As the US and Israel opened a new chapter of chaos in the Middle East, China stands to benefit from a Washington establishment that does not have the political or physical resources to focus on Asia. Officially, China has condemned the attacks. Wang Yi, the foreign minister, called them “unacceptable” and called for a ceasefire, rhetoric that is typical of Beijing in response to Donald Trump’s increasingly erratic foreign policy moves. Wang made similar comments after the US capture of the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, in January. The Chinese government…
Day: March 2, 2026
‘We couldn’t reach them’: Chinese firms’ Iran business in limbo after strikes
Rising tensions in the Middle East following attacks on Iran are having an impact on the trade corridors and investment plans of Chinese exporters and investors, who had seen Iran and the broader region as crucial growth markets. Joint strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel since Saturday have left shipments stalled, payments delayed and clients unreachable, Chinese businesspeople said. For many of them, the disruption has been direct and immediate. David Xie, an executive at a Shenzhen-based technology company that secured a contract worth more than 5…
The rapper who would be prime minister
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China’s high-rise hog farms go international
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Panama anger, China-linked crime, ousted Peru president: 7 Latin America relations reads
We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering Latin America relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China becomes Brazil’s biggest vehicle exporter in January, surpassing Argentina Photo: Handout China surpassed Argentina in February to become Brazil’s largest exporter of vehicles, solidifying Chinese brands’ dominance in the region’s biggest car market and undercutting a long-standing Argentine trade advantage within Mercosur. Read the full story here. 2. Panama ousts Hong Kong operator from…
US, China discuss investment revival ahead of Trump’s trip: sources
Beijing and Washington have begun discussing ways to revive reciprocal investment – a move that could be one of the few deliverables during an upcoming China visit by US President Donald Trump, according to multiple sources. The investment issue was touched upon as working-level officials prepared for Trump’s trip, which is scheduled to take place between March 31 and April 2. However, the potential scope and structure of such investments remain undefined, sources said. One source said both parties were interested in tightly structured joint ventures, licensing arrangements, and so-called…
China’s Two Sessions to reveal Xi’s economic and defence plans as military purge casts shadow
Thousands of delegates will arrive in Beijing this week for China’s annual Two Sessions, one of the most important events in the country’s political calendar and a rare opportunity for the global media to see Beijing’s top lawmakers up close. The Two Sessions” are concurrent gatherings of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), an advisory body. Of the two gatherings, the NPC, China’s legislature, is more important. It has the power to amend the constitution, appoint people to political offices, enact laws and…
How the Middle East conflict affects India
This article is an on-site version of the India Business Briefing newsletter. To receive it in your inbox regularly, sign up if you’re a premium subscriber, or upgrade your subscription here. Good morning. I suppose celebrations are even more crucial in a fragile world. Happy Holi — wishing you lots of colours, sweets and the love of friends and family. In today’s newsletter, the US imposes 126 per cent duties on Indian solar products. But first, the impact of the Middle East conflict on India. A tough spot The fallout from…
Language as a weapon? PLA academics push for training overhaul, cite Ukraine war
Chinese military academics have stepped up calls to overhaul defence language training, arguing that linguistic proficiency has become as critical as firepower in modern warfare – a lesson starkly underscored by the Ukraine war. Among them is Lu Danyun, a professor at the military-affiliated National University of Defence Technology and a representative on China’s top lawmaking body, the National People’s Congress. In a report published in the official People’s Liberation Army (PLA) newspaper, Lu said she planned to submit proposals addressing the issue at the coming “two sessions” political gathering.…
US considers capping Nvidia H200 sales at 75,000 per Chinese customer
US officials are considering caps on the number of AI accelerators Nvidia can export to any one Chinese company, which would further constrain the chipmaker’s re-entry into a crucial market. The Trump administration has talked about limiting Chinese firms to buying 75,000 of Nvidia’s H200 chips each, according to people familiar with the matter. Shipments of Advanced Micro Devices’ MI325 chips, which have similar capabilities, would also count towards a customer’s cap, the people said. These accelerators – a prized commodity in the technology world – are used to develop…