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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.
US sovereign debt has soared in recent years, with analysts warning that the Iran war could fuel even greater borrowing. Photo: AP
Banking & finance

US federal debt becoming ‘alarmingly unsustainable’ as Iran war fuels spending

Washington’s rapid accumulation of sovereign debt sparks outcry, with some analysts questioning if Trump has the political will to cut the deficit.

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China society

Opinion | China’s high household savings reflect old values and new anxieties

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China jobs

Survey shows China’s professionals have high expectations – for low pay

Banking & finance

China’s central bank pledges stability in capital markets amid global sell-off

With worries over the Iran war driving down stock prices, the People’s Bank of China has named market stability as a ‘major task’ in 2026.

Governor of the People’s Bank of China, Pan Gongsheng, speaks during a press conference on the sideline of the National People’s Congress in Beijing on March 6, 2026. Photo: AP
China energy security

If the Iran war takes oil above US$120 a barrel, how bad could the shock get?

With major energy assets now coming under attack and the Strait of Hormuz still closed, analysts fear a longer supply shock.

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Shanghai

Shanghai certifies 30 overseas offices amid China’s investment sales pitch

The city welcomed a batch of new regional headquarters and R&D centres this week, as China continues its campaign to win back overseas capital.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Iran war prompts global energy rethink that favours China

Surging oil prices and supply disruptions are causing countries to reassess investment in nuclear and renewable energy – two key Chinese strengths.

Flames rise after a March 7 strike on an oil depot in Tehran. Photo: TNS
China energy security

Macroscope | China is weathering the Iran war oil shock better than others in Asia

As the conflict threatens Asian economies, the best protected are those that can leverage import diversification and energy independence.

China jobs

China’s youth unemployment falls for sixth consecutive month in February

But young job-hunters say they are still struggling to find work in a testing post-holiday labour market amid rising global economic uncertainty.

Electric & new energy vehicles

China presses EV makers to end price war and focus on innovation as demand cools

Oversight of China’s industry intensifies, with carmakers urged to move beyond discounts and focus on chips and self-driving systems.

Visitors look at a new-energy sports car at an expo in Tianjin. Photo: Xinhua
Banking & finance

How China opened the door to creating a direct rival to US payment systems

Beijing has removed several key restrictions on its payment system, allowing it to expand beyond yuan settlements, economist says.

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China has been promoting its own cross-border payment system as it seeks to hedge against potential weaponisation of the US financial system. Photo: AFP
US-China trade war

Fears grow over US drug supply’s growing dependence on Chinese ingredients

Beijing’s global pharmaceutical push follows same playbook as rare earths, semiconductors and electric vehicles, warn US lawmakers.

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Apple

Apple’s Tim Cook visits China as reliance on Chinese suppliers endures

Cook shows up at an Apple Store in Chengdu as part of the company’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

China energy security

Red Sea fix? China-bound oil tankers tap Saudi plan to dodge Strait of Hormuz

But analysts warn the strategy can only partially offset disruptions and that security risks remain high.

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This handout satellite image taken by 2026 Planet Labs PBC shows the oil infrastructure at Saudi Arabia’s western Red Sea port of Yanbu on March 4, 2026. Photo: AFP
Chinese offshore investment

China’s multibillion-dollar minerals investment lifts foreign economies: report

Country has invested more than US$120 billion in overseas mining and mineral processing projects since 2023, study says.

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The Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe plant in Goromonzi, Zimbabwe, is run by China’s Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt. Photo: EPA-EFE
Artificial intelligence

Tencent makes OpenClaw-based tool available as WeChat mini-program

Company says users will be able to use mini-program to send commands from smartphones to PCs via audio messages and images.

China’s C919 passenger plane

China fine-tunes C909 jet operations in Laos – a blueprint for Southeast Asia?

Lessons from Laos could help Comac boost overseas sales of C909 and C919 – but analyst says buyers will be closely watching for safety.

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China-Russia relations

China, Russia look to boost transport links amid Middle East disruption

Increased use of Arctic shipping route among topics covered at inaugural China-Russia Logistics Business Forum.

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An oil tanker navigates through young Arctic sea ice. Photo: Shutterstock Images
US-China relations

With Trump’s China trip in limbo, further trade talks loom: analysts

As the US president cites the Iran war for his delay and Paris talks see only minor progress, experts said more negotiations were likely.

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China energy security

Unlimited petrol? Chinese firm claims it can produce fuel from air and water

The start-up plans to build ‘large-scale’ facilities to convert carbon dioxide into synthetic fuel, though some question its commercial feasibility.

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Mainland China

Video | Chinese brands carve out place in snow gear market

Growing number of Chinese ski resorts are turning to local snow equipment as the nation’s ‘ice and snow’ economy develops.

This picture taken on March 12, 2026 shows an employee walking past snowboards at a Lidakis’s exhibition room in Zhangjiakou, in China’s northern Hebei province. China’s snow-related equipment sales have surged almost fourfold since 2015, but interest has levelled off since the Beijing Winter Olympic Games in 2022 and a post-Covid boom. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP) / TO GO WITH AFP STORY: China-ski-olympics-leisure, FOCUS by Sam DAVIES
Two Sessions 2026

Opinion | China is re-engineering its economy for a more complex world

Beijing wants to shape a new growth model capable of meeting the challenges of an ageing population, technological competition and geopolitical uncertainty.

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Workers on the assembly line at a coil factory in Harbin, northeast Heilongjiang province, on August 4, 2025. Photo: Xinhua
China energy security

China doubles down on hydrogen as war on Iran fuels global oil instability

Initiative to expand industrial hydrogen use and lower the renewable fuel’s price dovetails with Beijing’s energy security strategy amid oil crisis.

US-China relations

Beijing on Iran war, Trump trade plan, new AI arena: 7 US-China relations reads

From a new US maritime strategy to the Iran crisis, here are highlights from SCMP’s overseas correspondents in the first half of March 2026.

Robotics

China’s industrial robot output accelerates as factories ramp up deployment

Output of industrial robots jumps 31 per cent in year’s first two months, while production of service robots rises 1 per cent in same period.

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A robot carries a tray of food at the China Mobile booth during MWC Barcelona earlier this month. Photo: AFP
Electric & new energy vehicles

Leapmotor’s Stellantis tie-up pays off as EV exports jump nearly 400% last year

The Hangzhou-based carmaker exported 67,052 units in 2025, up from 13,726 in 2024, according to an exchange filing.

Employees work on an EV production line at the Leapmotor factory in Jinhua, Zhejiang province. Photo: AFP
US-China trade war

China and the US end trade talks in Paris as doubts form over Trump visit

The two sides held deep, frank and constructive consultations, China’s top international negotiator says.

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China consumption

How record F1 crowds are accelerating Shanghai’s bid to be a global sports hub

Setting a near 20-year attendance record, this year’s race strengthened the city’s case as global event venue – and China’s efforts to spur consumption.

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