14 h. ago China must ‘play the long game’ with trade partners as US bullies, analysts say

With US President Donald Trump sending more tariff letters to trade partners, Beijing has stepped up efforts – like rallying its own trade partners – to collectively push back against Washington’s trade protectionism. The world’s second-largest economy will provide considerable development opportunities – from broader market access to greater regional integration – while being mindful of US threats, according to statements this week following a string of overseas visits by Chinese...

Politics

20 h. ago Envision launches world’s largest green hydrogen plant in Inner Mongolia

Chinese wind-power developer Envision Energy has commissioned the world’s largest green hydrogen and ammonia plant, as Beijing seeks to decarbonise its hard-to-abate industries and dominate the growing clean-fuel market. The Shanghai-headquartered company launched the first phase of the project in Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, on Wednesday, which is capable of producing 320,000 tonnes per year of green ammonia, Envision said. “This is more than a technological milestone,” said Zhang Lei, Envision’s...

Politics

21 h. ago Clean and green: China’s strategic energy investments fuel renewable sector

Already the world’s largest investor in energy, China is poised to shore up that position in the coming years by continuing to splash out on renewable energy, as international experts say energy security has become a key driver in the growth of global investments this year. China’s share of global clean energy spending has risen from a quarter to almost a third in the past decade, underpinned by strategic investments in a wide range of technologies, including solar, wind, hydropower, nuclear,...

Politics

38 h. ago China Greenlights Major Green Hydrogen Pipeline from Inner Mongolia to Beijing

China Greenlights Major Green Hydrogen Pipeline from Inner Mongolia to Beijing  Pipeline Technology Journal

Politics

63 h. ago Chinese EV maker Zeekr plugs in to hybrids to tap into soaring sales

Zeekr, a premium electric vehicle (EV) unit of Geely Auto, has jumped on the hybrid technology bandwagon to widen its customer base amid rising competition in the world’s largest automotive market. The Hangzhou-based company has become the latest mainland Chinese EV assembler to launch plug-in hybrids, leaving Shanghai-headquartered Nio as the only domestic company making pure EVs. US carmaker Tesla, which produces cars on the mainland, is another maker of pure EVs. “Nearly all Chinese carmakers...

Politics

64 h. ago Surprise US copper tariff tests the mettle of China’s vast refining industry

Shockwaves from Washington’s decision to impose a 50 per cent tariff on copper imports are still rippling across the Pacific, and China, the world’s largest consumer of the metal, is feeling the effects. Copper futures traded in the US rallied on the tariff threat, expanding a price gap with the London and China markets, where prices fell. The most active copper futures contracts traded on the Shanghai Futures Exchange fell by 1.36 per cent on Wednesday following US President Donald Trump’s...

Politics

2 d. ago China’s lead in global shipbuilding may already be fading, new data suggests

China’s dominance of global shipbuilding appears to have been eroded over the past six months, according to the latest industry data, suggesting that US efforts to rein in the country’s shipyards may be starting to bite. China has been by far the world’s largest shipbuilder for years, but its shipyards saw new orders plunge 68 per cent year on year to 26.3 million deadweight tonnes in the first half of 2025, according to a Monday report from maritime consultancy Clarksons Research. South Korea,...

Politics

4 d. ago China urged to take bolder steps to tackle price wars, deflation and weak demand

Beijing’s latest push to curb price wars may help ease deflationary pressures, but analysts warn the current measures fall short of addressing deeper structural problems facing the world’s second-largest economy. China’s GDP deflator – a broad measure of prices across goods and services – has been negative since the second quarter of 2023, while consumer prices have fallen for four straight months year-on-year. To stop the deflationary spiral, Chinese authorities should address the cause: weak...

Events

8 d. ago China, US ease export curbs but Trump’s Vietnam deal risks blowback: analysts

A week after announcing long-anticipated progress from high-level talks in London, China and the United States are taking concrete steps to clear export hurdles and issue licenses for strategic goods. The easing of trade restrictions signals a tentative reset between the world’s two largest economies. But the thaw remains fragile, as analysts warned that Washington’s new trade deal with Vietnam could provoke a response from Beijing. Still, for now, both sides have moved to restore access to...

Politics

8 d. ago Xpeng launches G7 ‘Super AI’ SUV, taking on Xiaomi YU7 and Tesla Model Y

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Xpeng launched its G7 SUV on Thursday, sending another contender into a fierce battle in the premium SUV segment of the world’s largest EV market, where it joins Xiaomi’s recently introduced YU7 in taking on Tesla’s market-leading Model Y. Dubbed Xpeng’s first “Super AI [artificial intelligence] car”, the G7 starts at 195,800 yuan (US$27,325), with the top-of-the-line model selling for 225,800 yuan, the Guangzhou-headquartered company said during a launch...

Politics

9 d. ago Tech war: US lifts export control of chip design software to China

The US said on Thursday it had lifted export controls on certain chip design software to China, according to statements from Siemens, Synopsys and Cadence Design Systems. Three of the world’s largest electronic design automation (EDA) software developers have been informed by the US government that sales of their products to China would no longer require special approval, signalling a further easing of bilateral tensions. San Jose, California-based Cadence said in an email that the US Bureau of...

Events

9 d. ago BYD, Geely bank on big discounts to set record car sales, dent smaller rivals

China’s leading electric vehicle (EV) makers from BYD to Geely Auto sustained their strong sales last month as big price cuts lured new buyers, helping boost their market share and heaping pressure on smaller, unprofitable rivals. BYD, the world’s largest EV builder, delivered 382,585 vehicles in June for its best month this year, the Shenzhen-based company said in a filing on Tuesday. While deliveries were little changed from May, they jumped 12 per cent from a year earlier. Geely, China’s...

Economics

1 week ago China’s Xi Jinping puts domestic market at forefront in high

President Xi Jinping reiterated the need for China to develop a “unified national market” at a high-profile economic meeting on Tuesday, a task which has taken on greater urgency as the country prioritises domestic demand amid a more uncertain external landscape. Greater efforts are needed to address a variety of issues facing the world’s second-largest economy, the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission said in a readout from their sixth meeting, explicitly calling for a crackdown on...

Politics

1 week ago Chinese scientists uncover coal power’s dirty secret in satellite data study

In the first high-precision satellite mapping of carbon dioxide emissions from large international coal power plants, Chinese scientists have found that existing databases are underestimating discharges from facilities across the globe. They include China’s Tuoketuo – the largest coal-fired power station in the world – and Alabama’s James H. Miller Jnr facility, the most polluting plant in the United States, according to a paper published on June 9 by the peer-reviewed Journal of Cleaner...

Politics

1 week ago Hong Kong’s IPO dominance leaves Singapore grasping for lost allure

Hong Kong’s vast lead over Singapore as a listing venue appears unassailable, with even the Southeast Asian city’s home-grown companies heading north to raise funds, but the city state remains determined to improve its allure, according to bankers and analysts. IFBH, a Singapore-incorporated Thai firm that is the world’s second-largest bottler of coconut water, started trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange on Monday after completing a HK$1.16 billion (US$147 million) initial public offering...

Politics

2 w. ago CATL executive warns of risks from EV price cuts, calls on Beijing to intervene

A senior executive from Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), the world’s largest producer of batteries for electric vehicles (EVs), urged authorities on the mainland to intervene in the price war that is roiling the market for new energy cars. Ni Jun, CATL’s chief manufacturing officer, on Wednesday said the brutal discount war would not end if Beijing remained on the sidelines. “One big player cannot always lower prices [to gain market share] while driving out all other small rivals,” he...

Events

2 w. ago Not just manufacturing: Li Qiang vows China will be major consumption power

Premier Li Qiang has pledged that China will become a “consumption powerhouse” capable of fuelling domestic and global growth, even as he acknowledged the country was grappling with a slump in cross-border investment and persistent trade tensions. Speaking at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Tianjin on Wednesday, Li reiterated Beijing’s commitment to boosting demand in the world’s second-largest economy and defending globalisation. “This will make China a mega-sized consumption...

Politics

2 w. ago Xiaomi speeds up YU7 launch, Tesla’s Robotaxi vs Baidu’s Apollo Go: 7 EV reads

We have put together stories from our coverage on electric and new energy vehicles from the past two weeks to help you stay informed. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China’s BYD expands car-carrier fleet to bolster EV exports amid furious domestic competition BYD, the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) maker, has taken delivery of two new car-carrying ships – the largest yet in a growing fleet – as it bets on export growth to counter brutal...

Politics

2 w. ago China’s Li Qiang gives ‘Summer Davos’ keynote in tense global atmosphere

This live blog has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. Chinese Premier Li Qiang is scheduled to give the keynote speech at the Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as “Summer Davos”, in the northern port city of Tianjin on Wednesday morning. The world’s second-largest economy has largely withstood the tariff war launched by US...

Politics

2 w. ago Li Qiang pledges to make China ‘massive’ consumer market to drive global growth

This live blog has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. Chinese Premier Li Qiang is scheduled to give the keynote speech at the Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as “Summer Davos”, in the northern port city of Tianjin on Wednesday morning. The world’s second-largest economy has largely withstood the tariff war launched by US...

Politics