https://www.scmp.com/rss/523155/feed The latest news and top stories on Su Yue, the chief China economist of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Her work involves forecasting China’s GDP and assessing the impact of key policies, such as the zero-COVID strategy. She also offers strategic advice on China’s urbanisation and emerging city growth, and frequently comments on China-US trade relations. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com He Huifeng He Huifeng As families across China gather for the 2026 Lunar New Year holiday, pre-made dishes at their reunion dinners – the centrepiece of Spring Festival celebrations – have again come under scrutiny. Chinese households, many of which tend to reduce their budget, have increasingly been cautious, following a high-profile row over food transparency and quality involving a star influencer with millions of fans online and a national restaurant chain. “I work all year round overtime and do eat pre-made food... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343660/chinese-families-cool-pre-made-meals-lunar-new-year-after-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343660/chinese-families-cool-pre-made-meals-lunar-new-year-after-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 07:00:08 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun China’s birth count plummeted to a record low last year, falling by about 10 million from its 2016 peak and slashing the total by more than half in less than a decade, as the country’s population shrank for a fourth consecutive year. Only 7.92 million babies were born in 2025, down 17 per cent from 9.54 million in 2024, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Monday. This marked the lowest birth figure since records began in 1949 and broke the previous record low set... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340398/chinas-demographic-alarms-blare-births-hit-historic-low-and-population-shrinks-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340398/chinas-demographic-alarms-blare-births-hit-historic-low-and-population-shrinks-again?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 07:09:40 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi As Beijing continues advocating for deeper regional economic cooperation in East Asia amid ongoing tensions with Washington – including by working towards a free-trade agreement (FTA) with Japan and South Korea – analysts say that making substantial progress remains challenging, given the existing trade framework and conflicting interests. In a meeting with South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan on Saturday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3331365/beijing-pushes-china-japan-south-korea-trade-pact-amid-us-tensions-hurdles-remain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3331365/beijing-pushes-china-japan-south-korea-trade-pact-amid-us-tensions-hurdles-remain?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 01:00:15 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi When heavy rains raged across northern China this summer, Datong, a city in Shanxi province perhaps best known as the home of the Yungang Grottoes World Heritage site, escaped disaster despite almost 20 hours of upstream flood discharges. Residents said it was saved thanks to the work of former mayor Geng Yanbo, who spearheaded a project to widen the city’s main waterway and reinforce its banks during his time in office more than 15 years ago. “So many people were forced to relocate because of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3326621/what-lessons-can-china-learn-northern-citys-flood-response?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3326621/what-lessons-can-china-learn-northern-citys-flood-response?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Sep 2025 04:00:36 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng The first Cambodian durians arrived in China’s central province of Henan by air over the weekend, marking the official launch of a direct air corridor for fresh fruit between the two nations. The two-tonne shipment was transported using cold chain logistics in just four hours, allowing Chinese consumers to enjoy the fruit as if it were freshly harvested, according to a statement released Monday on the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia’s official WeChat account. Durian is now the fifth fresh fruit... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3321602/chinas-durian-diplomacy-expands-cambodias-first-direct-air-shipments-fruit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3321602/chinas-durian-diplomacy-expands-cambodias-first-direct-air-shipments-fruit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Aug 2025 04:00:09 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China’s most dynamic local economies are no longer metropolises like Beijing and Shanghai, but lesser-known cities including Hangzhou and Hefei, according to a new report by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The findings reflect a growing shift in China’s economic landscape, as smaller cities emerge as a main engine of growth due to their strength in advanced manufacturing, clean energy and other emerging sectors. The annual report by the EIU ranks Chinese cities in terms of their growth... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3319997/what-are-chinas-most-dynamic-cities-new-report-gives-surprising-answer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3319997/what-are-chinas-most-dynamic-cities-new-report-gives-surprising-answer?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Jul 2025 23:30:07 +0000 Ji Siqi,Luna Sun,Kandy Wong Ji Siqi,Luna Sun,Kandy Wong As a framework trade deal was struck between the United States and the European Union on the eve of a new round of trade talks between Beijing and Washington, analysts said China was in a position to stay calm and wait to see how the deal actually pans out, even if the US is likely to use it as a bargaining chip. But Beijing should still be aware of the potential alliance between its two major trading partners in the economic sphere, as the US and EU could transform shared sore points into a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3319866/where-does-china-stand-after-us-trade-deal-eu-seen-more-rhetoric-substance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3319866/where-does-china-stand-after-us-trade-deal-eu-seen-more-rhetoric-substance?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jul 2025 18:00:08 +0000 Mandy Zuo,Sylvia Ma Mandy Zuo,Sylvia Ma At a surprising meeting of China’s political elite, it was declared that a sea change is needed in the nation’s urban development – shifting from a phase of large-scale, incremental expansion to one focused on optimising and enhancing existing resources. The message, coming amid a persistent real estate slump and slowing urbanisation, was delivered at the two-day Central Urban Work Conference that ended on Tuesday. In 2015, Beijing held its first such conference in decades, and it kicked off a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3318305/chinas-dated-urban-development-model-must-change-beijing-says-rare-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3318305/chinas-dated-urban-development-model-must-change-beijing-says-rare-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 12:00:15 +0000 Ji Siqi,Alice Li Ji Siqi,Alice Li This is the second story in a three-part series exploring the domestic economic challenges China faces as it navigates an unprecedented trade war with the United States. In this piece, we examine the no-holds-barred battles within the country’s emerging industries that have sent prices off a cliff and prompted official comment. Overnight, it seemed China’s power bank industry had run out of juice. It started with a series of high-profile incidents this year, where certain versions of the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3317596/can-chinas-fastest-growing-firms-save-themselves-themselves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3317596/can-chinas-fastest-growing-firms-save-themselves-themselves?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Jul 2025 22:00:07 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun A week after announcing long-anticipated progress from high-level talks in London, China and the United States are taking concrete steps to clear export hurdles and issue licenses for strategic goods. The easing of trade restrictions signals a tentative reset between the world’s two largest economies. But the thaw remains fragile, as analysts warned that Washington’s new trade deal with Vietnam could provoke a response from Beijing. Still, for now, both sides have moved to restore access to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3316840/china-us-ease-export-curbs-trumps-vietnam-deal-risks-blowback-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3316840/china-us-ease-export-curbs-trumps-vietnam-deal-risks-blowback-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Jul 2025 15:00:10 +0000