Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney’s speech in Davos marked a new era in how the West talks about itself. One could say he was the first Global North leader to frame the rules-based international order (RIP) in Global South terms:
“We knew the story of the international rules-based order was partially false, that the strongest would exempt themselves when convenient, that trade rules were enforced asymmetrically. And we knew ...
Category: Export
China’s Trade Surplus Hit Record $1.2 Trillion in 2025
China reported strong trade numbers for 2025 on Wednesday, as its surplus rose year-on-year to a record $1.2 trillion despite a slump in exports to the United States after President Donald Trump hiked tariffs. Last year's bruising trade war between Washington ...
Indonesia to Cut Coal Output in 2026 After Export Slump to China and India
Indonesia plans to cut coal production in 2026 after exports to China and India fell sharply last year and prices declined, Indonesian Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said. He said Indonesia would reduce coal output to around ...
China–Vietnam Rail Freight Volume Hits Record in 2025
China’s rail operator said freight trains departing the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region for Vietnam carried a record 37,000 twenty-foot equivalent units of cargo in 2025, an increase of 86% from a year earlier. The Nanning Railway Logistics Centre said demand ...
China Tops Indonesia Trade in 2025, Surplus Extends to 67 Months
China remained the top trading partner behind Indonesia’s widening trade surplus in the first 11 months of 2025, serving as both the country’s largest export destination and its biggest source of non-oil imports, official data showed. Indonesia recorded a ...
China Demand Slowdown Clouds Thailand’s 2026 Export Outlook
Thailand’s export outlook for 2026 is deteriorating as weaker demand from China collides with tighter U.S. trade conditions, raising the risk of stagnation or outright contraction, government forecasts show. Thailand's Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO) projects exports next year ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
China Drives Vietnam Fruit Exports, Leaving Growers Exposed
Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports rose to $8.5 billion in 2025, led by durian sales into China, the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetables Association said. The industry says dependence on China leaves exporters exposed when import rules change. Export revenue reached ...
China Imports Drive Vietnam’s 8% 2025 Growth, Record U.S. Surplus
Vietnam’s economy expanded 8% in 2025, preliminary government data showed on Monday. The country posted a record trade surplus with the United States and record imports from China, after Washington imposed 20% tariffs from August. Vietnam shipped $153.2 billion of ...
China Leads Vietnam Trade as 2025 Turnover Hits $900 Billion
China remained Vietnam’s largest trading partner as 2025 goods trade crossed $900 billion, Vietnam Customs said. Full-year trade estimation sits at about $920 billion. Customs data show the $900 billion threshold was crossed between Dec. 22 and Dec. 26, based ...
IMF Calls for RMB Appreciation
The head of the International Monetary Fund called on China to allow the renminbi to strengthen, increase domestic consumption, and reduce its dependence on exports IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva told reporters in Beijing: “China is simply too big to generate ...
Japan Mulling Export of Weapons System to Philippines
Japan is reportedly preparing to export a command and control system to the Philippines. Designed by Mitsubishi Electric, the system would collect and analyze data about ships and planes passing through the area, and issue instructions to deployed military units. The transfer is aimed at improving cooperation ...
China Exports Seen Pushing Thai Growth Below 2% in 2026
Thai business leaders on Wednesday said China's efforts to export their overproduction, combined with catastrophic flooding and the impact of U.S. tariffs, risk making the economy expand by only 1.6%–2.0% in 2026. The warning came from the Joint Standing Committee ...
Thailand Seeks Joint Ventures to Boost Exports, Aligning with China’s 5-Year Plan
Thailand’s Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun instructed all nine Thai trade offices in China to shift from basic trade matchmaking to pursue joint ventures with Chinese partners. The move, as Suphajee said, is to align their work with Beijing’s newly ...