According to the Chinese government, more than 300 projects were signed or announced at the third Belt and Road (BRI) Forum last week, covering investment, construction and financing of ports, mining and new energy projects.

Last Friday, China's Ministry of Commerce and General Administration of Customs (GACC) announced that they had adjusted the export controls on graphite, which were instituted in 2006, by revising the scope of controlled items. The majority of current graphite exports from China have already been subject to export

China and Serbia signed a free trade agreement (FTA) this week, as the bilateral trade between the two has risen in recent years. Serbia's possible accession to the European Union, however, puts the future of the FTA in question.

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced new export control rules that target China's semiconductor and AI industry, expanding the parameters and patching "loopholes" of existing export controls on chips and manufacturing tools.

During Chilean President Gabriel Boric's state trip to China this week, the two governments signed multiple deals, indicating further collaboration in lithium, trade, the Belt and Road Initiative, and industrial investment.

At the 12th China-EU Strategic Dialogue last week, Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell discussed bilateral trade and economic relations. While Wang stressed fairness and openness in his statement,

To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Beijing released a White Paper earlier this week, highlighting some achievements of the BRI on trade, investment, and infrastructure connectivity. The White Paper came one week ahead of the third Belt and Road Forum in Beijing.