Hi, this is Evelyn, writing to you from Beijing. Welcome to the latest edition of The China Connection — a succinct snapshot of what I’m seeing and hearing from local businesses. Today, I talk to a smart glasses exec about why price-conscious Chinese consumers are paying $100 more for AI frames. What’s his strategy for…
US President Donald Trump attends UFC 327: Jiri Prochazka vs Carlos Ulberg at Kaseya Center in Miami, on April 11, 2026. (Photo by Julia Demaree Nikhinson / POOL / AFP via Getty Images) Julia Demaree Nikhinson | Afp | Getty Images U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday threatened to impose a 50% tariff on China,…
Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Kuomintang party chair Cheng Li-wun in Beijing on Friday, the first encounter between Xi and a sitting Taiwanese opposition leader in nearly a decade. In a readout released by Chinese state media, Xi said Beijing “welcomes any proposals conducive to the peaceful development of cross-strait relations.” That’s according to…
College students look for employment opportunities at the Large-scale Recruitment Fair for Science and Engineering Universities on March 24, 2026 in Harbin, China. Tyne Chin | Getty Images News | Getty Images Hi, this is Evelyn, writing to you from Beijing. Welcome to the latest edition of The China Connection — a succinct snapshot of…
China is focusing on large language models in the artificial intelligence space. Blackdovfx | Istock | Getty Images Chinese semiconductor firms have reported record revenue last year driven by AI demand, a shortage of memory chips and U.S. export restrictions that have pushed Beijing to bolster its homegrown tech industry. Analysts and the companies themselves…
Almonty’s tungsten mine in Sangdong, South Korea, in March 2026. Almonty BEIJING — The Iran war is squeezing a global commodities market already pressured by China’s export controls and stockpiling efforts. Prices of three niche elements — tungsten, sulfur and helium — have climbed sharply in recent weeks. While none of the commodities are traded…
A satellite image shows an oil terminal at Kharg Island, Iran, February 25, 2026. 2026 Planet Labs Pbc | Via Reuters Hello, this is Leonie Kidd writing to you from London. Welcome to another edition of CNBC’s Daily Open. Sometimes, two things can be true at the same time. But U.S. President Donald Trump’s declaration…
A drone view shows the Eli Lilly logo on the company’s office in San Diego, California, Nov. 21, 2025. Mike Blake | Reuters BEIJING — U.S. pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly has reached a $2.75 billion deal to bring drugs developed using artificial intelligence by Hong Kong-based Insilico Medicine to the global market. The agreement will give Insilico…
An oil tanker unloads crude oil at a terminal at the port in Qingdao, in China’s eastern Shandong province on March 11, 2026. – | Afp | Getty Images Chinese industrial firms saw their profits surge in the first two months of this year as officials pressed ahead with efforts to contain the fallout from…
Panicked drivers lined up in long queues outside gas stations across China Monday after receiving an alert from Chinese oil giant Sinopec about a pending price hike. The state refiner issued a notice Sunday that the price of gas will be set higher by a “meaningful” amount starting March 24. “As soon as I got…
