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China consumption

China consumption
The latest news, analysis and opinion on China consumption. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
This picture taken on March 12, 2026 shows an employee walking past snowboards at a Lidakis’s exhibition room in Zhangjiakou, in China’s northern Hebei province. China’s snow-related equipment sales have surged almost fourfold since 2015, but interest has levelled off since the Beijing Winter Olympic Games in 2022 and a post-Covid boom. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP) / TO GO WITH AFP STORY: China-ski-olympics-leisure, FOCUS by Sam DAVIES
Mainland China

Video | Chinese brands carve out place in snow gear market

Growing number of Chinese ski resorts are turning to local snow equipment as the nation’s ‘ice and snow’ economy develops.

Shanghai

How record F1 crowds are accelerating Shanghai’s bid to be a global sports hub

China GDP

China’s economy starts 2026 strongly as retail sales, investment rise

Tourism

Chinese bubble tea chain Mixue straps in for theme park project

World’s largest food-service chain is looking to monetise its Snow King mascot and give a boost to hometown economy.

Mixue’s Snow King mascot strikes a gong during the company’s listing ceremony at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in March last year. Photo: Reuters
Chow Tai Fook

Bling it on: Chow Tai Fook’s US$115,000 gold AirPods case sparks online buzz

Gold gadgets and hair clips ignite discussion online as the jeweller looks to the ultra-rich to set the gold standard for luxury spending.

Two Sessions 2026

Beijing urged to boost rural pensions as lawmakers fight for farmers’ fair share

Appeals highlight a long-standing lack of benefits for elderly citizens outside cities, and proposals include leveraging state assets and new taxes to bridge the vast disparity.

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Artificial intelligence

China’s OpenClaw users paid to install viral AI. Now they spend to remove it

The shift comes as top cybersecurity expert warns country now home to 40 per cent of global assets linked to OpenClaw.

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The logo of OpenClaw, an open-source AI assistant, is seen on the software’s website in this illustration picture taken March 12. Photo: Reuters
China food security

China targets record food-security push in shadow of US-Israeli war with Iran

Beijing is pushing for bigger harvests in its new five-year plan, coinciding with renewed pressure on global supply chains.

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China energy security

As war on Iran escalates, Asia scrambles to deal with global energy fallout

China, Japan and South Korea have all taken steps to reduce impact of supply shortages – but analysts warn of spillover.

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Hong Kong economy

Opinion | Why China’s economic reset is a credibility test for Hong Kong

As China rewrites the growth playbook, Hong Kong must show it can anchor the offshore financing and price discovery this reset requires.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
China deflation

China’s inflation rises after holiday spending spree. Is 2% target reachable?

The consumer price index rose 0.8 per cent in the first two months of 2026, though analysts remain concerned about long-term deflation risks.

Shoppers stand near a Chinese New Year display in central Beijing. Photo: AP
China property

China’s shoppers head for suburban outlets, a bright spot in retail property

Outlet spending nearly doubles to around US$36 billion over five years, prompting investment surge while urban malls suffer high vacancies.

Two Sessions 2026

8 takeaways from the economic briefing at China’s ‘two sessions’

China’s top economic officials laid out their priorities for trade, technology and investment in 2026.

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Two Sessions 2026

China vows support for tech, trade rebalance, stock reforms - as it happened

The heads of China’s major economic institutions detailed plans for growth, trade and tech on the sidelines of the ‘two sessions’.

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Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao, left, speaks during a press conference on the economy in Beijing. Photo: EPA
Two Sessions 2026

China pivots to ‘investing in people’ strategy as growth engine switches gears

Premier announces changes in spending priorities, aiming to boost consumption, but doubts remain whether resources will match ambitions.

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A worker uses machinery at a steel structure firm in China’s Sichuan province. China will raise the average duration of education for the working-age population to 11.7 years by 2030. Photo: Xinhua
Two Sessions 2026

China’s economic development draft report 2026

China released its draft 2026 economic and social development plan, allocating 250 billion yuan to support consumer goods trade-in programmes.

Two Sessions 2026

China’s pivot from GDP obsession sparks cadre confusion, tests local governance

Governors and mayors must reconcile Beijing’s people-centric mandates with traditional growth targets, navigating vague appraisal changes and performance concepts.

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Two Sessions 2026

China’s leaders outline economic focus ahead of ‘two sessions’ – what to expect

Top officials met ahead of Beijing’s annual legislative sessions, when this year’s growth target and five-year plan will be unveiled.

Beijing is gearing up for the “two sessions”, the annual legislative meetings of China’s two main political bodies – the National People’s Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Photo: EPA-EFE
Two Sessions 2026

China’s February Politburo readout

SCMP Plus annotates the official report on the February meeting of China’s top decision-making body, as leaders prepare for the annual legislative meetings known as the “two sessions”.

Two Sessions 2026

After years of ‘at-all-costs’ growth, China wants cadres to ditch GDP obsession

Five-month campaign seen prioritising social welfare and long-term sustainability over economic expansion, with debt, fraud and vanity projects in crosshairs.

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China travel

Why China’s travellers spent little, despite rise in Chinese New Year trips

The country logged a record 596 million domestic trips over the extended holiday, but consumers are still reluctant to loosen their purse strings.

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A lion dance troupe performs for tourists during the Chinese New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: EPA
China manufacturing

IMF urges China to focus on consumption-led rebalancing, curb industrial policy

Global monetary body calls on Beijing to roll out more forceful fiscal stimulus to bolster domestic demand amid record trade surplus.

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Customers check out at a duty-free store during the Spring Festival holiday in Haikou in Hainan province, as the IMF issues an urgent recommendation to China. Photo: Xinhua
Lunar New Year

Ne Zha 2 hangover? China’s Lunar New Year box office plunges to 6-year low

China’s holiday box office fell nearly 40 per cent year on year as studios failed to find a breakout hit to match last year’s Ne Zha 2.

China economy

China’s weak consumption gets Lunar New Year boost

An 8.6 per cent increase in Lunar New Year spending is a rare bright spot in Chinese efforts to bolster domestic demand.

China's economic recovery

Boom or bust? China’s Lunar New Year spending data is in – here is what we know

Initial figures show record travel, shifting spending patterns and a weak box office.

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Customers choose mobile phones at a consumer electronics store in Zaozhuang, east China’s Shandong province, on Saturday. Local authorities rolled out a series of stimulus programmes and policies to help boost consumer spending during the holiday. Photo: Xinhua
China travel

Chinese shoppers are Asia’s biggest airport spenders, study finds

China’s travellers outspend even their Indian and Saudi peers, splashing twice the regional average on luxury goods, airport retail study says.

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Customers shop at a duty-free store in China’s southern Hainan province. Chinese travellers spend more at airports than any other passengers in Asia, according to a new study. Photo: Getty Images
Tourism

Why are so many South Korean visitors flocking to China’s Guangzhou?

Safety concerns in Southeast Asia and China’s visa-free travel policy among factors fuelling boom in golf tourism.

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Lunar New Year

China targets foreign tourists for Lunar New Year ‘consumption feast’

Beijing sees huge untapped potential in spending by inbound travellers as it strives to drive up demand over the crucial nine-day holiday.

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