Industry — 726 insights
Trade chief Greer ‘optimistic’ the US and China can stabilise ties
Industry

Trade chief Greer ‘optimistic’ the US and China can stabilise ties

He expects announcements on Board of Trade and American agricultural sales when Chinese leader visits Washington later this month “I am optimistic. The Chinese very much want to have a stable relationship. That’s the word they use: stability. We’re in favour of that as well,” Greer said in an interview with Fox News on Thursday. He also said announcements on operationalising the US-China Board of Trade and incentivising US agricultural sales to China would be the likely outcome of the summit between Xi and US President Donald Trump in Washington, which confirms reports by the South China Morning Post. “We expect we’ll also have some deliverables on the Board of Trade that we’ve talked about,” he said. “We’re getting together with our Chinese counterparts,” he added. The creation of the Board of Trade was announced in May following Trump’s visit to Beijing, alongside a new Board of Investment, as mechanisms for managing business ties between the world’s two largest economies.

September 4, 2026
China’s Xi eyes Apec trilateral; no outrunning deadly Nepal floods: SCMP’s 7 highlights
Industry

China’s Xi eyes Apec trilateral; no outrunning deadly Nepal floods: SCMP’s 7 highlights

We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Xi, Trump and Putin may hold trilateral meeting at next Apec forum, Kremlin says A senior Russian aide suggested on Tuesday that Chinese President Xi Jinping, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin could hold a...

September 4, 2026
China’s solar, wind innovations amid rapid green power buildout
Industry

China’s solar, wind innovations amid rapid green power buildout

Even as China installs new solar and wind power capacity faster than the rest of the world combined, it is setting new benchmarks for the technologies through innovation. This year alone, Chinese companies and researchers have generated the first electricity from high-altitude winds 4,000 metres above Earth, cleared the last hurdle to commercialising a cheaper and more efficient alternative to silicon solar panels, begun trials of the world’s most powerful floating and fixed-bottom offshore wind...

September 4, 2026
China stands to gain from US visa restrictions targeting African countries
Industry

China stands to gain from US visa restrictions targeting African countries

The White House has slashed the number of places issuing visas on the continent at a time when Beijing is looking to open its doors The latest US visa restrictions on citizens of African countries are facing increasing criticism that they are not only punitive but also likely to backfire by driving those nations closer to China. Since August 1, visa services have been suspended in 25 African cities, forcing applicants to travel to other approved locations, sometimes in another country. Travellers from 30 African nations must also post a US$20,000 bond, which is refundable if they depart on time. Overall, Africa was the continent hardest hit by Donald Trump’s travel bans and visa restrictions. The State Department justified the latest policy by saying it was intended to strengthen “national security by promoting more uniform screening, vetting and adjudication standards”.

September 4, 2026
China-Singapore security team claims breakthrough in hacking Starlink terminals
Industry

China-Singapore security team claims breakthrough in hacking Starlink terminals

Darknavy gains full administrative control over SpaceX’s user terminal allowing research into the system’s security programmes This gives researchers unprecedented freedom, according to the pot, by reopening a long-missing entry point for in-depth security studies of the Starlink satellite system. As newer satellites are gradually equipped with laser links, some satellites can also communicate directly with one another via laser, reducing reliance on ground stations while improving transmission speeds and expanding global coverage. The terminal acts as both an antenna and a router, making it a critical node for direct communication with the satellites.

September 3, 2026
China’s rare earth cerium drug can kill gout pains once and for all: scientists
Industry

China’s rare earth cerium drug can kill gout pains once and for all: scientists

Nanoparticle ‘sweeper’ drug eases joint inflammation and cartilage damage from the painful form of inflammatory arthritis in rat trials One of the world’s most abundant rare earth elements could offer a comprehensive, long-lasting treatment for gout, a Chinese team has found. More than 55 million people worldwide had gout in 2020, according to US health data, with the number expected to rise by 70 per cent by 2050. The disease begins with raised uric acid levels in the blood, or hyperuricemia. Consistently high uric acid causes the formation of joint crystals that trigger severe, sudden pain attacks. If left untreated, this monosodium urate (MSU) crystal build-up can lead to joint deformities, kidney damage and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Researchers with the school of pharmaceutical sciences at Shanghai Jiao Tong University are now holding out hope, with a medication based on rare earth oxide nanoparticles that could target the cause of gout and relieve its severe pain.

September 3, 2026
US looks to warship designs from Japan, South Korea and Turkey, reports say
Industry

US looks to warship designs from Japan, South Korea and Turkey, reports say

It comes after Trump signed a memorandum calling for foreign shipbuilding capacity and investment as US industry struggles to meet demand However, the plan is likely to face strong opposition in Congress. “The president has directed the navy to aggressively increase domestic shipbuilding capacity, including leveraging the proven shipbuilding skills and industrial expertise of our allies,” US Navy spokesman Ron Flanders was quoted as saying. According to the report, the cooperation could follow the “Finland model”. That would see foreign shipbuilders constructing the first two hulls and investing in US facilities, workforce, technologies and supply chains before production is transferred to American shipyards.

September 3, 2026
EU, China talk trade as Europe’s deadline for action looms
Industry

EU, China talk trade as Europe’s deadline for action looms

European Union and Chinese officials have been holding talks in Beijing ahead of the bloc’s October deadline for seeing “tangible results” in efforts to curb a trade deficit running at €1 billion-plus (US$1.2 billion) per day. Denis Redonnet, the EU’s top trade enforcer, has led the European delegation, the South China Morning Post reported on Wednesday. The official has recently become the bloc’s point person for China trade, reflecting growing trade tensions and the possibility of a trade...

September 3, 2026
Chinese central bank chief’s remarks at G20
Industry

Chinese central bank chief’s remarks at G20

People’s Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng rejected criticism of China over global trade imbalances at the G20 finance meeting in Asheville, North Carolina. Below is the statement released by the Chinese central bank summarising the speech.

September 3, 2026
Xi Jinping’s call for Mideast to build own security framework is a message to US: expert
Industry

Xi Jinping’s call for Mideast to build own security framework is a message to US: expert

Beijing gives weight to Cairo’s water security but China’s president does not criticise Ethiopia or its Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged Middle Eastern nations to build a self-led security model, nudging them to cut reliance on Washington following further US-Iran military clashes. He made the proposal during talks with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi at Cairo’s Ittihadiya Palace on Wednesday. Beijing and Cairo also aligned on Gaza, Red Sea security and Sudan, while China gave greater weight than it had previously to Egypt’s concerns over an Ethiopian megadam on the Nile. Analysts said the meeting reflected Egypt’s efforts to strengthen relations with China while maintaining its ties with the United States. The meeting came days after the US launched fresh strikes against Iranian Revolutionary Guard targets following attacks on oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz. The fighting raised fears of further disruption to oil shipments and pushed crude prices higher.

September 3, 2026
Beijing ramps up coastguard patrols and scientific surveys near Taiwan
Industry

Beijing ramps up coastguard patrols and scientific surveys near Taiwan

There has been weeks of increased activity to the east of the island following maritime boundary talks between Japan and the Philippines He said the formation had strengthened control over the waters since last month, safeguarding the rights and interests of Chinese citizens. “The China Coast Guard will continue to strengthen law enforcement patrols in waters under Chinese jurisdiction, resolutely safeguarding national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights,” Jiang said. Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve reunification. Most countries, including the United States, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-ruled island by force and is legally committed to supplying it with weapons.

September 3, 2026
Unstable Tibetan Plateau risks cascading disasters as glacier losses mount in Nepal, China
Industry

Unstable Tibetan Plateau risks cascading disasters as glacier losses mount in Nepal, China

Experts find downstream erosion is critical to scale of destruction as death toll continues to rise from China-Nepal landslide and floods “Over the past 60 years, the glacier area on the Tibetan Plateau has shrunk by around 24 per cent, with around 7,000 small glaciers disappearing completely,” Gao Rong, deputy director of China’s National Climate Centre, said on Wednesday. “Looking ahead, the structural stability of glaciers across the Tibetan Plateau will decline further. Glacial disasters are likely to become more frequent and could amplify in destruction and reach through cascading effects.” Beijing has stepped up cross-border support to its neighbour. Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Wednesday that China’s second batch of emergency supplies arrived in Kathmandu on Tuesday afternoon, accompanied by five DNA identification experts. A third shipment and a second expert team were being prepared. After working for seven days, Beijing on Wednesday cleared the road to Gyirong Port, which was hit hardest on the Chinese side by the mudslide. Heavy machinery has reached the checkpoint area to aid a deeper search.

September 3, 2026