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
- Trump Targets China’s Tech Sector by Expanding Trade Blacklist — Officials are concerned about U.S. technology helping China’s AI companies.
- China’s DeepSeek Unveils New AI Model That Could Halve Usage Cost — Chinese tech firms have been stepping up efforts to upgrade their LLMs as competition rises.
- Tourists Are Flocking to a Chinese Megacity That’s Straight Out of Sci-Fi — Dizzying architecture, bright lights and a cyberpunk vibe have made Chongqing a must-see destination for Chinese and international tourists alike.
- WeRide Aims to Have Up to 1,000 Robotaxis in Middle East in 2026 — The Chinese company’s plan is to focus on regions where its services will be in high demand.
- Zijin Gold Soars in Hong Kong Debut, Hits Nearly $40 Billion Valuation — Shares jumped 65% early Tuesday to 118.00 Hong Kong dollars.
- China’s Manufacturing Activity Contracts Again — The official manufacturing purchasing managers index rose to 49.8 in September, from 49.4 in August.
The Financial Times
- Trump administration tightens export controls on Chinese companies — New rules affects subsidiaries of entities blacklisted by the U.S. government.
- CPS must give ‘clear explanation’ after dropping alleged China spying case, say MPs — Demand by chairs of two Commons committees comes after calls for investigation from senior Tories.
- Zijin Gold shares soar in Hong Kong trading debut — Listing of Chinese mining spin-off comes as precious metal hits record high price.
- Chinese EVs threaten Japan’s dominance of south-east Asia car market — Affordable electric vehicles spearhead China’s assault on traditional stronghold for Japanese automakers.
- China’s factory activity suffers longest decline in six years — Six-month contraction in manufacturing sector comes as policymakers seek to revive economic momentum.
- Opinion: China’s Alibaba is a late entrant to the AI pantheon — For now the big difference with the Metas and Googles is that China’s tech giants remain largely domestic beasts. By Lex.
- Opinion: A window to a future where China wins the green race — As electricity becomes the new oil the developing world may be a forerunner in co-operating with China. By Edward White.
The New York Times
- Trump Expands Global Technology Net With Rules Covering Subsidiaries — The Trump administration issued a rule to automatically extend trade restrictions for organizations on the “entity list” to any majority-owned subsidiary.
- What It Takes to Get Lunch Delivered to the 70th Floor — An informal network of last-mile runners close the gap between harried delivery drivers and hungry office workers in a Shenzhen skyscraper.
- Peace Broker, Arms Supplier: China’s Dual Roles in a Deadly Conflict — China urged Cambodia and Thailand to end their border war in July. But weeks earlier, it had sent rockets and artillery shells to Cambodia, Thai intelligence documents show.
Caixin
- Hong Kong on Track to Issue First Stablecoin Licenses in Early 2026 — Financial secretary says the process is proceeding as planned, as the city focuses on building a regulated digital asset ecosystem that balances innovation with risk management.
- iFlytek Redirects $337 Million to Boost Domestic AI Computing Amid U.S. Sanctions — Chinese AI giant revises private placement plan to double down on homegrown computing infrastructure from partners like Huawei, cutting its reliance on U.S. tech.
- China Opens Satellite Market to Big Three Carriers in Push for Global Edge — Licenses for China Mobile and China Unicom end China Telecom’s dominance, fueling a race to bring direct-to-device satellite links to millions of users.
- China Revises Maritime Law, Paving Way for Retaliation Against U.S. Fee Hikes — New amendments empower Beijing to impose retaliatory measures on foreign vessels amid U.S. “301” maritime probe.
South China Morning Post
- Argentina’s soy exports to China soar, angering U.S. — China’s soybean buyers turn to Argentina after tax drop, leaving US farmers sidelined and Washington unhappy.
- Is China’s ‘going global’ strategy at risk after U.S. widens its trade blacklist? — The impact on Chinese firms operating overseas could be significant, analysts say.
- Has Lutnick signalled the end of Taiwan’s ‘silicon shield’ against Beijing? — Island sees its semiconductor industry as a security guarantee but the U.S. commerce secretary wants production split 50-50 with America.
- Top battery scientist Stefano Passerini relocates from Germany to China — Italian researcher, a member of Germany’s National Academy of Sciences, will head a new institute at Nanjing Normal University.
Nikkei Asia
- China banks on ‘super golden week’ to boost slowing consumption — Officials expect 2.36bn trips over eight-day break, backed by $46m in subsidies.
- Vietnam offers factory perks as U.S. tariffs hit Chinese suppliers — Trump’s war on transshipment piles pressure on country to localize supply chains.
Bloomberg
- China’s Grocery Giants Use Aldi Tactics to Lure Frugal Shoppers — China’s revamped aisles are the latest effort to reignite sluggish retail sales.
- China Bans New BHP Iron Ore Cargoes as Pricing Dispute Grows — Leaders of Asia’s largest economy have grown more willing to leverage its clout in raw materials markets.
- How the U.S. Under Trump Fits Into China-Taiwan Tensions — Trump’s transactional approach to foreign policy has cast doubt on Washington’s steadfast backing of Taiwan.
- Opinion: China’s Drugmakers Have More to Fear From Washington — They have been spared by the latest U.S. tariffs, but longer-term risks remain. By Juliana Liu.
Reuters
- Exclusive: Labubu-maker Pop Mart learns from Disney to capitalise on toy’s viral success — The firm sees plenty of potential to develop content, entertainment, theme parks and more merchandise around the Labubu character.
Other Publications
- The Economist: China’s stockmarket rally may hurt the economy — The “wealth effect” is not the only way it has an impact.
- The Washington Post: China sentences 11 criminal gang leaders to death for scam operations — The court punished the ringleaders of a huge scam operation in northern Myanmar, which officials say involved human trafficking, illegal gambling and cybercrime.
- Rest of World: China charges ahead as South Korea’s battery giants lose their spark — South Korea’s top battery makers are losing ground as Chinese firms dominate with cheaper technology, factory scale, and state backing.
