25 h. ago Chinese province floats new use for digital yuan: paying long

China is mulling the application of its digital yuan – the central bank-backed currency also known as the e-CNY – to tackle persistent payment defaults, a move that would broaden the asset’s scope beyond the set of use cases explored by Beijing since the currency’s launch in 2019. Authorities in the central province of Hunan touched upon the subject when detailing plans to expand the digital currency’s application scenarios and scale, according to a document published last month. Hunan will...

Politics

37 h. ago Chinese provinces prep for business trips to US amid shaky tariff truce

More Chinese entrepreneurs and local government representatives could soon be packing for New York and California, aiming to take advantage of a recent stabilisation in US-China relations to hop across the Pacific and scout out potential trade and investment opportunities. Visits by delegations from China in the coming months will seek to leverage the pro-business amity and autonomy of local authorities in the US to advance economic ties, as Beijing encourages subnational exchanges. China’s...

Economics

50 h. ago Local Chinese government stimulus pushes big spenders to dig in while dining out

A local government in China’s provincial economic powerhouse of Zhejiang has announced plans to subsidise the restaurant meals of high-value consumers, in a move that is intended to stimulate consumption but could raise questions about whether it runs contrary to the central government’s austerity drive. Shaoxing – a city known for its textile industry and a prized variety of cooking wine – will offer subsidies of up to 5,000 yuan (US$700) to banquet holders if they host five or more tables and...

Politics

64 h. ago More Chinese went to cinemas this summer, but filmmakers still face challenges

China’s film market showed signs of recovery this summer, but industry insiders said it was still grappling with challenges. By the end of last month, this year’s domestic box office totalled 39.23 billion yuan (US$5.5 billion), according to the China Film Administration, with over 900 million film-goers. The summer season generated 11.96 billion yuan in box office revenue, up 2.76 per cent year on year but well down on the 20.62 billion yuan record set in 2023 and the pre-pandemic levels of...

Culture

5 d. ago Young Chinese are seeking their fortune in Southeast Asia. Will they find it?

Kent Cai, a Chinese entrepreneur based in the eastern province of Zhejiang, made a major life decision earlier this year by moving abroad to pursue a PhD. While this is not uncommon, his destination of choice might appear unusual – he did not, as many of his peers, relocate to the United States or Europe. He went to Malaysia. Upon arriving on campus in Kuala Lumpur to study the application of AI-driven tools in media production, Cai noticed he was not the only one to make such a move. He is, in...

Politics

5 d. ago Why Chinese students are flocking to Southeast Asia for degrees, employment

Kent Cai, a Chinese entrepreneur based in the eastern province of Zhejiang, made a major life decision earlier this year by moving abroad to pursue a PhD. While this is not uncommon, his destination of choice might appear unusual – he did not, as many of his peers, relocate to the United States or Europe. He went to Malaysia. Upon arriving on campus in Kuala Lumpur to study the application of AI-driven tools in media production, Cai noticed he was not the only one to make such a move. He is, in...

Politics

5 d. ago Chinese tourists’ love affair with Paris deepens as visits surge 15%

Many Chinese tourists arriving in Paris in recent weeks have been surprised by the same thing: the quiet. August is the traditional holiday month in France, when most Parisians flee the capital for sunny beaches in the south or exotic destinations abroad. “The French have all left, some neighbourhoods have barely any people,” one user wrote on the Chinese social platform RedNote. Others posted photos of deserted boulevards near Parc Monceau and the Musée d’Orsay. But that has not stopped Chinese...

Society

6 d. ago ‘Hard to replicate’: Chinese tourists still flocking to US despite Trump fears

When Gao Huasheng, a university professor from Shanghai, began planning a two-week family holiday to San Francisco earlier this year, he worried about exposing his children to scenes of drug use or even gun violence. But in the end, the 44-year-old decided to go ahead with the trip – and his fears turned out to be misplaced. The family’s visit to the Six Flags Discovery Kingdom amusement park and road trip down the Pacific coast went off without a hitch. “My children said it was exciting, not...

Politics

6 d. ago When North Koreans raise a toast, it’s increasingly with Chinese wine

North Korea, one of the world’s most isolated and heavily sanctioned countries, has remained a major destination for Chinese wine exports this year, as the nation has few alternative options to source alcoholic drinks. North Korea bought 157,393 litres of wine from China in the first seven months of 2025 – more than double the volume imported during the same period last year – making it the second-largest buyer of Chinese bottled wine so far this year, trailing only Hong Kong, according to...

Politics

7 d. ago 90 more days: US extends Chinese import exclusions from Section 301 tariffs

The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) has announced a 90-day extension on a slew of product exclusions from Section 301 tariffs on Chinese imports. The exclusions, previously extended in June, contain 178 items that fall into the categories of chemical materials, electronic components, medical supplies and solar manufacturing equipment. As a result, these products will continue to be spared from levies of 7.5 to 25 per cent that were imposed on Chinese imports during US President...

Politics

8 d. ago China’s stock boom will not do much to rejuvenate the economy, Nomura says

The ongoing rally in Chinese stocks will do little to boost growth in the mainland’s economy, as equity investments account for a small portion of total household assets, Nomura Holdings said. In a report on Wednesday, Lu Ting, the Japanese brokerage’s chief China economist, said Chinese households parked the majority of their wealth in the struggling property market. Stock holdings accounted for 1.3 per cent of total household assets, while the proportion for properties was 60 per cent, the...

Politics

8 d. ago Chinese printing factories flock to US as tariffs shake up e

In late 2023, Kent Liu finally decided to take a leap of faith: it was time to move his customised printing business from China to the United States. Liu felt he needed to make a change. For years, his company had made money by printing T-shirts, hats and other apparel in China for a range of clients, which were then shipped to the United States. But that model was increasingly under threat. In 2018, America raised tariffs on Chinese goods, and tensions between the two powers had continued to...

Politics

9 d. ago Chinese firms slam Trump’s claim that Europe gives them ‘a complete pass’

US President Donald Trump has dragged China into his battle against European taxes and regulations targeting American technology giants, accusing Europe of singling out US firms and giving Chinese tech companies “a complete pass”. The claim was quickly rejected by the Chinese business community, with one executive dismissing Trump’s post as “political rhetoric” that does not “align with the reality”, while analysts said the attack was likely part of Trump’s plan to pressure Europe into easing...

Politics

9 d. ago What worries Chinese businesses most about political chaos in France?

The Chinese business community in France is anxiously awaiting clarity on the country’s economic direction following French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou’s shock announcement on Monday that he plans to call a vote of confidence on his centrist minority government on September 8. His high-stakes gamble, which most political pundits expect to fail, is of particular concern for Chinese businesses because it could open the door to power for the protectionist far-right National Rally party. Bayrou...

Politics

1 week ago China urges ‘dialogue’ to resolve Iran nuclear issue as new sanctions loom

Beijing has urged that the Iran nuclear issue be resolved through political and diplomatic means as Tehran faces new economic sanctions. Chinese foreign vice-minister Ma Zhaoxu and Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi spoke by phone on Sunday, during which Ma was described as having voiced China’s hope that all parties concerned would “remain committed to resolving the issue through political and diplomatic means and actively create conditions for an early resumption of dialogue and...

Events

2 w. ago Economic Watch: Tourism booming in Chinese cities where passion finds its symphony

Economic Watch: Tourism booming in Chinese cities where passion finds its symphony  Xinhua

Economics

2 w. ago As US retreats from clean energy race, Chinese firms push into emerging markets

As America retreats from clean energy investment around the world, with US President Donald Trump labelling wind and solar power “the scam of the century” on Wednesday, Chinese “cleantech” firms have been striding into emerging markets in Southeast and Central Asia and Latin America. Mabill Technologies, a Malaysian cleantech start-up developing a predictive AI algorithm that will connect energy efficiency analytics and sustainable cooling solutions, said Chinese investors had been showing...

Economics

2 w. ago Europe’s scorching heatwave sees demand for Chinese air conditioners sizzle

From Paris to Athens, and Lisbon to Berlin, Europeans are enduring a prolonged and punishing summer heatwave amid global warming. And rising right alongside the blazing temperatures are China’s exports of air conditioners (ACs) to the continent, with a nearly 60 per cent jump by volume in July, compared with the same time last year, according to Chinese customs data. The Spanish capital of Madrid kicked off the week under a yellow alert – the third-highest heat warning on a four-tier scale –...

Society

2 w. ago Chinese refiners sweep up Russian oil after Indian demand falls, analysts say

Chinese refiners sweep up Russian oil after Indian demand falls, analysts say  Reuters

Politics

2 w. ago Mainland Chinese tech firms using Hong Kong’s support to ease geopolitical risks

Some mainland Chinese technology companies are choosing to take advantage of Hong Kong’s policies and government support to help mitigate geopolitical risks in their international expansion. Insta360, a company listed in Shanghai that holds a 70 per cent share of the global panoramic camera market, is having its Hong Kong distributor open the company’s first multi-storey global flagship store in the city. “To be able to enter the Hong Kong market is basically the first step for them to go...

Politics