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US-China trade war

US-China trade war
Breaking news and analysis on the US-China trade war, its history and timeline, and the impact on the global economy.
Beijing has sought to reduce its vulnerability to the US dollar in recent years by reducing US Treasury holdings and boosting the yuan’s international use, among other measures. Photo: dpa
Yuan

Why China’s academics turned to de-dollarisation amid trade war, global shocks

Global instability has also pushed a once-niche academic debate into Chinese policy circles.

China economy

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

Hong Kong economy

CK Hutchison tipped to sell remaining ports despite Panama court ruling: experts

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.

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
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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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-UK relations

Trump slams allies’ China ties, top generals fall, cross-strait talks

This week: US president says ‘very dangerous’ for UK to boost China ties, two top Chinese generals face corruption probes, and gold surges. Next week: Communist Party and Taiwan’s Kuomintang resume forum after 10 years, Uruguay president visits China, Shanghai opens skies to drones and more.

US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at the premiere of Melania. (Photo: Zuma Press Wire/dpa)
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 economy

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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US-China relations

Senate bills give clear message to Trump to back Taiwan as Xi meeting approaches

Thursday’s bills send signal to White House that US partnership with Taipei must not be forgotten as Trump threatens Cuba tariffs.

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US President Donald Trump was reminded that Taipei still merits support after a US congressional panel advanced four Taiwan-related bills on Thursday. Photo: Reuters
US-China relations

Opinion | How the world can design a new trade architecture

Even as the US overhauls world trade norms, China’s quiet but influential role in redefining globalisation is impossible to ignore.

Cargo containers are stacked on a ship at the Port of Los Angeles in Los Angeles, on October 15, 2025. Photo: EPA
United States

US trade deficit widens sharply, reversing big pullback lauded by Trump

The US president touted the success of his tariffs after the trade gap fell to an earlier low, but the figure has since boomeranged back.

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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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China’s biggest advantage over the US is technology, according to a poll of Americans. Photo: Shutterstock
China-EU relations

How Europe, not the US, became China’s No 1 trade headache

Electric vehicles, critical minerals and chips have become flashpoints in the relationship, survey shows.

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China and the EU have faced mounting trade disputes in recent years, spanning electric vehicles, rare earths, chips and agricultural goods. Photo: Shutterstock
Trade

Macroscope | Trump weaponises trade as globalisation becomes more fractured

As recognised by Canada, the fracturing of the global economy is in full swing. Policymakers and businesses should expect it to continue.

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.

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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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A new report that highlights deepening political polarisation in the United States towards China attributes much of it to US President Donald Trump’s tariff regime. Photo: AP
Rare earths

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-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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The European Council president, Antonio Costa (left); the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen (right); and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pose ahead of their meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters
US-China relations

US-China cooperation backed by most Americans, new national survey reveals

C100 study finds bipartisan public support for dialogue despite Washington’s tougher stance on visas, research collaboration and tariffs.

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Despite some of US President Donald Trump’s populist rhetoric, a C100 study has found that Americans broadly support Washington and Beijing working more closely together. Photo: AP
Donald Trump

‘Taco Trump’ tally: US president carries out only 25% of tariff threats

Analysis finds Trump’s tariff threats often go unfulfilled, or retracted, with markets dismissing them as strategic bluster rather than firm policy.

US-China trade war: All stories

Trump sells tariffs as farmers’ win in Iowa, but many aren’t buying it

As US president courts rural voters before midterms, growers fear Beijing may retaliate against Trump policies by curbing purchases again.

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China manufacturing

Over 70% of European firms in China review supply chain strategies: survey

The findings show how European firms must maintain a delicate balancing act between China’s tight security and focus on self-reliance.

A growing number of European businesses are setting up two separate supply chain systems – one for China and the other for the rest of the world. Photo: Shutterstock
China-Latin America relations

World leaders flock to Beijing in search of trade deals

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will be the fifth world leader to visit China this month, as nations seek to increase trade and hedge their reliance on the US.

Photo: AP
Canada

Xi Jinping meets foreign leaders: tracker 2026

World leaders are flocking to Beijing this year, seeking trade deals amid intensified Trump tariff threats.

US-China relations

China coming ‘closer’ to US as ‘global power’, European ex-leader says

Former Portuguese prime minister says Beijing is ‘scoring more points’ in a ‘volatile’ world through economic growth, diplomatic victories.

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