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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.
Global debt hit a record high of nearly US$353 trillion in the first quarter of 2026, according to the Institute of International Finance (IIF), with China and the United States largely driving the trend. Photo: EPA-EFE
China debt

China, US drive global debt to record $353 trillion – what’s behind the surge?

New report warns that rising conflicts, AI spending and energy security push are all expected to further increase global debt levels.

China’s private sector

After accounting overhaul, can Wuliangye share buys restore investor confidence?

China travel

Fuel shocks, thin margins: why China’s airlines should ‘heed Spirit’s mistakes’

Yuan

China sets yuan at strongest level in 3 years as US dollar jitters simmer

Beijing is pushing for a stronger yuan to help globalise the currency, but the upswing could create issues for the country’s export giants.

The Chinese yuan has steadily strengthened against the US dollar in recent months. Photo: Shutterstock
China-EU relations

China-EU investment pact belongs in ‘deep freezer’: outgoing trade chief

Sabine Weyand says the 2020 agreement with China is obsolete as Brussels weighs action on ‘macroeconomic imbalances’.

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China energy security

China’s energy security plan expands south: how Hainan is becoming an LNG hub

Global supply shocks have intensified in recent months – reaffirming Beijing’s years-long strategy.

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Mainland China

Opinion | The rise of China’s scientist-entrepreneurs

The ascent of a new class of entrepreneurs signals a shift in China’s growth model, from property-driven expansion towards innovation.

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A Moz1 humanoid robot by Spirit AI serves candied fruit skewers at the 2026 Zhongguancun forum in Beijing on March 25. Photo: Reuters
Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s EV battery giants thrive while carmakers’ profits shrink amid price wars

Carmakers’ profit margin stood at 3.2 per cent in the first quarter, versus 6 per cent for downstream industrial firms, according to CPCA.

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China society

Editorial | China fireworks factory blast sharpens focus on workplace safety

China’s safety record has improved but concerns persist about under-reporting and uneven compliance.

US-China trade war

Trump-Xi summit hides simmering trade tensions under the surface, experts say

Despite declarations of cooperation, friendship and respect from both sides, major trade conflict is brewing between the two superpowers.

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Despite politeness in public, there are fears that the future looks rocky for US-China trade. Illustration: Shutterstock
China airliners

Expat pilots hoping to fly in China warned their credentials no longer coveted

China’s aviation market still attracts foreign pilots but they face high competition, rigid standards as overseas experience loses its shine.

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Two commercial airline pilots walk through the departure hall of Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, as foreign pilots seeking to launch a career in China are warned of stiff competition and rigid standards. Photo: Getty
China travel

China’s record travel volume meets cautious spending in May Day holiday surge

Thousands of domestic train services added on last day of ‘golden week’ to meet record demand, and high energy costs affect consumer spending.

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China-EU relations

Europe readies trade war weapon amid China export deluge

The EU is devising a new tool to help fight a trade war with China even as it contends with increasing hostility from US President Donald Trump.

China-EU relations

EU plan to rip out Chinese hardware will cost massive US$430 billion: report

Brussels’ proposed new Cybersecurity Act would require vast amounts of Chinese equipment to be ripped out and replaced in a slew of industries.

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A view of Huawei Technologies’ France headquarters near Paris. The company could face new restrictions due to a European Union plan to bar “high-risk” suppliers from critical infrastructure. Photo: Reuters
China consumption

China’s Labour Day box office disappoints despite strong line-up – what happened?

Cold War 1994 and The Devil Wears Prada 2 were tipped to shine in a crowded release window – but many consumers chose to stay away.

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A moviegoer walks by a poster of The Devil Wears Prada 2 at a cinema on Monday in Shanghai. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
China trade

How this Chinese city is netting profits amid 2026 World Cup fever

Yiwu, the world’s capital of small goods, tackles global market for football-related merchandise as buzz builds ahead of major tournament.

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Mainland China

Samsung reshuffle signals shift beyond hardware as China rivalry intensifies

Move comes as TCL and other mainland brands close in on Samsung’s long-held global lead in the television market.

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China's population

‘It’s a new crowd’: how Shanghai’s expat population is recovering – and changing

Four years ago, Shanghai’s draconian lockdown sparked an exodus of foreigners. Now, there are signs the city’s expat community is slowly bouncing back.

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Tourists from Belarus and Russia pose for photos at Yuyuan Garden in central Shanghai. Photo: Xinhua
US-China relations

Opinion | America builds AI, China uses it. That gap may decide the future

The US still leads in AI development but lags in large-scale deployment behind China, which is rapidly becoming the leader in implementation.

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China-EU relations

Brussels bans Chinese inverters from EU-funded power projects

EU official says Brussels has identified cybersecurity and dependency risks in Chinese inverters.

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China GDP

China’s economy in 2026

First-quarter GDP grew 5 per cent as strong manufacturing and exports masked weak domestic spending and a March slowdown.

China’s economy in 2026
China-Australia relations

China’s fight for Darwin Port could help fragile Sino-Australian relations

Landbridge Group’s legal claim over the port could take several years to resolve, analysts said, providing more time for dialogue.

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China’s Landbridge Group has launched legal action against Australia after failing to reach an agreement over Darwin port in the Northern Territory city of Darwin. Photo: Handout
Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese start-up ZYT eyes semi-autonomous truck production this year

DJI spin-off is providing autopilot systems to six manufacturers, as fuel-saving abilities gain importance amid oil supply shock.

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China food security

How the Middle East crisis is expanding China’s agrochemical influence

China accounts for about a third of global fertiliser production, and 70 per cent of the raw materials for chemical pesticides.

2026 Trump-Xi summit

Iran war could give Xi the upper hand in meeting with Trump: US experts

The conflict is likely to give Beijing an edge in discussions on hi-tech supply chains and Taiwan, analysts argue.

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US President Donald Trump might ask his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to “twist some arms” in Tehran, according to one US analyst. Photo: AP
China consumption

Shenzhen’s economic dilemma: soaring GDP, stagnant consumption

Shenzhen’s retail sales barely rose in the first quarter despite strong GDP growth, a sign of the Chinese tech hub’s unbalanced development.

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People shop at CoCo Park in Shenzhen last month. Photo: Edmond So
US-China relations

Exiting China market a ‘self-inflicted wound’ for US tech, think tank warns

ITIF argues that regional sales help finance domestic R&D and block local rivals, while warning that a full exit would be a self-inflicted wound to innovation leadership.

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China-EU relations

Opinion | ‘Made in Europe’ law sets stage for an economic showdown with China

The proposed legislation is seen as discriminatory to China and could also hurt Chinese interests in non-EU European states.

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