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Consumer Law & Regulation Politics & Society Takeaway Tech, Media & Telecom

No subsidies no sales

China’s smartphone market contracted in 2025, as government subsidies which were propping the sector up dissipated in the second half of the year. Global Times reported in May that the subsidies—which were rolled out in January—accounted for 50 million units sold, seeing a year-on-year increase of 25.4% for the first four months of 2025. However, Caixin reports that through […]

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Economics & Policy Politics & Society Takeaway Tech, Media & Telecom Uncategorized

Robots don’t rent

China’s birth rate has dropped to its lowest since records began. This comes despite Beijing’s best attempts at encouraging the population to have children—including discouraging the use of condoms by taxing.  Meanwhile, there continues to be more doom and gloom with China’s property sector—second-hand house prices are continuing to drop, and real estate agents are […]

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Economics & Policy Politics & Society Takeaway

A numbers game

China’s GDP growth for 2025 was 5%, according to state-media outlet China Daily, which meets the target Beijing set, and is also the same number as 2024, with the Q4 number being 4.5%. The 5% result for the year is not a complete surprise, but the Q4 number as shown in the China Daily suggests […]

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Economics & Policy Economics & Trade Politics & Society Takeaway

Record surplus

China has reported a record trade surplus of nearly $1.2 trillion for 2025, which comes as it seeks to diversify away from the US to other markets, and also seeks to downplay exports in favor of domestic consumption. The first is working to some extent but the second is not. Outbound shipments in December hit […]

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Economics & Policy Politics & Society Takeaway Tech, Media & Telecom

Counting the chips

The US has formally approved sales of Nvidia’s second most powerful chip, the H200 to China, albeit with conditions that both ensure there are enough chips for the US market, and that they won’t fall into any kind of military use. Meanwhile, Reuters has cited unnamed sources stating that Beijing would approve sales only under […]