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Beijing's new chip self-sufficiency mandate to benefit domestic suppliersChinese chipmakers must use 50% domestically made equipment for adding new capacityChina has long been dependent on foreign chipmaking equipmentBut US export curbs have forced Chinese fabs to go domestic China is requiring chipmakers to use at least 50% domestically made equipment for adding new capacity, three people familiar with ‌the matter said, as Beijing pushes to build a self-sufficient semiconductor supply chain. The rule is not publicly documented, but ‌chipmakers seeking state approval to build or expand ‍their plants have been told by authorities in recent months that they must prove through procurement tenders that at least half their equipment will be Chinese-made, the people told Reuters. The ⁠mandate is one of the most significant measures Beijing ⁠has introduced to wean itself off reliance on foreign technology, a push that gathered pace after the US tightened technology export restrictions in 2023, banning ‍sales of advanced AI chips and semiconductor equipment to China.While those US export restrictions blocked the sale of some of the most advanced tools, the 50% rule is leading Chinese manufacturers to choose domestic suppliers even in areas where foreign equipment from the US, Japan, South Korea and Europe remain available.Applications failing the threshold are typically rejected, though authorities grant flexibility depending on supply constraints, the people said. The requirements are relaxed for advanced chip production lines, where domestically developed equipment is not yet fully available."Authorities prefer if it is much higher than 50%," one source told Reuters. "Eventually they are aiming for the plants to use 100% domestic equipment."China's industry ministry did not ‌respond to a request for comment. The sources did not wish to be identified as the measure is not public.China's President Xi Jinping has been calling for a "whole nation" effort to build a fully self-sufficient domestic semiconductor supply chain that involves thousands of engineers and scientists at companies and research ‍centres nationwide. The effort is being made across ⁠the wide supply-chain spectrum. Reuters reported ‌earlier this month that Chinese scientists are working on a prototype of a machine capable of producing cutting-edge chips, an outcome that Washington has spent years trying to prevent."Before, domestic fabs like SMIC would prefer US equipment and would not really give Chinese firms a chance," a former employee at local equipment maker Naura Technology said, referring to the Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. "But that changed starting with the 2023 U.S export restrictions, when Chinese fabs had no choice but to work with domestic suppliers."State-affiliated entities placed a record 421 orders for domestic lithography machines and parts this year worth around 850mn yuan, according to publicly available procurement data, signalling a surge in demand for locally developed technologies. To support the local chip supply chain, Beijing has also poured hundreds of billions of yuan into its semiconductor sector through the "Big Fund", which established a third phase in 2024 with 344bn yuan ($49bn) in capital.The policy is already yielding results, including in areas such as etching, a critical chip manufacturing step that involves removing materials ​from silicon wafers to carve out intricate transistor patterns, ‌sources said.China's largest chip equipment group, Naura, is testing its etching tools on a cutting-edge 7nm (nanometre) production line of SMIC, two sources said. The early-stage milestone, which comes after Naura recently deployed etching tools ⁠on 14nm successfully, demonstrates how quickly domestic suppliers are advancing."Naura's etching ‍results have been accelerated by the government requiring fabs to use at least 50% domestic equipment," one of the people told Reuters, adding that it was forcing the company to rapidly improve.Advanced etching tools had been predominantly supplied in China by foreign firms such as Lam Research and Tokyo Electron, but are now being partially replaced by Naura and smaller rival Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment (AMEC), sources say.Naura has also proven a key partner for Chinese memory chipmakers, supplying etching tools for advanced chips with more than 300 layers. It developed electrostatic chucks — devices that hold wafers during processing — ​to replace worn parts in Lam Research equipment that the company could no longer service after the 2023 restrictions, sources said.Naura, AMEC, YTMC, SMIC, Lam Research, and Tokyo Electron did not respond to requests for comment.China's progress is being viewed with concern by global competitors, as foreign suppliers are squeezed out of the China market.Naura filed a record 779 patents in 2025, more than double what it filed in 2020 and 2021, while AMEC filed 259, according to Anaqua's AcclaimIP database, and verified by Reuters.That's also translating into strong financial results. Naura's revenue for the first half of 2025 jumped 30% to 16bn yuan. AMEC reported a 44% jump in first-half revenue to 5bn yuan. Analysts estimate that China has now reached roughly 50% self-sufficiency in photoresist-removal and cleaning equipment, a market previously dominated by Japanese firms, but now ⁠locally led by Naura."The domestic equipment market will be dominated by two to three major manufacturers, and Naura is definitely one of them," said a separate source. 

China successfully launched a new group of low Earth orbit satellites from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site in the southern island province of Hainan on Monday.The satellite group, the 13th of its kind that will constitute an internet constellation, was launched aboard a Long March-12 carrier rocket, according to China's news agency (Xinhua).The satellites entered the preset orbit successfully.

Hamad International Airport has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX).The partnership advances Qatar–China co-operation and expands global air connectivity via Doha.The ‘sister airport’ agreement, signed at Beijing Daxing’s terminal, built to shape the next generation of air travel, complements Qatar Airways’ partnership with China Southern Airlines and the MoU between the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) and the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).Together, these moves highlight aviation’s pivotal role in driving economic growth, cultural exchange, and rising travel demand.Under the MoU, MATAR, the Qatar Company for Airports Management and Operation, and Beijing Capital International Airport Group Company, operator of Beijing Daxing, will pursue joint projects to enhance both passenger and cargo flows. Collaboration will focus on operations, technology, service design, and innovation, positioning both airports as leaders in hub excellence.Hamad International Airport connects to nine Chinese cities, namely Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Chengdu as well as Hong Kong.These cities are connected to more than 120 global destinations through Doha, reinforcing Qatar’s airport as the preferred Middle East hub for Chinese passengers.Hamad al-Khater, Chief Operating Officer at Hamad International Airport, said: “This opportunity affirms Hamad International Airport key role in driving aviation diplomacy, and advancing Qatar’s partnership with China. By collaborating with Beijing Daxing, one of the world’s most forward-looking airports, we are anticipating the evolving needs of tomorrow’s travellers and shaping the future of global connectivity, with Doha as China’s trusted gateway to the Middle East and beyond.”Zhang Lin, CEO and President of Beijing Daxing International Airport, said: “As two important international aviation hubs in the world, Daxing Airport and Hamad Airport have formally established sister airport relations, and will start in-depth cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, work together to create a "golden channel" for airline network, build a "green corridor" for freight logistics, promote the "smart innovation" in operation and management, and continuously enhance the global competitiveness of the two hubs, thus becoming a deepening cultural exchange and cooperation between China and Qatar.”The sister airport agreement builds upon a series of successful initiatives between Qatar and China. Qatar Airways’ strategic partnerships with China Southern Airlines and Xiamen Airlines have expanded connectivity between both nations.A testament to growing ties between Qatar and China, Qatar Airways recently announced the expansion of its codeshare partnership with China Southern Airlines.Starting October 16, Qatar Airways will share code on China Southern’s three weekly direct flights between Beijing Daxing and Doha.Similarly, China Southern will be expanding its ‘CZ’ code on Qatar Airways-operated flights beyond Doha to 15 destinations across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. China Southern will further extend its code to flights between Doha and four major Chinese cities of Chengdu Tianfu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, and Shanghai, subject to Chinese government approvals.Beijing Daxing marks the second Chinese gateway to be served with non-stop flights operated by China Southern Airlines. Beijing also connects with Doha through Qatar Airways’ daily flight along with Xiamen Airlines’ daily flight.With this frequency increase and codeshare expansion, Qatar Airways and its two strategic partners, China Southern Airlines and Xiamen Airlines, will now offer 64 weekly flights across eight gateways in Greater China.Besides aviation, Qatar and China have cultivated a strong and growing partnership on cultural and educational fronts, reflecting deep mutual respect and shared aspirations.The China Embassy in Doha, in collaboration with Hamad Bin Khalifa University, have fostered academic collaboration and language learning programmes.On the cultural front, Qatar Museums and the National Museum of China are working together on joint exhibitions and cultural showcases. These joint efforts reaffirm the commitment of both nations to strengthening bilateral relations and expanding long-term strategic cooperation across key sectors.

A delegation from the Qatari Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding, participated in an academic symposium titled "The Reality and Challenges of the Translation Movement between Arabic and Chinese" which was held on Sept 18 at Beijing Foreign Studies University.The symposium was also attended by representatives from the Qatari embassy in China, and a group of experts and academics from several Chinese universities. Research institutions, and publishing institutions participated in the symposium, including Peking University, the University of International Business and Economics, the Beijing Language and Culture University, Guangzhou University, Ningxia University, and Beijing Foreign Studies University. The participants exchanged views and ideas on issues of cultural exchange and translation between China and the Arab world.In his opening remarks, Professor Liu Xinlu, Vice President of Beijing Foreign Studies University, noted that the university's College of Arabic Language, as the main implementing agency of the Belt and Road China-Arab Friendship Library Project launched in 2016, has completed numerous translations of classic works between Chinese and Arabic. Thus, making it an important platform for promoting cultural exchange and rapprochement between peoples. He emphasized that in light of the complexities and fluctuations of today's global situation, dialogue between civilizations has become more urgent than ever, with language as a bridge and translation as a means gaining critical importance in promoting mutual understanding between different civilizations.Abdulrahman al-Marri, representative of the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding, expressed his great appreciation for the importance of this symposium. He explained that the award aims to promote the values of pluralism and openness, and to support dialogue and understanding between civilizations, and has already become the most influential award in the field of translation in the Arab world.He also expressed his hope that this symposium would provide an opportunity to deepen cooperation between Chinese and Arab researchers in the fields of translation and culture, and expressed his aspiration to enhance exchange and cooperation with the Beijing Foreign Studies University.The symposium's proceedings covered two main themes: "Translation and Introduction of Chinese and Arabic Classics" and "Translation and Chinese and Arab Civilizations." The researchers discussed the history, reality, and challenges of the mutual translation of classical literary and cultural works between the two sides from various perspectives.They also addressed the role of translation in supporting educational development, intellectual convergence, and cultural progress, by discussing issues of teaching Arabic translation, Sino-Arab cultural exchange, and the role of education support funds. The symposium witnessed the participation of more than 100 Arabic language professors and students from several universities in Beijing.It is worth noting that the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding aims to consolidate the values of pluralism and openness, encourage knowledge and dialogue, promote international understanding, and advance the level of translation between Arabic and other languages. It also honours translators, cultural institutions, and publishing houses that have made outstanding contributions to promoting friendship and co-operation between the Arab peoples and the peoples of the world. Professor Xu Qingguo (Bassam) of Beijing Foreign Studies University is the first Chinese scholar to receive this award. The award committee has announced that it will again award the prize to translators working in the field of Chinese-Arabic translation in 2026.

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng stressed that China's resolve to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests is unwavering, adding that Beijing will resolutely safeguard its national interests and the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese-funded enterprises abroad.During his meeting in Madrid with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Lifeng explained that China and the US will benefit from cooperation and lose from confrontation.During the talks, the two sides held in-depth and constructive discussions on economic and trade issues of common concern, according to the Chinese vice premier. The two sides reached a basic framework consensus on resolving TikTok-related issues through cooperation, reducing investment barriers, and enhancing relevant economic and trade cooperation.He stressed that the two will consult on relevant outcome documents and complete their respective domestic approval procedures.The US side called on China to work alongside one another and lift relevant restrictions as soon as possible. It also called for concrete actions to preserve the hard-won achievements of the talks and continue to create a favorable environment for the stability of China-US economic and trade relations.The US added that during the talks, both sides acknowledged that stable economic and trade relations between China and the US are of great importance to both countries and have a significant impact on global economic stability and development.The two sides will continue to implement the important consensus reached by the heads of state in their phone conversations, as well as the outcomes of previous economic and trade talks, make full use of the role of the China-US economic and trade consultation mechanism, continue to enhance mutual understanding, resolve differences, strengthen cooperation, and strive for more win-win results, thus promoting healthy, stable, and sustainable development of bilateral economic and trade relations and injecting greater stability into the global economy.

As the oil market moves closer to a long-anticipated glut, traders are closely watching buying from China to see if it will absorb an excess that the world’s crude producing nations are set to pump.Earlier this year, China piled into the crude market to snap up millions of barrels, including some that went into its strategic storage. The buildup has since slowed down as the nation’s domestic demand picked up, but with expectations that Beijing will continue to amass barrels, its next steps are seen as critical.With China’s vast network of oil tank farms still a little over 50% full, according to OilX data, traders say another spree would limit the damage from a long-anticipated glut in other parts of the globe. That’s significant because if China’s buying is elevated, it will prevent a buildup of supply in a narrow set of hubs in Midwestern America and Northwest Europe, limiting how far prices can fall.“The key question is where stockbuilds will turn up,” HSBC Holdings Plc analysts including Kim Fustier wrote this week. “If China continues to absorb excess oil volumes via its strategic reserves, as it did in in the second quarter, stockbuilds in the OECD could be muted.”The global market’s capacity to absorb barrels will be among talking points when OPEC+ nations meet to discuss supply on Sunday. Saudi Arabia wants the group to accelerate the return of another tranche of halted output adding to concerns about a surplus that would depress prices but all options are on the table.About 10% of the nation’s crude stockpiling has been directed to its strategic petroleum reserves, according to Kayrros analyst Antoine Halff. There have also been additions to the country’s refining capacity, such as CNOOC Ltd’s Daxie plant, and the addition of new tank space.It’s also possible that Beijing wants to hold more barrels in storage given the heightened levels of geopolitical risks over the last few years, the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies wrote in a note.While China’s flagship crude futures contract was flashing a softer market over recent weeks, the world’s two main benchmark’s continued to suggest relatively tight supplies.That’s because inventory builds so far this year have avoided western hubs. In Cushing, Oklahoma, the tank farm of about 15 storage terminals that underpins the West Texas Intermediate futures contract, inventories have been repeatedly near multi-year seasonal lows this year.The International Energy Agency says that in the second quarter global oil stockpiles increased by the most since the third three months of 2020, when the global economy was still being ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic. Over that period, stockpiles in the developed world climbed by 60,000 barrels a day, while expanding by more than 1mn barrels a day everywhere else.It’s still possible that prices will need to fall from current levels for China buy in a big way, though, according to Frederic Lasserre, head of research at Gunvor Group.“The last solver that everybody is talking about is China,” he said. “Not for runs, but because we’ve seen a recent trend of them being willing to build up crude barrels. But if you expect China to go back to stockpiling 1mn barrels a day, you need a big price drop to incentivise it.”Both inside and outside of China there’s plenty of space to store unwanted oil.Bank of America Corp wrote last month that there’s about a billion barrels of empty tank capacity available across the globe to fill with inventories, which could mean that markets avoid falling into a heavily bearish structure.There are signs that the surge in production is starting to come, though. Brazil’s output approached 4mn barrels a day for the first time over the summer, and a new field is due to start in the country before the end of the year. Guyana has moved from producing nothing to almost 1mn barrels a day and output in Canada’s oil heartland of Alberta hit a record in July.At the same time, despite concerns about a decline in US output, the Energy Information Administration has consistently revised oil supply estimates higher over the last few months.What traders are waiting for now, is for those increases to appear at key storage hubs.“When we look at OECD inventories we’re still at a relatively low level,” Nadia Martin Wiggen, a director at Svelland Capital, said in a Bloomberg TV interview. “Yes, there is this supply glut coming according to expectations, but we need to see that materialising.”