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Illustration: Henry Wong
US-China trade war

Trump’s manufacturing push meets reality as costs rise and investment stalls

Tariffs alone have yet to overcome China’s manufacturing advantages as policy uncertainty and structural hurdles weigh on US industry.

US-China trade war

On tariffs, China and US ask industry a US$30 billion question

US-China relations

US not getting enough critical minerals from China, Greer warns Senate

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US-China trade war

Trump tech official accuses China’s Moonshot AI of stealing from Anthropic

Michael Kratsios alleges Beijing-based company targeted Anthropic’s most powerful model, Claude Fable 5, through large-scale ‘distillation’.

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The Trump administration claims that outputs from Anthropic’s most powerful model, Claude Fable 5, have been incorporated into Moonshot AI's new Kimi K3 model. Photo: Shutterstock
The Trump administration claims that outputs from Anthropic’s most powerful model, Claude Fable 5, have been incorporated into Moonshot AI's new Kimi K3 model. Photo: Shutterstock
US, Israel war on Iran

Trump threatens to bomb Iranian bridge or power plant after Hormuz attacks

Warning comes as US expands air strikes, Iran targets Jordan and Houthis threaten shipping near another vital trade route.

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US-China trade war

As US-Chinese AI model gap narrows, what next for Washington?

China’s major advances in artificial intelligence have intensified pressure on US rivals, leaving American AI policy at a crucial crossroads.

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Artificial intelligence

Xi Jinping says ‘one country’ cannot monopolise AI – as it happened

President’s personal attendance seen as a sign of China’s inclusion of artificial intelligence into broader geopolitical strategy.

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President Xi Jinping arrives at the opening ceremony for the World AI Conference in Shanghai on Friday. Photo: AP
President Xi Jinping arrives at the opening ceremony for the World AI Conference in Shanghai on Friday. Photo: AP
China trade

Helium squeeze: China vows trade controls on gas to shield critical industries

A by-product of LNG production, helium is critical for hi-tech industries including semiconductors, medical equipment and aerospace.

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China manufacturing

The next rare earths? Why US fears another Chinese manufacturing advantage

China’s production of drug inputs has boomed in recent years, increasing market share and prompting fears of weaponisation in Washington.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Trump scraps Hormuz toll plan but presses ahead with Iran blockade

In latest flip-flop, US president says Gulf investment deals will replace shipping fee, while restoring blockade targeting Iranian trade.

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US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters
Global monetary policy

Amid rising dollar risks, Plaza Accord-style unity not feasible: ex-IMF adviser

Economic historian Barry Eichengreen says if current policy paths persist, modern rifts could bring about a confidence crisis in the US currency.

China’s yuan is often cited as a possible alternative to the US dollar in global trade. Photo: Reuters
China’s yuan is often cited as a possible alternative to the US dollar in global trade. Photo: Reuters
US-China trade war

US tariff probe unlikely to derail autumn Xi-Trump meeting: analysts

Experts say both sides remain focused on trade negotiations and new tariff-free mechanisms despite fresh investigations.

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US-China relations

Pentagon invests US$25 million into rare earths start-up ReElement Technologies

The move is part of a push by the US to boost domestic supplies of critical minerals and challenge ‌China’s dominance of the sector.

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US-China trade war

Why ‘reverse tech transfer’ from China won’t happen in the US auto industry

Experts say political resistance blocks technology transfer that could help US carmakers compete with Chinese rivals.

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BYD has grown into the world’s leading electric vehicle maker, expanding rapidly overseas even as it faces mounting trade barriers in major Western markets. Photo:Reuters
US, Israel war on Iran

Trump to restore Iran blockade, charge fees for Strait of Hormuz shipping

US president says Iranian ships and those trading with Iran will be barred, while other commercial traffic will pay a 20% transit fee.

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The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes. Photo: Reuters
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes. Photo: Reuters
US-China trade war

Did Trump’s tariffs paint the US into an economic corner?

The US and China have secured a fragile truce, but analysts warn Washington’s protectionist pivot marks a structural shift likely to last.

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US-China trade war

Why Christmas trees are causing a ruckus in the US-China trade war

US growers urge officials to keep tariffs on Chinese-made artificial trees, saying lower duties threaten family farms and livelihoods.

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US-China trade war

Is China’s biggest daily US soybean order confirmation of Xi-Trump summit pact?

The 472,000 tonnes sold were the most in a single day since November and a ‘positive signal’ of Beijing’s intentions, analysts said.

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Chinese buyers committed to 200,000 tonnes of new-crop soybeans from the US, according to USDA data to the end of June. Photo: AP
Chinese buyers committed to 200,000 tonnes of new-crop soybeans from the US, according to USDA data to the end of June. Photo: AP
US-China trade war

China’s worker protections scrutinised as US weighs forced-labour tariffs

Business groups clash with labour advocates at USTR hearing over whether new tariffs would improve workers’ rights or raise costs.

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US-ally trade wars

Spain plays down Trump’s trade embargo threat, saying there is ‘no tension’

US president threatened to cut off trade with Spain over its defence policy, but Madrid says relations are ‘calm’ and ‘positive’.

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US-China relations

Why China and the US are too entangled for a clean financial break

Though relations have turned frosty, analysts said US-China economic ties are too extensive to unwind completely – with dependencies on both sides.

Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
US-China trade war

Potential US ban on Chinese inverters would harm local power industry: firms

America’s need for inverters is growing amid boom in renewable energy demand driven by AI race – and China is the dominant global supplier.

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Workers inspect solar panels at a factory in China’s eastern Jiangsu province. Photo: AP
Workers inspect solar panels at a factory in China’s eastern Jiangsu province. Photo: AP
US-China relations

China accused of trying to ‘infiltrate’ US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement

The Alliance for American Manufacturing says China is trying to circumvent the USMCA through its automotive investments in Mexico.

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Banking & finance

China’s World Bank journey hits lending limit: why it is being phased out

Ministry of Finance eyes move towards knowledge sharing as wealth gains and US pressure curb lending for a nation that is now the world’s top bilateral creditor.

US-China relations

Alibaba sues Pentagon, rare earth truce woes: 7 US-China relations reads

From China grappling with Trump to the world’s fastest computer: highlights from our overseas correspondents in the second half of June 2026.

Alibaba has hit back at the Pentagon after its products were placed on a US military blacklist. Photo: Shutterstock
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