January 2026

FDI into China falls 9.5% in 2025 — 24 January 2026 (LINK)

Trump threatens Canada with a 100% tariff over its China trade deal — 24 January 2026 (LINK)

UN rights experts issue statement of alarm at reports of forced labour of Uyghur, Tibetan and other minorities across China — 22 January 2026 (LINK)

— "Forced labour in China is enabled through the State-mandated 'poverty alleviation through labour transfer' programme, which coerces Uyghurs and members of other minority groups into jobs in Xinjiang and other regions. [...] Tibetans are also subject to forced labour through similar schemes such as the Training and Labour Transfer Action Plan, with calls for systematic training and transfer of 'rural surplus labourers'. The number of Tibetans affected by labour transfers in 2024 are estimated to be close to 650’000. Tibetans are also reportedly displaced through the 'whole-village relocation' programme which applies coercion to manufacture consent, such as repeated home visits, implicit threats of punishment, banning of criticism, or threats of cutting essential home services. “Between 2000 and 2025 some 3.36 million Tibetans have been affected by government programmes requiring them to rebuild their house for nomads to become sedentary, whilst official statistics say that around 930,000 rural Tibetans have been relocated through either whole village relocation or individual household relocations."

— They also expressed serious concern over goods produced through forced labour which enter global supply chains indirectly via third countries, raising broader questions about the overall effectiveness of targeted trade restrictions and human rights due diligence in the regulation of supply chains.

China and Russia in talks after halt to power supplies: Kommersant newspaper linked the halt to higher power prices in Russia compared with China's domestic prices — (LINK) ground.news: 21 media reports — 16 January 2026 (LINK)

China and Canada announce tariffs relief after a high-stakes meeting between Carney and Xi (LINK) 16 January 2026

December 2025

China announces it 'successfully completed' Taiwan military maneuvers (LINK) 31 December 2025

Trump 'not worried' as China's live-fire Taiwan wargame enters second day (LINK) 30 December 2025

Chinese oil tankers challenge us blockade off Venezuela: two Chinese-flagged VLCCs are operating near Venezuelan waters (LINK) 30 December 2025

China holds military drills around Taiwan as warning to 'separatist forces' (LINK) 29 December 2025

— China is conducting military drills called "Justice Mission 2025" in response to the US announcing an $11 billion weapons sale to Taiwan. Beijing protested the sale and retaliated by sanctioning American defense companies.

China's exports rebound in November by 5.9% from 11% drop, massively beating expectations after U.S. trade truce: strong sales to non-US markets but 29% drop to U.S. over November 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 41 media reports (LINK) 8 December 2025

Trump signs Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, prompting praise from Taipei, objection from Beijing: (LINK) — ground.news: 18 media reports (LINK) 2 December 2025

— Trump signed the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act into law, requiring the U.S. State Department to review and update its guidelines for U.S. engagements with Taiwan at least once every five years. The measure is designed to deepen the U.S.–Taiwan relationship in the absence of formal diplomatic relations

China's state defence giants see revenue slump as corruption probes stall procurement (LINK) 1 December 2025