China news and archive

Chinese giant Alibaba sues Pentagon over US blacklist inclusion

Washington, US, June 24, 2026 (AFP) - Technology giant Alibaba filed a federal lawsuit in the US on Monday against its designation as a “Chinese military company” by the Department of Defense, claiming the classification is arbitrary. The lawsuit, filed in a San Francisco federal court, challenges the Pentagon's determination that Alibaba should...

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China imposes export controls on ten US companies

Beijing - China imposed export controls on ten US companies, including some from the defence and rare earth mining sectors, Beijing reported on Monday. It also banned dozens of US companies from participating in public procurement, in response to a Washington blacklist of Chinese firms. The measures were adopted one month after US president...

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China's Pinduoduo, JD.com among 5 summoned over false advertising

Chinese e-commerce giants Pinduoduo and JD.com were among five major platforms summoned on Thursday for talks over misleading advertising, Beijing's market watchdog said. Social media sites Douyin and RedNote, along with Alibaba-owned e-commerce platform Taobao, were also summoned. The talks with company representatives, held by the Beijing...

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Alibaba in Washington's crosshairs over alleged military ties

Washington - The United States released an updated list on Monday of Chinese companies it considers to be aiding the country's military. The list includes, among others, e-commerce giant Alibaba, search engine provider Baidu and electric vehicle manufacturer BYD. The US Department of Defense announced the designations just weeks before President...

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Retail

Less luxury, more clicks: savvy Chinese consumers are shopping smarter

Beijing - Jacqueline Li was astonished to learn of the closure of Galeries Lafayette in Beijing. She believes it signals a change in Chinese shopping habits. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, luxury no longer holds the same appeal as it once did. The closure of the iconic French department store this Wednesday occurs against a backdrop of economic...

Retail

Galeries Lafayette closes its Beijing store

Beijing – French group Galeries Lafayette is closing its Beijing store on Wednesday after 13 years of operation. The closure is attributed to evolving customer demands and a slowdown in the luxury market in a country once considered an eldorado for the sector. On Tuesday, the day before the closure, a steady stream of customers browsed the...

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Egypt and China to develop decarbonised textile city, signalling industrial shift in North Africa

Egypt has announced the development of a fully carbon-neutral industrial textile city in the Port Said governorate, in partnership with Chinese developer Cloud Chain. According to the Egyptian State Information Service, the project is the first of its kind in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region and aims to position the country as a...

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China's economy loses momentum – retail sales disappoint

China's economy lost significant momentum in April. Key economic data fell short of analysts' expectations. According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Monday, retail sales rose by only 0.2 percent in April compared to the same month last year. This follows a 1.7 percent increase in March. Industrial production grew by...

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People|Interview

Jean-Loup Rebours of Faxion PR: “There is a real need to re-evaluate Chinese fashion in France"

China is a country of consumers, not creators. This is the prejudice that Jean-Loup Rebours, director of the press and influencer communications agency Faxion PR, has chosen to deconstruct by launching a new wave of Chinese designers in Paris. Why have you specialised in Chinese brands? We have a huge advantage in France: Paris remains the...

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Tool to watch: GFA Policy Matrix Asia

After successful editions covering the EU and Americas, non-profit Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) has released its GFA Policy Matrix: Asia. The resource is designed to map sustainability and social matters related legislation in the fashion industry across the region and focuses on eight major manufacturing countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, China,...

Retail

Dior pop-up in China: is it cake?

Dior is celebrating the arrival of its autumn 2026 collection in stores with a gigantic cake. The French fashion house has transformed a pop-up space in front of the Deji Plaza in Nanjing, China, into a visual feast. Dior pop-up in Nanjing, China Credits: Nanjing - Deji Plaza © Sun Shi Dior pop-up Credits: Nanjing - Deji Plaza © Sun Shi The...

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"Made in China" hopes for improvement with Trump visit

Canton - In the heat of a vast wholesale market in southern China, surrounded by clothing and footwear, traders are hoping that Donald Trump's announced visit will ease the American tariffs penalising their exports. Manufacturers and factories in Guangdong province, the country's manufacturing heartland, have borne the full brunt of the White...