Big Take Asia Podcast

China’s 2025 Wrapped: From Tariff Turmoil to Tech Triumph

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, how China went from fears of a lost decade to an AI-fueled comeback — and what its resilience means for global markets in 2026.

US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping at the Gimhae Air Base in Busan, South Korea on Oct. 30. — US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping at the Gimhae Air Base in Busan, South Korea on Oct. 30.
Photographer: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images

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By Naomi Ng and K Oanh Ha

December 30, 2025 at 8:27 PM UTC

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China started 2025 with deflation, a property crisis and fears of a “lost decade” damping sentiment. By year’s end, it had stunned the world with an AI breakthrough, a trillion-dollar trade surplus and rare earth dominance.