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
- Taiwan Test-Fires U.S.-Supplied Missile Launcher Toward China — The island staged the first use of Himars on the Taiwan Strait as part of invasion-defense drills.
- China’s Producer Inflation Gains Pace as Mideast War Fuels Higher Prices — China’s factory-gate inflation accelerated in May as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continued to drive up energy and commodity costs.
- The World’s Great Powers Are Learning They Have Limits — European nations, Asian democracies and Canada have all moved to strengthen military, economic and security ties — in part to offset their dependence on the U.S., and on China.
The Financial Times
- BYD to spend €2bn to build out 5-minute flash chargers in Europe — Chinese EV maker banks on ultrarapid battery technology to take market share from legacy rivals.
- Will Trump abandon Taiwan? — The threat from China is rising — and the U.S. president is keeping one of the world’s most dangerous flashpoints in suspense.
- GM bets on homegrown battery tech to challenge Chinese dominance — U.S. carmakers pivot to energy storage batteries for AI as they seek to counter weak electric vehicle sales.
- China factory gate prices rise at fastest rate in 4 years — Energy costs climb as Iran war cuts off supply through Strait of Hormuz.
- Oil market defies predictions of summer supply crunch — Crude prices stay below $100 a barrel as China’s import cuts help eke out global stockpiles.
- Taiwan’s opposition leader tells U.S. and China not to use her country as ‘pawn’ — KMT chair calls for more dialogue between Taipei and Beijing in FT interview ahead of her visit to Washington.
The New York Times
- Trump’s Sharp Turn on China: Embracing It as a Peer Power — President Trump’s warming with Xi Jinping of China, a leader he admires, has ignited anxieties in Washington and across Asia.
- Behind the Pageantry in Pyongyang With Xi and Kim — Xi Jinping and Kim Jong-un projected unity and deeper ties this week, but the dynamic between China and North Korea has evolved considerably.
Caixin
- China’s Gig Economy Boom Cools, Widening a Blue-Collar Divide — As ride-hailing and delivery growth slows, a stark gap in earnings and job security is opening up between tech-platform workers and traditional laborers.
- How the AI Boom Is Propping Up China’s Export Engine — Amid mounting geopolitical friction and shifting global trade winds, China’s export engine is roaring back to life. But the primary fuel isn’t cheap apparel or plastic toys.
- China Central Bank-Linked Official Placed Under Investigation — A Chinese financial official with a career spanning capital markets, local government and central bank regulation has been taken away by authorities in an investigation.
South China Morning Post
- Trump’s China thaw faces resistance from Congress and his own administration — U.S. president’s warmer tone towards Beijing has raised hopes in China, but US tariffs, export curbs and lawmakers tell a different story.
Nikkei Asia
- Tencent raises $4.6bn in dual dollar, yuan bond issuances — Major U.S. banks involved in Chinese tech titan’s first greenback bond since 2021.
- Japan’s new defense document to name China the biggest concern — White paper to cite Chinese radar incident and detail North Korean developments.
- World Cup tests Asia’s appetite for costly broadcast rights — Overnight kickoffs, new viewing habits, streaming’s rise complicate FIFA revenue push.
Bloomberg
- Philippines, Japan Plan Sea Border Talks Amid China Warning — The Philippines intends to pursue talks on maritime borders with Japan despite opposition from Beijing, according to Manila’s Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro.
- Xinjiang Chief Touts Trade, Diplomacy as Hormuz Disruption Bites — China is pitching its Xinjiang region as a commercial gateway to Central Asia and Europe, with Chen Xiaojiang vowing to deepen cooperation with neighbors.
- Opinion: China Is Planning for AI’s Job Shock. America Isn’t — The Chinese government has started to warn employers not to cut jobs as they adopt AI, and court rulings have sided with laid-off tech workers. By Catherine Thorbecke.
Reuters
- China Inc deploys ‘quiet’ layoffs as Beijing promotes AI adoption — AI adoption outpaces job creation, raising youth unemployment and worker anxiety, analysts and surveys show.
- Philippines urges China to remove shoal structure, warns against island-building — Manila lodged a diplomatic protest with China over the presence of a “movable platform,” which the Philippine Coast Guard said was likely deployed by Chinese research vessels.
- Chinese hackers pose biggest espionage threat to tech firms, CrowdStrike says — The campaigns align with the Chinese government’s strategic priorities and a sustained interest in tech development, IP, and information with strategic and economic value.
Other Publications
- Foreign Affairs: The Fault Lines in China’s Power — America Must Build — and Use — Leverage Against Beijing.
- The Guardian: Being a woman in China is getting harder. But in Chengdu, female-only spaces are flourishing — The socially relaxed city has seen a cautious feminist revival despite authorities’ growing alarm at women who shun traditional roles.
