Economy

    24 October 2026
    Volkswagen vehicles painted in military olive green are displayed at the IAA trade show in Hanover, Germany, in September. The cars were produced at the company's factory in Osnabrueck, which is set to be converted into a plant for missile defense systems, preserving some jobs. (Photo by Jens Kastner)
    Rescue workers prepare to search for survivors at the site of an earthquake in Nagqu, Tibet Autonomous Region, China, on Oct. 23.
    Natural disasters

    Magnitude 7 earthquake strikes Tibet, killing 16, Xinhua reports

    The temblor is the strongest to hit China since January 2024

    23 October 2026
    Residential buildings developed by China Evergrande Group in Beijing.
    China debt crunch

    Evergrande liquidators plan first payout with under 1% of claims recovered

    Team flags university donation and art purchases, says it will challenge PwC's settlement

    22 October 2026
    APEC finance ministers have been meeting in Hong Kong on Oct. 20 and Oct. 21, seeking closer alignment to bolster resilience against external shocks.
    Economy

    APEC finance ministers agree to boost policy coordination, China's Lan says

    Adds that AI and other emerging technologies could raise productivity

    21 October 2026
    Shanghai is known for its scenic night view along the Bund waterfront. (Photo by Kentaro Shiozaki)
    Property

    Shanghai tops world in empty offices as overseas investment pulls away

    Vacancies reach 24% in China's commercial capital as international tenants withdraw

    20 October 2026
    Workers inspect a tunnel boring machine at a workshop of Jinan Heavy Machinery in Jinan, China, on May 11, 2019. Starting Nov. 18, the construction equipment will be subject to China's export control rules.
    Economy

    China announces export controls for tunnel boring machines

    Key piece of equipment for construction in neighboring India deemed dual-use item

    19 October 2026
    Chinese startup DexForce's humanoid robots demonstrate object sorting at the company's headquarters in Shenzhen on Oct. 14. The country has approved additional fiscal support aimed at emerging industries.
    Economy

    China's Q3 GDP narrowly beats forecasts as strong exports buoy growth

    Government pushes for annual target amid sluggish domestic demand

    19 October 2026
    U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event in Dalton, Georgia, on Oct. 16.
    Trump administration

    Trump waives key Russia-related sanctions, tariffs under new law

    Moscow's major oil customers China and India had raised concerns over Graham act

    17 October 2026
    German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks to journalists before European Council meetings on Oct. 15. Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron have called for urgent action to address the EU's trade imbalance. 
    Trade

    EU seeks faster China de-risking with new diversification tool

    France, Germany aim to let UK off localization rules for alignment on Chinese-made cars

    17 October 2026
    The World Artificial Intelligence Conference was held in Shanghai in July; China now plans to restrict exports of AI and other advanced technologies.
    Artificial intelligence

    China to add AI, biopharma and solar tech to export control list

    Beijing aims to stop certain capabilities from 'proliferating inappropriately'

    16 October 2026
    China's latest Canton Fair, running for the 70th year, is scheduled to last through Nov. 4. Organizers expect about 310,000 visitors to the biannual trade expo. (Photo by Wataru Suzuki)
    Business trends

    China's Canton Fair showcases tech push as trade frictions persist

    Manufacturers seek new markets while costs climb at home

    16 October 2026
    Container ships are docked at Yangshan Port outside Shanghai in May. China is on track to exceed a $1 trillion trade surplus again in 2026.
    Trade

    China's export engine hits fastest pace since February with 36% growth

    Chips and cars fuel September rise as Beijing strives to cool trade tensions

    14 October 2026
    Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung.
    International relations

    Taiwan warns Europe of dangers of dependence on China

    Island's foreign minister speaks at Warsaw Security Forum

    14 October 2026
    Pakistan's Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb spoke exclusively with Nikkei Asia on Oct. 12 on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok. (Photo by Haruka Satake)
    Interview

    Pakistan eyes more Panda and samurai bonds to diversify funding

    Finance Minister Aurangzeb speaks to Nikkei Asia, confident of graduating from IMF programs

    13 October 2026
    The mountainous Wakhan district of Badakhshan province in northeastern Afghanistan may one day provide China with a gateway to the Persian Gulf. 
    Belt and Road

    Afghanistan opens potential China trade route to Persian Gulf

    Experts say new road via Wakhan Corridor remains a long way off becoming operational

    11 October 2026
    Visitors tour the Temple of Heaven, also known as Tiantan Park, on National Day, the first day of China's Golden Week holiday, in Beijing on Oct. 1.
    Economy

    China Golden Week spending per trip hits 4-year low as overseas travel jumps

    Movie ticket sales fall to lowest in 12 years during weeklong holiday

    10 October 2026
    Temu and Shein have used small parcel shipments to reach U.S. customers. (Photo by Nikkei)
    Trump tariffs

    Tariffs targeting China's Temu, Shein shrink US small parcel deliveries

    Shipments sank 70% by weight when 'de minimis' rule ended, UN report shows

    10 October 2026
    Skyscrapers in Beijing's Central Business District in July: The government is battling weak consumption and investment.
    Economy

    China ramps up fiscal push to meet growth target

    Beijing directs $82bn in unused debt quotas to back local governments, expand infrastructure

    9 October 2026
    European Commissioner for Trade Maros Sefcovic and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao in discussions this week to avert a trade war. (Screenshot from Maros Sefcovic's X account)
    Trade

    China-EU trade talks yield prospect of Chinese hybrid exports halving

    Europe says it is given $4.5bn in improved market access; Beijing statement more muted

    9 October 2026
    Passengers exit the station after arriving at Nanjing Railway Station on Oct. 7 in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province of China. Railways across Jiangsu Province have seen a surge in passenger arrivals during the return peak of the holiday period. (Photo by Yang Suping/Getty Images)
    Photos

    Through the Lens: China's Golden Week holiday

    A selection of striking photos from Asia

    9 October 2026
    The People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, rejects claims that it keeps the yuan artificially weak to gain a trade advantage.
    Currencies

    China defends yuan policy as EU ups pressure over ballooning deficit

    PBOC denies yuan kept artificially weak during EU trade chief's Beijing trip

    8 October 2026
    A Swiss logistics hub. Speedaf hopes to expand European operations via Switzerland, where it is building a delivery network.
    Trade war

    Germany blocks COSCO buy as Chinese logistics firms face EU scrutiny

    Europe trade chief in Beijing for talks on EVs and ballooning trade deficit

    8 October 2026
    Jonathan Reynolds, the U.K.'s secretary for business, innovation, science and trade, will make a final decision on the duties after a period for public feedback.
    Commodities

    UK proposes duty on imports of Chinese rutile titanium dioxide

    Recommendation for anti-dumping measures on whitening agent will go to business minister

    7 October 2026
    People walk on the North Bund with Shanghai's Lujiazui financial district in the background on Sept. 28.
    Economy

    China's Q3 growth estimated below target at 4.4% despite AI boom

    Economists see only slight uptick as tech can't offset property, consumption woes

    6 October 2026
    French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, seen in Bruehl, Germany, on July 17, wrote to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Oct. 5, 10 days before EU leaders are to discuss Chinese trade imbalances at a Brussels summit.
    Trade war

    France, Germany push for rapid EU trade defense tools with focus on China

    Tool as strong as US Section 301 tariffs needed that bloc can use within days, officials say

    6 October 2026
    A JD.com mall opens for trial operation on Oct. 1 in China's Suzhou. For years, Beijing's economic plans have called for shifting growth toward domestic consumption.
    Opinion

    China's economic reset starts at city hall

    Beijing is replacing land-driven growth with revenue tied to consumption

    5 October 2026
    Soybean prices tend to fall during the U.S. harvest season as supply rises.
    Commodities

    Soybeans slump on dimming hope of Chinese tariff cuts

    Key US crop left out of post-summit talks, but not yet off the table

    3 October 2026
    U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer speaks during a press conference Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, at the G20 Trade Ministerial in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
    Interview

    US won't 'sit there and take' overproduction from China: USTR Greer

    Washington to announce measures to tackle overcapacity 'in coming weeks'

    2 October 2026
    Prospective homebuyers at a real estate exhibition in Chongqing, China, on Sept. 3: With property prices still slumping, many are staying on the sidelines. (VCG via AP) 
    Policy Asia

    China shortens leash on property developers

    Revamp of sales and financing rules likely to further advantage state-owned builders

    2 October 2026
    Workers at Yen Phong Industrial Park in Bac Ninh province. Manufacturers shifting production to Vietnam have boosted demand for factories and warehouses.
    IPO

    Vietnam's BW Industrial eyes IPO in 2027: sources

    Warburg-backed developer serves manufacturers relocating production from China

    30 September 2026