Beijing has announced that one of its top priorities for 2026 is tightening export controls and safe-guarding supply chain resilience. The announcement made by the Ministry of Commerce said it would “tighten the safety net for opening up”, as it pledged to enhance legal frameworks and risk prevention. Chinese leadership has been increasingly using export […]
Category: Politics & Society
Mainland China’s retail and retail property sectors have suffered another blow amid a fresh wave of store closures by foreign and Hong Kong brands, reports the South China Morning Post. High-profile closures include Lane Crawford, Ikea, Triumph, Zara and Zara Home. Multinational furniture retailer Ikea said seven mainland stores would cease operations from February 2. As of December 31, German lingerie maker Triumph Group […]
China’s top-tier cities struggled with a worsening glut of premium office space in 2025, as new supply outpaced demand by more than double, reports Caixin. The oversupply was most severe in the southern tech capital of Shenzhen, where the supply-demand ratio soared to 2.7 to 1—far higher than levels in other major markets. Muted demand has […]
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has carved out targeted exemptions from its sweeping drone import ban, allowing select foreign-manufactured drones and components to remain in the US market, while reinforcing its hardline stance against Chinese suppliers, reports Caixin. The exemptions, announced January 7, refine a broader prohibition imposed in December 2025 over national security concerns. […]
A wave of international retailers have announced major store closures across China, including the likes of Ikea, Zara, Zara Home and Lane Crawford. As many big international brands are moving their China business online, shopping centre vacancies are on the rise, and rent prices are falling. The same is happening with office space across China’s […]