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 Administration Enacts Security Rules for Nvidia’s China Chip Sales — Chip designer and customers must satisfy security requirements before exports are approved.
- China’s Trade Surplus Reaches Record, Defying Expectations of Tariff-Driven Slowdown — China reported a $1.19 trillion surplus in 2025, with exports growing 5.5%.
The Financial Times
- How the west fell behind in the green tech race — European companies pioneered much of the technology used in renewables, but have they left it too late to compete with China?
- Carmakers find workaround for Nexperia chip shortage — Auto groups buy wafers from chipmaker’s Dutch arm and ship them to its Chinese unit to avoid output stoppages.
- Cambodia looks to reduce reliance on China amid US trade war — Deputy PM says Trump’s ‘liberation day’ tariffs were a ‘wake-up call’ for country’s dependence on Beijing.
The New York Times
- Trump Says He Will Impose a 25 Percent Tariff on Countries Trading With Iran — If President Trump follows through, some of Iran’s biggest trading partners, including China and India, could be hit hard.
- Trump Administration Nears Trade Deal With Taiwan — The deal would cut tariffs and include a commitment from Taiwanese Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation, the island’s chip giant, to build more manufacturing plants in the United States.
- Beijing Won Its War for Blue Skies, but Villagers Are Paying the Price — China banned the burning of coal for heat around Beijing, but natural gas subsidies have run out, leaving many villagers vulnerable in dangerously cold weather.
Caixin
- Affordability Hampers Effort to Bring Greener Gas Heating to China’s Frigid North — Affordability has emerged as a major obstacle to Beijing’s push for cleaner air in northern China.
- China’s Steel Exports Hit Record High as Domestic Demand Slumps — The 7.5% year-on-year increase in shipments pushed volumes past the previous peak of 112.4 million tons set in 2015.
- Volkswagen’s China Sales Drop 8% as EV Rivals Reshape Market — Volkswagen still holds the title of China’s top-selling foreign carmaker, but it has ceded overall market leadership to domestic champions.
South China Morning Post
- Hong Kong corporate governance activist David Webb dies at 60 — A champion of transparency and investor rights, whose investigations and sharp commentaries unsettled the financial elite.
- The AI boom needs electricity, but Western grids are strained. Is power China’s power? — China’s energy buildout means cheap, green and reliable electricity fuels its manufacturing and tech industries, giving it an edge over rivals.
- Taiwan and the US launch joint production of 155mm artillery shells amid blockade fears — Island’s defence ministry says Ukraine war underscores urgency of securing sustained ammunition supply in event of armed conflict.
Nikkei Asia
- US gives green light to Nvidia H200 chip exports to China — China hawks in Washington worry the AI chips will supercharge Beijing’s military.
- Canadian PM’s China oil pitch risks blunting Trump’s Venezuela strategy — Carney aims to boost pipeline, reduce US reliance, but faces tricky superpower balance.
- Opinion: The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is taking on too much risk — Pivotal bourse must safeguard investors by doing due diligence and vetting. By Iain O’Brien.
Bloomberg
- Taiwan Issues Arrest Warrant for OnePlus CEO for China Hires — Taiwan doesn’t allow Chinese companies to set up local operations or hire locally without formal government approval.
- US Clears Path for Nvidia to Sell H200s to China Via New Rule — Companies seeking export approval must meet certain stipulations, including limiting chip shipments to China to no more than 50% of total products made for the US market.
- China to Offer Canola Relief for Easing EV Curbs During Carney Visit — Canadian government officials hope to make progress on easing trade frictions, but played down the prospect of a quick deal on EV tariffs.
- China’s 2025 Trade Surplus Hit $1.2 Trillion as Exports Soar — Exports increased 6.6% in December from a year earlier, growing at the fastest pace in three months.
Reuters
- China’s heavy reliance on Iranian oil imports — China is uniquely exposed to any supply disruption from conflict in the Middle East.
- Beijing tells Chinese firms to stop using US and Israeli cybersecurity software, sources say — Beijing has been keen to replace Western-made technology.
- China’s 2025 trade with Russia posts first decline in 5 years — The decline followed a slide in demand in Russia for Chinese cars and a drop in the value of China’s imports of Russian crude oil.
Other Publications
- Barron’s: President Trump to U.S. Car Makers: ‘Let China Come.’ — The president isn’t considering reducing tariffs on Chinese-imported cars, which are currently 100%.
- Politico: Why China could hit the brakes on Meta deal — The American tech industry has gotten huge mileage out of the U.S.-China rivalry, especially when it comes to AI.
- Rest of World: How countries around the world have adopted generative AI — The United Arab Emirates and Singapore have the highest rates of AI adoption, according to a new report from Microsoft, which also showed developing countries lagging behind developed nations.
- Futurism: Driverless Delivery Vans in China Are Rampaging Through Cities Like Grand Theft Auto — “The roads are still from the Qing Dynasty, but the cars are from the next century.”
- The Economist: A new generation of Chinese companies is expanding around the world — They are following a different playbook from that of their elders.
- The China Power Project: Surveying the Experts: The State of U.S.-China Relations Entering 2026 — Relations stabilized somewhat after trade and economic agreements, but major questions remain about the status and future outlook of the relationship.
