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
- China’s Bid for Tech Prowess to Keep Lid on Consumption Boost — China’s leaders have again pledged to give consumption a bigger role in driving growth, but economists remain unconvinced.
- China’s Exports Unexpectedly Contract — Exports contracted in October from a year earlier, dragged by a high base of comparison and cooling overseas demand after months of front-loading.
- New Aircraft Carrier Advances China’s Naval Power — Leader Xi Jinping marked a step in his mission to modernize the nation’s military.
- How the Lowly Soybean Got Trapped in the Crossfire of the U.S.-China Trade Wars — Farmers from the heartland have come to depend on Chinese consumers for their livelihood, handing Beijing a potent weapon as it negotiates with Trump.
- China’s Shift to Clean Energy Is Saving the Paris Climate Accord — Beijing’s massive manufacturing investments have driven the costs of clean energy down.
- MP Materials Third-Quarter Loss Widens After Ceasing China Sales — The mining company recorded a wider loss and lower revenue in the third quarter after it stopped selling to China to align with the U.S. government’s trade goals.
The Financial Times
- Nexperia chip exports from China have resumed, says car parts supplier — Beijing had blocked exports of vital carmaking component after row with Dutch government.
- US backs Brazilian mine to help loosen China’s grip on rare earths — $465mn loan will help Serra Verde expand output as global processing capacity increases.
- China’s exports fall for first time since ‘liberation day’ trade tariffs — Unexpected decline comes even as President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping seal a truce.
- The book that China watchers count on — The country’s annual statistical compendium is now available, but only in hardback.
The New York Times
- China’s Exports Unexpectedly Falter as Prices Keep Falling — Exports of cars, solar panels and batteries remain strong, but prices are falling because of factory overcapacity in China.
- China’s New Aircraft Carrier Enters Service, a Sign of Naval Ambitions — The Fujian, China’s most advanced carrier, went into official service this week. It brings the country closer to challenging U.S. naval dominance.
- How China’s Rare Earth Chokehold Could Strangle Europe’s Military Buildup — Drones, missiles and other crucial components of Europe’s rush to rearm itself rely on an increasingly unsteady supply of minerals from China.
Caixin
- Are China’s Futuristic EV Designs Sacrificing Safety for Style? — A fatal crash involving a Xiaomi sedan drew national attention when passersby were unable to open the vehicle’s flush, power-operated door handles — a design that regulators were already looking at banning.
- Thaw in China Relations Brings Good Vibes to Canada’s Energy, Agri-Food Businesses — Trade and investment in the pillar industries are showing signs of recovery, say speakers at an industry forum.
- Volkswagen Turns to Xpeng Chips and Driving Tech for Next-Gen China Models — The German automaker will integrate Xpeng’s self-developed Turing chips and advanced driver-assistance system into new VW-branded vehicles launching in 2026 — deepening its local tech ties in the world’s biggest EV market.
- China Unveils Ambitious Plan to Weave AI Into Healthcare System — A new five-year directive aims to deploy artificial intelligence across the medical field, from advanced diagnostics in top hospitals to assisting doctors in rural clinics.
- How Corruption Burned Through China’s Firefighting Services — A nationwide crackdown has exposed high-ranking officials who bought promotions, rigged procurement deals and traded safety approvals for cash.
South China Morning Post
- Can the EU walk a strategic autonomy tightrope in the China-US tug of war? — China’s efforts to persuade EU to treat ties ‘as a strategic partnership are reaching their limits’, says former diplomat Cui Hongjian.
- China crosses US second island chain with deep-sea cobalt mining rover in western Pacific — Chinese scientists test robotic miner built to harvest valuable metals from the ocean’s floor.
- Chinese AI models comparable to US ones in frontier risks, study finds — As AI systems grow more powerful, their potential to endanger public safety and social stability has raised alarms.
- China warns against abandoning traditional sectors in economic transition — ‘New quality productive forces’ drive does not mean casting traditional industries aside, party journal says, urging localities to be prudent.
- Opinion: How Deng Xiaoping secured China’s winning hand in the tech war — Years before Washington would target Beijing’s tech industry, the Chinese leader unleashed the country’s scientific potential. By Alex Lo.
Nikkei Asia
- Yum China CEO wields innovation and emotion to profit in bad times — KFC and Pizza Hut operator cooks up creative campaigns, expands in smaller cities.
- Indie Chinese film festival in US canceled after pressure campaign — Organizer’s reports of harassment echo other allegations of transnational repression.
- Opinion: China’s overseas drive risks fueling ‘EV nationalism’ — Chinese electric vehicles are increasingly heading into Europe, other markets. By Abishur Prakash.
Bloomberg
- The AI Showdown: How the US and China Stack Up — It’s been almost three years since the US kicked off the artificial intelligence boom, and most of the world is still trying to catch up. Only one country is close to matching the US in AI development: China.
- He Allegedly Stole Billions From Scam Victims. His Own Family Office Chief Stole From Him — While China-born businessman Chen Zhi was building an empire now enmeshed in criminal allegations, his family office ran into seemingly minor technical glitches.
- Opinion: US-China Trade Truce Is an Opening for Progress — The US should use the coming months to explore whether more substantive compromise with China might be possible and to strengthen its position. By The Editorial Board.
Reuters
- China starts work on easing rare earth export rules but short of Trump hopes — The Ministry of Commerce told some exporters they will be able to apply for streamlined permits in the future and in industry briefings outlined the forms that will be required.
- Grassroots leagues revive China’s soccer dream — An amateur soccer league has unexpectedly drawn millions of fans and inspired big cities to form their own, raising hopes China can grow talent from the ground up and finally become a global force.
- EU must protect car industry from Chinese rivals, commissioner says — The European Commission aims to announce the creation of a new category of affordable small EVs to counter Chinese competition and revive the internal market as part of a broader strategy.
Other Publications
- Foreign Policy: To Counter China, Look to the ‘Other Trilat’ — The U.S.-Philippines-Japan partnership needs institutionalization.
- The Economist: What a leaked transcript reveals about China’s muscular statecraft — It is determined to protect pipelines and rare-earth mines in Myanmar.
- The Information: U.S. to Block Nvidia’s Sale of Scaled-Back AI Chips to China — The White House has said it won’t allow Nvidia to sell its latest scaled-down AI chips to China, despite President Trump’s hints that he might allow the company to do so.
