🍻 Our final KaiPA pint glasses are available NOW to anyone who donates to our nonprofit newsroom. Donate now

One of China's hottest toys sold millions. The inventor made $830.

May 9, 2024
A person who comes up with a good idea might not always reap the rewards in China's manufacturing ecosystem.
It's hard to spot which carrot knives are originals and which ones are copies.
Charles Zhang/Marketplace

Inflation is "not yet where it needs to be," Treasury Secretary Yellen says

May 9, 2024
Janet Yellen addresses the state of the U.S. economy and underscores the country's rivalry and collaboration with China in an interview.
"I think it's important for Americans to understand how critical democracy is to economic performance," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says. Above, Yellen testifies at a House Ways and Means committee hearing on April 30.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Can Macao — the "Las Vegas of the East" — move beyond gambling?

May 8, 2024
China wants to transform Macao, known as the "Las Vegas of the East," into a real Vegas that relies more on entertainment and tourism, and less on gambling for its revenues. 
Chinese tourists take photos outside Macao's Londoner Casino in October 2023.
Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images

U.S. and Europe chafe over "overcapacity" — but is it real?

May 6, 2024
Is the problem unfair industry subsidies, or is China just better at making electric vehicles?
The U.S. and Europe say China is flooding countries with leftover electric cars, like the ones made by BYD, above.
STR/AFP via Getty Images

Worry about foreign ownership of telecom companies has a long history in the U.S.

Apr 24, 2024
It's part of an overall mistrust of foreign influence with deep roots in American history.
The founders were concerned countries would try to meddle in the U.S., so they passed measures like the Emoluments Clause which prohibits office holders from taking gifts from foreign officials.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The TikTok ban is poised to make the U.S.-China divide even starker

Apr 23, 2024
"You sort of have these two parallel internets that are existing in both countries," says WSJ technology reporter Meghan Bobrowsky.
Anna Barclay/Getty Images

Why hasn’t tourism recovered in Palau?

Apr 19, 2024
Flights haven't restarted in high volume since the pandemic drop-off, and South Koreans are booking their vacations elsewhere.
Tourism in Palau is a fraction of its scale before the pandemic, despite the country's natural beauty.
Frey Lindsay/BBC

For public good, not for profit.

Once again: Who pays for tariffs on Chinese steel?

Apr 17, 2024
As the Biden administration proposes tripling duties, experts recall how previous tariffs mainly hit American consumers and industries.
President Joe Biden speaks to members of the United Steel Workers Union in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, announcing plans to raise tariffs on Chinese steel.
Jeff Swensen/Getty Images

Sober times for China's wine sellers

Apr 17, 2024
Having once enjoyed vibrant growth, China's wine industry is being held back by trade barriers, changing tastes and a flagging economy.
A shelf of wines from France, Argentina and New Zealand in a Shanghai retail shop. Wine imports have declined, and exporters are frustrated.
Charles Zhang/Marketplace

The cost of imports from Asia and North America are moving in opposite directions

Apr 12, 2024
The things we buy from China and Japan became cheaper in March, while prices rose on automotive goods and energy from Mexico and Canada.
Each category of goods that the U.S. buys from Mexico, Canada, China and Japan has its own price trend, as does each country's currency.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images