Category: Latest

This article is part of FT Globetrotter’s guide to Hong Kong At some point it became customary to refer to The Peninsula as the grande dame of Hong Kong hotels. To the extent that grande damerie is a matter of longevity, this is fair enough. It’s no secret that it is pushing 100 — it will celebrate its 98th birthday at the end of this year. Which is getting on a bit by hotel standards anywhere, and positively ancient by the standards of Hong Kong. But in other respects the…

Stay informed with free updates Simply sign up to the Chinese economy myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox. Most Chinese provinces are targeting lower economic growth this year, in what many economists believe is a signal Beijing will set a historically low range of 4.5-5 per cent for its official goal in 2026. Of the 29 out of China’s 31 province-level areas that have so far announced growth targets, 19 have cut them compared with 2025, according to a tally by the FT. The central government is scheduled…

Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free Your guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the world Donald Trump’s administration has launched an effort to form a trade zone for critical minerals with allies including Japan and the EU, as it battles to break China’s control of the sector. Vice-president JD Vance on Wednesday said the US would seek to use tariffs to create a price floor for critical minerals and to expand production and investment across the new zone. “We want to eliminate that…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. Sir Keir Starmer’s visit to China last week was the first by a British prime minister for eight years. His attendance at a gathering of EU leaders this week is the first since Brexit. When Rachel Reeves went to the Gulf last autumn, no chancellor of the exchequer had been for six years. So, just to run through those destinations again: the world’s second-largest economy, the largest cross-national single market…

Stay informed with free updates Simply sign up to the Automobiles myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox. Ford is in talks with China’s Geely for a partnership in Europe as the US carmaker seeks to revive its struggling passenger vehicle business in the region through manufacturing and technology tie-ups.  The two companies have had discussions about Geely using the spare production capacity of Ford’s plants in Europe and a technology partnership that could see both companies building vehicles on the same platform, according to two people with knowledge…

Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free Your guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the world Senators will introduce legislation on Wednesday to reauthorise funding for the US Export-Import Bank for the next decade, as lawmakers try to inject an extra $70bn into an agency that plays an increasingly central role in shoring up energy and minerals projects. Kevin Cramer, the Republican senator from North Dakota who is co-sponsoring the reauthorisation legislation with Democrat Mark Warner, told the FT that Donald Trump was “all…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. This article is part of FT Globetrotter’s guide to Hong Kong Sporting a fetching slouch hat, a young doorman pulls open the large wooden front doors. They feature rows of embedded metal studs — a nod to traditional gateways in Chinese palaces and fortresses. It’s the first of countless subtle design motifs at Regent Hong Kong, a multiple-award-winning, 497-room waterfront property in Kowloon. Stepping inside, guests are immediately immersed in…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. This article is part of FT Globetrotter’s guide to Hong Kong For a hotel with only one on-site restaurant, no pool and no spa, Upper House Hong Kong continues to win consistent global critical and public acclaim, 16 years after opening. Any stay quickly reveals why. The thoughtfulness of the service culture combines with striking contemporary design for a distinctive, memorable stay. Such is its success that Swire Hotels, the…