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China economy

China economy
Breaking news and analysis on China’s economy, including its opening up, the US-China trade war, the impact of tariffs and trade talks, growth rates and other key economic data, the Belt and Road Initiative, and Greater Bay Area plan.
US President Donald Trump signs the funding bill to end the US government shutdown in November. Photo: Reuters
United States

US likely averts major shutdown by splitting bill, but partial closure looms

House approval still needed, with a funding lapse likely before lawmakers move to pass the spending package early next week.

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China trade

What has UK PM Starmer achieved in China – and what next for Sino-British ties?

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China GDP

Historic shift? Why Guangdong could lose its status as China’s No 1 economy

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Mainland China

Video | Shanghai residents cash in as gold prices surge

Record-high prices are being fuelled by geopolitical uncertainties.

A woman walks past a shop selling gold in Hong Kong on January 26, 2026. The price of safe-haven asset gold surpassed 5,000 USD, hitting a record amid rising global uncertainty and turmoil set off by US President Donald Trump’s policies. (Photo by Peter PARKS / AFP)
Yuan

US presses China to let yuan strengthen – but avoids controversial label

Washington says it could still designate Beijing in future if evidence found that it limits currency’s strength.

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China's economic recovery

China seeks ‘slow bull’ rally

Chinese policymakers intervene in stock markets to ease downturns and cool booms in a bid to stabilise the finance sector and prevent bubbles.

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China consumption

How changing tastes in China are hitting Australia’s wine exports

Younger consumers’ preference for healthier, low-alcohol beverages has contributed to shrinking of Chinese market.

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Bottles of Australian wine at a store in Beijing in November 2020. Photo: Reuters
China manufacturing

Opinion | Fears of overcapacity ignore China’s full balance of payments picture

The right question to ask is whether China’s overall current account represents a destabilising imbalance that siphons growth from trading partners.

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United States

‘Not healthy’: US ambassador warns against China’s manufacturing dominance

US envoy David Perdue voices concerns over China’s manufacturing power, urging fair, reciprocal trade to benefit global economies.

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US-China relations

Do Americans think China will overtake the US? The results are in

Washington think tank takes the public’s temperature on global power and influence.

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China’s biggest advantage over the US is technology, according to a poll of Americans. Photo: Shutterstock
Mainland China

Video | Scuffles break out at Ikea clearance sale in China

Furniture retailer to focus on targeted growth in key cities, with plans to open 10 small-format outlets over two years.

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Commodities

Runaway gold: why even Wall Street can’t keep up with the metal’s record ascent

Some Chinese funds halt subscriptions as uncertainty fuels volatility in the metals market, while Hong Kong’s first gold exchange-traded fund surges on its debut.

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Banking & finance

China’s ‘gold fever’ sparks US$1 billion scandal as trading platform collapses

Chinese platform JWR faced a liquidity crisis as investors rushed to cash in on surging gold prices, leaving customers billions of yuan out of pocket.

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Semiconductors

ASML reports heated global demand in 2025, but cools China outlook

US limits on ASML’s China trade continue to define the company’s growth pattern, with overall sales up despite China revenues falling.

ASML CFO Roger Dassen attends a news conference after the company’s fourth-quarter earnings report in 2020. Photo: Reuters
IPO

3 Chinese firms add to Hong Kong’s IPO boom with US$2 billion in fundraising

Muyuan Foods, Shenzhen Han’s and Distinct Healthcare started taking orders for their Hong Kong listings on Thursday.

Muyuan Foods, the world’s largest hog firm, plans to sell about 274 million new shares at up to HK$39 each. Photo: Shutterstock
China GDP

Tale of 2 megacities: how did Beijing, Shanghai GDPs surpass 5 trillion yuan?

China’s two largest cities are outpacing national growth rates, each generating gross domestic products equal to a small European country.

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US-China relations

Rise in Republicans wary of China as bipartisan unity declines, new survey says

Report found two-thirds of Republicans now likely to view Beijing as a threat to US, compared with 44 per cent of Democrats and Independents.

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US-China trade war

Why Greenland’s rare earth riches cannot end US dependence on China’s minerals

Danish territory boasts vast critical mineral deposits – but mining and processing them extremely challenging, analyst says.

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Rare earths have become a point of contention in the US-China relationship, particularly after Beijing imposed export controls on the minerals following Washington launching its trade war in April. Photo: Reuters
China trade

What haunts China’s investors? Geopolitics and a demographic abyss, survey finds

Weak domestic demand, shrinking confidence in the property market and a declining fertility rate fuel caution among investors in China’s major hubs.

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China manufacturing

As World Cup boosts merch demand, China’s small-goods capital Yiwu stays wary

China sees a spike in orders from across the globe for footy-themed flags, scarves and wristbands but overall economic outlook is still weak.

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China-EU relations

‘Mother of all trade deals’: EU pivots to India in historic trade shake-up

Brussels diversifies away from China and US risks, while the pact makes India a more attractive place for European firms to sell vehicles and fuel growth.

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The European Council president, Antonio Costa (left); the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen (right); and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pose ahead of their meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters
Luxury in China

As LVMH returns to growth, is the slump in China’s luxury market finally over?

LVMH saw its sales in China rise in the second half of 2025, as the vast Chinese luxury market shows signs of recovery.

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Two shoppers view the handbags they just bought at a Louis Vuitton store in Shanghai. China’s luxury market is showing signs of recovery after a sharp decline in sales in 2024. Photo: Getty Images
China’s private sector

Partnerships, not plants: Chinese companies rethink overseas expansion strategy

Executives are urging a measured approach as Chinese firms turn to global markets amid intensifying competition at home.

Belt and Road Initiative

Opinion | China’s slowing overseas investment reflects caution, not retreat

Amid rising protectionism and increased pushback in advanced economies, Beijing is strategically recalibrating its investments abroad.

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China jobs

Is China about to end its after-school tutoring ban? A huge fine suggests not

Speculation was growing that Beijing would relax a ban on for-profit tutoring to boost the economy. Then a firm was hit with a US$9.7 million penalty.

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China banned for-profit academic tutoring in 2021 as part of a wider “double reduction” policy aimed at reducing the pressure on students. Photo: Shutterstock
Banking & finance

Trump says the US dollar can move like a yo-yo. Will Treasuries be left hanging?

With the US president levelling threats at enemies, allies and his own central bank, alternatives like gold and Chinese assets are gaining appeal.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
China-Latin America relations

China’s CMOC makes US$1 billion Brazil gold push as bullion jumps on rising global risks

Company gains three Brazilian mines as gold tops US$5,000 per ounce, highlighting Beijing’s resource push amid US-led geopolitical strains.

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US-China trade war

Trump sells tariffs as farmers’ win in Iowa, but many aren’t buying it

As US president courts rural voters before midterms, growers fear Beijing may retaliate against Trump policies by curbing purchases again.

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