News that caught our eye / The week ending February 14, 2025
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NOTE: The news reports below are not in chronological order. There is often a time lag in their reaching the US and in gaining our attention. These reports reflect the opinions of a variety of news sources.
Curated by James Getka.
New marriages in China crash to record low, while divorces on the rise / February 10, 2025
Marriages in China in 2024 fell 20.5% from the previous year, marking a continuous downward trend since marriages peaked in 2013. Sadly, divorces also increased in 2024 by about 28,000 over 2023. Despite a slight increase in the birth rate, China’s overall population decreased, as well, in 2024. Government incentives to marry and have children don’t seem to be working (CNN World).
Trump wants China to play a role in peace in Ukraine. Is Xi Jinping willing to help? / February 12, 2025
President Donald Trump wants the war in Ukraine to end, and he’s hoping China’s President Xi will assist in the process, utilizing his close relationship with President Putin of Russia. But that puts Xi in a difficult position, as he does not want to see Russia weakened by the outcome (CNN World).
China proposes Putin-Trump summit to end Ukraine war, WSJ reports / February 12, 2025
China has been working behind the scenes with the Trump team to organize a meeting between President Trump and Russian President Putin, although Trump had a phone call with Putin on Wednesday, directed his officials to start working on a peace deal in Ukraine, and proposed meeting with Putin in person in Saudi Arabia (Reuters).
China lashes out at US after Panama declines to renew infrastructure agreement / February 7, 2025
When Panama pulled out of an arrangement with China concerning two ports on each side of the Canal, China snapped at the US, accusing it of coercion. China has invested in the Canal ports as part of its Belt and Road initiative, but President Trump sees China’s position in the Canal region as a threat to national and regional security (AP News).
China's tit-for-tat tariffs on US take effect / February 9, 2025
As the trade war escalates between the US and China, China started charging new tariffs on US imports last Monday. The move had been announced on February 4th just as President Trump’s tariffs on Chinese exports went into effect. China also went into “harass mode” against US companies Google and clothing designer PVH (BBC).
Why China could benefit most from Trump's tariffs / February 10, 2025
On the same day China’s counter-tariffs went into effect (Monday), President Trump announced 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum exports to the US, affecting not only China but a number of other nations that are also allies of the US. Trump’s tariffs, however, could backfire on him if China presents more favorable trade options to countries that don’t want to bend to Trump’s will (Sky News).
Trump’s assault on USAID leaves China soft power opening in Southeast Asia / February 13, 2025
President Trump’s pause on USAID’s funding of foreign aid projects may open a door for China to step in with its own form of “soft power” in providing humanitarian aid to Southeast Asian nations. But China’s own economic health is limiting what it can do outside of its borders (Al Jazeera).
Tesla's Chinese rival widens lead / February 11, 2025
Tesla had a difficult year in 2024 with auto sales down in the US, Europe, and China. And January’s numbers this year are strikingly lower with US sales down 13%, around 60% in France and Germany, and nearly 40% in Norway. Sales were also down over 11% in China. But BYD, Tesla’s biggest rival in China, enjoyed a surge in sales with the start of the new year (LinkedIn).
Chinese cranes at U.S. ports raise homeland security concerns / February 11, 2025
“Made in China” may show up on the imprinted tag on your new dress shirt, but it also is the source of 80% of ship-to-shore cranes in US ports. And because the cranes are automated, many are concerned that they could be remotely shut-down by a foreign adversary (CBS News).
Hundreds protest in London against proposed 'mega embassy' for China / February 8, 2025
China’s efforts to move its UK embassy into a larger facility met with protestors on Saturday with many citing concerns about economic espionage and harassment against Hong Kong and Chinese citizens living in Britain. As the UK’s leadership looks to improve ties with China, the protestors have even more cause for concern (VOA).
One dead, 28 missing after China landslide / February 9, 2025
A landslide in the Sichuan province’s village of Jinping claimed the life of at least one person, with twenty-eight missing and another 200 relocated as investigators assess potential dangers in the area. President Xi called for an “all-out” rescue of those who were trapped in the slide. The mountainous region in south-central China suffered similar landslides in the past (BBC).
China says US naval patrol of Taiwan Strait poses security risk / February 12, 2025
Two US naval ships passed through the Taiwan Strait between Monday and Wednesday this week, sparking a response by China condemning the move as a threat to regional security. The US ships, however, were passing through international waters, a somewhat routine procedure by the US and other countries’ naval ships (Al Jazeera).
Australia says Chinese fighter jet’s flares almost hit spy plane over South China Sea / February 13, 2025
A Chinese jet fighter dropped flares within 100 feet of an Australian military surveillance plane flying over international waters in the South China Sea. China claimed that the Australian plane was flying over the Paracel Islands, which it claims for itself. The two countries have sparred occasionally over such surveillance conflicts in the last few years (CBS News).
Chinese animated film shatters box office records as it heads overseas / February 12, 2025
A new animated movie, Ne Zha 2, has shattered box office records in China and on a global scale as the movie that was completely produced in China drew crowds during the Chinese New Year holiday. It has become a source of national pride for the people of China as it draws on a popular Chinese cultural legend and weaves in modern cinematic technology and art forms (NBC News).
'DeepSeek moved me to tears': How young Chinese find therapy in AI / February 12, 2025
Professional counseling and psychiatric care are limited or overly costly in China, and a stigma looms over the concept of mental health care. So, many Chinese citizens are finding solutions and emotional care in DeepSeek, which appears to be incredibly empathetic, practical, and responsive (BBC).