Donald Trump has warned the UK against doing business with China, just hours after Keir Starmer lauded the economic relationship during a landmark visit to Beijing. The US president said it was “very dangerous” for the UK to pursue closer ties with the rival superpower as the prime minister’s three-hour talks with leader Xi Jinping underlined a thaw in previously strained relations. Starmer, the first British prime minister to travel to Beijing in eight years, promised a “more sophisticated” relationship with China, as he secured improved market access, lower tariffs…
Day: January 29, 2026
UK and China weigh cross-border asset-management scheme to deepen market ties
The UK and mainland China are considering a new cross-border asset-management link and upgrades to their existing stock connect scheme, as both sides seek closer capital-market cooperation, according to Ashley Alder, chairman of the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). “We are looking at enhancing market connectivity between China and the UK, particularly by building on the stock connect with Shanghai and Shenzhen,” Alder said. “In addition, we are exploring other areas of cooperation, such as asset management.” He made the remarks in an exclusive interview with the SCMP in Hong…
In robot-aided surgery, it doesn’t matter where you are, Chinese military study finds
Remote surgery conducted over thousands of kilometres can be just as reliable as robot-assisted operations done by a medical team in the same room as the patient, according to a new study led by Chinese military researchers and carried out in five cities. The researchers said telesurgery could be a “feasible” way to overcome the lack of medical services in parts of the country as well as the growing demand for operations to treat cancer. “As the first randomised controlled trial in the field of telesurgery, this study establishes that…
Panama court kicks Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison out of canal ports
Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free Your guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the world Panama’s Supreme Court has annulled a contract held by a unit of a Hong Kong company to operate key ports at either end of the Panama Canal, in a victory for Donald Trump, who has vowed to reassert US influence in the region. In a unanimous ruling late on Thursday the court said the concession for a unit of CK Hutchison Holdings to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal…
How changing tastes in China are hitting Australia’s wine exports
Subdued Chinese demand was a key contributor to a decline in Australia’s wine exports last year, according to the Australian government agency that promotes the industry. With consumer sentiment and evolving tastes reshaping the Chinese market, shipments to mainland China fell 17 per cent year on year to A$755 million (US$532.10 million) – the biggest single factor in an 8 per cent fall in Australia’s total wine exports last year – Wine Australia said in a report released on Wednesday. The weak performance in China, which came despite the removal…
Chipmaking expert Xu Zhenpeng leaves OpenAI-funded start-up for Shanghai role
Advanced chipmaking engineer Xu Zhenpeng has left the United States to take up a full-time position at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), one of China’s leaders in artificial intelligence hardware research. Before his return to China, Xu led a team at the California-based manufacturing start-up Atomic Semi, developing 3D printing techniques aimed at making chip production faster and cheaper than conventional methods that used bulky, multimillion-dollar machines. Investors in the company, founded in 2023, have included ChatGPT creator OpenAI’s start-up fund, former CEO of GitHub Nat Friedman and co-founder of…
China needs more education, higher wages to advance, Lawrence Lau says
South China Morning Post
Fears of overcapacity ignore China’s full balance of payments picture
The notion that China is flooding the world with excess industrial capacity is usually based on its massive surplus in goods trade, now standing at nearly US$1.2 trillion. That number is real, but treating it as proof of systemic overcapacity is not entirely correct. Goods trade is only one slice of China’s external balance, and it is increasingly offset by large outflows such as import of services and investment income payments. Moreover, China’s total current account surplus is US$657 billion or 3.4 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP). Having…
Amitabh Chaudhry: Foreign banks won’t find it easy in India
This online version of the India Business Briefing newsletter is free to read today. To receive it in your inbox regularly, sign up if you’re a premium subscriber, or upgrade your subscription here. Good morning from Melbourne, where I am winding down towards the end of my vacation. My colleague Chris Kay will step in for me on Tuesday, after which regular service will resume. The “mother of all trade deals” was announced between India and the EU while I was away. This should bring some succour to exporters, who are seeking…
HSBC targets Hong Kong IPOs after missing out on listings boom
Stay informed with free updates Simply sign up to the Financial services myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox. HSBC is “maniacally focused” on rebuilding its investment bank in Hong Kong after it missed out on a boom in public listings last year following a decision to exit parts of the business in the UK, US and Europe. “If there is one area that we will be maniacally focused on, it is building out and improving our market share in [initial public offerings] coming out of Hong Kong,” Michael…