Day: July 31, 2025

Taiwan is increasingly anxious about whether it must make sweeping concessions – including a reported US$400 billion investment pledge – to avoid a looming 32 per cent tariff from the United States, set to take effect on Friday. Advertisement Adding to the uncertainty are reports that planned visits to the US by Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te and Defence Minister Wellington Koo Li-hsiung were deferred at the last minute. Analysts said the developments were far from coincidental and might mark a deliberate effort by Washington to dial down Taiwan-related tensions…

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it was considering a travel notice for China because of rising numbers of Chikungunya infections in the country. Advertisement This followed a surge in the mosquito-borne disease in China, which has recorded over 5,000 cases since the beginning of last month, with most of them in the southern province of Guangdong. Foshan, the Guangdong city hit hardest by the outbreak, had 5,155 confirmed cases as of Sunday. The city upgraded its public health emergency response on Thursday to level III,…

Two cities that have served as economic pillars for China’s southern province of Guangdong appear to be losing steam relative to their peers, prompting calls for stronger action to revive businesses. Advertisement Tech hub Shenzhen and manufacturing centre Guangzhou reported gross domestic product growth of 5.1 and 3.8 per cent respectively in the period from January to June, both below the national average of 5.3 per cent. The simultaneous slowdown came as uncertainty grips the global supply chain and domestic demand fails to make up the shortfall, analysts said. “Shenzhen…

Meituan and JD.com are taking China’s delivery war to another level, as the two instant commerce rivals have started building thousands of central kitchens in strategic locations to speed up fulfilment of online food orders. Advertisement On-demand local delivery giant Meituan is expected to continue leading the market through its launch of 1,200 so-called Raccoon Restaurants over the next three years, a plan it revealed in early July. These facilities are designed as food court-like hubs that host various restaurant chains, which operate their kitchens only for takeaways. These sites…

The US government sent mixed messages on Thursday on where the latest trade agreement with China, including a possible extension of the pause on tariff hikes, is headed. Advertisement Asked by a reporter at the regular press briefing whether an extension of the current pause on import tariffs aimed at each others’ products “was on the table”, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “I don’t think so, but I’ll let [Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent] speak on that, because he’s leading these negotiations.” She added that the “current trade programme…

Brazil announced a compromise in a dispute between Chinese EV maker BYD and traditional carmakers on Thursday, granting the company a short-term tariff break while moving forward with hikes that will hit it more aggressively in the long run. Advertisement Under the measure, BYD will be allowed to import up to US$463 million worth of semi-assembled electric and hybrid vehicles over a six-month period without paying import taxes. This tariff-free window will apply during the first half of 2026, offering short-term relief as BYD ramps up local production. Separately, the…