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A crude oil tanker is guided to a berth at a terminal in China’s Shandong province on Saturday. Photo: AFP
China trade

China’s oil-import surge seen shielding economy with 120-day buffer

Crude volumes rose sharply in January and February as Beijing amassed reserves, pre-empting Mideast risks, and analysts say it provides a strong buffer for global supply disruptions.

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China-EU relations

Why the ‘China threat’ was barely mentioned in Germany’s latest state election

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US-China trade war

China summons Maersk, MSC on shipping operations amid Panama saga, Iran war

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China exports

China’s exports surge 21.8% to start 2026 – biggest gain in 4 years

Despite an 11 per cent drop in US exports, China’s trade soared, buoyed by robust demand from Asean, the EU and other markets.

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Cargo containers and ships at a port in Qingdao, Shandong province, on March 3. Photo: AFP
Cargo containers and ships at a port in Qingdao, Shandong province, on March 3. Photo: AFP
US-China relations

China-US trade relations may reach a ‘tactical truce’, as 2 superpowers talk

Foreign companies in China quietly confident on US ties, but are bracing for ongoing geopolitical tensions.

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China energy security

China vows to stabilise oil and gas output in new 5-year plan amid global risks

Amid Mideast instability and US$100 oil, China is mapping out strategic production bases, underpinning long-term energy security.

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China energy security

More gas from Russia? China flags new pipeline links amid Iran energy crisis

‘Preparatory work’ on pipeline, believed to be the Power of Siberia 2, included in five-year plan – but analysts say more details are needed.

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Gazprom’s Chayanda oil and gas condensate field, one of the largest in eastern Russia, is a resource base for the Power of Siberia pipeline. Photo: Tass/Abaca Press/TNS
Gazprom’s Chayanda oil and gas condensate field, one of the largest in eastern Russia, is a resource base for the Power of Siberia pipeline. Photo: Tass/Abaca Press/TNS
US-China trade war

US firms face ‘economic bind’ as China mineral truce fails to ease shortages

Businesses hope US President Donald Trump’s visit to China in late March will ease bottlenecks.

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China trade

Iran war fallout grows as China struggles to import vital fertiliser chemical

Supplies of sulphur – a key fertiliser ingredient – are tightening in China just as the spring planting season begins.

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Hong Kong property

Hong Kong, Sydney or Dubai? Prime real estate investors take their pick

Rich buyers are reshaping ultra-luxury property markets from Sydney and Hong Kong to Dubai, drawn by each city’s unique selling proposition.

Illustration: Henry Wong
Two Sessions 2026

Beijing vows to expand imports amid ‘China shock’ fears

Beijing promises to source advanced tech, consumer goods and agricultural products from overseas while diversifying markets.

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Commerce Minister Wang Wentao speaks at the 14th National People’s Congress in Beijing on March 6. Photo: AFP
Commerce Minister Wang Wentao speaks at the 14th National People’s Congress in Beijing on March 6. Photo: AFP
China's economic recovery

Stagflation risk emerges amid Mideast oil crisis, clouds China’s economic battle

While rising energy costs from war in Iran may briefly aid China’s deflation battle, analysts warn how oil price spike could threaten nation’s fragile economic rebound.

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Banking & finance

How China’s sovereign debt is becoming a real alternative to US Treasuries

Beijing is now offering dollar-denominated sovereign bonds at rates matching equivalent US Treasuries – and investors are snapping them up.

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Aviation

Persian Gulf crisis boosts Chinese airlines’ routes to Europe amid turmoil

Chinese carriers gain advantage as Gulf carriers take heavy hit from airspace closures; actress Dilraba Dilmurat among those stranded.

A man stands in front of a closed check-in counter for Gulf carrier Etihad at London Heathrow Airport on Sunday. Photo: AFP
US, Israel war on Iran

Maritime mayhem: shipping firms halt Gulf routes amid regional military strikes

Rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz see vessels diverted and bookings suspended, as companies impose emergency fees of up to US$4,000 per unit.

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Cosco Shipping Lines has instructed all of its Persian Gulf-bound vessels to reduce speed, proceed to safe waters, or head to designated anchorages to await further notice amid regional disruptions. Photo: AFP
Cosco Shipping Lines has instructed all of its Persian Gulf-bound vessels to reduce speed, proceed to safe waters, or head to designated anchorages to await further notice amid regional disruptions. Photo: AFP
China trade

Not just oil: Iran war disrupts China’s imports of key industrial material

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is choking off China’s imports of methanol – a vital input for the country’s industrial sector.

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China energy security

As US-Iran war threatens oil supplies, will China speed up its green transition?

Beijing is still dependent on fossil fuels but Washington’s recent interventions may prompt officials to fast-track shift, analysts say.

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US-China trade war

Trump’s tariff wars reshaped US-China trade – at what cost to American firms?

US exporters lost tens of billions of US dollars in sales to China in 2025, economist says.

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US goods exports to China fell significantly in 2025, a victim of the trade war launched in April by US President Donald Trump. Photo: Reuters
US goods exports to China fell significantly in 2025, a victim of the trade war launched in April by US President Donald Trump. Photo: Reuters
US, Israel war on Iran

How is the conflict in Iran affecting Europe’s energy supply and prices?

Analysts urge EU to accelerate green energy transition and reduce reliance on fossil fuel imports.

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China trade

‘We couldn’t reach them’: Chinese firms’ Iran business in limbo after strikes

Attacks on Iran by the US and Israel have left China’s exporters doing business there unsure of their future, with contacts unresponsive.

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US-China relations

Exclusive | US, China discuss investment revival ahead of Trump’s trip: sources

Both sides exploring structured joint ventures and licensing deals, with Beijing seeking protection and Washington eyeing better market access amid declining capital flows.

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US President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping shake hands at an October meeting in South Korea. The two are expected to meet again in four weeks. Photo: Reuters
China-Middle East relations

Why the US-Israel war with Iran leaves Asian economies exposed

Mainland China imports vast amounts of oil from the Middle East but India, South Korea and others could fare worse, analysts say.

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Tanker traffic has largely halted on the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman along Iran’s southern coast. The disruption is expected to hit global crude supply. Photo: Reuters
Tanker traffic has largely halted on the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman along Iran’s southern coast. The disruption is expected to hit global crude supply. Photo: Reuters
China energy security

Why the Iran war will accelerate China’s push to become an ‘energy powerhouse’

The conflict does not pose an immediate threat to China’s oil supply, but will spur on the country’s energy security drive, analysts say.

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China trade

China supply chain expo set to welcome more US firms, launch AI section

Amid trade tensions, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade describes business communities as a ‘bridge’ for exchanges.

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China energy security

How China is using a massive ‘electron gap’ to pivot the AI race with US

Ex-finance official Zhu Guangyao says abundant energy supply gives the nation a critical edge in AI, as ‘electricity is computing power’.

As AI development triggers an explosion in global electricity demand, China’s vast energy buildout is seen as a strategic advantage. Photo: Shutterstock
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