As China’s political elite gather for the country’s annual legislative sessions in March, we examine the broader forces likely to influence policies for the coming year – and how decision-makers will respond to the unpredictable second term of US President Donald Trump. In the first part of this series, Frank Chen surveys the status of…
Amidst the chaotic turbulence across the Northern Hemisphere in recent days, outbursts from US President Donald Trump and the sudden arrival of Chinese warships in the Tasman Sea, you could be forgiven for overlooking a monumental U-turn in Beijing’s vision for the future. This time last week, in the Great Hall of the People, President…
With much-anticipated trade actions against China absent on the first day of US President Donald Trump’s second term, a chief Citi economist said there are better odds of “delayed, gradual tariffs” being imposed on the world’s second-largest economy in advance of potential direct negotiations between the two countries’ leaders. A slower onset of tariffs on…
BEIJING — China’s industrial output growth quickened slightly in November, while retail sales disappointed, keeping pressure on Beijing to ramp up stimulus for a fragile economy as it braces for more U.S. trade tariffs under a second Trump administration. The mixed set of data underlines the challenges facing Chinese leaders heading into 2025 when trade…
Africa’s top lenders are opening branches in major Chinese cities in a race to tap into growing trade ties between China and Africa amid Beijing’s push for yuan-based transactions. This is despite threats from the US, where president-elect Donald Trump has said he will impose 100 per cent tariffs on Brics countries that pursue de-dollarisation….
Despite escalating efforts from the United States and its allies to clamp down on trade, international companies with an interest in the still-sizeable Chinese market are adopting a new plan of action to stay engaged while keeping themselves insulated from unexpected geopolitical shocks, analysts said. The strategy, dubbed “in China for China”, is an integrative…
Chinese companies are ready to return to Sudan at a moment’s notice, according to a Chinese official, once security and stability are restored in the northeast African nation engulfed in a civil war. Multibillion-dollar Chinese oil and gas projects have been stalled or destroyed since the fighting began in April last year. Chinese-built and funded…
The presidential race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris comes at a time of rising geopolitical tensions on multiple fronts. In the 14th report of an in-depth series, we look at China’s rise in hi-tech manufacturing and the US’ efforts to contain it. After decades spent working around the clock to produce an almost unimaginable…
Though the United States, Canada and European Union have slapped hefty tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) in the name of national security or combating excessive state subsidies, Australia – while still broadly in step with the West politically – has remained open to Chinese-made EVs and other products aiding in its green transition. In…
China is revising its belt and road playbook in Africa, as it moves its investment focus to agriculture, manufacturing, industrialisation and green energy, including critical metals. The shift is part of Beijing’s pivot towards “small but beautiful” projects in its African investment strategy. But while this could see fewer mega projects financed directly through Chinese…