The Self-Reliance Turn: China Makes Its Loudest Case Yet
On one June day China unveiled an energy-sovereignty plan and recast itself as the world's opportunity, the sharpest sign yet...
June 25, 2026Section
Asia & Latin America
China is Latin America’s biggest trading partner, and Asian demand sets the price of the region’s copper, soy, lithium and oil. The Rio Times covers the trade, investment and lending ties binding Asia and Latin America – the Belt and Road, the commodity flows, the currency links – the one lens that reads both ends of the relationship.
Browse by themeAsia Markets & Currencies · Asia Supply Chains & Critical Minerals · Asia Tech & Semiconductors · Asia Trade & Geopolitics
The Rare-Earth Choke Point: One Country, the Price of Everything
A few Chinese refineries turn rare earths into the magnets inside electric cars, wind turbines, AI servers and weapons, handing...
June 24, 2026
Alibaba v. the Pentagon: Suing a Superpower Over a Blacklist
Alibaba sued the Pentagon June 23 to escape a 188-firm Chinese-military blacklist, calling its inclusion baseless—with a June 30 ban...
June 24, 2026
Asia Intelligence Brief
Asia Intelligence Brief for Wednesday: Japan's market fell a second day as its own chip stocks wobbled and took their...
June 24, 2026
Asia & Pacific Intelligence Brief
Asia Intelligence Brief for Tuesday: the chip rally that led Asia for months broke hard, with Korea's Kospi crashing 10%...
June 23, 2026 China’s Rare-Earth Lever: Retaliation as Industrial Policy
Washington expanded its list of Chinese military-linked firms. Beijing answered not with a negotiation but with a chokehold — adding...
June 22, 2026
Piauí Readies First Iron Ore Cargo to China From New Port
A small Brazilian state with no mining past is set to ship its first iron ore to China from a...
June 21, 2026
China’s 55% Beef Tariff Hits Australia First, Brazil Next in Line
Australia is the first big supplier to trip China's 55% over-quota beef tariff, redirecting shipments and putting Brazil's looming quota...
June 19, 2026
The Currency Tell: When Asia’s Story Moved to Exchange Rates
Japan raised rates to a three-decade high, yet the yen barely moved. When a hiking central bank cannot lift its...
June 19, 2026