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
- U.S. Weighs Ban on Chinese-Made Router in Millions of American Homes — TP-Link is the bestselling router on Amazon — and has been linked to Chinese cyberattacks.
- Honda and Nissan Say They Are Exploring Merger — Possible combination comes after struggles for both automakers in China and a downturn for Nissan in the U.S.
- The China Shock Behind the Honda-Nissan Merger Talks — Potential combination of Japanese carmakers and a $5 billion GM charge show companies dealing with fallout from new rivals.
The Financial Times
- Taiwan in talks with Amazon’s Kuiper on satellite comms amid China fears — Minister says Eutelsat OneWeb network falling short and Elon Musk’s Starlink ‘not an option’ given his Chinese links.
- China’s ‘magic weapon’ helping Beijing wield influence in the UK — United Front Work Department has payroll of thousands aiming to win support for Communist party’s agenda.
- AstraZeneca insiders expect sales dip in China after arrest of local boss — FTSE 100 group reportedly faces difficulties in selling drugs to Chinese hospitals.
- ‘A different animal’: inside Huawei’s nascent EV business — Chinese tech giant’s $16bn unit sets sights on becoming big supplier to electric car industry despite US sanctions.
The New York Times
- A Look Inside Huawei’s Phone Shows How China’s Chip Advance Has Stalled — An analysis of Huawei’s latest series of smartphones, the Mate 70, found chips that showed little progress from those used in last year’s devices.
- Trump’s Tariffs Helped Northern Vietnam Boom Like Never Before. What Now? — The north benefited from the global search for alternatives to Chinese manufacturing. No one knows whether a second Trump term will impede or accelerate that growth.
- China Lengthens Visa-Free Stays for Tourists — In its efforts to attract visitors, the country extended stays from less than a week to up to 10 days for visitors between destinations.
- Opinion: How Elon Musk and Taylor Swift Can Resolve U.S.-China Relations — Trump will face a new China this time, one whose advanced manufacturing muscles have exploded in size, sophistication and quantity. By Thomas Friedman.
Caixin
- China’s Food Delivery Giants to Introduce Mandatory Rest Breaks for Riders — Delivery riders to be forced offline after excessive shifts to prevent overtiredness.
- China’s Trendy Toy Makers March Into Southeast Asia — Major players like Pop Mart and Miniso have been rapidly opening stores in the region over the past year, capitalizing on the growing demand for collectibles among adults.
- Honor Doubles Down on Premium Handsets in Latin America — Chinese smartphone-makers are waging an intense price war in the region’s budget segment, which has grown amid slowing economic growth.
- How Shift to EVs Risks Sidelining Auto Parts Giants — China’s rapid pivot is empowering carmakers and emerging software suppliers at the expense of parts giants such as Bosch and ZF, whose bundled solutions are in less demand.
South China Morning Post
- Why China may be less patient with Donald Trump the second time around — Beijing has signalled to the incoming government that it’s prepared to ‘resist and retaliate,’ according to analysts.
- Chinese scientists say Zuchongzhi 3.0 quantum computer is as powerful as Google’s Willow — Like Google’s quantum chip, the Chinese processor boasts 105 qubits with high precision and stability, according to a new paper.
- EU leaders set to avoid direct accusation over Chinese role in Russia’s war in Ukraine — A draft statement suggests leaders from the bloc’s 27 members will not accuse Beijing of crossing a major red line.
- China permits Philippine ship to deliver supplies to Second Thomas Shoal outpost — The move appears to be a rare act of de-escalation as Beijing and Manila continue to clash over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
Nikkei Asia
- Exclusive: Inside Huawei’s mission to boost China’s tech prowess — In fighting a U.S. clampdown, the company has helped make domestic players stronger.
- Pentagon drops private equity firm IDG Capital from Chinese military list — Chip manufacturer AMEC also removed by U.S. Defense Department.
- CATL co-developed 10 new EV models with swappable batteries — First to be launched this month, with plans for 1,000 swapping stations next year.
Bloomberg
- China’s Housing Rescue Falls Short in City That Signaled the Crisis — The limits of government intervention are evident in Zhengzhou, where home prices keep falling.
- China’s Billionaires Are Making Money for First Time Since 2020 — Stimulus has boosted wealth after property crisis, crackdowns.
- UK Minister Recently Lobbied Against Tough China Business Curbs — Treasury minister Emma Reynolds sought to avoid “onerous” new rules on behalf of banks.
- China Firms Seeking Second Listings Seen Boosting HK Deal Volume — Hong Kong’s IPO market is seeing a nascent recovery, helped by the Chinese government’s stimulus measures.
Reuters
- The shadowy ‘brokers’ helping Mexico’s cartels smuggle fentanyl chemicals from China — Chemical brokers are the supply chiefs of the illicit fentanyl trade, funneling Chinese ingredients to Mexico’s producers. Industry insiders tell Reuters how they use bribery, tricks and violence to feed the pipeline.
- Critical metals will be a key battleground in U.S.-China trade war — The big question is how well the United States can withstand China’s potential metallic response to Trump’s restrictions.
- Chinese property developers look to bite bullet and revamp onshore debt in 2025 — Extending maturities for onshore bonds no longer seems viable given the prolonged weakness in housing demand and the broader economy.
Other Publications
- The Economist: China’s economy is in for another rough year — Bold action is needed to turn things around.
- 404Media; DHS Says China, Russia, Iran, and Israel Are Spying on People in U.S. with SS7 — The Department of Homeland Security knows which countries SS7 attacks are primarily originating from.
- Nature: How car and battery companies can work around U.S. trade tariffs and rules — Understanding China’s and other nations’ responses to U.S. trade measures can help policymakers and firms find ways to manage economic competition.
- CFR: China’s Stunning 2024 Export Growth — Chinese exports are growing much faster in volume than in dollar terms. Europe is losing out, Brad Setser writes.
- Brookings: As China’s economy advances, investments into public education expand — Benchmarking education spending at 4 percent of GDP offers a novel way of thinking about education finance.
