https://www.scmp.com/rss/518206/feed Shein is an online retailer focused on fast fashion and low-price shopping. The company is considered one of the most valuable start-ups in the world, with the Shein app cited as the most downloaded shopping app in 2022 and 2023. Shein has drawn scrutiny over allegations that it uses forced labour for cotton sourced from the Xinjiang region. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham After eight years in the deep freeze, the European Parliament is sending an official delegation to China next week in the clearest sign yet that Beijing’s targeted lobbying blitz of its members is paying off. Seven members from the parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) will travel to Beijing and Shanghai alongside Engin Eroglu, head of its China delegation. They will meet officials, customs and port authorities, lawmakers and companies, including Shein and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348098/european-parliament-heads-china-after-8-years-members-say-its-no-sign-giving?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348098/european-parliament-heads-china-after-8-years-members-say-its-no-sign-giving?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 05:55:21 +0000 Junjie Wang Junjie Wang – https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/article/3347093/chinas-global-tech-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/article/3347093/chinas-global-tech-push?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 02:40:01 +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 He Huifeng,Coco Feng He Huifeng,Coco Feng Xu Yangtian, the low profile founder and chairman of online retail giant Shein, which sought to distance itself from China by moving its headquarters to Singapore, made his first-ever public appearance on Tuesday, praising southern Guangdong province’s role in the company’s global success. Dressed in a black suit and burgundy tie, Xu, also known as Sky Xu or Chris Xu, pledged to “continue to take root in Guangdong” by investing over 10 billion yuan (US$1.4 billion) to build a “smart supply chain... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344473/shein-founder-praises-guangdong-roots-first-public-speech-offshore-listing-stalls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344473/shein-founder-praises-guangdong-roots-first-public-speech-offshore-listing-stalls?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Lizzi C. Lee Lizzi C. Lee For decades, China’s role in the global economy was easy to define. It made things cheaply and at astonishing scale. “Made in China” became shorthand for industrial capacity. It was often contentious, sometimes admired, sometimes feared. In the years after China joined the World Trade Organization, its firms were deeply embedded in global supply chains, mostly at the lower end of the value chain. They produced for others. Western and Japanese companies controlled the premium segments and brand... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343986/how-next-china-shock-shaping-hearts-and-minds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343986/how-next-china-shock-shaping-hearts-and-minds?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 01:30:14 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The European Commission has opened an investigation into Chinese online retailer Shein over, among other things, the alleged sale of “child sexual abuse material” – a move that could see the firm banned from the EU market as a last resort. The probe, launched on Tuesday under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), will look into the systems the Singapore-based company has in place to limit the sale of illegal products. As a next step, the commission will ask Shein for further information and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343833/chinese-e-commerce-giant-shein-could-face-eu-ban-over-childlike-sex-dolls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343833/chinese-e-commerce-giant-shein-could-face-eu-ban-over-childlike-sex-dolls?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 11:14:09 +0000 Nicole Chan Nicole Chan Across social media, a curious phrase has been circulating: “You met me at a very Chinese time in my life.” It appears under videos of hotpot dinners, DHGate hauls, Chinese streetwear fits and users joking about switching their phone interfaces into Chinese “for the aesthetic”. It has even spawned an ecosystem of spin-offs: “Chinamaxxing”, “you will turn Chinese tomorrow” and countless posts where people half-joke about becoming “more Chinese” by the day. But beneath the humour of what looks... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342421/becoming-chinese-memes-reflect-world-shaped-chinas-ascent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342421/becoming-chinese-memes-reflect-world-shaped-chinas-ascent?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 01:30:10 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng In a seismic shift for the global retail landscape, Temu, the budget shopping platform owned by PDD Holdings, has caught up with Amazon.com in cross-border market share globally. The platform, which launched in 2022, saw its share surge from less than 1 per cent then to 24 per cent last year, on par with American giant Amazon, according to a survey published by International Post Corporation (IPC), an association of 26 national postal services in Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America. Amazon’s... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340415/chinese-owned-temu-catches-amazon-global-cross-border-e-commerce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340415/chinese-owned-temu-catches-amazon-global-cross-border-e-commerce?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:15:08 +0000 Nirbhay Rana Nirbhay Rana In 2025, familiar fashion brands around the world shut stores, restructured operations or disappeared. Meanwhile, Shein, the fast-fashion platform long criticised for its environmental and labour footprint, remained highly profitable. Last year, Shein told investors it was expecting a US$2 billion profit in 2025. At first glance, the conclusion appears straightforward: speed and scale are winning, while slower traditional fashion models are losing. However, this reading is dangerously... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3338910/why-shein-doesnt-have-be-model-fashion-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3338910/why-shein-doesnt-have-be-model-fashion-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 12:30:07 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu The first physical store of Chinese-owned fast-fashion giant Shein – which opened in central Paris in November amid heated protests – has become a new retail destination for many denizens of the French capital as they rush to finish their Christmas shopping. Hundreds of customers wandered among the racks of clothing, rifling through items carrying tags with rock-bottom prices, including a €66.99 (US$79) leather jacket and a €78.99 puffer coat. Those wishing to use the fitting rooms at the Shein... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3337687/shein-labubu-french-shoppers-are-buying-chinese-christmas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3337687/shein-labubu-french-shoppers-are-buying-chinese-christmas?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 09:00:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A French court on Friday rejected the state’s request to suspend Shein’s site in France as “disproportionate” after the e-commerce giant removed illicit products sold on its platform. French authorities had requested the ultra-fast-fashion giant’s site be blocked for three months after weapons, banned medications and childlike sex dolls were found on the platform. The authorities asked that the Chinese online platform only be reopened if it applied strict new measures to prevent a repeat of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3337135/shein-avoids-france-site-ban-after-removing-illegal-goods?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3337135/shein-avoids-france-site-ban-after-removing-illegal-goods?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Dec 2025 16:07:52 +0000 Abishur Prakash Abishur Prakash Last month, Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL), the world’s largest battery company, started building a massive joint venture plant in Spain. It came weeks after Spain’s King Felipe visited Beijing, seeking a stronger EU-China relationship as US commitments wobble. Except Spain, electrified by the potential job creation, ran into a problem: CATL wants to bring 2,000 Chinese workers to build the plant. What’s happening in Spain is part of a complicated new showdown between the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3336510/complicated-new-eu-china-showdown-quietly-taking-shape?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3336510/complicated-new-eu-china-showdown-quietly-taking-shape?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 21:30:09 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu The European Union will start collecting a three-euro flat fee for each small parcel valued below €150 (US$176) sent directly from a non-EU country to customers in the bloc, following a decision adopted by the EU finance ministers meeting in Brussels on Friday. The move, set to kick in next July, marks a milestone in Europe’s fight, led by France, against the influx of small parcels, mostly from Chinese platforms such as Temu and Shein, entering the union tax free. But how effective these... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3336292/eu-targets-chinas-shein-and-temu-new-fees-low-value-parcels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3336292/eu-targets-chinas-shein-and-temu-new-fees-low-value-parcels?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 16:13:51 +0000 Reuters Reuters Temu’s European headquarters in Dublin were raided by EU regulators last week on concerns about potential Chinese state subsidies granted to the online retailer, a subsidiary of China’s e-commerce giant PDD Holdings, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. Temu did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The raid comes amid increasing concern within the EU over cheap imports from China, as low-value e-commerce shipments have flooded into the bloc thanks to a customs waiver... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3335969/temus-dublin-office-raided-eu-regulators-chinese-subsidy-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3335969/temus-dublin-office-raided-eu-regulators-chinese-subsidy-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 19:51:35 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat With their domestic profits narrowing and production capacity expanding, China’s firms are continuing to widen their overseas footprints in search of new, more lucrative markets. In this series, we examine China Inc.’s next phase of “going global” and the complex, challenging international environment its companies have chosen to enter. The “Made in China” label has evolved considerably in recent decades. Mostly found affixed to low-cost goods of relative simplicity in China’s early years as a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3333074/chinas-companies-become-industry-leaders-where-world-are-they-going?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3333074/chinas-companies-become-industry-leaders-where-world-are-they-going?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Dec 2025 07:52:55 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Chinese merchants who sell to overseas markets via popular sites like Shein and Temu are struggling with escalating tax and compliance burdens from both their main export market, the European Union, and the domestic tax authority. The latest pressure came from the EU, which on Thursday agreed to abolish a rule that allowed goods worth less than €150 (US$174) to enter the region without customs duties. The new rule will apply once an EU customs data hub is ready, scheduled for 2028. However, the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3332873/chinese-vendors-shein-temu-face-double-tax-trouble-levies-home-and-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3332873/chinese-vendors-shein-temu-face-double-tax-trouble-levies-home-and-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Nov 2025 02:00:20 +0000 Mia Nurmamat,Ralph Jennings Mia Nurmamat,Ralph Jennings Three years into the cross-border e-commerce trade, Shenzhen-based seller Xiong Hao is grappling with the fallout from Washington’s decision to scrap duty-free treatment for small parcels – and now the European Union looks to deliver the next blow. “It’s getting harder and harder in the current environment,” said Xiong, who deals in toys and household goods. “Even though small parcels are technically duty-free, the EU already has a lot of miscellaneous taxes.” EU member states have agreed with... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3332843/china-sellers-brace-eu-preps-us-style-move-tighten-rules-low-value-parcels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3332843/china-sellers-brace-eu-preps-us-style-move-tighten-rules-low-value-parcels?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 15:00:10 +0000 Ralph Jennings,Xiaofei Xu Ralph Jennings,Xiaofei Xu Chinese firms must be extra vigilant in Europe as policymakers there weigh tougher measures against a pair of iconic hi-tech suppliers while France has threatened to suspend fast-fashion retailer Shein, analysts say, as the moves come after a seizure of Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia. The European Commission’s reported plan to force member states to phase out Huawei Technologies and ZTE gear from telecoms networks could mark a fresh regulatory hurdle while serving as a warning to roughly 3,000... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3332680/eu-scrutiny-huawei-zte-and-shein-raises-stakes-chinese-firms-compliance-maze?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3332680/eu-scrutiny-huawei-zte-and-shein-raises-stakes-chinese-firms-compliance-maze?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 15:00:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse EU finance ministers on Thursday agreed to scrap a bloc-wide duty exemption on low-value orders from the likes of retail giants Temu and Shein to help tackle a flood of cheap Chinese imports. Today, there is no levy on packages worth less than €150 (US$174) imported directly to consumers in the 27-nation bloc, in many cases via Chinese-founded platforms. Member states including France and the EU executive hope the duty exemption can be done away with from the start of next year, rather than 2028... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3332700/eu-impose-small-parcel-duties-hit-chinas-shein-temu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3332700/eu-impose-small-parcel-duties-hit-chinas-shein-temu?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 14:32:31 +0000 Reuters Reuters Italy is working to adopt a tax on low-value postal packages from non-European countries, senior politicians said, as part of measures to protect its fashion industry from low-cost imports mostly from China. The move targets online platforms such as Shein and Temu. “Our measures will be in force by the end of this year,” Industry Minister Adolfo Urso told reporters. Italy’s ruling parties plan to apply a levy to consignments worth less than €150 (US$175), in line with a proposal being discussed... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3332553/italy-plans-tax-low-value-parcels-targeting-chinas-shein-and-temu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3332553/italy-plans-tax-low-value-parcels-targeting-chinas-shein-and-temu?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Nov 2025 18:56:40 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Shein Group has told investors that it is expecting a bumper US$2 billion in net income in 2025, after higher profit margins through price increases and cost-cutting helped overcome a drop in online traffic caused by US President Donald Trump’s punitive tariffs. The Singapore-based e-commerce giant is also forecasting mid-teen percentage growth in sales, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified as the targets are private. The US$2 billion net income guidance... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3331855/shein-eyes-us2-billion-profit-2025-despite-trump-tariffs-and-french-ban?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3331855/shein-eyes-us2-billion-profit-2025-despite-trump-tariffs-and-french-ban?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Nov 2025 03:00:15 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Chinese ultra-fast fashion giant Shein is seeking dialogue with French authorities after Paris suspended the platform in a shock move on Wednesday. “Shein takes note of the government’s announcement today,” a spokesperson for the group told the Post. “We are committed to working with the French authorities to address any concerns swiftly, as we have always done, and we are seeking dialogue with the authorities and government bodies on this issue.” The announcement came as Shein opened its first... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331690/chinese-retailer-shein-wants-dialogue-french-government-after-website-suspension?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331690/chinese-retailer-shein-wants-dialogue-french-government-after-website-suspension?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 17:27:42 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Sea founder Forrest Li told employees a trillion dollar market capitalisation – an increase of about 10 times – is possible as the Southeast Asia e-commerce leader joins tech companies globally betting on artificial intelligence for growth. In a memo to staff Monday, seen by Bloomberg News, Li compared the rapid growth of AI to the personal computer and smartphone revolutions that expanded consumer access to products and services once available only to the wealthy. But Li said it would not be... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3329790/sea-ceo-forrest-li-sees-path-us1-trillion-market-cap-help-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3329790/sea-ceo-forrest-li-sees-path-us1-trillion-market-cap-help-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 08:40:36 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng The full impact of the US removing import duty exemptions for e-commerce shipments may take a year to reach consumers, similar to the timeline seen after the UK’s exit from the European Union, according to the CEO of DHL Express. Consumers had yet to fully realise the additional costs they might have to bear, said John Pearson. “When Brexit happened, I was receiving calls from customers even one year later, saying the duties charged on their orders must have been incorrect,” he told the Post in... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3329192/full-impact-us-e-commerce-duty-change-may-take-year-dhl-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3329192/full-impact-us-e-commerce-duty-change-may-take-year-dhl-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 03:23:28 +0000 Reuters Reuters Online fast-fashion retailer Shein received a €150 million (US$175 million) fine on Wednesday from France’s data protection authority over the improper use of cookies, a decision the company contested and said it would appeal. The Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés (CNIL), a government body charged with enforcing consumer data protection, said Shein’s website failed to comply with regulations in collecting consumers’ data without consent. When users browsing Shein’s French... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3324274/shein-hit-us175-million-fine-french-watchdog-over-cookie-misuse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3324274/shein-hit-us175-million-fine-french-watchdog-over-cookie-misuse?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Sep 2025 04:15:10 +0000 Mia Nulimaimaiti Mia Nulimaimaiti As the United States ends import duty exemptions for parcels valued under US$800 shipped from anywhere in the world, many Chinese merchants have already established US warehouses to cushion the blow. Li Chen, professor of manufacturing management at Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business, said China’s exposure was likely to be limited, citing the resilience of its cross-border platforms such as Shein and Temu. America’s “de minimis” exemption will end on Friday, after US President... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3323599/chinese-firms-adapt-trump-ends-us-de-minimis-exemptions-rest-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3323599/chinese-firms-adapt-trump-ends-us-de-minimis-exemptions-rest-world?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Aug 2025 07:00:11 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Mexico is preparing to raise tariffs on Chinese imports of automobiles, textiles and plastics, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, under a proposal expected to be part of the 2026 budget to be submitted to the nation’s Congress next month. If confirmed, the increase would mark one of Mexico’s sharpest trade shifts in recent years. Officials in Washington have urged the move as part of US President Donald Trump’s push to build a “Fortress North America” and reduce dependence on Chinese supply... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3323554/mexico-reportedly-considering-higher-chinese-import-tariffs-us-urging?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3323554/mexico-reportedly-considering-higher-chinese-import-tariffs-us-urging?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Aug 2025 16:30:19 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng In late 2023, Kent Liu finally decided to take a leap of faith: it was time to move his customised printing business from China to the United States. Liu felt he needed to make a change. For years, his company had made money by printing T-shirts, hats and other apparel in China for a range of clients, which were then shipped to the United States. But that model was increasingly under threat. In 2018, America raised tariffs on Chinese goods, and tensions between the two powers had continued to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3323513/chinese-printing-factories-flock-us-tariffs-shake-e-commerce-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3323513/chinese-printing-factories-flock-us-tariffs-shake-e-commerce-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Aug 2025 15:00:09 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng A number of Chinese cross-border exporters expect the Trump administration’s erratic trade policy to continue testing their stamina and resilience, days after the tariff truce between Beijing and Washington was extended for another 90 days. Those concerns were raised on the sidelines at Friday’s opening of the semi-annual China Cross-Border E-Commerce Trade Fair in Guangzhou, capital of southern Guangdong province, which concludes on Sunday. With booths at the fair, major online retail platforms... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3322051/us-tariffs-remain-big-concern-chinese-sellers-shein-temu-tiktok-shop-and-amazon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3322051/us-tariffs-remain-big-concern-chinese-sellers-shein-temu-tiktok-shop-and-amazon?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Aug 2025 01:00:16 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Shein Group’s net income rose to over US$400 million and revenue was almost US$10 billion in the first quarter as consumers snapped up the fast-fashion retailer’s products ahead of US tariffs, according to people familiar with the matter. The performance helped lift the company’s profit margin to about 5 per cent, the people said, asking not to be identified because the figures were disclosed confidentially. Shein said in an emailed statement that “the data is inaccurate” without... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3320355/sheins-revenue-rises-us10-billion-first-quarter-trump-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3320355/sheins-revenue-rises-us10-billion-first-quarter-trump-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Aug 2025 02:08:16 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun Washington’s decision to suspend the “de minimis” tariff exemption for all countries – expanding on an earlier move that targeted Chinese shipments – is set to disrupt and ultimately reshape the global cross-border e-commerce sector, analysts said. The White House announced the order on Wednesday as part of efforts to close loopholes used to evade tariffs and smuggle “deadly synthetic opioids as well as other unsafe or below-market products” into the United States. It will come into effect on... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3320315/trumps-order-end-de-minimis-tariff-break-expands-china-rest-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3320315/trumps-order-end-de-minimis-tariff-break-expands-china-rest-world?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Jul 2025 15:00:08 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng The French government has fined online retailer Shein €40 million (US$47 million) for “deceptive marketing practices” and incomplete information about the environmental impact of its products. The penalty was announced just days after a European Union official said on Monday that he was “deeply concerned” about the millions of small parcels entering the region every day, many from Chinese-founded platforms like Shein and Temu. The fine by France’s Ministry of Economy followed investigations... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3316961/france-fines-shein-us47-million-deceptive-pricing-amid-eu-scrutiny-small-parcels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3316961/france-fines-shein-us47-million-deceptive-pricing-amid-eu-scrutiny-small-parcels?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2025 09:00:17 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov TikTok has launched its e-commerce platform in Japan, enabling users to directly buy products featured in videos, as the app continues to face an uncertain future in the US. TikTok Shop’s launch in Japan on Monday confirms the Post’s earlier report that the popular short-video app is seeking to diversify its global footprint while reducing its reliance on the US market, as President Donald Trump has demanded the app’s US operations be sold to American investors. Trump said in an interview with... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3316505/tiktok-shop-opens-business-japan-us-fate-hangs-balance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3316505/tiktok-shop-opens-business-japan-us-fate-hangs-balance?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Jul 2025 11:00:08 +0000 Mia Nulimaimaiti Mia Nulimaimaiti In Kevin Zhang’s quiet, two-storey house in Gloucester, hundreds of parcels blanket the living room floor. Each package – shipped from China – is bound for British customers who placed orders on Temu, TikTok Shop and AliExpress. Zhang, 49, moved to the United Kingdom from China’s rustbelt northeast in 2000, and spent years running a local nail salon. But in March, he sensed that something big was happening with China’s cross-border e-commerce platforms – and decided to make a change. He... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3316120/chinese-migrants-turning-their-uk-homes-temu-and-shein-warehouses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3316120/chinese-migrants-turning-their-uk-homes-temu-and-shein-warehouses?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Jun 2025 12:00:08 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Chinese start-up Hangzhou Zhiyi Technology applies artificial intelligence (AI) in apparel design and production, helping famous brands like Nike, Gap and Urban Revivo predict the next fashion trend. Founded in 2018 at fast-rising Chinese technology hub Hangzhou, capital of eastern Zhejiang province, Zhiyi Tech is focused on compiling style and sales data from major shopping and social-media sites around the world, providing clients with data-driven analysis of fashion market trends. Zhiyi Tech... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3314467/how-chinese-ai-start-helps-nike-gap-urban-revivo-predict-fashion-trends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3314467/how-chinese-ai-start-helps-nike-gap-urban-revivo-predict-fashion-trends?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jun 2025 01:00:18 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Major economies are clamping down on tax exemptions for international small-parcel shipments, closing off a loophole that fuelled booming growth for Chinese retailers led by Temu and Shein. The United States has taken the lead, slapping a tariff of at least US$100 on shipments from China and Hong Kong that previously faced zero charges under the “de minimis” rule. The European Union plans to introduce a €2 (US$2.25) fee per package, while the Group of Seven nations has highlighted how tax-free... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3313016/us-leads-way-stemming-chinas-small-parcel-deluge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3313016/us-leads-way-stemming-chinas-small-parcel-deluge?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Jun 2025 09:00:55 +0000 Haining Gao Haining Gao / https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3312240/us-chinese-tariffs-during-trade-truce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3312240/us-chinese-tariffs-during-trade-truce?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 May 2025 07:48:28 +0000 Winston Mok Winston Mok The rapidly arrived at pause in the US trade war with China debunked the myth that international trade benefits mainly exporters. Any voluntary trade has to be advantageous for both buyer and seller. While it is doubtful US President Donald Trump can clinch his long-coveted Nobel Peace Prize, if he allows a full-scale trade war with China to drag on until the end of the year, he should have a fair shot at the Nobel Prize in economics for launching a bold experiment in global commerce and proving... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3311432/what-would-us-trade-war-win-really-look-americans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3311432/what-would-us-trade-war-win-really-look-americans?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 May 2025 10:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Shein risks potential fines after the European Union warned the e-commerce platform on Monday over a series of practices that infringe the bloc’s consumer laws, from fake discount deals to misleading product information. The Chinese-founded e-commerce platform has a month to reply and offer commitments on addressing the issues found during an investigation launched in February by the European Commission with consumer authorities in Belgium, France, Ireland and the Netherlands. Shein said it was... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3311888/shein-risks-fines-over-breaches-eu-consumer-law?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3311888/shein-risks-fines-over-breaches-eu-consumer-law?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 May 2025 21:45:59 +0000 Reuters Reuters Finance ministers and central bank governors from the Group of Seven democracies papered over their differences on Thursday, pledging to address “excessive imbalances” in the global economy and saying they could increase sanctions on Russia. Ahead of the meeting there had been doubt about whether there would be a final communique, given divisions over US tariffs and Washington’s reluctance to refer to Russia’s war on Ukraine as illegal. But after talks that stretched over three days,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3311451/g7-targets-excessive-imbalances-global-economy-eyes-de-minimis-exemption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3311451/g7-targets-excessive-imbalances-global-economy-eyes-de-minimis-exemption?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 May 2025 21:01:56 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China has urged the European Union to provide a “fair” playing field for businesses after Brussels proposed a handling fee on every small parcel that enters the bloc, most of which come from the country’s rapidly expanding e-commerce firms. “China believes that the creation of an open and inclusive trade environment is in the common interest of all parties,” said Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning at a daily press conference on Wednesday. “We hope that the European side will abide... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3311344/china-delivers-strong-words-eu-over-proposed-small-parcel-fees?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3311344/china-delivers-strong-words-eu-over-proposed-small-parcel-fees?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 May 2025 07:00:11 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The EU said on Tuesday that it was preparing to impose a €2 (US$2.25) flat fee on the billions of low-value packages that flood into the bloc each year, the great majority from China. Trade chief Maros Sefcovic told the European Parliament that e-commerce platforms would be expected to pay the levy per parcel, which aims to help the European Union tackle the challenges from the massive influx of inexpensive items. The fee would remove the customs-free status of packages worth less than €150... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3311129/eu-impose-us225-fee-cheap-parcels-mostly-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3311129/eu-impose-us225-fee-cheap-parcels-mostly-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 May 2025 16:51:38 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Japan is mulling a review of tax exemptions for small parcels including those shipped from China, joining a slew of governments stepping up scrutiny over a duty-free channel used by Shein and PDD Holdings’ Temu. A group of government tax experts last week discussed problems related to existing tax exemptions for small parcels shipped to Japan, according to the Cabinet Office. They looked at concerns about fair competition and the channel being a conduit for illegal drugs and counterfeit goods... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3311032/japan-follows-trumps-lead-weighs-taxing-imports-chinas-shein-temu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3311032/japan-follows-trumps-lead-weighs-taxing-imports-chinas-shein-temu?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 May 2025 06:02:06 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Parisian Clémence Piteux has noticed a change on her social media feed recently – a significant uptick in advertisements by Chinese e-commerce platforms. “I don’t think I’m their target audience but I still see more advertisements than before,” she told the Post on Thursday, pointing to a recent collaboration between Shein and a famous French influencer. “They are definitely very eager,” Piteux said, but she remains sceptical about the strategy. In May, Chinese e-commerce platforms Shein and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3310650/trade-war-fallout-chinese-e-commerce-firms-intensify-push-europes-shoppers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3310650/trade-war-fallout-chinese-e-commerce-firms-intensify-push-europes-shoppers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 May 2025 14:00:08 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China-US cargo bookings surged this week as businesses rushed to take advantage of a 90-day pause in levies imposed following US President Donald Trump’s April 2 “Liberation Day”. The seven-day container booking average jumped almost fourfold to 21,530 twenty-foot equivalent units, according to Vizion, a cargo-data provider. Shippers took action after China and the US agreed to cut tariffs by 115 per cent following weekend talks in Switzerland. Chinese e-commerce giants Shein and Temu are among... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3310585/cargo-surge-private-sector-promotion-law-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3310585/cargo-surge-private-sector-promotion-law-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 May 2025 09:00:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters An agreement between the US and China to temporarily slash tariffs stopped short of reinstating the US “de minimis” duty exemption for e-commerce packages from China, but still gives online retailers like Shein and Temu a window to adapt their businesses. The Chinese firms, which have taken market share from dollar stores and shopping-centre rivals to surge to among the top 10 downloaded apps in the US, would likely use the 90-day reprieve to bring in bulk shipments and restock their US... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3310079/us-china-tariff-reprieve-gives-shein-temu-time-restock-us-warehouses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3310079/us-china-tariff-reprieve-gives-shein-temu-time-restock-us-warehouses?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 May 2025 01:53:19 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng On Friday, more than 1,000 Chinese merchants selling on the Temu online marketplace gathered for a five-hour event in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province and a key export hub in southern China. They came to learn about the latest clothing trends in various overseas markets – except the largest one, the US. Amid an intensifying trade war between China and the US, the message from Temu to sellers was clear: diversify your revenue sources. The event featured three sessions focused on the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3309844/temu-points-chinese-sellers-middle-east-latin-american-markets-amid-us-tariff-woes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3309844/temu-points-chinese-sellers-middle-east-latin-american-markets-amid-us-tariff-woes?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 May 2025 01:00:17 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun This latest interview in the Open Questions series features Chinese economist Yao Yang. The former dean of the National School of Development at Peking University has written widely on economic development and institutional change in China, including the book Economic Reform and Institutional Innovation. In this interview, he anticipates a US-China trade deal, addresses industrial overcapacity in China and assesses the impact of new technology on the country’s future economic prospects. SCMP... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3309538/us-china-trade-deal-has-quite-high-likelihood-says-yao-yang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3309538/us-china-trade-deal-has-quite-high-likelihood-says-yao-yang?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 May 2025 07:22:01 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Leela Roye, a senior at Boston University, has been too busy thinking about final exams and college graduation to focus much on US President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and impending US- China trade war. But Roye is surrounded by classmates who love the cheap prices of online Chinese retail sites like Shein and Temu and is aware those prices could rise dramatically starting on Saturday. “A lot of people, especially in college, shop in those places because the prices are so low compared to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3308915/higher-prices-await-us-consumers-small-shipments-china-trump-trade-policy-bites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3308915/higher-prices-await-us-consumers-small-shipments-china-trump-trade-policy-bites?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 May 2025 21:34:59 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Temu, the shopping platform owned by Chinese e-commerce giant PDD Holdings, has revised its business model in the US in response to “retaliatory” tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on Chinese imports and the end of the “de minimis” duty exemption policy. The platform, which has rapidly gained popularity in the US, offers direct access to made-in-China products and markets itself as a bargain marketplace, allowing customers to “shop like a billionaire”. Temu said on Friday that it... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3308811/temu-adapts-us-business-model-trump-tariffs-embracing-local-sellers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3308811/temu-adapts-us-business-model-trump-tariffs-embracing-local-sellers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 May 2025 07:03:51 +0000