Day: July 1, 2025

China’s ethnic affairs chief to take Communist Party helm in Xinjiang

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A senior Chinese official with a background in water resources and ethnic affairs has been named as the new Communist Party boss of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Advertisement In a one-paragraph announcement on Tuesday, state news agency Xinhua said the party’s Central Committee “recently decided” that Chen Xiaojiang would serve as party secretary of Xinjiang. The move might clear the path for Chen, one of the 300 or so members of the Central Committee, to be promoted within the party’s hierarchy, given that the Xinjiang party chief traditionally has a…

Thai court suspends prime minister over leaked call

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Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. Thailand’s constitutional court has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office pending a decision on whether to oust her for ethical violations, deepening a political crisis in the south-east Asian country.  The court suspended Paetongtarn effective from Tuesday after accepting a petition that alleged that she had violated ethical standards in a phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, in which she allegedly disparaged the powerful Thai military while…

China offers tax refund to French cognac makers amid EU brandy probe: source

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Beijing has extended an olive branch to French cognac producers by promising a “significant” tax refund if they cooperate with its anti-dumping investigation into European Union brandy sold in China, according to an industry source with knowledge of the matter. Advertisement Major brands Hennessy, Martell and Rémy Martin have been offered the terms, said the person, who spoke anonymously due to the sensitivity of the issue. To qualify, producers must agree to Beijing’s demands, commit to a minimum selling price and refrain from dumping practices, the person said, adding that…

Chinese scientists uncover coal power’s dirty secret in satellite data study

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In the first high-precision satellite mapping of carbon dioxide emissions from large international coal power plants, Chinese scientists have found that existing databases are underestimating discharges from facilities across the globe. Advertisement They include China’s Tuoketuo – the largest coal-fired power station in the world – and Alabama’s James H. Miller Jnr facility, the most polluting plant in the United States, according to a paper published on June 9 by the peer-reviewed Journal of Cleaner Production. The optimised model for observing emissions through satellite data could offer a standardised way…

Japan digs in on rice and cars as US trade talks stall

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Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free Your guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the world Japan has said it will not sacrifice its farmers to secure tariff exemptions from the US, as Tokyo and Washington hardened their positions in a rice diplomacy stand-off and hopes of an imminent trade deal between the allies faded. The comments from Japan’s chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi on Tuesday came as Donald Trump cast Japan, among other countries, as “spoiled” and the latest round of trade negotiations…

India seeks to seal interim trade deal with US this week

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Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free Your guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the world India is on track to seal an interim trade agreement with the US as soon as this week to avert Donald Trump’s “liberation day” tariffs, according to two people briefed on the talks. The interim deal, which would be among the first with a major US trading partner, would be an initial step towards a comprehensive bilateral accord between Washington and New Delhi. The two countries have said…

A resurgent China should do the hard work now

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Stay informed with free updates Simply sign up to the Global Economy myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox. The writer is a professor at Cornell University, senior fellow at Brookings and author of ‘The Future of Money’ To all appearances, the Chinese economy, which was struggling for most of last year, has stabilised. This is good news for China’s government and the world economy. But Beijing is yet again putting off fixing its deep-rooted economic problems. That, too, has consequences for China and the world.  Last autumn, the…

Beijing’s military parade: grand display, subtle signals

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When Beijing stages a grand military parade this autumn, observers will be watching for signals being sent towards Taiwan, with both military hardware and historical connections sending both public and political messages. Advertisement The event, to be held on September 3, will mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. It will feature the latest and most advanced weapons of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), and a speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping that is expected to hint at China’s foreign policy and the future direction of…