Good Morning. Welcome to The Wire’s daily news roundup. Each day, our staff gathers the top China business, finance, and economics headlines from a selection of the world’s leading news organizations.
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The Wall Street Journal
- Trump Delays Crackdown on China Imports Loophole — New executive order restores provision that allows low-value shipments to avoid taxes and tariffs.
- Why Trump Wants to Close a Trade Exemption for China — Here’s how to understand de minimis and how it turbocharged bargain platforms Shein and Temu.
- Coaxing Dangerous Information From DeepSeek Is Easier Than With Other AIs — Testing shows the Chinese app is more likely to dispense details on how to make a Molotov cocktail or encourage self-harm by teenagers.
- China’s Consumer Inflation Accelerated in January — The consumer-price index rose 0.5% from a year earlier in January, up from 0.1% in December.
- Trump’s Role in TikTok Talks: Dealmaker in Chief — Vance tapped to help oversee negotiations, with companies including Oracle and Amazon signaling interest while TikTok officials hope to avoid a sale.
- China’s Strategy in Trade War: Threaten U.S. Tech Companies — Preparing for Trump talks, Beijing starts probe of Google and keeps Apple and Broadcom in its sights.
- A Sore Spot in L.A.’s Housing Crisis: Foreign-Owned Homes Sitting Empty — International buyers, particularly from China, have contributed to the hundreds of thousands of vacant properties in Los Angeles County.
- Chinese Carmaker Dongfeng’s Shares Surge on Restructuring News — Chongqing Changan Automobile also announced plans to restructure.
- Trump’s Next Round of Tariffs—25% on Steel and Aluminum—Won’t Be So Easily Averted — Reciprocal tariffs on trading partners are also in the mix as officials say ‘punitive’ tariffs on Mexico and Canada were only a small slice of trade agenda.
The Financial Times
- Trump pauses tariffs on low-cost parcels in U.S.-China trade reprieve — Repeal of ‘de minimis’ exemption had sparked turmoil at U.S. customs and postal service as shipments piled up.
- U.S. and China on edge of trade war as tariff deadline looms — Donald Trump’s shock tactics may have pushed Beijing away from negotiating table, experts say.
- China imposes retaliatory tariffs on $14bn worth of U.S. goods — Beijing may be better prepared this time for renewed trade conflict with Trump, analysts say.
- Trump’s FBI nominee Kash Patel under fire over Shein stake — Controversial official discloses stock in owner of Chinese fast-fashion retailer that has been accused of forced labour.
- China’s inflation accelerates after rise in lunar new year demand — Producer prices contract for 28th month as threat of US trade war clouds economic outlook.
- ‘What’s high tech about clothing?’ Life on the margins of China’s economic reboot — The poor urban neighbourhoods that powered a manufacturing boom are once again on the front lines of Beijing’s plans.
- Chinese chip champion’s ‘snowballing’ growth threatens Korean dominance — CXMT develops AI products and rapidly erodes market share of Samsung and SK Hynix.
- Cook Islands’ ‘strategic’ deal with China angers New Zealand — Agreement with south Pacific archipelago deepens concerns about Beijing’s influence in region.
The New York Times
- Trump Says He Will Announce Reciprocal Tariffs Next Week — The president said he planned to impose tariffs on countries that tax U.S. products. He also paused an action against China, allowing its low-cost products to again enter the U.S. tariff free.
- China Is at Heart of Trump Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum — Existing American tariffs already restrict steel and aluminum shipments from China, which is now flooding other markets with its exports instead.
- What DeepSeek’s Success Tells Us About China’s Ability to Nurture Talent — China produces a vast number of STEM graduates, but it hasn’t been known for innovation. Cultural and political factors may help explain why.
Caixin
- What History Tells Us About Geopolitical Shifts and Its Economic Consequences — Economic hubs, growth drivers and prosperity may move to new locations, forming new networks of exchange.
- How DeepSeek Is Redefining the Future of AI — Its super-efficient open-source models upends U.S. dominance of technology.
- What Are the Key Factors to Spur China’s Consumption? — Fiscal subsidies will boost consumer confidence, but long-term growth relies on higher household income and stronger stock and property markets.
- Regulators Rebut Concerns Drug Bulk-Buying Program Is Falling Short on Quality — National health insurance and medicine authorities say claims about poor efficacy of some centrally procured medications are largely based on ‘anecdotes or subjective feelings’.
South China Morning Post
- Trump’s Panama tensions augur risk for Chinese investments — U.S. claims of Chinese influence in Panama Canal may not affect operations, analysts said, but Beijing’s investments in the region could be a target.
- Why China’s super-rich are spending billions to set up universities — For China’s billionaires, founding new universities offers a chance to make money – and demonstrate they are ‘politically correct’.
- DeepSeek fires up AI deployments into PCs, robots and EVs amid U.S. sanctions — PC giant Lenovo, robotics firm UBTech and EV maker Geely are among the major Chinese hi-tech manufacturers adopting DeepSeek technology.
Nikkei Asia
- U.S. chip curbs hit China harder than expected as TSMC treads carefully — Chinese developers beyond AI face supply disruption from strict compliance efforts.
- Amid tariff crossfire, China set to widen trade with Colombia — New COSCO-operated shipping route to open in U.S.’s backyard.
- South Korea spy agency says DeepSeek ‘excessively’ collects personal data — Officials also worry about the AI’s responses to issues of national pride.
Bloomberg
- Why Fentanyl Is at the Center of New U.S.-China Trade Fight — The comprehensive import tax comes on top of tariffs already in place on certain Chinese goods and sectors.
- DeepSeek Sparks Hope for Renaissance in China’s Tech Megacaps — Investors are reevaluating the nation’s leading internet companies.
- Shein Asks Some Chinese Suppliers to Diversify to Vietnam — Adding supply outside of China will allow Shein to avoid U.S. tariffs.
Reuters
- Canada task force says ex-Finance Minister Freeland target of China-linked campaign — The operation adds to Ottawa’s accusations of election meddling against China.
- In China’s export hub of Yiwu, traders shrug off Trump’s tariffs — Yiwu city in eastern China’s Zhejiang province is the world’s largest wholesale hub for small manufactured items.
- Taiwan’s legacy chip industry contemplates future as China eats into share — By 2027, China’s share is projected to surpass Taiwan’s.
Other Publications
- WIRED: Temu and Shein Raised Prices, Removed Products as Trump’s China Tariffs Went Into Effect —Sellers and shoppers on the two sites say they saw items disappear and prices go up after President Donald Trump implemented tariffs on Chinese imports.
- BBC: Cheaper China e-bikes ‘kick in teeth’ for UK firms — The government said it had accepted a recommendation to revoke anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese e-bikes.
- Foreign Policy: South Korea Has More Leverage Over China Than You Think — The middle power has found a way to survive without bending the knee to Beijing.
- The Economist: China’s stunning new campaign to turn the world against Taiwan — Seventy countries have recently backed “all Chinese efforts” to take the island.
- New York Review of Books: The Fight for Uyghur Rights — An interview with an exiled Uyghur linguist in Norway.
