https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/21152/feed Toyota Motor is the largest carmaker in the world. Founded in 1937, it makes some of the world’s most popular vehicles, including the Corolla and Camry. It also has a luxury brand, Lexus, and majority stakes in truckmaker Hino, compact carmaker Daihatsu, and 16.66 per cent of Fuji Heavy Industries, which makes the popular all-wheel drive Subarus. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Foreign carmakers have been slashing the prices of petrol-powered cars they make in China by more than 20 per cent to survive in a cutthroat market amid weakening consumer demand. Last month, big international marques including Volkswagen and Toyota offered average discounts of 23.4 per cent on cars powered by internal combustion engines, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). That compared with an average discount of 23.7 per cent in July. “Because their new cars... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3367123/foreign-carmakers-offer-steep-discounts-petrol-powered-cars-cutthroat-chinese-market https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3367123/foreign-carmakers-offer-steep-discounts-petrol-powered-cars-cutthroat-chinese-market Fri, 11 Sep 2026 01:45:49 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado Canada announced retaliatory tariffs of up to 50 per cent on US$19.94 billion (C$27.6 billion) of American goods on Tuesday, escalating its trade confrontation with Washington days after negotiations collapsed and the Trump administration imposed sweeping new duties on Canadian products. The tariffs, which take effect on September 8, will apply to more than 700 categories of US goods at rates of 15, 25 or 50 per cent, according to the Canadian government. The targeted products range from steel,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3365250/canada-hits-us-goods-tariffs-50-cent-trade-war-escalates https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3365250/canada-hits-us-goods-tariffs-50-cent-trade-war-escalates Tue, 25 Aug 2026 18:29:30 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Chinese carmakers, already at the vanguard of electric vehicle (EV) technology and production, are looking to make a dent in international marques’ full-hybrid vehicle stronghold as they continue to disrupt the global car industry’s pecking order. Major car builders including Geely Auto and Changan Automobile have reported impressive sales of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), luring domestic consumers away from the likes of Toyota’s Prius. “Chinese-developed HEVs, banking on the carmakers’... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3364906/after-gaining-ev-dominance-chinese-carmakers-shift-goal-take-full-hybrid-behemoths https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3364906/after-gaining-ev-dominance-chinese-carmakers-shift-goal-take-full-hybrid-behemoths Sun, 23 Aug 2026 06:00:15 +0000 Reuters Reuters A powerful earthquake that struck southern Japan this week has exposed the vulnerability of the country’s manufacturing supply chains, a decade after a devastating quake in the same region triggered widespread industry disruption. Tuesday’s 7.1-magnitude quake claimed at least 34 lives, ruptured roads and cut off utilities to thousands of households. It also brought factories to a halt in an area critical to Japan’s auto industry and known as well as the country’s “Silicon Valley” due to its... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3362514/quake-japans-silicon-valley-disrupts-car-chip-supply-chains https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3362514/quake-japans-silicon-valley-disrupts-car-chip-supply-chains Fri, 31 Jul 2026 07:32:41 +0000 Reuters Reuters The 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck southern Japan toppled houses and split open streets in the small city of Yatsushiro, but town official Akio Matsushita is most worried about the invisible threats from the lack of water and power amid the punishing summer heat. Many of the port city’s roughly 58,000 households were still without running water or power on Thursday, ‌two days since the quake hit Kumamoto prefecture, killing at least 25 people. Matsushita, who is helping lead relief... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3362335/heatstroke-fears-rise-japan-quake-victims-face-el-nino-weather-without-power-water https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3362335/heatstroke-fears-rise-japan-quake-victims-face-el-nino-weather-without-power-water Thu, 30 Jul 2026 03:50:19 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren International luxury car brands from Mercedes-Benz to Land Rover took a further beating in China last month as wealthy consumers continued to shun expensive petrol-powered vehicles. Struggling against competition from China’s rising electric vehicle (EV) powerhouses, international marques would find it more difficult to retain their market share and maintain profitability in the world’s largest automotive market, analysts said. According to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA),... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3361414/foreign-carmakers-lose-more-traction-china-luxury-stronghold-erodes https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3361414/foreign-carmakers-lose-more-traction-china-luxury-stronghold-erodes Wed, 22 Jul 2026 04:01:42 +0000 The Korea Times,Bloomberg The Korea Times,Bloomberg Jensen Huang, chief executive of US artificial intelligence chipmaker Nvidia, held a “yakitori summit” with Japanese executives from semiconductor materials and components companies while visiting Tokyo – a move appeared aimed at strengthening cooperation with local businesses. According to the Nikkei, Huang headed to a yakitori restaurant near Kanda Station in Tokyo, an izakaya specialising in grilled pork skewers and sake, on Wednesday. Located near Tokyo Station, the area is a popular... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3360794/nvidia-chief-jensen-huang-seals-japan-robotics-push-after-yakitori-summit https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3360794/nvidia-chief-jensen-huang-seals-japan-robotics-push-after-yakitori-summit Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:52:10 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Chinese self-driving technology start-up Momenta kicked off bookbuilding on Monday for a HK$5.89 billion (US$751 million) share listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange, testing market sentiment amid a sales slump in China’s car industry. The company is offering nearly 19.94 million shares at HK$295.60 per share. With 20 shares as the minimum board lot, the minimum investment is HK$5,971.62. Sponsored by CICC and Deutsche Bank, the bookbuilding closes on Friday, ahead of a scheduled trading debut... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3358709/chinese-self-driving-firm-momenta-eyes-us750m-hong-kong-ipo https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3358709/chinese-self-driving-firm-momenta-eyes-us750m-hong-kong-ipo Mon, 29 Jun 2026 07:00:05 +0000 Mark Footer Mark Footer By their very nature, museums, heritage sites and other tourist favourites tend to be backwards-looking, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t global attractions that flip the script to imagine what lies ahead – or what could exist in alternate universes. From interactive museums to cities built on tomorrow’s green tech and imagination-firing immersive-art zones, the following destinations offer a passport to innovative worlds, be they future or imaginary ones. Shenzhen Science & Technology... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/postmag/travel/article/3357922/global-attractions-ooze-innovation-and-imagination https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/postmag/travel/article/3357922/global-attractions-ooze-innovation-and-imagination Sun, 28 Jun 2026 00:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Japanese airlines cancelled on Friday more than 100 flights as two tropical storms barrelled towards the archipelago, with authorities advising evacuations in some areas because of possible flooding and landslides. Severe tropical storm Mekkhala, downgraded from a typhoon, was packing gusts of up to 144km/h (89mph), according to forecasters, with heavy rain already pounding parts of southern and western Japan. The weather system was expected to skirt the islands of Kyushu and Shikoku over the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3358423/2-storms-barrelling-towards-japan-spark-over-100-flight-cancellations https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3358423/2-storms-barrelling-towards-japan-spark-over-100-flight-cancellations Fri, 26 Jun 2026 03:11:28 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren A record 156 new models are expected to hit the Chinese automotive market in the second half of 2026, intensifying concerns about small players’ profitability as a new price war looms. The mass-market segment would see an influx of intelligent electric vehicles (EVs) priced at around 100,000 yuan (US$14,740), but only leading carmakers were expected to secure large orders thanks to their brand awareness and production advantages, analysts said. “Demand for new cars has rebounded but it is not... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3358193/do-or-die-small-carmakers-china-market-braces-156-new-models-price-war-looms https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3358193/do-or-die-small-carmakers-china-market-braces-156-new-models-price-war-looms Fri, 26 Jun 2026 01:00:11 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Robin Zeng Yuqun, head of the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) battery maker, has played down expectations for the much-hyped solid-state battery technology, predicting an inflection point would not take place until 2030. The founder and chairman of Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL) also warned on Tuesday that commercial viability of the next-generation batteries was yet to be established. “Based on a measure of level one to nine, the technology has only reached level four so far,”... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3358285/ev-battery-technology-nearing-inflection-point-catl-boss-expresses-doubts https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3358285/ev-battery-technology-nearing-inflection-point-catl-boss-expresses-doubts Thu, 25 Jun 2026 06:00:11 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Electric vehicles accounted for a record 66.7 per cent of new car sales in mainland China during the first week of June, the latest sign that the country’s battery-powered carmakers are benefiting from the global energy crisis. Two out of every three new cars sold on the mainland in the seven days ending June 7 were either pure electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). The penetration rate climbed from 62.9 per cent in May as a wave... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3356789/evs-capture-two-thirds-chinas-car-market-record-breaking-week https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3356789/evs-capture-two-thirds-chinas-car-market-record-breaking-week Fri, 12 Jun 2026 00:00:20 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren International marques have failed to sustain the market share they regained in China early this year after consumers fell back in love with electric vehicles (EVs), a sector where domestic brands continue to enjoy an overwhelming advantage. Foreign carmakers from Volkswagen to Toyota held a combined 30.3 per cent share of the Chinese automotive market in April, with about 418,140 vehicles handed to local customers, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). In the first... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3356147/chinese-evs-reclaim-momentum-tech-upgrades-incentives-squeeze-gains-foreign-marques https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3356147/chinese-evs-reclaim-momentum-tech-upgrades-incentives-squeeze-gains-foreign-marques Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:00:18 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in China recovered on solid footing in May, as new models fitted with higher-performance batteries and more advanced driver assistance systems drew consumers amid intensified competition. Zeekr, a premium EV brand owned by Geely Auto, the country’s second-largest carmaker, and Stellantis-backed Leapmotor rewrote their monthly delivery records, the latest sign that local government subsidies have whetted consumers’ buying appetite for big-ticket items. Although... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3355592/chinese-ev-makers-recover-may-competition-remains-fierce-amid-overcapacity-woes https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3355592/chinese-ev-makers-recover-may-competition-remains-fierce-amid-overcapacity-woes Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:09:52 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A partnership between Japan Airlines and a space start-up marks the first step for the carrier to explore diversification beyond Earth-bound aviation, potentially boosting Japan’s ambition to expand its footprint on the moon. The airline is teaming up with ispace to transport items of “precious cultural heritage and human activities” via a lander craft to the moon and protect them from the effects of climate change, natural disasters and conflict on Earth. “In the rapidly changing world, there... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3355068/japan-airlines-wants-blast-human-culture-space-and-land-it-moon https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3355068/japan-airlines-wants-blast-human-culture-space-and-land-it-moon Thu, 28 May 2026 01:30:10 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren The financial and commercial hub of mainland China is pinning its economic hopes on emerging industries such as autonomous driving and solid-state electric vehicle (EV) batteries to sustain growth following a robust start to 2026. Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng said the city remained confident about achieving a 5 per cent economic expansion this year, buoyed by a strategy to attract foreign businesses and bolster local tech innovations. “We will double efforts to enlarge investment in key projects,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3353992/chinas-old-motown-shanghai-bets-robotaxis-better-batteries-gdp-bump https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3353992/chinas-old-motown-shanghai-bets-robotaxis-better-batteries-gdp-bump Mon, 18 May 2026 23:30:05 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Peugeot and Jeep, owned by French-Italian automotive group Stellantis, have committed to fresh investments to build electric cars with its partner Dongfeng Motor, as more international marques join the fight against Chinese rivals in the world’s largest car market. Stellantis announced on Friday that four electric vehicles (EVs) under the two storied auto brands would roll off the production lines in 2027 as the European carmaker leverages Chinese technologies to assemble best-class cars for the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3353767/peugeot-jeep-take-chinese-rivals-new-models-using-local-ev-technologies https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3353767/peugeot-jeep-take-chinese-rivals-new-models-using-local-ev-technologies Fri, 15 May 2026 14:20:02 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick China made Brazil its top global investment destination last year, pouring US$6.1 billion into the country across a record 52 projects. The figures come from the China-Brazil Business Council (CBBC), which released its annual report on Thursday. The 45 per cent jump in value from the previous year far outpaced the 4.8 per cent rise in total foreign investment into Brazil. It also dwarfed China’s worldwide outbound flows, which grew just 1.3 per cent. Brazil absorbed 10.9 per cent of all Chinese... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352676/china-pours-us61b-brazil-making-it-beijings-top-investment-worldwide-report https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352676/china-pours-us61b-brazil-making-it-beijings-top-investment-worldwide-report Thu, 07 May 2026 14:30:05 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen Few people have heard of Huangyan, a booming industrial district of Taizhou, a city in eastern China’s Zhejiang province. Yet without it, many cars would likely be heavier, more expensive and less energy efficient, while everyday household goods would probably cost more. The town specialises in plastic components and moulding equipment – unassuming products that rarely make the news, but sit at the heart of modern manufacturing. For years, Huangyan’s producers have dominated this supply chain,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3351027/inside-teslas-hidden-supply-chain-how-chinese-town-shapes-modern-world https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3351027/inside-teslas-hidden-supply-chain-how-chinese-town-shapes-modern-world Wed, 22 Apr 2026 22:00:10 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A US move to freeze the Lunar Gateway orbiting space station could render Japan’s new technologies redundant – but its space agency is expected to be diplomatic in its response. The Lunar Gateway project was initially planned as an installation that would orbit the moon as part of the United States’ Artemis programme, which recently made headlines for a record-breaking journey that went deeper into space than anyone had ever flown before. Artemis’ aim is to return astronauts to the moon’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3350662/japan-focus-lunar-rover-after-us-halts-moon-space-station https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3350662/japan-focus-lunar-rover-after-us-halts-moon-space-station Mon, 20 Apr 2026 04:00:12 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Hyundai Motor has spearheaded a comeback among foreign marques vying for a slice of the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) market, launching a new brand built around local technologies and partnerships. The South Korean carmaker, which reversed a six-year sales decline in 2025, said it would soon introduce production models under the Ioniq brand tailored for Chinese consumers, as it steps up its push into the world’s largest automotive market. “The newly launched Ioniq brand in China evolves beyond a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3349776/hyundai-spearheads-foreign-ev-comeback-push-china-ioniq-brand https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3349776/hyundai-spearheads-foreign-ev-comeback-push-china-ioniq-brand Sun, 12 Apr 2026 05:20:54 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren A number of underperforming international car brands are likely to either exit the mainland Chinese market or scale down operations, as losses mount due to falling sales and shrinking market share. Carmakers delivering fewer than 1,000 units a month already faced a do-or-die situation in the world’s largest automotive market because the weak sales were not enough to cover their manufacturing and operating costs, according to analysts. Some carmakers are likely to follow Skoda, Volkswagen’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3349083/more-foreign-marques-face-do-or-die-moment-chinese-buyers-shun-petrol-cars https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3349083/more-foreign-marques-face-do-or-die-moment-chinese-buyers-shun-petrol-cars Mon, 06 Apr 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin Zhu Ziqiang, one of the world’s leading experts in electric motor engineering, has left his four-decade career in Britain to take up a full-time position at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. In his new role as chair professor of electrical machines and control systems, Zhu will continue his long-standing work on high-efficiency permanent magnet motors, according to his faculty page on the PolyU website. Zhu spent 38 years at the University of Sheffield, where he eventually established what was... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3344399/world-leading-ev-motor-expert-joins-hong-kong-polyu-after-38-years-britain https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3344399/world-leading-ev-motor-expert-joins-hong-kong-polyu-after-38-years-britain Tue, 24 Feb 2026 06:00:09 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin US President Donald Trump’s administration announced on Wednesday that it would rescind a rule rewarding electric vehicle production – eliminating the so-called “fuel content factor” – the latest in a series of actions rolling back federal support for EVs that analysts say could leave the US further behind in a global race increasingly shifting in China’s favour. The move comes as the US struggles to compete with China’s rapid growth in the EV sector, marking another setback for America’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343942/does-trumps-retreat-electric-vehicle-policy-risk-ceding-ground-china https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343942/does-trumps-retreat-electric-vehicle-policy-risk-ceding-ground-china Wed, 18 Feb 2026 19:12:50 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage In 1994, Richard Leiter, a South African entrepreneur, took a gamble on the then unknown Chinese commercial truck maker FAW with the introduction of the first Jiefang CA141 truck into the South African market. Two decades later, he had transitioned from importer to industrialist, with a sprawling assembly plant in the Coega special economic zone in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. FAW now outsells major brands like Toyota, Daimler and Isuzu in the heavy truck sector in South Africa, driven by... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340081/how-risky-punt-unknown-chinese-truck-manufacturer-paid-south-africa https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340081/how-risky-punt-unknown-chinese-truck-manufacturer-paid-south-africa Tue, 17 Feb 2026 10:00:10 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Chinese self-driving technology firm Pony AI has started mass production of a robotaxi co-developed with Toyota, taking an important step forward in commercialising autonomous cabs worldwide. The Guangzhou-based company said on Monday that 1,000 driverless cabs of this kind would roll off the production line this year, to be deployed in top-tier mainland Chinese cities. The cars will reinforce Pony AI’s plan to operate a total robotaxi fleet of more than 3,000 units in various mainland and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3342953/pony-ai-and-toyota-roll-out-mass-produced-robotaxis-chinas-autonomous-drive-push https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3342953/pony-ai-and-toyota-roll-out-mass-produced-robotaxis-chinas-autonomous-drive-push Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:28:20 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s plan for advanced chip production at a Japanese plant will help it hedge against US tariff threats and the possibility of a Beijing blockade around Taiwan, analysts said, while providing Japanese giants such as Sony and Toyota with local access to advanced chips for artificial intelligence applications. C C Wei, president and CEO of the world’s top chip foundry, known as TSMC and based in Taiwan, said on Thursday after meeting Japanese Prime Minister... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-war/article/3342524/tsmc-japan-plan-advanced-chips-seen-hedge-against-pressure-us-china https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-war/article/3342524/tsmc-japan-plan-advanced-chips-seen-hedge-against-pressure-us-china Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:00:10 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Brazil has ended a temporary tariff exemption that allowed electric and hybrid vehicles assembled using imported parts from China to enter the country at sharply reduced costs, closing a measure that fuelled months of confrontation between the government, Chinese carmaker BYD and Brazil’s established automotive industry. The exemption expired on January 31 and was not renewed, the South China Morning Post confirmed with multiple sources on Wednesday. Companies such as BYD and Great Wall Motor... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342454/brazil-scraps-ev-tariff-break-china-carmaker-byd-amid-pressure-rivals https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342454/brazil-scraps-ev-tariff-break-china-carmaker-byd-amid-pressure-rivals Thu, 05 Feb 2026 03:32:30 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Seven out of every 10 European companies operating in China were reviewing their supply chain strategies amid geopolitical tensions and Beijing’s opaque policymaking, which appears to set back the country’s globalisation efforts, according to a new survey. A survey of 324 corporate respondents conducted by the European Union Chamber of Commerce found that these firms aimed to strike a balance between cost efficiency and risk diversification, while building resilience in their supply... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3341446/over-70-european-firms-china-review-supply-chain-strategies-survey https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3341446/over-70-european-firms-china-review-supply-chain-strategies-survey Tue, 27 Jan 2026 12:30:13 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Major international marques, from Tesla to Volkswagen, continued to lose market share in mainland China, as consumers increasingly favoured new domestic electric vehicle (EV) models equipped with hi-tech features. But in 2026, foreign carmakers are expected to stage a comeback when they launch models with innovative technologies, which are expected to attract buyers in spite of sluggish consumer demand, according to industry officials and analysts. “Finally, foreign OEMs [original equipment... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3340887/major-foreign-carmakers-set-stage-comeback-china-year-analysts https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3340887/major-foreign-carmakers-set-stage-comeback-china-year-analysts Fri, 23 Jan 2026 02:00:24 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk As Japanese employers search for new ways to retain workers amid the country’s labour shortages and declining birth rate, some are embracing an unconventional addition to their benefits packages: corporate-only dating apps. The services, which allow employees to meet partners from other vetted companies, are being presented less as lifestyle perks than as tools to address long-standing imbalances in the workplace, where single staff often shoulder heavier and less visible burdens. “Single... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3338918/japans-fix-shrinking-workforce-corporate-dating-apps https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3338918/japans-fix-shrinking-workforce-corporate-dating-apps Tue, 06 Jan 2026 09:04:22 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Chinese autonomous-driving technology firm Pony.ai is betting on an “asset-light” strategy and newer generations of low-cost driverless cars to drive growth for its robotaxi operation as the company expects to break even by 2030. Under the asset-light model, Pony.ai would team up with third-party companies – such as taxi operators or ride-hailing platforms – that would fund the deployment of its robotaxi fleet, according to Leo Wang Haojun, chief financial officer. Instead of taking on the full... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3336235/chinese-robotaxi-firm-ponyai-bets-asset-light-strategy-growth https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3336235/chinese-robotaxi-firm-ponyai-bets-asset-light-strategy-growth Fri, 12 Dec 2025 12:00:11 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japan has often prided itself on its orderly, low-crime society, but cracks in that image are widening amid rising car thefts and home intrusions fuelled by export markets and public complacency. At a seminar in May on car theft held by the Aichi prefectural police in central Japan, a man in his fifties listened intently – he was twice targeted in the past. When he woke up one morning in 2011, his prized Toyota Land Cruiser had vanished. Then, one night in 2015, he found a bicycle blocking his... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3334660/japan-still-safe-rising-car-theft-burglary-figures-challenge-nations-orderly-image https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3334660/japan-still-safe-rising-car-theft-burglary-figures-challenge-nations-orderly-image Sun, 30 Nov 2025 06:46:48 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Volkswagen Group has ramped up its “all in” strategy for China, banking on local development capabilities and a new electric vehicle (EV) architecture to fight back against domestic rivals and regain its leading position in the world’s largest vehicle market. The German carmaker’s China operations are now able to design and validate new models without going through approvals from headquarters, reducing development time and costs to respond quickly to local needs. On Tuesday, the company... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3334159/volkswagen-revs-designed-china-approach-catch-local-rivals-ev-market https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3334159/volkswagen-revs-designed-china-approach-catch-local-rivals-ev-market Wed, 26 Nov 2025 01:54:17 +0000 Ni Tao Ni Tao For years, many foreign companies treated China as a vast consumer base or a low-cost manufacturing hub. Now that paradigm is shifting dramatically. China is not just where multinationals scale production or sell at volume; it is increasingly where they make strategic decisions, engage in serious research and development and innovate in ways that will have a global impact. For example, take Toyota’s R&D centre in Changshu, Jiangsu province. Led by local engineers, it has helped develop electric... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3333238/chinas-tech-rises-companies-must-rethink-their-rd-strategy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3333238/chinas-tech-rises-companies-must-rethink-their-rd-strategy Thu, 20 Nov 2025 21:30:09 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li Hong Kong police have arrested three people in connection with a knife attack on three customs officers during an anti-drug operation, including the assailant’s mother, who allegedly provided misleading information to the force, the Post has learned. Two men, arrested in Mong Kok at 12.45am and in Kowloon City at 3am on Friday, were believed to have aided in the escape of the wanted attacker. A 66-year-old woman, identified as the attacker’s mother, was arrested at 2.45pm on Friday in Wong Tai... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3331859/pair-arrested-after-3-hong-kong-customs-officers-slashed-drug-raid https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3331859/pair-arrested-after-3-hong-kong-customs-officers-slashed-drug-raid Fri, 07 Nov 2025 02:49:33 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Mainland China’s commercial and financial hub Shanghai has pledged to remove all regulatory hurdles for foreign investors to set up manufacturing businesses, as authorities move to shore up confidence in the local and national economies despite rising US-China trade tensions. Mayor Gong Zheng said on Sunday that deepened reforms had been carried out to grant overseas companies in the fields of electric vehicles, value-added telecommunications services, biotechnology and hospitals full access to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3328710/shanghai-scrap-all-foreign-investment-limits-manufacturing-facilities https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3328710/shanghai-scrap-all-foreign-investment-limits-manufacturing-facilities Sun, 12 Oct 2025 12:30:10 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Chinese carmaker BYD inaugurated what it describes as its largest electric vehicle plant outside Asia on Thursday, highlighting Brazil’s bid to lead South America’s shift towards clean mobility while drawing renewed scrutiny of Beijing’s expanding industrial footprint. The opening of the vast Camacari complex in Bahia state brought together President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin, state and local officials and dozens of industry figures. It coincided with the roll-out... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3328433/byd-opens-massive-brazil-plant-its-biggest-investment-outside-asia https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3328433/byd-opens-massive-brazil-plant-its-biggest-investment-outside-asia Thu, 09 Oct 2025 17:15:50 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers, from bellwether BYD to start-up Dreame, have stepped up efforts to crack overseas markets as earnings prospects at home look dim amid vicious price competition. They are choosing to either assemble vehicles overseas or open more showrooms abroad to promote their smart EVs fitted with sophisticated in-car entertainment systems and high-performance battery packs, in hopes of taking market share from international marques like Volkswagen and Toyota. “Chinese... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3328074/chinese-ev-makers-go-global-bid-boost-profits-amid-price-war-home https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3328074/chinese-ev-makers-go-global-bid-boost-profits-amid-price-war-home Tue, 07 Oct 2025 23:30:07 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg More than two years after BYD began a high-profile foray into the Japanese market, the Chinese electric-vehicle (EV) maker is still struggling to win over drivers. The carmaker sold just 5,300 vehicles between January 2023 and June this year despite opening its 45th sales location in Japan, introducing a fourth EV model and touting plans to debut an electric kei car – a popular style of street-legal microcar – in late 2026. The moves have done little to ignite demand, and BYD is now turning to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3327212/chinese-ev-maker-byd-brings-price-war-japan-bid-ignite-demand https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3327212/chinese-ev-maker-byd-brings-price-war-japan-bid-ignite-demand Mon, 29 Sep 2025 06:37:12 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Pony.ai will deploy robotaxis in Singapore in the coming months, as the Chinese autonomous driving technology company takes a tentative step to expand into Southeast Asia’s mass transport market. The Guangzhou-based company, one of mainland China’s top three robotaxi operators, said on Saturday that it would team up with Singapore’s taxi fleet operator ComfortDelGro to introduce autonomous mobility services to the city state “in the coming months”. “By delivering safe, comfortable and efficient... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3326229/ponyai-roll-out-autonomous-robotaxis-comfortdelgro-singapores-punggol-area https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3326229/ponyai-roll-out-autonomous-robotaxis-comfortdelgro-singapores-punggol-area Sat, 20 Sep 2025 04:00:19 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov Chinese autonomous driving technology firm Pony.ai expects to deploy a fleet of robotaxis in Hong Kong after completing regulatory hurdles, while downplaying potential competition from Tesla. “We have already set a footprint in Guangzhou and we are eyeing Hong Kong,” chief financial officer Leo Wang said at a media event in the city on Tuesday. He said Pony.ai needed to work with local authorities and partners to explore the best way forward. On working with the city’s Transport Department, Wang... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3323243/chinas-ponyai-eyes-sizeable-fleet-hong-kong-unfazed-tesla-robotaxi-competition https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3323243/chinas-ponyai-eyes-sizeable-fleet-hong-kong-unfazed-tesla-robotaxi-competition Tue, 26 Aug 2025 23:00:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Stocks are drifting on Wall Street Thursday after US President Donald Trump’s latest tariffs took effect on dozens of countries. The S&P 500 added 0.2 per cent after climbing earlier to within a whisper of its record, which was set late last month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 147 points, or 0.3 per cent, as of 10.45am Eastern, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.7 per cent higher. Worries are still high that Trump’s tariffs are damaging the economy, particularly after last week’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3321137/wall-street-rises-global-stock-markets-take-trumps-new-tariffs-stride https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3321137/wall-street-rises-global-stock-markets-take-trumps-new-tariffs-stride Thu, 07 Aug 2025 14:00:13 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Brazil announced a compromise in a dispute between Chinese EV maker BYD and traditional carmakers on Thursday, granting the company a short-term tariff break while moving forward with hikes that will hit it more aggressively in the long run. The decision was reached in a closed-door session of the Chamber of Foreign Trade (Camex) on Wednesday but not released publicly until Thursday. It follows weeks of heavy lobbying on both sides, with carmakers warning of mass lay-offs and BYD accusing rivals... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3320341/brazil-grants-byd-exemption-ev-tariff-hike-not-long-sought https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3320341/brazil-grants-byd-exemption-ev-tariff-hike-not-long-sought Thu, 31 Jul 2025 17:46:20 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Residents and visitors in Japan were advised to remain on alert on Thursday after tsunami waves triggered by a magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka peninsula reached the Pacific coast the previous day. While all warnings were downgraded to advisories on Wednesday night, they remained in place for many areas, with the Japan Meteorological Agency to make an assessment on Thursday evening on whether to lift them. The quake, which occurred at 8.24am Japan time, was measured at magnitude... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3320223/japan-stays-alert-tsunami-waves-day-after-massive-quake https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3320223/japan-stays-alert-tsunami-waves-day-after-massive-quake Thu, 31 Jul 2025 03:20:42 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Brazil’s government is facing mounting pressure as it decides on a request from Chinese carmaker BYD to reduce import tariffs for a year on semi-assembled electric and hybrid vehicles. The proposal, now under review by the Chamber of Foreign Trade, or Camex, has sparked a wave of opposition from global carmakers and regional governors who warn it could undermine Brazil’s industrial base and lead to job losses. The Camex panel, which was meeting on Wednesday, was expected to render a decision... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/article/3320197/brazil-debates-tariff-break-byd-opponents-warning-lay-offs-and-investment-freeze https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/article/3320197/brazil-debates-tariff-break-byd-opponents-warning-lay-offs-and-investment-freeze Wed, 30 Jul 2025 19:37:02 +0000 Andrew Frank,Jacob J. Puthenparambil Andrew Frank,Jacob J. Puthenparambil For all the continued dizzying headlines about global tariffs and strategic pauses, one thing remains true: the United States is deploying trade policy not just as economic leverage but as a tool of diplomacy and power. The August 1 deadline for countries, including several in Asia, to negotiate a trade deal or face steep tariffs is no exception. Markets throughout Asia – a region home to some of the most export-reliant economies in the world – are in the crosshairs of US President Donald... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3319227/why-asian-exporters-cant-afford-passive-approach-us-politics https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3319227/why-asian-exporters-cant-afford-passive-approach-us-politics Tue, 29 Jul 2025 12:30:07 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Chinese autonomous driving technology firm Pony.ai is gearing up to mass produce driverless cabs to make its robotaxis widely available and more affordable, as technological advancement helps shorten its path to commercialisation. The Guangzhou-based company – the only firm with approval to operate robotaxi services on the mainland's four most developed cities – is banking on an accelerated pace of commercialisation at home and abroad to achieve cost efficiency, according to Lou Tiancheng,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3319871/robotaxis-ponyai-sets-mass-production-target-eye-overseas-expansion https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3319871/robotaxis-ponyai-sets-mass-production-target-eye-overseas-expansion Mon, 28 Jul 2025 23:30:15 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Hong Kong’s major natural gas company is looking to produce hydrogen for application in other industries, showing commitment to the market at a time when companies and governments are cancelling or scaling back plans amid cost challenges. Hong Kong and China Gas, or Towngas as the sole natural gas producer is known, will start work on building the city’s first public electric vehicle (EV) charging station powered by hydrogen, it said on Friday. The venture was expected to commence operations... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3319649/towngas-build-hydrogen-powered-ev-charging-stations-amid-mixed-industry-signals https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3319649/towngas-build-hydrogen-powered-ev-charging-stations-amid-mixed-industry-signals Sun, 27 Jul 2025 06:00:13 +0000