https://www.scmp.com/rss/8641/feed Raymond is a 20-year veteran of the news and media industry in Hong Kong, with a special focus on the banking and financial services and metals and mining industries, as well as China. This is his second stint at the Post. He also previously wrote and edited news for S&P Global. 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 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 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Xi Jinping and Donald Trump struck an optimistic tone at the start of their two-day presidential summit in Beijing, even as the Chinese leader highlighted risks surrounding Taiwan. Pre-summit trade talks “produced generally balanced and positive outcomes”, Xi told the US president at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday, according to Xinhua. “This is good news for the people of the two countries and the world.” Trump repeatedly called Xi a “great leader” in opening comments at the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353545/xi-trump-summit-casts-optimistic-light-lingering-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353545/xi-trump-summit-casts-optimistic-light-lingering-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 09:00:24 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump said he would urge China’s Xi Jinping to “open up” to American business, and belatedly added Nvidia’s Jensen Huang to the list of executives accompanying him on a trip to Beijing. “I will be asking President Xi, a Leader of extraordinary distinction, to ‘open up’ China so that these brilliant people can work their magic,” Trump said on social media. “I will make that my very first request.” Huang boarded Air Force One during a refuelling stop in Alaska on Wednesday,... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353415/trump-flies-beijing-nvidias-huang-joins-trip-last-minute?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353415/trump-flies-beijing-nvidias-huang-joins-trip-last-minute?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 09:00:30 +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 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump said conflict in the Middle East would be “over quickly”, as Iran considered a peace proposal that could lead to the reopening of the vital Strait of Hormuz. “We’ve had very good talks over the last 24 hours, and it’s very possible that we’ll make a deal,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday, according to Reuters. The president has repeatedly played up the possibility of an agreement with Iran since the war began on February 28, without reaching an... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3352743/us-iran-peace-optimism-fuels-asian-stock-market-gains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3352743/us-iran-peace-optimism-fuels-asian-stock-market-gains?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 09:00:25 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma The European Commission is working on a new trade weapon as the continent struggles to contend with a flood of low-cost imports from China. The tool may be presented at a May 29 gathering of the European Union’s executive branch, the South China Morning Post reported on Tuesday. Plans for a China-focused meeting were delayed from last month after the US-Israeli war on Iran prompted a new agenda focused on energy prices. It’s not clear what form the instrument will take. Business groups have been... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3352604/europe-readies-trade-war-weapon-amid-china-export-deluge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3352604/europe-readies-trade-war-weapon-amid-china-export-deluge?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 09:02:57 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Japan and Australia agreed to step up collaboration in areas including critical minerals, defence and energy security, tackling China’s dominance of rare earths and fuel-supply disruptions caused by the Iran war. “Australia and Japan are taking action to protect our economies from future economic shocks and uncertainty,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement after meeting his Japanese counterpart, Sanae Takaichi, in Canberra. “By working together, we will achieve more... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352493/takaichi-signs-australia-deals-boost-japans-energy-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352493/takaichi-signs-australia-deals-boost-japans-energy-security?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China ordered companies to ignore US sanctions against five oil refiners accused of buying Iranian crude, an unprecedented pushback against American financial measures less than two weeks before a presidential summit. The US action “violates international law and the basic norms of international relations”, China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Saturday. The sanctions cover a refinery in Dalian owned by Shanghai-listed Hengli Petrochemical, along with four independent “teapot” refineries –... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352361/china-says-ignore-us-sanctions-even-trump-visit-nears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352361/china-says-ignore-us-sanctions-even-trump-visit-nears?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 09:01:20 +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 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma BYD and Geely Auto, vying to be China’s biggest carmaker, both rose in Hong Kong stock trading as higher exports offset concerns about domestic price competition. Electric-vehicle giant BYD climbed 4.4 per cent on Wednesday even after reporting a 55 per cent drop in first-quarter net income to 4.09 billion yuan (US$590 million), the lowest quarterly profit in three years. Geely gained 2.6 per cent, overcoming a 27 per cent decline in earnings to 4.2 billion yuan. BYD sold 46 per cent of its... https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/china-evs/article/3351847/byd-geely-tap-global-ev-demand-escape-china-price-wars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/china-evs/article/3351847/byd-geely-tap-global-ev-demand-escape-china-price-wars?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 09:13:34 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China has stepped up its tech war with the United States, blocking Facebook owner Meta’s US$2.5 billion acquisition of artificial intelligence (AI) start-up Manus and raising cybersecurity concerns about Anthropic’s new AI model Claude Mythos Preview. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced it was prohibiting the Manus deal in a one-sentence statement on Monday, which didn’t give a specific reason. Meta is now planning to unwind the acquisition, which means untangling... https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3351705/china-blocks-metas-manus-deal-raises-mythos-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3351705/china-blocks-metas-manus-deal-raises-mythos-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:08:11 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma DeepSeek is touting its ultra-low charges for models unveiled last week, stoking price competition as China challenges the United States in artificial intelligence (AI). Developers are being offered 75 per cent discounts on the newly released DeepSeek V4 Pro. Fees for input cache hits across the Hangzhou-based company’s AI platforms have also been slashed to 10 per cent of the original price. That provides a cost saving for users who frequently make similar or repeat requests. The V4 Pro and the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3351567/deepseek-takes-step-away-nvidia-amid-export-curbs-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3351567/deepseek-takes-step-away-nvidia-amid-export-curbs-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:07:47 +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 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China plans to commission seven new nuclear reactors this year, as the nation develops the world’s largest atomic energy fleet as part of efforts to boost energy self-sufficiency. The country already has 60 plants in commercial service, with 36 more under construction, CCTV said, citing the China Nuclear Energy Association (CNEA). The country has the engineering construction capability to build 50 reactors at a time, and has achieved 100 per cent localisation for main nuclear power equipment,... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3351145/nuclear-power-revival-gets-boost-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3351145/nuclear-power-revival-gets-boost-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 09:12:36 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump announced a last-minute indefinite extension of a ceasefire with Iran and downplayed reports about an intercepted ship carrying a “gift from China” to Tehran. The US would avoid military action against Iran “until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal”, Trump said on social media on Tuesday. He cited a request from Pakistan as a reason for reversing earlier threats to resume bombing if no deal was reached. Prospects for new... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3351006/trump-extends-iran-war-ceasefire-strait-shutdown-drags?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3351006/trump-extends-iran-war-ceasefire-strait-shutdown-drags?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:16:45 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Nvidia supplier Victory Giant surged 50 per cent on its first day of trading following the biggest Hong Kong initial public offering this year, as investor appetite for artificial intelligence stocks weathers uncertainty in the Middle East. The printed-circuit board maker closed at HK$315.00 compared with the HK$209.88 price of shares in its HK$20 billion (US$2.6 billion) IPO. The Guangdong-based company has also jumped fourfold in a year in Shenzhen trading. Victory Giant is the latest in a... https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/banking-finance/article/3350873/victory-giant-skyrockets-after-biggest-hong-kong-ipo-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/banking-finance/article/3350873/victory-giant-skyrockets-after-biggest-hong-kong-ipo-year?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 09:12:30 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China issued a “strong protest” after a Japanese destroyer, travelling to military exercises in the Philippines, passed through the Taiwan Strait on the anniversary of an 1895 treaty ceding the island to Japan. Friday’s voyage was a “deliberate provocation”, said Guo Jiakun, a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry. The 14-hour passage by the JS Ikazuchi “once again exposes the dangerous plot of some people in Japan to intervene militarily in the Taiwan Strait and undermine peace and stability... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350723/japan-warships-taiwan-strait-voyage-reignites-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350723/japan-warships-taiwan-strait-voyage-reignites-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:19:52 +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 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Russia can help China and other nations weather energy supply disruptions stemming from the war in Iran, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. “Russia can, without a doubt, compensate for the shortfall in resources that has arisen”, Lavrov told reporters in response to a question about the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. He also said that Chinese-Russian ties are “unshakeable in the face of any storms”. Lavrov confirmed that Russian... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3350178/china-cements-russia-ties-both-win-us-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3350178/china-cements-russia-ties-both-win-us-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:49:50 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China’s export growth slowed more than expected in March, while imports surged the most since 2021, as the war in Iran upends global trade. Exports rose 2.5 per cent, according to customs data released on Tuesday, missing the 4 per cent forecast among economists polled by financial data provider Wind. Imports surged 27.8 per cent, almost five times expectations. A later Chinese new year and high base last year weighed on export growth. The trade balance slumped to a 13-month low US$51.1 billion,... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3350033/chinas-exports-slow-iran-war-impact-begins-bite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3350033/chinas-exports-slow-iran-war-impact-begins-bite?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:04:50 +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 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Next month’s US-China presidential summit will focus on trade rather than investment, reflecting a reluctance to remove all economic constraints, according to the top US trade official. “I don’t think we’re at the point in our relationship with the Chinese where we want to talk about the investment programmes either way, right?” United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Tuesday at a Hudson Institute event in Washington. He cautioned against “premature discussions” as the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349526/trump-xi-summit-set-limited-trade-focused-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349526/trump-xi-summit-set-limited-trade-focused-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:33:03 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump credited Chinese assistance after he agreed to a two-week ceasefire in the war on Iran that includes a resumption of shipping through the vital Strait of Hormuz. “I hear yes,” Trump told Agence France-Presse when asked whether China had helped to get Iran into negotiations, which are due to start in Islamabad, Pakistan on Friday. Iran separately said that it wants China, its biggest trading partner, to be among guarantors of regional peace. The US and Iran both... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3349372/trump-acknowledges-china-help-iran-ceasefire-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3349372/trump-acknowledges-china-help-iran-ceasefire-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 09:01:59 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump said every bridge and power plant in Iran would be destroyed in “four hours”, unless the Middle East nation met a deadline for accepting his demands, including the reopening of the vital Strait of Hormuz. Every bridge would be “decimated” and every power plant “will be out of business, burning, exploding and never to be used again”, Trump told reporters on Monday as he reiterated a deadline of Tuesday 8pm New York time (8am on Wednesday Hong Kong time). Iran must allow... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3349262/trump-steps-iran-threats-deadline-approaches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3349262/trump-steps-iran-threats-deadline-approaches?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 09:12:44 +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 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump tried to sell the war on Iran to sceptical Americans in a televised address, saying that the conflict was “nearing completion” and that there was no need to worry about the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to shipping. The US would hit Iran “extremely hard over the next two to three weeks”, Trump said on Wednesday from the White House. “We’re going to bring them back to the Stone Ages,” he said. He didn’t give a specific deadline for the end of operations during the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/us/article/3348804/trump-sends-crude-surging-iran-speech-fails-allay-war-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/us/article/3348804/trump-sends-crude-surging-iran-speech-fails-allay-war-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 09:00:13 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump said attacks on Iran could stop within two or three weeks even without an agreement, leaving a question mark over the reopening of the vital Strait of Hormuz. “We’ll be leaving very soon,” US President Donald Trump told reporters in the White House on Tuesday. “Iran doesn’t have to make a deal.” The president was scheduled to address the nation and “provide an important update on Iran” at 9pm New York time on Wednesday (9am on Thursday in Hong Kong). Brent crude held... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3348666/trump-eyes-iran-exit-hormuz-shutdown-ends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3348666/trump-eyes-iran-exit-hormuz-shutdown-ends?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 09:01:07 +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,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,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China set the lowest economic growth target since 1991 as the country contends with global trade tensions, weak domestic demand and rising debt from white elephant investments. A target range for growth of 4.5 to 5 per cent, “while striving for better in practice” was announced by Premier Li Qiang as he delivered the annual government work report on the opening day of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the annual legislative gathering. That marks a reduction from “around 5 per cent” in each... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3345566/chinas-growth-target-cut-reflects-pragmatism-amid-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3345566/chinas-growth-target-cut-reflects-pragmatism-amid-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 09:45:18 +0000