China lifts ban on exports of some dual-use materials to U.S.
China’s Ministry of Commerce on Sunday suspended a ban on exporting certain dual-use materials to the U.S. The suspension is effective immediately and will last until Nov. 27, 2026. It reverses a clause in a December announcement that in principle denied export licenses for dual-use items containing gallium, germanium, antimony and superhard materials to the U.S. The December announcement also banned exports of dual-use items to U.S. military users or for military purposes and implemented stricter reviews for graphite exports.
U.S.’ private investment in AI is nearly 12 times China’s
The U.S.’ private investment in artificial intelligence was 11.7 times China’s in 2024, China Renaissance CEO Wang Lixing said Saturday at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai. Citing a report from the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI, Wang expressed confidence that China’s venture capital market, supported by policy, is recovering and can close the gap.
Ant Group elevates healthcare to core business
Ant Group Co. Ltd. has promoted its healthcare division to a core business segment, marking a major organizational shift that highlights the Chinese fintech giant’s deepening push into AI-driven medical services. In an internal memo dated Friday, chief executive Han Xinyi said the company had established a new Health Business Group, calling it a strategic pillar alongside existing segments such as Alipay, Digital Payments, Asset Management and Insurance, and Credit. “AI provides a key path to solving the pain points in social health care, and we are fully committed to pursuing this direction,” Han said in the letter.
China agrees to semiconductor talks with Netherlands
China has agreed to the Netherlands’ request to send officials for consultations on the Nexperia issue, a spokesperson of China’s Ministry of Commerce said Saturday. The spokesperson stated that the source and responsibility for the current disruption in the global semiconductor supply chain lie with the Dutch side. The spokesperson urged the Netherlands to provide constructive solutions and take practical actions to restore supply chain stability and stop administrative interference in corporate affairs to resolve the Nexperia issue.
Shein remains under close monitoring in France
The French government announced Friday that Chinese fast-fashion retailer Shein has not been ordered to stop operations in France, as the platform no longer sells any illegal goods, French newspaper Le Monde reported. However, the platform remains under “close monitoring” by national authorities. The announcement followed a Nov. 5 statement from France’s Ministry of Economy and Finance that it was initiating procedures to suspend Shein’s operations in the country until the company could prove full compliance with French laws and regulations.
Singapore, China can jointly tap third-country markets
China and Singapore can join hands to explore business opportunities in third-country markets, particularly in Southeast Asia that has a population of nearly 700 million people, said Teo Siong Seng, chairman of the Singapore Business Federation (SBF). Speaking at the 8th China International Import Expo, Teo said such collaboration is important amid trade uncertainties and a long-term China-U.S. decoupling trend. The SBF led a delegation of 57 Singaporean enterprises to the expo, where 16 memorandums of understanding were signed between Chinese and Singaporean firms, with a total value of nearly 100 million yuan ($14 million).
