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Showing posts with label China. Show all posts
Showing posts with label China. Show all posts

Friday, 9 May 2025

China's quantum computing industry has developed replicable, iterative engineering production capabilities: developer

 

A model of Origin Wukong, China's independently developed third-generation superconducting quantum computer Photo: VCG


China's quantum computing industry has made new progress. Recently, Chinese startup Origin Quantum in Hefei, East China's Anhui Province, launched Origin Tianji 4.0, a self-developed superconducting quantum measurement and control system that supports 500-plus-qubit quantum computers. The progress indicates that China's quantum computing industry has achieved replicable and iterative engineering production capabilities, laying the foundation for the mass production of hundred-bit quantum computers, Kong Weicheng, head of the system's development team, told the Global Times.

Dubbed the "nerve centers" of quantum computers, measurement and control systems manage precise signal generation, acquisition, and control for quantum chips. In 2018, Kong's team developed the first domestically produced quantum computer control system with completely independent intellectual property rights, filling a gap in the domestic quantum computing measurement and control field.

The latest Origin Tianji 4.0 system can effectively shorten the development and delivery time for quantum computers at the hundred-bit scale, while enhancing the system's automation capabilities and long-term stability, according to Kong, who is also deputy director of Anhui Quantum Computing Engineering Research Center.  

Previously, China relied heavily on imports for high-end instruments and equipment, and we could only use traditional commercial instruments to build our quantum computing measurement and control systems, with signal output and acquisition tasks being conducted separately. This approach was not only costly and redundant in functionality, but also had drawbacks such as poor compatibility and difficulty in integration, Kong told the Global Times. 

"Now, after multiple iterations, China's quantum computing measurement and control system has improved in terms of product scalability, integration, performance stability, and automation level. What we need to do is to go from nothing to something, and from something to a usable and durable product," Kong said. 

The Origin Tianjin 4.0 system was built and upgraded based on its preceding 3.0 version, which powers Origin Wukong, China's independently developed third-generation superconducting quantum computer. 

Since it went into operation on January 6, 2024, Origin Wukong has served users in 139 countries and regions over 26 million times, and completed more than 380,000 quantum computing tasks, covering a wide range of industries from finance to biomedicine, the Global Times learned from the team. 

According to Kong, in recent years, the process of quantum computing industrialization has been growing rapidly around the world. Eight years ago, Barclays Bank began to explore the application scenarios of quantum technology in the financial sector. Subsequently, leading international financial institutions such as JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs formed quantum research teams to explore quantum computing applications.

Domestically, quantum computing has been explored in various industries, including national defense and security, biopharmaceuticals, energy materials, artificial intelligence, financial markets, and transportation and aviation. However, "there is still a significant gap from the industry's expectations for exponential acceleration and leaps in computing power," Kong said. 

According to Kong, the development of quantum computers is influenced by various factors such as hardware devices, cooling environments, and temperature, and these challenges require cross-disciplinary collaboration, including efforts in ecological construction and other dimensions. - Global Times In Depth

Wednesday, 7 May 2025

Fostering a right view of WWII history essential for upholding international fairness and justice

 

Photo: VCG


Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Russia from May 7 to 10 and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War in Moscow, at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union and the World Anti-Fascist War. Xi's Russia visit will not only deepen bilateral ties at the level of head-of-state diplomacy but will also hold broader significance for the world.

The international order is currently facing multiple shocks, and the underlying causes are closely linked to the erosion of the view of the World War II (WWII) history. 

The rise of unilateralism has broken with the post-war tradition of multilateral cooperation; the spread of historical revisionism has intensified the fragmentation of international norms; and the resurgence of exclusionary ideologies has led to social division. Some right-wing politicians use various means to obscure and distort the history of WWII, while others seek to gain political benefits and solidify their positions by whitewashing fascism. Even more dangerously, the flawed historical view is feeding a vicious cycle alongside geopolitical conflicts: In an attempt at containment, they denigrate - or even deny - the historical contributions of China and Russia; and in the name of a "free and open Indo-Pacific," they seek to breach the pacifist postwar constitution and resurrect military adventurism.

Against this backdrop, the joint advocacy by China and Russia to foster a right view of the WWII history, defend the outcomes of the victory in the war and the post-war international order, and uphold international fairness and justice serves as an important guiding force for maintaining world peace and stability.

The war that successfully ended 80 years ago was fundamentally a battle between justice and evil. It was a magnificent feat of the international community overcoming boundaries of nation, race, and ideology to unite against fascist aggression. From the Normandy landings in Europe to the Pacific theater in Asia, from the Battle of Stalingrad to China's brave resistance against Japanese invasion, and across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, countries joined forces in an unprecedented effort to defeat the Axis powers' imperial ambitions. This demonstrated the unparalleled power of multilateral cooperation in the face of global threats. 

We will also never forget that the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was inseparable from the robust support of the international community. The Soviet Union's dispatch of troops to Northeast China hastened the collapse of Japanese imperialism; the US supplied China with aircraft and artillery under the Lend-Lease; and the 1943 Cairo Declaration expressly demanded that Japan return all the Chinese territories it had seized - including Taiwan. 80 years ago, the vast majority of the world's nations stood shoulder to shoulder against a common foe in pursuit of a shared ideal of peace - a fact that all humanity should remember forever.

The victory in WWII was a triumph of multilateral cooperation that transcended different systems and beliefs, overcoming fascist tyranny. This proves that the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak, is not the right path for human development. It laid the foundation for an international order centered on the United Nations and gave rise to a wave of national liberation and peaceful development based on equality and self-determination among all nations. Fostering a right view of WWII history is also about defending a proper view of the international order.

The construction of the postwar international system further proved that multilateralism is not a temporary strategy in the game of great powers, but a conscious choice of civilization born from immense sacrifice. As the main theater in the East during World War II, China was not only a significant contributor to the World Anti-Fascist War but also a builder and maintainer of the post-war international order. China has always advocated the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and has played a constructive role in alleviating regional crises through active diplomatic mediation. From proposing the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind to introducing three major global initiatives, China is actively demonstrating what it means to uphold and defend a right view of WWII history. It is providing the world with a Chinese solution that transcends zero-sum games and promotes the development of the international order in a just and reasonable direction.

Standing at the crossroads of changes unseen in a century, humanity needs to learn from historical experience of WWII victory more than ever. As former German president Richard von Weizaecker said, "those who do not review history will be blind to reality." Promoting a correct understanding of World War II is inherently linked to upholding a just international order. Whether mediating regional conflicts or addressing global crises, countries must learn from history and adhere to the just principles established after the war. Only by anchoring ourselves in a correct historical perspective can humanity maintain a baseline of peace amid potential risks of de-globalization and conflict.

"Justice will prevail! Peace will prevail! The people will prevail!" These slogans were shouted by the Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army during the nighttime rehearsal for the Victory Day parade on May 9 in Moscow's Red Square, eliciting waves of cheers and applause from the audience. The three declarations of "will prevail" and the warm reception of the PLA are concrete manifestations of the appreciation and support for upholding and promoting a right view of WWII history. More people standing on the side of defending the right view of WWII history and upholding post-war international fairness and justice is the best way to commemorate the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. - Global Times editorial

Tuesday, 6 May 2025

China Has Quietly Won the Trade War—and Now Leads the World



Donald Trump-the noisy duck


China Has Quietly Won the Trade War—and Now Leads the World
Ricardo Martins 
    “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”
    —Vladimir Lenin

A Silent but Seismic Turning Point
In a silent but seismic shift, President Xi Jinping has ended five centuries of Western global dominance—not with bombs or blockades, but with strategic patience and unyielding confidence. Without firing a single shot, China has emerged not only as the victor of Trump’s chaotic trade war but also as the world’s new de facto leader.

This transformation did not happen overnight, but the past few years have accelerated an inevitable rebalancing, especially after Trump’s first administration. The West, and particularly the United States, once sat atop a unipolar world [06/05, 11:08 am] Kung Kok Chye letan kkc: China Has Quietly Won the Trade War—and Now Leads the World
Ricardo Martins 
    “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”
    —Vladimir Lenin

A Silent but Seismic Turning Point
In a silent but seismic shift, President Xi Jinping has ended five centuries of Western global dominance—not with bombs or blockades, but with strategic patience and unyielding confidence. Without firing a single shot, China has emerged not only as the victor of Trump’s chaotic trade war but also as the world’s new de facto leader.

This transformation did not happen overnight, but the past few years have accelerated an inevitable rebalancing, especially after Trump’s first administration. The West, and particularly the United States, once sat atop a unipolar world order. Today, that dominance has not [06/05, 11:08 am] Kung Kok Chye letan kkc: China Has Quietly Won the Trade War—and Now Leads the World
Ricardo Martins 
    “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”
    —Vladimir Lenin

A Silent but Seismic Turning Point
In a silent but seismic shift, President Xi Jinping has ended five centuries of Western global dominance—not with bombs or blockades, but with strategic patience and unyielding confidence. Without firing a single shot, China has emerged not only as the victor of Trump’s chaotic trade war but also as the world’s new de facto leader.

This transformation did not happen overnight, but the past few years have accelerated an inevitable rebalancing, especially after Trump’s first administration. The West, and particularly the United States, once sat atop a unipolar world order. Today, that dominance has not just eroded—it has been decisively challenged.

The Biden administration, like Trump’s before it, ultimately came to terms with a critical truth: global decoupling from China is economically untenable. The U.S. Treasury now openly acknowledges that tariffs are unsustainable, signaling what amounts to a strategic surrender in a trade war that began with bravado but ended in backpedaling.

The Cost of Financial Hubris

America’s attempt to sever its economic entanglement with China unraveled under the weight of its own financialization. Tariffs imposed during the Trump years wiped out trillions in global capital, not by transferring wealth to Beijing but by annihilating it. Markets froze, supply chains fractured, and America’s inflationary spiral deepened as Chinese imports became pricier and scarcer. Grocery chains and tech firms sounded the alarm: shelves were going empty, and production lines were halting. A $1 trillion trade dependency can’t simply be wished away.

China, by contrast, played the long game. It neither retaliated rashly nor blinked. It held five powerful economic levers in reserve: U.S. Treasury holdings, currency manipulation, control over rare earth elements, asymmetric trade dependencies, and vast cross-border investments. Each of these tools remains in Beijing’s back pocket—unleashed only when necessary. That quiet strength was Xi’s real strategy: win without war.

A Battle of Ego vs. Shred Future

In truth, this wasn’t merely a contest of policies—it was a duel between two men: Xi Jinping and Donald Trump. One ruled by consensus and long-term vision; the other by tweetstorms and impulsive tariffs. While Trump chased headlines and short-term victories, Xi pursued civilizational restoration. His goal was not just to withstand American pressure, but to lead a new era of global governance rooted in sovereignty, economic connectivity, and multipolar cooperation.

Xi Jinping’s vision for the world is a shared future for mankind: a multipolar global order based on mutual respect, non-interference, economic cooperation, and sovereign development, which, to some extent, revives the spirit of Bandung and the aspirations of the Global South. It emphasizes connectivity through initiatives like the Belt and Road, stability over confrontation, and a shift from Western-dominated liberalism, where rules and norms are dictated by the market and leaders follow the market’s ruling, to a more inclusive, pragmatic global governance model rooted in civilizational respect.

The results are stark: The U.S. Navy is aging, and its shipbuilding capacity is stagnant. Military overstretch has weakened alliances, with even Europe questioning the future of NATO. Meanwhile, China builds ports, railways, and satellites. Through initiatives like the Belt and Road and critical mineral diplomacy, Beijing now anchors vast swaths of Africa, Latin America, and Central Asia into its sphere of influence, not by force, but by finance and infrastructure.

A Different Kind of Leadership

The question no longer is whether China will lead the world—it already is. The question is how it will share that leadership. Xi’s vision, contrary to Western paranoia, is not zero-sum. As Zhou Bo, senior fellow at Tsinghua University, eloquently put it in his recent book Should the World Fear China?, “The world is becoming less Western, and it’s about time the West learned to listen.”

What the West perceives as fear, the Global South sees as opportunity. In Africa, Chinese workers build roads and hospitals; in Latin America, Chinese investments fuel clean energy and education. Even amid complex territorial tensions, China has maintained a foreign policy grounded in non-interference and regional diplomacy. When was the last time China toppled a government or bombed a nation into regime change?

Toward a Shared but Multipolar Future

To those who say China seeks to upend the international order, the response is simple: What is the order worth if it only serves the few? China doesn’t reject rules—it seeks fairness in their making. The Belt and Road isn’t a trap, as some Western media narratives suggest; it’s a lifeline for nations long ignored by Washington and Brussels. Even the narrative of Chinese “militarism” collapses under scrutiny: China hasn’t engaged in foreign combat since 1979, while U.S. interventions stretch across every continent.

This doesn’t mean China is perfect—no nation is. But it does mean the West must move from denial to adaptation. The future will not be American or European-dominated. It will be co-governed, with China holding a preponderant role. The West must recalibrate, not in fear, but in mutual respect.

In the words of Zhou Bo: “You cannot be the world’s strongest power and still claim victimhood.” The same could be said of the U.S.—it must accept that others have risen, and that humility, not hegemony, will define the 21st century.

From Pax Americana to Pax Sinica?

We are indeed entering a new era—not marked by the collapse of the West, but by its maturation. Learning from China doesn’t mean becoming China. It means recognizing that leadership today is measured not just in aircraft carriers or GDP, but in resilience, diplomacy, and the ability to build.

The West ruled the world for 500 years. It is now time to share the stage with a resurgent power, one that has reclaimed its rightful place and carries within it the wisdom of a 5,000-year-old civilization.
[06/05, 11:28 am] Kung Kok Chye letan kkc: China has repeatedly said she is for peace... 
Mind boggling when those western numbskulls just
can't comprehend... then again, what can you expect from murderous
warmongers who just wanted to rob, loot, steal tons of monies, gold and other resources from the the spoils of wars.
Just look at some very recent history. eroded—it has been decisively challenged.

The Biden administration, like Trump’s before it, ultimately came to terms with a critical truth: global decoupling from China is economically untenable. The U.S. Treasury now openly acknowledges that tariffs are unsustainable, signaling what amounts to a strategic surrender in a trade war that began with bravado but ended in backpedaling.

The Cost of Financial Hubris

America’s attempt to sever its economic entanglement with China unraveled under the weight of its own financialization. Tariffs imposed during the Trump years wiped out trillions in global capital, not by transferring wealth to Beijing but by annihilating it. Markets froze, supply chains fractured, and America’s inflationary spiral deepened as Chinese imports became pricier and scarcer. Grocery chains and tech firms sounded the alarm: shelves were going empty, and production lines were halting. A $1 trillion trade dependency can’t simply be wished away.

China, by contrast, played the long game. It neither retaliated rashly nor blinked. It held five powerful economic levers in reserve: U.S. Treasury holdings, currency manipulation, control over rare earth elements, asymmetric trade dependencies, and vast cross-border investments. Each of these tools remains in Beijing’s back pocket—unleashed only when necessary. That quiet strength was Xi’s real strategy: win without war.

A Battle of Ego vs. Shred Future

In truth, this wasn’t merely a contest of policies—it was a duel between two men: Xi Jinping and Donald Trump. One ruled by consensus and long-term vision; the other by tweetstorms and impulsive tariffs. While Trump chased headlines and short-term victories, Xi pursued civilizational restoration. His goal was not just to withstand American pressure, but to lead a new era of global governance rooted in sovereignty, economic connectivity, and multipolar cooperation.

Xi Jinping’s vision for the world is a shared future for mankind: a multipolar global order based on mutual respect, non-interference, economic cooperation, and sovereign development, which, to some extent, revives the spirit of Bandung and the aspirations of the Global South. It emphasizes connectivity through initiatives like the Belt and Road, stability over confrontation, and a shift from Western-dominated liberalism, where rules and norms are dictated by the market and leaders follow the market’s ruling, to a more inclusive, pragmatic global governance model rooted in civilizational respect.

The results are stark: The U.S. Navy is aging, and its shipbuilding capacity is stagnant. Military overstretch has weakened alliances, with even Europe questioning the future of NATO. Meanwhile, China builds ports, railways, and satellites. Through initiatives like the Belt and Road and critical mineral diplomacy, Beijing now anchors vast swaths of Africa, Latin America, and Central Asia into its sphere of influence, not by force, but by finance and infrastructure.

A Different Kind of Leadership

The question no longer is whether China will lead the world—it already is. The question is how it will share that leadership. Xi’s vision, contrary to Western paranoia, is not zero-sum. As Zhou Bo, senior fellow at Tsinghua University, eloquently put it in his recent book Should the World Fear China?, “The world is becoming less Western, and it’s about time the West learned to listen.”

What the West perceives as fear, the Global South sees as opportunity. In Africa, Chinese workers build roads and hospitals; in Latin America, Chinese investments fuel clean energy and education. Even amid complex territorial tensions, China has maintained a foreign policy grounded in non-interference and regional diplomacy. When was the last time China toppled a government or bombed a nation into regime change?

Toward a Shared but Multipolar Future

To those who say China seeks to upend the international order, the response is simple: What is the order worth if it only serves the few? China doesn’t reject rules—it seeks fairness in their making. The Belt and Road isn’t a trap, as some Western media narratives suggest; it’s a lifeline for nations long ignored by Washington and Brussels. Even the narrative of Chinese “militarism” collapses under scrutiny: China hasn’t engaged in foreign combat since 1979, while U.S. interventions stretch across every continent.

This doesn’t mean China is perfect—no nation is. But it does mean the West must move from denial to adaptation. The future will not be American or European-dominated. It will be co-governed, with China holding a preponderant role. The West must recalibrate, not in fear, but in mutual respect.

In the words of Zhou Bo: “You cannot be the world’s strongest power and still claim victimhood.” The same could be said of the U.S.—it must accept that others have risen, and that humility, not hegemony, will define the 21st century.

From Pax Americana to Pax Sinica?

We are indeed entering a new era—not marked by the collapse of the West, but by its maturation. Learning from China doesn’t mean becoming China. It means recognizing that leadership today is measured not just in aircraft carriers or GDP, but in resilience, diplomacy, and the ability to build.

The West ruled the world for 500 years. It is now time to share the stage with a resurgent power, one that has reclaimed its rightful place and carries within it the wisdom of a 5,000-year-old civilization.
[06/05, 11:28 am] Kung Kok Chye letan kkc: China has repeatedly said she is for peace... 
Mind boggling when those western numbskulls just
can't comprehend... then again, what can you expect from murderous
warmongers who just wanted to rob, loot, steal tons of monies, gold and other resources from the the spoils of wars.
Just look at some very recent history.Today, that dominance has not just eroded—it has been decisively challenged.

The Biden administration, like Trump’s before it, ultimately came to terms with a critical truth: global decoupling from China is economically untenable. The U.S. Treasury now openly acknowledges that tariffs are unsustainable, signaling what amounts to a strategic surrender in a trade war that began with bravado but ended in backpedaling.

The Cost of Financial Hubris

America’s attempt to sever its economic entanglement with China unraveled under the weight of its own financialization. Tariffs imposed during the Trump years wiped out trillions in global capital, not by transferring wealth to Beijing but by annihilating it. Markets froze, supply chains fractured, and America’s inflationary spiral deepened as Chinese imports became pricier and scarcer. Grocery chains and tech firms sounded the alarm: shelves were going empty, and production lines were halting. A $1 trillion trade dependency can’t simply be wished away.

China, by contrast, played the long game. It neither retaliated rashly nor blinked. It held five powerful economic levers in reserve: U.S. Treasury holdings, currency manipulation, control over rare earth elements, asymmetric trade dependencies, and vast cross-border investments. Each of these tools remains in Beijing’s back pocket—unleashed only when necessary. That quiet strength was Xi’s real strategy: win without war.

A Battle of Ego vs. Shred Future

In truth, this wasn’t merely a contest of policies—it was a duel between two men: Xi Jinping and Donald Trump. One ruled by consensus and long-term vision; the other by tweetstorms and impulsive tariffs. While Trump chased headlines and short-term victories, Xi pursued civilizational restoration. His goal was not just to withstand American pressure, but to lead a new era of global governance rooted in sovereignty, economic connectivity, and multipolar cooperation.

Xi Jinping’s vision for the world is a shared future for mankind: a multipolar global order based on mutual respect, non-interference, economic cooperation, and sovereign development, which, to some extent, revives the spirit of Bandung and the aspirations of the Global South. It emphasizes connectivity through initiatives like the Belt and Road, stability over confrontation, and a shift from Western-dominated liberalism, where rules and norms are dictated by the market and leaders follow the market’s ruling, to a more inclusive, pragmatic global governance model rooted in civilizational respect.

The results are stark: The U.S. Navy is aging, and its shipbuilding capacity is stagnant. Military overstretch has weakened alliances, with even Europe questioning the future of NATO. Meanwhile, China builds ports, railways, and satellites. Through initiatives like the Belt and Road and critical mineral diplomacy, Beijing now anchors vast swaths of Africa, Latin America, and Central Asia into its sphere of influence, not by force, but by finance and infrastructure.

A Different Kind of Leadership

The question no longer is whether China will lead the world—it already is. The question is how it will share that leadership. Xi’s vision, contrary to Western paranoia, is not zero-sum. As Zhou Bo, senior fellow at Tsinghua University, eloquently put it in his recent book Should the World Fear China?, “The world is becoming less Western, and it’s about time the West learned to listen.”

What the West perceives as fear, the Global South sees as opportunity. In Africa, Chinese workers build roads and hospitals; in Latin America, Chinese investments fuel clean energy and education. Even amid complex territorial tensions, China has maintained a foreign policy grounded in non-interference and regional diplomacy. When was the last time China toppled a government or bombed a nation into regime change?

Toward a Shared but Multipolar Future

To those who say China seeks to upend the international order, the response is simple: What is the order worth if it only serves the few? China doesn’t reject rules—it seeks fairness in their making. The Belt and Road isn’t a trap, as some Western media narratives suggest; it’s a lifeline for nations long ignored by Washington and Brussels. Even the narrative of Chinese “militarism” collapses under scrutiny: China hasn’t engaged in foreign combat since 1979, while U.S. interventions stretch across every continent.

This doesn’t mean China is perfect—no nation is. But it does mean the West must move from denial to adaptation. The future will not be American or European-dominated. It will be co-governed, with China holding a preponderant role. The West must recalibrate, not in fear, but in mutual respect.

In the words of Zhou Bo: “You cannot be the world’s strongest power and still claim victimhood.” The same could be said of the U.S.—it must accept that others have risen, and that humility, not hegemony, will define the 21st century.

From Pax Americana to Pax Sinica?

We are indeed entering a new era—not marked by the collapse of the West, but by its maturation. Learning from China doesn’t mean becoming China. It means recognizing that leadership today is measured not just in aircraft carriers or GDP, but in resilience, diplomacy, and the ability to build.

The West ruled the world for 500 years. It is now time to share the stage with a resurgent power, one that has reclaimed its rightful place and carries within it the wisdom of a 5,000-year-old civilization.
[06/05, 11:28 am] Kung Kok Chye letan kkc: China has repeatedly said she is for peace... 
Mind boggling when those western numbskulls just
can't comprehend... then again, what can you expect from murderous
warmongers who just wanted to rob, loot, steal tons of monies, gold and other resources from the the spoils of wars.
Just look at some very recent history.- shared from friends


Sunday, 4 May 2025

Trump’s tariff fight with Xi reveals China’s great divide

 

Going strong: China has become less reliant on American consumers since Trump’s first trade war in 2018. — Reuters

HOW does an escalating US-China trade war affect people’s well-being? In China, it depends on who you ask.

Some are energised by the fight. Electric-vehicle makers are in hyperdrive, pushing out luxury new models, self-driving features and battery-charging technologies that allow drivers to recharge almost as fast as filling a petrol tank. Instead of selling cars to Americans, the likes of BYD are taking on Tesla in growth regions such as South-east Asia.

There’s also talk of an “engineer dividend” – credit to President Xi Jinping for his focus on higher education in sciences. The success of DeepSeek’s reasoning model, released in late January, gave rise to a realisation that China is not just a manufacturing powerhouse whose status is being challenged by President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Rather, Beijing may have found a fresh growth model. It can grab market share in software services, which the US excels at. Almost every week, Chinese tech firms have been releasing new artificial intelligence models and applications.

In part because of a stock market rebound, luxury home sales in Shanghai are booming. Property markets in tech hubs such as Hangzhou and Shenzhen are also seeing a revival, a welcoming reprieve after a four-year downturn.

After all, China has become less reliant on American consumers since Trump’s first trade war in 2018. Exports to the US accounted for just 15% of the total in 2024, versus 20% a decade earlier. The economy will shrink by only about 3%, even if the entire trading route to the US gets wiped out.

Beneath that stoic defiance, however, are genuine concerns about how to make a living, especially among blue-collar workers. A decline in exports, until now a rare bright spot in an otherwise anaemic economy, will only create more competition for low-skilled jobs. Already, demand for their labour is diminishing due to factory automation and the end of a decade-long property boom. In 2024, the manufacturing and construction sectors absorbed just over 40% of migrant workers, versus more than half a decade earlier.

Apparel is the third-largest category of US imports from China, after communication devices and electronic equipment. On average, the textile industry hires more than 25 people for every one million yuan (RM589, 846) in gross domestic product generated. About 16 million jobs could be lost thanks to Trump’s tariffs, according to Goldman Sachs Group estimates.

What these displaced might do next matters to the rest of the 425 million-strong blue-collar workforce. In recent years, people have been moving in droves into the gig economy, working as housekeepers, drivers, delivery workers and social media influencers.

Already, some of these sectors are getting crowded. In 2024, the number of ride-hailing drivers jumped by 27% to 38 million, prompting some local governments to warn about overcapacity. No surprise, their average monthly pay fell.

Or consider the 18 million social media live streamers, often young people who want glamour in their work. Most of them aren’t getting rich – they are barely getting by. A recent academic survey shows that 93% make less than 3,000 yuan a month, not even half of what an average delivery person earns.

It’s unlikely Beijing will launch the kind of bazooka stimulus witnessed in the aftermath of the global financial crisis (GFC), the last time China’s exports registered double-digit declines. Back then, more than a third of migrant workers, or over 80 million, were employed in manufacturing. The magnitude of job losses was much larger.

Barring mass street protests, the government’s attitude towards blue-collar labourers has been that since many have few skills, they can be flexible. Manufacturing jobs gone? No problem, they can go into the services sector, or back home to the farm. During the GFC, at least 20 million laid-off migrant workers returned to rural areas. This attitude is unlikely to change just because of Trump.

In fact, this trade war only exacerbates a separation of the elite from the grassroots. For the skilled and well-to-do, US tariffs barely touch their lives, and they are thinking of new money-making opportunities now that Trump is tearing up the existing world order (Gold, anyone?). But millions of others are only getting more anxious. – Bloomberg Opinion/TNS

by Shuli Ren, a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asian markets.

Related posts"

US economy in Q1 shrinks amid new tariff policies; US reportedly actively engaging with China through multiple channels

Saturday, 19 April 2025

31 MOUs inked will deepen M'sia-China growth, say trade groups



“It further signals China’s readi­ness to work closely with regional partners like Malaysia to promote stability and shared prosperity in an increasingly complex global landscape,” he said when contacted yesterday.

ALSO READ: Despite challenges, Malaysia pledges to solidify trust, communication with China

Lauding the MOUs, Soh said it was important to take things beyond just the trade volume and investment ­figures.

“It must focus on co-creating high-value industrial ecosystems that support both countries’ aspirations, aligning Malaysia’s New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP2030) with China’s innovation-­driven growth agenda,” he said.

Citing significant potential in strategic sectors such as advanced manufacturing, clean and renewable energy, electric mobility, artificial intelligence, biotechnology and smart logistics, Soh said the collaboration would spur both nations to jointly develop high-impact projects and sustainable, value-added supply chains.

He suggested that a more structured bilateral cooperation ­mechanism between both govern­ments and the business community be set up, such as joint innovation hubs and green and digital industrial parks.

ALSO READ: Synergy between two nations

Such an arrangement would further enhance Malaysia as a strategic base for Chinese ­investors to tap into Asean and the regional market via the Regional Comprehensive Econo­mic Part­nership (RCEP) and ACFTA.

Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Malaysia (ACCCIM) treasurer-­general Datuk Koong Lin Loong said the deepening cooperation went beyond China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as it covered several other key sectors.

He said the upgrading of the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP) under the “Two Countries, Twin Parks” initiative should also include the setting up of similar parks in other parts of the country.

Koong stated that collaboration aimed at enhancing inspection protocols for items such as fresh coconuts and standardising regulations could facilitate increased agricultural exports to China.

Small and Medium Enterprises Association Malaysia (Samenta) national president Datuk William Ng said the wide-ranging agreements marked a promising new era in Malaysia-China relations.

“I see this as a pivotal moment for Malaysian businesses, especially our SMEs. The sectors identified in the MOUs reflect where the future of trade and industry is heading,” he said.

Ng said the benefits of the strategic partnerships must be inclusive and accessible to local SMEs, which he said made up over 97% of Malaysian businesses.

“We welcome these MOUs, and we want to see them benefit the SMEs and the rakyat and not just a select group of GLCs,” he added.

Ng proposed the creation of downstream programmes to enable SMEs to engage in key sectors through joint ventures, vendor development, or technology adoption.

ALSO READ: Influencer economy can be key to further growth

He said the collaboration should see Chinese companies helping local SMEs tap into the Chinese market via cross-border digital platforms, especially those operated by Chinese tech firms.

Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association (MSIA) president Datuk Seri Wong Siew Hai said the MOUs showed a clear intent by both nations to work together in bringing prosperity to their people.

“Among the key areas of cooperation is the adoption of AI and e-commerce, where China is a global leader. If we can adopt their approach, we can accelerate the digitisation of government and the implementation of a more comprehensive digital economy for the nation,” he said.

Wong said that Malaysia would also benefit from the collaboration between the leading universities of both nations, particularly in relation to emerging technologies.

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31 MOUs inked will deepen M'sia-China growth, say trade groups



“It further signals China’s readi­ness to work closely with regional partners like Malaysia to promote stability and shared prosperity in an increasingly complex global landscape,” he said when contacted yesterday.

ALSO READ: Despite challenges, Malaysia pledges to solidify trust, communication with China

Lauding the MOUs, Soh said it was important to take things beyond just the trade volume and investment ­figures.

“It must focus on co-creating high-value industrial ecosystems that support both countries’ aspirations, aligning Malaysia’s New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP2030) with China’s innovation-­driven growth agenda,” he said.

Citing significant potential in strategic sectors such as advanced manufacturing, clean and renewable energy, electric mobility, artificial intelligence, biotechnology and smart logistics, Soh said the collaboration would spur both nations to jointly develop high-impact projects and sustainable, value-added supply chains.

He suggested that a more structured bilateral cooperation ­mechanism between both govern­ments and the business community be set up, such as joint innovation hubs and green and digital industrial parks.

ALSO READ: Synergy between two nations

Such an arrangement would further enhance Malaysia as a strategic base for Chinese ­investors to tap into Asean and the regional market via the Regional Comprehensive Econo­mic Part­nership (RCEP) and ACFTA.

Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Malaysia (ACCCIM) treasurer-­general Datuk Koong Lin Loong said the deepening cooperation went beyond China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as it covered several other key sectors.

He said the upgrading of the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP) under the “Two Countries, Twin Parks” initiative should also include the setting up of similar parks in other parts of the country.

Koong stated that collaboration aimed at enhancing inspection protocols for items such as fresh coconuts and standardising regulations could facilitate increased agricultural exports to China.

Small and Medium Enterprises Association Malaysia (Samenta) national president Datuk William Ng said the wide-ranging agreements marked a promising new era in Malaysia-China relations.

“I see this as a pivotal moment for Malaysian businesses, especially our SMEs. The sectors identified in the MOUs reflect where the future of trade and industry is heading,” he said.

Ng said the benefits of the strategic partnerships must be inclusive and accessible to local SMEs, which he said made up over 97% of Malaysian businesses.

“We welcome these MOUs, and we want to see them benefit the SMEs and the rakyat and not just a select group of GLCs,” he added.

Ng proposed the creation of downstream programmes to enable SMEs to engage in key sectors through joint ventures, vendor development, or technology adoption.

ALSO READ: Influencer economy can be key to further growth

He said the collaboration should see Chinese companies helping local SMEs tap into the Chinese market via cross-border digital platforms, especially those operated by Chinese tech firms.

Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association (MSIA) president Datuk Seri Wong Siew Hai said the MOUs showed a clear intent by both nations to work together in bringing prosperity to their people.

“Among the key areas of cooperation is the adoption of AI and e-commerce, where China is a global leader. If we can adopt their approach, we can accelerate the digitisation of government and the implementation of a more comprehensive digital economy for the nation,” he said.

Wong said that Malaysia would also benefit from the collaboration between the leading universities of both nations, particularly in relation to emerging technologies.

Source link


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