Skip to content

Economy/Resources - 6. page

China’s Special Port Fee on U.S. Vessels Takes Effect on October 14

Huanqiu Times reported that on October 14, China’s Ministry of Transport issued the “Measures for Collecting Special Port Fees on U.S. Vessels,” consisting of ten articles and effective immediately upon publication. The following are Articles 2 through 5.

Article 2: Foreign vessels engaged in international maritime transport that dock at Chinese ports must pay the Special Port Fee for Vessels if they meet any of the following conditions:

  1. The vessel is owned by U.S. enterprises, organizations, or individuals;
  2. The vessel is operated by U.S. enterprises, organizations, or individuals;
  3. The vessel is owned or operated by enterprises or organizations in which U.S. entities directly or indirectly hold 25% or more of the equity (including voting rights or board seats);
  4. The vessel is registered under the U.S. flag;
  5. The vessel was built in the United States.

Vessels built in China under conditions (1) – (4) above are exempt from the fee. Empty vessels entering Chinese shipyards solely for repairs, as well as other vessels granted exemptions upon review, are also exempt.

Article 3: The specific fee rates are as follows (rounded up to the nearest gross ton):

  1. From October 14, 2025, RMB 400 per gross ton;
  2. From April 17, 2026, RMB 640 per gross ton;
  3. From April 17, 2027, RMB 880 per gross ton;
  4. From April 17, 2028, RMB 1,120 per gross ton.

Each vessel is subject to the special port fee for no more than five voyages per year, with April 17 marking the start of each annual billing cycle.

Article 4: The fee shall be collected by the maritime administration authority of the port where the vessel docks and managed or used according to relevant national regulations.

Article 5: If a vessel docks at multiple Chinese ports during the same voyage, the special port fee is payable only at the first port of call. For vessels making more than five voyages to Chinese ports in a year, the fee applies only to the first five voyages, with subsequent voyages exempt upon proof of prior payments.

Source: Huanqiu Times, October 13, 2025
https://world.huanqiu.com/article/4OiMfb2DneG

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources US-China Relations

People’s Daily Publishes 8-Part Series on “China’s Economy Under Xi Jinping’s Thought on Economic Development”

From September 30 to October 7, People’s Daily published a series of eight consecutive articles on China’s economic development. The articles were authored under the pen name “Zhong Cai Wen (钟才文),” a homophone for the abbreviation of “Article by the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission” (中央财经委员会文章).

On October 9, People’s Daily published a follow-up article outlining the significance of the series: to help readers “understand the economic situation and guide economic work.” It said the series explain China’s long-term stable growth, highlight opportunities for the world, and convey a message of confidence, stability, and development.

The eight articles cover the following topics:

  1. China’s Economic Transformation
  2. Internal Logic of Stability
  3. Current Economic Situation
  4. Opportunities in Economic Upgrading
  5. High-Quality Development Certainty
  6. Inclusive Global Development Model
  7. Open and Win-Win Economy
  8. Trust and Cooperation with China

Critics, however, question the “wonderful” portrayal of China’s economy, arguing that citizens’ and businesses’ lived experiences tell a different story. They suggest the articles may mask or twist facts. For example, the series highlights high-quality, low-cost goods and services, which in reality benefit consumers, but also reflect intense competition and worsening conditions for service providers. Similarly, while emerging sectors like artificial intelligence show rapid wage growth, these high-tech sectors constitute only a small portion of the overall economy, meaning their gains cannot offset the struggles of larger, traditional industries such as real estate that face declining employment and wages.

Sources:
1. People’s Daily, October 9, 2025
http://finance.people.com.cn/n1/2025/1009/c70846-40578339.html
2. Epoch Times, October 9, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/10/8/n14612200.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources Government/Politics

China Loses on Share of U.S. Imports; Mexico Emerges as a Leading Replacement

Mexico News Daily reports that Mexico’s Secretariat of the Treasury and Public Credit has confirmed a significant shift in U.S. import patterns, with China’s share steadily declining as global supply chains adjust.

Between 2018 and 2024, China’s exports to the U.S. fell by 18.5 percent, from $538.5 billion to $438.9 billion. Its share of total U.S. imports dropped 7.8 percentage points, reaching 13.4 percent.

Mexico captured about 24 percent of the market share China lost, becoming the largest source of U.S. imports with 15.5 percent of the total. Vietnam also expanded its share during this period.

Observers point to U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods, introduced under the Trump administration and largely sustained under Biden, as key drivers of this shift. These measures have accelerated the relocation of supply chains to Mexico and Southeast Asia. Some Chinese firms have reportedly resorted to “origin washing,” rerouting goods through third countries to evade tariffs.

Analysts suggest this trend reflects a growing U.S.–China economic decoupling, reshaping global trade flows and strengthening nearshoring strategies within North America.

Source: Epoch Times, September 27, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/9/26/n14603521.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources Geo-Strategic Trend

People’s Daily: China’s Jimsar Shale Oil Output Exceeds 5 Million Tons

China’s first national onshore shale oil demonstration zone, the PetroChina Jimsar Project in Xinjiang, has achieved cumulative production of over 5 million tons of shale oil.

Located more than 3,800 meters underground with extremely low permeability, the site posed formidable technical challenges. After years of research and innovation, engineers have established over 40 industry standards and developed 30 core technologies, including “golden target identification” and “wide-area propped fracturing.”

These breakthroughs have boosted per-well output from 25,000 to 35,000 tons and shortened drilling time by 5 percent. In 2025 alone, 48 wells have been completed with a success rate of 89 percent, yielding 1.35 million tons – 79 percent of the annual target.

The Jimsar project stands as a national benchmark for large-scale shale oil development and a milestone in advancing China’s energy self-sufficiency and technological capability.

Source: People’s Daily, October 1, 2025
http://finance.people.com.cn/n1/2025/1001/c1004-40575859.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources Information/Technology

Luban Workshop: The CCP’s New Global Expansion Tool After the Confucius Institute

Following the global rollout of Confucius Institutes, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has launched another initiative to expand its influence abroad: the Luban Workshop, named after the ancient Chinese craftsman Lu Ban. Branded as an international cooperation project, it is officially described as a platform to share China’s vocational education expertise with the world. The first Luban Workshop was established in Thailand in 2016 by Tianjin Bohai Vocational Technical College.

Since then, China has set up 36 Luban Workshops in 30 countries across Asia, Africa, and Europe, spanning regions such as Central Asia, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and ASEAN. Tianjin alone is responsible for 25 workshops in 23 countries, including 10 in SCO states. Recent developments include:

  • August 30, 2025: Kazakhstan inaugurated its second and third Luban Workshops, following its first in 2023.
  • August 31 – September 1, 2025: During the SCO Summit, China organized visits for foreign representatives and media to a Luban Workshop in Tianjin.
  • Early September 2025: Nepal opened its first Luban Workshop in Lalitpur, Kathmandu Valley, combining Chinese-language instruction with training in electric power technologies to cultivate local technical and managerial talent.

The workshops serve multiple purposes: they train local workers to staff Chinese-built infrastructure projects such as high-speed railways and smart logistics systems, while also functioning as a vehicle for cultural and people-to-people exchange. Ultimately, the CCP views the Luban Workshop as both a vocational training platform and a soft-power instrument, seeking to strengthen its branding and expand China’s global influence.

Sources:
1. People’s Daily, September 8, 2025
https://paper.people.com.cn/rmrbhwb/pc/content/202509/08/content_30103645.html
2. People’s Daily, September 5, 2025
http://edu.people.com.cn/BIG5/n1/2025/0905/c1006-40557449.html

Briefings | | |   @CS Economy/Resources Geo-Strategic Trend

China’s C909 Jet Gains Ground in Southeast Asia and Beyond

On September 9, Cambodia Airways signed a memorandum of understanding with Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) to purchase 10 C909 regional jets, with an option for 10 more – marking another step in China’s aviation push in Southeast Asia.

Formerly known as the ARJ21 until its renaming in November 2024, the C909 is China’s first independently developed regional jet under international standards. Seating 78–97 passengers and designed for short-haul routes of 2,225–3,700 km, it is well-suited to Southeast Asia’s island geography. By comparison, COMAC’s larger C919 can carry up to 190 passengers on longer routes.

As of July 2025, COMAC has delivered 166 C909s, carrying over 24 million passengers on 700 routes. Airlines in Indonesia, Laos, and Vietnam operate seven of them on 15 routes linking 18 cities. Flexible financing and leasing terms give COMAC an edge over Boeing and Airbus among budget-conscious regional carriers.

Beyond passenger use, COMAC delivered its first C909 medical aircraft on the same day to China Feilong General Aviation. With a 10-ton payload and 3,700 km range, it can be configured for rescue missions, patient transport, and disaster relief – part of a broader effort to build a national and international air-medical network.

While the C919 still awaits FAA/EASA certification, the C909 is already gaining international traction. Backed by domestic demand, government support, and overseas uptake, COMAC is poised to expand its role in global aviation.

Source: Net Ease, September 10, 2025
https://www.163.com/dy/article/K942TO980519ACLG.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources Geo-Strategic Trend

China Launches Digital Renminbi International Operations Center in Shanghai

The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) announced that the Digital Renminbi International Operations Center officially commenced operations on September 24 in Shanghai. The center launched three major business platforms: the Digital Renminbi Cross-Border Digital Payment Platform, the Digital Renminbi Blockchain Service Platform, and the Digital Asset Platform.

Established and managed by the PBOC’s Digital Currency Research Institute, the center is tasked with building and operating the digital renminbi’s cross-border and blockchain infrastructure. Its mission includes promoting cross-border connectivity with domestic and international financial systems, advancing the global use of the digital renminbi, supporting the development of financial market services, and driving innovation in digital finance.

Source: Huanqiu Times, September 25, 2025
https://finance.huanqiu.com/article/4OTi00f5vsX

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Sputnik: Russia and China Working on Joint Depository System to Bypass Western Financial Infrastructure

Russian state outlet Sputnik reported that Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told Izvestia in an interview that Moscow and Beijing are jointly developing their own depository system as an alternative to Euroclear and Clearstream.

“If the West closes its financial infrastructure to us, we must create an alternative,” Siluanov said. “We are discussing this complex but very important issue with our colleagues from the People’s Republic of China.”

Siluanov explained: “Our goal is to enable investors to freely purchase securities from one country in another without restrictions or obstacles, and to allow them to invest in our two countries’ securities with confidence. We have already raised this topic in our financial dialogue with China’s Ministry of Finance.”

Source: Sputnik, September 19, 2025
https://sputniknews.cn/20250919/1067520001.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources Geo-Strategic Trend