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Japan is home to a network of little-known companies that dominate in key materials that are indispensable for semiconductor manufacturing [HONG KONG] Semiconductor materials linchpin Resonac Holdings is eyeing solid growth from Beijing's ambition to build its own chip industry, leaving the door open for further investment in China in the years ahead. Tokyo-based Resonac, which supplies crucial chemicals used to make cutting-edge chips, has bolstered production capacity in China to meet demand driven by a state-backed push to create a domestic semiconductor supply chain, according to chief executive officer Hidehito Takahashi. While Resonac's current production capacity in Ch ina is enough for the time being, the company may consider another round of investment in a few years if there is significant growth, he said. China is studying plans to pour as much as US$70 billion of state money into its semiconductor industry, deemed critical to win any technological conflict, Blo...

SHENZHEN – China has made boosting domestic demand – household consumption in particular – its top economic priority for a second year running, reaffirming the focus for 2026 at a key annual economic policy meeting on Dec 10 and 11. The emphasis is clear, but analysts say the results will not come quickly, even as the urgency to translate policy intent into stronger consumption persists in Beijing's long-avowed effort to r ebalance growth away from exports. ChinaChina economyChina reforms

Singapore and China's cooperation is built on the trust and understanding developed over 35 years of diplomatic ties, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said, describing the partnership as one that continues to evolve by identifying shared interests despite differing priorities. "It's this whole journey of working together, growing together, developing together, and building trust and understanding with each other, generation after generation, that has culminated in today's collaboration," he told Singapore media on Dec 15 after holding top-level annual talks with his Chinese counterpart, Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang, in Chongqing. "At the end of the day, we are two different countries. Our priorities, interests and focus differ, but we continue to find areas of common interest and are able to work together for the mutual benefit of our businesses and our people," DPM Gan said. The meetings comprised those for the Joint Council for Bilateral Coopera...

Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attends the sixth China-Russia Media Forum and delivers a keynote speech in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 16, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) The sixth China-Russia Media Forum, which was held in Beijing on Tuesday, discussed promoting friendship between and supporting development of the two countries through media cooperation. Li Shulei, who is a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended the forum and delivered a keynote speech. Attendees said that under the strategic guidance of heads of the two countries, China-Russia relations have maintained stable, healthy and high-level development, creating a model for a new type of international relations and relations between nei ghboring major countrie...

Most Spanish firms are now subject to a relatively moderate tariff of 9.8 per cent. Spain's Litera Meat got the lowest rate, at only 4.9 per cent - an outcome the company described as "very positive". Giuseppe Aloisio, head of Spanish industry group Anice, said he expected talks to continue, as the duties would hurt company margins. In France, Anne Richard, director of pork industry association Inaporc, said: "There's a sense of relief as all our abattoirs that export have been recognised as cooperating and have been granted a rate of 9.8 per cent." "Having said that, we can't exactly rejoice at the prospect of a tax." Morten Boje Hviid, the CEO of Denmark's Agriculture and Food Council, said the final tariffs were still high and created unequal competitive conditions, generating price pressures within the EU. China's approach was "dividing European economic policy," said Nemesio Sanchez, an international trade consultant s...

At a sprawling industrial complex in the Inner Mongolian city of Baotou, workers feed bag after bag of rare-earth additives into roaring furnaces, turning ordinary steel into a high-performance alloy worth twice as much. This is the front line of a technological leap being powered by China's dominance in critical minerals and its strategic industrial policy. The advanced rare-earth steel being produced is used in the country's most ambitious engineering projects – from high-speed railways to wind turbines and the world's largest hydropower dam being built in Tibet, according to a report in the official Sc ience and Technology Daily. But growing demand for rare earths in China's steel industry – in addition to Beijing's export controls – has reduced the supply to overseas buyers even further. China has a stranglehold on rare earths , which are needed for everything from electric cars to electronics and defence technologies. China accounts for about 70 per cent ...

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In a wrap-up interview with Singapore media, Mr Gan said the signed MOUs span a wide range of areas. "This is an all-round, high-quality and future-oriented partnership," Mr Gan said, adding that it will benefit Singaporeans, businesses and investors.  A key focus for this year's meeting was the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity (CCI) project, now in its 10th year. Launched in November 2015, it is one of three flagship government-to-government projects, alongside the Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) and the Tianjin Eco-City. It is a key priority demonstration project for China's Belt and Road Initiative, the western region development, and the Yangtze River Economic Belt Strategy. Over the past decade, Singapore's investments in Chongqing have more than doubled - increasing from US$5.7 billion in 2015 to US$12.7 billion in 2024. Since its launch, the CCI has facilitated US$21.8 billion in c ross-border financing for en...

CREDIT RISK Vanke's yuan bond due January 2028 ended down 26 per cent on Monday, while another onshore bond due May 2028 dropped 11 per cent. Shares of Vanke in Shenzhen and Hong Kong 2202.HK lost around 3 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively, on the day. The developer's first attempt to seek approval to delay payment via a voting process that ended late on Friday required support from at least 90 per cent of the noteholders. The proposal to postpone principal and interest payments by a year without extra credit support was rejected with 76.7 per cent opposing it. Two other proposals for the same bond, which included credit enhancement measures, had drawn some backing, with one winning 83.4 per cent approval, but neither met the 90 per cent threshold and were also rejected. Nevertheless, that lent optimism to some analysts. "We think Vanke's bondholders may demand more credit enhancement or earlier repayment of some principal for the bonds due on Decemb er 15,...

BEIJING — Twelve people have been killed in a residential fire in the southern Chinese city of Shantou, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday (Dec 10). The blaze broke out on Tuesday at 9.20pm local time in a four-storey building and was extinguished about 40 minutes later, Xinhua said. An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway. [[nid:726490]]