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
- EU Launches In-Depth Foreign Subsidies Probe Into China’s Goldwind — Goldwind didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Financial Times
- 01.ai’s Kai-Fu Lee: Why China will beat the US in consumer AI — Chinese AI pioneer talks about the competition between the technology’s two superpowers and why companies need to be more proactive in adopting it.
- Nvidia AI chip sales to China stalled by US security review — The state department has pushed for close scrutiny before approving export licences.
- Rare earths customers in rush to find alternatives to Chinese suppliers — Trade tensions between Beijing and Washington drive ‘influx’ of funding, says Adamas Intelligence.
- Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison takes Panama to arbitration over canal ports ruling — Beijing warns Central American country will pay ‘heavy price’ after top court ruled to kick out conglomerate from terminals.
The New York Times
- Ruptures in China’s Leadership Could Be Due to Paranoia and Power Plays — U.S. intelligence analysts say that Xi Jinping, China’s leader, has a remarkable level of fear. He has carried out mass purges, and surprised many by removing his top general.
Caixin
- Mercedes Cuts China Sticker Prices to Ease Dealer Losses — Mercedes-Benz Group AG has slashed suggested retail prices for select models in China by about 10%.
- In Depth: European Automakers Look to China as EV Gap Widens — China’s meteoric rise as a global electric vehicle (EV) powerhouse is rattling Europe’s legacy carmakers, many of which are scrambling to forge closer ties with Chinese peers and suppliers after years of slow adaptation to the global shift toward electrification.
- China’s Overseas Graduates Return in Record Numbers as Job Market Shifts — While traditional sectors such as education, consulting and the internet remain the primary destinations for these returnees, there is a marked shift toward emerging industries.
- China Proposes New Law to Dismantle Cybercrime Supply Chains — China is moving to tighten its legal dragnet around the underground economy that fuels online fraud, proposing new legislation aimed at severing the supply lines of anonymous SIM cards, bank accounts and internet infrastructure used by criminal syndicates.
South China Morning Post
- 1 month after Maduro abduction, Venezuela moves to reassure China its investments are safe — Venezuelan envoy Remigio Ceballos dismisses reports US will set the price for all oil transactions between China and Venezuela.
- Xi tells Putin that China-Russia ties are on ‘right trajectory’ and need ‘grand plan’ — Two leaders hold their first meeting this year as Beijing and Moscow seek to boost strategic alignment.
- Chinese AI firms defend safety practices, push back on Western criticism — Chinese developers stress cultural context in AI safety, as domestic models narrow the gap with their US rivals to the closest level yet.
- Why the collapse of the last US-Russia nuclear treaty matters for China and the world — Analysts warn expiry of New Start could trigger vicious circle and three-way arms race between Beijing, Washington and Moscow.
Nikkei Asia
- China’s Honor touts phone battery with double iPhone’s capacity — Silicon-carbon anodes bring big performance boosts but shorter lifespans.
- AMD rakes in $390m from AI chip sales to China but warns of uncertainty — Company sees $100m more revenue from China as Beijing weighs rules on Nvidia, other foreign chips.
- Chinese mine machine maker quits Colombia gold project, cites geopolitics — Facing unpredictable Trump and prices, Shenzhen-listed Naipu says risks are too great.
Bloomberg
- China Hypermart Operator Sun Art Says It’s Unable to Contact CEO — The company said the matter has no material adverse impact on the group and day-to-day management will be temporarily handled by Chairman Julian Juul Wolhardt.
- China’s Services Activity Picks Up in Sign of Economic Momentum — Service industries from restaurants to tourism and entertainment stood out for their resilience when the rest of the consumer economy largely stagnated.
- China Stock Rally Draws 4.9 Million Retail Accounts in January — Risk appetite picked up again in recent weeks as investors piled into artificial intelligence-related shares.
- China to Boost Batteries Sector with New Grid Backup Policy — Beijing has instructed provinces to include batteries in a payment program designed to ensure reliable electricity supplies and enhance the green transition.
Reuters
- Ford and Geely in talks for manufacturing, technology partnership, sources say — Talks include shared vehicle technologies including for automated driving.
- Rights group criticises detention of Chinese journalists after graft report — Police investigate journalists for making ‘false accusations’.
- Chinese solar shares surge after reports of visits from Musk delegations — A team sent by Musk recently visited several photovoltaic companies in China, including those involved in equipment, silicon wafers, battery modules and perovskite technology.
Other Publications
- Foreign Affairs: The Free World Needs Taiwan — Why Solidarity Will Protect Prosperity. By Lin Chia-lung.
- Semafor: China-US competition heats up in Latin America — China has recently suffered a series of setbacks in Latin America as competition with Washington in the region heats up.
- Human Rights Watch: China: Repression Deepens, Extends Abroad — Severe Suppression of Rights of Tibetans, Uyghurs, Unofficial Churches.
- Rest of World: To understand China, we need to understand the Chinese internet — In her new book “The Wall Dancers: Searching for Freedom and Connection on the Chinese Internet,” journalist Yi-Ling Liu examines the country’s censorship, viral trends and growing global power.
