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
- China Targets Lawyers Defending Jailed Christian Leaders — Arrest of pastor Ezra Jin has drawn criticism from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. lawmakers.
- Servers With Nvidia Chips Were Smuggled Into China, U.S. Indictment Says — Three including Super Micro co-founder are accused of skirting export-control laws and deceiving inspectors with dummy devices.
- Beijing’s Big Problem: An Incredible Shrinking Economy — China has taken pride in its explosive growth over the decades. But now, its economy is falling behind because of deflation and a weak currency.
- Taiwan’s All-Hands-on-Deck Plan to Fend Off China — A civil-defense movement gains momentum across the self-ruled island.
The Financial Times
- China cracks down on fuel and fertiliser exports — Beijing is trying to preserve its own stockpiles by limiting sales.
- Supermicro co-founder charged in conspiracy to export Nvidia chips to China — US prosecutors allege two employees and a contractor smuggled servers through south-east Asia.
- SEC urged to restrict Chinese companies’ access to US capital markets — Fear of national security risks and investor protections spurs rare bipartisan call for action from financial regulator.
- China curbs ‘low-quality’ listings to cool Hong Kong IPO boom — Regulator targets some opaque ‘red-chip’ structures but signals the market for new issues is still open.
The New York Times
- How Geopolitics Threaten K-Pop’s Ambitions in China — Japanese members of some K-pop bands have been absent from recent concerts in China. Experts say that’s linked to tension between Tokyo and Beijing.
- U.S. Says 3 Tied to Silicon Valley Server Maker Broke Export Laws — Prosecutors said the men, including a co-founder of the company, Super Micro, had diverted servers containing Nvidia A.I. chips to China.
- A Labubu Movie Is Coming, the Latest to Bring a Toy to the Big Screen — Pop Mart and Sony announced on Thursday that they were developing a feature film about the fuzzy trinkets. “It’s completely ruthless marketing,” one expert said.
- Brazil Hesitates as U.S. Pushes Rare Earths Partnership — Seeking to reduce its reliance on China, the United States is pushing for a critical minerals deal with Brazil. The South American country is less eager.
Caixin
- China to Audit Major Insurers, Targeting Investment Risks — China’s top financial regulator has selected five insurers, including Ping An Life Insurance Co. of China Ltd. and PICC Property and Casualty Co.
- China Youth Jobless Rate Falls to 16.1%, Extending Decline — China’s unemployment rate for youth ages 16 to 24 fell to 16.1% in February, marking an eighth straight month of decline.
- China-Europe Rail Freight Surges as Supply Chains Shift — The number of China-Europe freight train trips rose 31.7% year-on-year to 3,501 in the first two months of 2026, reversing a period of sluggish growth.
- China Expands Digital Yuan Network With 12 New Banks — China is preparing to significantly expand the number of banks authorized to operate its digital yuan, with 12 additional lenders expected to join.
South China Morning Post
- Xiaomi’s new-generation SU7 launch sparks fresh EV fight with Tesla in China — Updated smart sedan debuts with improved safety and smart-driving features, intensifying competition with Tesla and domestic rivals.
- Can China broker peace for Iran again? 2023 was different, analysts say — Tehran has signalled a willingness for Beijing to act as a mediator in its escalating war against US and Israel.
- Liu Guozhi, former top PLA scientist and nuclear test commander, delisted from CAS website — High-power microwave weapon expert was elected to the nation’s top scientific body in 2009.
- TP-Link’s Chinese founder Jeffrey Chao seeks US$1 million Trump Gold Card visa — The router manufacturer is under investigation over concerns that its links to China may pose an unacceptable threat to US national security.
Nikkei Asia
- China cracks down on fentanyl networks after US pressure — First wide publication of legal action in years leads to multiple arrests of traffickers.
- AI key to breaking out of China market slump, business leaders say — Only companies that keep innovating will win: solar panel executive.
- Philippines reckons with China spying case, leak of classified materials — Filipinos tied to the government were solicited to provide info on South China Sea.
Bloomberg
- China Pulls Silver From Global Markets to Meet Surging Demand — China’s overseas purchases of silver reached an eight-year high at the start of 2026, with importers feeding a surge in industrial and investment demand.
- Chaos Unleashed by Trump Has Europeans Building Bridges With China — The EU’s shift towards managing risks posed by the White House has led some officials to think that China may represent a more reliable counterpart, despite the threat to their countries’ prosperity.
- China’s Record Deflation Finds Dangerous Cure in Oil Shock — Surging global oil prices due to the war with Iran may help China exit a record streak of deflation ahead of schedule, with factory prices possibly snapping their negative streak as soon as this month.
Reuters
- China’s rare earth exports rise, shipments to US fall — Chinese exports of rare-earth magnets rose 8.2% from a year earlier in the first two months of 2026, customs data showed on Friday, although shipments to the U.S. dipped.
- China’s record oil output reaches limits of what’s possible — China, the world’s top oil importer, succeeded in a seven-year campaign to boost its own production.
- Tesla in talks with Chinese firms to buy $2.9 billion worth of solar equipment, sources say — Musk said in January that solar power could meet all of the electricity needs of the United States.
Other Publications
- The Washington Post: Opinion: Alysa Liu’s gold medal? Thrilling. Her father’s backstory? Astonishing. — Behind the Olympic glory lies a deeper drama — one that China does not want told. By David Feith.
- Foreign Affairs: Trump, Xi, and the Case for Strategic Calm — How America Can Take Advantage of the Status Quo.
- The Guardian: China has been preparing for a global energy crisis for years. It is paying off now — As other Asian economies race to conserve energy, China has huge reserves of oil and gas as well as alternative energy sources like wind and solar.
- The Economist: Why China’s fight on air pollution has slowed — Officials are now trying to take it to the next stage.
- The Times: Forget medicine or maths. China’s youth turn to barbecue studies — As the largest ever graduating class prepares to leave university and enter an uncertain job market, more young people are opting for vocational courses.
- Rest of World: Africa pours $2 billion into controversial Chinese surveillance tech — A new study shows Chinese firms and banks are behind much of the continent’s AI-powered monitoring infrastructure.
