Research & Analysis

Senior Chinese policymakers on Thursday concluded the annual Central Economic Work Conference, where leaders met over two days to set the economic agenda for the coming year. The conference took place as China continues to grapple with a severe property market crisis, mounting local government debt, and weak domestic demand.

Growth in bilateral trade occurred amid a broader 7.7 percent increase in US-worldwide trade. Several key import and export categories experienced significant growth, including US small electrical appliance imports and aerospace exports.

The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) on Thursday released a comprehensive package of final rules designed to further impair China’s ability to produce advanced semiconductors.

President-elect Donald Trump has wasted little time in announcing a series of nominations for key positions in his administration as he prepares for his second term. Many, if not all, of Trump’s nominees hold hardline views on China.

President-elect Donald Trump and many other Republicans have made clear their intention to revoke China’s permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status with the United States, a power that resides with Congress. Some, however, see the need for even higher tariffs than what would result from a so-called clean PNTR repeal, which has led to growing calls for the United States to both revoke China’s status and create a new tariff column entirely—column 3—designed specifically for imports from China.

Nearly 200 countries convened in Baku, Azerbaijan, last month for the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29). Delegates achieved the top priority of this year’s conference, to triple the annual climate finance developed countries provide to developing countries.

Foreign automotive companies face both challenges and opportunities arising from increasing demand for new energy vehicles and the rise of Chinese automakers. NEVs include both battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

As secretary of commerce, Lutnick is slated to lead the Trump administration’s “tariff and trade” agenda, especially if he is indeed given authority over certain functions of the USTR.

President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping will meet tomorrow on the sidelines of the 2024 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, which kicked off this week in Lima, Peru.

China’s top legislative body recently announced a debt swap plan that will relieve local governments from paying a total of RMB 12 trillion (USD 1.66 trillion) of off-balance sheet debt.