ASIA: China’s gasoline demand could hit a peak around 2027, according to a new report from Goldman Sachs. Demand could fall by around 6 percent from that peak by 2030. However, Goldman Sachs does not see crude oil demand hitting a peak this decade, “due to sustained non-OECD economic growth.” In the next five years, […]

  ASIA: Chinese leaders met Monday to formulate an economic blueprint for the next five years that is expected to emphasize the development of semiconductors and other technology at a time when US is cutting off access to US technology. President Xi Jinping’s government is working to promote self-sustaining growth supported by domestic consumer spending […]

ASIA: Some Chinese banks have phased out the use of the “counter-cyclical” factor in the pricing mechanism of the yuan’s central parity rate against the greenback, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System (CFETS). Market-making banks have made the move on their own initiative based on their judgment of economic fundamentals and market situations, […]

ASIA: China appears to have comprehensively lost the international battle for hearts and minds over its handling of coronavirus with most people believing it was responsible for the start of the outbreak and was not transparent about the problem at the outset. The findings come from the YouGov-Cambridge Globalism Project, a survey of 26,000 people […]

ASIA: China said Monday that it would impose sanctions on American companies — including Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon — that have been involved in selling weapons to Taiwan. Speaking at a press conference Monday, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Zhao Lijian called on the United States to stop selling arms to the […]

ASIA: China has vowed to retaliate if the US proceeds with the sale of advanced weaponry to Taiwan worth more than a billion dollars, Fox news reported. The statement from China’s defense ministry gave no specifics, but the development marks a further deterioration in ties between Beijing and Washington that have hit their lowest ebb […]

ASIA: The United States government has labeled six more Chinese media companies operating in the US as foreign missions in the latest round of tit-for-tat between Beijing and Washington over restrictions on journalists. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the decision at a press briefing on Wednesday, saying that the six media companies were […]

  ASIA: China never intended to challenge or replace anyone, Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday, stressing what it cares most about is to improve the well-being of its own people. Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for Chinese Foreign Ministry, made the remarks when responding to a new initiative revealed by the US Defense Secretary Mark Esper […]

ASIA: China on Tuesday asked India to approach ties with Taiwan “prudently and properly,” and said it would “firmly oppose” any official exchanges between New Delhi and Taipei. The statement from China’s Foreign Ministry came in response to reports that India and Taiwan were considering going forward with talks on a trade deal. India and […]

ASIA: The IMF estimated China’s GDP will grow by 1.9 percent for all of 2020–the only major economy to inch back into positive territory in a year that saw economies around the globe tumble sharply. Chinese officials announced this week that the country’s economy grew by 4.9 percent in the third quarter, a positive sign […]