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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.
Analysts say Japanese retailers must adapt more quickly to China’s evolving retail landscape. Photo: Shutterstock
Tianjin

Japanese chains lose ground in north China as competition and deflation bite

Store closures in Beijing and Tianjin highlight mounting pressure from domestic rivals amid shifting consumer habits.

Hong Kong stock market

China’s Pop Mart struggles despite buy-backs as Labubu reliance sparks concerns

China energy security

Open Questions | Iran war to test China’s self-reliance, Goldman Sachs economist says

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China economy

Opinion | Global businesses are piling back into China, drawn by its stability

For all its structural challenges, China offers something the West no longer seems to: policy continuity and a sense of stability.

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Chinese Premier Li Qiang is displayed on a large screen live broadcasting his speech at the opening of the China Development Forum held at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on March 22. Photo: AP
China inflation

China has ‘room’ for imported inflation, but economic risks rising: PBOC adviser

As US-Israel war with Iran sends prices up, a monetary expert says impact on China depends on conflict’s severity, while higher energy costs are worrying.

China food security

How China’s massive pig farms created a serious pork supply glut

Vast hog farms – some rising 26 storeys high – have caused China’s pig herd to swell, but consumers dislike the industrially produced meat.

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China technology

China’s sci-fi industry rides a tech wave as revenues hit record high

China’s sci-fi industry has built on the success of breakout hits like ‘The Three-Body Problem’, with revenues up over 15 per cent last year.

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Robots perform at the China Science Fiction Convention in Beijing. The Chinese sci-fi industry saw revenues reach a record high last year, according to a report released during the event. Photo: Xinhua
US-China relations

As China’s property downturn grinds on, foreign suppliers strive to adapt

US lift giant Otis is riding a growing trend for retrofitting older buildings in China, as new construction projects remain thin on the ground.

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Food and agriculture

How ‘salmon’ raised in landlocked Xinjiang is netting fans in China

Aquaculture in the far-western region is expected to grow even more rapidly after a dependence on imported eggs is diminished or ended.

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Mainland China

China consumer firms post strong results but analysts warn recovery may lag

Hong Kong-listed consumer firms report strong results but analysts say the gains reflect structural shifts rather than broad recovery.

People queue to enter a shop in Liuzhou city, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on March 10. Photo: Xinhua
China trade

Chinese island province wants more than beachgoers as it chases economic growth

After three speculative booms – and busts – the island province is seeking sustainable growth based on new status as a free-trade port.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Two Sessions 2026

Opinion | To unlock consumption, China must go local

China’s consumption drive will test Beijing’s willingness to give local governments room to experiment.

China society

Opinion | China’s high household savings reflect old values and new anxieties

Economic uncertainties strengthen the deep cultural instinct for thrift. Policies must address the anxieties that make saving feel necessary.

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China jobs

Survey shows China’s professionals have high expectations – for low pay

As some Chinese workers switch jobs to boost salaries, many remain pessimistic about pay increases amid economic uncertainty.

Hays found that 51 per cent of professionals in China also received no pay rise in 2025, a sign of wider pressures in the job market. Photo: Shutterstock
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.

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
Shanghai

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

Setting a near 20-year attendance record, this year’s race strengthened the city’s case as global event venue – and China’s efforts to spur consumption.

China GDP

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

Before the Iran energy crisis and latest round of China-US trade talks, retail spending grew 2.8 per cent while fixed-asset investment increased 1.8 per cent.

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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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Workers harvest rice in China’s Zhejiang province in October. Photo: Xinhua
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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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.

Consumers shop at Florentia Village in suburban Shanghai. Photo: Maggie Zhang
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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