Economy
As trade tensions flare, China’s leadership is fiercely defending Chinese enterprises and rejecting the Western narrative of China as a threat. Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong takes a look at the key takeaways of Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s speech during the Summer Davos forum.
Han Yong Hong
26 Jun 2026
Economy
High-tech farming cannot rescue China’s smallholders
China has grand plans for innovation-driven productivity in the agricultural sector, but how will these initiatives trickle down to the regions and the large proportion of smallholder farmers? Researcher Genevieve Donnellon-May discusses the issue.
Genevieve Donnellon-May
26 Jun 2026
Economy
From SpaceX to Meta: The geopolitics of who gets to invest
While SpaceX underwriters barred orders from investors in mainland China and Hong Kong leading up to its IPO, the Chinese government blocked Meta’s acquisition of Manus. Law experts Tan Chong Huat and Amanda Chen analyse the implications of such moves.
Tan Chong Huat, Amanda Chen
25 Jun 2026
Economy
How Taiwan overtook China as Singapore’s top trading partner
Fuelled by the global AI boom and a complementary chip ecosystem, total trade between Singapore and Taiwan surged in 2025, unseating mainland China from the top spot. Lianhe Zaobao senior business correspondent Lewis Ong Yong Huat speaks with economists to find out more.
Lewis Ong Yong Huat
24 Jun 2026
Economy
Beyond Elon Musk: Who benefits from the trillionaire era?
As SpaceX propels Elon Musk into the history books as the first trillionaire, academic Ruay-Shiung Chang posits that the ultimate test for the modern economy is whether tech prosperity can be shared, or if inequality will skyrocket.
Ruay-Shiung Chang
24 Jun 2026
Economy
Why Chinese banks now act like local governments
China’s banks are increasingly shaped by state-directed targets, whitelists and performance indicators, pushing them to prioritise policy goals over market logic and resemble local governments in their behaviour. Economist Chen Kang warns of the systemic risks in trading market pricing for rigid policy-driven lists.
Chen Kang
23 Jun 2026
Economy
From HK department store heir to outback cattleman: Inside Bruce Cheung’s US$130m wagyu gamble
When he was nearing 60, Bruce Cheung stepped away from China International Duty Free Group, the company he had co-founded and built up for more than 20 years, starting a journey of self-discovery that took him along half of Australia’s coast. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Li Yaning speaks to the founder of agriculture company Pardoo Wagyu.
Li Yaning
18 Jun 2026
Economy
Why desperate local governments fund corporate fantasies
Driven by an insatiable hunger for economic performance, China’s local officials are plunging public funds into overhyped corporate ventures. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Lim Zhan Ting looks inside the desperate game of “fleecing the old geezers”, or beng laotou.
Lim Zhan Ting
17 Jun 2026
Economy
What SpaceX’s IPO means for China
While the SpaceX IPO may spur greater Chinese investment in AI-related high technology, it could also lead to side effects like speculative bubbles. Meanwhile, with national security politics overriding commercial pragmatism, China may increasingly be at a disadvantage. EAI senior research fellow Bo Chen analyses the situation.
Bo Chen
15 Jun 2026
Economy
China’s gig economy nears half the workforce but worker protections lag behind
Over 44% of China’s workforce is now engaged in flexible employment. While closing the white-collar income gap, this massive shift exposes major gaps in workers’ rights and social security stability. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Li Kang analyses the data.
Li Kang
12 Jun 2026
Economy
Chinese carmakers push deeper into Europe despite rising EU trade barriers
EU tariffs have not stopped China’s auto advance. Carmakers are capitalising on the popularity of Chinese electric vehicles and deepening their European footprint through local production, partnerships and regulatory adaptation.
Caixin Global
12 Jun 2026
Economy
[Video] China tightens rules on money, data and talent going overseas
China’s new outbound investment rules place tighter oversight on money, technology, data and talent going overseas, formalising a series of cross-border controls introduced this year. ThinkChina’s Lu Lingming discusses why some Chinese fear the country is closing itself off from the world and how the changes might impact society.
Lu Lingming
11 Jun 2026
