April
China vows steps to ease exporters’ pain as Trump’s tariffs hit
Beijing laid out policies to aid exporting companies, including plans to ensure troubled firms get the loans they need, and to boost domestic consumption.
Beijing’s flag-planting in South China Sea revives tensions with Manila
The Philippines sent navy, coastguard and maritime police officers to Sandy Cay and two neighbouring sandbanks in the Spratly Islands “uphold sovereignty”.
China’s military spending has surged. So have the purges
As Australia remembers its war dead on Anzac Day, the Chinese military’s huge build-up and sophistication is raising questions in China and countries across the region.
China warns nations not to cut US trade deals at its expense
While it respects nations resolving their trade disputes with the US, Beijing “resolutely opposes any party reaching a deal at the expense of China’s interests”.
China names new trade negotiator as tariff war heats up
Beijing is also willing to start negotiations with Donald Trump’s administration if the US president and his top officials start showing more respect.
Trump exempts smartphones from China tariffs in climbdown
The US administration’s move is the first sign of a softening of levies against China and provides a big boost for Apple and Nvidia.
Trump unveils 10pc tariffs on all imports, higher for 60 countries
The president used aggressive rhetoric to describe a global trade system that the US helped to build, saying “our country has been looted, pillaged, raped, plundered”.
Jardine Matheson, giant of Hong Kong commerce, charts new course as investor
The storied Anglo-Asian conglomerate was founded as an opium trader in 1832 and famous as an inspiration for James Clavell’s novels. The shift marks a new incarnation.
PM, Dutton trade barbs; Star’s lifeline fails; Investors too calm
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
China holds military exercises around Taiwan in fresh warning
Warships and fighter planes practiced drills, in what Beijing said was a warning to Taiwanese president Lai Ching-te.
RBA won’t join desperate guessing game
Central banks are as much on edge as markets, as the world waits to learn the impact and extent of Donald Trump’s tariffs. Caution reigns at the Reserve Bank.
March
Point King, Skip Capital in $111m payday by selling down Factor Bikes
The Australian investors will partially cash out their stake in the premium bicycle maker, selling a 21 per cent holding to Chinese manufacturer Zhonglu.
Australia’s Indo-Pacific destiny up for grabs in a new world order
Australia may have to give up on the idea of a strategic equilibrium and settle for something messier and less grand.
Treating Trump as economic illiterate on tariffs is the wrong strategy
Malcolm Turnbull is right that trying to negotiate an exemption from a volatile president is foolhardy. But many are assuming there is no reason to Donald Trump’s trade policies.
Hegseth hits back after China declares ‘we’re ready’ for war
The US defence secretary says “those who long for peace must prepare for war”.
Labor says supporting Ukraine an easy choice, but what about Taiwan?
The Chinese live-fire fiasco showed the government’s short-term domestic political considerations are hampering our ability to deter and damaging our credibility as an alliance partner.
Chipmaker TSMC to invest $161b in US to appease Trump
The Taiwanese company’s announcement comes as the president threatens to slap tariffs on the sector to try and boost American manufacturing.
Is Taiwan next? China keenly watches Trump dump Ukraine
The US president’s dramatic meltdown with Volodymyr Zelensky raises urgent questions about whether America would support the island if Beijing invaded.
February
The ‘insane’ question Nvidia must answer in earnings spotlight
One month after Chinese AI start-up DeepSeek wiped $US600 billion off Nvidia’s valuation, Jensen Huang needs to prove the show is still on the road.
Taiwan detains Chinese-crewed ship after undersea cable severed
Taiwan is preparing for the worst in an escalating subsea infrastructure battle after authorities detained a Chinese-crewed cargo vessel suspected of sabotage.