When it was announced in 2023 that the African Union would become a full member of the G20, I darkly joked on a podcast that the AU’s entry into the body could very well mark the moment the G20 lost its status as one of the most important global coordination forums. Mark my words, I said, soon The Economist will be like “Uhhh, the G20 is OVER – it’s the ...
Category: Export
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 ...
China’s Export Curbs Spur Rare Earth Scramble
China’s announcement last week that exports of refined rare earth minerals, permanent magnets using these elements, and the equipment used to refine them, has sparked panic among the countries that depend on these exports for high-technology products, including weapons and wind turbines.
Singapore Probes Firm Accused of Illegally Supplying Nvidia Chips to China Amid U.S. Export Crackdown
Singaporean authorities have launched an investigation into a local firm, Megaspeed, that allegedly sold millions of dollars' worth of Nvidia chips to users in China, a violation of U.S. export controls. “The Singapore Police Force confirms that investigations are ongoing into ...
China to License Rare-Earth Exports to Screen Security Risks
China’s Commerce Ministry on Sunday says rare-earth export licenses will screen security risks, not halt trade nor impose an export ban. Compliant civilian applications “will get approval,” with a “very limited” supply-chain impact. It says partners were notified in ...
China Tops Indonesia Trade, August Surplus Highest Since 2022
China was Indonesia’s top buyer and top supplier as Indonesia’s goods trade surplus reached $5.49 billion in August. The number is the highest since November 2022, according to the Indonesian statistics agency. Indonesia recorded a $29.14 billion trade surplus ...
BYD: 1 in 5 EVs Will Be Exported in 2025 as Production Ramps
China’s BYD expects to export 800,000 to 1,000,000 EVs in 2025, about a fifth of its 2025 sales as it moves more cars on its own vessels and adds capacity overseas. “We estimate that the proportion of our overseas sales would ...
China Puts EV Exports Under Permit Regime from 2026
China will add electric vehicles, or EVs, to its export-permit list effective Jan. 1, 2026, the Ministry of Commerce said, citing “healthy development” of the sector. The step brings EVs into line with permit regimes already applied to other ...
China–ASEAN Trade Nears $1,05 Trillion as Surplus Hits $278 Billion
China and ASEAN are set to pass the trade threshold in 2025, with nearly $1.05 trillion in goods. That would leave China with a surplus that swells past $278 billion, a big step up from 2024. Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, the ...
U.S. Tariffs Hit China’s Exports; Pressure Rises in Southeast Asia
China’s exports to the United States fell 25% between April and August 2025, about $57 billion, yet shipments redirected to Southeast Asia, Africa, and Europe helped offset the hit, a recent UNDP study finds. Southeast Asia took the most significant ...
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. ...