5 h. ago ‘Making a dent’: race is on to reap rare earths elsewhere amid China’s dominance

Beijing’s imposition of rare earth export restrictions from April – playing its trump card in the face of Washington’s intensifying tariffs and tech curbs – helped send a message to Washington ahead of this week’s discussions over bilateral export-control issues. Considered a trump card because rare earths have an outsized impact on auto, electronics and defence industries, and China dominates the supply chain, the trade in such critical minerals is widely expected to be among the key topics...

Politics

8 h. ago China, US officials agree to ‘framework’ that will need approvals by Xi, Trump

China and the United States wrapped up two days of high-level trade talks in London with an agreement “in principle to a framework” that each side will bring home for review by their top leaders. “The two sides agreed in principle a framework for implementing the consensus” that Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump reached in their phone call last week, and the consensus of high-level bilateral negotiations in Geneva last month, China’s top trade negotiator Li Chenggang...

Politics

15 h. ago Apple’s most sweeping software redesign disappoints mainland Chinese consumers

Mainland Chinese consumers were left unimpressed by Apple’s most sweeping software redesign in its history, according to domestic social media posts on Tuesday, at a time when the US technology giant faces growing headwinds in the world’s largest smartphone market. Apple on Monday previewed a new software interface design, called Liquid Glass, during the company’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference held at its US headquarters in Cupertino, California. For the very first time, the new design...

Events

15 h. ago China’s film distributors pledge more imports to diversify market

China’s film distributors have called for diversifying the country’s cinematic offerings with more and better titles from overseas, at a time when domestic productions have seized the lion’s share of the market from their imported competitors. At a work conference held by the state-owned China Film Group Corporation, as well as Huaxia Film Distribution, companies vowed to bring in “good titles from multiple countries” to improve the number, quality and market share of foreign films, state media...

Politics

15 h. ago ‘Chaotic era’: Chinese state media say LA protests are proof of a broken America

Chinese state media have sought to portray the escalating Los Angeles protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies as proof of a broken government and the lack of social cohesion in the United States. Such a framing, alongside a mix of gloating and schadenfreude on Chinese social media, comes amid sustained US-China tariff tensions and ongoing high-level trade talks in London. The state-backed Beijing Youth Daily, in a commentary published on its social media page on Tuesday,...

Events

18 h. ago Chinese premier urges faster tech applications amid US export controls

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for a push to speed up the application of new advances in science and technology, as the country accelerates efforts to break its dependence on US tech and develop a world-leading industrial base. In a State Council meeting on Monday, Li called the application of new technologies the “last mile” of innovation, as it links innovation and industry and is important in driving new products and services, state-run news agency Xinhua reported. The premier’s comments...

Politics

24 h. ago 'India has become excessively dependent on China': Top economist calls for 'carefully tailored policy' for trade with Beijing

'India has become excessively dependent on China': Top economist calls for 'carefully tailored policy' for trade with Beijing  MSN

Events

27 h. ago Chinese soldier, famed for striking resemblance to actress Dilraba, is elite sniper

A woman soldier from northwestern China who is known for her resemblance to a famous actress has developed into an outstanding sniper. Buzainafu Yasenjiang looks strikingly similar to Dilraba Dilmurat, one of China’s top entertainers, who has more than 81 million followers on social media. The 33-year-old actress and singer is a native of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in the northwest of the country. She is celebrated for her unique beauty and talent, and has even been praised by the...

Events

30 h. ago ‘Irresistible trend’: why Chinese firms are rushing to open factories in Hungary

When Agosto Bodo took a job at a Chinese law firm’s Budapest office last year, he found himself catapulted into the centre of a China-fuelled investment boom. Yingke Law Firm, a major player in Chinese corporate law, had opened the new office to serve a wave of Chinese companies looking to open factories in Hungary. And the business was quickly gaining momentum. “We helped our clients with sourcing labour, looking for offices – we provided the whole service to help them overcome the language and...

Politics

37 h. ago Beijing Wraps Up Inaugural ‘Art Season,’ Making Bid to Reclaim Top Spot in China’s Art Economy

Beijing Wraps Up Inaugural ‘Art Season,’ Making Bid to Reclaim Top Spot in China’s Art Economy  ARTnews.com

Politics

39 h. 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

39 h. ago Man arrested after fireworks ignited at Hong Kong’s Avenue of Stars

Hong Kong police have arrested a man on suspicion of discharging fireworks at Tsim Sha Tsui’s Avenue of Stars. A video circulating on social media since Sunday shows a man with a braid igniting a firework at the waterfront promenade near K11 Musea. In the clip, the man was heard speaking in Mandarin, repeatedly telling the person filming to stop recording. Officers from the Yau Tsim police district arrested a 21-year-old man from mainland China in Tsim Sha Tsui on Monday afternoon, a force...

Events

39 h. ago US and China begin crunch trade talks in London amid simmering tensions

Top economic officials from China and the United States have kick-started a crucial round of trade talks in London, as the world watches closely to see if the two sides can agree to roll back their “chokehold” controls over critical minerals and advanced technologies. The Chinese and American delegations – led by China’s vice-premier, He Lifeng, alongside US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer – met Monday afternoon, local...

Events

39 h. ago US vows reprieve on some tech export restrictions as talks with China begin in London

Top economic officials from Washington and Beijing have launched a high-stakes round of trade talks in London, with a senior White House official signaling soon after the start that the US will ease some tech export restrictions on China, adding that he expected the Chinese government to ramp up rare earth mineral exports to American markets. The Chinese and American delegations – led by China’s vice-premier, He Lifeng, alongside US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard...

Politics

39 h. ago US hints at reprieve on some tech export restrictions as talks with China begin

Top economic officials from Washington and Beijing launched a high-stakes round of trade talks in London, with a senior White House official signalling soon after the start that the US would ease some tech export restrictions on China, adding that he expected the Chinese government to ramp up rare earth mineral exports to American markets. The Chinese and American delegations – led by Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng, alongside US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick...

Politics

40 h. ago Why Trump’s nuclear export controls won’t stop China, may hurt US firms: analysts

China’s nuclear ambitions may face a slight setback from Washington’s reported export restrictions on power plant components, but Beijing will press ahead with its construction drive and intensify efforts to develop home-grown technologies as its domestic reactors mature, analysts said. The Trump administration has reportedly suspended licenses for the export of some nuclear power generation equipment to China. The US Department of Commerce issued the ruling in recent weeks, according to...

Politics

40 h. ago China backs Mekong pollution probe after reports point finger at mining firms

China’s embassy in Thailand said it was “closely monitoring” the situation after claims that heavy metal pollution in northern Thai rivers was linked to suspected Chinese mining activities in neighbouring Myanmar. A post on the embassy’s official social media account acknowledged recent comments by the Thai government on the matter. “China is closely monitoring reports about the heavy metal pollution incident in a tributary of the Mekong River in Thailand. We have taken note of the recent test...

Politics

41 h. ago Ahead of US trade talks, China’s rare earth trade data from May sends a message

In a reflection of Beijing’s ability to quickly leverage its dominance over the critical-mineral supply chain, the value of rare earth elements exported by China last month plunged by nearly half compared with a year prior. The official data came as analysts have been saying that China’s export controls over large quantities of critical minerals are like the ultimate trump card in trade negotiations with the United States. The world’s second-largest economy exported rare earth elements worth...

Politics

41 h. ago China maths genius opens first social media account, gains 23 million fans in 5 days

Chinese mathematics prodigy Wei Dongyi has recently launched his first social media account, capturing widespread attention due to concerns about his appearance and dental health, while amassing an impressive 23 million followers in just five days. The 33-year-old, originally from Shandong province in eastern China, serves as an assistant professor in the mathematics department at the esteemed Peking University. Despite his remarkable achievements, Wei prefers a life centred on research and...

Economics

43 h. ago Hibor plunge a bigger deal for stock market than Hong Kong’s property sector

Hong Kong needs all the help it can get. Since 2018, the city has suffered one shock after another, preventing a meaningful recovery from taking hold and fuelling concerns about its position as a global financial centre. As an importer of US monetary policy with an economy that is far more synchronised with that of mainland China, Hong Kong has been the biggest casualty of economic and policy divergence between the world’s two largest economies, prompting renewed questions about the suitability...

Economics