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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.
A worker is seen on a wire harness production line at an electronics factory in Shangqiu, a city in central Henan province, on January 27, 2026. Photo: Xinhua
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

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United States

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

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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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Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer shakes hands with President Xi Jinping, ahead of a bilateral meeting in Beijing on January 29. Photo: Reuters
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.

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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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David Perdue testifies at his Senate confirmation hearing for US ambassador to China in Washington in April 2025. Photo: AFP
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.

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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Global gold prices have surged in recent months, leading many retail investors in China to pour funds into unlicensed metals trading platforms. Photo: Shutterstock
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.

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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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China trade

What haunts China’s investors? Geopolitics and a demographic abyss, survey finds

Weak domestic demand, shrinking confidence in the property market and a declining fertility rate fuel caution among investors in China’s major hubs.

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China’s plummeting birth rates present a daunting challenge, as the nation’s newborn population fell below 8 million in 2025 for the first time since 1949. Photo: AFP
China manufacturing

As World Cup boosts merch demand, China’s small-goods capital Yiwu stays wary

China sees a spike in orders from across the globe for footy-themed flags, scarves and wristbands but overall economic outlook is still weak.

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Fifa President Gianni Infantino holds a football next to the Fifa World Cup trophy as he attends the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on January 22. Photo: Reuters
China-EU relations

‘Mother of all trade deals’: EU pivots to India in historic trade shake-up

Brussels diversifies away from China and US risks, while the pact makes India a more attractive place for European firms to sell vehicles and fuel growth.

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Luxury in China

As LVMH returns to growth, is the slump in China’s luxury market finally over?

LVMH saw its sales in China rise in the second half of 2025, as the vast Chinese luxury market shows signs of recovery.

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China’s private sector

Partnerships, not plants: Chinese companies rethink overseas expansion strategy

Executives are urging a measured approach as Chinese firms turn to global markets amid intensifying competition at home.

Brian Gu, vice chairman and co-president of Xpeng. Photo: Li Cao
Belt and Road Initiative

Opinion | China’s slowing overseas investment reflects caution, not retreat

Amid rising protectionism and increased pushback in advanced economies, Beijing is strategically recalibrating its investments abroad.

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A container is lifted by a crane backdropped by the construction of the Chinese-funded mega port, in Chancay, Peru, on October 29, 2024. Photo: AP
China jobs

Is China about to end its after-school tutoring ban? A huge fine suggests not

Speculation was growing that Beijing would relax a ban on for-profit tutoring to boost the economy. Then a firm was hit with a US$9.7 million penalty.

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Banking & finance

Trump says the US dollar can move like a yo-yo. Will Treasuries be left hanging?

With the US president levelling threats at enemies, allies and his own central bank, alternatives like gold and Chinese assets are gaining appeal.

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