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Industrials

Industrials
News about the global industrials sector with a focus on developments in the heavy industries of mainland China.
A data centre rack operated by RISE in Sweden. Photo: Handout
US-China relations

Can the US and China verify an AI deal? Start-ups are building the tools

Researchers are developing technology to monitor AI development without relying on trust between Washington and Beijing.

China-EU relations

Why Sweden, once one of Beijing’s most outspoken critics, has changed its tune

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China exports

What fuels global trade imbalances: China’s overcapacity or US failure to adapt?

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Energy

China’s energy bosses push for tighter rules as overcapacity bites

Calls for tighter approvals highlight how excess capacity is undermining growth despite global demand tailwinds.

A worker at Tianneng Holding Group’s lithium battery factory. Photo: Getty Images
China trade

Not just oil: Iran war disrupts China’s imports of key industrial material

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is choking off China’s imports of methanol – a vital input for the country’s industrial sector.

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China trade

US-Indonesia deal threatens China’s ‘entrenched position’ in nickel market: analysts

A new deal gives America unrestricted access to Indonesia’s nickel – and challenges China’s ‘preferential’ position in the market, analysts say.

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China manufacturing

Stern rebuke: China shrugs off 2025 US threats to anchor shipbuilding dominance

Despite a market share dip, Chinese yards extend their commanding lead in key indicators, as high exports and lengthy backlogs signal resilience despite rivals’ gains.

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A vessel is seen under construction at a ship-building facility in China’s Jiangsu province on January 27. Photo: Xinhua
Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s EV battery giants wade into shipbuilding to bolster Beijing’s dominance

CATL and Gotion add momentum to China’s efforts to build new-energy vessels amid an accelerated decarbonisation drive.

Mainland China

Chinese shipyards shift focus to advanced vessels as rivals gain ground

Chinese shipbuilders accounted for 65 per cent of global orders in the first three quarters, down from nearly 75 per cent a year earlier.

Made in China 2025

China’s CSSC unveils plans for cruise, deep-sea and nuclear-powered vessels

CSSC’s plan to develop specialised vessels is in line with Beijing’s ambition to transform the country into a shipbuilding powerhouse.

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CSSC says its growing strength in building advanced vessels is reflected in the construction of Adora Flora City. Photo: Getty
China manufacturing

Price wars and tariffs: China’s industrial profits snap winning streak

Beijing to crack down on ‘disorderly’ market practices amid rising financial costs, while analysts point to excess capacity eating into corporate margins.

In October, China’s industrial profits fell 5.5 per cent from a year prior. Photo: AFP
US-China trade war

US ‘knocking on every country’s door’ as it races to secure rare earth supplies

Washington is determined to break China’s rare earths chokehold in case ties with Beijing fray once again, analysts say.

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China manufacturing

China’s factory activity contracts for seventh month amid trade war uncertainty

China’s official purchasing managers’ index fell to 49 in October, missing estimates and staying in contractionary range another month.

Rare earths

State rare earth giant throws support behind China’s broad export controls

As US officials attempt to use Beijing’s rare earth curbs to win allies, China Rare Earth Group says it will ‘strictly enforce’ measures.

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One of China’s rare earth giants has publicly supported the country’s export controls on the critical minerals amid harsh criticism from the US. Photo: Reuters
China deflation

China’s latest steel industry plan signals tougher action to curb overproduction

The action plan, which imposes a strict ban on extra capacity, could be a blueprint for other sectors plagued by price wars, analysts say.

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An employee works at a factory producing steel structures in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou. China’s steel industry is plagued by overproduction and weak demand. Photo: AFP
China consumption

China’s economy strains in August as retail sales, industrial output miss forecasts

Weaker retail sales, investment and industry join slowing export growth, leaving analysts split on whether Beijing will step up policy support.

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China manufacturing

China scrambles to fix price wars – by updating a law from 1998. Here’s why

As disorderly competition fuels a ‘race to the bottom’ across Chinese sectors, Beijing takes aim at pricing legislation that has gone untouched for 27 years.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

China reveals past EV subsidies, from Tesla to state giants, showing funds shift

In the seven years from 2016 to 2022, subsidies steadily moved from state enterprises to leading carmakers and start-ups.

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A production line of the Beijing Electric Vehicle Co. in China’s Hebei province shows cars being produced in 2019, when the state-owned manufacturer received more subsidies than other carmakers. Photo: Xinhua
China's economic recovery

China’s economy shows signs of strain as retail sales, output lose momentum

Retail sales, industrial output fell short of expectations in July as several headwinds appeared to reduce consumer and investor confidence.

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China-EU relations

As China, EU eye warm ties, Brussels aims to protect its manufacturing base

Experts say a key factor determining the dynamics between Brussels and Beijing is Europe’s underlying concern over China’s threat to the EU’s manufacturing prowess.

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China manufacturing

China industrial profits sink 9% in May on ‘weak demand’, US trade dispute

‘Fairly clear deceleration’ in last month’s manufacturing profits suggests trade frictions with Washington are having an impact, analyst says.

A worker handles machinery at a new-materials company in China’s Jiangxi province earlier this month. Many industrial companies saw their profits take a hit in May, according to official figures released on Friday. Photo: Xinhua
China economy

Macroscope | How China’s overlooked financial system enabled its industrial success

China’s industrial policy could not have succeeded without a financial system harnessed in the service of balanced growth.

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Nio workers inspect a vehicle chassis on an automated production line in Hefei, China, on January 17. Photo: Getty Images
US-China trade war

‘Trade shocks’ force China’s firms to invest more efficiently: researchers

New paper argues tariffs curb wasteful investment, but analysts warn findings may not apply to current China–US trade tensions.

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Robotics

Self-driving mining trucks offer a glimpse of China’s hi-tech future

A coal mine in Inner Mongolia showcases Beijing’s determination to transform traditional industries with advanced technologies.

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US-China trade war

China’s industrial profits grow in April despite US trade war

The positive trend aligns with Beijing’s recent data for industrial output and increased exports, but analysts warn uncertainties lie ahead.

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Laborers work on an assembly line in the AVATR EV factory in Chongqing, China. Photo: EPA-EFE
US-China trade war

Open Questions | As unswerving superpowers meet unsustainable tariffs, Yao Yang breaks down the paradox

From the US-China trade war to China’s economic outlook for the months ahead, the economist and academic – known for his hot takes – talks policy and strategy.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
IPO

Exclusive | Heavy equipment maker Sany to expand overseas after Hong Kong IPO

Aiming to raise up to US$1.5 billion in its proposed listing, company eyes lucrative overseas sales amid weak demand at home.

United States

Opinion | What Trump should do instead to make US manufacturing great again

Instead of competing with China in shipping, rare earths or EVs, the president should target leading-edge industries like aerospace and quantum computing.

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