News that caught our eye / The week ending March 28, 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.
Canada updates travel advisories for U.S., China after recent tensions / March 22, 2025
In response to events occurring in both the US and China, the Canadian government is advising its citizens to follow certain procedures to avoid trouble with either foreign government. Dual-citizen Chinese-Canadian citizens should register as Canadians when traveling to China, as China does not recognize dual citizenship, and travelers to the US should register with the US government if they stay longer than 30 days in the US (CBC).
Three years after China Eastern plane crash, regulator has not released report / March 23, 2025
It’s been three years since a passenger plane crashed in the Guangxi region of southwestern China and China’s aviation regulator still has not released an official statement to explain what caused the plane to crash, killing 132 people. Previous reports on the March 21st anniversary provided scant information. One social media comment suggested that no report was a report in and of itself (Reuters).
US senator and Trump supporter Daines meets China’s vice premier in Beijing / March 22, 2025
Current US Senator Steve Daines, a one-time businessman who worked in China, was in Beijing to meet with Chinese officials on behalf of US President Donald Trump. Daines met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Saturday and Premier Li Qiang on Sunday. Daines had served in a similar position during Trump’s first term (AP News).
Beijing pledges greater market access at the China Development Forum / March 24, 2025
Numerous multi-national CEOs and dignitaries were in attendance at the China Development Forum in Beijing that began on Sunday, including Apple’s Tim Cook and US Senator Steve Daines. China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng assured those in attendance that China will continue to open its markets and invite foreign investment at a critical time as China attempts to jump-start its sluggish economy (CNBC).
China releases staff of an American due diligence firm in a move to woo investors / March 25, 2025
Perhaps in an effort to show foreign investors that China offers a safe and benevolent environment for doing business, China released all the employees of the Mintz group, a corporate due diligence firm, after detaining them for about two years. China increased its scrutiny of foreign firms in China about four years ago, driving down foreign investment sentiment (NPR).
Chinese electric carmaker BYD sales beat Tesla / March 24, 2025
Chinese EV automaker BYD reported sales that were about $10 billion more than Tesla’s revenue in 2024, citing that its hybrid sales helped achieve the increase in sales. BYD can sell its vehicles for a cheaper price, recently releasing a rival model to Tesla’s Model 3, and offering its “God’s eye” driver assistance technology for free in all of its vehicles (BBC).
Trump hints at 'flexibility' for China even as he plows ahead with global tariff plans / March 23, 2025
President Trump’s on-again, off-again tariff threats have made for an uneasy market, but more is yet to come as an April 2nd deadline for a global tariff is in Trump’s plan to even out the playing field when it comes to the country’s trade deficit with many countries. While Trump is serious about the tariff threat, he is open to “flexibility” when he was talking about China. He hopes the term will also be in China’s vocabulary (NBC News).
U.S. blacklists over 50 Chinese companies in bid to curb Beijing’s AI, chip capabilities / March 26, 2025
The Trump Administration has blacklisted 50 Chinese companies in an effort to keep US technology from benefitting Chinese companies and its military. The Chinese companies had been using loopholes to skirt previous sanctions placed on them by the former Trump and Biden Administrations (CNBC).
China rolls out new rules to step up countermeasures to foreign sanctions / March 24, 2025
Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced new measures on Monday to respond to any sanctions placed against China by implementing a 2021 anti-foreign sanctions law. The measures cover a wide array of commerce and allow for the deportation of foreigners, confiscation of property in China, and banning imports or exports of goods (Reuters).
The U.S. is not prepared to win an economic war against China-built containerships / March 24, 2025
An investigation, begun under the Biden Administration, has revealed that the vast majority of containerships are built in China. In order to encourage US shipbuilding, the Trump Administration is considering charging fines for all Chinese-built vessels that bring goods to US ports and using the revenue to support US shipbuilding. Many in the global shipping industry say the costs could be economically catastrophic (CNBC).
India-China relations: Modi's hope for a thaw amid uncertain geopolitics / March 23, 2025
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had positive things to say recently about India’s relationship with China, despite a recent border clash (2020) in the Ladakh region between the two countries. But a number of India’s economic and geopolitical relationships could either threaten or solidify the two countries’ relationship depending on how they play out (BBC News).
China’s missed emissions target poses challenge to global climate efforts / March 25, 2025
China’s “carbon intensity” ratio fell by 3.4 percent in 2024, falling short of its 3.9 percent goal for the year. China is the world’s leading polluter as well as the world leader in renewable energy investment. The country has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2060. About 28 percent of its energy comes from solar, wind and hydropower (Al Jazeera).