Category: Economy
China Not Seeking New Special and Differential Treatment in WTO Pacts
China will not be seeking new special and differential treatment -- a privilege granted to developing countries -- in current and future World Trade Organization (WTO) talks, the country's official Xinhua news agency reported Tuesday. Xinhua cited Chinese Premier Li Qiang's ...
ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting Pushes Regional Integration Amid Trade Tensions
The trade relationship between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is expected to take center stage at the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) gathering in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow. A consultation between the ten-country bloc and China will happen ...
China-Backed Free Trade Giant RCEP Mulls Expansion and Upgrade
China-backed trade platform in Asia, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), will return to the leaders’ level in October for the first time since 2020. Malaysia, the summit host, says the 15-economy pact will consider targeted upgrades and weigh applications ...
U.S. Soybean Farmers Anxiously Watch Brazil Sell More and More to China
Chinese soybean imports from Brazil rose by 2.4% in August compared to last year, according to customs data, a modest increase but one that nonetheless causes considerable consternation for U.S. farmers who have yet to sell a single bean to China this year.
CAEXPO Wrap: China Pitches an Operating System for ASEAN Trade
China wrapped CAEXPO in Nanning with a pitch that goes beyond product sales. The expo presented AI-ready factory “cells,” a low-speed autonomous shuttle, and a Beibu Gulf satellite. It also showcases vocational pipelines and an ACFTA 3.0 upgrade. The offer ...
China Leads Vietnam’s Electronics Component Imports, $33.5 Billion in 2025
China was the largest supplier of computers, electronic products, and components to Vietnam in January–August. Imports from China reached $33.5 billion, placing it ahead of South Korea at $24.1 billion, Taiwan at nearly $15 billion, and Japan at $5.4 billion. ...
China and the U.S. Put Malaysia’s ASEAN-First Neutrality to the Test
China is Malaysia’s largest trading partner, and the United States is its biggest export market. Kuala Lumpur says it will keep both close. Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz calls the approach “pragmatic neutrality,”. ...
The Grand Dream: China’s Stakes in Nicaragua’s Canal
As China and the United States vie for influence and access in Latin America, the Panama Canal has reemerged as a strategic chokepoint. Washington is moving to limit Beijing’s access while China scrambles for other options. Sensing an opening, Managua has revived its long-dormant dream of a ...
Africa-Asia Relations Beyond China
Africa was especially hard hit by Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs, which ended years of duty-free access to the U.S. and triggered a rush to find new markets. China's announcement that it will remove all tariffs on African imports undoubtedly provides ...
WEEK IN REVIEW: African Exporters Lobby U.S., While Eyeing Chinese Alternatives
Reuters reports that African exporters have embarked on a final effort to save the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a trade pact that gives the continent duty-free access to the U.S. market. The act will expire at the end of the month. Delegations from five African manufacturing ...
China–ASEAN FTA 3.0 Set for October: All On Digital Trade Rules
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN will sign an upgrade to their free-trade agreement at the ASEAN–China summit in Kuala Lumpur in October. The deal sets digital trade, from e-commerce to data governance and payments, ...
China–Malaysia ‘ASEAN Express’ Rail Cuts Transit to 9 Days
China’s inland metropolis of Chongqing is now physically connected with Malaysia through a rail corridor branded the “ASEAN Express,” routed via Laos and Thailand. According to the latest media report on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, operators told the route ...