China has warned it will take “resolute and reciprocal” countermeasures against other countries negotiating with the US if they make a deal at China’s expense during the trade war. China’s commerce ministry was responding to recent news reports that Donald Trump planned to pressure other countries to limit their trade with China in return for tariff exemptions. Beijing and the US are locked in an escalating trade war, running separately to the US’s efforts to rewrite trade deals with the rest of the world. “China firmly opposes any party reaching…
Day: April 20, 2025
Add oil: China eyes sweaty success as sports-economy boom brings big gains
In its race to attract visitors and fuel spending, China’s gateway city of Shanghai welcomed a record-high 220,000 spectators for the rip-roaring Formula One Chinese Grand Prix last month. Advertisement Projected to have brought more than 5 billion yuan (US$685 million) in direct and indirect economic benefits to the city, according to the organiser, the prestigious motor race is among the more than 170 international and national sports events that are scheduled to take place in Shanghai this year. And Shanghai’s fervour for holding large-scale sporting events is being shared…
Palau’s president vows to stand with Taiwan ‘til death do us part’
Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free Your guide to what the 2024 US election means for Washington and the world The president of Palau has pledged to maintain recognition of Taiwan, but warned that small countries needed to demonstrate the economic benefits of standing by Taipei as China increases pressure on its few remaining allies. Surangel Whipps Jr, speaking at the Lowy Institute in Sydney earlier this month, said that he would not change his country’s position during his four-year term, citing Taipei’s assistance during the Covid-19 pandemic…
China sends back new Boeing jet made more expensive by tariffs
A Boeing jet intended for a Chinese airline landed back at the planemaker’s US production hub on Sunday, a victim of the tit-for-tat bilateral tariffs launched by Donald Trump. The 737 MAX, which was meant for China’s Xiamen Airlines, landed at Seattle’s Boeing Field at 6.11pm, according to a Reuters witness. It was painted with Xiamen livery. The jet, which made refuelling stops in Guam and Hawaii on its 5,000-mile (8,000-km) return journey, was one of several 737 MAX jets – Boeing’s bestselling model – that had been waiting at…
Western carmakers plot China comeback with local knowhow
Stay informed with free updates Simply sign up to the Automobiles myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox. Western carmakers will fight back against domestic rivals in China this week, launching new software and intelligence capabilities in vehicles produced with local partners as they attempt a comeback in the world’s largest car market. The country’s annual auto show, held in Shanghai this year, will provide the first real test for overhauled strategies. Volkswagen, Toyota and others have adopted “in China for China” plays to win back consumers who have…
Could Trump’s tariffs make China faster, leaner and stronger?
Relying on brute strength has never been the Chinese way of fighting. A smaller fighter with superior inner balance and core strength can overcome a larger opponent. As China faces an escalating economic war with the United States, this ancient wisdom also applies. Advertisement Beijing is not eager to negotiate and is not under any illusion that the tariff war with Donald Trump’s America will end soon. The Chinese leadership now recognises that unlike the trade disputes of Trump’s first term, America’s strategic goal now is not merely trade rebalancing…
Humanoid workers and surveillance buggies: ‘embodied AI’ is reshaping daily life in China
On a misty Saturday afternoon in Shenzhen’s Central Park, a gaggle of teenage girls are sheltering from the drizzle under a concrete canopy. With their bags of crisps piled high in front of them, they crowd around a couple of smartphones to sing along to Mandopop ballads. The sound of their laughter rings out across the surrounding lawn – until it is pierced by a mechanical buzzing sound. Someone has ordered dinner. A few metres away from the impromptu karaoke session is an “airdrop cabinet”, one of more than 40…
Trump threat awakens India’s ‘big bang’ spirit
Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. India faced a wrenching balance of payments crisis in 1991 that forced the country to embark on “big bang” reforms that unlocked two decades of rapid growth. Is another external shock about to jolt India’s economy into action? Some Indians see the parallels. With the spectre of a 26 per cent Donald Trump “reciprocal” tariff hanging over it, Narendra Modi’s government is moving quickly to negotiate a bilateral trade agreement…
Chinese table tennis fans splash cash in Macau as authorities eye sports boom
The ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup concluded on Sunday night after attracting thousands of Chinese table tennis fans to splash their cash in Macau, all for the love of superstars such as Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha. Advertisement Olympic mixed doubles champions Wang and Sun have amassed a feverish following, particularly among young female spectators, who are willing spend large sums to watch their idols at a time when the country’s central government looks to capitalise on consumer spending on sport. Last week, Beijing rolled out supportive measures for…
Beijing adviser Yan Anlin on why a timetable for Taiwan reunification has disadvantages
Professor Yan Anlin is one of mainland China’s most highly regarded Taiwan studies experts. A former close aide to Wang Daohan, the mainland representative at the historic talks with Taiwan in 1993, Yan is frequently consulted by Beijing on cross-strait policymaking and sits in on official meetings. Advertisement He currently serves as president of the Shanghai Association of Taiwan Studies as well as the Shanghai Institute for International Strategic Studies. He is also a former vice-president of the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies think tank. This interview first appeared in…