Category: The Economist

To look out on Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, the busiest port in the world by cargo throughput, you would not know there is a trade war going on. Security around Chinese ports is tight, but from a wooded hill overlooking one of its giant terminals, it feels as though it is just another normal working day. Lines of trucks steadily snake into the port, bringing in red, grey and green containers. Forklift operators scoot around, stacking them up in towers. Most of the dozens of towering gantry cranes in the terminal are in…

The Economist is looking for a senior producer/editor for Drum Tower, our award-winning weekly China podcast. This is an opportunity to join a growing and innovative team in a top newsroom. You will: Manage production end-to-end: plan episodes, write and edit scripts, record and edit audio Plan and produce episodes of every kind: news, soon-to-be-news and must-listen features  Work collaboratively with producers and hosts Identify and develop outstanding contributors Co-ordinate China coverage with specialist correspondents and editors Publish and promote the podcast on-platform and off  The successful candidate will demonstrate…

In the northern Chinese city of Hohhot, Ms Liu and her colleagues at a baby-goods store are constantly having to think of new ways to boost business. Recently they, and many of their competitors, have started to give out baby-formula samples at the entrance of a maternity hospital around the corner. Their city, capital of the region of Inner Mongolia, may be home to two of the world’s largest dairy companies, but the people of Hohhot are making fewer babies to drink that milk. The Economist

As president donald trump has a habit of pointing out, China sells a lot more to America than the other way round. It ran a trade surplus of nearly $300bn last year. The gigantic 145% levy Mr Trump has slapped on most Chinese goods in response is clearly hurting Chinese exporters. But importers are being affected, too. Last year China bought $145bn-worth of stuff from America. And after China’s own tit-for-tat tariff rises, these goods are now subject to a 125% levy when they enter the country—enough to make many…

In Beijing, springtime warmth has begun to draw queues to restaurants that offer al-fresco dining; trendy shopping districts are growing more crowded. Mr Jia, a 36-year-old investor, says he is not bothered by America’s tariffs. Standing outside his friend’s cupcake shop, he says Donald Trump’s levies are a sign that America feels threatened by China’s rise. America’s power is declining, he says. “To be honest, what you feel in today’s world is that hegemony is very hard to achieve.” The Economist

In Beijing, springtime warmth has begun to draw queues to restaurants that offer al-fresco dining; trendy shopping districts are growing more crowded. Mr Jia, a 36-year-old investor, says he is not bothered by America’s tariffs. Standing outside his friend’s cupcake shop, he says Donald Trump’s levies are a sign that America feels threatened by China’s rise. America’s power is declining, he says. “To be honest, what you feel in today’s world is that hegemony is very hard to achieve.” The Economist

Even before getting embroiled in a trade war with America, China’s officials were struggling to keep up public morale. Many people were already fretting about a weak job market and a property downturn. Now, American levies on most Chinese goods have reached a staggering 145% and China’s levies on American imports are at 125%. The Economist

For much of the Western world, the two-day weekend is sacrosanct. In China, the right to rest for two days each week is not a given. Many students say goodbye to the concept when they start high school. Overtime is sometimes compulsory for white-collar workers, especially in the go-go world of tech. In 2019 Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba, an internet giant, famously defended the “996” work culture—9am to 9pm, six days a week—as “a huge blessing”. The Economist

Even before Donald Trump’s tariff turmoil, it was hard to discern a clear China strategy. With decisions depending largely on presidential whim, his foreign-policy advisers seemed to have split into warring tribes. To use a shorthand common in Washington, the “primacists” seek to re-establish America’s dominance in the world, taking on all threats; the “prioritisers” think America can handle only China and should abandon Ukraine; and the “restrainers” want to focus on only the homeland, avoiding future wars. Since April 2nd Mr Trump’s trade war has sown further confusion. But…

On april 8th Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, posted a video on X that he said showed one of two Chinese citizens captured by Ukrainian forces while fighting for Russia. China was now militarily supporting Russia, he added in a press briefing, and “the United States of America should pay attention”. The next day he posted a second video of both men, who gave their names as Zhang Renbo and Wang Guangjun, and shots of their Chinese passports. Mr Zelensky claimed Ukraine knows of more than 150 Chinese nationals fighting on Russia’s…