What does the US-China trade war mean for Asia and Singapore: 10 must-reads

Our correspondents in the US, China, Singapore and all round the region are tracking the latest news and insights on the trade dispute between the world's two biggest economies and what it means for all of us.

How the US-China trade war will hit Singapore

Mr David Low, chief executive of Futuristic Store Fixtures, says if his firm had factories only in China, the trade war would have been a disaster. He will be moving more production work to the firm's factories in Malaysia.
Mr David Low, chief executive of Futuristic Store Fixtures, says if his firm had factories only in China, the trade war would have been a disaster. He will be moving more production work to the firm's factories in Malaysia. PHOTO: ST FILE

Supply chain disruption, higher prices, slowdown in hiring are among possible effects.

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Will tech world of the future look like the past?

Google is limiting the software services it provides to Huawei, in the latest twist in the US-China trade war.
Google is limiting the software services it provides to Huawei, in the latest twist in the US-China trade war. PHOTO: BLOOMBERG

The world could end up with two hardware and software ecosystems with the trade war, possibly leading to inter-operability issues reminiscent of the past.

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Huawei founder admits US ban would cut into firm's lead over rivals, objects to retaliation against Apple

Huawei Technologies co-founder Ren Zhengfei said that his company had the capability to devise its own solutions to the United States' export curbs, given time. PHOTO: AFP

But the company will either ramp up its own chip supply or find alternatives to keep its edge in smartphones and 5G, Ren Zhengfei said.

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China willing to cooperate more with US but won't give in to an unequal deal

The Chinese leadership now views the US as demonising the trade war, while using a multi-pronged approach to thwart its development, a source told The Sunday Times. PHOTO: REUTERS

There is growing resentment among Chinese political circles about the United States, which is viewed as not only a bully but an ingrate.

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US swinging to demonisation?

PHOTO: REUTERS

Many in America believe Washington has all the good reasons to take on Beijing, but experts are concerned over how the Trump administration is going about doing it.

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Are the superpowers heading for a collision, or can they be frenemies?

US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping at a working dinner in Buenos Aires in December. Mr Trump recently accused Beijing of backtracking on commitments for a proposed trade deal, which Beijing denies. PHOTO: NYTIMES

Harvard Professor Graham Allison, who wrote about conflicts between great powers, tells ST Editor Warren Fernandez how to avoid clashes and find a way forward.

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Huawei barred from Google updates: What you need to know if you own a Huawei or Honor phone

Existing Huawei smartphones will continue to have access to Google apps and services, as well as security updates. But Huawei may not be able to update the Android software to the next version promptly, if at all. PHOTO: REUTERS

Can Google apps and services be used on your Huawei smartphone? Should you buy a Huawei smartphone? Here is how Huawei and Honor (Huawei's sub-brand) users will be affected.

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The Big Story: How the US-China trade war affects you

Senior enterprise correspondent Tan Ee Lyn and business journalist Sue-Ann Tan discuss how the US-China trade war will affect certain sectors in Singapore and consumers. PHOTO: AFP

Is there a silver lining for Singapore's economy despite the US-China trade war affecting certain sectors in Singapore and consumers?

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China may use rare earth dominance to strike back

A worker at the production line of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles at a factory in Huzhou, China. PHOTO: REUTERS

Rare earths have traditionally been a tool of China's political-economic fights.

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Heng Swee Keat urges US, China to find areas of cooperation amid competition

DPM Heng Swee Keat said Singapore hopes both US and China will be able to find areas of cooperation amidst their competition. PHOTO: MCI

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said the tensions between the two countries are worrying as Sino-US ties are the most critical bilateral relationship globally.

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