https://www.scmp.com/rss/521181/feed Neil Denslow has previously worked as a journalist for Bloomberg, S&P Global and ITP Media in Hong Kong, London and Dubai. He is a chartered financial analyst (CFA) charter holder. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow China criticised the United States for filing criminal charges against former Cuban president Raul Castro, as the Trump administration stepped up pressure on the Communist-ruled Caribbean island. “The United States needs to stop wielding the big stick of sanctions and judicial measures against Cuba, and stop threatening Cuba with force at every turn,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Thursday. Russia also said that US actions “cannot be condoned”. The US on Wednesday... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354503/cuba-clash-putin-visits-beijing-xi-may-go-north-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354503/cuba-clash-putin-visits-beijing-xi-may-go-north-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 08:56:26 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to China next week, days after US counterpart Donald Trump concluded a visit that was heavy on ceremony and light on substance. Putin’s one-day trip will take place on Wednesday, the South China Morning Post said, citing unidentified sources. It is unlikely there will be any elaborate parades or welcome ceremony for the routine visit, according to the report (see SCMP Plus Xi meeting tracker). This will be the first time that China has hosted Russian... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353692/putin-follows-trump-china-xi-hosts-us-president-baidu-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353692/putin-follows-trump-china-xi-hosts-us-president-baidu-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 09:00:58 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump said a month-long ceasefire with Iran was on “massive life support” as he rejected Tehran’s response to a peace proposal. The Iranian reply was a “piece of garbage”, Trump told reporters in the White House on Monday. “I didn’t even finish reading it.” The comments helped to push the price of Brent crude oil above US$106 a barrel on Tuesday. Trump is expected to discuss the war with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a Beijing summit on Thursday, as Iran’s 10-week shutdown... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353252/trump-rejects-garbage-iran-peace-plan-heading-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353252/trump-rejects-garbage-iran-peace-plan-heading-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 09:00:12 +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 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow US President Donald Trump will bring a scaled-back group of chief executive officers with him on a trip to Beijing next week, reflecting limited expectations for a summit that may be overshadowed by the war on Iran. The White House considered inviting about a dozen business leaders on the May 14-15 trip, compared with the 29 high-profile executives on Trump’s last visit in 2017, Reuters said, citing unidentified people briefed on preparations. Nvidia, Apple and Boeing are among the companies... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352886/trumps-beijing-trip-iran-war-diplomacy-tech-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352886/trumps-beijing-trip-iran-war-diplomacy-tech-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 09:00:11 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Subscribers: The Daily Pulse won’t be published on May 1 because of China’s Labour Day holiday. We will resume publication on Monday, May 4. Crude oil prices jumped to a four-year high after US President Donald Trump suggested that a US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could last for “months”. Brent crude, the global benchmark, surged as much as 7.3 per cent, surpassing US$126 a barrel, following reports that Trump met oil executives on Tuesday to discuss ways of extending the blockade and... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3352007/oil-surge-trump-blockade-warning-tests-stocks-resilience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3352007/oil-surge-trump-blockade-warning-tests-stocks-resilience?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 09:00:19 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Senator Steve Daines will lead a bipartisan US Congressional delegation to China next week, just ahead of a visit by President Donald Trump. The five-member group will arrive on May 1 and visit Beijing and Shanghai, the South China Morning Post reported, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter. The delegation will include first-time visitors to China, the report said, without elaboration. Daines, a Trump ally, said last month that he planned to take a group to China to explore the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351305/trump-ally-visits-china-deepseek-releases-v4-ev-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351305/trump-ally-visits-china-deepseek-releases-v4-ev-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:05:56 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow The China-US trade war bubbled away this week, even as the Strait of Hormuz shutdown dominated global headlines. The US is finalising a multinational agreement on trade and critical minerals to break China’s grip on vital resources, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told lawmakers on Thursday. He also sought a higher budget to support more trade investigations, and suggested potential action to pare US farmers’ reliance on Chinese orders. “We’re not just going to lay down and let the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350432/us-china-tensions-simmer-economy-outperforms-auto-china-begins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350432/us-china-tensions-simmer-economy-outperforms-auto-china-begins?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:00:12 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma China’s economy grew 5 per cent in the first quarter, surpassing expectations, as the nation weathered supply disruptions and higher oil prices caused by the US-Israeli war in Iran. Expansion accelerated from 4.5 per cent in the last three months of 2025, and beat the 4.9 per cent forecast among economists polled by Chinese financial data provider Wind. The number, announced on Thursday, hit the top end of the full-year growth target of 4.5-5 per cent. Quicker-than-expected growth reflected a... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3350304/chinas-economic-boom-masks-iran-war-slowdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3350304/chinas-economic-boom-masks-iran-war-slowdown?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:00:46 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma The US announced a blockade against ships calling at Iranian ports, ramping up pressure on the Middle East nation after marathon peace talks over the weekend ended without a deal. Action was due to start Monday at 10am New York time (10pm Hong Kong), according to US Central Command. Vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports won’t be affected, it said. President Donald Trump had earlier said that the blockade would cover all ships using the vital waterway. “Any Iranian... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/us/diplomacy/article/3349900/trumps-hormuz-blockade-may-target-china-along-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/us/diplomacy/article/3349900/trumps-hormuz-blockade-may-target-china-along-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:06:18 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Communist Party chief Xi Jinping said he was “fully confident” of closer ties with Taiwan as he met a leader of the island’s opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party for the first time in almost a decade. “The historical trend that compatriots of both sides of the strait will get closer and get together will not change,” Xi said at the start of his discussion with Cheng Li-wun. “This is a certainty of history, and we are fully confident.” Cheng called for a “systemic solution” to avoid war in the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/politics/article/3349645/xi-holds-landmark-taiwan-meeting-iran-war-ceasefire-gdp-update?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/politics/article/3349645/xi-holds-landmark-taiwan-meeting-iran-war-ceasefire-gdp-update?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:00:26 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Subscribers: The Daily Pulse won’t be published on April 6 because of China’s Ching Ming Festival. We will resume publication on Tuesday, April 7. Data released on the first anniversary of President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs announcement shows how his trade war has hammered the United States’ direct imports from China as manufacturers shift production to other markets. The US goods trade deficit with China fell by more than 50 per cent in the first two months of this year to... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3348953/liberation-day-anniversary-war-iran-taiwans-kmt-visits-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3348953/liberation-day-anniversary-war-iran-taiwans-kmt-visits-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:01:05 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Chinese and Hong Kong shares suffered their worst month since January 2024 as the war on Iran upended global oil markets and spurred economic concerns. The mainland CSI 300 lost 5.5 per cent in March, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dropped 6.9 per cent. Both indexes also fell for the second quarter in a row. The broader MSCI Asia-Pacific Index plunged 12 per cent in US dollar terms in March, its biggest monthly loss in more than three years. Stocks have fallen around the world since Iran shut... https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/markets/article/3348529/iran-war-hits-stocks-hong-kong-ipo-boom-falters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/markets/article/3348529/iran-war-hits-stocks-hong-kong-ipo-boom-falters?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 09:10:54 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma China opened two retaliatory trade investigations against the United States, laying the groundwork for countermeasures to potential tariffs and bolstering its negotiating position ahead of a presidential summit in May. One inquiry focuses on US trade barriers “disrupting global production and supply chains” and the other covers “green products”, the Ministry of Commerce said on Friday. The investigations were launched in response to US inquiries announced earlier this month against China and... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3348397/china-deploys-new-trade-war-weapons-us-investigations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3348397/china-deploys-new-trade-war-weapons-us-investigations?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 09:19:31 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow German Chancellor Friedrich Merz signalled support for a European Union-China trade deal, as rising tensions with the United States complicate Europe’s response to a growing flood of low-cost Chinese imports. Merz told German lawmakers on Wednesday he could envisage an agreement with China in “the longer term” among other trade accords. “We now need strategic partnerships around the world in order to strengthen ourselves, especially our exports,” he said. The comments highlight an emerging split... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348115/merz-floats-eu-china-deal-trumps-new-beijing-date-european-lawmakers-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348115/merz-floats-eu-china-deal-trumps-new-beijing-date-european-lawmakers-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 09:01:16 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump said he would visit China from May 14 to May 15, including a meeting with President Xi Jinping, after delaying the trip by about six weeks because of the war on Iran. The new schedule is a day shorter than the original three-day visit that was due to start on March 31. China didn’t join the White House in announcing the trip. It rarely makes statements about planned visits more than a few days ahead of the arrival date. “I look very much forward to spending time with... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347988/trump-sets-new-china-visit-date-iran-war-stokes-economic-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347988/trump-sets-new-china-visit-date-iran-war-stokes-economic-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:00:29 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, encouraged his Iranian counterpart to pursue negotiations with the United States as conflict in the Middle East threatens to enter a second month. “Talking is better than fighting,” Wang told Abbas Araghchi by phone on Tuesday, according to the Chinese foreign ministry. “All parties should seize every opportunity to begin the peace process as soon as possible.” Confusion surrounds the status of peace talks, as Iran has derided a reported US 15-point ceasefire plan... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3347856/china-calls-us-iran-talks-war-upends-gulf-states-global-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3347856/china-calls-us-iran-talks-war-upends-gulf-states-global-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 09:00:16 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Chinese petrol prices rose the most since 2000, even after unprecedented government intervention, as the war in Iran upends global oil markets. Petrol went up by 1,160 yuan (US$169) per tonne at the end of Monday and diesel prices rose by 1,115 yuan, according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). The increases would have been about twice as high had the usual pricing rules been followed, it said. The roughly 11 per cent increases, the fifth this year, came after Iran closed... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3347712/china-ev-makers-gain-iran-war-drives-fuel-costs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3347712/china-ev-makers-gain-iran-war-drives-fuel-costs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 09:17:11 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Chinese Premier Li Qiang committed to economic opening up and described the country as a “haven of stability” as he addressed global business leaders amid concerns about surging Chinese exports and conflict in the Middle East. China will support more balanced trade, provide further access to its services sectors, and boost imports of medical and healthcare products, digital technologies and low-carbon services, Li said at the China Development Forum on Sunday. Apple CEO Tim Cook, Samsung... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3347584/chinas-li-pledges-economic-opening-touts-stability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3347584/chinas-li-pledges-economic-opening-touts-stability?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 09:22:28 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow US President Donald Trump said he will be “speaking Japan’s praises” when he makes a delayed trip to China, even with the two Asian nations engaged in a long-running dispute over Taiwan. The Beijing visit, including a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, has been postponed “for about a month and a half”, Trump told reporters in the White House alongside Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The US president was due to arrive in China on March 31. Trump’s remarks underscore how China has... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347287/trump-praise-japan-china-xi-summit-delayed-pla-nato-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347287/trump-praise-japan-china-xi-summit-delayed-pla-nato-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:00:44 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Oil prices surged about 10 per cent and Chinese stocks fell on Thursday as widening conflict in the Middle East created new concerns about global energy supplies. Brent crude, the global benchmark, touched US$117 a barrel, having risen 60 per cent since the US and Israel first attacked Iran on February 28. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index and the mainland CSI 300 both fell about 2 per cent. Prices of crude oil and gas jumped after Israel bombed Iran’s huge South Pars gas field and Iran responded by... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3347165/iran-war-prompts-global-energy-rethink-favours-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3347165/iran-war-prompts-global-energy-rethink-favours-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:19:48 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Nvidia is restarting production of H200s, its second-most powerful artificial intelligence (AI) chip, after getting long-awaited approval from Beijing to sell the processors in China. The US chip giant has won licences for “many customers in China” and has received orders from “many” companies, CEO Jensen Huang said Tuesday at a developer conference in San Jose, California. “Our supply chain is getting fired up.” Production of the chip was halted last year. Chinese regulators have opened the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/tech-war/article/3347013/nvidia-restarts-h200-ai-chip-production-china-allows-sales?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/tech-war/article/3347013/nvidia-restarts-h200-ai-chip-production-china-allows-sales?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 09:01:33 +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 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump said he may put off a planned visit to Beijing as he sought to press China and other nations into helping reopen the Strait of Hormuz amid the war in Iran. “We may delay” the trip, he told the Financial Times on Sunday, without saying for how long. The visit, scheduled for March 31 to April 2, includes a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump has “demanded” that about seven countries help to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, he told reporters on Sunday, as the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346744/china-may-snub-trump-plea-help-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346744/china-may-snub-trump-plea-help-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 09:04:14 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow United States and Chinese trade negotiators will meet in Paris on Sunday and Monday, seeking to ready a deal ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing at the end of the month. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will meet Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, according to US and Chinese government statements. Neither side gave specific details about the discussions. The sixth round of Bessent-He trade talks comes amid volatility in oil markets due to... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3346494/trade-talks-raising-lobsters-tech-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3346494/trade-talks-raising-lobsters-tech-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:00:59 +0000 Neil Denslow Neil Denslow This year’s ‘two sessions’, China’s biggest annual political gathering, featured the announcement of the lowest GDP growth target in decades and official approval for the 15th five-year plan. SCMP Plus hosted a webinar to discuss these developments with three experts from the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis. Other topics included the upcoming US-China presidential summit, President Xi Jinping’s purge of the military and efforts to reshape the economy. The panel... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/article/3346449/two-sessions-webinar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/article/3346449/two-sessions-webinar?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 05:18:50 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma China has issued public guidance on using OpenClaw, and reportedly restricted its use in government agencies, as regulators push back against surging use of the artificial intelligence (AI) agent. Best practices include minimising internet exposure and regularly checking for security updates, China’s top software regulator said on Wednesday. The notice followed two earlier official warnings about OpenClaw, an autonomous AI agent used for tasks such as stock picking, sorting emails and creating... https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3346356/openclaw-frenzy-shows-hurdles-rewiring-china-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3346356/openclaw-frenzy-shows-hurdles-rewiring-china-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 09:08:29 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma China’s computer chip exports surged 72.6 per cent in the first two months of the year, far outpacing broad export growth, as technological advances help the country tap into a demand boom fuelled by artificial intelligence (AI). Shipments of integrated circuits totalled US$43.3 billion, with volumes jumping 13.7 per cent to 52.5 billion units, according to customs data released on Tuesday. Overall exports rose by 21.8 per cent, the most in four years. Memory chip prices have surged worldwide... https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3346219/chinas-ai-led-technology-drive-carries-hidden-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3346219/chinas-ai-led-technology-drive-carries-hidden-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 09:00:21 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Oil prices tumbled and China stocks rebounded after US President Donald Trump said the war in Iran could be over “very soon” and that he could waive sanctions to ease a global squeeze on crude supply. Brent crude, the global benchmark, fell back down to about US$90 a barrel after surging to almost US$120 on Monday. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index climbed 2.2 per cent and the mainland CSI 300 Index rose 1.3 per cent. Both stock gauges are still down for the month. The United States was “way ahead of... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3346091/chinas-energy-defences-ease-sting-iran-war-instability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3346091/chinas-energy-defences-ease-sting-iran-war-instability?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:01:04 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said 2026 could be a “landmark year” in relations with the United States, allaying concerns that the war in Iran might derail ties and an expected visit by US President Donald Trump. “I believe that when the two sides treat each other with sincerity and good faith, we will be able to lengthen the list of cooperation, and shorten the list of problems,” Wang told reporters in Beijing on Sunday. The countries could “produce results that are satisfactory to both... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345967/chinas-wang-sees-landmark-year-us-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345967/chinas-wang-sees-landmark-year-us-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 09:00:11 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow SCMP.com will carry a live blog of the foreign ministry’s “two sessions” press conference on Sunday morning (Beijing time). Foreign Minister Wang Yi is likely to speak at the event. China is sharpening its focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced manufacturing as it seeks to bolster the economy and achieve technological self-reliance. The digital economy will grow to 12.5 per cent of gross domestic product by 2030, from 10.5 per cent last year, under the 15th five-year plan being... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3345707/chinas-ai-focus-growth-target-cut-us-china-trade-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3345707/chinas-ai-focus-growth-target-cut-us-china-trade-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 09:00:31 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Neil Denslow Brian Rhoads,Neil Denslow China and the United States are looking for ways to revive reciprocal investments, even as conflict in the Middle East casts a shadow over an upcoming presidential summit. Joint ventures, licensing arrangements and so-called intellectual-property-light models designed to withstand political and regulatory scrutiny are among the forms of cooperation under discussion, an unnamed source told the South China Morning Post. The potential scope and structure of investments remain undefined. An... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/article/3345270/trump-xi-trade-detente-weathers-us-strikes-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/article/3345270/trump-xi-trade-detente-weathers-us-strikes-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 09:02:45 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Neil Denslow Brian Rhoads,Neil Denslow Oil prices rose by the most in four years amid the US-Israeli war on Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane for global crude supplies. Brent crude, the global benchmark, surged as much as 14 per cent to more than US$82 per barrel, the highest since January 2025, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Shipowners and traders are largely avoiding the Strait of Hormuz that links the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean, which usually handles about 20 per cent of... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/global-economy/article/3345132/china-faces-oil-squeeze-after-us-israel-strikes-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/global-economy/article/3345132/china-faces-oil-squeeze-after-us-israel-strikes-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 09:03:33 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Chinese lawmakers gather next week for the annual “two sessions” legislative meetings, where they will approve the 15th five-year plan and likely see a shift towards less emphasis on economic growth. Premier Li Qiang will summarise the new five-year plan and announce the 2026 GDP target on March 5, the first day of meetings for the National People’s Congress, the country’s legislature. Lawmakers will likely give near-unanimous support to the plan, which runs through 2030, when the meeting... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/politics/article/3344851/two-sessions-trump-tariffs-jdcom-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/politics/article/3344851/two-sessions-trump-tariffs-jdcom-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Hong Kong raised its economic growth forecast to between 2.5 per cent and 3.5 per cent this year, as Financial Secretary Paul Chan delivered a budget speech focused on diversifying growth and boosting innovation. The city also will end deficits ahead of schedule, aided by economic growth and stronger stock trading, with an expected consolidated surplus of HK$2.9 billion for the financial year ending next month, Chan said on Wednesday. The government initially predicted expansion of 2 per cent to... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344588/steady-she-goes-hong-kong-bids-farewell-deficits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344588/steady-she-goes-hong-kong-bids-farewell-deficits?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:02:07 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Hong Kong and Chinese stocks had their worst week in almost three months, as risk appetite crumbles worldwide. The Hang Seng Index fell 3.3 per cent in Hong Kong and the CSI300 Index lost 1.3 per cent, as both gauges suffered their biggest weekly declines since November. Technology stocks were the biggest fallers in Hong Kong, including chipmaker SMIC, and internet companies Kuaishou, Baidu and Tencent. The sell-off was part of a global rout, with bitcoin slumping to a 15-month low, gold and... https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/markets/article/3342661/stocks-fall-xi-trump-putin-calls-japan-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/markets/article/3342661/stocks-fall-xi-trump-putin-calls-japan-election?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 09:01:36 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Neil Denslow Brian Rhoads,Neil Denslow The last treaty limiting nuclear weapons deployments by the US and Russia expires on Thursday, ending more than 50 years of restraints on the world’s two biggest nuclear powers. Russia has offered a one-year extension to New Start, which was originally signed in 2010 by then-presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama. No “substantive reaction” has been received from the US, Medvedev, now deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, said in a recent interview with the Kommersant... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/article/3342231/china-grows-nuclear-arsenal-last-us-russia-limits-expire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/article/3342231/china-grows-nuclear-arsenal-last-us-russia-limits-expire?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 09:01:31 +0000 Neil Denslow Neil Denslow President Xi Jinping has called for China’s yuan to become a global reserve currency, underscoring ambitions to carve out a greater role for it in world finance. The country needed a “powerful currency” that could be “widely used in international trade, investment and foreign exchange markets, and attain reserve currency status”, Xi said in a commentary published on Saturday in Qiushi, the Communist Party’s ideology journal. The comments were first made in a 2024 speech to officials. Xi spoke of... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3342099/xi-wants-yuans-global-punch-match-chinese-economic-might?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3342099/xi-wants-yuans-global-punch-match-chinese-economic-might?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 09:00:11 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow US President Donald Trump criticised UK and Canadian efforts to boost ties with China, as traditional American allies increasingly seek to diversify their global relations. “It’s ‌very dangerous ⁠for them to do that,” Trump said about a UK pledge of deeper business cooperation with China. “And, it’s even more dangerous, ‌I think, for Canada to get ‌into business ‌with China.” Trump spoke to reporters at the premiere of the movie Melania at ‍the Kennedy Centre in Washington. UK Prime Minister... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341814/trump-slams-allies-china-ties-top-generals-fall-cross-strait-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341814/trump-slams-allies-china-ties-top-generals-fall-cross-strait-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 09:01:09 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow China will probably lower its economic growth target this year, the Post reported, as domestic challenges weigh on the nation’s two-speed economy (see SCMP Plus factsheet). Policymakers may set a target range of 4.5 per cent to 5 per cent, the Post said, citing three unidentified people briefed on the matter. That compares with a goal of “about 5 per cent” in each of the last three years. The potential cut reflects a focus on “high-quality” development and a shift away from assessing local... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3340975/china-may-cut-gdp-goal-trump-davos-starmer-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3340975/china-may-cut-gdp-goal-trump-davos-starmer-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 09:00:29 +0000 Haining Gao,Neil Denslow Haining Gao,Neil Denslow Canada and China agreed to lower tariffs on each other’s goods as once-frosty relations between the two countries improve amid what Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney this week called a “new world order”. China will cut levies on Canadian canola seed to 15 per cent and suspend tariffs on other goods including canola meal and lobster by March 1, Carney told reporters in Beijing after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping. Canada will let in 49,000 Chinese-made electric vehicles at tariff rates of... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3340159/china-canada-accord-us-taiwan-chips-deal-gdp-slowdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3340159/china-canada-accord-us-taiwan-chips-deal-gdp-slowdown?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 09:01:17 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Neil Denslow Brian Rhoads,Neil Denslow US President Donald Trump will seek critical-mineral deals with other countries, rather than immediately imposing tariffs, as he strives to loosen China’s stranglehold on global supplies. Trump intends to “negotiate agreements with foreign nations to ensure the United States has adequate critical mineral supplies and to mitigate the supply chain vulnerabilities as quickly as possible”, he said in a proclamation released on Wednesday. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3340013/trump-tackles-chinas-rare-earth-grip-talks-instead-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3340013/trump-tackles-chinas-rare-earth-grip-talks-instead-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 09:04:15 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Neil Denslow Brian Rhoads,Neil Denslow China’s trade surplus hit US$1.2 trillion in 2025 as the nation’s exporters withstood the US trade war and imports flatlined amid lower oil prices and clean-energy investments. (see SCMP factsheet). Full-year exports rose 5.5 per cent, aided by a better-than-expected 6.6 per cent increase in December, according to data from China’s customs bureau. Annual imports were little changed after December’s number surpassed forecasts by rising 5.7 per cent. Chinese manufacturers have weathered US... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3339818/china-trade-surplus-hits-us12-trillion-even-trump-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3339818/china-trade-surplus-hits-us12-trillion-even-trump-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 09:04:23 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Neil Denslow Brian Rhoads,Neil Denslow The European Union resolved a long-running dispute with China over electric vehicle (EV) production subsidies by opening a way for carmakers to avoid tariffs. Duties will be waived if car companies set minimum prices “adequate to eliminate the injurious effects of the subsidies”, the European Commission said on Monday (see SCMP Quick Digest). Investment plans in the EU and possible limits on import volumes will also be among factors weighed by officials considering pricing proposals. All offers... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3339728/china-eu-deal-evs-marks-rare-agreement-frosty-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3339728/china-eu-deal-evs-marks-rare-agreement-frosty-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 09:00:57 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Neil Denslow Brian Rhoads,Neil Denslow China said it opposes foreign “interference” in other countries after US President Donald Trump threatened action in response to Iran’s deadly crackdown against anti-government protests. “We always oppose interference in other countries’ internal affairs,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a regular press conference on Monday, according to Agence France-Presse. “We call on all parties to do more things conducive to peace and stability in the Middle East.” Trump will discuss possible... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3339587/chinas-oil-risks-worsen-trump-threatens-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3339587/chinas-oil-risks-worsen-trump-threatens-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 09:10:37 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Chinese inflation rose to the highest in almost three years as rising food costs masked ongoing deflationary pressures in other corners of the economy. The consumer price index climbed 0.8 per cent from a year earlier in December, the biggest gain since February 2023, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Food costs jumped 1.1 per cent, spurred by fresh vegetables, while transport fell 2.6 per cent amid lower car prices and a slump in fuel costs. Factory-gate prices dropped for the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3339311/china-prices-pick-venezuela-raid-fallout-carney-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3339311/china-prices-pick-venezuela-raid-fallout-carney-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 09:00:21 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Artificial intelligence chip designer Shanghai Biren Technology skyrocketed on its Hong Kong stock market debut, fuelled by China’s tech ambitions and rampant demand for new listings that has helped the exchange regain its initial public offering (IPO) crown. Biren rose 76 per cent to close at HK$34.46, after earlier trading at more than double its HK$19.60 IPO price. The company raised HK$5.58 billion (US$717 million) in its stock offering, with the retail portion more than 2,300 times... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3338493/biren-surges-china-military-drills-ces-technology-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3338493/biren-surges-china-military-drills-ces-technology-show?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jan 2026 09:00:36 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow TikTok’s owner finalised a deal to sell its US business to local investors, averting a shutdown of the social media app’s operations in the country and marking a further thawing in US-China tensions. A group led by US technology giant Oracle, tech investor Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi investment fund MGX will own half of the new US business, according to a TikTok staff memo seen by the Post, which didn’t include financial details. The app’s parent ByteDance will retain 19.9 per cent and affiliates... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3337030/tiktok-deal-china-slowdown-vanke-debt-deadline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3337030/tiktok-deal-china-slowdown-vanke-debt-deadline?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Dec 2025 09:00:07 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow China knocked back Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s efforts to defuse a row over Taiwan, reigniting a simmering dispute that has hit trade and diplomatic ties between the two Asian nations. “Now that Prime Minister Takaichi claims that the Japanese government’s basic position regarding Taiwan remains as stated in the 1972 Sino-Japanese joint statement, can she accurately and fully articulate what was stated in the joint statement?” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3335323/beijing-rebuffs-takaichi-macron-xi-talks-key-economic-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3335323/beijing-rebuffs-takaichi-macron-xi-talks-key-economic-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 09:01:16 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Neil Denslow Brian Rhoads,Neil Denslow Hong Kong crypto stocks have slumped this week, hit by a renewed crackdown by China’s central bank on cryptocurrency trading and a broader global slump in digital assets. Yunfeng Financial Group tumbled 14 per cent in two days and Bright Smart Securities fell 5.7 per cent. Digital-asset platform operator OSL Group dropped as much as 9 per cent before rebounding. Jack Ma, founder of South China Morning Post owner Alibaba, is a backer of Yunfeng. Ant Group, an affiliate of Alibaba, is buying... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3334891/chinas-crypto-aversion-dampens-hong-kong-stablecoin-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3334891/chinas-crypto-aversion-dampens-hong-kong-stablecoin-push?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 09:04:06 +0000