South Africa became the latest African country to formalize a landmark Framework Agreement with China, securing zero-tariff treatment for all its exports as Beijing expands its trade network across the African continent.

China has expanded the list of industries it wants foreign companies to invest in, especially in advanced manufacturing, modern services and development in the country's interior. This is manifested in the latest edition of the Catalog of Encouraged Industries for Foreign Investment.

As part of Canada's new automobile strategy, Canadian Minister of Industry Mélanie Joly has offered some detailed remarks on how she sees Chinese investment in the Canadian auto sector as an important element of that strategy.

This past week, CTM covered the following issues. As part of China's efforts to increase imports, the Ministry of Commerce and the Beijing government hosted the first 2026 event of the "Big Market for All: Export to China" campaign. China finalized a new mandatory national standard

The controversy over the Hong Kong-based Hutchison Ports contract related to running ports on both sides of the Panama Canal has now led to an international investment lawsuit by the company against the Government of Panama.

The UK House of Commons Business and Trade Committee has published a report on economic security, with a recent update including a UK Government response to the Committee's earlier recommendations. Economic coercion and Chinese government subsidies are two key areas that were covered.

This week, the Ministry of Commerce and the Beijing government hosted the first 2026 event of the "Big Market for All: Export to China" campaign. This is part of China's efforts to increase imports, but the record high trade surplus last year indicates that structural barriers