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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.
Illustration: Mario Cameira
US-China trade war

Did Trump’s tariffs paint the US into an economic corner?

The US and China have secured a fragile truce, but analysts warn Washington’s protectionist pivot marks a structural shift likely to last.

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Mainland China

As I see it | How the New Left won the battle of ideas for 21st-century China

China's economic recovery

China targets wage reform to shield labour market from AI disruptions

China’s private sector

Chinese political journal calls for ‘patient capital’ amid AI investment frenzy

Communist Party journal runs three consecutive commentaries encouraging long-term perspective in funding for technological innovation.

A man checks his phone while walking in Beijing’s central business district. Photo: EPA-EFE
E-commerce

China fines 4 internet celebrities US$1.9m for tax evasion

In some cases, popular live-streamers with online stores and millions of fans paid taxes as low as a few hundred yuan, authorities say.

China trade

China issues temporary helium export ban as Iran war strains global supplies

The ban on shipments of the gas, a crucial raw material in semiconductors and other sectors, comes as Middle East conflict strains global supplies.

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China’s carbon neutral goal

Beijing’s evolving carbon road map balances climate targets and energy security

State Council’s new plan prioritises nuclear and renewable growth to balance surging AI power demand, with climate pledges and aims to overhaul industrial sectors.

China has plans to sustain a massive buildout of clean-energy bases, including wind and solar hubs in the northwest. Photo: Getty Images
Hong Kong stock market

China’s appeal as portfolio diversifier grows: BlackRock strategist

‘China can provide exposure to different economic drivers,’ says Li Wei, the asset manager’s global chief investment strategist.

China-EU relations

EU launches anti-dumping probe into imports of Chinese ducks

Five European duck producers allege that Chinese counterparts exporting Pekin ducks benefit from state subsidies, cheap feed and other policy support.

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China consumption

Uniqlo defies sluggish China market with double-digit profit growth

Parent company Fast Retailing shrugs off a 0.6 per cent drop in China’s total retail sales amid frayed Beijing-Tokyo ties.

The logo of the Fast Retailing clothing brand Uniqlo outside a branch in Tokyo. Photo: AFP
Aviation

China restricts low-altitude aviation near Beijing after plane crash: analyst

Additional screenings now required for pilots to access parts of the capital, affecting mountain tours and Great Wall flights, industry insider says.

People gather near the Citic Tower in Beijing on June 26 after a small plane struck the building. Photo: AFP
Banking & finance

How the RMB Business Facility will help consolidate Hong Kong’s financial role

Quota expanded to 500 billion yuan from Friday, with tenor increased to two to three years, up from one.

China’s private sector

Chinese firms look to strike gold in a volatile global metals market

Futures brokerages and exchanges aim to grow their market footprint and offer more efficient hedging tools in the global commodity market.

China consumption

China unveils retail road map: 5 years to shield physical stores from e-commerce

Beijing’s new 2030 retail road map targets price parity and social experiences to combat ‘trading down’ as retail growth hits weakest pace since pandemic.

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People are seen at the massive Haikou International Duty Free Shopping Complex in China’s Hainan province. Photo: Xinhua
US, Israel war on Iran

US-Iran ceasefire collapse revives risks of global inflation

Renewed conflict in the Middle East may lead to new oil shortages, a global economic slowdown and risks to China’s vital export industries.

Smoke rises after an explosion in Iran. Photo: Social media video screen grab via Reuters
China deflation

China’s central bank vows flexibility amid uneven economic picture

PBOC pledges ‘moderately loose’ monetary policy given a ‘more complex and volatile’ environment and domestic ‘structural divergence’.

China inflation

China’s factory gate prices rise in June amid brief Iran war respite

The producer price index rose for a fourth month in a row amid a momentary ceasefire, though consumer price increases missed expectations.

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Banking & finance

Yuan: global ambitions

Chinese President Xi Jinping wants the yuan to be a “strong currency”, with widespread use in international trade and foreign exchange markets. Achieving this goal would pare the US dollar’s global dominance and reduce risks from sanctions.

Yuan: global ambitions
Banking & finance

7 of world’s 10 biggest banks are now Chinese as Beijing’s financial aims grow

China’s ‘big four’ banks took the top spots in The Banker’s latest global ranking, with JPMorgan Chase following in fifth place.

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International Monetary Fund (IMF)

IMF sees world economy growing just 3% this year amid Iran war

The outlook is weighed down by the Iran war but helped by AI and other technologies.

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China's economic recovery

What was China’s FDI last year? US$174 billion keeps it the world’s No 3 source

As China redraws global investment map, mainland firms use leading roles to secure critical supply chains with overseas plans.

People are seen on the terrace of a shopping mall overlooking the central business district in Beijing. China was the world’s third-largest source of foreign direct investment in 2025. Photo: Reuters
China trade

Beijing seeks chip stability and fair market access during Dutch trade mission

Wang Wentao meets Sjoerd Sjoerdsma amid ASML export limits and Nexperia debacle, with calls for secure chip supply chains and broader EU-China market access.

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The Netherlands’ trade minister, Sjoerd Sjoerdsma (left), shakes hands with China’s commerce minister, Wang Wentao, in Beijing on Tuesday. Photo: Ministry of Commerce
Mainland China

Opinion | A healthy economy isn’t built on asset bubbles and debt pyramids

A financial system designed to increase market valuations rather than improve people’s quality of life is prone to crisis.

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China property

Chinese city ‘sold’ same plot of land 18 times to inflate fiscal revenue

Central Commission for Discipline Inspection says Nanning used tactic to mask budget strains.

Mainland China

Opinion | Are the US’ AI models better than China’s? That may be beside the point

Rather than fight US frontier AI control, China is thinning the margins of premium AI with cheap-enough, good-enough models for mass adoption.

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People try products at AI+ Power 2026, Hong Kong’s largest artificial intelligence expo and conference, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai on June 4. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Tourism

China targets 190m inbound travellers, more global influence in 2030 plan

Inbound tourism has grown since late 2023, when China began expanding its visa-free entry scheme to cover an additional 50 countries.

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Tourists from Spain seen on the Bund in Shanghai, Dec. 4, 2024. Photo: Xinhua
China GDP

Renowned economist Gao Shanwen dies at 55 after battle with cancer

During a career mapping property markets and credit cycles, the widely watched market commentator questioned official GDP figures.

China’s Communist Party

As I see it | Sometimes, it pays to be a backward country

For all the destruction of the Mao era, it also replaced traditional structures with modern frameworks that set up China for rapid growth.

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