Caught between Beijing and the Trump administration, the International Monetary Fund offered mild criticism of China for relying too heavily on exports.

Congress passes $900B defense bill targeting China with new investment restrictions, military technology bans, and 4% pay raise for troops nationwide.

The Japanese government is taking uncomfortable steps to prepare its citizens for a possible future war that its military would not be able to avoid.

What does China achieve in using such blunt economic weapons in bilateral spats? It is tempting to dismiss these as acts of petulance or even self-harm. Rarely do countries meekly back down in the face of China’s punishment.

A trade war begun by President Donald Trump early in his second term led China to halt its purchases of American soybeans.

China has been one of Russia's closest partners since the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine in 2022, with Moscow describing its relations with Beijing as a partnership " without limitations or taboos ." The two countries have closely cooperated on military matters, including joint patrols and bilateral drills, to bolster their readiness.

Beijing is keeping the renminbi heavily undervalued against the euro, European companies have warned, giving Chinese exporters an advantage and raising the risk of increased trade retaliation. The warning from the EU Chamber of Commerce in China comes just days after data indicating the country’s annual goods trade surplus will exceed $1tn for the first time.

China’s top leaders are signaling they are on alert for a potential flareup of tensions in global commerce as they draw up economic plans for next year, after amassing a record trade surplus despite the tariff war with the US.