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: Tariffs
Indonesia to Resume U.S. Tariff Talks After Reports Deal at Risk
Indonesia will send a negotiating team to Washington next week to resume tariff talks with the United States. Coordinating Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto said Friday The move follows reports that a July trade framework is at risk. Airlangga said ...
Uganda’s First Zero-Tariff Exports to China Depart, Underscoring Challenge of Low-Value Goods
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni proudly waved his national flag at a send-off ceremony on Friday for 11 tons of dried chili bound for China. This shipment is among the first Ugandan exports to China that will benefit from Beijing's new zero-tariff ...
China’s Premier Import Expo Creates More Space for Global South, But Hurdles Remain
The China International Import Expo (CIIE), which concluded early this week, was mainly taken as a litmus test of Beijing’s trade relations with conventional partners amid ongoing tariff disputes. Chinese importers signed $83.5 billion in import deals at the expo in Shanghai. ...
China Pushes Back on Mexican Tariff Plans
China’s Foreign Ministry has lodged its opposition to plans by the Mexican government to impose a range of tariffs on Chinese imports. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters on Tuesday that Beijing “firmly opposes moves taken under coercion to impose restrictions on China or hurt China’s legitimate ...
US, China Outline Trade Truce Plan Ahead of Trump–Xi Talks
The United States and China said they have agreed on a basic outline to limit their trade fight, and U.S. President Donald Trump said he expects to “have a deal with China” when he meets Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week.
Indonesia Rejects U.S. Bid to Ban Chinese Ships in Tariff Talks
Indonesia Rejects U.S. Bid and pressing U.S. trade officials to allow the use of Chinese-flagged or China-built ships for its Washington-bound exports, warning that it “don’t want to give in to all their demands” as the two sides finalize a 19% tariff deal, senior officials said. ...
Geely Starts Assembly in Indonesia as the U.S. and EU Tariffs Rise
Geely, the Chinese carmaker, has begun knock-down (KD) assembly in Indonesia through its unit Geely Auto Indonesia. The work is taking place at a plant in West Java. The company says building locally will shorten delivery times for Indonesian buyers. ...
Trump Tariffs Boosting Nigerian E-Commerce Giant
The CEO of the Nigerian e-commerce company Jumia says the Trump administration’s tariffs are easing its access to Chinese manufacturers. Francis Dufay told Bloomberg that trade barriers in the U.S. are forcing Chinese suppliers to find other markets, which benefits Nigerian consumers. This is strengthening Jumia’s hand ...
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 ...
Sheinbaum Denies Tariff Rise Is Chinese ‘Coercion’
Mexico's president denied Friday that a proposed new tariff of up to 50 percent on imports from certain countries was a coercive measure targeting China. Beijing said Thursday it "firmly opposes any coercion" after President Claudia Sheinbaum announced higher duties on ...
China Gets Second 0% Tariff Path to Chile EV Market via Indonesia
China now has two ways to sell electric cars in the Chile EV market without an import tax. Besides the China–Chile trade deal, Chile said EVs (electric vehicles) made in Indonesia can also enter at 0% under IC-CEPA (Indonesia–Chile ...
Under U.S. Pressure, Mexico Mulling 50% Tariff on Chinese Cars
Mexico, under pressure not to serve as a back door for Chinese goods entering the United States, has proposed a 50-percent duty on car imports from the Asian giant -- up from 15-20 percent. The initiative, contained in a bill submitted ...