China news and archive

Chinese smart glasses firms eye overseas conquest

In China, AI glasses let the wearer pay in shops with just a glance at a QR code and a voice command, as a growing number of companies look to conquer both growing domestic and overseas markets. Interest in smart eyewear is soaring worldwide after more than a decade of stalled promise, with advances in artificial intelligence sparking a fresh...

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Luxury houses eye India, but barriers remain

The globe's biggest luxury brands have dreamt of India's vast consumer base for decades, but navigating the market has proven to be a complex task. French retailer Galeries Lafayette is the latest to try its luck, opening its first Indian store on Sunday: a sprawling five-floor outlet in Mumbai, the country's financial capital. Its splashy foray...

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EU backs small parcel duties to tackle China import flood

EU states on Thursday agreed to scrap a bloc-wide duty exemption on low-value orders from the likes of retail giants Temu and Shein to help tackle a flood of cheap Chinese imports. Currently there is no levy on packages worth less than 150 euros ($174) imported directly to consumers in the 27-nation bloc, in many cases via Chinese-founded...

Retail

Rapha opens first ‘clubhouse’ store in mainland China

British cycling apparel brand Rapha has now launched its ‘Clubhouse’ retail concept in mainland China. The opening of the new store in the economic hub of Shanghai is a “milestone” for the brand and marks “the beginning of a new era for Rapha in Asia,” the company announced in a statement on Wednesday. The ‘Clubhouse’ concept, which combines...

Fashion

Kering and Shanghai Fashion Week launch new CRAFT programme

During the opening ceremony of the Kering pavilion at the eighth China International Import Expo (CIIE), French luxury group Kering signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Shanghai Fashion Week to launch Kering CRAFT. This stands for “Creative Residency for Artisanship, Fashion and Technology” and is a new initiative through which Kering...

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The Lycra Company opens second production facility in China

US fibre manufacturer The Lycra Company opened its largest spandex factory in the world in the Chinese city of Yinchuan on Friday. “This milestone underscores the company's continued investment in the Chinese market and highlights its strong commitment to building localised supply and distribution networks, as well as promoting advancements in...

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US government suspends additional tariffs on China until end of 2026

The US will not implement its threatened retaliatory tariffs on Chinese imports until at least November 10, 2026. This is according to a White House summary of the results of the meeting between US president Donald Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping in South Korea. The current retaliatory tariff of 10 percent will remain in effect, the US...

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Who is Bosideng, the Chinese giant that has appointed Kim Jones as artistic director?

Originating from a rural workshop in 1976, Bosideng has now established itself as China's leading puffer jacket brand, embarking on a journey into the luxury market with Kim Jones. During Paris Fashion Week in September 2025, FashionUnited had the opportunity to meet Gao Dekang, president of Bosideng. The meeting was scheduled around a major...

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Following meeting with Trump: Xi warns of disrupted supply chains

Following a meeting with US president Donald Trump, China's head of state and party, Xi Jinping, has warned of a breakdown in supply chains. To drive economic growth, the stability of industrial and supply chains must be guaranteed, Xi said at the summit of heads of state and government of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in...

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Fashion

Shanghai Fashion Week SS26: Nostalgia, tradition and play on archetypes

A sense of nostalgia hung over the Shanghai fashion shows for the past two weeks. Designers often sought inspiration in the past, from the glamorous 1920s to deep-rooted Chinese aesthetics. They did not shy away from embellishments, exploring archetypes and connections to ballet and running. Nostalgia in muted colours Floral motifs and muted...

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Diesel celebrates 20 years in China, OTB opens new headquarters in Shanghai

Italian brand Diesel arrived in China 20 years ago. Last Thursday, it celebrated this anniversary by opening a new headquarters for its parent company, OTB SpA, in Shanghai and with a lecture by founder Renzo Rosso at Donghua University. These initiatives highlight the importance of the Chinese market for OTB. The group currently employs 900...

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Trump: new tariff on Chinese imports is economically untenable

According to US President Donald Trump, the new tariffs he has threatened against China are economically unsustainable. When asked if the cumulative total tariff rate of 157 percent is sustainable for the economy and what it would mean, he said: “That is not sustainable, but that is the figure.” Trump continued in an interview with US television...