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Chinese scientists have achieved a milestone in clean energy technology by successfully adding fresh fuel to an operational thorium molten salt reactor, according to state media reports.

It marks the first long-term, stable operation of the technology, putting China at the forefront of a global race to harness thorium – considered a safer and more abundant alternative to uranium – for nuclear power.

The development was announced by the project’s chief scientist, Xu Hongjie, during a closed-door meeting at the Chinese Academy of Sciences on April 8, the official Guangming Daily reported on Friday.

The experimental reactor, located in the Gobi Desert in China’s west, uses molten salt as the fuel carrier and coolant, and thorium – a radioactive element abundant in the Earth’s crust – as the fuel source. The reactor is reportedly designed to sustainably generate 2 megawatts of thermal power.

Some experts see the technology as the next energy revolution and claim that just one thorium-rich mine in Inner Mongolia could – theoretically – meet China’s energy needs for tens of thousands of years, while producing minimal radioactive waste.

A much bigger thorium molten salt reactor is already being built in China and is slated to achieve criticality by 2030. That research reactor is designed to produce 10 megawatts of electricity.

China’s state-owned shipbuilding industry has also unveiled a design for thorium-powered container ships that could potentially achieve emission-free maritime transport.

Meanwhile, US efforts to revive the development of a molten salt reactor remain on paper, despite bipartisan congressional support and Department of Energy initiatives.

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For the first time in five years, the share of Americans with an unfavorable opinion of China has fallen from the year before – albeit slightly, from 81% in 2024 to 77% in 2025. And the share who have a very unfavorable opinion of China has dropped 10 percentage points since last year.

These are among the findings of a Pew Research Center survey conducted March 24-30, 2025, among 3,605 U.S. adults. The survey took place amid escalating economic tensions between the U.S. and China, caused in part by rapidly shifting tariff policies

Americans are largely skeptical about the effects of increased tariffs on China. About half say these tariffs will be bad for the U.S., and a similar share say the tariffs will be bad for them personally.

Among Democrats, 80% think the tariffs will harm the country, and 75% believe these measures will harm them personally. Republicans are more optimistic. While only 17% say increased tariffs on China will be good for them personally, they are more inclined to say the tariffs will be good than bad for the country (44% vs. 24%).

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Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Malaysia on Tuesday, April 15 for a highly anticipated state visit. With this move, Xi seeks to promote China as a reliable alternative to an escalating trade war with the United States.

Xi said he was “looking forward to … further deepening the traditional friendship” between China and Malaysia, CCTV, a Chinese state broadcaster, reported. He said he would “have an in-depth exchange of views” in meetings with Anwar and king Sultan Ibrahim, according to CCTV. “With the joint efforts of both sides, this visit will surely achieve fruitful results,” the broadcaster reported him as saying.

He and Anwar will witness the signing of a range of bilateral agreements, according to the Malaysian foreign ministry.

“China will work with Malaysia… to combat the undercurrents of geopolitical and camp-based confrontation, as well as the countercurrents of unilateralism and protectionism,” Xi wrote in an article for Malaysia’s The Star newspaper on Tuesday.

China has remained Malaysia’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, with total trade between the two countries accounting for 16.8% of Malaysia’s global trade last year, according to the Malaysian Foreign Ministry.

Xi’s arrival came hot on the heels of his visit to Vietnam. The two nations said, “they will jointly oppose hegemony and power politics [and] jointly oppose unilateralism in all forms,” in a joint statement published Tuesday in Vietnamese state media after Xi’s visit.

China and Vietnam signed 45 cooperation agreements on Monday, April 14, including on supply chains, artificial intelligence, joint maritime patrols and railway development.

Xi said at a meeting with Vietnam’s top leader To Lam that their countries were “standing at the turning point of history … and should move forward with joined hands.”

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The White House said China is now facing up to a 245 percent tariff on imports to the U.S. "as a result of its retaliatory actions," another escalation in a trade war between the world's two largest economies.

The top potential tariff is higher than the previously stated 145 percent and was referenced in a fact sheet published by the White House late on Tuesday.

It accompanied an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that launched an investigation into the "national security risks posed by U.S. reliance on imported processed critical minerals and their derivative products."

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian was asked about the 245 percent rate at a press briefing on Wednesday. "You can ask the U.S. side for the specific tax rate figures," Lin said, China News Network reported.

"This tariff war was initiated by the United States, and China's necessary countermeasures are to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests and international fairness and justice, which are completely reasonable and lawful."

Trump imposed a 10 percent tariff on imports from all countries. He has temporarily paused additional "reciprocal" rates set individually for each country depending on the trade barriers faced by the U.S. to allow time for negotiations on new deals.

The exception to that pause is China, which is facing increasingly higher tariffs from the U.S. and has responded in kind, among other countermeasures.

This week, China imposed more export controls on rare earths, which include materials used in high-tech products, aerospace manufacturing, and the defense sector.

Despite the eye-watering tariffs and tough rhetoric, both the U.S. and China have said they are open to talks on trade, though further tit-for-tat retaliation is likely in this conflict between two great powers.

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Malaysia stands with China on trade, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said as the Southeast Asian nation hosts Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“We stand with the Chinese government, for the well-being of our people and for our national economic interests, as well as the overall development and stability of our country,” Anwar told state-run Chinese broadcaster CGTN on Wednesday.

Xi, who is on a week-long three-nation tour of Southeast Asia, was greeted by a 21-gun salute as he arrived at the national palace on Wednesday morning for an audience with Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, accompanied by Prime Minister Anwar.

Later, the countries are expected to sign deals aimed at opening up more trade for key Malaysian exports such as palm oil and durian, increasing the influx of Chinese tourists and students to Southeast Asia and sharing Chinese know-how in sectors such as renewable energy.

In return, analysts warn that China is likely to expect Malaysia and its Southeast Asian neighbours to back it as the region’s leading power – an alignment that could provoke a reaction from Washington, leading to unpredictable consequences.

Anwar, however, refuted this argument. “We should not and do not need to be constrained by any side. So far, we refuse to succumb to such pressure,” he said.

“Our attitude is that we cooperate with those who treat us well. I must emphasise that although China is a major power with a strong economy and formidable military strength, we have never felt any sense of trouble or pressure from it.”

The visit is timely as Malaysia and its neighbours face having their decades of growth stunted by Donald Trump’s tariffs.

The US president has threatened to impose a blanket 24 per cent tariff on Malaysian exports, affecting everything from electric heaters and lamps to furniture.

Xi’s visit, which was planned months in advance, comes as China assumes the role of the defender of global free trade after Trump’s tariffs threatened to cut access to the US market.

China’s giant economy has become a potential lifeline for Southeast Asian economies now fearing the gut punch of US tariffs.

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China appointed a new international trade representative at the Ministry of Commerce (Mofcom) on Wednesday amid an unprecedented trade war with the United States.

Li Chenggang will replace 59-year-old Wang Shouwen, who participated in negotiations over the 2020 trade deal between the world’s two largest economies, according to a government statement.

Li, 58, has decades of experience handling international negotiations at Mofcom, and also served as China’s ambassador to the Geneva-based World Trade Organization (WTO) from 2021. He holds a bachelor’s degree in law from Peking University and a master’s degree in the economics of law from the University of Hamburg in Germany.

Though it is unclear why Li has been appointed, analysts said it could be a sign that Beijing is looking to make a breakthrough in negotiations with the US over a potential deal to end the trade war.

“Probably his experience in Geneva means that he has established linkages with key stake holders – their governments including the US.”

Last Friday, Chinese commerce minister Wang Wentao spoke with WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala about the US’ tariff policies and efforts to maintain the WTO’s role in the global trading system.

Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University in Beijing and a former Chinese diplomat, said Li’s knowledge of the WTO would be important in his new role.

During his time at the WTO, Li was vocal in conveying Beijing’s opposition to Trump’s tariff policies.

“The world faces a series of tariff shocks,” Li warned in February during a meeting of the global trade body’s General Council. “The US is unilaterally and arbitrarily, blatantly violating WTO rules. China firmly opposes such measures.”

China began appointing international trade negotiation representatives holding a ministerial-level rank in 2010, as the country aimed to better protect its interests and agree more trade deals.

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China’s President Xi Jinping has arrived in Malaysia as part of a Southeast Asian tour which is seen as delivering a personal message that Beijing is a more reliable trading partner than the United States amid a bruising trade war with Washington.

Xi’s three-country tour and his “message” that Beijing is Southeast Asia’s better friend than the truculent administration of US President Donald Trump comes as many countries in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc are unhappy with their treatment after the US imposed huge tariffs on countries around the world.

“This is a very significant visit. You can read many things into it,” said Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, a former Malaysian ambassador to the US and minister of legal affairs.

“Under PM Anwar, Malaysia is getting very much closer [to China]. It’s a good thing,” he added, noting that “in the long run”, Washington’s “influence will be reduced”.

Washington hit Malaysia with a 24 percent trade tariff, accusing it of imposing a 47 percent tariff on US imports, a rate that Malaysian officials rejected.

Xi’s visit to Malaysia is in part an effort to “reinforce” the view that China can “offer to bypass America”, said James Chin, professor of Asian studies at the University of Tasmania in Australia, via a different international order such as BRICS – the 10-country intergovernmental organisation comprising Brazil, Russia, India and China, among others.

“Basically, this is all architectured to build a new international order… Trump has given China the excuse to push harder amongst countries around the world, especially developing countries,” Chin said.

Of the three countries Xi chose to visit this week, analysts said Malaysia is deemed to be the most important for China, given its sizeable 32 million population, its developing high-tech base and its current chairmanship of ASEAN. China is also Malaysia’s largest trading partner since 2009, and in 2024, China-Malaysia trade reached $212bn.

“China hopes to jack up trade with Malaysia, which will make up for the expected downgrading of exports to the US,” said Willy Wo-Lap Lam, a senior China analyst with the US-based Jamestown Foundation and author of the book, From Confucius to Xi Jinping.

“Politically, Malaysia has a lot of influence among all 10 ASEAN states,” Lam said. “Including how countries that have territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea should respond to Beijing’s aggressive tactics in bolstering its hold over.”

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Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Xpeng has ramped up development of its own artificial intelligence (AI) chip to power its semi-autonomous cars, with a first mass production model to be fitted with the Turing chip from as early as this quarter.

The chip, which is claimed to be more powerful than Nvidia’s Drive Orin X, would be used in all its production models as the EV maker promoted its cutting-edge technologies, CEO He Xiaopeng said in an interview. The chip could also power flying cars and robots being developed by its affiliated companies, he added.

Level of intelligence has become the new battleground for carmakers to overcome cutthroat competition in China. Xpeng’s Turing chip, designed for level 4 (L4) autonomous driving capabilities, was three times more powerful in computing power than Nvidia’s Drive Orin X installed in its existing smart vehicles, the CEO said in August.

At present, Xpeng’s cars such as the P7 sedan and G6 SUV can navigate their way automatically on mainland China’s highways and streets, but drivers are required to be fully alert with their hands on the wheel. They are deemed as semi-autonomous and categorised as L2+ vehicles.

L3 is considered a “hands-off” system, but still requires drivers to be responsible for safety and ready to take over, while L4 would allow drivers to take their eyes off the road in designated areas, according to standards set by US-based SAE International.

Tesla is the front runner in mainland China’s premium EV market segment. Xpeng, Shanghai-based Nio and Beijing-headquartered Li Auto are viewed as China’s best responses to the market leader.

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China and Vietnam signed dozens of cooperation agreements during a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, as he aimed to strengthen ties in Southeast Asia on his first overseas trip of the year.

Vietnam is seeking to further strengthen cooperation with China in security, transport and securing preferential loans as well as technology transfers from China, VTV said. Hanoi also expects more balanced trade with its neighbor, it said.

Xi landed in Vietnam days after Donald Trump raised tariffs on China but gave everyone else — including Vietnam, which is negotiating over its 46% rate — a 90-day pause.

His regional tour, which will also see him visit Malaysia and Cambodia, highlights the tricky position Southeast Asian nations face. They’ve become key routes for Chinese exports to reach the US since Trump’s tariff hikes on Beijing in his first term.

Vietnam’s economy is heavily reliant on Chinese parts and raw materials, and the two sides are working to develop infrastructure to connect them more closely. China is Vietnam’s largest bilateral trade partner, with commerce totaling over $205 billion last year, and is a major market for Vietnam’s agricultural products from fruit to seafood, cashew nuts and coffee.

Vietnam’s government has vowed to speed up the progress of three railway projects connecting the two countries. This includes the $8.4 billion cross-border railway that will link the northern border city of Lao Cai to Hanoi and Haiphong port city.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that aviation cooperation between Comac and Vietnamese partners has produced “increasingly positive outcomes,” after meeting the company’s chairman on Monday, according to a post on the government website.

Xi said at the meeting that China welcomes more trade with Vietnam and seeks increased cooperation in manufacturing and supply chains, as well technology including AI and semiconductor sectors, VTV said.

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China’s government said the US decision to exempt certain consumer electronics from its so-called reciprocal tariffs is a small step toward rectifying its wrongdoings and urged Washington to do more to revoke the levies.

President Donald Trump’s administration excluded smartphones, computers and other electronics from the increased import duties on Friday, narrowing the scope of his tariffs of 125% on goods from China and a baseline 10% on imports from most other countries.

“This is a small step by the US toward correcting its wrongful action of unilateral ‘reciprocal tariffs’”, the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement posted on its official WeChat account on Sunday. The ministry went on to urge the US to “take a big stride in completely abolishing the wrongful action, and return to the correct path of resolving differences through equal dialog based on mutual respect.”

Trump’s latest exemptions cover almost $390 billion in US imports based on official US 2024 trade statistics, including more than $101 billion from China, according to data compiled by Gerard DiPippo, associate director of the Rand China Research Center.

Trump on Saturday declined to elaborate on the exemptions beyond the published memoranda but hinted at further developments on Monday.

The move appeared to exclude the products from the 10% global baseline tariff on other countries, including Samsung Electronics Co.’s home of South Korea.

The tariff reprieve does not extend to a separate Trump levy on China — a 20% duty applied to pressure Beijing to crack down on fentanyl, including the shipment of precursor materials. Other previously existing levies, including those that predate Trump’s current term, also appear unaffected.

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Smartphones, computers, flash drives, semiconductors and solar cells will be exempt from the Trump administration’s wide-ranging tariffs on China and other nations, according to guidance from U.S Customs and Border Protection released late Friday night.

The policy is a boon to U.S. tech companies such as Apple, which produces most of iPhones in China.

Tech companies, and the net worth of their billionaire CEOs, were among those hardest hit when markets tanked on the tariff announcement. But, now Trump appears to be offering a helping hand by exempting some products from the 125 percent tariff he left on China.

A handful of tech stocks such as Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Netflix, Amazon, Meta and Google parent Alphabet make up over a quarter of the value of the S&P 500 at any given time — and all of these companies would face major financial challenges if global electronics supplies were hit with sustained tariffs.

The Friday announcement is the latest sudden adjustment in a tariff policy that’s changed every few days, after Trump announced on Wednesday a 90-day pause on a series of “reciprocal” tariffs on U.S. trading partners that rattled financial markets, while increasing tariffs on China to an effective rate of 145 percent and maintaining a baseline 10 percent tariffs on all countries that hadn’t retaliated against the U.S.

Despite attempting to soften the financial blow of the tariff agenda, some fear the policies have set the U.S. on a course for a recession.

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