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
- Cambodian Scam Tycoon Wanted by U.S. Extradited to China — Justice Department accused Chen Zhi of running a sprawling scam empire targeting Americans.
- Canada’s Carney to Visit China Next Week With Focus on Trade — Mark Carney’s latest step to normalize ties with the world’s second-largest economy and reduce Canada’s reliance on the U.S. for trade.
- China Deprives Japan of Rare-Earths Supply, Escalating Dispute — Beijing is punishing Tokyo for leader’s remarks on Taiwan, again wielding critical minerals as an economic weapon.
- China to Review Meta’s Manus Deal — China will assess whether the more-than $2 billion deal for the AI startup fully complies with its rules.
- China Warns AI Startups Seeking to Emulate Meta Deal: Not So Fast — Beijing worries $2.5 billion acquisition of startup Manus will encourage more entrepreneurs to follow in its footsteps.
- China Detains Church Leaders as Crackdown on Religion Intensifies — Authorities have taken away at least four members of a high-profile ‘house church’ in Sichuan province.
- Chinese EV Maker NIO to Enter Australia, New Zealand Markets This Year — NIO also aims to enter the Thai market.
- Chinese AI Firm Zhipu Makes Lukewarm Trading Debut — The company’s stock rose 12% from its initial public offering price.
The Financial Times
- Beijing urged to let renminbi strengthen — Critics say currency is undervalued and being used to subsidise Chinese exports.
- Alleged scam billionaire arrested and sent to China — Chen Zhi has been accused by the U.S. of running one of Asia’s biggest transnational criminal organisations from Cambodia.
- China hacked email systems of U.S. congressional committee staff — Beijing’s intelligence used Salt Typhoon to access communications used by top panels in U.S. Congress.
- Trump’s Venezuela action raises threat for China’s oil supplies — Chinese producers fear similar U.S. intervention in Iran would disrupt access to discounted crude supplies.
The New York Times
- China Is Investigating Meta’s Latest A.I. Acquisition — Regulators said they will look at whether the deal for Manus, a Singapore start-up with Chinese roots, complied with China’s export and investment rules.
- Why Russian Tourists Are Flocking to Southern China’s Beaches — Russians find a refuge on the beaches of Sanya from sanctions and “sideways looks,” toasting the New Year beside a Chinese nuclear submarine base.
Caixin
- Three Tech IPOs Debut in Hong Kong With Mixed Performances — Zhipu AI lagged two other technology listings, as a GPU maker and a surgical robotics company jumped in early trade
- The Downfall of the Cyber Kingpin Behind the $15 Billion Bitcoin Seizure — Chen Zhi posed as a business magnate and philanthropist. Behind the scenes, U.S. and Chinese authorities say he led a vast cyberfraud empire exploiting crypto, forced labor and weak regional oversight.
- China’s AI Toy Story — In the toymaking capital of the world, manufacturers are running into a host of obstacles in the rush to create playthings that can talk back.
South China Morning Post
- Chinese drug makers strike a record $136 billion in out-licensing deals in 2025 — Chinese drug makers signed 157 out-licensing deals with global pharmaceutical firms last year versus 94 a year earlier.
- Mainland Chinese medicine firms tap Hong Kong capital to fuel global expansion — Over the past year, 34 innovation and technology, life and health science companies set up or expanded their operations in Hong Kong.
Nikkei Asia
- Xi Jinping in a bind after Trump’s Venezuela raid — Chinese leader loses face but needs U.S. as he nurses a long-ailing economy.
- China auto imports seen hitting 16-year low as domestic EVs reign — U.S., German brands struggle as gasoline-powered vehicles lose popularity.
- Ping An Insurance sets sights on China’s growing ‘silver economy’ — Building synergies between health care and financial services seen as key to growth.
- China’s shadow hangs over Trump’s renewed push for Greenland — Analysts say U.S. president’s goal is to prevent Beijing gaining a foothold on Arctic Northwest Passage.
Bloomberg
- China’s OpenAI Rival Zhipu Debuts in HK After $558 Million IPO — The listing offers an early test of whether markets view these companies as credible challengers to U.S. peers.
- Pirelli, Sinochem Mull Lowering of Stake in Tiremaker to 10% — Resolving the impasse has become increasingly urgent as Pirelli seeks to safeguard its U.S. business.
- China to Approve Nvidia H200 Buying as Soon as This Quarter — Chinese officials are preparing to allow local companies to buy the component from Nvidia for select commercial use, sources said.
- Asia Bankers Fear U.S. Scrutiny of Loans Involving Chips, China — The impact sheds light on how cautious lenders are getting, despite strong demand from tech firms for financing.
- Trump Opens New Front Against China With Brazen Arrest of Maduro — The American leader’s move to strongarm Venezuela threatens to open up new flashpoints between the U.S. and China.
Reuters
- Exclusive: Nvidia requires full upfront payment for H200 chips in China, sources say — The U.S. chipmaker has imposed unusually stringent terms requiring full payment for orders with no options to cancel, ask for refunds or change configurations after placement, sources said.
- Exclusive: India plans to scrap curbs on Chinese firms bidding for government contracts — New Delhi seeks to revive commercial ties in an environment of reduced border tensions.
Other Publications
- The Information: China Tells Tech Companies to Halt Nvidia H200 Chip Orders — Beijing wants local technology companies to stop stockpiling U.S. chips before it decides whether or not to allow them access.
- The Guardian: ‘Hard to say who’s winning’: China and Australia battle for influence in Solomon Islands policing — Beijing and Canberra have adopted different strategies to support policing in the Pacific nation and observers are split on which is proving more effective.
