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Brief Commodities Economics & Trade Politics & Society

Russian oil exports to China to surge in January

China is set to ramp up imports of Russian oil in January, absorbing barrels that would have previously gone to India and Turkey, reports Reuters. This comes as tougher Western sanctions force Moscow to redirect flows, LSEG data and traders said. China is due to receive nearly 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) of Russian oil […]

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Economics & Policy Politics & Society Weekly

The end of an era

The week was dominated by an event that China did not attend in any substantive way — the World Economic Forum in Davos. Mr Xi has attended in the past, but not this year. But they were a player anyway by implication. Mr Trump of course was there and gave a performance, and there were some solid […]

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Brief Economics & Policy Politics & Society

Beijing to set GDP target at 4.5-5% for 2026

China’s government is likely to set this year’s economic growth target in a range between 4.5 and 5%, reports the South China Morning Post, citing to three sources briefed on the matter. The range, if confirmed, would serve as another indication of a tilt towards economic rebalancing and stability, both highly valued in the first year […]

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Brief Economics & Trade Manufacturing Politics & Society

China-Africa trade surplus hits record $102 BN

China’s trade surplus with the continent surged by 64.5% to a record US$102 billion, reports the South China Morning Post, citing China customs figures. The jump in the trade gap–up from US$62 billion the previous year–was driven by a 25.8% surge in Chinese exports to the continent to $225 billion, far outpacing the 5.4% growth in African shipments […]

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Brief Economics & Policy Politics & Society Property

Guangzhou office rentals hit record low

Premium office rents in Guangzhou dropped 10.1% in 2025, logging their sharpest annual decline since 2010, reports Caixin. This comes as cost-cutting firms vacated prime locations in favor of lower-priced alternatives. The vacancy rate in the city climbed to 21.2% by the end of the year, up 2.4 percentage points, according to data released Tuesday by […]