China Inc by BBW

China takes global car export crown, and Geely takes a spin with Aston Martin

China officially passes Japan as the world’s biggest car exporter in the first quarter of this year. Will Chinese EVs follow down the same road as its solar panels to dominate the global market? And Geely pays 234 million pounds to boost its stake in the renowned but struggling British sportscar maker Aston Martin. Does this mean we'll see James Bond driving a Geely Aston Martin in the next 007 movie?

Australian timber returns to China, and Alibaba’s break-up marches on

China has resumed imports of Australian timber as relations between the two countries continue to thaw after a period of deep freeze. And Alibaba announces plans to spin off its cloud unit and make IPOs for its Freshippo supermarket and Cainiao logistics businesses.

Alibaba mulls listing for overseas e-commerce, and Nio sues blogger

Alibaba is considering a separate listing for its offshore e-commerce business, consisting of Lazada and AliExpress. And Nio is suing a blogger, accusing him of posting a deliberately misleading video implying the company discriminates against Chinese consumers.

U.S. leaders return to China, and May Day holiday traffic

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken wants to reschedule his postponed trip to China for later this year, while JPMorgan chief Jamie Dimon will head to China later this month. And May Day tourism traffic passes pre-pandemic levels, but property sales remain depressed.

China loses population crown, and deliverymen find friend in Hangzhou

China will officially lose its title as the world’s most populous nation to India in the middle of this year, according to a UN projection. And Hangzhou is calling on employers to provide social insurance for the thousands of deliverymen who bring city residents everything from takeout dining to e-commerce parcels.

GDP growth bounces back, and Hong Kong welcomes ‘specialist tech companies’

China’s GDP grew 4.5% in the first quarter, rebounding from 2.9% growth the previous quarter. And Hong Kong rolls out the welcome mat for tech startups with the launch of new rules allowing money-losing high-growth companies to list on the stock exchange’s main board.

Score one for the yuan, and a made-in-China stock story

China discloses the settlement of a major natural gas deal with France using its local currency, the yuan. And shenanigans involving lost pledged shares and a new class of stock to protect a founder’s stake in his company.

Alibaba and JD.com break up, and China’s growing love affair with Saudi Arabia

Alibaba announces a plan to split into six parts, and JD.com says it’ll spin off its commercial and real estate arms. And Saudi Arabian announces two new multibillion-dollar oil refining investments in China.

Auto price wars, and the China-Hong Kong stock connect expands

Price wars break out as car makers in China, from Volkswagen to BYD, scramble to clear inventory. And foreign names like Samsonite and L’Occitane join the China-Hong Kong stock connect program, but no one is buying.

New premier vows private sector support, and foreigners return to China

Li Qiang vows his “unequivocal and steadfast” support for China’s private sector in some of his first remarks as premier, and China resumes issuing visas for foreign business travelers and tourists.