https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/318421/feed China economy news, including budget, the stock market and analysis. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Sherry Wang Sherry Wang As China seeks to build on its “engineer dividend” – the advantage created by a vast pool of engineers built up over decades – it is directing more talent towards artificial intelligence and other hi-tech fields central to its competition with the US. The push comes as fresh graduates face mounting pressure to find jobs, underscoring the challenge of aligning China’s expanding higher education system with the needs of its changing economy. But Beijing has a narrow window to act, an education... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369754/how-china-planning-build-its-engineer-dividend-tech-war-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369754/how-china-planning-build-its-engineer-dividend-tech-war-us?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 14:00:06 +0000 SCMP Plus SCMP Plus This article was translated from Chinese into English using Alibaba’s Qwen3.7-Plus, then checked and tweaked for accuracy by a South China Morning Post journalist. It is for reference only, and is not the official English version of the original Chinese document. Alibaba owns the SCMP. https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3369803/chinas-finance-minister-fiscal-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3369803/chinas-finance-minister-fiscal-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 09:42:26 +0000 Michael Han Michael Han For decades, China’s property sector was defined by spectacular scale: farmland transformed into suburbs, skylines rising across regional hubs and, more recently, the prominent unravelling of heavily indebted developers. Yet beneath those dramatic changes, a far quieter and more consequential transformation is taking shape. Official figures published by the National Bureau of Statistics in September reveal that secondary market home transactions have surpassed new residential builds in volume.... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3369213/why-protecting-home-values-beijings-new-priority?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3369213/why-protecting-home-values-beijings-new-priority?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 08:30:07 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Neighbouring China and Vietnam, two manufacturing giants, are building out railways, adding flights and boosting cargo links to leverage their geographic proximity for another boost in trade and tourism that will help both weather pressure from the US. The two countries set aside political disputes last year to step up economic ties, and analysts said they were now improving both the quality and quantity of transport links. “Overall, I see the China-Vietnam connectivity story moving from... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369606/us-bears-down-export-powerhouses-china-and-vietnam-establish-closer-transport-links?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369606/us-bears-down-export-powerhouses-china-and-vietnam-establish-closer-transport-links?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:00:27 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings A range of public and private-sector Chinese buyers have acquired a total of 44 small-model Bell helicopters, often for sightseeing and corporate travel. This makes China the vendor’s second biggest market in the Asia-Pacific, with growing demand for more despite safety concerns surrounding rotary-wing aircraft, an aviation services firm said. China lagged behind only South Korea in the total number of five-seat Bell 505 Jet Ranger X helicopters, according to a statement by the Hong Kong-based... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369016/chinas-police-sightseeing-operators-snap-bell-helicopters-despite-safety-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369016/chinas-police-sightseeing-operators-snap-bell-helicopters-despite-safety-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Oct 2026 13:00:11 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Most trade ministers from the world’s largest economies disagreed with calls to curb excess industrial capacity at a Group of 20 (G20) trade meeting that ended on Thursday, according to China’s commerce ministry, a view that contrasts with a US statement that a “handful” of countries objected. “The issues related to excess industrial capacity and forced labour have been highly controversial,” a Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday about the two-day G20 Trade... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369703/most-g20-trade-ministers-reject-us-call-curbing-excess-capacity-china-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369703/most-g20-trade-ministers-reject-us-call-curbing-excess-capacity-china-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Oct 2026 10:38:50 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat At a two-day trade exhibition in Hong Kong earlier this week, Vera Nikitina, a representative of Russian confectionery producer Belyov Pastila Manufacture, was looking for new buyers – while also trying to reassure them that the company’s products were genuinely made in Russia. The company made its first attempt to enter China in 2019, before beginning regular shipments and establishing a local office in 2022-23. Its sales grew in 2024 amid booming Chinese demand for Russian consumer goods. That... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3368816/russian-exporters-fight-win-back-chinese-buyers-amid-fallout-over-fake-goods?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3368816/russian-exporters-fight-win-back-chinese-buyers-amid-fallout-over-fake-goods?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Oct 2026 09:00:06 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo On the edge of western China’s Taklamakan Desert, in a county where sand covers 90 per cent of the land, an unlikely harvest is heading to market: Australian freshwater crayfish. As China begins its National Day “golden week” holiday, a farm in Maigaiti county, in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region’s Kashgar prefecture, is pulling 250 to 300kg (551 to 661lbs) of the premium crustaceans from its ponds every day. Native to Australia’s rivers and streams, freshwater crayfish are now being raised... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369602/freshwater-crayfish-raised-xinjiang-desert-nip-away-chinas-food-security-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369602/freshwater-crayfish-raised-xinjiang-desert-nip-away-chinas-food-security-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Oct 2026 06:00:15 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Business-class flights, once largely the domain of company reps on paid trips, are becoming more popular among tourists in China who do not mind spending a bit extra for a comfortable ride from start to finish, industry insiders said. Businesspeople once occupied 90 per cent of the spacious seats, but have lost that edge to leisure travellers who can buy their way out of economy class but not into first class, said Wong Hong, director general of the 18-member Association of Asia Pacific... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3367287/no-brainer-growing-trend-chinese-tourists-seeking-luxury-business-class-flights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3367287/no-brainer-growing-trend-chinese-tourists-seeking-luxury-business-class-flights?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Oct 2026 13:00:11 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China has announced the expansion of the resource base for a major lithium deposit in the southwestern province of Sichuan by about 70 per cent, strengthening the country’s potential long-term supply for the metal – an essential component in the production of batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage. After recent detection efforts, the Jiada Lithium Mine has registered about 1.05 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent in the deposit, bringing its total resources to 2.53... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369603/chinese-lithium-mine-registers-wider-vein-bolstering-beijings-battery-supply?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369603/chinese-lithium-mine-registers-wider-vein-bolstering-beijings-battery-supply?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Oct 2026 07:00:11 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen During a recent reporting trip to the economic backwater of Nanning, the capital of southern China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, the Pinglu Canal and US tech titan Apple’s latest product launch were on nearly everyone’s lips. The canal, which was officially opened on September 16, was built to make Guangxi a maritime logistics gateway for landlocked provinces in southwestern China and a nexus for trade with Southeast Asia. But many Nanning residents are not sure they will feel any... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369604/reporters-notebook-can-canal-connection-give-lift-economic-backwater?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369604/reporters-notebook-can-canal-connection-give-lift-economic-backwater?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Oct 2026 02:00:08 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat The race to loosen China’s grip on tungsten is moving to Kazakhstan, where United States-backed mining projects are attempting to compete in an industry where Chinese investment already has an operating foothold. Global tungsten prices have surged more than 200 per cent since May 2025, according to commodity and energy information provider Argus Media, adding urgency to efforts to develop alternative supplies. The soaring costs followed Beijing’s export controls on selected tungsten products... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3369599/china-has-dominated-tungsten-decades-can-us-cash-central-asia-loosen-its-grip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3369599/china-has-dominated-tungsten-decades-can-us-cash-central-asia-loosen-its-grip?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Oct 2026 01:00:14 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings A reported move by the United States to restrict exports of aircraft parts to China would place another speed bump on production of the C919 – a Chinese passenger jet designed to compete with Airbus and Boeing – as alternative sources of critical components for the plane are not readily available, according to analysts. The US Commerce Department has slowed export licensing for civilian aeroplane parts to China in recent weeks to strengthen Washington’s position in trade talks with Beijing,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369588/chinas-c919-jet-faces-further-delivery-delays-amid-us-export-chill-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369588/chinas-c919-jet-faces-further-delivery-delays-amid-us-export-chill-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Oct 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China’s EV charging volume on its highways hit a new high on the first day of the seven-day National Day holiday, as the country’s rapidly expanding electric vehicle fleet drives up demand for charging infrastructure. Single-day charging volume reached 28 million kWh, a 60.4 per cent increase compared with the first day of last year’s National Day holiday, marking the highest one day level during a national holiday period, according to a statement issued by the National Energy Administration on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369570/national-day-travel-surge-drives-chinas-highway-ev-charging-volume-60-new-high?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369570/national-day-travel-surge-drives-chinas-highway-ev-charging-volume-60-new-high?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Oct 2026 11:00:11 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Hong Kong stock debuts are losing steam as a deluge of initial public offerings (IPOs) overwhelms investor appetite. Seven of September’s 12 IPOs fell on the first day of trading, raising the third-quarter total to 15 flops out of 31, based on Bloomberg data. By contrast, there were only 14 declines among 77 debuts in the first half of the year. Medcaptain Medical Technology led September’s first-day flops, plunging 43 per cent. Fast-fashion giant Shein tumbled as much as 10 per cent on its... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/business/banking-finance/article/3369567/hong-kong-ipos-falter-china-aids-homebuyers-eu-trade-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/business/banking-finance/article/3369567/hong-kong-ipos-falter-china-aids-homebuyers-eu-trade-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Oct 2026 09:05:40 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China’s finance minister has pledged to roll out incremental and targeted fiscal policies to help achieve leadership’s full-year growth target for the country, following a freshly announced package of supportive measures. However, analysts expect Beijing to stop short of a major stimulus, providing only “just enough” support to meet the target. Lan Foan made the pledge in an article published on Thursday in the Communist Party’s leading theoretical journal, Qiushi, calling for the broadened... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369550/china-seen-doing-just-enough-targeted-fiscal-support-defend-gdp-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369550/china-seen-doing-just-enough-targeted-fiscal-support-defend-gdp-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Oct 2026 09:00:06 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo People have been trying to fend off mosquitoes for thousands of years – using methods ranging from physical barriers to chemical insecticides – but a Chinese start-up is now taking pre-orders on a hi-tech solution that uses lidar detection and lasers to zap them out of the air. Photon Matrix Lab, based in Changzhou, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province, said it expected initial monthly production of the device – which became a breakout hit in overseas crowdfunding – to be between 3,000 and 5,000... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369440/chinese-start-behind-laser-mosquito-killer-plans-start-shipping-orders-month?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369440/chinese-start-behind-laser-mosquito-killer-plans-start-shipping-orders-month?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 12:00:07 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro Last November, Morgan Stanley released its year-ahead outlook for Chinese equities. It said it expected “2026 to be a year for the market to strive for stabilisation and sustainability, before potentially clearing a path for a further major breakthrough, while dealing with several domestic and external moving factors”. Given that the MSCI China Index, which tracks Chinese firms listed at home and abroad, had already risen nearly 40 per cent in the first 10 months of 2025, the bank’s cautious... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3369411/another-chinese-bear-market-dont-rely-wall-street-forecasts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3369411/another-chinese-bear-market-dont-rely-wall-street-forecasts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Chinese automotive groups have cause to celebrate their go-global strategy amid breakneck export growth in recent years, with deliveries in 2026 expected to beat expectations already buoyed by an international energy shock caused by conflict in the Middle East. Leading carmakers from BYD to Chery Automobile have doubled down on overseas expansion, with some evolving into powerful contenders in markets such as Europe and Africa, which were once dominated by the likes of Volkswagen. “A sluggish... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3369423/chinas-carmakers-eye-record-12-million-overseas-sales-2026-go-global-plan-pays?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3369423/chinas-carmakers-eye-record-12-million-overseas-sales-2026-go-global-plan-pays?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 06:00:08 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Primary schools and kindergartens in China are being converted into elderly care facilities, as falling birth rates and a shrinking youth population leave classrooms empty. According to data from the Ministry of Education, primary school admissions and preschool enrolments each fell around 10 per cent in 2025. The total number of educational institutions nationwide declined by over 6 per cent to 440,700 from the year before. Some of these vacant campuses are being repurposed to serve a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368988/chinas-birth-rate-falls-vacant-schools-are-transformed-aged-care-facilities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368988/chinas-birth-rate-falls-vacant-schools-are-transformed-aged-care-facilities?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 01:43:59 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang The fields in Xinjiang’s Awati county – a cotton hub hit by US sanctions – were nearly ready for the October harvest. Yusup Molamaiti, a 36-year-old technician, recalled what it was like manually planting and harvesting 37 mu (about 2.5 hectares or 6 acres) of scattered plots of land. “Planting a single mu took up to three hours with two people laying plastic film by hand,” he said. Harvesting would lock his family into year-round labour, yielding just 250-300kg (551-661lbs) per mu. Today, his... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369294/us-sanctions-forced-xinjiang-cotton-adapt-survival-comes-cost?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369294/us-sanctions-forced-xinjiang-cotton-adapt-survival-comes-cost?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2026 22:00:13 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang China has pledged to step up grain production, including soybeans, to ensure domestic supplies amid heightened volatility in global food markets, even as the country has just proposed cutting tariffs on a range of US agricultural products. The push comes as China’s grain supply is expected to come under growing pressure from rising demand in the coming years, while the country remains heavily dependent on overseas soybean supplies. Soybeans were excluded from the latest tariff-relief deal... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369291/china-pledges-more-domestic-grain-supply-after-excluding-us-soybeans-tariff-cuts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369291/china-pledges-more-domestic-grain-supply-after-excluding-us-soybeans-tariff-cuts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2026 11:00:06 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Subscribers: The Daily Pulse won’t be published on October 1, which is China’s National Day. We will resume publication on Friday, October 2. US President Donald Trump has again ruled out collaborating with China on artificial intelligence (AI), arguing that it would undermine American leadership in the technology. Cooperation would let China “immediately gain access to things that we know that they don’t know”, Trump told reporters on Tuesday. “We’re leading now over China and everyone else,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-war/article/3369336/trump-relies-ai-giants-self-police-after-ruling-out-china-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-war/article/3369336/trump-relies-ai-giants-self-police-after-ruling-out-china-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2026 09:13:03 +0000 Haining Gao Haining Gao – https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3369300/chinese-biopharmas-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3369300/chinese-biopharmas-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2026 06:30:44 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang For the first time, China’s spending on research and development as a share of gross domestic product has surpassed the average for Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) members – a trend one analyst expects to continue as Beijing seeks to strengthen technological self-reliance amid intensifying global competition. R&D expenditure exceeded 3.92 trillion yuan (US$584.8 billion) in 2025, accounting for 2.8 per cent of GDP, Science and Technology Minister Yin Hejun said at a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369296/chinas-rd-spending-hits-record-28-gdp-beating-oecd-average-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369296/chinas-rd-spending-hits-record-28-gdp-beating-oecd-average-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2026 06:01:56 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu The Ministry of Commerce has criticised a reported Franco-German push for the EU to develop a trade tool similar to the US’ Section 301 to counter China, calling it “protectionist and unilateralist” and warning that Beijing would “resolutely respond” to any discriminatory measures against Chinese companies or products. “The EU has itself been a victim of such tools in the past: do not do unto others what you would not have done unto yourself,” it said in a statement issued on Tuesday. The timing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369272/beijing-criticises-push-eu-develop-section-301-style-trade-tool-counter-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369272/beijing-criticises-push-eu-develop-section-301-style-trade-tool-counter-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2026 03:00:18 +0000 Emma Ma Emma Ma Starting on Wednesday, new regulations governing the online marketing of financial products – including loans, insurance and deposits – by loan-assisting service providers take effect in China. According to analysts, one of the driving considerations behind the measure is to curb the improper use of bank loans. The regulations were jointly released by eight ministries, headed by the People’s Bank of China in April. They explicitly stipulate that only financial institutions and third-party... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369165/china-bans-online-promos-loans-insurance-private-brokers-prevent-loan-misuse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369165/china-bans-online-promos-loans-insurance-private-brokers-prevent-loan-misuse?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2026 02:00:12 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li President Xi Jinping has urged a major university to harness its interdisciplinary strengths in the humanities, sciences, engineering and medicine to support China’s national strategy, as Beijing looks to higher education institutions to help advance hi-tech development. Xi made the remarks in a letter released on Tuesday congratulating Sichuan University on its 130th anniversary and responding to faculty members and students at the prominent public university in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369194/xi-urges-universities-help-drive-chinas-tech-and-innovation-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369194/xi-urges-universities-help-drive-chinas-tech-and-innovation-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2026 11:00:06 +0000 Ji Siqi,Sylvia Ma,Frank Chen Ji Siqi,Sylvia Ma,Frank Chen China’s central bank has announced a fresh package of measures to boost the real economy, cutting an interest rate for policy banks and introducing the country’s first interest subsidy for commercial mortgages. The People’s Bank of China cut the interest rate on its pledged supplemental lending (PSL) facility by 0.25 percentage points, lowering the one-year PSL rate from 1.75 per cent to 1.5 per cent. The move aims to better incentivise policy banks to support the real economy and align with... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369207/china-cuts-interest-rate-policy-banks-boost-real-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369207/china-cuts-interest-rate-policy-banks-boost-real-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2026 10:11:00 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China outlined efforts to revive faltering growth with plans for new economic support measures and renewed efforts to prop up the floundering property market. “In response to emerging challenges in the economy’s operation, efforts should be made to intensify counter-cyclical adjustment of macro policies,” according to a statement carried by Xinhua following a State Council meeting on Monday. “China will strive to achieve its annual economic and social development goals.” Steps include hastening... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3369193/china-moves-towards-stimulus-economic-concerns-grow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3369193/china-moves-towards-stimulus-economic-concerns-grow?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2026 09:01:16 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings The number of Japanese companies operating in China has fallen nearly 30 per cent since its peak in 2012 and is down 22 per cent over the past two years, according to a survey conducted amid prolonged political tensions between Beijing and Tokyo. As of June, 10,118 Japanese enterprises were identified as having a presence in China, the lowest number since 2010, according to a survey and analysis released on Monday by the corporate credit research and business intelligence firm Teikoku... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369164/japanese-firms-pull-back-china-amid-geopolitical-tensions-supply-chains-shifts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369164/japanese-firms-pull-back-china-amid-geopolitical-tensions-supply-chains-shifts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2026 07:00:13 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China’s Premier Li Qiang chaired a State Council executive meeting on Monday that called for a series of policies to strengthen support for the economy, including encouraging local governments, where conditions allow, to pilot measures to boost consumption. “In response to emerging challenges in the economy’s operation, efforts should be made to intensify countercyclical adjustment of macro policies and promote innovation-driven, high-quality and sound economic development,” according to a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369129/china-asks-local-governments-pilot-high-quality-policies-boost-consumption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369129/china-asks-local-governments-pilot-high-quality-policies-boost-consumption?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2026 03:07:07 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Volkswagen Group and its Chinese partner Gotion High-tech have stepped up a gear in tapping global demand for electric vehicle (EV) batteries with plans to invest a combined €3.22 billion (US$3.66 billion) to set up three production lines in Europe and North Africa. The factories, to be jointly owned by the German marque and China’s fourth-largest EV battery maker, would be capable of delivering 37.5 gigawatt hours (GWh) of lithium-ion battery capacity and 100,000 metric tons of cathode... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3369104/vw-gotion-ramp-battery-production-europe-morocco-amid-rising-ev-demand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3369104/vw-gotion-ramp-battery-production-europe-morocco-amid-rising-ev-demand?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 14:28:42 +0000 Djoomart Otorbaev Djoomart Otorbaev The global electronics industry is entering a structural transition. For over two decades, China served as the dominant manufacturing centre, with an unmatched concentration of suppliers, skilled labour, infrastructure, logistics and engineering capabilities. That concentration is being diluted. But interpreting this as the decline of Chinese manufacturing would be a mistake. China is exporting parts of its manufacturing process while retaining the industrial capabilities that matter... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3368704/china-no-longer-just-worlds-factory-its-hq?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3368704/china-no-longer-just-worlds-factory-its-hq?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 12:30:13 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China agreed to import at least 10 million tonnes of US coal in each of the next two years, marking one of the few concrete results from President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the United States. The country will also lower tariffs on 1,619 US products, including coal, under a deal to reduce levies on US$30 billion of non-sensitive goods shipped in each direction, according to a White House statement. Other items include agricultural goods, cosmetics and medical devices. The US will cut levies on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369060/china-resuming-us-coal-imports-among-thin-list-summit-outcomes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369060/china-resuming-us-coal-imports-among-thin-list-summit-outcomes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 09:16:13 +0000 Xinyi Wu,Mandy Zuo,Alice Li Xinyi Wu,Mandy Zuo,Alice Li The United States and China released details about the non-sensitive goods set for tariff reductions and their agreement to set up an agricultural trade working group after President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the US last week, though any progress on the two countries’ dispute over rare earths remains absent from official statements. The White House released the lists of the US$30 billion worth of goods on each side recommended for tariff reductions on Sunday, which comprised 77 categories of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369036/us-china-slash-tariffs-basic-goods-crucial-rare-earths-debate-left-record?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369036/us-china-slash-tariffs-basic-goods-crucial-rare-earths-debate-left-record?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 07:00:36 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen Vietnamese coffee chain Trung Nguyen Legend has been brewing up big business in China, serving its signature slow-dripped ground blends sourced fresh from Vietnam. As its network of stores expands across China, logistics has become a bottleneck. It focuses on buying coffee beans in season from plantations in Vietnam, but road-and-sea transport to China follows a circuitous route with occasional delays. It hopes China’s first river-to-sea canal, which opened earlier this month, will offer a short... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368815/asean-firms-hope-pinglu-canal-will-open-china-market-fear-flood-imports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368815/asean-firms-hope-pinglu-canal-will-open-china-market-fear-flood-imports?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Scott Kennedy is a senior adviser and trustee chair in Chinese business and economics at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. His areas of focus include China’s hi-tech drive, US-China relations and global economic governance. SCMP Plus readers get early access to articles in the Open Questions series. How would you characterise the outcomes of the China-US summit compared to expectations going in? Is it largely a continuation of that track or do you see it moving the relationship... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368961/scott-kennedy-xi-trump-summit-and-us-china-instability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368961/scott-kennedy-xi-trump-summit-and-us-china-instability?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Sep 2026 21:00:13 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo Even though he was an experienced swimmer and a medical check-up showed he had no condition that made exercise unsafe, 66-year-old Zhao Xin said he was stopped by staff at a local swimming pool from swimming with his grandson because of his age. “The pool’s staff said it wasn’t able to mitigate the risks of exercise for older people, and that if it admitted swimmers over 65, local authorities would penalise it,” Zhao said. “After I retired, I found that many times I want to spend money but am... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368939/chinese-retirees-boost-nations-economy-some-hope-greater-consumer-freedom-society?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368939/chinese-retirees-boost-nations-economy-some-hope-greater-consumer-freedom-society?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Sep 2026 13:00:10 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Last week, the president of the United States stood at the podium of the United Nations General Assembly and asked aloud whether he should “annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly”. Donald Trump then turned to Venezuela’s oil and declared: “To the victor belong the spoils, you’ve all heard that …” He spoke as the Iran war neared its eighth month, a week after the UN Human Rights Council found “reasonable grounds to believe” that the US had committed war crimes. In the same speech,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3368749/how-beijing-neutralising-washingtons-sanctions-machine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3368749/how-beijing-neutralising-washingtons-sanctions-machine?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Sep 2026 12:30:07 +0000 Sylvia Ma,Frank Chen Sylvia Ma,Frank Chen The Xi-Trump summit may prove more significant for stabilising relations and opening space for further negotiations between the world’s two largest economies than for its immediate trade outcomes, analysts said, pointing to the significance of a new dialogue on artificial intelligence. With the two leaders expected to meet again in the coming months, attention could shift from extending the latest tariff truce to building a more durable framework for managing economic and technological... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3368908/trade-truce-extension-aside-was-ai-real-xi-trump-summit-breakthrough?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3368908/trade-truce-extension-aside-was-ai-real-xi-trump-summit-breakthrough?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 12:39:03 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng As AI becomes an increasingly important part of China’s economic transformation, economists and industry leaders are raising concerns about two potential risks: inflated valuations for humanoid robotics companies and the technology widening the wealth gap between rich and poor. Daniel Zhang, managing partner of FirstLight Capital and former chairman and CEO of Alibaba Group Holding, said the sharp fall in some Chinese humanoid robotics stocks reflected expectations that had become... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368887/chinas-ai-led-transformation-taking-shape-why-are-some-economists-urging-caution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368887/chinas-ai-led-transformation-taking-shape-why-are-some-economists-urging-caution?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 05:45:04 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li After three weeks of travelling across China, Bojan Tomic and his wife found that one of the biggest conveniences of the trip was being able to pay for daily expenses almost entirely via smartphone. The Croatian couple’s journey spanned the cities of Beijing, Xian, Chengdu and finally Shenzhen. Visiting China for the first time, they quickly adapted to the country’s dominant mobile payment ecosystem, using Alipay and WeChat Pay, two of China’s largest payment platforms, for most of their... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368810/how-chinas-mobile-payment-overhaul-helps-foreigners-spend-money-ahead-apec-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368810/how-chinas-mobile-payment-overhaul-helps-foreigners-spend-money-ahead-apec-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 02:00:10 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Beijing and Brussels remain “deadlocked” on trade in medical devices following discussions in Beijing this week, a source said, adding that “intensive consultations” were under way about Brussels’ plan to launch import safeguards against made-in-China plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Vice-Minister of Commerce Ling Ji – China’s deputy international trade representative – held discussions with Ditte Juul Jorgensen, the European Commission’s director general for trade and economic... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368811/china-and-eu-deadlocked-medical-devices-still-talking-phev-curbs-source?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368811/china-and-eu-deadlocked-medical-devices-still-talking-phev-curbs-source?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 10:30:12 +0000 Huizhao Huang Huizhao Huang Chinese carmakers have gained ground in Europe’s shift to electric cars, emerging as the biggest winners in plug-in hybrids despite moves by Brussels to curb their expansion. As petrol prices climbed across the EU, hitting a record high of more than €2.30 a litre (US$9.91 a US gallon) in Germany this month, the move to battery power gathered pace. Battery-electric registrations jumped 62.7 per cent year on year in August and accounted for 21.7 per cent of new registrations in the first eight... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368814/chinese-marques-driving-seat-high-petrol-prices-accelerate-eu-shift-electric-cars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368814/chinese-marques-driving-seat-high-petrol-prices-accelerate-eu-shift-electric-cars?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:37:49 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump discussed artificial intelligence (AI) and Taiwan at the White House on Thursday as part of a state visit dominated by pageantry. On AI, Xi said that “the right thing to do is to draw on each other’s strengths, not guard against each other”, according to a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry. He also backed continued dialogue about risks, joint efforts to prevent misuse and keeping AI under human control. Trump earlier said on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368799/xi-white-house-trade-war-truce-extension-golden-week-travel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368799/xi-white-house-trade-war-truce-extension-golden-week-travel?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:00:10 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Mooncakes, a sweet staple for China’s annual Mid-Autumn Festival, are not just for people any more. Humans are pulling back, but dogs are digging in. So are cats. Pet mooncakes are popping up across China, from major retailers such as Sam’s Club to online stores and small bakeries. And many are quickly selling out. In the southwestern metropolis of Chengdu, a pack of pet mooncakes selling online for about 50 yuan (US$8) has racked up thousands of sales, news outlet thecover.cn reported. In the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368747/mooncakes-dog-how-china-reinventing-its-iconic-festive-snack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368747/mooncakes-dog-how-china-reinventing-its-iconic-festive-snack?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 06:00:26 +0000 Emma Ma Emma Ma At least a dozen Chinese banks intend to wind down retail leveraged precious-metals trading – a practice in which everyday investors post margin deposits to speculate on gold and silver contracts without owning the physical metal. The retreat comes amid sharp swings in international gold prices. Sources at two banks, including the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China – the world’s largest lender by assets – said that this round of withdrawals was mandated by the Shanghai Gold Exchange,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368681/shanghai-gold-exchange-pushes-more-chinese-banks-end-retail-leverage-trading?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368681/shanghai-gold-exchange-pushes-more-chinese-banks-end-retail-leverage-trading?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 03:00:19 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao The European Commission is pressing China for progress by next month to address the widening EU-China trade imbalance, and raising the possibility of new protectionist trade policy. The deadline raises a question: how should China and its trading partners address perceived economic imbalances while sharing the benefits of Chinese industrial competitiveness? China’s merchandise trade surplus approached US$1.2 trillion last year even as other exporting economies press for controls. “Overcapacity”... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3368293/chinas-industrial-strengths-must-also-benefit-its-trading-partners?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3368293/chinas-industrial-strengths-must-also-benefit-its-trading-partners?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 21:30:12 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China’s outbound direct investment reached a record high of US$214 billion last year, even as investment in the United States plunged to its lowest level in more than a decade amid growing geopolitical and regulatory uncertainty, latest official data showed. Outbound direct investment was up 11.1 per cent in 2025 compared to the previous year, making China the world’s second-largest source of global capital, behind only the US and ranking ahead of Japan, according to an annual report jointly... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3368642/chinas-overseas-investment-hits-record-us214-billion-why-are-us-bound-flows-plunging?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3368642/chinas-overseas-investment-hits-record-us214-billion-why-are-us-bound-flows-plunging?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:30:19 +0000