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
- Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai Given 20-Year Sentence, Adding Friction to U.S.-China Ties — World leaders have called for release of 78-year-old who became face of democracy movement.
- The Chinese Factory That Opened in the U.S. and Clobbered Its Rivals — President Trump has pressured trading partners for investment in U.S. manufacturing plants. What if local industries can’t compete?
- The Chinese ‘Auntie’ Investors Behind the Gold and Silver Frenzy — Average households worried about global instability have flocked to buy precious metals — only to be whipsawed by recent price swings.
- The U.S. Navy’s New Insurance Policy for War With China Is an Australian Base — The Pentagon plans to deploy submarines to an expanding facility in allies’ strategy to deter Beijing.
- China Is Going All-In to Beat the U.S. on Humanoid Robots — Elon Musk told investors that Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot will revolutionize the world. But most of it could belong to China, he warned.
- Squeezed by U.S. and China, the World’s Middle Powers Are Teaming Up — Nations are increasingly seeking to bypass the bigger players on trade, supply chains and security.
- U.S. Accuses China of Secretly Conducting Nuclear Tests — The allegation comes as the White House pushes Beijing to agree to new nuclear talks after the New Start arms-control deal expired this week.
The Financial Times
- Chinese companies overtake US in Singapore investment — Businesses have been using city-state to avoid geopolitical scrutiny and expand abroad.
- UK universities told to step up defences against intimidation by China — Security services to launch advisory scheme for threatened academics in wake of Sheffield Hallam row.
- China’s heavy industry starts long march from rust belt to sunshine — One of the country’s most polluting industries is relocating from the northern rust belt to renewables-rich south-west.
- The three-way race for Brazil’s rare earths heats up — U.S., EU and China compete for South American nation’s vast deposits of the critical minerals as trade tensions loom.
- China warns U.S. arms sales to Taiwan could threaten Trump visit — Washington is poised to authorise sale of Patriots and other weapons systems to Taipei.
- Neighbours of proposed Chinese ‘mega’ embassy seek judicial review — Residents of properties with Beijing-owned freehold set out legal arguments.
The New York Times
- Jimmy Lai’s 20-Year Sentence Follows Beijing’s Playbook on Dissent — The sentence for the media mogul, along with long prison terms for his editors, shows how Hong Kong enforces Xi Jinping’s red lines with a new severity.
- China’s Presence Looms Large in Japan’s Election — Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s handling of bilateral relations has become a campaign issue. Her earlier comments on Taiwan brought reprisals from Beijing.
- China Reverses Death Sentence for Canadian in a Small Win for Carney — The ruling by China’s highest court followed a recent meeting between China and Canada’s top leaders that led to a thaw in the two countries’ relations.
Caixin
- Why China’s Venture Capital Buyback Safety Net Is Fraying — Years of IPO bottlenecks and poor enforceability have exposed the limits of buyback clauses as a risk-control tool.
- China Reinforces Crypto Ban, Maps Rules for Real-World-Asset Tokens — New notice reiterates illegality of virtual-currency activity while putting nascent asset tokenization under tight supervision.
- BYD Sues Trump Administration for Tariff Refund — The EV giant accuses Washington of overstepping its authority to levy the tax under an emergency act as thousands of similar cases await a supreme court ruling.
- Kuaishou Hit With $17 Million Fine After Livestreaming Breakdown — Regulators say automated attacks exposed gaps in the short-video giant’s cybersecurity defenses.
- China’s Vaccine Exports Rebound as Drugmakers Look Abroad — Exports of human vaccines rose 54% last year, driven by non-Covid shots from companies like Walvax and Wantai seeking growth outside a saturated home market.
South China Morning Post
- A very Chinese time? How memes are paving the way for a soft power shift — Western social media trends paint ‘Chineseness’ in a positive light, but observers question whether Beijing will benefit.
- China executed a series of Myanmese crime bosses. What does it say about its regional influence? — The condemned headed family syndicates that trapped Chinese abroad in massive scam centres.
- Luckin’s 30,000th store milestone adds buzz to China’s brewing coffee battle — Xiamen-headquartered chain pushes to integrate supply network worldwide and accelerate growth in markets from Asia to the U.S.
- As traditional U.S. allies hedge their bets, will China be the one to cash in? — ‘Trump shock’ has prompted a thaw between other Western leaders and Beijing, a trend that raises questions about its deeper long-term impact.
- Opinion: TikTok deal good for Chinese owners but terrible for users in the United States — The social media platform, now majority owned by Americans, will herald a new era of state control and corporate manipulation of US citizens. By Alex Lo.
Nikkei Asia
- Cuba scrambles to build Asian ties beyond China under U.S. pressure — Rare Tokyo investment seminar held amid warnings of humanitarian ‘collapse’.
- BYD to rev up Japan sales with EV mini-dealerships — China automaker eyes growth overseas from minicars amid struggles at home.
- Opinion: As Trump trashes the dollar, China smells opportunity — Xi is on a mission to build a ‘strong yuan’ and end the greenback’s dominance. By William Pesek.
Bloomberg
- China Urges Banks to Curb Exposure to US Treasuries — Chinese regulators have advised financial institutions to rein in their holdings of US Treasuries, citing concerns over concentration risks and market volatility, according to sources.
- Nvidia Is Heading Back to China. Here’s Why It’s Fraught — Nvidia Corp.’s Jensen Huang finally got what he spent months lobbying for when the US government authorized the company to sell its workhorse artificial intelligence chip to China.
- Opinion: China’s Energy Future Still Runs on Old Technology — The country will need close to 600 GWh to meet electricity demand, with any shortfalls being met by China’s coal generators. By David Fickling.
Reuters
- Chinese robot makers ready for Lunar New Year entertainment spotlight — In China, humanoid robot manufacturers are pitching their song-and-dance skills to the general public as well as potential customers, investors and government officials.
Other Publications
- Foreign Policy: Xi Jinping Can Never Trust His Own Military — China’s leader has created a system of permanent insecurity.
- Foreign Affairs: Beijing’s Growth Model Is Still Broken — And It’s Hurting China and the Rest of the World.
- Rest of World: The great Chinese EV exodus — A consolidation among Chinese carmakers is flooding markets from São Paulo to Dubai.
- The Guardian: ‘Was I scared going back to China? No’: Ai Weiwei on AI, western censorship and returning home — He has been jailed, tracked and threatened by China’s government. What was it like to pay a visit home?
