China Economic Review
Charting China’s changing economic terrain · Since 1990

US bans 43 more Chinese companies over forced labor concerns

August 4, 2026

The ​United States has banned imports from 43 more Chinese companies over alleged rights abuses of Uyghur and other minority groups, targeting firms in supply chains ‌from electronics to food and metals, reports Reuters.

The companies were added to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List, which creates a presumption that goods made wholly or partly by listed entities are made with forced labor and cannot enter the United States unless importers can prove otherwise.

Those included SDIC Xinjiang Lithium Industry and its parent, SDIC Xinjiang Luobupo Potash, Xinjiang Tianhongji Technology, Hunan Aihua Group and Chacha Food.

Beijing bets on faster state-backed projects to spur growth

July 17, 2026

China can stabilize economic growth this year by accelerating already-budgeted national infrastructure investment projects, reports Reuters citing economists and one government adviser, reducing the likelihood of large-scale ​fiscal stimulus.

Beijing intends to counter a surprising across-the-board fall in investment, which data on Wednesday showed has dragged on growth this year, while maintaining tight control ‌over local government spending.

The decline comes as local officials face stricter scrutiny of capital expenditure, which authorities blame for unproductive infrastructure projects, industrial overcapacity and deflationary price wars among manufacturers.

EU imposes anti-dumping duties on Chinese tyres

July 10, 2026

The European Commission has imposed ‌anti-dumping duties on the import of ​tyres for cars ​and lighter trucks and ⁠buses from China, reports Reuters.

The ​duties, which followed ​an investigation launched in November last year, vary from 4.3% ​to 45.3%.

“Imports ​of passenger car and light ‌lorry ⁠tyres from China were entering the EU at dumped ​prices. This ​is ⁠causing injury to the EU’s ​tyre industry, ​which ⁠employs over 80,000 people across 14 ⁠EU ​countries,” the ​Commission said.

China tightens low-altitude aviation regulations near Beijing

July 10, 2026

China has tightened regulations for low-altitude aviation within 300km (186.4 miles) of Beijing’s geographic centre after a small plane hit a skyscraper, reports the South China Morning Post. Authorities are now requiring mandatory background reviews for pilots, according to a veteran aviation analyst.

The regulatory move affected crewed aircraft near Great Wall tourist sites, aerial tours of Beijing’s suburban mountains, and agricultural-use flights north of the capital, but was expected to have little impact on drones and uncrewed air taxis, which were already banned from much of that space, the analyst said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Because the curbs apply to general aviation–activity below 1,000 metres (3,280 feet)–commercial flights from Beijing’s major airports would be exempt. Instead, the enhanced oversight would mainly cover private recreational flights, some business travel by air and flight instruction–parts of China’s burgeoning low-altitude economy, the source explained.

Beijing weighing up curbing overseas access to top Chinese AI models

July 8, 2026

Chinese authorities have held meetings ​with top tech firms over the past month about potentially restricting overseas access to China’s most advanced AI models, including those yet to be released, reports Reuters.

Companies present at the talks included tech giants Alibaba and ByteDance as well as startup Z.ai, three people told Reuters, who were not authorized to speak to media and declined to be identified.

The talks follow a number of steps by Beijing to keep homegrown AI within the country and underscore how China, like the US, is now treating cutting-edge artificial intelligence as a critical national asset that needs controls.