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China has taken advantage of a summit in Laos to strengthen its economic interests in the Indo-Pacific region. Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced plans to upgrade and broaden a trade deal with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as accelerate rail projects with Thailand and Cambodia. China also agreed to lift restrictions on lobster imports from Australia. The summit provided an opportunity for Asian leaders to navigate a middle-ground between the US and China, with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba calling for improved relations with China despite expressing concerns over recent incidents. The US, on the other hand, struggled to present compelling narratives and major policy initiatives to ASEAN. [Extracted from the article]

Secretary of State Antony Blinken will lead a US delegation to a regional summit in Laos, where they will discuss concerns over tensions in the South China Sea and the civil war in Myanmar. The summit will include leaders from China, India, and Japan, among others. The US will focus on urging the junta in Myanmar to reduce violence, release political prisoners, and engage in dialogue with the opposition. The summit will also introduce new leaders from Thailand and Singapore, and Myanmar will reportedly send a representative for the first time since 2021. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the concerns surrounding global trade tariffs at the Summer Davos event in China. Chinese Premier Li Qiang emphasized the importance of trade openness and criticized protectionism, warning that decoupling would have negative consequences. The article highlights how trade tensions between China and the West, along with the effects of the pandemic and the US-China trade war, have led companies to rethink their strategies and face challenges such as higher prices and longer wait times for parts. The potential for escalation and additional tariffs poses a threat to businesses globally. The article also mentions the pushback from developed nations against China's economic growth and the increase in tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles by the US, Europe, and potentially Canada. Chinese officials at the event refrained from commenting on the impact of tariffs but focused on how they threaten the global fight against climate change and risk higher inflation. The article concludes by discussing how companies are navigating global tariffs and trade policies, including considering alternative sourcing options and seeking assurances to avoid tariffs. It also mentions the challenges faced by Chinese-based firms, such as the crackdown on private enterprises and regulatory changes in the tech and service sectors. [Extracted from the article]

China's consumer prices have declined for the third consecutive month in December, indicating weak domestic demand and prompting economists to call for more stimulus. The consumer price index fell by 0.3%, the longest streak of declines since 2009, while the producer price index, which measures factory-gate prices, dropped by 2.7% on-year. The country's battle with deflation is attributed to factors such as a property slump, low consumer confidence, and weak exports. Economists are urging China to take bold action to break the deflationary cycle, including potential rate cuts and reducing the amount of money banks must keep in reserve. [Extracted from the article]

Li Says China Will Protect Foreign Investors (10:25 a.m.) Li said China "will actively expand imports", a comment that comes despite the slowdown in the Chinese economy, which has hurt demand for goods from around the world. (Bloomberg) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang kicked off the China International Import Expo with a promise to boost imports, while Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese sounded an optimistic note on ties between the nations following years of friction. [Extracted from the article]

Michelin CEO Optimistic Despite Slowdown (8:45 a.m.) Florent Menegaux, chief executive officer of Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin, said investing in China is a "no brainer" for the company despite the economic recovery falling short of expectations so far. (Bloomberg) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang kicked off the China International Import Expo with a promise to boost imports, while Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese sounded an optimistic note on ties between the nations following years of friction. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reiterated that Israel must protect civilians even as it defends itself, while also telling his Palestinian counterpart that China "deeply sympathizes" with the difficulties his people face. See: China's Wang to Visit Washington This Week Amid Mideast Tensions US congressional leaders confronted Xi earlier this month over his country's failure to condemn Hamas and show support for those killed in Israel. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- A group of artists apparently from China whitewashed a wall long decorated by artists in London and then spray painted characters listing the Communist Party's 12 "core socialist values", setting off a graffiti battle over the Asian nation's politics. More: Xi Has Few Good Options to End Historic China Covid Protests The wall has since been whitewashed again, and artwork critical of China and referencing sweeping protests in the country in November against harsh Covid policies has since reappeared. [Extracted from the article]

As international sanctions on Russia make Xi's relationship with Putin increasingly asymmetric, China could further press its economic advantage. (Bloomberg) -- Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine last year, Xi Jinping's gamble on a "no limits" friendship with Vladimir Putin has looked like it could backfire. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez urged China's president, Xi Jinping, to speak with his Ukrainian counterpart if Beijing wants to play a role in ending Russia's invasion. Sánchez's visit comes just days before a planned trip by French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to China. On Thursday, von der Leyen said that China's stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine will be "a determining factor" in EU-China relations. [Extracted from the article]

China is no longer one of the top three investment priorities for US firms, according to the latest survey from the American Chamber of Commerce in China. Li Calls China "Anchor for World Peace", Optimistic on Economy (Bloomberg) -- Premier Li Qiang called China an "anchor for world peace" while expressing optimism about the recovery in the world's second-biggest economy in a keynote speech at a forum that included business and government leaders from around the globe. [Extracted from the article]

China is no longer one of the top three investment priorities for US firms, according to the latest survey from the American Chamber of Commerce in China. The four-day gathering comes as Beijing rolls out a charm offensive to court overseas business and investment and bolster its diplomatic efforts to portray China as a responsible geopolitical actor. [Extracted from the article]

The four-day gathering comes as Beijing rolls out a charm offensive to court overseas business and investment and bolster its diplomatic efforts to portray China as a responsible geopolitical actor. While strained China-US relations rarely came up during the China Development Forum earlier this week, the mood at a closed door panel was "somber", said Scott Kennedy, a China specialist at the Center for Strategic & International Studies. [Extracted from the article]

Kenya built 730 kilometers of its railroad, with Chinese loans, from the Mombasa port city to Naivasha, but hasn't determined yet when it might develop the link to Uganda. (Bloomberg) -- Uganda said it terminated a deal with a Chinese contractor to build a $2.3 billion railroad after it failed to secure Beijing's financial backing for the project. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- China said it signed a security agreement with the Solomon Islands, which had faced pressure from nearby Australia and the U.S. to reject the deal. Earlier this month, Australia's Pacific Minister Zed Seselja made an unusual mid-election campaign trip to the Solomon Islands, where he publicly asked the Pacific nation's leadership to "consider" not signing the security pact with Beijing. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- China's new home prices in 70 cities, excluding state-subsidized housing, fell for a fourth consecutive month in December, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Prices dropped 0.28% in December from the previous month, compared with November's decline of 0.33%, figures released on Saturday showed. [Extracted from the article]

The article presents brief interviews with four people working on reform. It includes Claudia Sheinbaum, mayor of Mexico City, Mexico, who is improving environmental conditions, East Indian physician Sabahat Azim who is working on providing medical care to rural areas, and Taya Oviosu who developed an electronic payment system for Nigerians.

(Bloomberg) -- The U.S., U.K., and Canada joined the European Union to impose sanctions against China over alleged human rights abuses on the Uyghurs in Xinjiang, drawing an immediate reaction from Beijing. The U.S., Canada and the U.K. -- chairing the Group of Seven meetings this year -- largely mirrored these actions that are largely symbolic and unlikely to impact China's economy or behavior. [Extracted from the article]

The EU sanctions will target four Chinese nationals and one entity, according to the regulations posted in the EU's official journal on Monday. (Bloomberg) -- The European Union imposed sanctions against China over alleged human rights abuses, drawing an immediate reaction from Beijing, which set out its own punitive measures aimed at the bloc. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg Businessweek) -- A dozen years into its fight with the Islamic insurgent group Boko Haram, Nigeria is getting some new weapons: a pair of Wing Loong II drones from China. The United Arab Emirates has used AVIC drones in Libya's civil war, Egypt has attacked rebels in Sinai with them, and Saudi-led troops have deployed them in Yemen. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- China set its daily yuan reference rate at the weakest level since 2008 after the currency hit a seven-month low in onshore trading Friday amid increasing political tensions with the U.S. The People's Bank of China put the yuan fixing at 7.1209 per dollar. China's central bank will be keeping a close eye on whether the yuan will test 7.2 against the dollar soon, said Zhou Hao, an economist at Commerzbank AG in Singapore. [Extracted from the article]

China's currency is showing strength against peers, despite the country being most affected by the novel coronavirus epidemic. While the yuan sank when China's financial markets reopened after an extended holiday break in early February, the currency has stabilized in recent days. [Extracted from the article]

China's currency is showing strength against peers, despite the country being most affected by the novel coronavirus epidemic. While the yuan sank when China's financial markets reopened after an extended holiday break in early February, the currency has stabilized in recent days. [Extracted from the article]

China Accuses U.S. of "Ill Intentions" in South China Sea (Bloomberg) -- China's armed forces accused the U.S. of "ill intentions" in the South China Sea after an American warship entered waters near the contested Spratly Islands last week. The USS Montgomery, an Independence-class combat ship, was tracked by PLA forces on Jan. 25 sailing in an area adjacent to where China controls a man-made island without Beijing's authorization. [Extracted from the article]

Also, Tuesday was the last day mainlanders could trade Hong Kong equities through trading links with the city before the week-long Lunar New Year holiday in China. "There is a risk of an exponential outbreak of a SARS-like virus, so investors are choosing to be risk-off" ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, said Zhou Hao, a senior emerging markets economist at Commerzbank AG. [Extracted from the article]

Welcome to Hong Kong, where reasons to sell stocks are mounting ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. "There is a risk of an exponential outbreak of a SARS-like virus, so investors are choosing to be risk-off" ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, said Zhou Hao, a senior emerging markets economist at Commerzbank AG. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- The U.K. accused Chinese authorities of torturing a former employee of the British consulate in Hong Kong, a move likely to further damage relations strained in recent months by London's gestures of support for pro-democracy protesters in its former colony. "We hope the U.K. side will be prudent and stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's domestic affairs because that will eventually harm U.K. interests", Geng told reporters. [Extracted from the article]

Trump on Sunday said he'll raise duties on China this Friday Trump on Sunday raised pressure on Beijing to strike a trade deal by announcing he would increase tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports Friday to 25 percent from 10 percent. [Extracted from the article]

China blasts "tricks" after warships sail past disputed reefs China accused the U.S. of "tricks" as two American warships sailed through waters claimed by Beijing on the eve of high-level trade talks. In January, China urged the U.S. to halt "provocative actions" after a U.S. guided-missile destroyer conducted sailed near the Paracel Islands, which are occupied by China and claimed by Vietnam. [Extracted from the article]

Investors can swap their London-listed depositary receipts for company stock 120 days after a new listing, down from six months in previous draft rules. London Stock Exchange companies listing in Shanghai will need to issue depository receipts with a value of at least 500 million yuan, the document said. [Extracted from the article]

Yao Gang was convicted of taking bribes and insider trading Yao was also fined 11 million yuan ($1.6 million) after being convicted of taking 70 million yuan in bribes and pocketing illicit gains of 2.1 million yuan from insider trading. Between 2006 and 2015, the court said, he used his positions at the regulator to earn bribes by helping companies avoid penalties and facilitating trading halts and restarts. [Extracted from the article]

U.K.-listed firms with a market value of at least 20 billion yuan ($2.9 billion) would be able to issue depositary receipts, the Shanghai Securities News reported Thursday, without saying where it got the information. Companies seeking to issue depositary receipts in China must be listed for at least three years and the issuance must be at least 500 million yuan, according to the report. [Extracted from the article]

China promised to overhaul foreign ownership rules in November during Trump's visit to Beijing. Also at the WEF event, Fang Xinghai, vice chairman of China's securities regulator, and central bank adviser Liu Shijin restated the country's promise. [Extracted from the article]

Move may ease investment process, eliminate intermediaries WMPs can currently only gain exposure to stocks via investment products issued by other financial institutions including brokerages and trust companies. [Extracted from the article]

The weakened remnants of Mangkhut were forecast to move across the inland area of southern China, and all storm warning signals will be canceled shortly, the Hong Kong Observatory said at 6:45 p.m. Macau's casinos reopened after a 33-hour shutdown that's estimated to cost operators as much as $186 million in revenue. "Mangkhut brought considerable damages to Hong Kong", the Hong Kong Observatory said in an advisory on Monday. [Extracted from the article]

China's banking regulator is handing out fines at a record pace, as it battles a build-up of financial risk. The bank regulator, which merged with the national insurance agency in March, has averaged more than 110 fines a month under Guo, compared with 26 a month between 2003 and 2016. [Extracted from the article]

Investors won't be able to swap their London-listed depositary receipts for company stock for at least six months after a new listing, according to the plans published Friday, and conversions will be subject to a quota, the details of which haven't been made public. Chinese companies will be allowed to use depositary receipts in London to raise new capital, but U.K.-listed firms can only issue depositary receipts in Shanghai using existing shares. [Extracted from the article]