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.
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).
Changsha’s Star Turn: How a Historic City Became China’s “Capital of Entertainment” / March 21, 2025
Once a transit stop for travelers going west, the capital of Hunan province, Changsha, has become a popular tourist destination for its food and entertainment. But some wonder if the city’s popularity is just a result of media influencers. Will it stand the test of time? (The World of Chinese).
Tesla’s China rival Zeekr to roll out advanced driver assistance system for free / March 18, 2025
China’s electric car company Zeekr plans to offer driver assistance technology for free in its vehicles as a way to compete against Tesla’s offerings of the same technology, which can cost up to $8,850. Other Chinese automakers offer various forms of driver assistance, but Zeekr is willing to bear the cost if it puts them ahead of their competitor (CNBC).
China maps out plan to raise incomes and boost consumption / March 16, 2025
China has big plans to increase wages, adjust the minimum wage, provide childcare subsidies, and a flurry of other incentives to boost consumption, increase investment, and promote bearing children. China’s stock market rallied on the news last Friday (Fortune).
Trump’s cuts to Voice of America may be welcomed by China’s government / March 18, 2025
President Trump’s cuts to the US state-run media outlets like Radio Free Asia and Voice of America may open the door to authoritarian governments like China to fill the gap. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, hailed Trump’s move as a blessing for China, as she criticized VOA and RFA as sources of misinformation against China (AP News).
China conducts drills near Taiwan in response to US and Taiwanese statements / March 18, 2025
China ramped up its military exercises around Taiwan from Sunday through Monday with some of its aircraft entering Taiwan’s air space. China claims the increased activity was in response to statements and actions made by both the US and Taiwan that supported the island’s independence (AP News).
China scrutinizing Hong Kong firm’s sale of Panama Canal ports / March 18, 2025
A Hong Kong company, CK Hutchison, has entered negotiations with the American investment company, Blackrock, to sell some of its global ports near the Panama Canal, causing senior officials in the Chinese government to criticize the pending deal and to condemn political coercion. China may try to block the deal with lawsuits (Al Jazeera).
China’s military is going to war against itself / March 19, 2025
Recent purges in China’s military suggest to some that China may be facing an internal crisis. Two theories are possible: either President Xi is getting paranoid and is purging even those officers he has appointed, or Xi’s opponents are targeting Xi’s appointees. Beginning last July, unusual articles in the Chinese military newspaper challenged Xi’s philosophy on military unity (The Hill).
Xi inspects Guizhou, stresses high-quality development / March 19, 2025
President Xi toured Guizhou, a province in the western region of China, promoting industrial growth and high-quality development, stressing the importance of the western provinces to the Chinese economy. To achieve this goal, Xi stressed that the provinces must fervently adhere to the Party’s leadership (The Global Times).
Canada says China executed four Canadians earlier this year / March 20, 2025
Canada’s Foreign Minister, Mélanie Joly, announced that China executed four dual-citizenship Canadians in China for drug crimes in the last few months, further souring relations between the two countries. Like the US, Canada is in a tariff war with China. China does not recognize the dual citizenship of its citizens (NPR).
Trump says Xi Jinping will visit Washington in 'not too distant future' / March 18, 2025
President Trump suggested on Monday that President Xi may visit Washington D.C. sometime soon, possibly in April or June. The President was inspecting Washington D.C., recommending improvements to clean up the city after an increase in homelessness and graffiti during the Biden administration, and improving the city’s roads and highways, preferably before a Xi visit (Yahoo News).
China ends its annual Congress with questions about how to revive its slowing economy / March 11, 2025
“How much will the Chinese government do to revive its economy?” is the unanswered question at the end of the annual National People’s Congress last week. There appears to be some help for privately owned businesses to get loans and perhaps an easing of regulatory crackdowns. But President Trump’s tariff war and the threat of a potential recession in the US could prolong any recovery (AP News).
‘Race against time’ sees Premier Li put all Chinese officials on notice amid uncertainties / March 13, 2025
As the National People’s Congress drew to a close, Chinese Premier Li Qiang urged all government officials to carry out their assigned duties in haste so that the economy may reach its economic growth rate of nearly 5%. China’s economic plan for 2025 includes a focus on various hi-tech development and loans for privately held businesses (SCMP).
China’s Inflation Declines Below Zero for First Time in Year / March 9, 2025
China’s consumer price index fell 0.7% from a year earlier in February, demonstrating that China’s economy is still under strong deflationary pressure. Other figures also suggested a sluggish consumer demand still persists (Yahoo Finance).
China Sees Red as Trade War Escalates / March 11, 2025
In his memoir, George W. Bush revealed a question he asks foreign leaders, “What keeps you up at night?” How President Xi might answer that question would be fascinating to know. A defiantly sluggish economy, a restless citizenry, and the trade war with the US would probably make the top three candidates (US News).
China learned from Trump's first trade war and changed its tactics for round two / March 9, 2025
China was caught off-guard when President Trump placed tariffs on China during his first term, so now that President Trump has entered office again, and played a tariff card again, China was prepared to retaliate in kind and has a toolbox of measures to employ. China is ready to talk, but it won’t beg for mercy (CTV News).
China says it’s willing to cooperate with the U.S. on fentanyl / March 12, 2025
China’s government stated that it has done a great deal to mitigate the fentanyl drug crisis and that the US should be saying “thank you” instead of hitting China with more tariffs. But the country says it is also willing to work with the US as long as the diplomacy doesn’t end up creating more tariffs (CNBC).
Next Canadian leader will feel US wrath if he gets too close to China / March 12, 2025
Canada finds itself in the middle of a trade and tariff war, caught between the world’s two largest economies: the US and China. Canada’s next Prime Minister, Mark Carney, will have to navigate the tumultuous waters between the two countries as both wage their own tariff wars with each other, putting Canada in the middle (SCMP).
As Trump shakes the international order, China casts itself as a model of stability / March 9, 2025
“Stability” was the name of the game in Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi’s annual news conference on Friday, as if to assure the world that China is a safe political and economic alternative to President Trump’s current shuffling of the long-standing economic arrangement with its allies and enemies. After Wang’s charged retort to Trump’s tariff war earlier in the week, China seems to be maintaining its diplomatic composure to lure more countries to itself (NBC News).
Tariffs could deal a blow to Chinatowns / March 9, 2025
Chinese enterprises in Chinatowns across the US may be particularly hit hard by the tariff war between the US and China as most of the goods they sell are imported from China. Prices may rise by 8%. With more than a quarter of Chinatown’s resident in New York City living under the poverty line, it will be more difficult to procure their traditional and customary products (NBC News).
Iran’s nuclear program in focus in China, Russia and US / March 12, 2025
As President Trump has issued a new call for Iran to scuttle its nuclear program, Iran’s allies, Russia and China, are scheduled to meet in Beijing on March 14th to discuss the matter. Trump has been heavy fisted toward Iran, but Iran’s President has been equally defiant (Al Jazeera).
China's Plan to Tackle Birth Rate Crisis / March 9, 2025
China’s “births per woman” count has been declining from a high of twelve million in 1970 to two million in 2020. China’s elderly population is also growing rapidly. That puts China in what the UN calls a “super-aged society.” Attempts to encourage young adults to marry and bear children have not been very successful as changing cultural perspectives about parenting and the economic burden of raising a family work against the concept of having children (Newsweek).
China far outpacing US in military, commercial ship numbers / March 9, 2025
Last week President Trump announced plans to “resurrect” the country’s shipbuilding industry as China is far outpacing both in the construction of military ships and commercial ships. The US industry has been plagued with irregular funding from the government that has put suppliers out of business and estranged skilled workers due to lack of job security (VOA).
Facebook was 'hand in glove' with China, BBC told / March 10, 2025
Facebook’s former global public policy director, Sarah Wynn-Williams, has written a book revealing some of the company’s negotiations with the Chinese Communist Party as Mark Zuckerberg sought to get Facebook into the highly censored country. The process allowed Chinese technologists to see the inner workings of the social media platform (BBC).
Taiwan says tougher measures needed to counter Chinese infiltration / March 13, 2025
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te warned that China has increased its infiltration and espionage campaign on the island, stating that 64 Chinese operatives had been arrested in 2024, three times as many as in 2021. Lai also said he has more than a dozen countermeasures to thwart China’s soft-war campaign (Al Jazeera).
Concern grows in Washington, Seoul about China's disinformation campaign / February 28, 2025
South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol has been facing impeachment charges since December, and if the court rules against him, South Korea will have sixty days to elect a new President. Many are concerned that China has infiltrated social media in the republic, creating conflict and promoting the pro-China Democratic Party candidate (VOA).
Anti-corruption purges raise serious questions about China’s military readiness / March 1, 2025
President Xi’s continuing purge of the People’s Liberation Army hit another casualty in February as Tan Ruisong, former chairman of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China, was removed from his position on corruption charges. Analysts say the purges that have removed over a dozen officials over the last two years have more to do with suspected disloyalty to Xi rather than bribery or fraud. Such purges lower morale in the PLA (VOA).
Troops, Cartels, and China: What Mexico Is Doing to Stave Off Tariffs / March 2, 2025
While the Trump Administration continues to pressure Mexico to toughen up on illegal migration and drug trafficking across the US-Mexico border, Mexican President Scheinbaum has been actively working to do as Trump demands, stationing National Guard troops on Mexico’s northern border, targeting the cartels with arrests and sending some to the US for prosecution, and placing tariffs on Chinese imports (The New York Times).
Trade tensions heat up as China and Canada retaliate against U.S. tariffs / March 3, 2025
Both China and Canada vowed to retaliate against the Trump administration’s application of tariffs on imports from both countries with tariffs of their own on US imports. President Trump has said his tariffs have been placed to balance trade between the US’s three largest trade partners and to stem the flow of drugs, especially fentanyl, into the US (NBC News).
Chinese companies relocate to Cambodia's "Special Economic Zone" to avoid tariffs / March 3, 2025
As President Trump attempts to coax manufacturers to move their factories to the US to avoid tariffs, Chinese companies are moving to a “special economic zone” in Cambodia for the same reason. Cambodia has not yet been pulled into the trade war, so Chinese companies are moving there quickly. Cambodian trade with the US increased from $3 billion—prior to 2024—to $13 billion in 2024 (CBS News).
Falling prices signal bigger troubles ahead for China’s economy / March 4, 2025
Deflation in China intensified in the last quarter of 2024 as China’s citizens continue to deal with falling prices, an uncertain future, high youth unemployment, and plummeting housing values. The tariff war may make things even worse. Some economists say government vouchers for citizens should boost consumer demand (AP News).
China retaliates against US tariffs - but it also wants to talk / March 3, 2025
China’s response to the latest tariff increases by the US has not been as aggressive as their response to Trump’s first-term tariff barrage, possibly signaling that they want to work out a deal with Trump. Meanwhile, they will likely take advantage of Trump’s bullish behavior, inviting other nations to partner with China instead (BBC).
China targets 5% growth as it reels from Trump tariffs / March 5, 2025
As the National People’s Congress began meeting this week, one of its first announcements was a 5% goal for China’s economic growth target. But President Trump’s 10% tariff hike also went into effect this week, setting up a challenge to that growth target by potentially shrinking Chinese exports (BBC).
Tesla China shipments tumble, the latest sign of weakening demand / March 4, 2025
Tesla’s shipments of autos from China fell almost 50% in February compared to a year ago, while other domestic Chinese automakers saw increases in their sales, strongly suggesting that Tesla is losing ground in its popularity in China. Chinese automakers can sell their EVs more cheaply (Yahoo Finance).
DeepSeek AI bot is part of China’s 'Unrestricted Warfare’ doctrine / March 2, 2025
“To win without fighting” has been a military strategy utilized by China for centuries. Employ activities to cause the enemy to either harm itself or neutralize its capability to defend itself. One journalist states that China’s DeepSeek AI program is part of this strategy, gathering personal information from its users, and allowing harmful media information through its safety buffers (Fox News).
"If War Is What the US Wants...": China's Sharp Retort to Trump's Tariff Charge / March 5, 2025
Responding to President Trump’s announcement of his tariff hike against China this week, the Chinese Embassy in the US declared that China is ready for any type of war the US wants. Trump says the tariffs are partly due to China’s lack of effort in curtailing its involvement in the fentanyl drug trade. China denies involvement but also says it has done what it can already (NDTV World).
China is working on a huge aircraft carrier that rivals the biggest in the U.S. fleet / March 2, 2025
Satellite images of the Dalian shipyard in northeastern China suggest that China is working on constructing an aircraft carrier that can launch jets from four catapults, matching the size and capabilities of the largest ships in the US fleet. The images show a prototype module, indicating it may be a few years before a supercarrier could be built (NBC News).
CNA Explains: What China’s Two Sessions mean for the world / March 3, 2025
China’s Two Sessions—the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference—meet this week to approve the CCP’s agenda for the year and discuss national matters. In many ways, the conferences are almost a “who’s who” celebrity event as participants include CEOs of major companies and all-star athletes, among other ethnic representatives (CNA).
What to watch for at China's major political event this week / March 3, 2025
China’s National People’s Congress meets this week to rubberstamp the CCP’s plans for the year, including economic targets, China’s response to the Trump tariffs, foreign diplomacy, and domestic plans. Evidently, the economic focus will shift from increasing domestic demand to a geopolitical plan to increase industry and technological innovation (NBC News).
China's factory activity growth hits 3-month high in February / March 2, 2025
China’s factory activity increased to hit a 3-month high in February as millions of workers went back to the factories after the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, and as manufacturers tried to get ahead of increased tariff threats from the US. In spite of the small jump in manufacturing, the US-China trade war may push another economic slowdown (NBC 10).
US charges Chinese hackers and government officials in a broad cybercrime campaign / March 6, 2025
The US Justice Department announced that it has charged a dozen Chinese nationals with cybercrimes against a variety of individuals, companies, and governments, including the US. Most of those charged worked for a Chinese hacking company called I-Soon. While China’s economy struggles, it appears the cyber hacking industry is strong and healthy as hackers are paid generously by the Chinese government for information they find (AP News).