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 to Implement Export Controls on Some Steel Products — Exports of 300 specific steel products will be subject to official approval, according to its commerce ministry.
- China’s Next Play in AI Race? Faster, Easier IPOs — A reform that loosens stock-market listing rules could help local chip makers catch up to foreign rivals via access to fresh funding.
- Tibetan Activists Say China Has Detained Protesters Who Staged Rare Act of Defiance — Dozens of Tibetans protested a gold mine they feared would threaten their livelihood.
The Financial Times
- China signals concern over falling investment — Communist party leadership pledges to ‘stabilise’ major engine of economic growth.
- Solar remains robust despite policy changes in U.S. and China — Emerging economies across Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East would likely see growth in renewables.
The New York Times
- From Chips to Security, China Is Getting Much of What It Wants From the U.S. — For China, President Trump’s moves to loosen chip controls, soften U.S. rhetoric and stay silent on tensions with Japan amount to a rare string of strategic gains.
- Historic Shift Underway in China’s Economy as Investment Slump Deepens — Investment in manufacturing, infrastructure and property is expected to fall this year, a remarkable turn for an economy whose growth reshaped the world.
Caixin
- China’s Car Exports Hit Record Even as Domestic Demand Slows — China’s domestic auto sales cooled in November while exports surged to a record high on strong demand for new-energy vehicles.
- China’s Currency Climbs as Fed Cuts Rates — The Chinese yuan has strengthened toward the 7.05-per-dollar mark.
- How Great Wall Motor Is Remaking Itself for Brazil — To better crack Latin America’s largest auto market, the company has had to rethink everything from engine technology to after-sales services — and even how Brazilians drive.
South China Morning Post
- China’s food-security push to slash soy imports by two-thirds in a decade: Goldman Sachs — Beijing is lowering feed content and making related advancements that analysts say could reduce China’s foreign-soybean dependence dramatically within a decade.
- Japan, U.S. defence chiefs cover radar row and other China tensions in phone call — Washington and Tokyo share ‘serious concerns’ about regional security, reaffirm commitment to alliance.
- Hong Kong court to hand down verdict in Jimmy Lai national security trial on Monday — Former media boss awaits his fate as High Court judges prepare to deliver verdict that could result in him being jailed for life.
Nikkei Asia
- China revs up global sales push despite Trump’s trade war — With plushies, robots and Arabic signs, wholesale hub highlights tactics driving $1tn surplus.
- China to push state-owned AI data centers to use domestic chips — Government pursues self-reliant supply chain even as U.S. opens access to Nvidia products.
Bloomberg
- China Prepares as Much as $70 Billion in Chip Sector Incentives — The scale of the effort — which on the lower end begins to approach the amount of capital Washington set aside for the Chips Act — underscores Beijing’s resolve to reduce its reliance on foreign chipmakers.
- Xi Reins In Nationalism as Chinese Consumers Embrace Japan Goods — It marks an evolution in China’s economic coercion playbook as leaders calibrate their retaliation to avoid denting already weak consumer spending.
- China Forces Reckoning in Europe as Trade Turns Existential — The scale of the imbalances with the European Union was thrown into stark relief days ago when Beijing disclosed its trade surplus.
Reuters
- Major automakers say China poses ‘clear and present threat’ to U.S. auto industry — Major automakers on Thursday urged Washington to prevent Chinese government-backed automakers and battery manufacturers from opening U.S. manufacturing plants.
- JD.com pledges $3.12 billion housing support for couriers — JD.com’s move, announced in a post on its official WeChat account on Friday, follows a similar promise from food delivery firm Meituan.
- Intel has tested chipmaking tools from firm with sanctioned China unit, sources say — Intel’s testing raises national security concerns, China hawks warn.
Other Publications
- The Washington Post: Opinion: Nvidia selling chips to China shows incoherence of Trump trade policy — The president reveals the hollowness of his other “national security” concerns. By the Editorial Board.
- Foreign Affairs: Opinion: The Multipolar Mirage — Why America and China Are the World’s Only Great Powers. By JENNIFER LIND.
- Politico: Trump enlists 5 allies to counter China on rare earths and tech — A new coalition unites Singapore, Australia, Japan, South Korea and Israel.
- The Washington Post: A Chinese whistleblower now living in the US is being hunted by Beijing with help from U.S. tech — Retired Chinese official Li Chuanliang fled to the U.S. seeking asylum, fearing persecution from the Chinese government.
