TOPIC

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.
last updated:
15 October, 2024
Large cargo ships are seen under construction at a Chinese shipyard in Yantai, Shandong province, in August. Photo: Xinhua
China manufacturing

US seeks to target China’s shipbuilders. Why are they ‘not overly concerned’?

Washington has been looking into the world-leading dominance among Chinese shipping yards, but ‘we’re not overly concerned’, one executive says.

videocam
41
Semiconductors

Greater Bay Area’s next-gen chipmakers find ready buyers in Chinese EV industry

China travel

China’s Lunar New Year travel rush begins

Two Sessions 2025

China’s top exporting regions, under tariff pressure, pare back GDP targets

Shanghai and Guangdong, two of China’s major exporting regions, have set modest growth targets as leaders warn of ‘external factors’.

videocam
Shanghai and Guangdong, two of China’s top exporting regions, have dialed back their growth targets in advance of likely tariffs from the US. Photo: Xinhua
China trade

Good night, Vietnam? China economist says Trump tariffs could shut US back door

Li Daokui of Tsinghua University says Chinese manufacturers eyeing Vietnam as a point of entry to the US should ‘reconsider’ in light of tariffs.

videocam
9
China birth rate

Chinese city bucks birth rate decline as cash incentives bear fruit

A city in China has defied national trends and reported a 17 per cent increase in births, credited to sizeable cash payments for parents.

videocam
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
United States

Editorial | Robust exports show China is embedded in global supply chain

As Trump administration looms, record trade performance for 2024 will fuel talk of overcapacity and increase pressure on Beijing to rebalance the economy.

BYD electric cars for export are seen waiting to be loaded onto a ship at a port in Yantai, in eastern China’s Shandong province. File photo: AFP
China manufacturing

China’s eagle-eyed Zhejiang has more industrial movers and shakers in its sights

Local authorities in China’s eastern manufacturing hub want to nurture what they call ‘eagle enterprises’, and the vast majority are private firms.

China GDP

Can China top the US economically by 2030? Economist reaffirms 1994 prediction

Before US President Joe Biden’s attack on China’s growth prospects, Justin Lin Yifu said it was on track to becoming the world’s largest economy despite challenges, as ‘soldiers are met with generals, water with earth’.

videocam
61
China-EU relations

Turkish railway, with Chinese upgrades, could bypass Russia on route to Europe

Improvements to Turkey’s railway network – which a Turkish official says China could provide – would create a new, quicker path for Europe-bound freight.

videocam
A railway path through Turkey would make for a faster freight route between China and Europe. Photo: Xinhua
Banking & finance

Top CIOs cautious on global growth amid Trump and China policy uncertainties

Global markets could see a period of ‘extended volatility’ after registering solid gains last year, Manraj Sekhon of Templeton Global says.

Global markets will move on how US-China relations evolve this year. Above, then US president Donald Trump with Chinese President Xi Jinping in June 2019. Photo: AP Photo
Two Sessions 2025

Going big on GDP, Chinese regions unveil ambitious targets for 2025

Bold goals for local gross domestic product growth seen as shoring up confidence early while lining up with China’s long-term objectives.

10
Donald Trump

My Take | China’s tech upgrade keeps export machine roaring despite US tariffs

The proliferation of e-commerce and other technologies has helped China maintain its resilience amid trade barriers.

US-China relations

US plans to increase oversight of ‘de minimis’ exemption for low-value imports

New rule would help customs agents deal with over 4 million shipments that arrive daily, with nearly half estimated to originate in China.

videocam
US Customs and Border Protection officers at the Port of New York/Newark inspect a shipment of hairpieces and accessories from China. Photo: Handout
China trade

Will Trump’s hard line on China tariffs put US farmers in Beijing’s crosshairs?

China, the world’s largest soybean consumer, now gets most of its supply from Brazil, but securing a new trade deal with the US could protect American farmers’ interests.

5
China is the world’s largest consumer of soybeans, but less of its supply has been coming from American farmers. Photo: Getty Images
China-UK relations

British chancellor angles for reset in relations, trade on China trip

UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has relaunched a dormant financial dialogue with China as part of a broader warming of ties.

videocam
12
China's economic recovery

China ‘confident’ in 2025 economic rebound, Hong Kong is key: central bank chief

Mainland’s property market is improving, PBOC governor Pan Gongsheng says, reiterating importance of special-purpose bonds for buying idle land and unsold homes.

4
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Yuan

To boost yuan, China’s central bank allows firms to borrow more foreign debt

For companies that have reached the upper limit of overseas financing, a relaxation may be welcome, but the move’s effectiveness remains unclear as rate spread with US dollar widens.

China’s yuan is dropping to lows unseen in several years against the US dollar. Photo: Reuters
China trade

China posts record trade surplus as export wave finds shores outside US

China reports an enormous trade surplus in 2024, and a highest-ever share for countries in the Belt and Road Initiative.

65
US-China relations

Opinion | Trump’s tariffs might be just what China’s ailing economy needs

Beijing has no choice but to boost domestic consumption, and external pressure could force its hand on otherwise painful reforms.

videocam
12
China-UK relations

China vows all-out efforts on trade, FDI in fresh bid to kick-start economy

Commerce ministry pledge on key 2025 goals comes as China and Britain vow deeper financial links during Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ visit.

videocam
8
Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng with Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, as the China-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue is revived in Beijing on Saturday. Photo: AP
China's economic recovery

From toys to trading cards, China’s ‘goods economy’ drives generational spending

Cute and playful collectibles are a trillion-yuan industry in China, and their impact on commerce is expected to continue surging.

4
LuLu the Piggy toys are among a growing market featuring collectable figurines. Photo: Instagram/luluthepiggy_official
China energy security

China’s solar farms spread into new regions amid green energy push

Country’s largest mudflat solar photovoltaic energy storage facility combines salt production with photovoltaic power generation.

China property

Shanghai property deals to rise this year amid bargain hunting: JLL

Landlords are willing to reduce prices while high-net-worth individuals pursue safe returns amid deflationary pressure.

videocam
China society

Opinion | China’s work culture must change to give young people hope again

Shifting economic and societal forces are giving thoughtful leaders a chance to abandon crushing overwork and embrace a new corporate culture.

videocam
People enjoy a day out at Dameisha beach in Shenzhen on January 6, 2024. Photo: Yik Yeung-man
Science

Educated overseas: has it become a curse to China’s young jobseekers?

It used to give them an edge, but now Chinese overseas graduates are finding their degrees could stop them from finding government work.

videocam
40
Chinese graduates with foreign degrees are being excluded by many provinces in a civil service recruitment programme. Photo: AFP
Business of climate change

Can China’s solar industry find a solution before it’s too late?

Solar industry faces year of reckoning as Opec-style pact falters amid a price war and excess capacity.

videocam
17
China manufacturing

Chinese firms face stumbling blocks abroad: competitive mindsets may turn messy

Overseas scandals, setbacks shine light on problematic nature of deeply ingrained business mentality. And the less they notice your Chinese identity, the better, some say.

videocam
4
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
loading