The ongoing fight between China and Japan over a chain of islands continues, and now it has Toyota is scaling back production of its luxury Lexus models because of reduced demand in China.

With all this information technology at our disposal, it's striking how getting to the truth of a matter can still be so tough. Two tech stories from opposite sides of the world today remind us how even in 2012 the flow of information is still tightly controlled.

The company that makes Apple's iPhones and iPads in China has shut down one of its factories following a riot by workers.

As China prepares for the first leadership transition in a decade, Marketplace's Rob Schmitz talks to passengers on China's slowest and fastest trains to find out whether they think country is on the right track.

Apple says it received two million orders for the iPhone 5 in the first 24 hours of availability. That is good news of course for Apple. It's also good news for shipping companies like Fed Ex.

China rewards companies for exporting auto parts to other countries, so the U.S. files a complaint with the World Trade Organization, its 15th against China.

China is about to make its biggest ever bank acquisition abroad, according to the Financial Times. It says China could spend as much as $15 billion buying a bank in Europe.

Several major Japanese companies are shutting down some operations in China, citing concerns about the safety of their workers.

The Obama administration is expected to announce a World Trade Organization complaint against Chinese subsidies for auto parts exports today at a campaign stop in Ohio.

Slowing growth is leading the government to consider further measures to boost the economy, but some say once home prices pick up, spending will follow.