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China Economy

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Belt and Road Initiative
Asia housing and property
US-China trade war
China’s leadership has identified the importance of AI to national development, including in the proposals for the 15th five-year plan. Photo: Shutterstock
US-China trade war

China’s Shenzhen targets AI in ‘every household’ as US tech rivalry heats up

Local officials want to embed cutting-edge tech across society in coming five-year plan.

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US-China tech war

China’s lagging basic research calls for core tech pivot, economic adviser urges

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China consumption

China’s Hainan hosts duty-free shopping spree under new customs regime

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China trade

China has logged a US$1 trillion trade surplus. Where is all that money going?

Trade surplus growth has not been matched in foreign exchange reserves – a gap analysts said can be explained by private sector outflows.

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China’s status as the world’s manufacturing leader has helped it record a record trade surplus in 2025. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
China’s status as the world’s manufacturing leader has helped it record a record trade surplus in 2025. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s oldest carmaker FAW buys US$534 million stake in EV assembler Leapmotor

‘Leapmotor aims to achieve annual deliveries of 4 million units a year in 10 years’ time,’ founder and CEO Zhu Jiangming says.

Yuan

China sets yuan fixing rate at 15-month high amid offshore gains

The move follows offshore yuan briefly breaching seven-per-US-dollar mark, with analysts citing dollar weakness, seasonal factors for rally.

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Infrastructure

No more empty trains: China tightens rules on subway expansions to curb debt

Rich hubs, including Ningbo and Suzhou, are hitting regulatory roadblocks as the central government prioritises fiscal discipline over infrastructure-led growth.

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Passengers ride a fully automated metro train in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. Photo: Getty Images
Passengers ride a fully automated metro train in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. Photo: Getty Images
China's economic recovery

Consumer demand and public services top China’s financial priorities for 2026

National fiscal work conference ends in Beijing with pledge to spur domestic market.

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Aerospace: Geopolitics

Why are rich Chinese moving private jets offshore, slumming it in budget seats?

Strict flight rules and economic headwinds are forcing scrutiny-wary tycoons to rebase aircraft in places such as Singapore or downgrade to commercial cabins.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

Dozens of Chinese EV makers under pressure to fold or trim operations: analysts

Grappling with expiring cash subsidies and tax incentives, China’s car market is forecast to see deliveries slump next year.

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About 50 unprofitable Chinese electric vehicle makers face pressure to scale down their business or wind down operations. Photo: Shutterstock
China’s C919 passenger plane

Soaring to the top: China appoints first female captain for C919 flights

Promotion of former Boeing 737 pilot Yu Yue, who holds a ‘zero error’ record, called an inspiration to women across the nation.

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Yu Yue has been appointed as the first female captain pilot of the C919. Photo: China Southern Airlines
Yu Yue has been appointed as the first female captain pilot of the C919. Photo: China Southern Airlines
China consumption

Wild goose chase? France works to rouse China’s appetite for foie gras imports

French producers hope their famed pate can win a slice of China’s market, but price sensitivities and domestic competition could mean their goose is cooked.

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Banking & finance

China launches venture capital fund to lead the charge on tech investment

The fund, which will put state-backed money behind early tech bets, could guide trillions of yuan in private capital to chosen sectors.

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China manufacturing

China bolsters e-cigarette regulations to smoke out non-compliance

The draft policy would cut down on excess capacity within e-cigarette sector and tighten enforcement of standards in production and export.

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China, producer of most of the world’s e-cigarettes, has introduced new regulatory guidelines for the industry. Photo: Getty Images
China’s C919 passenger plane

China’s Comac to team up with China Eastern for bigger C919 variant, sources say

Comac’s stretched model, expected to be dubbed the C919-800, could target lucrative Asian routes and seat more than 200 passengers.

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A C919 jet operated by China Eastern Airlines takes off from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport on January 1. Photo: Xinhua
A C919 jet operated by China Eastern Airlines takes off from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport on January 1. Photo: Xinhua
China's economic recovery

China broadens foreign investment list in renewed pitch for overseas capital

The catalogue, which lists the sectors carrying policy incentives for overseas investors, has hundreds of new entries, many in advanced manufacturing.

Consumers

From Shein to Labubu, French shoppers are buying Chinese for Christmas

This year’s wave of popularity for Chinese brands has not waned in France’s capital, with Shein’s store packed and Labubu dolls dotting trees.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese SUV maker Jetour pushes localised offerings to hasten go-global drive

Jetour is already present in more than 100 countries and regions after seven years in operation.

Jetour International president Ke Chuandeng speaks at a fan gathering in Abu Dhabi on December 20,2025. Photo: Handout
Jetour International president Ke Chuandeng speaks at a fan gathering in Abu Dhabi on December 20,2025. Photo: Handout
Yuan

China’s offshore yuan breaks major benchmark as appreciation momentum builds

For the first time since 2024, the currency strengthened past the threshold of seven per US dollar – and did it again the next day.

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China consumption

Hard work, long hours fuelled China’s rise. Now, it weighs longer breaks

China, one of the world’s hardest-working countries, is adopting incentives to increase time off – and potentially boost consumer spending.

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Yuan

China expands digital-yuan push to Singapore and Asean trade routes

PBOC pledges to integrate e-CNY into the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, boost adoption in Southeast Asia via China’s CIPS payment network.

A customer makes a payment using China’s digital currency, or e-CNY, at a store in Beijing. Photo: Getty Images
JD.com

Burglary of JD.com warehouse in France prompts investigation, speculation

The theft, with over 50,000 items stolen by some estimates, casts a shadow over the Chinese e-commerce giant’s first Christmas in France.

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A worker sorts packages for delivery at a JD.com warehouse in Beijing. Photo: AFP
A worker sorts packages for delivery at a JD.com warehouse in Beijing. Photo: AFP
China manufacturing

China’s Xi urges state giants to be pillars of national development

The president instructs central SOEs to drive industrial upgrading while securing critical technologies and supply chains in the face of geopolitical risks.

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Retailing

‘C-beauty’ cosmetics brands find retail expansion outside China a slow slog

‘For established domestic cosmetics companies attempting to expand abroad, progress is still in its early stages,’ CLSA’s Chris Gao says.

US-China trade war

‘Bad policy’: China’s drone makers to shrug off US ban, analysts say

The addition of foreign drone makers, including those from China, to a US trade blacklist is unlikely to heat up relations, observers said.

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Dai Shuying operates a plant protection drone under the guidance of her grandson Wang Tiantian in east China’s Anhui province. Photo: Xinhua
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