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China economy

China economy
Breaking news and analysis on China’s economy, including its opening up, the US-China trade war, the impact of tariffs and trade talks, growth rates and other key economic data, the Belt and Road Initiative, and Greater Bay Area plan.
Children play next to The Bund Bull sculpture in Shanghai on April 9, 2025. Photo: AFP
History

Opinion | US-China rivalry: great powers that don’t make things won’t be great for long

As globalisation falters, it is countries that focus on building productive capacity, not financial excess, that will come out on top.

China trade

New expansion rules: Chinese firms seeking salvation abroad urged to ‘go local’

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Banking & finance

China’s yuan finds firmer footing in corporate fundraising efforts

China deflation

Opinion | Why China’s persistently low inflation is not all bad news

For investors and policymakers, the key takeaway is what that outcome shows about the economy’s capacity to absorb shocks while rebalancing.

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A girl selecting snacks in a shop in Mengzi city in southwestern China’s Yunnan province on October 15. Photo: Xinhua
China travel

China’s visa-free waivers spark Korean travel boom, underpin tourism revival

Shanghai bookings surge as visitors flock to cosmopolitan streets and affordable dining, with analysts predicting the trend will spread inland.

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Yuan

China is on a ‘strong currency’ mission to make the yuan a global reserve: Xi

Xi Jinping says the goal of becoming an international powerhouse is a long-term one and will rest on core foundations.

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China travel

Here are 5 ways to enter China without a visa – by land, sea or air

With more countries joining the visa exemption list and more points of entry for other passport holders, travel to China has never been easier.

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Visa-free transit signage at Beijing Capital International Airport. Photo: Simon Song
Guangzhou

China’s rich cut high-end spending by 5% as economic confidence hits 14-year low

Economic confidence among high-net-worth individuals has declined for fourth year in a row to lowest level since 2012, Hurun report shows.

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China manufacturing

China’s factory activity contracts in January on weak domestic demand

The official purchasing managers’ index drops to 49.3 in January, from 50.1 in December.

Belt and Road Initiative

China to step up investment in Nepal’s hydropower sector: Nepalese official

China has ‘already proposed some projects’ in Nepal, as it looks to tap the country’s huge hydropower resources and sell power to India.

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The site for one of Nepal’s proposed hydroelectric dams, the Budhi Gandaki project. The country is keen to attract more foreign investment to tap its huge hydropower resources. Photo: SCMP
United States

US may have averted major shutdown by splitting bill, but partial closure is on

House approval still needed, with a funding lapse expected before lawmakers move to pass the spending package early next week.

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US President Donald Trump signs the funding bill to end the US government shutdown in November. Photo: Reuters
China trade

What has UK PM Starmer achieved in China – and what next for Sino-British ties?

The British leader’s trip has so far yielded tariff cuts and agreements on trade and investment.

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China GDP

Historic shift? Why Guangdong could lose its status as China’s No 1 economy

Guangdong has been China’s biggest regional economy for nearly four decades. But its crown is now slipping as the eastern Jiangsu catches up fast.

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Mainland China

Video | Shanghai residents cash in as gold prices surge

Record-high prices are being fuelled by geopolitical uncertainties.

A woman walks past a shop selling gold in Hong Kong on January 26, 2026. The price of safe-haven asset gold surpassed 5,000 USD, hitting a record amid rising global uncertainty and turmoil set off by US President Donald Trump’s policies. (Photo by Peter PARKS / AFP)
Yuan

US presses China to let yuan strengthen – but avoids controversial label

Washington says it could still designate Beijing in future if evidence found that it limits currency’s strength.

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China’s central bank recently strengthened the yuan’s daily fixing rate to break through the psychologically important level of 7 per US dollar for the first time since May 2023. Photo: dpa
China's economic recovery

China seeks ‘slow bull’ rally

Chinese policymakers intervene in stock markets to ease downturns and cool booms in a bid to stabilise the finance sector and prevent bubbles.

China consumption

How changing tastes in China are hitting Australia’s wine exports

Younger consumers’ preference for healthier, low-alcohol beverages has contributed to shrinking of Chinese market.

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China manufacturing

Opinion | Fears of overcapacity ignore China’s full balance of payments picture

The right question to ask is whether China’s overall current account represents a destabilising imbalance that siphons growth from trading partners.

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People shop at an international duty free shopping centre in Haikou, Hainan province, on December 18, 2025. Photo: Xinhua
United States

‘Not healthy’: US ambassador warns against China’s manufacturing dominance

US envoy David Perdue voices concerns over China’s manufacturing power, urging fair, reciprocal trade to benefit global economies.

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US-China relations

Do Americans think China will overtake the US? The results are in

Washington think tank takes the public’s temperature on global power and influence.

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Mainland China

Video | Scuffles break out at Ikea clearance sale in China

Furniture retailer to focus on targeted growth in key cities, with plans to open 10 small-format outlets over two years.

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Commodities

Runaway gold: why even Wall Street can’t keep up with the metal’s record ascent

Some Chinese funds halt subscriptions as uncertainty fuels volatility in the metals market, while Hong Kong’s first gold exchange-traded fund surges on its debut.

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Gold’s current price represents a historic gain of more than 20 per cent in the first four weeks of the year. Photo: Shutterstock
Banking & finance

China’s ‘gold fever’ sparks US$1 billion scandal as trading platform collapses

Chinese platform JWR faced a liquidity crisis as investors rushed to cash in on surging gold prices, leaving customers billions of yuan out of pocket.

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Semiconductors

ASML reports heated global demand in 2025, but cools China outlook

US limits on ASML’s China trade continue to define the company’s growth pattern, with overall sales up despite China revenues falling.

IPO

3 Chinese firms add to Hong Kong’s IPO boom with US$2 billion in fundraising

Muyuan Foods, Shenzhen Han’s and Distinct Healthcare started taking orders for their Hong Kong listings on Thursday.

Muyuan Foods, the world’s largest hog firm, plans to sell about 274 million new shares at up to HK$39 each. Photo: Shutterstock
China GDP

Tale of 2 megacities: how did Beijing, Shanghai GDPs surpass 5 trillion yuan?

China’s two largest cities are outpacing national growth rates, each generating gross domestic products equal to a small European country.

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People hang out at The Bund as the financial district of Pudong is seen in the background in Shanghai, China. The GDPs of Beijing and Shanghai have now exceeded 5 trillion yuan and both cities are comparable to European countries Sweden and Belgium. Photo: Reuters
US-China relations

Rise in Republicans wary of China as bipartisan unity declines, new survey says

Report found two-thirds of Republicans now likely to view Beijing as a threat to US, compared with 44 per cent of Democrats and Independents.

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US-China trade war

Why Greenland’s rare earth riches cannot end US dependence on China’s minerals

Danish territory boasts vast critical mineral deposits – but mining and processing them extremely challenging, analyst says.

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