China Inc by BBW

China’s coffee comeback kid passes new milestone, and Miniso launches dividend policy

The unlikely comeback for scandal-tainted coffee chain Luckin marches on, as the company passed rival Starbucks in revenues for their China business. But is Luckin expanding too quickly? And low-cost retailer Miniso announces a dividend policy, saying it will return 50% or more of its profits to shareholders. Will more new economy Chinese companies follow suit as investors lose interest such stocks simply for the “China growth story”?

China calls for public participation in anti-spying campaign, and a China stock see-saw

China has called on the public to report any suspicious activity to assist in its latest campaign to root out espionage. That has foreign businesses worried, since some of the market data they routinely collect to make decisions might be considered national secrets under China’s new data security law. How will all this affect foreign business in China? And offshore-listed China stocks have fallen into a see-saw pattern lately, rallying one week, only to fall the next. What’s driving the trend, and how long will it last?

An E-Commerce Dust-Up and Foreign Private Equity Shuns China AI

E-commerce upstart Temu has sued fast-fashion sensation Shein in the U.S., accusing it of anti-competitive behavior. Will a U.S. judge agree? And big private equity has been notably absent from investing in China’s vibrant AI sector these days. Why are these big-name investors avoiding the space, and what impact might that have on the sector’s development?

GDP growth falls short, and John Kerry and Henry Kissinger call on China

China’s GDP grew 6.3% in the second quarter year-on-year. While that may look good on the surface, it was actually below analyst estimates and reflected weak year-ago numbers during the two-month Shanghai lockdown. Is more economic stimulus needed? And can Beijing use its old tools to fix these new problems? And U.S. climate envoy John Kerry comes calling on China for climate talks. But former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger steals the show with his own China visit, winning an audience with President Xi Jinping. What is it that the Chinese love so much about Kissinger?

Ant Group and Tencent slapped with fines, and Freshippo steps up for IPO

China’s central bank has slapped major fines on Ant Group and Tencent, including a nearly $1 billion fine on Ant, operator of Alipay. Is this the start of a new round of big fines on China’s big tech? Or does it mark the end of a recent storm of regulation that began after outspoken Alibaba founder Jack Ma criticized the government? 

Janet Yellen goes to China, and Beijing puts brakes on two key high-tech minerals

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has become the latest high-ranking U.S. government official to travel to Beijing, following Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit in June. But will it be enough to put U.S.-China relations back on track? And Beijing slaps export restrictions on gallium and germanium, two important minerals used in many high-tech devices. What will this mean for the global tech sector?

Corruption at a major policy bank, and AbbVie sues an upstart drug maker

China Development Bank has become the target of the latest anti-corruption crackdown by China’s main graft buster. Will this affect China’s policy of lending big money to developing countries, and if so, what’s driving such a shift?
And AbbVie has filed a suit in the U.S. against BeiGene, one of China’s most up-and-coming young drug makers. What’s likely to happen next in this tug of war between the two companies’ similar blood cancer drugs? Exactly how expensive and destructive are such lawsuits to the companies involved?

European businesses glum on China, and AstraZeneca weighs spin-off for Chinese unit

The latest annual survey by the EU Chamber of Commerce in China shows revenue fell for more European businesses’ China operations last year. Is this a watershed moment for China’s economy, showing the days of western enthusiasm for investing in the country will never return to pre-covid levels? And AstraZeneca has become the latest major company to weigh a potential spinoff of its China unit. Is this the beginning of a trend?

Corruption crackdown hits China’s big tobacco, and a tech company splits in two

A two-year-old corruption clampdown in China’s sprawling tobacco monopoly and regulator has netted nearly 20 senior officials and executives.
Why doesn't any other company or sector contribute revenue as abundantly and consistently to central government coffers as China Tobacco? Will China ever get serious about stamping out smoking more aggressively?
And real time engagement tech maker Agora announces plans to split in two, one half for its China business and the other for the rest of the world. Is this the wave of the future for China tech?

China’s disjointed labor market, and Elon Musk’s red carpet China treatment

China’s labor market is churning out too many white collar wannabe college grads, but not enough people to fill its blue-collar labor positions.
How can China keep more blue-collar workers and their employers in China? Or does China still need so many blue-collar workers?
And Elon Musk get audiences with China’s foreign, commerce and industry ministers, as well as a vice premier, on a whirlwind trip to Beijing and Shanghai. What is it about this billionaire entrepreneur that wins him so many China fans?
Why do Chinese people and even the government seem to love Elon Musk more than Tim Cook?