By some measures, China’s economy is looking resilient, with strong exports and breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies. But that’s not how it feels for many ordinary Chinese, who have been enduring the strain from weak property prices and uncertainty over their jobs and incomes, according to an Associated Press commentary. While some industries are thriving thanks to government support for technologies such as AI and electric vehicles, owners of small businesses report tough times as their customers cut back on spending.
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China called for a new model for its engagement with the US, seeking to cement a recent thaw with the Trump administration while reinforcing its red line on Taiwan, Bloomberg News reported. “We will promote the healthy, stable, and sustainable development of China-US relations,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a speech at a symposium about foreign relations on Tuesday. He added that China will remain engaged with the US on the basis of mutual respect but will not “yield an inch” on core interests.
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Several Chinese companies that raised about HK$6.99 billion ($900 million) combined in IPOs rallied strongly on their Hong Kong debuts on Tuesday, rounding off a resurgent year for listings as the city dominated Asian equity capital markets, Reuters reported. The strong starts signal renewed investor confidence and optimism around tech-driven growth, underpinned by regulatory changes and robust liquidity. Market participants said the momentum could set the tone for 2026 as Hong Kong reasserts itself as a key listing venue.
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China Vanke, once the country’s largest home developer, is no longer too big to fail. As the state-backed property giant buckles under the weight of its debt, the government has so far refrained from stepping in, the Wall Street Journal reported. Analysts say that sends a clear message: Beijing isn’t coming to the sector’s rescue. Vanke, which has about $170.43 billion in assets, is set to become the latest domino to fall after the Shenzhen government abruptly reversed its position on a partial bailout of the developer.
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China left benchmark loan prime rates (LPRs) unchanged for the seventh consecutive month in December on Monday, matching market expectations, Reuters reported. The steady LPR fixings in December suggested that the authorities are not in a rush to deliver fresh monetary easing measures as the world's second largest economy appears on track to hit Beijing's growth target for the year.
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Investors are snapping up yuan credits and surging yuan lending is poised to overtake overseas dollar loans at Chinese banks as attractive pricing helps drive a sustained push by Beijing to put the yuan on the global stage, Reuters reported. China's overseas bank lending has tripled in four years to 2.52 trillion yuan and sales of onshore and offshore yuan debt are at or near records for the second year running. Bankers say the boom is encouraged by cost, because yuan rates are low.
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