https://www.scmp.com/rss/522810/feed The latest news and top stories on Nick Marro, Principal Economist for Asia at the Economist Intelligence Unit. He specialises in analysing Asia’s regional economics political developments and international trade policy. His expertise includes the US-China trade war, global supply chains and digital trade. Previously he conducted trade policy research with the US-China Business Council in Beijing. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Iris Deng Iris Deng China’s hunt for semiconductor talent has intensified as Beijing aims to achieve artificial intelligence breakthroughs amid deepening tech rivalry with the US, but the plans have triggered fresh probes by Taiwanese authorities into talent poaching by mainland Chinese firms in what analysts describe as a “quiet tech war” over the human capital. A total of 11 new mainland Chinese firms were put under investigation for allegedly poaching semiconductor and other hi-tech talent, according to Taiwan’s... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3349072/semiconductor-ai-talent-race-heats-taiwan-tightens-crackdown-alleged-poaching?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3349072/semiconductor-ai-talent-race-heats-taiwan-tightens-crackdown-alleged-poaching?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 03:00:12 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat Premier Li Qiang has called for deeper technological cooperation with Germany and highlighted opportunities under China’s latest five-year plan – a move that could help ease tensions with the EU over the war in Ukraine and years of trade disputes. “We support bilateral flows of innovation resources between enterprises and research institutions in both countries,” Li told a symposium attended by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and more than 60 business representatives from both sides. “We can... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344735/china-eu-trade-ties-are-crossroads-could-tech-bridge-divide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344735/china-eu-trade-ties-are-crossroads-could-tech-bridge-divide?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 10:00:13 +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 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong Any decision by Australia to regain control of Darwin Port is likely to differ from Panama’s move to nullify a contract on its geostrategically vital canal, as fears of Chinese retaliation and a limited security consensus limit Canberra’s options, analysts said – though they warned the issue could still reopen strains in the bilateral relationship. Panama’s Supreme Court ruled on Friday against a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings, ending its rights to operate two ports on the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3342192/china-ties-make-darwin-port-bigger-test-australia-panama-port-dispute-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3342192/china-ties-make-darwin-port-bigger-test-australia-panama-port-dispute-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 05:54:32 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi Amid the apparent absence of a concrete deal being reached with Washington on one of Beijing’s long-standing points of trade contention – export controls on the most advanced semiconductors – analysts say it reflects China’s increasing resolve to become more independent from the US. After a meeting with President Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday morning, US President Donald Trump said the two sides “did discuss chips”. “China is going to be talking to Nvidia and others about taking chips …... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3330932/after-xi-trump-talks-lack-semiconductor-deal-seen-tech-independence-issue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3330932/after-xi-trump-talks-lack-semiconductor-deal-seen-tech-independence-issue?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 13:00:10 +0000 Kandy Wong,Alice Li Kandy Wong,Alice Li With the US threatening to leverage its software strengths ahead of fresh trade talks with China in response to its recent export controls on rare earths, analysts say Beijing is unlikely to make major concessions, though progress could be made on issues such as soybeans or fentanyl. Washington is reportedly considering imposing curbs on a range of software-powered exports to China – from laptops to jet engines – according to Reuters, following a threat by US President Donald Trump earlier this... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3330099/why-us-china-trade-talks-malaysia-are-crucial-paving-way-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3330099/why-us-china-trade-talks-malaysia-are-crucial-paving-way-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 14:00:09 +0000 Ji Siqi,Mandy Zuo Ji Siqi,Mandy Zuo As China and the United States accuse each other of provoking the latest escalation in trade tensions and disrupting the world economy, analysts say both share a goal in their war of words: applying maximum pressure until a deal is struck. In the past few days, Washington has framed the recent flare-up in relations as “China versus the world”, with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggesting on Wednesday that Beijing’s restrictions on the export of rare earth elements unveiled last week made... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3329260/squeeze-beijing-and-washington-flex-muscles-narrative-war-heats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3329260/squeeze-beijing-and-washington-flex-muscles-narrative-war-heats?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 15:00:10 +0000 Mia Nurmamat,Kandy Wong Mia Nurmamat,Kandy Wong China and the United States have unleashed a barrage of economic sanctions and export control measures in recent days – and the tit-for-tat exchange is unlikely to end soon as the two sides seek leverage in ongoing talks over trade and technology issues, analysts said. On Thursday, Washington imposed sanctions on a slew of Chinese entities, including an independent refinery and terminal, alleging they were involved in purchasing or shipping Iranian oil. Just hours earlier, Beijing had issued six... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3328559/tit-tat-response-why-china-unleashed-fresh-sanction-export-curb-blitz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3328559/tit-tat-response-why-china-unleashed-fresh-sanction-export-curb-blitz?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 15:00:08 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi With Sanae Takaichi poised to become Japan’s first female prime minister, economists warn her policies may have “mixed” results: expansionary measures that spur growth but exacerbate fiscal strain, and coalition partners who temper a more hawkish stance on China amid a push for higher military spending. The 64-year-old conservative was elected leader of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Saturday, paving the way for her to become the next prime minister as head of a coalition government –... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3328021/mixed-bag-how-japans-pm-waiting-may-fuel-growth-defence-and-debt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3328021/mixed-bag-how-japans-pm-waiting-may-fuel-growth-defence-and-debt?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Oct 2025 13:00:08 +0000 Ji Siqi,Xiaofei Xu Ji Siqi,Xiaofei Xu China announced trade sanctions for six American companies on Thursday, another flare-up in its wide-ranging rivalry with the United States as the two countries prepare for a hotly anticipated meeting between their leaders. According to a statement from Beijing’s Ministry of Commerce, three US companies were added to the “unreliable entity list”, effectively banning them from trade and investment in China. The affected enterprises – unmanned vehicle firm Saronic Technologies, satellite company... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3326830/beijing-hits-6-us-companies-trade-restrictions-over-taiwan-arms-sales?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3326830/beijing-hits-6-us-companies-trade-restrictions-over-taiwan-arms-sales?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 08:42:55 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat As China consolidates its near-monopoly status in critical minerals and rare earth elements – essential raw materials for the production of numerous high-value items in the technology and defence sectors – Washington’s proposed US$5 billion fund to secure its access to these supply chains may come too late to close the gap, analysts said. Bloomberg reported last week that the United States is planning to allocate billions in pursuit of a larger share of these minerals’ global supply, following a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3326696/rumoured-us-rare-earth-fund-coming-too-late-catch-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3326696/rumoured-us-rare-earth-fund-coming-too-late-catch-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Sep 2025 13:30:09 +0000 Kandy Wong,Ji Siqi Kandy Wong,Ji Siqi As the dust settles on the latest round of US-China trade talks in Stockholm this week, the world’s two biggest economies may be shifting towards “indirect forms of negotiation” by strengthening partnerships with third countries that could reshape the global economic order, analysts said. The talks concluded on Tuesday with Beijing announcing that both sides had agreed to extend their “tariff truce” by another 90 days. On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said the two countries had reached a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320287/us-china-trade-talks-signal-shift-could-reshape-global-order-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320287/us-china-trade-talks-signal-shift-could-reshape-global-order-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Jul 2025 10:00:27 +0000 Alice Li,Kandy Wong Alice Li,Kandy Wong The trafficking of materials to make the drug fentanyl – the issue cited by the US in its initial tariff escalation against China in March – is set to be back in focus for future talks, analysts said, after two previous rounds did not appear to broach the subject. Speculation over the drug’s presence in future negotiations was fuelled by US President Donald Trump’s remarks on the topic Wednesday, making reference to China’s “big steps” – including the threat of the death penalty for smugglers –... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3318620/fentanyl-likely-us-china-trade-agenda-after-long-absence-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3318620/fentanyl-likely-us-china-trade-agenda-after-long-absence-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Jul 2025 22:00:10 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China’s economy only cooled slightly in the second quarter, helped by government stimulus measures and a truce in US President Donald Trump’s trade war. Growth ebbed to 5.2 per cent from 5.4 per cent in the first three months of the year, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Tuesday. The second-quarter number was in line with expectations, based on economists polled by Chinese financial data provider Wind. First-half growth came in at 5.3 per cent amid May stimulus measures, a 90-day pause... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3318269/chinas-economic-crunch-may-just-be-delayed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3318269/chinas-economic-crunch-may-just-be-delayed?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 09:00:08 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li With US President Donald Trump sending more tariff letters to trade partners, Beijing has stepped up efforts – like rallying its own trade partners – to collectively push back against Washington’s trade protectionism. The world’s second-largest economy will provide considerable development opportunities – from broader market access to greater regional integration – while being mindful of US threats, according to statements this week following a string of overseas visits by Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3317908/china-must-play-long-game-trade-partners-us-looks-big-bully-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3317908/china-must-play-long-game-trade-partners-us-looks-big-bully-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jul 2025 13:00:12 +0000