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
- SMIC Earnings Top Expectations on Strong Chip Demand, but Outlook Cautious — Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. finished 2025 on a strong note, with annual revenue crossing the $9 billion mark.
- Deadly Insurgency Threatens a U.S. Plan to Invest in Pakistan’s Mineral Riches — Militants have escalated attacks in a province where the U.S. wants to invest $1.25 billion as part of its effort to counter China.
The Financial Times
- Chinese luxury group Icicle plots IPO as non-western labels shine — Shanghai-based brand known for its minimalist look also has stores in France and Ireland.
- China steps up dangerous air encounters near Taiwan — Latest incidents follow pattern of aggressive behaviour by Beijing towards neighbours.
The New York Times
- A Shift in Chinese Taste for Durian Throws Malaysian Farmers Into Turmoil — Malaysian durian farmers saw immense profits over the last decade as China snapped up their produce. But tastes have shifted.
- Newly Unbound, Trump Weighs More Nuclear Arms and Underground Tests — It remains to be seen whether the U.S., Russia, and China are headed into a new arms race, or whether President Trump is trying to spur negotiations on a new accord.
- Opinion: I Just Returned From China. We Are Not Winning. — If we are going to be competitive with China, we have to get our economic house in order. By Steven Rattner.
Caixin
- China Recovers Stolen Museum Relics After Auction Tip-Off — A provincial probe reveals how insiders at one of China’s top museums sold donated antiquities, including a 16th-century masterpiece labeled with a fake price tag.
- China Names New Security Chief for Strategic Xinjiang Region — The 52-year-old official, with experience in border trade and regional administration, takes over the provincial law enforcement apparatus.
- Thailand Reclaims Top Spot for Chinese Tourists as Japan Loses Favor — Demand for Lunar New Year travel to Southeast Asia is surging as safety concerns and diplomatic tensions divert Chinese tourists away from Japan.
- China’s Robot-Makers Rush to Clinch Spring Festival Gala Spotlight — Grueling rehearsals, invasive vetting and soaring fees define the race for a slot on the country’s most-watched TV broadcast.
- China’s Existing Home Market Shows Glimmer of Recovery — Sales volumes hit a seven-month high in January, but falling rents and demographic headwinds suggest a sustainable turnaround remains elusive.
South China Morning Post
- Why High Seas Treaty could change ‘rules of the game’ in South China Sea row — The framework protects unique marine biodiversity and ecosystems in areas beyond any individual country’s jurisdiction.
- China’s AI arms race sees sector brace for major flagship model launch week — A ‘stealth’ model has emerged, while advancements by Alibaba’s Qwen-3.5 and Zhipu’s GLM-5 aim to spur domestic competition following releases by US heavyweights.
- Opinion: A loneliness crisis is the price China is paying for rapid modernisation — As migrant workers head home for the Lunar New Year break, it is a good time to reflect on how the loneliness that has gripped Chinese society can be alleviated. By Winston Mok.
Nikkei Asia
- China state gold miner Zijin eyes global top 3 as geopolitical risks grow — Ambitions unveiled amid rocky market US blames on ‘unruly’ Chinese traders.
- China’s car price war cost industry as much as $68bn in 3 years — Report suggests Beijing’s curbs are working as automakers shift to subtle discounts.
- BYD adds to China’s expanding auto footprint in Pakistan — World’s largest EV maker to begin assembly in Q3 or Q4, partner firm’s VP says.
Bloomberg
- China to Deepen HK Security Focus as Jimmy Lai Case Stirs Outcry — China signaled greater efforts to protect national security in Hong Kong after the sentencing of Jimmy Lai renewed foreign governments’ calls for the former media mogul’s release.
- Costlier Cells from China Jolt Indian Solar Supply Chains — Surging prices of solar cells from China are rattling Indian module makers who depend on the neighboring nation for the essential component.
- Opinion: China Must Solve a Puzzle to Take on Airbus and Boeing — China wants to be a major player in commercial aviation, but to achieve this goal, it must solve the engineering puzzle of building a reliable jet engine. By Juliana Liu.
Reuters
- China set to widen footprint in Bangladesh as India’s ties decline — China has stepped up its investment and diplomatic outreach in Dhaka, most recently signing a defence deal to build a drone factory near Bangladesh’s border with India.
- China to support ‘reunification forces’ in Taiwan, go after ‘separatists’ — Addressing this year’s annual “Taiwan Work Conference”, the Communist Party’s fourth-ranked leader Wang Huning said officials must advance the “great cause of national reunification”.
- Philippines sees signs of cooperation from China despite sea disputes — Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez said Manila’s relationship with Beijing should not be defined solely by maritime disputes, even as the Philippines calls out actions it deems unlawful.
Other Publications
- CFR: What Canadian and Mexican EV Imports From China Mean for the U.S. — Auto trade and investment policy in Canada and Mexico may be diverging from that of the United States, creating serious challenges for the integrated North American industry.
- Foreign Affairs: China’s Smart Authoritarianism — How the CCP Balances Control and Innovation.
- AP: In China, consumerism trumps nationalism despite tensions with the U.S. and Japan — As a wave of patriotic buying of Chinese brands has evolved and matured, many consumers have grown comfortable with both foreign and domestic brands.
- The Economist: China once stole foreign ideas. Now it wants to protect its own — The country’s courts are inundated with intellectual-property cases.
- The Guardian: Chinese technology underpins Iran’s internet control, report finds — The technologies include facial recognition tools used on Uyghurs in western China, say experts.
