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
- Xi Is Chasing a Huge Concession From Trump: Opposing Taiwan Independence — The Chinese leader views the president’s eagerness for a trade deal as an opportunity to press for his top goal.
- China’s Premier Outlines Deeper Commitment to U.N. — The most senior-level Beijing official to address the General Assembly in a decade challenges tariffs and pledges wider role.
- U.S. Military Is Struggling to Deploy AI Weapons — The work is being shifted to a new organization, called DAWG, to accelerate plans to buy thousands of drones in preparation for a potential conflict with China.
- Pentagon Pushes to Double Missile Production for Potential China Conflict — Military leaders are urging defense contractors to increase assembly of 12 critical weapons.
- China’s Anti-Japan Dramas Get a Gen Z Makeover — Elements from videogames are being used to depict the horrors of World War II for a new generation of Chinese.
- Chinese Retailer Miniso Jumps on Collectible-Toys Train With Spinoff — Top Toy’s planned listing comes hot on the heels of the global frenzy over Labubu dolls.
- China Industrial Profit Rose Sharply in August — Beijing’s recent ramped-up drive to curb excess capacity and rein in cutthroat business competition is starting to bear fruit.
- Opinion: America Is Losing Its Ability to Deter China — Beijing is relentlessly building its military as its leaders issue ominous threats against Taiwan. By Seth G. Jones.
The Financial Times
- U.S. soyabean farmers squeezed as China blocks imports and stockpiles rise — Overseas sales of top U.S. export crop plummet as trade talks between Washington and Beijing stall.
- China industrial profits return to growth — Boost comes as Xi Jinping calls on companies to stem aggressive price competition.
- China sends 2,000 workers to build battery power in Europe — Massive labour import to Spain spotlights EU’s dependence on Beijing’s EV tech.
- Democracy activist Nathan Law denied entry to Singapore — Hong Kong has issued a bounty for arrest of former student leader of the Umbrella Movement protest group.
- TikTok’s Chinese owner set for outsized share of U.S. profits under Trump deal — ByteDance set for greater financial upsides than U.S. shareholders following Washington-Beijing agreement.
The New York Times
- What Salt Typhoon Shows About the Cyber Power of China’s Spy Agency — Fears of U.S. surveillance drove Xi Jinping, China’s leader, to elevate the agency and put it at the center of his cyber ambitions.
- The Missiles Threatening Taiwan — China’s rapidly growing missile force threatens Taiwan and the U.S. forces that protect the island.
- Jerome Cohen, Lawyer Who Plumbed Chinese Legal System, Dies at 95 — He pioneered the study of Chinese law, was among the first foreigners to practice commercial law in China and spoke out about human rights there.
- China’s Small Steps Look Bigger Next to Trump’s Retreat — Beijing’s climate and trade pledges at the U.N. highlighted how modest moves can stand out when the United States is pulling back from global leadership.
- Russia and China Fail to Delay U.N. ‘Snapback’ Sanctions Against Iran Over Nuclear Program — The unsuccessful bid to put off the sanctions for six months over Iran’s nuclear program means they would go into effect early Sunday in Iran.
- At U.N., China Casts Itself as Defender of International Order — Li Qiang, China’s second-highest-ranking official, portrayed Beijing as stable leader at a time when President Trump is pulling back from international institutions.
Caixin
- A Recipe for Satisfaction After Diners Express Doubts Over Pre-Cooked Meals — As pre-made meals become more common, a public backlash demands clarity on what’s fresh, what’s not and who decides.
- Alleged Chinese Mastermind Behind Massive Bitcoin Money Laundering Stands Trial in U.K. — Qian Zhimin was accused of defrauding hundreds of thousands of Chinese investors of tens of billions of yuan before fleeing overseas.
- China to Create Department to Tackle Trillions in Local Government Debt — The finance ministry is elevating its oversight of government debt as it works toward a 2027 deadline to eliminate hidden liabilities.
- China Opens Bond Repo Market Wider to Foreign Investors in Push for Global Integration — New rules align with international practices, giving foreign funds greater access to onshore liquidity.
- China’s Steel Industry Faces $14 Billion Green Financing Gap as Decarbonization Push Accelerates — Think tank says outdated rules and financing hurdles threaten industry’s path to carbon neutrality.
South China Morning Post
- Maths star Yuan Yuan returns to China after more than 20 years in U.S. — Internationally renowned complex geometry researcher leaves New York to join Hangzhou’s ‘first class’ Westlake University as maths professor.
- How Huawei and DeepSeek are tending the garden of China’s AI aspirations — Amid growing AI rivalry with the US, the two companies are leading China’s drive to shake off the nation’s dependence on Nvidia processors.
- China’s industrial revolution to make rockets and satellites like cars — Borrowing from the motor industry, the national aerospace sector embraces a new mass production operating model.
- How TCM is expanding China’s soft power in Africa – from Tunisia to Chad — New centers are upskilling Africans in traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture, making every graduate an ‘ambassador’ for the approach.
Nikkei Asia
- Xi dials down Jack Ma feud in pursuit of China tech dominance — Alibaba tech featured on state broadcast highlighting AI and chip prowess.
- Nissan’s China venture to invest $130m in SUV tie-up with Dongfeng Motor — Company expected to contribute production equipment, know-how for 10% stake.
- Chinese electronics manufacturer Baseus wants to be no. 1 in Europe — Company hopes to win fans with Bose tie-up but faces rivals like Anker, QCY.
- China making inroads after pushback in key Solomon Islands province — Trump’s U.S. pullout gives China room to expand its aid and infrastructure support.
- UAE sovereign wealth fund underscores China commitment — Beijing aims for closer economic ties with Middle East amid trade war with U.S.
Bloomberg
- A Crypto Billionaire’s Path From Pariah to Trump Moneyman — Justin Sun was facing an SEC fraud case, but $90 million of Trump coins later, he’s doing business with the president’s family.
- New World’s Distress Is Cautionary Tale for Hong Kong’s Billionaire Families — The city’s great business dynasties are struggling to shake habits that made their founders rich — and wondering if their next generations can carry the legacy forward.
- Huawei to Double Output of Top AI Chip as Nvidia Wavers in China — If Huawei can hit those targets, it would represent a technical breakthrough for a company regarded as China’s best hope of weaning itself off the foreign chips.
- Beijing’s Plan to Cut Oil Refining Capacity Stumbles in Regions — Failing to reduce overcapacity in refining bodes ill for efforts to solve the problem in more vibrant areas of the economy.
- China’s Holiday Spree, Service Pivot May Revive Consumer Stocks — The push to rebalance China’s industrial-heavy economy toward consumption and services will partly play out through holiday spending.
Reuters
- China’s new K visa beckons foreign tech talent as U.S. hikes H-1B fee — The program is part of an effort by Beijing to portray itself as a country welcoming foreign investment and talent.
- ByteDance expected to maintain big role in new U.S. TikTok, sources say — Its bigger-than-expected role in the new TikTok entity lays out the continued and significant involvement of the China-based global tech giant.
- Under Trump, U.S. cedes its share of China’s beef market to Australia — U.S. shipments to China, worth around $120 million a month, collapsed in March.
Other Publications
- The Washington Post: NBA basketball was huge in China. The league is hoping for a rebound. — The Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns will play the first games in the lucrative Chinese market since the Houston Rockets controversy of 2019.
- Foreign Affairs: China Goes on Offense — Beijing’s Plans to Exploit American Retreat.
- Foreign Policy: The TikTok Deal Is America’s White Flag in the Tech War With China — Beijing will still retain considerable influence over the U.S. version of the app.
