https://www.scmp.com/rss/318421/feed China economy news, including budget, the stock market and analysis. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Alice Li Alice Li China’s outbound direct investment reached a record high of US$214 billion last year, even as investment in the United States plunged to its lowest level in more than a decade amid growing geopolitical and regulatory uncertainty, latest official data showed. Outbound direct investment was up 11.1 per cent in 2025 compared to the previous year, making China the world’s second-largest source of global capital, behind only the US and ranking ahead of Japan, according to an annual report jointly... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3368642/chinas-overseas-investment-hits-record-us214-billion-why-are-us-bound-flows-plunging?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3368642/chinas-overseas-investment-hits-record-us214-billion-why-are-us-bound-flows-plunging?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:30:19 +0000 Sylvia Ma,Frank Chen Sylvia Ma,Frank Chen An extension of the US-China trade truce, agreed upon at an unscheduled meeting between the two countries’ top economic officials, underscores a willingness to contain trade tensions, according to analysts who deemed it a positive signal for this week’s presidential summit. While the rollover extends the truce by only two months, the analysts said it provided businesses with a measure of short-term certainty while raising the stakes for the next round of talks to determine whether the truce can... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3368663/what-2-month-trade-truce-extension-between-china-and-us-reveals-rifts-persist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3368663/what-2-month-trade-truce-extension-between-china-and-us-reveals-rifts-persist?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 10:30:15 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China and the United States agreed to extend a trade-war truce by two months to January 10, as President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington for a summit with US President Donald Trump. The short extension will let the US assess whether China is meeting trade commitments, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News on Wednesday following “unscheduled” extra talks with Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng. China had sought to stretch the “Busan Agreement” pause until January 2029, when Trump’s term in... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368652/us-china-agree-two-month-trade-truce-extension-ahead-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368652/us-china-agree-two-month-trade-truce-extension-ahead-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 09:17:46 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings A three-day public holiday used to be a big deal in China. Then came “golden weeks”, which would sometimes stretch to nine days, sending millions of people in search of new sights across the country and further afield. Now an alignment of the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day holiday will give many Chinese students and office workers up to a record 13-day break, potentially pushing tourist traffic to new heights. “The more interesting change this year is not simply higher volume, but the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368623/skydiving-whale-watching-and-burst-bookings-holidays-extend-millions-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368623/skydiving-whale-watching-and-burst-bookings-holidays-extend-millions-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 07:33:29 +0000 Ji Siqi,Teresa Elena Frontado,Carol Yang,Alyssa Chen Ji Siqi,Teresa Elena Frontado,Carol Yang,Alyssa Chen With China and the US agreeing to extend a tariff truce that was set to expire in November – and US President Donald Trump giving his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, a personal welcome on the tarmac – analysts say the Chinese leader’s state visit has begun on a positive note. The extension will run for two months through January 10, a sign the world’s two largest economies are willing to negotiate broader agreements and build positive momentum despite an increasingly heightened rivalry spanning... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3368583/deep-respect-analysts-weigh-trumps-red-carpet-welcome-xi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3368583/deep-respect-analysts-weigh-trumps-red-carpet-welcome-xi?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 02:30:20 +0000 Lijia Zhang Lijia Zhang “Whoever wins with AI wins,” US President Donald Trump has declared, dismissing warnings about the risks of developing artificial intelligence too rapidly and citing rivalry with China. The technological competition is real. China has reason to fear becoming dependent on America for advanced chips and AI technology, particularly as Washington has repeatedly restricted its access to cutting-edge semiconductors. China, meanwhile, is directing enormous resources towards AI. Stanford University’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3368285/chinas-top-priority-should-be-wages-not-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3368285/chinas-top-priority-should-be-wages-not-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 01:30:07 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Five years after China pledged to stop building or financing new coal-fired power plants overseas, the country’s state sector has made “significant progress” towards meeting that goal, though private projects are still being developed, according to a new report. Two-thirds of China’s overseas coal power projects planned five years ago have since been cancelled, a 61.5-gigawatt (GW) cut in capacity that has saved 6.4 billion tonnes of “lifetime” carbon dioxide emissions, the study by a pair of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368556/china-has-scrapped-two-thirds-its-planned-coal-power-plants-abroad-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368556/china-has-scrapped-two-thirds-its-planned-coal-power-plants-abroad-report?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Global debt climbed to a record high of more than US$365 trillion in the first half of the year, with China and the United States accounting for the bulk of the increase, according to the latest findings by the Institute of International Finance (IIF) that come amid mounting concerns over global fiscal sustainability. The figure reflects total debt across all four major borrowing sectors – government, household, financial and non-financial corporate – in more than 100 mature and emerging market... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3368552/led-china-and-us-borrowing-world-now-owes-record-us365-trillion-debt-iif?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3368552/led-china-and-us-borrowing-world-now-owes-record-us365-trillion-debt-iif?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 15:00:10 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang The Chinese government needs to increase its spending on social safety nets, including pensions and rural healthcare, and further relax urban household registration restrictions to give households greater confidence to spend rather than save, according to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Asia-Pacific chief. In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Krishna Srinivasan, director of the IMF’s Asia and Pacific Department, said the export- and investment-led model that powered China’s... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368548/increase-chinas-consumption-boost-nations-social-safety-net-imf-director-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368548/increase-chinas-consumption-boost-nations-social-safety-net-imf-director-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 14:15:30 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang A publication under China’s industry ministry has pushed back against market chatter of “de-CATLisation” as a growing number of the battery giant’s automotive partners diversify their suppliers, with the company’s shares falling recently. The commentary, published by the news centre of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), said supplier diversification and in-house battery projects are standard commercial practices. Such moves should not be portrayed as deliberate attempts... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368526/chinese-carmakers-diversify-beyond-catl-batteries-beijing-warns-market-overreaction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368526/chinese-carmakers-diversify-beyond-catl-batteries-beijing-warns-market-overreaction?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 10:08:07 +0000 Haining Gao Haining Gao – https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3368505/chinas-us-dollar-holdings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3368505/chinas-us-dollar-holdings?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 08:52:45 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China has launched a huge new nationwide hunt for resources ranging from crude oil to rare earths, as it strives to shield its economy from a turbulent geopolitical environment in which raw materials are increasingly becoming instruments of leverage. The upgraded national campaign was designed to uncover and extract more of China’s own resources, as demand for key minerals was expected to keep rising in the coming years, the Ministry of Natural Resources said on Tuesday. The high-profile drive,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368482/china-launches-mineral-exploration-offensive-global-supply-chain-pressures-mount?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368482/china-launches-mineral-exploration-offensive-global-supply-chain-pressures-mount?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 07:05:07 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li Two Chinese state-owned banks and Ant International have trialled cross-border digital yuan transfers worth hundreds of millions of yuan, marking the latest step in Beijing’s efforts to streamline settlements and promote wider international use of the digital yuan. The Shanghai branch of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) facilitated its first digital yuan transfer for Ant International to ICBC Asia, its Hong Kong subsidiary. The transaction from Shanghai to Hong Kong was completed... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3368476/chinese-banks-ant-international-push-instant-cross-border-digital-yuan-transfers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3368476/chinese-banks-ant-international-push-instant-cross-border-digital-yuan-transfers?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 06:11:18 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Contemporary Amperex Technol­ogy Ltd (CATL) has cleared all regulatory hurdles for its mega factory in Hungary, a development that analysts expect will help the world’s largest producer of electric vehicle (EV) batteries extend its reach to international marques like BMW and Volkswagen. Production of battery cells at the €7.3 billion (US$8.35 billion) plant in Debrecen, the second-largest city in Hungary, began on Tuesday after it fulfilled all preconditions for a trial run, the company said. It... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3368463/chinese-ev-battery-giant-catl-starts-trial-production-hungarian-factory?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3368463/chinese-ev-battery-giant-catl-starts-trial-production-hungarian-factory?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 06:00:04 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma Chinese Premier Li Qiang called for deeper integration of artificial intelligence and manufacturing during a visit to Shanghai, as Beijing seeks to expand advanced manufacturing and emerging industries amid intensifying global technology competition. “[We] should combine China’s strengths in manufacturing and digital technologies,” Li said during his visit to an AI application testing base in the city on Tuesday, Xinhua reported. He called for the creation of more manufacturing service... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3368455/chinas-premier-li-qiang-calls-harnessing-ai-propel-manufacturing-advances?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3368455/chinas-premier-li-qiang-calls-harnessing-ai-propel-manufacturing-advances?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 03:30:26 +0000 Fan Hou,Haining Gao Fan Hou,Haining Gao – https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/article/3368452/chinas-gig-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/article/3368452/chinas-gig-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 02:50:59 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li Amid mounting global concern over food security risks posed by the El Nino weather pattern, Chinese officials have moved to reassure the public that national grain reserves remain well above international safety thresholds. “China has a solid foundation and sufficient capacity to withstand risks and challenges such as El Nino,” said Li Chao, an official from the National Development and Reform Commission, at a press conference on Tuesday. The remarks followed comments on Monday by Liu Huanxin,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368370/can-chinas-grain-reserves-protect-food-security-against-el-nino?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368370/can-chinas-grain-reserves-protect-food-security-against-el-nino?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 10:30:10 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu As American farmers begin harvesting soybeans across the Midwest this month, some are feeling a sense of relief absent a year ago, when China – which typically buys around half of all US soybean exports – halted imports amid an escalating trade war. This season is unfolding differently. Ahead of President Xi Jinping’s coming meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington this week, China has rapidly scaled up purchases of American soybeans once again. “US farmers genuinely appreciate the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368353/once-key-economic-weapon-us-china-soybean-trade-may-now-offer-rare-common-ground?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368353/once-key-economic-weapon-us-china-soybean-trade-may-now-offer-rare-common-ground?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang As Beijing and Brussels prepare for October talks on trade imbalances, an EU trade association has called for more concrete action, such as China shifting towards a more service-based economy, to address the country’s domestic supply-demand imbalances that have contributed to trade tensions. The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China (EUCCC), which has more than 1,600 member companies, said persistent supply-demand imbalances had fuelled neijuan or “involution” – a form of excessive... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3368334/shift-china-towards-service-based-economy-could-help-trade-imbalance-eu-group?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3368334/shift-china-towards-service-based-economy-could-help-trade-imbalance-eu-group?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 05:11:54 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/series/3368316/xi-trump-path-constructive-strategic-stability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/series/3368316/xi-trump-path-constructive-strategic-stability?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 02:27:07 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma When the presidents of the United States and China meet in Washington, the world will be watching to see whether their two countries can make good on their agreement to work towards “constructive strategic stability”. In the fourth part of this series, Sylvia Ma looks at the economic and technological levers available to both in their protracted rivalry. For years, Huawei Technologies has served as a central battleground in the contest between the world’s two largest economies. As Washington... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3368262/us-china-tech-war-has-evolved-last-xi-trump-summit-who-has-edge-now?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3368262/us-china-tech-war-has-evolved-last-xi-trump-summit-who-has-edge-now?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 22:00:06 +0000 Emma Ma,Mia Nurmamat Emma Ma,Mia Nurmamat A major Chinese tech hub is moving to pull the plug on dedicated funding for its low-altitude economy, making it the first city in the country to propose repealing a full financial support package for the sector. The proposal in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, comes after the deadly crash of a small aircraft into Beijing’s tallest skyscraper in June. Still, some analysts contend that the reversal does not signal broader policy tightening for the low-altitude economy, but rather a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368273/china-first-low-altitude-sector-hits-turbulence-subsidies-face-reality-check?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368273/china-first-low-altitude-sector-hits-turbulence-subsidies-face-reality-check?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 12:30:10 +0000 Nong Hong Nong Hong Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington this week, after the May talks in Beijing and before the November Apec summit in Shenzhen. This sequence of diplomacy will test if the commitment to building a “constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability” translates into practical arrangements. The Washington meeting faces clear limits. Differences over trade, technology, industrial policy, Taiwan and regional security are deeply embedded in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3368013/success-trump-xi-summit-lies-what-happens-afterwards?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3368013/success-trump-xi-summit-lies-what-happens-afterwards?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 12:30:05 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li Beijing should expand central government borrowing and accelerate local debt restructuring, as China’s relatively low price levels offer a rare window for stronger fiscal support to bolster demand, according to some prominent Chinese economists. “With oil shocks pushing up prices, and inflationary pressures spreading globally, China currently has the lowest price levels, while prices elsewhere are significantly higher,” said Yu Yongding, a former member of the People’s Bank of China’s Monetary... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368259/china-economists-urge-beijing-act-fast-local-level-debt-low-prices-vanish?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368259/china-economists-urge-beijing-act-fast-local-level-debt-low-prices-vanish?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 11:00:10 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Chinese and US negotiators made progress on artificial intelligence (AI) and trade ahead of President Xi Jinping’s visit to the White House later this week. “We had a very successful engagement with the Chinese on trade and AI,” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters following Sunday’s eight-hour-long negotiations at JPMorgan Chase’s head office in New York. The talks had a “good atmosphere” and were “not bad”, said China’s Li Chenggang. Li’s promotion to international trade... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368245/us-china-agree-ai-dialogue-ahead-trump-xi-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368245/us-china-agree-ai-dialogue-ahead-trump-xi-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:01:49 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang With President Xi Jinping expected to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington this week, attention is again turning to the tit-for-tat trade and technology restrictions between the two nations – a friction that continues to escalate despite occasional reprieves. Over the past year, tech firms and industrial manufacturers on both sides have been casualties of the ever-intensifying rivalry, even as some benefit from growing state support to cushion the blow. From lost sales and squeezed... https://www.scmp.com/economy/policy/article/3367533/rising-toll-us-china-trade-tech-curbs-focus-ahead-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/policy/article/3367533/rising-toll-us-china-trade-tech-curbs-focus-ahead-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:00:17 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China sharply increased its imports of crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Canada in August amid an escalating trade dispute between Ottawa and Washington. The country’s imports of Russian energy products also rose sharply last month, as geopolitical risks including war in Iran accelerated Beijing’s efforts to diversify its energy supplies. Customs data released on Sunday showed that the volume of China’s crude oil imports from Canada rose nearly 35 per cent year on year in August,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3368210/china-boosts-crude-oil-lng-imports-canada-ottawa-washington-relations-sour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3368210/china-boosts-crude-oil-lng-imports-canada-ottawa-washington-relations-sour?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 08:00:08 +0000 Junjie Wang Junjie Wang China unveiled its five-year development plan for the pharmaceutical and biomedicine sector for the years from 2026 to 2030. The blueprint, jointly released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and nine other government agencies, sets key targets for industrial scale, innovation capacity, enterprise cultivation, and industrial clusters. Below are its key targets. See below for the original document in Chinese: https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3368190/chinas-five-year-plan-pharmaceuticals-and-biomedicine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3368190/chinas-five-year-plan-pharmaceuticals-and-biomedicine?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 03:15:31 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen As final preparations are being made for President Xi Jinping’s trip to Washington this month, one export-oriented Chinese province has urged businesses to “grasp the window” of relative stability in China-US ties to boost shipments. The hope among regional officials for more trade lays bare the dependence some key Chinese localities still have on America despite diversification and decoupling. Major manufacturers in Zhejiang – which helped the coastal province grow its annual export value to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3367301/chinese-province-urges-firms-seize-day-xi-trump-meeting-provides-trade-stability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3367301/chinese-province-urges-firms-seize-day-xi-trump-meeting-provides-trade-stability?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Pascal Lamy served two consecutive terms as director general of the World Trade Organization from 2005 to 2013. Before that, he spent decades in various French government roles, contributing to the building of the European Union. He was chief of staff to European Commission president Jacques Delors from 1985 to 1994, and European trade commissioner from 1999 to 2004. Here, he discusses Europe’s trade tensions with China, the continent’s growth potential problem and the WTO’s need for stronger... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3367981/former-wto-head-pascal-lamy-eus-china-choice-get-rebalance-or-go-protectionist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3367981/former-wto-head-pascal-lamy-eus-china-choice-get-rebalance-or-go-protectionist?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Sep 2026 22:00:11 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen When President Xi Jinping travels to Washington later this month, he is likely to hop over the Pacific on a Boeing 747 jumbo jet. He will also hold the fate of the American planemaker’s much-touted China deal in his hands. Beijing agreed to purchase 200 Boeing aircraft during US President Donald Trump’s visit to China in May. But the deal has yet to materialise – and the negotiations could depend on the outcome of Xi’s coming meeting with Trump in the Oval Office, according to industry... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368005/boeings-200-jet-china-deal-could-hinge-trump-xi-talks-industry-insiders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368005/boeings-200-jet-china-deal-could-hinge-trump-xi-talks-industry-insiders?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Sep 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Chinese firms have shown “very strong interest” in investing in Oman – across the Strait of Hormuz from Iran – as they aim to tap the lucrative Middle East market while minimising risks, an Omani official said. Banks, asset managers and law firms from China were getting in touch every day to ask about setting up in the International Financial Centre Oman, a free-standing legal zone in the country, the centre’s associate director for business development, Al Hussain al-Qalhati, said. The... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368019/chinese-firms-keen-investing-omans-international-financial-centre-official?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368019/chinese-firms-keen-investing-omans-international-financial-centre-official?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Sep 2026 06:00:08 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Property brokers in China’s major cities are expecting busier days as would-be homebuyers take a cue from a recent policy shift by Beijing aimed at reviving the slumbering real estate market. Some say they are being swamped by inquiries and are trying to seal as many deals as possible amid a recovery in confidence, while others are keeping their fingers crossed for more government stimulus to sustain the growing momentum. “Government support always holds the key to the performance of the home... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3368009/will-fresh-incentives-give-chinas-housing-market-more-short-lived-rebound?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3368009/will-fresh-incentives-give-chinas-housing-market-more-short-lived-rebound?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Sep 2026 03:00:09 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Taobao Instant Commerce, Alibaba’s on-demand delivery service that was revamped last year and is known as Taobao Shangou in Chinese, won a top French Design Award prize on Saturday for its delivery worker uniform, marking the first time the prize was awarded for a design for frontline workers. “We think the [Taobao Shangou] suit design would transform delivery workwear into a recognisable professional uniform, helping reshape how society sees this essential profession,” said Dario Olivero, chair... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368121/first-top-european-design-prize-awarded-eu20-uniform-chinas-delivery-drivers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368121/first-top-european-design-prize-awarded-eu20-uniform-chinas-delivery-drivers?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Sep 2026 14:00:11 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat When I began planning a work trip to Astana this month, the first challenge was simply finding a flight. With no direct service from Hong Kong to the Kazakh capital, I could transfer in Guangzhou, Beijing, Urumqi or Seoul. I chose Guangzhou, which offered a direct flight lasting about seven and a half hours, but the limited schedule meant there was no flight on Saturday, forcing me to leave earlier than planned and spend five days in Astana. The journey offered an early glimpse of both the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368016/reporters-notebook-kazakhstan-trip-highlights-promise-and-limits-central-asia-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368016/reporters-notebook-kazakhstan-trip-highlights-promise-and-limits-central-asia-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Sep 2026 09:00:06 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat Two established Chinese mining companies plan to jointly acquire and develop gold, copper and other critical mineral projects in Tibet, marking the latest corporate push to tap the region’s resources as Beijing seeks to strengthen domestic supplies of strategic raw materials. Privately controlled Xizang Zhihui Mining and state-owned Zhaojin Nonferrous Mining signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement on Thursday to pursue joint investment in mining projects in the autonomous region. In a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368004/chinese-miners-partner-tap-tibets-critical-minerals-amid-beijings-resource-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368004/chinese-miners-partner-tap-tibets-critical-minerals-amid-beijings-resource-push?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Sep 2026 03:00:08 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang China is showing early signs of stepping up imports of crude oil after months of subdued buying amid the US-Israel war on Iran, threatening to erode a buffer that has helped prevent a larger surge in global oil prices. But analysts do not expect China to quickly return to its pre-war import levels, as elevated crude prices could squeeze margins for Chinese refineries and the country’s stockpiles are still large enough to last for several months. Signs of a rebound in Chinese demand emerged in... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368047/chinas-crude-imports-are-rising-again-what-will-mean-oil-prices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368047/chinas-crude-imports-are-rising-again-what-will-mean-oil-prices?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 13:30:04 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng President Xi Jinping is scheduled to sit down with US President Donald Trump in Washington next week, and their planned summit looks to be closely watched as an indicator of the current state of ties between the world’s two largest economies. Economic issues appear poised to drive the agenda again, as they did when Trump travelled to Beijing in May with more than a dozen top American CEOs, including the heads of Tesla, Apple, Nvidia and Boeing. At stake are an extension of their current truce... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3368020/xi-trump-summit-preview-what-watch-investors-brace-best-and-worst-scenarios?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3368020/xi-trump-summit-preview-what-watch-investors-brace-best-and-worst-scenarios?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Emma Ma Emma Ma For Michelle Zhao, a Shanghai resident, offshore trusts had long appeared to be the preserve of people far wealthier than herself. That assumption was upended two weeks ago when she received a “baffling” text message from the Hongkou district branch of the Shanghai Municipal Tax Service. “The message said I might have taxable gains stemming from offshore trusts that I was required to declare. Yet I have never held any form of trust. I assumed the message was sent to me by mistake, so I ignored... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368032/mainland-tax-drive-flags-hong-kong-mpf-accounts-offshore-trusts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3368032/mainland-tax-drive-flags-hong-kong-mpf-accounts-offshore-trusts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 11:00:09 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Pascal Lamy served two consecutive terms as director general of the World Trade Organization from 2005 to 2013. Before that, he spent decades in various French government roles, contributing to the building of the European Union. He was chief of staff to European Commission president Jacques Delors from 1985 to 1994, and European trade commissioner from 1999 to 2004. Here, he discusses Europe’s trade tensions with China, the continent’s growth potential problem and the WTO’s need for stronger... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3367931/pascal-lamy-says-europe-moment-truth-china-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3367931/pascal-lamy-says-europe-moment-truth-china-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 03:22:48 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen The opening of China’s first new river-to-sea canal since 1949 – which will boost trade links with Southeast Asia – could transform the economy of the country’s landlocked southwestern interior in ways comparable to the Yangtze’s role in Shanghai’s rise, according to its operator. The 134.2km (83.4 mile) Pinglu Canal, which opened on Wednesday, links a major tributary of the Pearl River in the southern Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region with the Gulf of Tonkin, known as the Beibu Gulf in China,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3367901/can-new-pinglu-canal-become-chinas-yangtze-southwest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3367901/can-new-pinglu-canal-become-chinas-yangtze-southwest?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 03:00:05 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu The next round of China-EU trade talks is set to take place in Beijing from October 8 to 9, Brussels announced on Thursday following a video call between European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, adding that Europe wanted to see a “credible” outcome. The European Commission said that during a call lasting more than an hour, the two sides reviewed “extensive work” carried out at senior-official level covering issues including the management of Chinese exports... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3367937/brussels-announces-next-round-china-eu-trade-talks-be-held-beijing-next-month?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3367937/brussels-announces-next-round-china-eu-trade-talks-be-held-beijing-next-month?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 02:43:17 +0000 Emma Ma Emma Ma A recently issued official circular has put China’s long-running problem with hidden local government debt back in the spotlight. Earlier this month, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) jointly outlined six typical cases spanning six provinces where local authorities had fallen short of targets to resolve unrecorded liabilities. “For hidden-debt penalty announcements, it is unprecedented to have the CCDI alongside the MoF,” said Qiao Yide,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3367870/china-publicly-names-officials-unprecedented-hidden-debt-crackdown-can-it-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3367870/china-publicly-names-officials-unprecedented-hidden-debt-crackdown-can-it-work?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Wency Chen,Ben Jiang Wency Chen,Ben Jiang As technological developments augur an era of renewed space exploration, China is aiming to become a major player. In the second part of this two-part series, Wency Chen and Ben Jiang examine the country’s strategy and progress on reusable rockets – a field where the US has a tremendous lead. US commercial space firm SpaceX has been eager to tout its deployment of reusable first-stage rocket boosters, claiming to have flown more than 600 missions with the cost-cutting launch components. Despite... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3367874/china-has-gained-pace-space-race-recovering-rockets-can-it-relaunch-one?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3367874/china-has-gained-pace-space-race-recovering-rockets-can-it-relaunch-one?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 22:00:12 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Following the rate increase by the US Federal Reserve, some analysts argue Beijing may still push ahead with rate cuts this year to shore up flagging domestic growth, though a rate increase by the US typically limits room for monetary easing by China’s central bank. The Fed raised interest rates for the first time since 2023 on Wednesday, bringing the benchmark target range up 0.25 percentage points to between 3.75 and 4 per cent. The Federal Reserve’s move has not “significantly” narrowed... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3367851/after-us-feds-rate-increase-will-china-still-move-ahead-monetary-easing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3367851/after-us-feds-rate-increase-will-china-still-move-ahead-monetary-easing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 11:00:05 +0000 Ralph Jennings,He Huifeng Ralph Jennings,He Huifeng President Xi Jinping has reiterated calls for China to make its supply chains more resilient and self-sufficient while accelerating the creation of a modern industrial system underpinned by advanced manufacturing. Xi’s latest directives, issued at a national conference on advanced manufacturing in Beijing on Wednesday and Thursday, were said to be aimed at strengthening the Chinese economy, the state-run Xinhua reported. Xi’s push this week echoed Beijing’s previous statements and came as the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3367877/president-xis-industrial-power-play-sees-china-bet-big-ai-chips-and-smarter-factories?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3367877/president-xis-industrial-power-play-sees-china-bet-big-ai-chips-and-smarter-factories?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 10:29:58 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China’s urban youth unemployment rose last month, as a record influx of university graduates struggles to find work in a job market weighed down by weak domestic demand and the growing adoption of artificial intelligence. The jobless rate for those aged 16 to 24, excluding students, rose to 18.9 per cent in August from 17.9 per cent in July, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday. This figure, as well as the identical number from August last year, represents... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3367869/record-influx-university-graduates-pushes-chinas-youth-unemployment-rate-189?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3367869/record-influx-university-graduates-pushes-chinas-youth-unemployment-rate-189?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 09:57:38 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong Figures from some of China’s most prominent firms – including electric vehicle maker BYD and smart manufacturing giant Xiaomi – are likely to accompany President Xi Jinping on his trip to the US next week, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter. The entourage would draw a parallel to the coterie of CEOs that US President Donald Trump brought to Beijing in May, and could signal greater potential for investment deals as part of the high-profile summit. According to one of the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3367813/byd-xiaomi-and-innolight-executives-likely-join-xi-jinping-us-visit-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3367813/byd-xiaomi-and-innolight-executives-likely-join-xi-jinping-us-visit-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 06:00:11 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma China cut its holdings of US Treasuries to an 18-year low in July, as overall holdings by foreign countries fell for a second consecutive month amid deepening worries over the sustainability of American government debt. China’s holdings fell to US$618 billion in July from US$633.4 billion in June, data released by the US Treasury Department showed on Wednesday. The July figure was the lowest level since August 2008, when its holdings tumbled to US$573.7 billion, according to Chinese financial... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3367794/china-cuts-us-treasury-holdings-18-year-low-amid-global-bond-sell?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3367794/china-cuts-us-treasury-holdings-18-year-low-amid-global-bond-sell?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:00:14 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Among the world’s most connected airports, Guangzhou’s hub has posted the fastest rise through the latest rankings, according to an annual list compiled by aviation data firm OAG. And overall, Chinese hubs stood out as carriers expanded their international networks with added flights. Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in southern China jumped to 19th place, from 36th last year, in OAG’s Megahubs 2026 report, released on Wednesday. An OAG spokeswoman called its jump the biggest of any... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3367718/china-airports-climb-global-connectivity-ranking-international-routes-rise-oag-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3367718/china-airports-climb-global-connectivity-ranking-international-routes-rise-oag-report?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:00:10 +0000