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Alipay Tap Revolution: Building the Next Digital Payment Empire

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May 4, 2025

Alipay Tap Revolution: Building the Next Digital Payment Empire

On April 24, 2025, Alipay unveiled key developments at its Alipay Tap Ecosystem Conference, marking a pivotal moment for the product. Since its launch 321 days prior, Alipay Tap has expanded to over 400 cities across China, surpassing 100 million payment users—a growth trajectory that has outpaced even the historic rise of Yu’e Bao. With this milestone, Alipay Tap is increasingly viewed as another breakthrough innovation from Ant Group.

Compared to Alipay’s original QR code payment system—which required users to open the app and manually generate a code—Alipay Tap significantly simplifies the process. Users now only need to unlock their phones and tap to pay. This frictionless interaction has become a defining feature and a powerful first impression for new users.

Yet the strategic ambition behind Alipay Tap extends far beyond digital payment. Alipay announced that it has partnered with ecosystem collaborators to launch over 300 application scenarios. These include shared bike rentals, medical appointments, identity verification, membership benefit redemption, and food ordering—highlighting Tap’s role as a gateway to a broader spectrum of offline digital services.

Technologically, Alipay Tap differentiates itself from traditional QR codes and earlier NFC implementations through superior convenience, compatibility, and scalability. In an era defined by mobile internet penetration, Alipay Tap is positioning itself as the next-generation offline interaction interface. While Apple’s NFC-based approach has seen moderate success in Europe and the U.S., its adoption in China has been limited. Alipay, in contrast, is rapidly accelerating its deployment domestically.

According to Li Jiajia, Vice President at Ant Group and head of the Alipay Tap project, the objective is not to replace QR codes or compete for market share within traditional payment channels. Instead, the initiative seeks to reimagine and rebuild broader service-based entry points—areas that remain underdeveloped and open to innovation. Li herself initially viewed Tap as a narrow payment solution, only later recognizing its potential as a service integration platform.

The first live transaction using Alipay Tap occurred on June 7, 2024, at Shanghai’s Joy City Mall. Devices were deployed across more than 200 retail stores to test signal stability, transaction speed, success rates, and user experience under real-world conditions. Early feedback on social media was skeptical. However, Joy City quickly observed measurable benefits—most notably, the ability to distribute and verify coupons across all stores with a single tap, resulting in significantly improved customer conversion rates. This outcome solidified internal confidence in the platform’s broader potential.

Importantly, payment alone does not account for the explosive user adoption seen over the past year. With QR code payments already well-optimized in China, further growth now hinges on deeper user engagement. For merchants, key performance indicators have shifted to metrics such as private domain growth, user activation, and transaction conversion.

In response, Alipay has integrated membership registration and coupon distribution directly into the Alipay Tap backend. New users can register as members within three seconds and immediately receive benefits such as discounts and loyalty points. Alipay also incentivizes adoption by subsidizing merchants, distributing coupons directly to users through the Tap platform.

Early merchant feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. FamilyMart, which operates nearly 3,000 stores nationwide, fully adopted Alipay Tap and launched a Tap Consumer Festival in late 2024. As a result, its membership registration efficiency doubled year-over-year. Similarly, Juewei Food deployed the system across 10,000 stores and saw a 4.7-fold increase in sales attributed to member-based payments within two weeks of launch.

Alipay’s expansion strategy has focused first on large retail chains to create a demonstration effect, before scaling to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), where cost remains a significant barrier. To accelerate adoption, Alipay has provided most Tap devices free of charge. At the recent conference, Ant Group CEO Han Xinyi announced an additional ¥10 billion investment to support merchant onboarding and infrastructure development.

From a technical standpoint, Alipay Tap offers merchants a fully integrated terminal solution, bundling hardware with cashier SaaS systems, service invocation capabilities, and marketing tools. This backend infrastructure is compatible across smartphone brands, payment platforms, and mini-programs. For end users, the interaction remains simple: a single phone tap unlocks a wide array of services.

In the long term, Alipay Tap aims to serve as a ubiquitous digital key for everyday activities—from unlocking vending machines and renting power banks to accessing public services and enabling gated community deliveries.

The product’s rapid uptake reflects the broader momentum behind China’s HarmonyOS ecosystem. Lens Technology, a major ODM supplier, initially forecasted production of 50,000 Tap units. However, surging demand quickly outpaced projections, with orders multiplying several times over—underscoring strong market traction.

A complete industrial supply chain is now emerging. Fudan Microelectronics, China’s leading NFC chip manufacturer, supplies Boost Tag chips and has introduced a dedicated chip line for Alipay Tap, offering faster, more efficient communication with a claimed 99.99% success rate. Terminal devices are provided by Orbbec and Landi, while national deployment is supported by Lakala and Newland across sectors such as retail, food service, and transportation. Xinguodu acts as a key acquiring partner for promoting Tap adoption.

With approximately 70% of new smartphones in China already equipped with NFC chips, Alipay Tap is well-positioned to expand into sectors including transportation, logistics, healthcare, IoT, and smart city infrastructure.

Notably, despite its technical capability, WeChat Pay has yet to engage meaningfully in the NFC space. This has allowed Alipay to emerge as the de facto standard-bearer, enjoying a first-mover advantage in shaping this new mode of offline digital interaction.

Source: Sina, Alipay, Sohu, Asia Tech Daily

Tesla’s Q1 Sales Slump Tied to Musk’s Political Fallout with Trump

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May 3, 2025

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Tesla’s Q1 Sales Slump Tied to Musk’s Political Fallout with Trump

On April 24, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) released data showing that Tesla’s new car sales in Europe fell 45% year-over-year in the first quarter.

On April 22, Tesla reported its fiscal year 2025 first quarter results. Although Wall Street investment banks had previously generally lowered their expectations for the quarterly earnings report, the final release of performance data was still lower than the market’s consensus expectations.

The earnings report showed that Tesla’s first-quarter revenue of $19.34 billion, down 9% year-on-year, well below the Wall Street investment bank consensus estimates. Tesla’s net profit for the first quarter was $409 million, plunging 71% year-on-year.

In the automotive business, Tesla’s first-quarter revenue was about $14 billion, down 20% year-over-year. In terms of delivery data, Tesla’s total vehicle deliveries were 336,700, down 13% year-on-year, with Model 3 and Model Y deliveries down 12% year-on-year, and deliveries of other models down 24%.

Notably, Tesla’s gross margin was 16.3% in the first quarter, down from 17.4% in the same period last year. Considering Tesla’s reliance on adjusting supplier costs and upgrading automation levels at its Superfactory in the second half of last year, which once successfully pulled the company’s gross margins into a broadening trend, this renewed gross margin turnaround clearly reverses the strong expectations investors had for some time in the past.

Due to the poor performance in the first quarter, Tesla announced in this earnings report to withdraw the full-year growth guidance issued at the end of 2024.

According to previous estimates, Tesla’s various series of models will collectively deliver 2.15 million to 2.33 million units in 2025, with year-on-year growth in the range of 20% to 30%. This means that Tesla’s actual completion in the first quarter was still below one-sixth of the lower end of the target.

Tesla’s widespread underperformance is largely attributed to Musk’s deep involvement in pro-Trump politics, which has seriously damaged the company’s brand image and contributed to the sharp drop in sales.

Musk’s attitude has begun to change dramatically in the wake of the disappointing quarterly results.

On April 22, Musk said on Tesla’s earnings call that starting in May, he will significantly reduce the time spent managing the Department of Government Efficiencyand will devote more time to Tesla.

Musk also revealed that Tesla’s new car, an economy Tesla, could be revealed in the first half of this year, though of course there is uncertainty about the timing. The highly anticipated budget model has long been seen by Wall Street analysts as one of the key metrics for assessing Tesla’s future growth potential. Last year, the industry predicted that the model would be called “Model 2” and “Model Q” and positioned below the Model 3.

However, in April, Gene Berdichevsky, an early Tesla employee, noted that Musk had said that Tesla is not interested in the launch of economic models, emphasizing that Tesla should be transformed into an artificial intelligence company, focusing on Robotaxi and humanoid robots.

Previously, the industry viewed Tesla’s remodeling of the Model Y production line as a sign that the company was abandoning plans for low-cost models in favor of pushing volume through an updated Model Y.

The Tesla earnings call brought a degree of support to Tesla’s stock price, which rose more than 6.6% at one point during U.S. stock market trading on April 22. However, investors are cautious about Tesla’s future direction.

Dan Ives, an analyst at U.S.-based investment bank Wedbush, noted that Musk’s focus has returned to self-driving cabs and economy models, to his credit. Dan Ives nonetheless lowered his price target for Tesla in the face of short-term headwinds.

Deutsche Bank, on the other hand, gave an estimate of a 5% year-over-year decline in Tesla’s 2025 deliveries. Considering Tesla’s delivery results in the first quarter, a 5% decline is already a “very optimistic expectation” given Tesla’s expected launch of an economy model.

Musk’s reckless alliance with Trump—coming on the heels of his reputation as a chaotic dreamer willing to pursue ambitions at any cost—has sent shockwaves through the global economy. At a time when the world is still reeling from the impacts of COVID and the Russia-Ukraine war, Musk’s politicized actions are no longer just a personal eccentricity, but a destabilizing force with real economic consequences.

Source: the Nation, USA Today, BBC, Guancha

Revolutionizing Space Life: China’s Breakthrough in Space Food and Technology

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May 2, 2025

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Revolutionizing Space Life: China’s Breakthrough in Space Food and Technology

On April 24, the Shenzhou XX manned spacecraft successfully ignited its carrier rocket and launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, marking a new milestone in China’s space exploration. The mission involves rotating with the Shenzhou XIX crew while staying at the Chinese space station for about six months. During this time, the astronauts will ensure the smooth operation of the station’s systems and carry out a variety of critical tasks.

Living and working in space is a challenge, particularly when it comes to daily activities. In the weightless environment, drinking water becomes a physical feat, eating is a battle against floating food, and even sleep requires astronauts to strap themselves into place to avoid drifting off. The most private moments, like using the restroom, are even more complicated due to the absence of gravity, relying on special suction mechanisms to prevent excrement from floating around.

Despite these difficulties, significant strides have been made in improving life for astronauts in space, thanks to decades of effort and innovation in China’s aerospace sector. In the early days of space travel, astronauts faced considerable challenges, especially in food preparation and consumption. Freeze-dried vegetables, designed to provide astronauts with essential vitamins, have become a critical part of the diet. What started as a solution to prevent scurvy in space has now extended beyond space to everyday life, with freeze-dried meals becoming a popular way to get vitamins on Earth as well.

Packaging technology, such as straw packets, initially invented to allow astronauts to drink without worrying about liquids floating away in microgravity, has since become common in snacks like jelly, field meals, and even sports foods. This simple yet groundbreaking idea revolutionized how astronauts eat and has made its way into everyday food packaging, making it easier for people to consume meals without the mess.

Even instant noodles, a staple comfort food, have a space version. The Japanese, known for their love of ramen, developed a special instant noodle for space travel. These noodles are designed not to float in zero gravity, with special flour and starch formulas that allow them to be easily soaked with 70-degree hot water. What was once a space necessity is now something we can enjoy here on Earth during a quick lunch break or as a snack.

These developments demonstrate the endless creativity and determination of scientists in overcoming the unique challenges of space life, especially in something as seemingly simple as food. Yet, the history of space food is riddled with stories of astronauts enduring less-than-ideal meals. When Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into space, his food options were extremely limited, consisting of a tube of paste. On the Apollo 11 mission, astronauts like Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin had to chew through hard, compressed food that was nutritious but not exactly pleasant to eat. Even China’s first astronaut, Yang Liwei, could only eat specially prepared mooncakes while in space.

American astronaut John Young took an unconventional approach by storing a sandwich in his pocket during a mission, resulting in a floating mess of crumbs in the cabin, adding a whole new layer of difficulty to space dining. The general lack of variety and flavor, coupled with the inability to heat meals, made eating in space a far cry from the comfort of Earth’s cuisine.

Heating food in space was another major obstacle. On the International Space Station, preparing hot meals was a time-consuming process. Astronauts often spent hours cooking a single meal, and the absence of air convection in the weightless environment rendered conventional heating methods ineffective. For example, microwave ovens, which work by generating heat through the friction of water molecules, are not effective in space since the water in food does not distribute evenly in zero gravity. This made it difficult to get evenly heated meals, and even something as simple as warm water became a luxury.

Fortunately, these challenges are now part of the past. Thanks to recent breakthroughs, from Shenzhou V to Shenzhou XII, the evolution of Chinese astronauts’ space cuisine has been remarkable. Over time, their meals have transformed from basic, ready-to-eat food to a highly customized and diverse menu tailored to individual preferences—marking a significant shift in China’s “space recipes.”

This leap forward is largely thanks to China’s investment in smart manufacturing and technological innovation. In 2013, the Chinese government initiated a manned space kitchen development program, with Jiuyang, a national brand, taking on the responsibility of creating a fully functional space kitchen for the Chinese space station. After years of research and development, Chinese food engineers successfully designed a space kitchen that was deployed aboard the Chinese space station. This system allows astronauts to prepare hot meals efficiently in space.

Shenzhou V marked the beginning, where astronauts mainly consumed ready-to-eat, water-containing foods that required no heating. These included items like “one-bite crisps,” with around 20 to 30 varieties available.

With Shenzhou VI, the menu expanded significantly, showcasing distinct Chinese culinary characteristics. About 40 to 50 different food items were introduced, including soft and hard canned foods, rehydrated dishes, freeze-dried fruits, and a variety of condiments. Each meal typically featured three to four dishes, accompanied by snacks, appetizers, and even high-end ingredients like abalone and prawns.

Shenzhou VII was a milestone: for the first time, traditional Chinese medicine was included in astronauts’ supplies. The food selection grew to nearly 80 items, encompassing staple foods, side dishes, soups, drinks, seasonings, and ready-to-eat products. Notably, soft canned dishes resembling Chinese stir-fried vegetables were introduced, along with multiple seasoning packets to offer greater flavor variety.

By the Shenzhou IX mission, meals emphasized distinctive Chinese flavors. Dishes included shredded pork with fish flavor, corn with pine nuts, moo shu pork, black pepper beef tenderloin, mixed fried rice, Sichuan spicy sauce, and lemon tea. This marked a significant leap from earlier, more basic space foods like compressed snacks. A four-day rotating menu was implemented to prevent dietary monotony.

Shenzhou X focused on personalized customization, offering nearly 90 food choices. Items ranged from bean paste dumplings and roasted chicken legs to crystal lotus seeds, fruits, and assorted fried rice. The meals became more nutritionally balanced and diverse, with minimal repetition throughout the week. Astronauts’ personal taste preferences were given greater priority.

With Shenzhou XI, the food selection expanded further to over 100 items, grouped into six categories: staple foods, side dishes, ready-to-eat meals, beverages, condiments, and functional foods. Familiar dishes like soy-braised beef and shredded pork with fish flavor were included. Menus were rotated every five days to ensure variety, and a range of desserts enhanced the culinary experience.

Finally, Shenzhou XII marked a new high point, offering over 120 food options. Highlights included quinoa and cinnamon porridge, coconut bread, sauced radish, assorted fried rice, and spicy tuna. These meals were not only nutritionally designed and diverse, but also customized to suit each astronaut’s tastes, with almost no repetition within a week.

These advancements not only highlight China’s achievements in space technology but also showcase how innovations made for space exploration can have a profound impact on life back on Earth. What was once a dream is now a reality, thanks to the tireless efforts of scientists and engineers pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

Source: Sohu, Xinhua, CNN, JAXA, NPR, China Daily

U.S. Launches 301 Investigation into Shipping; China Responds with Standards System

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May 1, 2025

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U.S. Launches 301 Investigation into Shipping; China Responds with Standards System

On April 17, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced the results of a Section 301 Action on China’s targeting of the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors for dominance. The announcement laid out charges to be imposed on Chinese shipping companies and China-built ships, structured in two phases.

Phase One, effective after 180 days, will charge Chinese-owned vessels and non-Chinese companies using China-built ships based on net tonnage, billed up to five times a year at U.S. ports. Charges will also apply to all foreign-built car carriers.

Phase Two, effective in three years, will impose charges on non-U.S. LNG carriers, further reinforcing U.S. shipbuilding protection. Compared to earlier drafts, the final version narrows the scope, introduces a grace period, and strengthens the focus on Chinese-built vessels while removing indirect penalties.

The shipping industry strongly opposed the move. Atlantic Container Lines (ACL), for example, warned it might exit the U.S. market since its fleet was built in China. While ACL’s case is notable, China’s overall share in the global existing fleet is still moderate—23%—although rapidly rising, especially in container ships and dry bulk carriers. Chinese shipyards currently dominate global new orders, with a 66% market share, including 71.7% of green-powered ship orders.

Container ships will be the most affected, given their reliance on fixed schedules and multiple U.S. port calls. Costs on U.S. West Coast routes could rise $450–$550 per TEU, and $200–$300 on the East Coast, potentially doubling or tripling under repeated charges. Although shipping companies are expected to pass on these costs to customers—as seen during the pandemic—current excess capacity suggests they could partially adjust routes rather than withdraw entirely.

Historical parallels can be drawn with Russia’s post-2022 shipping market, where external shocks triggered market exits and reorganization. Despite European and American carriers withdrawing, life in Russian cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg largely continued unaffected, similar to China’s situation during its 1979-1989 border conflict with Vietnam.

However, key differences exist between the U.S. and Russian shipping markets. The U.S. handles nearly 50 million TEU annually, about ten times Russia’s volume. U.S. ports can sustain direct calls by large vessels, while Russian ports require transshipment through hubs. After 2022, Russia’s market shifted toward small regional operators using older ships, leading to higher freight costs due to inefficiencies and sanctions compliance measures.

Applying the Russian experience to the U.S., the Section 301 charges will likely not cause mass withdrawals of global shipping giants, but will squeeze out smaller companies unable to absorb the new costs. Larger carriers might still pass on surcharges ($800 per two TEUs), but smaller ones could need to charge $2,000–$2,500, making competition unviable.

Strategically, U.S.-bound routes may split into segments to avoid direct penalties. New transshipment hubs could emerge in Montreal, Toronto, Panama’s Colón Free Trade Zone, or even COSCO’s Qiankai port. Ironically, U.S. ports like Los Angeles and New York could see their roles downgraded from mainline hubs to feeders, increasing costs and complexity in U.S. supply chains—an unintended consequence similar to how sanctions against Russia elevated St. Petersburg’s port status.

In this new structure, large global shipping firms will likely dominate cargo flow, while smaller carriers will absorb legal risk and logistical burdens.

Market patterns shaped by free competition typically require major external shocks to shift. For instance, after European and American sanctions forced major shipping companies out of Russia, Russian and Chinese firms quickly filled the gap, strengthening China’s broader presence. This trend is even more pronounced downstream in integrated logistics: at the 28th TransRussia: Logistics & Transport Exhibition Trade Show, among 583 exhibitors, 398 were Russian and over 100 of the 185 foreign exhibitors were Chinese, reflecting China’s growing dominance.

In the U.S. market, traditionally controlled by European and American companies, the 301 Act could trigger structural shifts, offering strategic opportunities for China. Companies should leverage market restructuring to expand their share, while the country must systematically address deep-rooted industry challenges.

The 301 Act also highlights fundamental flaws in the international shipping governance system, including the roles of global organizations and treaties. Earlier sanctions on Russia had already removed 12% of the world’s tanker fleet from regulatory oversight, underscoring the weakness of current frameworks.

In shipbuilding, the U.S. accounts for 22.5% of global maritime transport. Restrictions on Chinese-built ships would likely depress their prices and favor non-Chinese alternatives. However, as international shipbuilding is largely monopolized by China, Japan, and South Korea—and given that non-Asian fleets are mostly aging inventory—the true competition remains among these three. Japan’s and South Korea’s shipbuilding sectors depend heavily on European and American technology, components, and financing, suggesting that weakening them could realign competitive advantages in China’s favor.

China must respond across all fronts—shipping, shipbuilding, finance, law, and insurance. The strategic focus should not be on tit-for-tat retaliation, but on reforming international rules to correct discriminatory practices, fostering fair competition, and optimizing the current failing system to maintain healthy industry development. While the U.S. relies on its market leverage, it overlooks that more ships call at Chinese ports and that China holds a larger share, with clear technological and environmental advantages.

Against this backdrop, China should establish a comprehensive standards system covering environmental protection, technology, finance, law, and insurance. Standards could include RMB settlement for shipbuilding contracts, financing through Chinese banks, auditing by Chinese accounting firms, compliance with China Classification Society (CCS) environmental standards, procurement of spare parts from Chinese suppliers, CCS inspection and certification, insurance by Chinese insurers, consulting from Chinese data companies, and arbitration or litigation within Chinese maritime institutions.

These requirements should apply uniformly to all ships entering Chinese ports, including those operated by Chinese firms like COSCO. Compliance could be encouraged through pricing mechanisms: for example, imposing a 1.5% handling fee on contracts not settled in RMB or charging daily environmental treatment fees for ships that fail to meet China’s standards. This approach, based on sovereign rule-making, would mirror the European Union’s practice of levying carbon taxes on vessels entering its waters.

Source: Guancha, Global Times, Diaz Trade Law, American Entreprise Institute

Chinas Exportbeschränkungen für Seltene Erden sind eine Vergeltungsmaßnahme für den Zolldruck der USA

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April 30, 2025

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Chinas Exportbeschränkungen für Seltene Erden sind eine Vergeltungsmaßnahme für den Zolldruck der USA

Als Reaktion auf den Druck der US-Zölle kündigte China am 4. April 2025 die Einführung von Exportkontrollmaßnahmen für sieben Arten von mittelschweren und schweren Seltenerdmetallen an, darunter Samarium, Gadolinium, Terbium, Dysprosium, Lutetium, Scandium und Yttrium. Die Maßnahmen, die mit sofortiger Wirkung in Kraft traten, markieren die dritte Runde chinesischer Exportbeschränkungen.

In der ersten Runde ging es um Gallium, Germanium und Antimon, in der zweiten um Wolfram, Indium, Molybdän, Wismut und Tellur – Materialien, die für die Herstellung von Halbleitern unerlässlich sind. Die dritte Runde konzentriert sich auf Scandium und Dysprosium, die beide für die Telekommunikations- und Speicherindustrie von entscheidender Bedeutung sind.

Nach Angaben des US-Energieministeriums kontrolliert China etwa 89 % der weltweiten Kapazitäten zur Abscheidung von Seltenerdmetallen, 90 % der Raffineriekapazitäten und 92 % der weltweiten Produktionskapazitäten für Magnete. Diese fest verankerte industrielle Dominanz stärkt die zentrale Rolle Chinas in der globalen Versorgungskette für Seltene Erden.

Scandium spielt eine wichtige Rolle in Hochfrequenz (HF)-Anwendungen, insbesondere durch seinen Einsatz in Form von Scandium-Aluminiumnitrid (ScAlN). Dieses Material ist für Hochleistungsfilter wie Bulk-Acoustic-Wave-Filter (BAW) und Surface-Acoustic-Wave-Filter (SAW) unverzichtbar. Wenn Scandium in Konzentrationen von 10 % bis 40 % in Aluminiumnitrid (AlN) dotiert wird, zeigt ScAlN ein verbessertes piezoelektrisches Verhalten und verbesserte elektromechanische Kopplungskoeffizienten. Diese Eigenschaften sind entscheidend für die Verbesserung der Signalstärke, Bandbreite und Energieeffizienz in Hochfrequenz-Telekommunikationsanwendungen. Diese Filter sind Schlüsselkomponenten in Frontend-Modulen von 5G-Smartphones, Basisstationen sowie Wi-Fi 6- und Wi-Fi 7-Modulen. Scandium wird jedoch nur in geringen Mengen – wenige Gramm – pro 200-mm- oder 300-mm-Wafer mit einem ScAlN-Chip benötigt.

Dysprosium hingegen hat ein breiteres Anwendungsspektrum, darunter Speichergeräte, Elektrofahrzeuge und strahlungsresistente Technologien. In Festplattenlaufwerken (HDDs) wird Dysprosium einem Neodym-Magneten (NdFeB) zugesetzt, der die Voice-Coil-Motoren (VCMs) der Lese-/Schreibköpfe antreibt. Dieser Zusatz erhöht die Koerzitivfeldstärke der Magnete, so dass sie auch bei hohen Temperaturen nicht entmagnetisiert werden. Dysprosium spielt auch eine wichtige Rolle in Elektromotoren für Elektrofahrzeuge, in denen NdFeB-Magnete weit verbreitet sind.

Dysprosium wird auch in magnetischen Direktzugriffsspeichern (MRAM) verwendet, wo es als freie oder feste Schicht in Strukturen mit Riesenmagnetowiderstand (GMR) oder Tunnelmagnetowiderstand (TMR) dient und die Stabilität der magnetischen Richtung gewährleistet. Darüber hinaus wird Dysprosium zur Abschirmung in Strahlenschutzkomponenten verwendet, wie sie in Kernreaktoren, Raumfahrzeugen und Satelliten zum Einsatz kommen.

Laut Reuters hat der Mangel an wichtigen Seltenerdmetallen, darunter Dysprosium und Gadolinium, zu kritisch niedrigen Lagerbeständen in den Produktionslinien des US-Kampfflugzeugs F-35 geführt.

Das mit einem aktiven Phased-Array-Radar ausgestattete US-Kampfflugzeug F-35 ist in hohem Maße auf terbiumhaltige Neodym-Eisen-Bor-Permanentmagnete angewiesen, um die elektromagnetische Störfestigkeit und die Hochtemperaturbeständigkeit deutlich zu verbessern. Schätzungen zufolge verbraucht jede F-35 mindestens 417 kg Seltenerdmetalle, was den strategischen Wert dieser Ressourcen unterstreicht.

Neben Scandium und Dysprosium sind auch andere Materialien, die Exportkontrollen unterliegen, wie Gadolinium, Terbium, Yttrium, Lutetium und Samarium, für die Technologieindustrie von entscheidender Bedeutung. Während China etwa 70 % der weltweiten Seltenen Erden liefert, gibt es bedeutende Vorkommen in Ländern wie Grönland, Dänemark, der Mongolei, Vietnam und Brasilien. Der entscheidende Vorteil Chinas liegt jedoch in seiner voll entwickelten Industriekette für den effizienten Abbau, die Gewinnung und die Veredelung von Seltenerdmetallen.

Trotz der Vorwürfe aus den USA und anderen Ländern, China subventioniere die Seltenerdmetallindustrie, um die Produktionskosten zu senken und das weltweite Angebot zu kontrollieren, änderte sich die Situation, als China Exportkontrollen für Seltenerdmetalle einführte. Dieser Schritt öffnete die Tür für Seltenerdenentwickler in anderen Ländern, um von der Situation zu profitieren und den lokalen Bergbau rentabler zu machen.

Die Mountain Pass Mine in Kalifornien, die einzige Mine in den USA, die Seltene Erden abbaut, arbeitet beispielsweise aktiv an der Wiederbelebung der inländischen Lieferkette für Seltene Erden. Diese Bemühungen werden von der US-Regierung unterstützt, u.a. durch Zuschüsse des Verteidigungsministeriums zur Ausweitung der Produktion in der Mine.

Als Reaktion auf die chinesischen Exportbeschränkungen könnten daher einige ausländische Unternehmen versuchen, auf alternative Lieferanten auszuweichen. Eine solche Substitution ist jedoch aufgrund des erheblichen technologischen Rückstands ausländischer Seltenerdproduzenten gegenüber China, insbesondere bei den Raffinationskapazitäten, kurzfristig nicht realisierbar.

So wird geschätzt, dass die Raffinationstechnologie in Australien mindestens zwei Generationen hinter der in China zurückliegt. In Kanada liegen die Kosten für den Bau einer neuen Anlage zur Trennung von Seltenen Erden um etwa 30 % höher als für vergleichbare Anlagen in China und sind damit deutlich unwirtschaftlicher. Der ehrgeizige Plan der Europäischen Union, innerhalb von 18 Monaten eine Notfallreserve an Seltenen Erden aufzubauen, hat letztlich nur zu einer begrenzten Reserve geführt, die gerade einmal 15 % des prognostizierten militärischen Bedarfs deckt.

Die Dominanz Chinas in diesem Sektor beruht auf seinem fundierten Know-how. Chinesische Ingenieure beherrschen mehr als 800 Präzisionsprozesse, die notwendig sind, um Seltene Erden vom Rohzustand in Materialien für die Elektronikindustrie umzuwandeln. Dieser beispiellose technologische Vorsprung ermöglicht es China, 17 Seltenerdmetalle kontinuierlich auf einen Reinheitsgrad von 99,9 % zu raffinieren.

Quelle: Xinhua, CGTN, Guancha, Tencent

Chinas Roboter zur Schiffsrumpfreinigung feiert Weltpremiere auf der SEA ASIA in Singapur

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April 29, 2025

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Chinas Roboter zur Schiffsrumpfreinigung feiert Weltpremiere auf der SEA ASIA in Singapur

Am 25. März wurde in Singapur die prestigeträchtige zweijährliche Asia International Maritime Exhibition (SEA ASIA) eröffnet, die Führungskräfte und Innovatoren der Schifffahrtsbranche aus der ganzen Welt zusammenbringt. Einer der Höhepunkte war die internationale Premiere eines bahnbrechenden Unterwasserroboters zur Schiffsrumpfreinigung aus China, der von Shanghai Botzan Robotics entwickelt wurde. Diese Innovation erregte große Aufmerksamkeit in der weltweiten Schifffahrtsindustrie und läutete eine neue Ära der intelligenten maritimen Wartungstechnik ein.

Der Roboter namens “Metis” stellt einen bedeutenden Durchbruch in der High-End-Schiffsausrüstungstechnologie dar. Metis wurde für den autonomen Unterwasserbetrieb entwickelt und integriert hochpräzise Sensoren, KI-gestützte Algorithmen, Strahlreinigungssysteme mit Kavitation, Bildgebung auch bei trübem Wasser und ein autonomes Navigationssystem. Es kann Schiffsrümpfe auch unter komplexen Unterwasserbedingungen präzise scannen, lokalisieren und reinigen, ohne die Schutzbeschichtungen zu beschädigen.

Die neueste Version von Metis verfügt über das von Botzan entwickelte Smart Chain System, das sowohl die Betriebseffizienz als auch die Anpassungsfähigkeit erhöht. Der Roboter wurde bereits erfolgreich in großen chinesischen Häfen wie Yantai, Ningbo, Changshu und Qingdao getestet und hat in der Schifffahrtsindustrie breite Anerkennung gefunden.

Die Unterwasserreinigung von Schiffsrümpfen ist für die Erhaltung der Leistungsfähigkeit und die Verlängerung der Lebensdauer von Schiffen unerlässlich. Im Laufe der Zeit setzen sich Meeresorganismen auf dem Stahlrumpf fest, beschleunigen die Korrosion und erhöhen den Widerstand, was zu einem höheren Treibstoffverbrauch und mehr Emissionen führt. Bisher mussten für diesen Reinigungsprozess Taucher eingesetzt werden – ein arbeitsintensiver, risikoreicher Ansatz, der nur in begrenzter Tiefe und mit eingeschränkter Effizienz durchgeführt werden kann.

Metis bietet eine sichere, intelligente Alternative, die eine effiziente Reinigung großer Unterwasserstrukturen wie Schiffsrümpfe und Pipelines ohne Trockendock ermöglicht. Diese Innovation reduziert Ausfallzeiten und Wartungskosten erheblich und unterstützt gleichzeitig die weltweiten Bemühungen um eine umweltfreundlichere und nachhaltigere Schifffahrt.

Obwohl China erst später als Europa, die USA und Japan, die bereits Mitte des 20. Jahrhunderts Pionierarbeit auf diesem Gebiet leisteten, mit der Forschung an Unterwasser-Reinigungsrobotern begann, hat das Land rasche Fortschritte gemacht. Im Jahr 2021 erreichten die chinesische Produktion und die Nachfrage nach Unterwasserreinigungsrobotern 59 bzw. 67 Einheiten, was einem Wachstum von mehr als 25 Prozent gegenüber dem Vorjahr entspricht. Für 2023 wurde bereits eine Produktion von 80 Einheiten und eine Nachfrage von 95 Einheiten erwartet.

Im Gegensatz dazu erreichte der Weltmarkt für Unterwasserreinigungsroboter im Jahr 2021 einen Wert von 41,56 Millionen US-Dollar, wobei Europa 27,07 %, die USA 17,13 % und Japan 8,54 % ausmachten. Nachdem der Markt im Jahr 2023 weltweit 60 Millionen US-Dollar überschritten hat, wird erwartet, dass er weiter wachsen wird, da Nachhaltigkeit und Betriebseffizienz zu den obersten Prioritäten der Branche zählen.

Shanghai Botzan Robotics wurde 2017 gegründet und konzentriert sich auf intelligente Wartungslösungen für Schiffe und Offshore-Plattformen. Das Technologieportfolio umfasst KI-Erkennung, Kavitationsstrahlreinigung, Trübwasserbildgebung und IoT-basierte Sensorsysteme.

Angetrieben von Chinas Stärke und Strategie im maritimen Bereich expandiert Botzan in breitere Anwendungsbereiche – von Offshore-Plattformen und Meeresfarmen bis hin zu Unterwasserinfrastrukturen – und eröffnet damit neue Einsatzszenarien für intelligente Geräte. Das Unternehmen richtet sein Wachstum auch an nationalen Strategien wie der Belt and Road Initiative aus, um die Stärke chinesischer Innovationen auf der globalen Bühne der Meerestechnik zu demonstrieren.

Angesichts der steigenden Nachfrage nach umweltfreundlichen Lösungen ist Botzan Robotics nicht nur technologisch innovativ, sondern gestaltet auch die Zukunft einer grünen und intelligenten Schifffahrt. Durch die Automatisierung der Unterwasserwartung und die Weiterentwicklung der Robotik für anspruchsvolle Meeresumgebungen trägt Botzan dazu bei, dass China eine führende Position in der globalen maritimen Technologiebranche einnimmt.

Quelle: CGTN, People’s Daily, Sina

The Trans-Asian Railway: A Strategic Revival Amid Global Uncertainty

East Asia

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April 28, 2025

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The Trans-Asian Railway: A Strategic Revival Amid Global Uncertainty

After a 12-year hiatus, the Central Conference on Work Related to Neighboring Countries was recently held in China. For the first time, the concept of an Asian security model was introduced—signaling a recalibration in regional strategy. Shortly thereafter, China issued joint statements with Vietnam and Malaysia, reaffirming commitments to infrastructure connectivity, particularly in rail transport, and reviving the long-dormant vision of the Trans-Asian Railway.

First proposed by former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in 1995 and endorsed by 18 Asian countries in 2010, the Trans-Asian Railway was later integrated into China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Broadly defined, the network consists of four major corridors—northern, southern, Southeast Asian, and north-south—with three directly linked to China. Often dubbed the land-based Strait of Malacca, this initiative offers an overland alternative to maritime trade routes and holds the potential to reshape regional trade and geopolitical dynamics. Yet, political sensitivities have long hindered its implementation.

That may be changing. Originally proposed three decades ago, the Trans-Asian Railway now appears closer than ever to becoming reality.

Momentum is rapidly building. In their latest joint declaration, China and Malaysia emphasized cooperation in railway infrastructure to accelerate the project. Notably, this marks the first time in years that both countries have referenced the initiative in a formal diplomatic document—signaling a new phase of rapid development.

Just days earlier, a joint statement between China and Vietnam called for expedited feasibility studies on the Lao Cai–Hanoi–Hai Phong Railway. Vietnam’s National Assembly has already approved the project, and a bilateral cooperation mechanism has been launched—demonstrating both political will and operational alignment.

Simultaneously, progress is visible along the China–Thailand corridor. During a recent visit to China, Thailand’s Prime Minister confirmed that the second phase of the China–Thailand Railway—extending to Bangkok—has received Cabinet approval. The first phase is under construction and expected to be completed by 2028; the second is slated to begin by the end of 2025, with a projected completion date of 2030.

Meanwhile, the China–Laos Railway and Indonesia’s Jakarta–Bandung High-Speed Railway have already been completed, offering proof of concept. In Malaysia, construction continues on the east coast line, connecting the country’s eastern and western regions, also being built by Chinese firms.

Taken together, these developments signal an accelerating effort to weave together a China-centered Pan-Asian railway network spanning Southeast Asia.

Among the four major routes, the Central Line—via Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore—is the most advanced. If the second phase of the China–Thailand Railway proceeds as planned in 2025, the Kunming–Bangkok connection could be operational by 2030.

The Eastern Route, focused on China–Vietnam cooperation, is divided into three sub-routes: Kunming to Hanoi via Lao Cai, Nanning to Hanoi via Pingxiang, and Nanning to Haiphong via Dongxing.

The Kunming–Lao Cai–Hanoi segment is expected to break ground later this year and may be completed by 2030—possibly ahead of schedule. The remaining two routes are likely to follow soon.

The Western Route, via Myanmar, faces fewer geopolitical barriers but greater internal instability. China has nearly completed the domestic segment from Kunming to Ruili, while the international section from Mandalay to the port of Kyaukphyu is under development. However, ongoing conflict in Myanmar introduces significant uncertainty.

If current timelines hold, the central and eastern corridors could be fully operational by 2030, leaving the western route as the most unpredictable.

This sudden acceleration is driven less by technological readiness than by shifting geopolitical currents. While successful projects like the China–Laos and Jakarta–Bandung railways provide momentum, it is intensifying global instability that truly catalyzes change.

Trade wars—most notably the one initiated under the Trump administration—have reintroduced tariffs not only on China but also on traditionally open economies like Vietnam, Singapore, and Japan. At the same time, pandemics and armed conflicts in Eastern Europe and Central Asia have repeatedly disrupted global supply chains.

In this increasingly uncertain environment, countries are rethinking their strategic alignments. The risks of over-dependence on a single market or hegemon have become clear. As a result, nations are seeking to diversify partnerships and build alternative trade routes.

The creation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the convening of the China–Central Asia Summit, and the renewed push for a China–Japan–South Korea free trade agreement are all symptoms of this strategic recalibration.

The Trans-Asian Railway embodies this new thinking. It is no longer merely a transportation project—it has evolved into a platform for economic integration, supply chain resilience, and geopolitical diversification.

For Southeast Asian nations, it offers the opportunity to deepen trade ties with China while gaining direct overland access to European markets via China’s existing rail links to the EU. For countries like Vietnam and Thailand, this represents a rare dual opportunity: closer engagement with China, and broader connectivity with Eurasia.

In a fragmented and unpredictable global landscape, the Trans-Asian Railway is more than steel and tracks—it is a strategic hedge, a development engine, and a symbol of a region striving to find new balance.

Source: Xinhua, People’s Daily, gxzf gov

Wie chinesische Wissenschaftler die Erdbebenhilfe in Myanmar per Fernzugriff unterstützen

Interview

Tendenzblick

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April 27, 2025

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Wie chinesische Wissenschaftler die Erdbebenhilfe in Myanmar per Fernzugriff unterstützen Am 28. März erschütterte ein schweres Erdbeben der Stärke 7,9 auf der Richterskala Zentralmyanmar und hinterließ eine Spur der Verwüstung. Obwohl sich das Ereignis weit entfernt von Chinas Grenzen ereignete, können die Chinesen aufgrund der kollektiven Erinnerung an die Erdbebenkatastrophen im eigenen Land tief mit den Betroffenen mitfühlen. Digitale Plattformen ermöglichten es, sich auf dem Laufenden zu halten, Solidarität zu zeigen und virtuelle Unterstützung zu leisten.

Bis zum 29. März mobilisierten mehrere chinesische Rettungsorganisationen – darunter das China Rescue Team, die Yunnan Medical Rescue Unit, das Shenzhen Public Welfare Team und das Blue Sky Rescue Team – umgehend Personal und Ressourcen, um die Hilfsmaßnahmen vor Ort zu unterstützen. Die humanitäre Hilfe beschränkte sich jedoch nicht auf die physische Präsenz.

Viele Menschen, die nicht in das Katastrophengebiet reisen können, haben Wege gefunden, aus der Ferne zu helfen. Eine von ihnen heißt Maxine. Trotz ihres vollen Terminkalenders hat sie sich die Zeit genommen, mit uns über ihr Engagement und ihre persönlichen Beweggründe für die Unterstützung der Rettungsarbeiten in Myanmar zu sprechen.

Welche Aufgabe haben Sie?

Ich bin wissenschaftliche Leiterin eines internationalen Projekts zur Katastrophenvorsorge und engagiere mich ehrenamtlich für eine soziale Organisation in China, die sich für Katastrophenvorsorge und -schutz einsetzt. Während des Erdbebens in Myanmar habe ich administrative und koordinierende Aufgaben übernommen und lokale Wissenschaftler und humanitäre Helfer unterstützt, indem ich Daten wie Satellitenbilder, Schadensbewertungen und Handlungsempfehlungen gesammelt, analysiert und verbreitet habe. Außerdem habe ich die Zusammenarbeit zwischen internationalen Helfern erleichtert und chinesische Katastrophenschutzteams bei humanitären Einsätzen im Ausland unterstützt.

Sie haben erwähnt, dass Sie lokale Wissenschaftler mit Satellitendaten unterstützt haben – warum werden Satellitendaten aus China benötigt?

Chinas Satellitentechnologie gehört zu den fortschrittlichsten der Welt und ist bei Katastropheneinsätzen wie dem Erdbeben in Myanmar von großem Vorteil. Unsere Gaofen-Satelliten liefern beispielsweise Bilder mit einer Genauigkeit im Zentimeterbereich, während die Fengyun-Satelliten wichtige meteorologische Daten liefern. Das Beidou-System sorgt für eine präzise Ortung bei Such- und Rettungsaktionen, und Multispektralsensoren erfassen eine Vielzahl katastrophenrelevanter Informationen, um die Lage besser einschätzen zu können.

Neben modernster Technologie verfügt China auch über ein robustes Rahmenwerk für Notfallmaßnahmen. Institutionen wie das Satellite Disaster Reduction Application Center und das Resource Satellite Application Center können innerhalb weniger Stunden Satellitenmissionen zur Erfassung und Analyse von Katastrophendaten starten. Diese Kapazitäten, die in vielen betroffenen Gebieten Myanmars noch nicht verfügbar waren, könnten lokale Katastrophenmaßnahmen erheblich verbessern.

Welche konkreten Informationen lieferten unsere Satellitendaten zum Erdbeben in Myanmar?

Am Tag des Erdbebens in Myanmar haben wir in Zusammenarbeit mit dem International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development (IRCBDSD) den ersten Satellitendatenbericht nach dem Erdbeben an das Büro der Vereinten Nationen für die Koordinierung humanitärer Angelegenheiten (UNOCHA) übermittelt. Dieser Bericht enthielt Satellitenbilder aus der Nacht vor dem Erdbeben, die für das Verständnis der Bevölkerungsverteilung und des Aktivitätsniveaus vor der Katastrophe von entscheidender Bedeutung sind. Später, am 29. März, nahmen unsere Satelliten neue Bilder auf, die wertvolle Informationen für die Schadensbewertung und die Rettungsmaßnahmen nach der Katastrophe lieferten.

China hat viel Erfahrung mit der Nutzung von Satellitendaten bei internationalen Rettungseinsätzen. So aktivierte die nationale Plattform für den Austausch von Erdbeobachtungsdaten während der Überschwemmungen im Iran 2019 einen Notfallplan und setzte sieben hochauflösende Satelliten ein, darunter Gaofen-1 und Gaofen-2, um die von den Überschwemmungen betroffenen Gebiete zu überwachen und wichtige Fernerkundungsdaten zu liefern. Das war das erste Mal, dass China Satellitendaten bei einer Katastrophe im Ausland international eingesetzt hat.

Sie haben erwähnt, dass Sie nationale Wissenschaftler dabei unterstützen, Empfehlungen für humanitäre Maßnahmen zu geben. Was genau verstehen Sie unter „humanitären Maßnahmen“?

Humanitäre Maßnahmen umfassen die Bereitstellung von Nothilfe für Menschen, die von Krisen und Katastrophen betroffen sind. Unsere Bemühungen konzentrieren sich auf mehrere Schlüsselbereiche:

Soforthilfe: Dazu gehören Such- und Rettungseinsätze, medizinische Notversorgung und die Bereitstellung lebensnotwendiger Güter wie Nahrungsmittel, sauberes Wasser und medizinische Artikel.

Grundlegende Existenzsicherung: Wir richten Notunterkünfte ein, sorgen für sanitäre Einrichtungen und verteilen Kleidung. Wir kümmern uns auch um besondere Bedürfnisse, wie zum Beispiel provisorische Schulen für Kinder und medizinische Versorgung für Schwangere und Kranke in Notunterkünften.

Krankheitsprävention: Angesichts der beengten Verhältnisse nach einer Katastrophe ergreifen wir Maßnahmen wie Desinfektion, Schädlingsbekämpfung und Impfungen und bieten psychologische Unterstützung an, um den Menschen zu helfen, mit der Situation umzugehen.

Wiederaufbau: Nach der unmittelbaren Notsituation helfen wir beim Wiederaufbau der Infrastruktur und beim Übergang zu einer langfristigen wirtschaftlichen Erholung durch Bargeldhilfen und Unterstützung bei der Arbeitssuche. Dank unserer großen Erfahrung in der Katastrophenhilfe bei zahlreichen Naturkatastrophen sind wir in der Lage, einen wichtigen Beitrag zum Wiederaufbau und zur Erholung Myanmars zu leisten.

Hat sich Ihre Rolle nach dem Erdbeben verändert?

Die Nothilfemaßnahmen nach einer Katastrophe entwickeln sich sehr schnell, daher ändert sich unser Fokus von Tag zu Tag. Am Abend des Erdbebens in Myanmar bat die Regierung um internationale Hilfe, woraufhin wir mehrere Rettungsteams in die Region schickten.

Am nächsten Tag konzentrierten wir uns auf zwei Hauptaufgaben:

Koordination: Wir verfolgten die Echtzeit-Updates der International Disaster Coordination Platform (IDCP) und synchronisierten die Informationen mit unseren Teams vor Ort. Dieser Abstimmungsprozess stellt sicher, dass die internationalen Bemühungen gut koordiniert bleiben.

Bedarfsermittlung: Wir sammelten Informationen über den humanitären Bedarf vor Ort aus verschiedenen Quellen, darunter Online-Plattformen, die lokale chinesische Gemeinschaft und soziale Organisationen. Dies half uns, die dringendsten Bedürfnisse zu verstehen und unseren Teams umsetzbare Empfehlungen zu geben.

Sobald wir Satellitenbilder des betroffenen Gebiets erhielten, begannen wir sofort mit der Analyse, um die Auswirkungen der Katastrophe zu bewerten und die Einsatzplanung zu informieren.

Sie waren schon an vielen internationalen Rettungseinsätzen beteiligt – was ist das Besondere am Einsatz in Myanmar?

Die größte Herausforderung bei der Katastrophenhilfe in Myanmar ist nach wie vor die Sicherheit. Der anhaltende bewaffnete Konflikt in der Region, insbesondere rund um das Epizentrum des Erdbebens, hat die Situation noch chaotischer gemacht, da viele Menschen bereits vor der Katastrophe vertrieben wurden.

Für die Hilfskräfte erschwert der Konflikt die Einsätze in mehrfacher Hinsicht:

Wichtige Verkehrsknotenpunkte wurden beschädigt oder geschlossen, was den Zugang zu den betroffenen Regionen erschwert.

Lebensnotwendige Güter wie Nahrungsmittel und medizinische Hilfe können durch bewaffnete Akteure blockiert, umgeleitet oder zweckentfremdet werden.

Humanitäre Helfer müssen strikte Neutralität wahren, um den Zugang zu den Bevölkerungsgruppen zu gewährleisten und ihre eigene Sicherheit zu schützen. In einem derart risikobehafteten Umfeld geht es bei der humanitären Hilfe nicht nur um Logistik und Koordination, sondern auch um die Beherrschung komplexer Dynamiken, um die Menschen in Not zu erreichen.

Quelle: Guokr, Xinhua Net, Huanqiu

Tariffs Won’t Deter Chinese Manufacturing: Orders Returning from India and Vietnam Prove It

Interview

Tendenzblick

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April 26, 2025

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Tariffs Won’t Deter Chinese Manufacturing: Orders Returning from India and Vietnam Prove It

Since April 2, U.S. President Donald Trump has caused rapid and dramatic shifts in the tariff landscape, creating significant obstacles for China-U.S. trade, particularly for industries reliant on foreign markets like the manufacturing sector.

Desay Group, a Wenzhou-based footwear company with over 30 years in OEM exports, has been directly affected. Founded in 1993, Desay produces 8 million pairs of leather shoes annually, with over 30% of orders coming from the U.S.

Guancha spoke with Zhang Wenjie, General Manager of Desay Group, about the survival strategies of foreign trade companies in this turbulent time and how “Made in China” is adapting to the changing global landscape.

Since Trump began raising tariffs on Chinese exports to the U.S. on April 2, some products now face tariffs as high as 245%. With U.S. exports making up 32% of Desay’s production, how have these tariff changes impacted your production in the past 10 days?

When tariffs were at 10%, we and our U.S. clients were still negotiating ways to manage the impact together. But when they rose to 34%, the already slim margins in footwear and apparel manufacturing made it difficult to move forward. After Trump announced the new policy, most U.S. orders were suspended—it no longer made sense to continue at those rates.

The sudden loss of over 30% in order volume significantly affected our operations, especially staffing. We quickly adjusted by reallocating our U.S. line staff, including foreign trade sales and development teams, to focus on other markets. We also considered modifying work hours from 8 to 6 hours per day due to the reduced workload.

At the same time, we ramped up efforts to grow in other regions—Europe, Australia, Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea—supported by branches in Russia and Dubai. Recently, we secured a $20 million order from a reputable brand in Portugal.

Despite setbacks in the U.S. market, we’re seeing steady growth elsewhere. While the tariff policy created short-term challenges, we’re confident that through market diversification, we can absorb the impact and maintain stable growth—even without the U.S. market.

Domestically, we’re also strengthening our own brand to boost local sales.

It’s worth noting that our local government in Wenzhou responded quickly. On the day the 34% tariff was announced, they convened a meeting with major exporters to discuss solutions. One idea was leveraging Wenzhou’s global network—many locals operate overseas businesses—to help redistribute orders and minimize losses collaboratively.

I read that a U.S. customer offered a 30% price increase to share the tariff burden, but you chose to suspend the cooperation. What was the reasoning behind that decision?

The main issue is the instability of the situation. Beyond the 30% price increase, the U.S. also asked us to explore re-exporting through other countries. However, Trump’s exemption for regions like Southeast Asia only lasts 90 days—exactly the lead time we need from order to factory delivery. So even if we tried to implement re-export strategies, they wouldn’t provide a timely solution.

We proposed several alternatives, but after thorough discussion, none proved truly feasible under current conditions. Still, this shows U.S. customers are eager to find solutions—they’re just facing real limitations.

For us in manufacturing, production halts and workforce idle time do lead to losses, but we can endure it. U.S. clients, however, run brand businesses with physical store layouts. If their shelves are empty or filled with lower-quality goods, the damage to their brand reputation is substantial. So in many cases, they’re even more anxious than we are.

With your products sold on platforms like TikTok, Amazon, and eBay, the duty-free exemption for small parcels to the U.S. will end on May 2. Have you taken any urgent measures before then? What strategies will you use to reduce costs if high tariffs persist long-term?

Different product lines have varying tariffs, but whether it’s 145% or 245%, such high tariffs make cross-border e-commerce in the U.S. market, including platforms like Amazon, increasingly difficult to operate.

For small parcel shipments, direct self-shipment from China can work when volumes are low. However, for larger shipments, goods must be stored in overseas warehouses. If shipped through general trade to these warehouses, they won’t qualify for tariff exemptions.

Many Zhejiang light industrial companies moved factories to Southeast Asia due to the trade war during Trump’s first term. If U.S. tariffs on China stay high long-term, would you consider relocating production to Southeast Asia?

While high tariffs may drive some manufacturing industries in China to relocate, it’s not an urgent move for most companies. I’ve seen many businesses shift to places like Vietnam and Myanmar, but the success rate is only about 30%. With the current trade tensions, the likelihood of success is even lower. Moving factories overseas raises short-term costs and risks, and long-term stability depends on the policies of other countries—if they increase taxes, manufacturing could return to China.

From a product perspective, Chinese manufacturing holds an irreplaceable position globally. For instance, we provided OEM services for a well-known British brand that previously produced in India. After facing quality issues and inventory problems, they switched back to us. Similarly, some European clients who produced in Vietnam, where costs are 20% higher and quality isn’t on par with China, have also returned to us. These examples show that “Made in China” remains hard to replace.

You mentioned export-to-domestic sales, a strategy our country is promoting. Can you use Desay as an example to explain how to ‘switch’ and ‘sell’? What technical challenges might arise in this process?

This morning, we discussed an order for tens of thousands of shoes for the U.S. market. While the materials are ready, the shoes haven’t been made yet, and with the increased tariffs, we can’t export them. Now, we need to find a way to pivot these products to domestic sales. The challenge is that U.S. and Chinese foot shapes differ, so we need to adapt the raw materials to create products suited for the domestic market. Shifting semi-finished products to domestic sales is easier, but finished products are trickier, especially when it comes to size differences between U.S. and Chinese shoe sizes.

Since each market has unique preferences, cultures, and foot shapes, we must ensure our products align with Chinese characteristics to better meet domestic needs.

Additionally, foreign trade OEM and direct brand sales are two distinct business models. While both involve shoes, the talent, mindset, and operations differ. Production companies focus more on production and warehouse management, while e-commerce companies prioritize operations, branding, and marketing. These require separate teams and operational systems.

Shifting from export to domestic sales is almost like starting a new venture. Though we have some foundation, like product inventory, it requires in-depth planning for how to transition products and develop the domestic market.

Platforms like JD.com offer support through “export to domestic sales” zones, stores, and labels, which help increase visibility. Recently, during my live broadcast, many viewers expressed support for “Made in China” and said they’d shop at the “export to domestic sales” stores to show their support.

With more companies shifting to domestic sales, market supply will increase, but the footwear market has seen limited growth in recent years. Are you concerned about a price war? What measures are you taking to manage this risk?

The domestic supply chain has been volatile, and the situation is even more intense now. For many companies, it’s no longer about profit, but survival. This creates a high risk of price wars. To mitigate this, platforms need to enforce healthy competition, and merchants must make independent decisions.

For us, after facing challenges like the trade wars and the pandemic, we’ve refined our development strategy. Relying solely on foreign trade exposes companies to greater risk, so we’ve focused on building our brand and diversifying channels.

We won’t engage in price wars or offer products at a loss, as that’s not a sustainable approach. Instead, we focus on creating unique products to build our brand. Despite the challenges facing China’s manufacturing, this will ultimately accelerate the growth of Chinese brands. We’re seeing a shift in the global market from “Made in China” to “China’s alternative,” and eventually to “China’s brands.”

Source: Guancha, Xinhua, Sina

Guangdong Free Trade Zone at Ten: From Institutional Pioneer to Engine of Industrial Innovation

East Asia

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April 25, 2025

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Guangdong Free Trade Zone at Ten: From Institutional Pioneer to Engine of Industrial Innovation

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone. Amid significant shifts in the global trade landscape, the Zone has served as a critical experiment ground for China’s reform and opening-up efforts. It plays a pivotal role in helping the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area navigate the complexities of the international trade environment.

Spanning Guangzhou’s Nansha New Area, Shenzhen’s Qianhai Shekou Area, and Zhuhai’s Hengqin New Area, the Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone has, over the past decade, launched 772 institutional innovations. Of these, 237 have been replicated across the province, and 43 have been promoted nationwide—representing a quarter of all such initiatives in the country. The Zone has released 356 cases of system innovation, with 8 selected as national best practices, accounting for nearly one-tenth of the national total.

On April 21, the Opinions on Implementing the Strategy of Upgrading Free Trade Pilot Zones were released, emphasizing the importance of this strategy in advancing high-level opening-up and high-quality development. Earlier, the Ministry of Commerce held a special press conference announcing plans to strengthen tailored guidance for various Pilot Free Trade Zones. It also committed to expanding the reform agenda for zones in Guangdong, Tianjin, and Fujian, assigning new pilot reform tasks. Qualified zones will be supported in pursuing integrated innovation across key sectors such as biomedicine, advanced equipment manufacturing, and the marine economy.

“The Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone has evolved from a focus on institutional innovation to a new phase centered on industrial innovation,” said Mao Yanhua, dean of the Institute of Regional Openness and Cooperation at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.

Reconstructing the global supply chain through regional linkage

In 2025, the global foreign trade landscape remains complex and volatile, with the international supply chain undergoing a new round of restructuring. Amid these shifts, a pressing question emerges: how can the security and stability of industrial and supply chains be strengthened?

The Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone offers a strategic answer—leveraging institutional innovation to accelerate the agglomeration of production factors and foster the development of a modern industrial system. According to the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province, over the past decade, the Zone has maintained an average annual growth rate of over 24% in foreign trade imports and exports. Meanwhile, cumulative fixed asset investment has exceeded 1.3 trillion RMB, averaging more than 130 billion RMB annually.

This context underpins China’s Ministry of Commerce’s initiative to support qualified Pilot Free Trade Zones in pioneering integrated innovation across entire industry chains. Over the past ten years, the Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone has promoted the clustered growth of advanced manufacturing and modern service industries through market liberalization and targeted industrial policy support. Today, the three sub-zones—Nansha, Qianhai Shekou, and Hengqin—are exploring differentiated development paths to advance institutional innovation and build a modern industrial system with distinct characteristics.

For instance, the Nansha Area has established a robust industrial system anchored by clusters in heavy equipment, shipbuilding, and marine engineering. Advanced manufacturing now contributes over 70% of the value-added output of large-scale industries in the region. With a focus on emerging sectors such as intelligent connected vehicles, marine science and technology, and artificial intelligence, Nansha has nurtured leading enterprises like Pony.ai and CloudWalk.

The Qianhai Shekou Area is accelerating the development of 18 modern service industry clusters, including bulk commodities, financial leasing, financial services, tax services, and tech services. It is positioning itself as a pilot zone for international financial openness and a key hub for global trade in services.

Meanwhile, the Hengqin Area is serving as a new platform for diversifying Macao’s economy. It is advancing the pillar industries: high-tech R&D and advanced manufacturing, Macao-branded sectors such as traditional Chinese medicine, integrated development of culture, tourism, exhibitions, and trade, and the modern financial industry.

Clearly, institutional innovation in Nansha, Qianhai, and Hengqin has fostered the emergence of concentrated industry chains. These clusters not only reduce supply chain costs by attracting high-end resources but also facilitate knowledge sharing and collaborative innovation, accelerating breakthroughs in key technologies.

As the trade tensions initiated during the Trump administration continue to escalate, the Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone must now focus on attracting more high-end resources, fostering synergies among related industries, and enhancing industrial cluster effects. This, in turn, will boost the Greater Bay Area’s overall economic competitiveness and resilience.

“Over the past decade, we prioritized building institutional frameworks that support investment facilitation, financial liberalization, an optimized business environment, and transformed government functions. This laid the groundwork for the Zone to become a frontier for institutional innovation,” Mao said. “Now, the goal is to translate this institutional advantage into real economic momentum—setting a regional benchmark for high-quality development, advancing innovation-driven industries, and accelerating the formation of a modern industrial system.”

High-level opening up to the outside world “Golden Triangle”

According to Guangdong Branch of the General Administration of Customs, the Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone recorded 749.39 billion RMB in import and export in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 25.6%, accounting for 8.2% of Guangdong’s total foreign trade and contributing 1.8 percentage points to the province’s overall trade growth. As a gateway for high-level opening, the Zone’s institutional innovation and supportive policies have empowered enterprises to engage more deeply in the global division of labor.

Since its establishment ten years ago, the Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone has continuously advanced customs supervision reform. With Nansha and Shekou Ports as central hubs, the “Combined Port” and “One Port” models have significantly reduced logistics costs—by over 200 million RMB. The “Single Window” for international trade, launched ahead of the nation, has become a national benchmark. Nansha and Qianhai have been recognized as national demonstration zones for import trade innovation, with distribution and consolidation trade surpassing 200 billion RMB.

In the first quarter of 2024 alone, Nansha’s trade volume exceeded 63.4 billion RMB, a 25.6% year-on-year rise, underscoring its growing role as a high-standard global trade hub. Cross-border e-commerce has also surged, with Nansha’s annual trade rising from just 0.2 billion RMB in 2014 to 46 billion RMB in 2024—ranking first among national bonded areas.

Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone has also led financial innovation. It was the first to pilot the opening of the financial sector, hosting Hong Kong-funded fund firms, dual-license banks, and fully foreign-funded futures companies. Nansha launched a white-list system for offshore trade, creating an integrated offshore trade platform that achieved a balance-of-payments scale of $2.85 billion in 2024. With rising uncertainty in global trade, offshore and digital trade have become critical tools for lowering costs and boosting competitiveness, aligning with the broader Belt and Road strategy.

Qianhai Shekou is emerging as a demonstration base for financial sector opening and global service trade. The “30 Articles of Financial Support for Qianhai” have already yielded 14 national firsts—such as foreign exchange purchase without physical entry—and fostered six types of cross-border financial innovations, including RMB cross-border loans. These have established a unique brand of “six cross-border” financial reforms.

Hengqin has advanced modern finance by issuing offshore RMB bonds and enabling cross-border asset transfers to Macao’s leasing companies. Its multifunctional free trade EF account system has processed over 110 billion RMB in transfers, reinforcing financial connectivity with Macao.

Mao stressed that China’s Pilot Free Trade Zones must serve dual roles: aligning with international high-standard trade rules while exporting China’s institutional strengths. Sectors like new energy vehicles, high-speed rail, and cross-border e-commerce have accumulated substantial domestic experience, and now face the task of shaping global standards.

Source: 21st Century Business Herald, Xinhua, HKTDC Research, Macao News, CGTN