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.
Humanoid robots run a Chinese half-marathon alongside flesh-and-blood competitors / April 19, 2025
Humanoid robots ran alongside (well, in a separate lane) human runners in a half-marathon in Beijing on Saturday, with the winning robot clocking in at 2 hours, 40 minutes and 42 seconds. Twenty robotic teams participated in the race. Awards were also given out for endurance, gait design and innovative form (AP News).
China poised to interfere as Trump seeks tariff deal with EU, experts warn / April 19, 2025
Frustrated by President Trump’s tariff duel, China and the EU could benefit from increased trade between the two entities, or, at least, it looks that way at the start. However, the EU is also fearful of Chinese “dumping,” that is, flooding the EU market with an abundance of Chinese goods at lower prices. And, neither China nor the EU can do well economically without the US consumer (Fox Business).
China vows retaliation against countries that follow U.S. calls to isolate Beijing / April 20, 2025
In response to the Trump Administration’s apparent order for partner countries to limit their dealings with China, China itself announced that it would respond with its own retaliation against nations that threaten China’s interests by following Trump’s demand (CNBC).
Trump and Xi are locked in a standoff over direct trade negotiations / April 19, 2025
President Trump’s insistence that tariff negotiations with China should commence only between President Xi and Trump himself, and the concern in China that a failed encounter between the two presidents, or one that makes Xi look like the loser of the deal, has trade negotiations between the two superpowers at a standstill as of Easter weekend (Politico).
Designed in US, made in China: Why Apple is stuck / April 18, 2025
Apple finds itself caught between the opposing sides in Trump’s tariff war with its home-grown design and a strong US market on the one side, and a complex, global web of resources that lead to Foxconn factories in China, where many of its products are manufactured. Moving its factories to the US, or anywhere outside of China to appease the Trump administration, would be difficult (BBC).
Trump says China tariffs will ‘come down substantially,’ hinting at potential U-turn / April 23, 2025
President Trump stated that tariffs against China will come down substantially very soon, signaling a possible turn for the better in the standoff between the world’s two major economies. Comments on Chinese media claimed that Trump “chickened out” by hinting that the tariffs won’t remain so staggeringly high (CNN Business).
China says 'door open' to trade talks after Trump signals tariffs will fall / April 23, 2025
Reacting to President Trump’s comment that “tariffs will come down,” China stated that the “door was wide open” for talks between the world’s two largest economies. Both countries acknowledge that trade wars aren’t beneficial to anyone. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he expects the conflict to “de-escalate” soon (CNA).
Bad News for China: Rare Earth Elements Aren’t That Rare / April 23, 2025
China’s latest restrictions on the sale of “rare earth minerals” to US companies may sound frightening, but these minerals are used in extremely small quantities, and US companies can rely on available stockpiles or even recycle those found in used devices and automobiles. Rare earth minerals are “rare” because they are found mixed with other minerals. The mining process is highly damaging to the environment, making domestic extraction a challenging effort (Wired).
Opportunity for big US-China trade deal, says Bessent / April 22, 2025
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated on Wednesday that there is a great opportunity for China to have a trade deal that works for both countries if China relies less on manufacturing exports and focuses on its own domestic economy (BBC).
China sends Boeing planes back to US over tariffs / April 23, 2025
China sent back two Boeing aircraft to the US company after the tariff escalation between the US and China has soured the relationship between the two countries. Boeing says it has dozens of other planes that were originally ordered by China, but that those planes could be diverted to other countries, as the demand for planes is high (BBC).
Trump says the U.S. and China are 'actively' discussing tariffs. Beijing says that's false / April 24, 2025
There appears to be some disagreement between China and the US regarding negotiations to de-escalate the trade war between the two countries. President Trump said that talks are actively taking place, but a Chinese spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, rejected that statement, calling it false. While low level conversations may be taking place, talks on a Cabinet level or higher have yet to occur (NBC News).
China launches new crewed mission into space / April 24, 2025
China successfully launched a rocket into space on Wednesday, delivering three “taikonauts” and supplies to its Tiangong Space Station. Fish, worms and other life forms are also along for the ride for experiments on the space station (BBC).
China Closed Christian Bookstores. Digital Publishing Grew in the Vacuum / April 21, 2025
Before President Xi took office in 2013, there were 300 Christian bookstores in China. Now, there are ten, as Christian book publishers and bookstores have been shuttered under Xi’s pro-Communist agenda. Still, the need for Christian literature continues to exist, so Christians have moved to digital versions of Christian book translations, sometimes with one person reading the book out loud in an online group meeting (Christianity Today).
Humanoid Robots Are Poised to March into the Real World / April 11, 2025
In China, excitement about the potential of humanoid robots soared after the Lunar New Year’s Eve, when 16 of Unitree Robotics’ general-purpose robots appeared at the Spring Festival Gala. Performing a tightly choreographed Chinese folk dance alongside human dancers, the robots — dressed in traditional floral-patterned cotton jackets and spinning red handkerchiefs — wowed more than a billion viewers with their synchronized movements (Sixth Tone).
Forget tariffs — Beijing is already choking off US exports on the sly / April 12, 2025
China’s toolkit in the US-China trade war includes simply blocking imports of various goods from the US, especially those produced by manufacturers that have been supportive of the Trump Administration. China has blocked US imports of beef, produce like soybeans, and natural gas. But it may be of more concern that China has also blocked its own exports of critical minerals to the US (Politico).
China put steep tariffs on U.S. exports. Farmers are worried / April 12, 2025
American farmers are concerned about how the tariff trade war will affect their bottom line if there isn’t a settlement reached between the US and China, as well as the myriad of other countries in the Trump Administration’s trade crosshairs. However, during his first term, Trump supported farmers with government aid, and he successfully renegotiated the USMCA, so some farmers are hopeful he can do the same this time around (NPR).
Trump tariffs on China will soon bring ‘irreversible’ damage to many American businesses / April 12, 2025
Uncertainty about the seemingly daily change in tariffs and the complicated variety of shipping contracts and port policies are on the minds of everyone in the global supply chain, but small US businesses may not be able to withstand the higher costs or the lack of materials needed for their businesses to survive (CNBC).
‘Invasion’ barges, subsea cable cutters & surprise naval drills: China is testing Trump / April 13, 2025
China has been flexing its muscles in the South China Sea and even as far as Australia lately, not just to keep its neighbors on alert, but to send a message to President Trump in the midst of the current trade war. China could use military threats in its arsenal of trade negotiations with the US, but that puts US allies in the region on alert—would the US give up an ally’s safety for its own purposes (The Guardian)?
China orders its airlines to stop accepting deliveries of Boeing jets / April 15, 2025
China’s economy enjoyed a more prosperous first quarter in 2025 in many sectors, but US President Trump’s tariff hikes are likely to threaten up to 20 million jobs in China as exports from China remain in China. Estimates for hiring plans in March dropped significantly. Increasing automation in China will also rob more jobs from Chinese workers (Yahoo Finance!).
China orders its airlines to stop accepting deliveries of Boeing jets / April 15, 2025
As China raised its tariffs on US imports to 125%, the Chinese government also ordered its domestic airlines to stop receiving deliveries of new planes from US-based Boeing, as well as aircraft parts from US manufacturers. The extra tariff costs make them unaffordable. About ten planes were scheduled to be delivered this month after over 100 planes were delivered in the first quarter of this year (CBS News).
China’s Xi Jinping says there are no winners in a tariff war as he visits Southeast Asia / April 14, 2025
Chinese President Xi Jinping touted his strong relationship with Vietnam as he began a tour of Southeast Asian nations this week. He promoted China as a stable, reliable partner in trade compared with President Trump’s current enigmatic maneuvers to secure trade agreements favorable to the US economy (AP News).
The China-US Trade War Is in Full Swing / April 9, 2025
Beyond the economics, there’s also a psychological dimension to the trade war that is fueling the escalation cycle. Unlike other countries that have shown a willingness to negotiate with Trump – like Vietnam, Japan, and India – China is locked in a global rivalry with the United States. Each side views the other with extreme suspicion, and that makes any compromise unlikely. Instead, both the United States and China have accused each other of bullying behavior, adding an emotive component to the trade war that will make it exceedingly difficult for either Trump or Xi Jinping to back down (The Diplomat).
China's Commerce Ministry Says It Maintains Communication with US / April 17, 2025
While it may appear that the US and China are not on speaking terms, China’s Commerce Ministry did verify that it has been in regular contact with its counterparts in the Trump Administration. Blaine Holt, a former military rep to NATO, states that China’s economy is in much worse trouble than people realize. Some workers haven’t been paid in months, factories are closing, which may push the government into a corner where acting out militarily could be seen as its only option (Newsmax).
China lashes out, says 'peasants in the United States' will suffer from trade war / April 15, 2025
Xia Baolong, the director of China's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, borrowed from US Vice President JD Vance’s complaint that, for decades, the US has been going into debt by buying goods made by Chinese peasants, retorting that US peasants should “wail in front of 5000 years of Chinese civilization.” Since a pro-democratic protest in Hong Kong in 2019, China has put pro-China sympathetic leaders into positions of power on the once-autonomous island (Fox Business).
Trump wants to make a deal with China. Here’s how he’s trying to make that happen / April 16, 2025
US President Trump hopes to make trade deals with many countries around the world, especially in Asia, so that the newly created bloc isolates China, drawing it into negotiations, too. But China may be prepared for that strategy, and President Xi’s power over his own people may give him more time to endure austerity than US citizens might give Trump (Politico).
Did Trump really just levy a 245% tariff on China? / April 17, 2025
While it would seem that tariffs as high as 145% were extreme, rumors that President Trump plans to strike back at China with a 245% tariff are incorrect. The 245% number is an accumulation of tariffs going back to Trump’s first term and applies to just two items: syringes and electric vehicles (CBC News).
Aboard the 'silver trains', China's retirees do their bit to offset Trump's tariffs / April 16, 2025
To spur the economy into action, the Chinese government is encouraging retirees to travel on “silver trains” that take retirees, and their hard-earned savings, on a luxurious train ride to areas of China that they normally would not see. Many routes stop at economically struggling regions that need the financial support retirees bring with them (BBC).
Religious Activities by Foreigners in China: New Restrictions from May 1 / April 8, 2025
The Chinese State Administration for Religious Affairs released what it calls “Order #23” on April 1st, an updated regulation that puts more strict measures on religious foreigners who are not part of any of the “approved” religious organizations when they come to China. The regulation will make it more difficult for such foreigners to enter China for religious purposes (Bitter Winter).
Expanding the Notion of Xie Jiao in China: Now Even Reformed Christians Are “Cultists” / March 27, 2025
Article 300 in China’s criminal code English translation describes “Xie Jiao” as “evil cults,” but lately, the term has been expanded by local Chinese governments to include even Reformed Christian house churches. A house church in Fuyang City in China has been under scrutiny and harassment from the local government for some years now, but recently, two of its members were charged under Article 300 “for being active in a xie jiao (Bitter Winter).
China Appeals for Calm, Readies Plans to Counter Trump’s Tariffs / April 7, 2025
An editorial in the Chinese government’s mouthpiece, the People’s Daily, declared that the government has a vast supply of strategies to counter President Trump’s trade war. Having dealt with tariffs since Trump’s first term eight years ago, the Chinese government has learned how to deal with the matter (Yahoo Finance).
China is not backing down from Trump's tariff war. What next? / April 8, 2025
The rapid pace of President Trump’s tariff escalation has rattled global markets and economies, but China also refuses to flinch, vowing to not back off. Doing so would suggest weakness on China’s part. China has weakened its currency to bear some of the brunt of the tariffs, and it can do so again. China also has other means to respond if it decides to walk past the negotiating table (BBC).
Trump's sweeping new tariffs in effect, including 104% on goods from China / April 9, 2025
Increased tariffs from the Trump Administration took effect on Wednesday this week, hitting China the hardest with additional tariffs that add up to 104% so far. The EU and Canada also plan retaliatory tariffs. Initially, East Asian stock markets were mixed upon first impact of the tariffs going into effect. China stated it has enough reserves to see the trade war through (CBS News).
Stocks surge after 90-day pause announced for most countries / April 9, 2025
In another example of “expect the unexpected,” President Trump announced a delay in the implementation of new tariffs for 75 countries, but tariffs against China would rise higher again to 125%. China’s retaliatory tariffs against US exports currently stand at 84%. Other countries have called for negotiations with the Trump Administration (NBC News).
Why Trump is hitting China on trade - and what might happen next / April 10, 2025
President Trump’s tariff war has been a strategy to reset global trade to benefit the American economy, a goal that Trump had to leave unfinished after his first term. Realistically, Trump has wanted to overhaul the trade environment for decades, but China’s economy has grown into the global market so much that it is unwilling to bend to Trump’s wishes. The standoff may get ugly (BBC).
China channels Mao in trade war with a vow for 'complete victory' over the U.S. / April 10, 2025
Mao Ning, the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson, declared in a post on X on Friday that China would not back down in the face of President Trump’s trade war that has focused on China this week. Her post included a 1953 video of Mao Zedong determined speech that China would continue fighting until “China’s complete victory.” China’s history of humiliation by foreign powers underlies its defiance against Trump’s “bullying.” The two sides may continue to hurt one another and themselves before they come to the table (NBC News).
Trump was touting his Panama victory. Then China stepped in / April 9, 2025
CK Hutchison, the Hong Kong business that owns two ports on either side of the Panama Canal, was scheduled to secure the sale of the two ports to a consortium of businesses led by Blackrock on April 2nd, but Chinese regulators have stepped in to review the transaction, calling it a threat to China’s national interests. China may use the sale as collateral in the tariff trade war (NBC News).
Meta Whistleblower to Tell Congress That Company Aided China in AI Race / April 9, 2025
A former Meta director of global public policy, Sarah Wynn-Williams, testified before Congress on Tuesday that the leadership of Meta actually collaborated with China to advance its AI technology to out-compete US companies, undermining US national security and interests. China evidently used the technology for military purposes. Meta denies the accusations (Yahoo Finance).
Jingjiao: The first Christian Church in China / April 3, 2025
Dr. Glen Thompson, a former professor of Asia Lutheran Seminary, has published a fascinating accounting of Christian missionaries bringing the message of the Christian faith along the Silk Road to eventually establish a Christian church in China during the Tang dynasty some time before 781 A.D., when a stele was erected in Chang’an describing the “Luminous Teaching.” The book is available on Amazon.
Five Key Trends That Shaped Christianity in China in 2024 / March 25, 2025
Churches grow and develop, with its needs, achievements, desires and goals changing as it matures. A journalist documents the growth of the Chinese Church, stating that now, there are five trends that the Church in China is focusing on as it becomes more independent of its “Western” parents (China Christian Daily).
China Connection Emerges In Bangkok Skyscraper That Collapsed During Quake / March 30, 2025
A 33-story high rise in Bangkok, Thailand, that collapsed during an earthquake last Friday in Myanmar was partially funded by a Chinese company called China Railway Number 10 Ltd. Apparently, it was the only high-rise under construction in Bangkok that collapsed. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the collapse (NDTV).
Hegseth announces plan for US command upgrades in Japan to deter China / March 30, 2025
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was in Japan on Sunday, praising the US ally for its partnership with the US, especially in its deterrence of Chinese aggression in the region. Hegseth announced a plan to upgrade the military command in Japan both in personnel and military equipment and weapons (Fox News).
China holds major war games around Taiwan as U.S. boosts ties with Japan / April 1, 2025
After U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held talks with Japan to increase the military cooperation between the two countries, China responded with large military exercises around Taiwan. China is also irritated by Taiwan’s President, Lai Ching-te, who strongly supports Taiwan’s independence (CBS News).
China state media blasts CK Hutchison's Panama port deal in soon-deleted post / March 29, 2025
A social media account linked to China’s CCTV harshly criticized Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison’s plans to sell two ports near the Panama Canal to a US based BlackRock group, but the post was deleted minutes after it had appeared online. The post described the deal as similar to handing a knife to an opponent (CNA).
US, China raise the stakes in Panama Canal ports row / March 29, 2025
The potential sail of two ports near the Panama Canal has drawn global shipping ports into politics as they become valuable assets for potential trade and military wars, although most countries have laws that prohibit discrimination depending on a ship’s national status. China’s Belt and Road Initiative, nevertheless, has strengthened Beijing’s global presence access to supplies and markets (Yahoo News).
South Korea, China, Japan agree to promote regional trade as Trump tariffs loom / March 30, 2025
After a five-year hiatus, trade ministers from Japan, South Korea and China held a dialogue and pledged to promote regional and global trade as part of the RCEP (the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) a 15-nation trade conglomerate. The three nations are major trade partners with the US and are bracing for the effects of Trump’s tariff strategy (Reuters).
China's biggest state banks to raise $71.6 bln to boost capital / March 30, 2025
With support from the Chinese government, China’s four biggest banks announced a plan to raise $71.6 billion through investments and the selling of shares. China’s banks have struggled to be profitable in the sluggish economy over the last few years. Expected cuts to key interest rates this year will add further pressure (Reuters).
Trump’s tariffs threaten to escalate a trade war. China wants to talk, but it’s ready to fight / March 31, 2025
President Trump’s use of tariffs and uncertainty has global markets on edge, especially between the US and China. But China has learned from Trump’s first term as president, so now it has more tools in its toolbox to be a greater challenge to Trump’s trade strategy, and it is prepared to use them (CNN).
For China and US Inc, Trump's trade war feels much worse this time / March 30, 2025
President Trump’s first term tariff war affected the Chinese economy with pressure on profit margins and a loss of 3.5 million jobs. Now, Chinese manufacturers can’t cut their prices any further without taking a loss, and local governments have little revenue to support local industries with subsidies, so many factories may close. Some US business owners say it is impossible to move their supply chain to the US (Reuters).
China’s factory activity growth at 1-year high as stimulus measures kick in / March 30, 2025
PMI (Purchasing Managers’ Index) figures improved in March as manufacturing activity increased, pushing the rate a little higher over the 50-point threshold between expansion and contraction. The PMI rate was 50.2 in February and 50.5 in March. Other figures, except employment, showed promise that recent government stimulus measures were improving the economy (CNBC).
In the engine room of China's economy Trump's tariffs are already beginning to bite / April 2, 2025
It is common knowledge that China’s economy has been struggling since the pandemic, but even before that, President Donald Trump’s first-term tariffs against China did have a negative effect on China’s economy even before the pandemic. Now, a second round of tariffs is hitting even harder on Chinese small businesses that have few options to escape the tariffs’ effects (Sky News).
Hang Seng tech index slides into correction territory after strong rally / March 31, 2025
After government stimulus measures inspired a slight rebound in Chinese stocks since last September, and DeepSeek’s surprising success in the AI market in January, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng tech index hit a wall on Monday, declining 3% on Monday, and 12% from a March 18th high. While the drop could be the sign of a “false rally,” analysts say that the correction is normal (CNBC).
China urges U.S. to ‘immediately’ cancel reciprocal tariffs, vows countermeasures / April 3, 2025
China’s Ministry of Commerce strongly urged US President Trump to cancel his tariff war against China while stating that China has its own countermeasures if he doesn’t bring the shocking tariffs to an end. Other countries are expressing their displeasure as well. Time will tell if it gets any of them to Trump’s bargaining table (CNBC).
China Restricts Companies from Investing in US as Tensions Rise / April 2, 2025
China’s government has put a hold on the approval process for Chinese investors and companies who want to invest in US companies, possibly giving China a bargaining chip as it grapples with Trump’s most recent tariff volley. This new suspension may block Chinese businesses from transferring their production to the US to avoid the tariffs (Yahoo Finance).