) CEO Lisa Su signals a potential loosening of US chip export policies, which could reopen high-end semiconductor sales, including artificial intelligence chips, to select Chinese firms, according to analysts. During their meeting on Monday, He reiterated that Beijing welcomed continued foreign investment, according to Xinhua News Agency. Su praised the outcomes of last week’s summit between President Xi... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3354097/amd-ceos-meeting-chinas-vice-premier-raises-optimism-about-us-ai-chip-imports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3354097/amd-ceos-meeting-chinas-vice-premier-raises-optimism-about-us-ai-chip-imports?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 11:30:04 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Ji Siqi,Xinyi Wu Xiaofei Xu,Ji Siqi,Xinyi Wu China and the United States have agreed to establish trade and investment councils, committing in principle to match each other’s tariff cuts on a reciprocal basis. “The two sides will use the Trade Council as a forum to discuss issues such as tariff reductions on specific products,” China’s Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Saturday, without providing further details. The world’s two largest economies also made progress on agricultural trade and aircraft, the statement added. The two... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353840/china-and-us-agree-establish-trade-and-investment-councils-after-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353840/china-and-us-agree-establish-trade-and-investment-councils-after-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 15:05:04 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Frank Chen Xiaofei Xu,Frank Chen “Large Boeing orders” are expected as part of US President Donald Trump’s state visit to Beijing, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday, adding that China and the US would discuss establishing a joint “board of trade” to manage commercial ties. When asked about the potential for deals in what have come to be known as the “three Bs” ­– Chinese purchases of beans, beef and Boeing aircraft ­– Bessent told CNBC: “I think we’re going to see the large Boeing orders.” The agreement, if... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353578/boeing-nears-large-china-orders-trump-and-xi-forge-new-trade-board-bessent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353578/boeing-nears-large-china-orders-trump-and-xi-forge-new-trade-board-bessent?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 10:35:16 +0000 Dewey Sim,Laura Zhou Dewey Sim,Laura Zhou Chinese President Xi Jinping held closed-door talks with his American counterpart Donald Trump following an elaborate welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Here are some highlights from Thursday. Defining Ties Xi and Trump agreed to build a “constructive, strategically stable relationship”, a new term to define the framework of ties between the two countries. The new strategic position should be led by cooperation and “measured competition with healthy stability”, Xi... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353500/xi-trump-summit-takeaways-so-far-first-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353500/xi-trump-summit-takeaways-so-far-first-day?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 03:59:54 +0000 Xinyi Wu,Yulu Ao Xinyi Wu,Yulu Ao Senior officials from China and the United States concluded their latest round of trade talks in Seoul after less than four hours on Wednesday, the briefest session since the two countries began holding talks last year. The seventh round of negotiations – led by Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent – wrapped up just hours ahead of US President Donald Trump’s scheduled arrival in Beijing. The officials ended the session without speaking to the media, a departure... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353424/leaving-so-soon-us-china-hold-briefest-trade-talks-yet-leaders-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353424/leaving-so-soon-us-china-hold-briefest-trade-talks-yet-leaders-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 09:09:29 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Chinese and US trade delegations meeting in South Korea today are expected to focus on locking in deliverables for this week’s summit in Beijing rather than engaging in substantive negotiations, analysts said, as both sides race through talks hours before US President Donald Trump’s planned arrival in China. The two teams, led by Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, will meet in Seoul for one day, a departure from previous rounds that stretched over two days across... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3353377/china-and-us-teams-race-find-easy-summit-deliverables-meeting-seoul?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3353377/china-and-us-teams-race-find-easy-summit-deliverables-meeting-seoul?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 04:59:47 +0000 Xinyi Wu,Yulu Ao Xinyi Wu,Yulu Ao Senior officials from China and the United States have started a new round of trade talks in Seoul, South Korea, hours ahead of US President Donald Trump’s scheduled arrival in Beijing. The delegations – led by Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent – arrived at Terminal 1 of Incheon Airport around noon on Wednesday Seoul time. The two officials had both paid courtesy calls to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in the morning. This is the seventh round of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353224/china-us-trade-talks-kick-seoul-ahead-high-profile-leaders-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353224/china-us-trade-talks-kick-seoul-ahead-high-profile-leaders-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 03:34:15 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin US President Donald Trump is expected to be accompanied by more than a dozen business leaders, including Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk and Tim Cook of Apple, during his trip to China this week. The White House on Monday released the list of executives set to travel to China alongside Musk and Cook, including Larry Fink of BlackRock, Kelly Ortberg of Boeing, Dina Powell McCormick of Meta and Ryan McInerney of Visa. The delegation spans key industries, including aviation, technology, banking and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3353199/trump-heads-china-musk-cook-and-top-ceos-xi-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3353199/trump-heads-china-musk-cook-and-top-ceos-xi-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 21:49:13 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu The next round of US-China trade talks appears to be a rushed precursor intended to set the stage for President Donald Trump’s state visit to Beijing, according to analysts who expect only modest deliverables from the negotiations. Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng will meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in South Korea this week, both sides have confirmed, marking the latest in a series of diplomatic sprints intended to stabilise the world’s most consequential economic relationship. The... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353174/us-china-negotiations-seek-quick-seoul-search-deals-ahead-trumps-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353174/us-china-negotiations-seek-quick-seoul-search-deals-ahead-trumps-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 13:00:09 +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 Igor Patrick,Mark Magnier Igor Patrick,Mark Magnier Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng will travel to South Korea this week for trade talks with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, both sides confirmed on Sunday, in the final round of negotiations before a summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Beijing. The meeting is scheduled for May 12 and 13 in Seoul and comes days before Trump’s state visit to China on May 14 and 15. China’s Ministry of Commerce said He would lead a delegation to hold economic and trade... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353067/china-us-confirm-seoul-trade-talks-days-trump-xi-summit-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353067/china-us-confirm-seoul-trade-talks-days-trump-xi-summit-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 15:50:56 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Two American military cargo aircraft have been spotted landing in Beijing – another apparent sign that US President Donald Trump’s trip to China will go ahead as expected this month. According to images posted on Chinese social media by several aviation photography enthusiasts, the C-17 US Air Force heavy-lifters – bearing the tail numbers 088204 and 055140 on their vertical stabilisers – arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport on Friday and Saturday. The planes’ arrival was also noted... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352263/are-us-air-force-c-17s-flying-cars-beijing-trumps-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352263/are-us-air-force-c-17s-flying-cars-beijing-trumps-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 10:00:12 +0000 Yuanyue Dang,Holly Chik,Fan Chen Yuanyue Dang,Holly Chik,Fan Chen Senior officials from China and the United States have been “testing the waters” ahead of US President Donald Trump’s coming visit to China by outlining some of their main concerns. Meanwhile, new areas of concern emerged on Friday as the Chinese Ministry of Commerce warned that the United States was threatening the “hard-won stability” in their trade relations after the national telecoms agency effectively banned smartphones tested in Chinese laboratories from the American market. Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3352074/china-voices-serious-concern-over-us-curbs-talks-bessent-greer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3352074/china-voices-serious-concern-over-us-curbs-talks-bessent-greer?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:25:17 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan US President Donald Trump’s close ally, Senator Steve Daines, will lead a bipartisan delegation to China next week, according to sources, even as Washington steps up pressure on Beijing over trade, technological competition, and its ties to Iran, ahead of a closely watched leaders’ summit on May 14-15. According to people familiar who requested anonymity, the five-member delegation led by Daines, a Republican from Montana, will begin its visit on May 1, with stops in Shanghai and Beijing. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351219/trump-ally-visit-china-us-turns-pressure-may-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351219/trump-ally-visit-china-us-turns-pressure-may-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 22:18:18 +0000 Mark Magnier,Khushboo Razdan,William Zheng,Dewey Sim Mark Magnier,Khushboo Razdan,William Zheng,Dewey Sim As US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping prepare to sit down in the coming weeks, negotiations on deliverables and scheduling have accelerated, including a possible visit to Beijing’s Temple of Heaven and a military parade, according to several people familiar with the planning process. The lead-up for such a consequential summit has been compressed and rather disjointed given the Middle East war and Trump’s preference for making last-minute decisions based on his “gut”. “This... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3350079/trump-xi-summit-shaped-uncertainty-not-strategy-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3350079/trump-xi-summit-shaped-uncertainty-not-strategy-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:00:13 +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 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 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 Themis Qi Themis Qi HSBC CEO Georges Elhedery has vowed to continue investing in China amid escalating trade tensions after witnessing new trade opportunities from Chinese companies going global. While attending the two-day China Development Forum (CDF) 2026 in Beijing on Sunday, Elhedery characterised China’s current trajectory as a “new phase of development” that would define the next era of global economic growth. Although 2025 saw steady growth in global trade, the landscape was complicated by shifting tariffs,... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347465/hsbc-vows-keep-investing-china-amid-global-tensions-new-trade-corridors-emerge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347465/hsbc-vows-keep-investing-china-amid-global-tensions-new-trade-corridors-emerge?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 06:27:09 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Republican Senator Steve Daines, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, is expected to visit Hong Kong at the end of this month, according to sources. It would mark the first trip to the city by a sitting US senator since the Covid-19 pandemic. Daines would meet American business leaders in Hong Kong on March 30, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly on the matter. The senator from Montana has played a prominent role in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347302/trump-ally-steve-daines-will-be-first-sitting-us-senator-visit-hong-kong-2019?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347302/trump-ally-steve-daines-will-be-first-sitting-us-senator-visit-hong-kong-2019?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:00:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Washington’s request to reschedule US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing reflects the reality that the war in Iran has not followed the script. It was anticipated that superior American power would result in a quick victory over Iran, which China considers a strategic partner and oil supplier, well ahead of a summit with President Xi Jinping. The United States has done all the running in the preparations for the visit, including announcing the dates of March 31 to April 2. China had made... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3346909/china-policy-stay-course-despite-delay-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3346909/china-policy-stay-course-despite-delay-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 23:15:11 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump said he had asked China to postpone his planned trip to Beijing by “a month or so” due to the war in Iran. “I think it’s important that I be here,” Trump told reporters in the White House on Monday. “So it could be that we delay a little bit, not much.” The visit, including a summit with President Xi Jinping, is scheduled to take place from March 31 to April 2. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dismissed suggestions that the potential delay was designed to pressure... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346883/trump-xi-summit-delay-may-suit-china-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346883/trump-xi-summit-delay-may-suit-china-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:00:22 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China and the US wrapped up their sixth round of trade talks in Paris on Monday, with the agenda ranging from a possible extension of bilateral tariff and non-tariff measures as well as bilateral investment. “China and the US conducted deep, frank and constructive consultations,” Chinese vice commerce minister Li Chenggang said. Both sides agreed to “continue to maintain the stability of tariffs” and discussed the possibility of establishing a mechanism for promoting bilateral investment, said... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346787/china-and-us-end-trade-talks-doubts-form-over-trump-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346787/china-and-us-end-trade-talks-doubts-form-over-trump-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:48:53 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China and the US ended the first day of trade talks in Paris on Sunday without any major developments. Talks will continue tomorrow when the US delegation is set to leave. The Chinese delegation will stay one more day before leaving on Tuesday. The first day of the sixth round of trade talks between the world’s two biggest economies – led by Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent – was rather uneventful for journalists waiting outside the venue, the headquarters... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346687/us-china-trade-talks-low-key-start-negotiations-after-first-meeting-paris?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346687/us-china-trade-talks-low-key-start-negotiations-after-first-meeting-paris?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 17:33:25 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Trade talks between China and the United States in Paris this weekend are likely to focus on setting the scene for the Beijing summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump later this month, analysts said, downplaying the prospects of any significant breakthroughs. Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent are expected to discuss potential deals on tariffs, investment, and trade in soybeans and rare earths, which would be presented as deliverables for the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346505/us-china-trade-talks-what-expect-senior-officials-meet-paris?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346505/us-china-trade-talks-what-expect-senior-officials-meet-paris?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 15:00:08 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to visit China with President Donald Trump later this month after appearing to show little interest in previous invitations from Beijing, the South China Morning Post has learned. According to sources, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly on the matter, Rubio had been invited to visit but had not been receptive until recently. Rubio’s attendance could smooth over some of the problems surrounding... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346383/sanctioned-rubio-take-part-trumps-china-trip-despite-previous-missed-opportunities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346383/sanctioned-rubio-take-part-trumps-china-trip-despite-previous-missed-opportunities?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 22:00:14 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen The United States’ decision to launch Section 301 investigations into alleged unfair trade practices by China and several other economies – which could allow Washington to reimpose higher tariffs – is a “bluff” designed to give US President Donald Trump some perceived leverage ahead of his expected trip to China, analysts said. But the threat is unlikely to work on Beijing, which has grown used to the president’s “art of the deal” tactics, they added. “Trump’s move before his China trip is... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346365/trumps-tariff-investigation-bluff-will-not-work-china-analysts-warn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346365/trumps-tariff-investigation-bluff-will-not-work-china-analysts-warn?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 11:00:12 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Chinese and US trade officials will meet in Paris at the end of next week, laying the groundwork for President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to Beijing. Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will lead discussions on trade and investment deals, the South China Morning Post reported, citing unidentified sources. Trump is due to arrive in Beijing on March 31, for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Tariffs, investments, soybeans and rare earths will all be... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3345416/iran-war-leaves-china-foreign-policy-divide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3345416/iran-war-leaves-china-foreign-policy-divide?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 09:16:14 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Khushboo Razdan,Ji Siqi Xiaofei Xu,Khushboo Razdan,Ji Siqi China and the United States will hold a new round of high-level trade talks in Paris at the end of next week, according to sources from both sides, as preparations press on for US President Donald Trump’s visit to China. Led by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, the two delegations will meet in the French capital to discuss trade and investment deals – including on tariffs, investment, soybeans and rare earths – that would be presented as deliverables... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345336/china-and-us-hold-high-level-trade-talks-paris-trumps-beijing-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345336/china-and-us-hold-high-level-trade-talks-paris-trumps-beijing-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 02:25:27 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg US and Chinese trade negotiators are slated to meet in mid-March, according to people familiar with the matter, signalling that a planned summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping is pushing ahead despite American strikes against Iran. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and China’s Vice-Premier He Lifeng are expected to convene in Paris at the end of next week to discuss business deals that could stem from the leaders’ meeting, said the people who... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345326/us-and-china-trade-chiefs-meet-mid-march-trump-xi-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345326/us-and-china-trade-chiefs-meet-mid-march-trump-xi-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 18:35:28 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China is reviewing its trade countermeasures against the United States as Washington’s new global tariffs take effect, following a Supreme Court ruling that struck down the Trump administration’s sweeping levies imposed last year. The Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday also confirmed that Beijing would soon hold a new round of high-level trade talks with Washington, expected to pave the way for US President Donald Trump’s state visit to the country in late March. “China has consistently opposed... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344491/china-weighs-response-trump-imposes-new-global-tariff-after-court-ruling?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344491/china-weighs-response-trump-imposes-new-global-tariff-after-court-ruling?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:00:11 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Xinmei Shen,Dewey Sim,Mark Magnier Khushboo Razdan,Xinmei Shen,Dewey Sim,Mark Magnier China has confirmed that discussions were under way about US President Donald Trump’s planned visit in April, when sources said the two sides were expected to extend their current trade truce by up to one year. Lin Jian, a foreign ministry spokesman, said President Xi Jinping had repeated an invitation to Trump to visit when the pair spoke by phone last week. “The two sides are in communication on this,” Lin added, stressing the importance of talks between the two heads of state. The two reached... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343240/trump-and-xi-expected-extend-trade-truce-beijing-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343240/trump-and-xi-expected-extend-trade-truce-beijing-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 21:43:33 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick The United States is seeking a fair and enduring competition with China, along with strengthening its economic and political relationships with Latin America, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday. He termed this the strategy of reducing vulnerabilities without cutting ties with Beijing. Speaking at an investor conference in Sao Paulo, hosted by the Brazilian bank BTG Pactual, Bessent said that Washington did not want to sever economic ties with China. Still, it was trying to... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3343118/treasury-chief-says-us-seeks-fair-china-competition-eyes-latin-america-realignment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3343118/treasury-chief-says-us-seeks-fair-china-competition-eyes-latin-america-realignment?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 22:05:24 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi Any coming high-level trade talks between Beijing and Washington will be in preparation for US President Donald Trump’s visit to China in April, analysts say, as both sides wish to keep a fragile trade truce intact, even though significant breakthroughs in the bilateral relationship remain up in the air. On Monday evening in the US, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent posted on social media that senior Treasury staff had travelled to China last week, “to strengthen channels of communication... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3343081/next-us-china-trade-talks-tipped-advance-trump-xi-summit-fragile-truce-holds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3343081/next-us-china-trade-talks-tipped-advance-trump-xi-summit-fragile-truce-holds?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:00:08 +0000 Jeffrey Wu Jeffrey Wu As global trade fragments and tariffs return, economic power is increasingly defined not by financial scale alone, but by productive strength. At the World Economic Forum in Davos last month, leaders spoke openly about a harsher world order. Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng warned that trade wars have no winners. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for a new security architecture amid rising protectionism. French President Emmanuel Macron described a world becoming more... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3341850/us-china-rivalry-great-powers-dont-make-things-wont-be-great-long?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3341850/us-china-rivalry-great-powers-dont-make-things-wont-be-great-long?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen At the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week, world leaders warned of an increasingly fractured global order and took veiled swipes at the United States. But they held back on directly criticising China, which experts said signalled a recalibration in their approach to Beijing as US President Donald Trump’s political unpredictability left allies on edge. Recent moves by the US president have been widely seen as assaults on the global order, including the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341058/trump-shakes-world-order-western-countries-recalibrate-approach-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341058/trump-shakes-world-order-western-countries-recalibrate-approach-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 15:00:12 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial For decades, the World Economic Forum was the ultimate symbol of globalisation. This week, we may have witnessed the end of that symbolism as the so-called rules-based order looks to be crumbling. US President Donald Trump flew into Davos and held forth on his view of the world, promptly starting a clash with long-standing American allies hoping for some semblance of sense and order. From Canada and Greenland to Ukraine, from trade preferences to tariffs, Trump demanded his pound of flesh from... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3340863/trumps-antics-davos-eroding-last-shred-trust-us-leadership?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3340863/trumps-antics-davos-eroding-last-shred-trust-us-leadership?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 23:15:11 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Frank Chen Xiaofei Xu,Frank Chen China is pushing consumption to grow faster than overall economic expansion as the nation accelerates a shift to domestic demand-driven growth amid external criticism over trade imbalances, a former deputy governor of the People’s Bank of China said at the World Economic Forum. “The policy says consumption growth [should be] stronger than GDP growth … [and] income growth will be higher than GDP growth,” Zhu Min said in Davos, Switzerland, explaining that this is the key performance indicator for... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340796/china-doubling-down-consumption-route-out-export-reliance-ex-pboc-official?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340796/china-doubling-down-consumption-route-out-export-reliance-ex-pboc-official?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 06:00:02 +0000 Mark Magnier,Khushboo Razdan,Holly Chik Mark Magnier,Khushboo Razdan,Holly Chik Following what he called a “very productive” meeting with Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte, US President Donald Trump announced that the United States has established the framework for a future agreement concerning Greenland and the broader Arctic region. “This solution, if finalised, will be a great one for the United States of America and all Nato nations,” Trump said on Wednesday, adding that, based on this understanding, he will not impose the tariffs originally scheduled for February... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3340743/donald-trumps-davos-speech-greenland-plan-xi-friendship-chinas-smart-energy-sales?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3340743/donald-trumps-davos-speech-greenland-plan-xi-friendship-chinas-smart-energy-sales?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 17:48:42 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Europe must respond to US threats over Greenland and China’s industrial excesses, or else “passively accept … vassalisation and bloc politics”, French President Emmanuel Macron warned in a speech at Davos on Tuesday. Macron warned of the “brutalisation of the world”, as he urged the use of the EU’s most powerful trade weapon in response to US President Donald Trump’s threat to slap tariffs on European countries who last week sent troops to Greenland. Trump has pledged to make the giant Arctic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340612/brutalisation-world-macron-urges-europe-hit-back-against-trumps-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340612/brutalisation-world-macron-urges-europe-hit-back-against-trumps-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 17:39:06 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday that he met with Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng a day earlier on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in advance of US President Donald Trump’s much-anticipated speech to the global body on Wednesday. Bessent’s account of the sit-down between the main interlocutors over the past tumultuous year between Beijing and Washington suggests the pieces are in place to go ahead with a summit in Beijing between Trump and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340607/bessent-meets-chinas-he-lifeng-davos-praises-trade-progress-soybeans-rare-earths?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340607/bessent-meets-chinas-he-lifeng-davos-praises-trade-progress-soybeans-rare-earths?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 15:42:44 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China delivered a message of free trade, multilateralism, cooperation and dialogue at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday as the world, including the host continent Europe, grapples with increasingly aggressive moves from Washington. “Everyone should be equal before the rules; a very small number of countries should not enjoy the privilege of pursuing their own selfish interests. The world must not return to the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak,” Vice-Premier He Lifeng... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3340581/chinas-he-lifeng-warns-against-law-jungle-davos-trump-roils-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3340581/chinas-he-lifeng-warns-against-law-jungle-davos-trump-roils-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 11:44:44 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China’s economic growth cooled to the slowest pace since the pandemic at the end of last year, detracting from policymakers’ success in hitting an annual target. Year-on-year expansion was 4.5 per cent in the fourth quarter, a third straight slowdown amid weak domestic demand, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Annual growth was 5 per cent, fuelled by a pre-tariffs rush of exports at the start of the year. Full-year fixed-asset investment fell for the first time in decades, dropping... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3340420/chinas-two-speed-economy-faces-tough-2026-growth-cools?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3340420/chinas-two-speed-economy-faces-tough-2026-growth-cools?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 09:00:43 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu As political and business leaders gather in the Swiss town of Davos for this year’s World Economic Forum, scheduled to begin on Monday, analysts expect China to continue positioning itself as a reliable trade partner and supporter of multilateralism – stances drawing an implicit contrast with the United States under President Donald Trump. This year’s meeting, themed “A Spirit of Dialogue”, will take place amid heightened global tensions in the wake of several controversial actions by Trump’s... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3340298/china-readies-davos-sales-pitch-us-grants-beijing-window-opportunity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3340298/china-readies-davos-sales-pitch-us-grants-beijing-window-opportunity?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 04:00:12 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Hainan free trade port has launched a separate customs territory, exempting most goods from duties and taxes. This expands China’s opening up to trade and economic cooperation, with Hainan envisioned as a primary gateway for goods to enter the mainland market. It is also a challenge to Hong Kong to develop its advantages as a free port under “one country, two systems”. Under the new customs regime, about 75 per cent of taxable imports qualify for duty-free entry. Goods imported duty-free and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3337274/hong-kong-can-and-must-remain-competitive-hainan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3337274/hong-kong-can-and-must-remain-competitive-hainan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 23:15:08 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China’s southern Hainan province implemented a separate customs regime on Thursday, as Beijing seeks to develop the island into an offshore financing and duty-free hub and position it as a strategic hedge against rising external trade barriers. The new customs regime creates two distinct customs boundaries for Hainan: one separating the island from overseas markets, and another dividing it from the rest of mainland China. Most overseas goods entering the island – which is roughly the size of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336928/chinas-hainan-launches-separate-customs-regime-allowing-tariff-free-imports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336928/chinas-hainan-launches-separate-customs-regime-allowing-tariff-free-imports?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 10:01:12 +0000 Frank Chen,Kandy Wong Frank Chen,Kandy Wong It has been a turbulent year for the fraught US-China relationship. In the second story in this new series, we look back at the events of 2025, examining how the trade war tested policymakers and firms, forcing a rethink in business, strategy and supply chains. In April, when US President Donald Trump upended global trade by announcing “reciprocal tariffs” on almost all the country’s trading partners, officials in eastern China’s Ningbo – a national export hub – went on a wartime footing. Across... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336670/surviving-shocks-what-china-and-us-learned-2025s-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336670/surviving-shocks-what-china-and-us-learned-2025s-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 22:00:35 +0000 Sylvia Ma,Frank Chen Sylvia Ma,Frank Chen After witnessing the effects of a tumultuous trade war with the United States this year, China’s top leaders have issued a directive to fortify the domestic economy against persistent or even heightened trade frictions. Following the annual central economic work conference, which concluded on Thursday and set the agenda for 2026, officials emphasised “better coordinating domestic economic work and international economic and trade struggles”, anchoring a pro-growth strategy for the start of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336271/china-digs-trade-struggles-beijing-eyes-dual-strategy-growth-and-resilience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336271/china-digs-trade-struggles-beijing-eyes-dual-strategy-growth-and-resilience?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 14:00:09 +0000 Frank Tang Frank Tang Beijing and Washington held a call on Friday to discuss bilateral trade and economic ties, as a variety of practical issues – from soybean orders to computer chips – remain problematic despite the trade truce in October. Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng’s video call with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer was part of a bilateral negotiation mechanism started this year to address issues between the world’s two largest economies. The two sides had... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3335425/chinas-he-lifeng-holds-constructive-call-trump-officials-bessent-and-greer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3335425/chinas-he-lifeng-holds-constructive-call-trump-officials-bessent-and-greer?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 18:59:50 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma Vice-Premier He Lifeng has emphasised the need to diversify China’s export markets and sustain trade growth, while urging local-level officials to empower enterprises and enhance policy support to strengthen manufacturing. His remarks came during a three-day inspection tour that concluded on Thursday in the central provinces of Hubei and Hunan, where he learned about the operations of local trade logistics firms, export-oriented manufacturers and consumer-sector companies, according to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3333667/chinese-vice-premier-urges-manufacturing-upgrades-trade-diversification-policy-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3333667/chinese-vice-premier-urges-manufacturing-upgrades-trade-diversification-policy-push?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Nov 2025 11:00:10 +0000