In the first sign of a possible de-escalation of the current trade war, top Chinese and U.S. trade officials have announced they will meet in Switzerland in the coming days. Whether these initial talks can lead to a full-fledged negotiation to scale back tariffs and other trade restrictions remains

A wave of tariff hikes imposed by major economies last year is beginning to reshape the global landscape of electric vehicle (EV) trade. A review of China's EV export data for the first quarter of 2025 shows a notable overall decline alongside some shifts in destination markets.

Last Friday, the European Commission imposed countervailing duties on imports of mobile access equipment (MAE) from China, following an earlier imposition of anti-dumping duties, and mirroring similar actions by the U.S. several years ago.

In a move to solidify the role of the private sector in its economy, China has passed its first Private Economy Promotion Law. The law, aimed at promoting the development of private enterprises and ensuring their equal treatment and participation in economic activities, will enter into force on May 20.

There were two new developments in the China - IPRs Enforcement (EU) dispute last week: (1) China filed its own appeal, and (2) the arbitrators in the appeal were announced.

On Friday, the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) announced its final decision in an investigation into TikTok's practices related to personal data transfers, finding that TikTok violated EU law and imposing a fine of €530 million.

This past week, CTM covered the following issues: In China: * Threats of countermeasures against U.S. lawsuits related to COVID-19 * New policy measures to stabilize economy * Updates on antitrust review of CK Hutchison port deal * Discussion of international legal basis for China’s retaliation against U.S. with the WTO