Australian beef producers said they were “extremely disappointed” after China announced a 55% tariff on imports that exceed quota levels in a move to protect a domestic cattle industry slowly emerging from oversupply. China’s commerce ministry said on Wednesday the total import quota for 2026 for Australia and other countries such as Brazil and the US covered under its new “safeguard measures” is 2.7m metric tons, roughly in line with the record 2.87m tons it imported overall in 2024. The new annual quota levels are set below import levels for…
Month: December 2025
Was PLA’s Taiwan drill testing ‘inexpensive’ ways to wear down island’s air defence?
On Tuesday, the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command wrapped up a two-day live-fire exercise named Justice Mission 2025. The exercise surrounded large parts of the island and came less than a fortnight after the United States approved a US$11.1 billion weapons package for Taiwan – the largest in the island’s history of receiving US military aid. Advertisement The drill involved personnel from the army, navy, air force and rocket force, with stealth fighters, destroyers and missile launchers all featuring. Taiwan’s defence ministry said 31 warships and 16 coastguard vessels were detected…
Xi Jinping vows to reunify China and Taiwan in New Year’s Eve speech
China’s president, Xi Jinping, has vowed to reunify China and Taiwan in his annual New Year’s Eve speech in Beijing. Speaking the day after the conclusion of intense Chinese military drills around Taiwan, Xi said: “The reunification of our motherland, a trend of the times, is unstoppable.” China claims Taiwan, a self-governing island, as part of its territory and has long vowed to annex it, using force if necessary. US intelligence is increasingly concerned about the advancing capabilities of China’s armed forces to launch such an attack if Xi decides…
Xi hails China’s rising ‘national power’
Leader says country’s economy, technology and defence have risen to ‘new heights’ Financial Times
China imposes beef-import quota, slaps over-quota tariffs to shield local industry
China is kicking off 2026 with a three-year import quota for beef shipments from major trading partners, in a move aimed at protecting its struggling domestic industry over the coming years. Effective Thursday, a 55 per cent tariff will be levied on over-quota beef from countries including Brazil, Argentina, Australia, Uruguay, New Zealand and the United States, the Ministry of Commerce announced on Wednesday. “The objective of these safeguard measures on imported beef is to help the domestic industry overcome its current difficulties, rather than to restrict normal trade,” a…
In New Year’s speech, Xi urges growth and vows ‘unstoppable’ Taiwan reunification
President Xi Jinping issued a rallying cry for the country to double down on efforts to boost economic growth and technological advancement as he delivered his annual televised New Year’s speech on Wednesday. The call came as Beijing faces complicated geopolitical challenges while pushing for economic transition at home, with the coming years seen as critical to consolidating its position in its rivalry with Washington. Xi also mentioned Taiwan, describing the island’s reunification with the mainland as an “unstoppable trend”. Advertisement “The people on both sides of the strait are…
Nexperia, Wingtech set for fresh face-off in January with US$8 billion at stake
Dutch chipmaker Nexperia and its Chinese parent, Wingtech Technology, are set for another showdown in early 2026, as the legal battle over control of the semiconductor firm intensifies. The two sides will face off before the Dutch Enterprise Chamber on January 14, a court representative told the Post on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity. The hearing aims to determine whether there were valid reasons to doubt the sound management of Nexperia before the chamber’s ruling in early October, according to a Nexperia spokesman who also declined to be named.…
Great Green Wall 2.0: China is geoengineering deserts with blue-green algae
Deserts are hard to reclaim because plants cannot survive on shifting sand, but scientists in northwest China are changing that – by dropping vast amounts of blue-green algae onto the dry terrain. These specially selected strains of cyanobacteria can survive extreme heat and drought for long periods, according to China Science Daily on Thursday. When rain finally comes, they spring to life, spreading rapidly and forming a tough, biomass-rich crust over the sand. This living layer stabilises the dunes and creates the perfect foundation for future plant growth. This is…
China forecast to have sold one in every 10 new cars in UK in 2025
Chinese brands are on course to account for one in every 10 new cars sold in Britain during 2025, a marked increase on last year as sales increase across Europe. Manufacturers led by MG, BYD, and Chery are on track to break the 200,000 mark in UK new car sales in 2025, meaning they are very likely to account for 10% of the market, according to Matthias Schmidt, an analyst tracking electric cars across Europe. Spain and Norway also get a tenth of their new cars from Chinese brands, with…
Multiple Chinese cities curb public New Year’s Eve countdowns as police stress safety
Police in multiple Chinese cities have issued pre-emptive notices stating that no official New Year’s Eve countdowns will be held at popular landmarks, as they prioritise public safety and order ahead of the holiday. This coordinated messaging, consistent with recent years, emerged through a flurry of police notices issued on Tuesday and Wednesday. It reflects a cautious strategy by authorities to prevent a recurrence of tragedies like the 2014 Shanghai stampede. Authorities in major Chinese metropolitan areas have either cancelled flagship events or issued stern warnings that no official countdowns…