https://www.scmp.com/rss/524088/feed The latest news and top stories on He Yongqian, a prominent figure within China’s Ministry of Commerce. As a spokesperson, she is responsible for articulating the ministry’s official stance on crucial trade and economic affairs. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Mia Nurmamat,Xinyi Wu Mia Nurmamat,Xinyi Wu Germany’s chemical giant BASF has launched operations at its China production base – its largest overseas investment to date – with a total outlay of €8.7 billion (US$10 billion), and the country’s first wholly foreign-owned large-scale Verbund site. The company on Thursday inaugurated the world-scale complex in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, designed to run entirely on renewable electricity. A Verbund site is an integrated chemical complex where plants, energy use and materials are... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348021/basf-launches-biggest-overseas-project-china-green-powered-mega-site?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348021/basf-launches-biggest-overseas-project-china-green-powered-mega-site?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:00:12 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng The Chinese commerce ministry’s latest remarks on the TikTok deal in the US signalled acceptance rather than approval, as Beijing “hopes” the arrangement will comply with Chinese laws and strike a balance between rival interests, analysts say. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce, which oversees trade and export controls, declared its position a week after TikTok announced the formation of a joint venture, controlled by a consortium of American investors, that would take over its operations in the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3337819/chinas-stance-tiktok-deal-not-green-light-no-strings-attached-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3337819/chinas-stance-tiktok-deal-not-green-light-no-strings-attached-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 12:00:09 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun Beijing is expected to calibrate its response to Japan with caution, weighing potential punitive measures against the risk of economic blowback, analysts say. And while China possesses an arsenal of levers – from tourism curbs to export controls – the experts warn that a heavy hand could backfire. “China won’t move abruptly,” said Xu Weijun, an assistant research professor with the Institute of Public Policy at the South China University of Technology. He noted that economic interdependence... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3334120/what-economic-cards-will-china-play-japan-analysts-say-beijing-faces-balancing-act?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3334120/what-economic-cards-will-china-play-japan-analysts-say-beijing-faces-balancing-act?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 15:00:12 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China’s shipments of rare earth permanent magnets to the US surged to a nine-month high in October as the two countries engaged in a roller-coaster round of manoeuvring over export controls that led to an easing of trade tensions late last month. During the same period, exports to the European Union fell from the level recorded in September. China is the world’s largest supplier of permanent magnets – essential components in hi-tech products such as electric vehicles and defence systems – and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3333550/chinese-rare-earth-magnet-exports-us-hit-9-month-high-trade-war-resolves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3333550/chinese-rare-earth-magnet-exports-us-hit-9-month-high-trade-war-resolves?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Nov 2025 09:00:09 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong When Beijing expanded its rare earth export controls earlier this month, it appeared to mark a fresh escalation in the US-China trade war. But for many observers, the dispute actually began over a week earlier – and its trigger was not a Chinese action, but an American one. Though it drew little fanfare at the time, the decision by the US Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to widen its trade blacklists in late September has had far-reaching effects. It not only pushed Beijing to take... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3329680/how-single-rule-change-sparked-major-flare-us-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3329680/how-single-rule-change-sparked-major-flare-us-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:14 +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 Mandy Zuo,Ji Siqi Mandy Zuo,Ji Siqi Beijing on Thursday rebutted Washington’s characterisation of its recent rare earth export control measures as an action taken “against the world”, stressing it grants approval to compliant applications and is taking steps to expedite the review process, including the potential establishment of a green channel. Claims the policy will disrupt global supply chains “severely” distort and exaggerate China’s intent, “deliberately causing unnecessary misunderstanding and panic”, the Ministry of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3329265/unnecessary-panic-china-rebukes-us-officials-comments-rare-earths?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3329265/unnecessary-panic-china-rebukes-us-officials-comments-rare-earths?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 11:00:13 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi One of China’s top trade negotiators, Li Chenggang, will be meeting with relevant US officials this week while in Washington, the Ministry of Commerce has confirmed. “China is willing to work with the United States to continue leveraging the China-US economic and trade consultation mechanisms effectively, resolve issues through equal dialogue and consultation, and jointly maintain the healthy, stable and sustainable development of China-US economic and trade relations,” ministry spokeswoman He... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3323530/washington-chinas-top-trade-negotiator-readies-talks-no-formal-negotiations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3323530/washington-chinas-top-trade-negotiator-readies-talks-no-formal-negotiations?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Aug 2025 12:00:16 +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