Good Morning. Welcome to The Wire’s daily news roundup. Each day, our staff gathers the top China business, finance, and economics headlines from a selection of the world’s leading news organizations.
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The Wall Street Journal
- Can Trump’s Hardball Tactics on China Ease America’s Fentanyl Crisis? — President-elect says he will punish China if it doesn’t choke off the flow of ingredients, but Beijing could balk if relations sour.
- Mass Attacks in China Prompt Censorship, Clampdown on Mourning — Authorities’ restrictions on information signal rising concerns about threat to social stability.
- Hong Kong Court Sentences Dozens in Case That Crushed Pro-Democracy Camp — Defendants include politicians and activists who had hoped to win control of legislature, a plan Beijing found subversive.
- Chinese Equities Face Another Volatile Year as Policy Clouds Gather At Home and Abroad — Recent stimulus efforts have failed to impress.
- XPeng Halves Loss on Strong EV Sales, Record Margin — The carmaker attributed stronger revenue to its technical collaboration with Volkswagen.
- Chinese Express Delivery Firm Taps Hong Kong Market With Near $800 Million Offering — S.F. Holding would become the second-biggest listing in Hong Kong this year.
The Financial Times
- Chinese tech groups build AI teams in Silicon Valley — Alibaba, ByteDance and Meituan seek to poach top talent from US rivals despite Washington’s chip curbs.
- Trump tariffs would hurt US defence sector, warns Beijing adviser — Chinese government-affiliated expert says America would bear brunt of trade measures promised by president-elect.
- Goldman chief warns global investors are staying on the ‘sidelines’ in China — David Solomon says there are concerns about cashing out of investments in the country.
- China scrambles to connect with potential Trump officials — Hawkish stance of Republican president-elect leaves Beijing at a disadvantage with incoming administration.
- EU to demand technology transfers from Chinese companies — New requirements will apply to batteries but could be expanded to other green sectors.
- Hong Kong sentences 45 activists to prison in landmark security trial — Legal scholar Benny Tai receives 10-year penalty as authorities stamp out dissent in Chinese territory.
The New York Times
- Dozens of Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Leaders Sentenced in Mass Trial — The 45 defendants, including Joshua Wong, were at the forefront of the opposition movement crushed by Beijing. Many have already been in jail for years.
- Man Drives Car Into Crowd Outside Primary School in China — The incident followed an attack by a driver last week that left 35 people dead, and a mass stabbing several days later.
- How China’s Rising Emissions Could Change Global Climate Politics — China has now passed Europe in its historical contribution to global warming. Rich nations say the country should contribute more climate aid.
Caixin
- Fourth Former IPO Regulator Goes Missing Amid Corruption Crackdown — Wu Guofang served three consecutive terms on CSRC committee overseeing share sales.
- Opinion: Project mBridge Aims to Bridge Global Economies With Central Bank Digital Currencies — The initiative doesn’t exclude the U.S. dollar, whose status depends largely on the U.S. itself. By Zhou Xiaochuan.
South China Morning Post
- At G20, Xi Jinping and Anthony Albanese discuss improved China-Australia trade relations — Both leaders note progress, with the Australian prime minister saying: ‘Trade is flowing more freely to the benefit of both countries.’
- Baidu says self-driving vehicle costs drop to US$34,525 as mass production ramps up — Baidu chief executive Robin Li said the RT6 is now the world’s only mass-produced Level-4 autonomous driving vehicle.
- Baby boon: far-flung Chinese county splashes cash to boost births — Researcher questions where the money will come from, as well as the sustainability of subsidies amid China’s falling birth rate.
- Citic enlarges its Saudi Arabia footprint with 3,500-home Tilal Khuzam project in Riyadh — The project, also called Khuzam Hills, comprises several phases, the first of which is scheduled for delivery in 2026, according to the website of Citic’s partner Rafal.
Nikkei Asia
- China rushes to boost domestic chip supply ahead of Trump’s return — China rushes to boost domestic chip supply ahead of Trump’s return.
- What China’s lackluster Singles Day says about Xi Jinping and deflation — Government appears content to let prices stay depressed.
- China officials tout Hong Kong as conduit for mainland companies — Summit gives top Western bankers largely scripted update on Chinese economy.
- Xi Jinping says AI should not be ‘a game for the wealthy’ — Chinese leader presses G20 leaders to maintain financial stability.
Bloomberg
- China’s Debt Cleanup Leaves Less Cash for Big Building Projects — Certain local bonds have been diverted to repay older debt through 2028, showing Beijing’s concern regarding the finances of localities.
- China’s Chip Advances Stall as US Curbs Hit Huawei AI Product — The Chinese firm’s AI chips will use existing technology in 2025.
- Opinion: A Mass Killing Tests China’s Crime Narrative — The Communist Party claims public safety is under control. Some horrific tragedies are showing the weaknesses. By Karishma Vaswani.
Reuters
- China’s export tax bombshell rocks aluminum market — China’s announcement that it will end tax rebates on exports of aluminum semi-manufactured products may have major long-term ramifications for the global supply chain.
- China’s new hobbies create a spending mirage — Overall consumer goods and services aren’t generally keeping up with niche outdoor brands.
Other Publications
- The Information: China AI Star Kai-Fu Lee Hits Startup Headwinds in U.S. — Lee’s major role in China’s AI sector complicates his new startup’s fundraising from U.S. investors.
- Rest of World: Chinese startups supported by Microsoft and Google incubator programs worked with police — Documents reviewed by Rest of World show several companies backed by U.S. tech giants provided policing or censorship tools to Chinese law enforcement.
- The Economist: America and China’s trade war will rock the world — Countries that had previously managed to sit out the spat will be dragged into it.
- Foreign Policy: Where Trump’s Cabinet Stands on China — China hawks dominate, but Elon Musk could soften the administration’s stance.
- Foreign Affairs: How Trump Can Build on Biden’s Successes in Asia — Merely taking a harder line on China won’t be enough.
- CFR: Understanding Experiences of Chinese Graduate Students in the United States — Graduate students from China face many challenges in the United States, including stringent visa policies and new restrictions on research funding.
- CSIS: China’s Smart Cities in Africa: Should the United States Be Concerned? — An extensive network of Chinese surveillance technology is entering the hands of often nondemocratic African governments.
