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 Hits Back at U.S. With New Trade Probes Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit — The Chinese probes mirror new investigations by the U.S. that could raise tariffs on Chinese goods.
- China’s Moonshot AI Seeks Listing in Hong Kong Under Heightened Scrutiny — Moonshot AI, one of China’s most promising AI startups, is considering changing its corporate structure to pave the way for an initial public offering in Hong Kong.
- Opinion: My Book Is Banned in Hong Kong — A store owner and three employees were arrested over a Jimmy Lai biography. By Mark L. Clifford.
The Financial Times
- Conviction of opposition party leader threatens deeper divisions in Taiwan — Court sentences Ko Wen-je to 17 years for corruption in case that comes at time of rising pressure from China.
- China scales new heights with world’s longest outdoor escalator — Mountainous region of Chongqing is known for pushing the bounds of architecture.
The New York Times
- The Sudden Death of a Man Who Told Chinese Kids How to Succeed — The influencer Zhang Xuefeng was known for no-nonsense, some said cynical, advice about how to win in China’s educational rat race. He died at 41.
Caixin
- Ping An Profit Climbs as Life Business Expands, Equity Exposure Increases — Stronger life insurance sales and bancassurance growth lift earnings amid broader shift in asset allocation.
- Stranded Chinese Container Ships Begin Crossing Strait of Hormuz — Two empty Cosco Shipping Lines vessels have traversed the critical chokepoint as the Chinese government negotiates with Iran to secure transit guidelines for more trapped freighters.
- Brazil Court Bars Geely From Activities Tied to Disputed Patent — The injunction, stemming from a dispute with Japan’s IP Bridge, gives the Chinese carmaker 10 days to prove compliance or face a fine of up to $115,000.
- Wahaha Halts Production Amid Control Reshuffle — The shutdown comes as the late founder’s family moves to buy out a key state stake amid a multibillion-dollar inheritance dispute.
- China’s Consumers Shift From Discounts to Quality as Confidence Improves, Survey Finds — Recent NielsenIQ survey reveals a growing willingness to spend among Chinese shoppers, accompanied by rising demand for safety, health, and emotional resonance rather than rock-bottom prices.
South China Morning Post
- A way out for the US and Iran? The diplomatic path that could prove China right — Talks between Washington and Tehran must involve nuclear concessions and a regional ceasefire, Middle East expert says.
- Germany’s Merz floats EU-China trade deal as European capitals soften on Beijing — Remarks urging ‘strategic partnerships around the world’ underscore how tensions with the US are inducing a more accommodating stance.
- AI rift widens as China urges boycott of top US conference over sanctions ban — Move to comply with US sanctions sparks backlash, with China’s top computing body threatening to blacklist the AI conference.
Nikkei Asia
- China sports groups Anta, Xtep ride international brands to revenue gains — Resilient but ultracompetitive domestic market proves a tougher growth challenge.
- Air China logs sixth straight loss as rail competition bites and risks rise — Associate Cathay raises fuel charges as Iran war ushers in ‘unprecedented times’.
- Suspect in Super Micro chip-smuggling scheme ran a business in Japan — Hashcat dealt with Sony Semiconductor and TSE-listed Shinto Holdings, Nikkei confirms.
Bloomberg
- China’s Carmakers Return to Growth in Europe With EV Sales — Chinese automakers regained momentum in Europe in February, increasing pressure on Western incumbents after a brief sales slowdown at the start of the year.
- How China Is Playing the Long Game With Trump — Traditional allies have come to see the US under Donald Trump as an unreliable partner. Now they’re looking to hedge bets, and Xi Jinping appears happy to oblige.
- Opinion: China’s Manus AI Clampdown Will Backfire — China is on the verge of turning a tech success story into a painful self-own. By Catherine Thorbecke.
Reuters
- Huawei’s new AI chip finds favour with ByteDance, Alibaba which plan to place orders, sources say — New 950PR chip is more compatible with Nvidia’s CUDA software system, and Huawei plans to ship about 750,000 950PRs this year, sources say.
- Chinese universities with military links bought Super Micro servers with restricted AI chips — Examples of procurement of restricted AI chips include a document from Beihang University, one of China’s “Seven Sons of National Defense” institution.
- China stations jets-turned-drones at bases near Taiwan Strait, report says — These jets-turned-drones would fly into targets in the opening phase of an assault on Taiwan, Dahm, a former U.S. naval intelligence officer, told Reuters.
Other Publications
- The Atlantic: The Next Scientific Superpower — When will Chinese research pull ahead of ours?
- Rest of World: AI glasses are catching on in China, from shopping to cheating — Early adopters are renting AI glasses for $6 a day for navigation, translation, and exams.
