Category: China Business & Economy

US Reliance on China Drops Amid Trump Tariffs, Disruptive Policies, Ethical Concerns

American dependence on imports from China has significantly diminished in recent years. Companies are scrambling to redirect their supply chains elsewhere to avoid unpredictable policy changes by the communist regime, tariffs imposed on China in 2018, and backlash over human rights violations. February imports from China came in below $31 billion, the lowest since 2006,…


IN-DEPTH: China’s Lithium Dominance Threatened by Industry Nationalism in Latin America

It’s been called “white gold” in the mining industry. Latin America’s lithium deposits have become a new El Dorado, a commodity conquest China is angling to control. Along with Australia and Chile, China is among the top three lithium producers in the world. The Asian nation also commands an estimated 80 percent of global electric-battery…


IN-DEPTH: China’s Bid to Control Lithium in Latin America May Not Be So Easy

It’s been called “white gold” in the mining industry. Latin America’s lithium deposits have become a new El Dorado, a commodity conquest China is angling to control. Along with Australia and Chile, China is among the top three lithium producers in the world. The Asian nation also commands an estimated 80 percent of global electric-battery…


Hikvision Embraces its Record Decline in Business After US Sanctions

Impacted by the U.S. sanctions, Chinese surveillance tech giant Hikvision recently reported the worst performance in its 20-year history, with revenue and net profits dwindling. Hikvision admitted in its 2022 annual report (pdf) released on April 15 that the company had experienced negative profit growth, something it had never seen in the 21 years since…


As Discussions of Deflation Flood China’s Internet, Expert Warns of ‘Financial Idling’

China’s online platforms have been inundated with conversations about deflation for the past month. A financial expert pointed out that China is not a market economy, and applying Western economics to assess it is difficult. Moreover, the expert said that “financial idling” is a problem that must be dealt with; otherwise, the economy will continue…


House Panel Debates Whether Biden-Era Energy Policies Benefit China

China’s gains and losses from energy policies during Joe Biden’s presidency were a contested topic during an April 26 hearing of the House Energy & Commerce Committee’s Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee. “Until we increase U.S. capacity for critical mineral extraction and refining, increasing our reliance on renewable energy and EVs [electric vehicles] will…


House Advances Measure to Undo Biden’s Tariff Shield for Chinese Solar Panels

The House Rules Committee on April 26 voted for a bill to undo the Biden administration’s emergency move shielding some Chinese-made solar panels from tariffs, drawing closer to a vote in the full House and a threatened veto from President Joe Biden. House Joint Resolution 39 passed 9 to 4. “We need more, not less,…


Chinese Money Launderers Are Central to Cartels’ Fentanyl Trade: Rep. McClain

China’s communist regime is overlooking massive money laundering schemes conducted by Chinese nationals to support cartels flooding the United States with lethal opioids. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) gives cover to money laundering schemes supporting the production of synthetic drugs that kill hundreds of thousands of Americans, according to testimony received during an April 26…


Rep. Comer Threatens to Subpoena State Department Over John Kerry’s Role Under Biden

House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) wrote to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, demanding he shed more light on what John Kerry has done as climate envoy or face a possible subpoena. “Envoy Kerry is engaging in activities that skirt congressional authority, threaten foreign policy under the guise of climate advocacy, and could undermine…


Sanction Chinese Cloud Firms Posing National Security Risk: GOP Senators

A group of nine Republican senators wrote a letter to Biden officials, raising security concerns about Chinese cloud firms like Huawei Cloud and Alibaba Cloud and asking for strict measures against them to protect U.S. interests and assets. The April 25 letter (pdf), led by Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), expressed “deep concern” about Chinese cloud…