22 h. ago TikTok’s sister app Douyin courts merchants with lower deposit fees

TikTok owner ByteDance, whose Douyin short video app has emerged as a popular e-commerce shopping platform in China, will cut the guarantee deposit payable by merchants, in a move designed to keep existing sellers and lure new ones amid fierce competition. The deposit, held by the platform on behalf of sellers to cover potential costs such as refunds or penalties, would be capped at 5,000 yuan (US$695), a fraction of the previous maximum of 500,000 yuan. As a result, the deposit payable by...

Events

35 h. ago China to remove tariffs on nearly all goods from Africa as both criticise US

Twenty more African countries, mostly from the continent’s middle-income nations, are set to gain access to the world’s largest consumer market duty-free as Beijing plans to remove tariffs for all products from every African nation except eSwatini. The measure was announced as African ministers joined Beijing at a meeting in central China affiliated with the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Amid the tariff war, representatives from China and African nations accused the United States of...

Politics

61 h. ago This move by China in Africa is making US restless, top American military official claims Beijing is copying Washington's..., aim is to...

This move by China in Africa is making US restless, top American military official claims Beijing is copying Washington's..., aim is to...  DNA India

Events

4 d. ago US soybean farmers move to reduce dependence on China as trade war grinds on

Soybean farmers in the United States have stepped up efforts to diversify their export markets while maintaining China as a critical buyer, despite ongoing trade tensions between the two superpowers, according to the head of a leading industry association. Jim Sutter, CEO of the US Soybean Export Council, said that while concerns about possible disruptions persist, China’s strong demand for soybeans – a crucial commodity for food and livestock feed – would ensure the US remains an important...

Events

4 d. ago Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq Futures Weaken; U.S.

Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq Futures Weaken; U.S.-China talks; Inflation Report; Movers  Barron's

Politics

5 d. ago 8 million Chinese viewers moved by boy, 6, who operates crane for acrobat parents

Massive numbers of people across China have watched in amazement as a thoughtful six-year-old boy operates a crane that is integral to an acrobatic show his parents perform. Xie Yule expertly worked the machine that held his parents in the air to perform in a town in eastern China’s Anhui province on a rainy evening ahead of Children’s Day. As rain fell heavily, the diminutive Xie stood on a stool as his hand never left the crane’s control panel, his eyes locked on his parents. His father, Xie...

Politics

6 d. ago Social media giant RedNote opens Hong Kong office, its first outside mainland

Chinese social media giant RedNote has opened an office in Hong Kong, its first outside mainland China, a move the city’s finance chief hopes will provide a boost to local businesses and the platform’s international expansion. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Saturday that he had personally invited the company, also known as Xiaohongshu, to set up a base in the city. “When I visited Shanghai at the end of last year, I made a special visit to Xiaohongshu’s headquarters,” Chan wrote on...

Politics

6 d. ago Trump moves to block foreign drone makers from selling new models in US

US President Donald Trump has signed executive orders meant to rebuild America’s drone industry, tighten airspace security and boost military readiness, potentially squeezing Chinese manufacturers like DJI and Autel Robotics out of the market. “Immediate action is needed to ensure American sovereignty over its skies,” Trump stated in one of the orders, warning that foreign-made drones were “endangering the public” and compromising critical infrastructure. The orders also call for federal...

Politics

7 d. ago China may make a ‘retaliatory’ move that experts say will ‘hit' US homeowners 'hard.' Here's what's happening

China may make a ‘retaliatory’ move that experts say will ‘hit' US homeowners 'hard.' Here's what's happening  Yahoo Finance

Events

7 d. ago Nomura Sees Beijing's Policy Moves Shaping China's Economic Path

Nomura Sees Beijing's Policy Moves Shaping China's Economic Path  Finimize

Economics

8 d. ago Trump’s Harvard ban, how early birds conquered the skies: SCMP daily highlights

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trump orders immediate ban on new Chinese and other foreign students at Harvard The administration of US President Donald Trump has formally barred Harvard University from enrolling international students, citing the institution’s failure to address national security risks on campus. 2. Russia moves again to join with China and India despite their trust...

Politics

8 d. ago China’s ‘milestone’ engine, battery scientist leaves US: SCMP daily highlights

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trump orders immediate ban on new Chinese and other foreign students at Harvard The administration of US President Donald Trump has formally barred Harvard University from enrolling international students, citing the institution’s failure to address national security risks on campus. 2. Russia moves again to join with China and India despite their trust...

Science

8 d. ago China researcher dedicates literary award to late girlfriend, moves many to tears

Millions in China were touched by the confession of love from an award-winning writer, who paid tribute to his late first love, an unwavering supporter throughout his journey. Liu Chuxin, 34, is the recipient of the fiction category of China’s Lijiang Literary Award. While accepting the award on stage in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region of southern China, Liu dedicated his heartfelt speech to his first love. He met her in 2017 while pursuing his doctoral degree in philosophy at the...

Events

8 d. ago Russia moves again to join with China and India despite their trust issues

Russia’s fresh bid to revive a strategic triangle with China and India as a counterbalance to the Western-led international order faces headwinds given the deep-seated distrust between the two Asian powers, according to observers. However, United States President Donald Trump and his aggressive and unpredictable policies could be the catalyst to bring the three together, one analyst says. The assessment was made as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov objected to what he described as Nato’s...

Politics

9 d. ago China's Tiananmen incident remembered in exhibit moved to California

China's Tiananmen incident remembered in exhibit moved to California  Kyodo News+ | Japan's leading news agency.

Politics

1 week ago China says US moves on computer chips and student visas ‘seriously violate’ tariffs truce

China says US moves on computer chips and student visas ‘seriously violate’ tariffs truce  AP News

Politics

1 week ago Why It's So Hard for Apple to Move Production From China to India

Why It's So Hard for Apple to Move Production From China to India  Bloomberg

Politics

1 week ago China adds aerial refuelling to pilot training in move to boost combat readiness

China’s air force has introduced aerial refuelling to its pilot training programme as the People’s Liberation Army tries to step up combat readiness and long-range capabilities. The move was highlighted in a report by state broadcaster CCTV on Friday that included footage from a PLA training video. It showed instructors from the PLA Air Force’s Shijiazhuang Flight Academy piloting two J-10 fighter jets in a refuelling drill, supported by a YU-20 tanker. The J-10 – seen as China’s answer to the...

Politics

1 week ago Disabled Chinese man attains Harvard master’s degree, thanks to mother’s love

A Chinese man with cerebral palsy who was unloved by his father and bullied by classmates made it through the prestigious universities of Peking and Harvard thanks to his mother’s unwavering support. Ding Zheng, 37, and his mother Zou Hongyan, 62, from central China’s Hubei province, have moved many people online with their story. Zou said Ding was diagnosed with cerebral palsy due to medical malpractice during his birth in 1988 A doctor and Ding’s father advised Zou to give up the baby while he...

Politics

2 w. ago US visa crackdown echoes Trump’s first term, but China’s reply marks tone shift

Washington’s visa crackdown on Chinese students with ties to the Communist Party closely mirrors restrictions imposed during US President Donald Trump’s first administration, which at the time prompted Beijing to accuse the US of “regime change”. However, this time, Beijing’s response has been notably restrained, with China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday denouncing the move as “discriminatory” and lodging diplomatic protests. Despite Beijing’s unease over discussions about party...

Politics