This week (October 27, 2025) marked a pivotal turn in U.S.–China trade relations when Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met and announced a series of major concessions and commitments. At first glance it seems like great news for U.S. importers: tariffs are being cut, Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans are resuming, and China has delayed export controls on rare‐earths. But if you dig a little deeper, the picture becomes more nuanced. Let’s break down what happened, what it really m

Beijing's new five-year plan, covering the period 2026-2030, marks a strategic milestone for the Chinese economy—and by extension, for businesses worldwide that interact with China. Although the final text has not yet been published, we already know that formulation officially began in December 2023. It is relevant because it defines the industrial, technological, consumer, and international openness direction of the world's second-largest economy—and that has direct implicat

If you import from China (or export to it), you’ve met SWIFT . It’s the backbone that lets banks talk to each other across borders. But SWIFT doesn’t move money; it moves messages —the instructions that tell banks what to do. That design made global trade possible… and also explains why cross-border wires can feel slow, pricey, and dated. Let’s break it down in plain English—and end with what’s changing. Alice wants to transfer $100 from her US bank account to Bob's bank acco