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Trump trade tariffs to hit $300 billion worth of Chinese goods

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US President Donald Trump’s proposed increase in tariffs will hit $350 billion worth of goods imported from China, according to economic analysts.

Trump announced his intention to impose the additional tariffs recently in a tweet, but the US and China are currently locked in trade talks and there may be some modifications to the proposal.

The effects of his announcement, however, have been far-reaching, and are said to be the reason for the $1 trillion fall in share prices around the world.

[Read more…] about Trump trade tariffs to hit $300 billion worth of Chinese goods

Chinese exporters accuse Trump of not playing by the rules

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Chinese export companies have strongly criticized President Donald Trump for deciding to increase tariffs on imports into the US by another 10 percent, bringing them up to 25 percent for hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of manufactured goods.

Comments reported by the South China Morning Post say Chinese exporters are decrying Trump as a business “killer” who “never plays by the rules”.

One exporter, Liao Yu, who produces bags and suitcases, said: “A 25 per cent [tariff] will kill everyone.”

[Read more…] about Chinese exporters accuse Trump of not playing by the rules

Ekso Bionics in $100 million joint venture to develop the exoskeleton market in Asia

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Ekso Bionics, Inc. is to establish a joint venture to develop and serve the exoskeleton market in China and other Asian markets and to create a global exoskeleton manufacturing centre.

It will partner with Zhejiang Youchuang Venture Capital Investment Co., Ltd (ZYVC) and Zhejiang Silicon Paradise Asset Management Group.

The joint venture will develop, sell and support exoskeleton products into China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia, and will be capitalized at greater than $100 million over its term.

[Read more…] about Ekso Bionics in $100 million joint venture to develop the exoskeleton market in Asia

Trump to raise tariffs on China goods to 25 percent

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US President Donald Trump is preparing to raise tariffs on Chinese imports to 25 percent from the current 15 percent.

The levies will affect approximately $350 billion worth of Chinese exports to America.

Trump made the announcement through Twitter. He tweeted: “For 10 months, China has been paying tariffs to the USA of 25 percent on $50 billion dollars of high-tech, and 10 percent on $200 billion of other goods.

[Read more…] about Trump to raise tariffs on China goods to 25 percent

ABB to install 300 painting robots at leading Chinese automaker’s facility

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ABB has signed a formal agreement to install 300 painting robots at a leading Chinese automaker’s facility.

The agreement with SAIC Volkswagen is to provide robotics painting solutions for the first New Energy Vehicle factory of the Volkswagen Group based on the Modular Electric Driver Kit, an automotive platform specifically designed for the mass production of electric vehicles.

Financial details were not disclosed. [Read more…] about ABB to install 300 painting robots at leading Chinese automaker’s facility

Super Micro to avoid Chinese components amid US-China trade war

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Super Micro Computer, one of the world’s largest server manufacturers, has decided to avoid using components manufactured in China, according to a report on Nikkei.

Nikkei reports that Super Micro has instructed its suppliers to move production out of China.

Super Micro says the move is a consequence of the trade dispute between the US and China, in which security concerns raised by the US have also affected other Chinese companies such as Huawei.

[Read more…] about Super Micro to avoid Chinese components amid US-China trade war

NXP teams up with Hawkeye in Chinese automotive radar market

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NXP Semiconductors N.V. has announced a new strategic collaboration and investment agreement with Hawkeye Technology Co., Ltd, a company at the forefront of the Chinese automotive radar sector.

Hawkeye will bring its 77GHz expertise, a team of engineers and a lab complex within Southeast University in Nanjing, China.

Together, the two companies will form a reference design collaboration that uses top engineering talent at Southeast University and NXP’s longstanding radar expertise, to create NXP-based reference designs for the Chinese automotive market.

[Read more…] about NXP teams up with Hawkeye in Chinese automotive radar market

Big industrial robot manufacturers looking to move into China

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yaskawa china
Picture courtesy of Dr Miha Pipan

The huge and growing demand for industrial robots in China is prompting the world’s largest industrial robot makers to look into setting up operations in the country. 

In particular, Japanese companies are said to be profiting from China’s huge increase in demand for industrial robots.

Statistics collated by the Japan Robot Association show that the country exported around $4.4 billion worth of industrial robots to China in 2016.  [Read more…] about Big industrial robot manufacturers looking to move into China

China’s enthusiasm for robots and electric cars creating oversupply of clean technology

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China’s enthusiasm for new technology, combined with its paranoia about being left behind in a globally intensifying high-tech competition, sometimes leads it to create small bubbles in its economy which may or may not dissipate in the disciplined manner in which the markets they encompass may have emerged in the first place. 

Two years ago, the government of the world’s most populous nation of 1.4 billion people launched a 10-year national plan to “transform China from a manufacturing giant into a world manufacturing power”, in the words of XinhuaNet, the state propaganda outlet.  [Read more…] about China’s enthusiasm for robots and electric cars creating oversupply of clean technology

Chinese government’s plan to grow robotics and automation industry seems to be working

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China’s plan to expand the nation’s robotics and automation industry seems to be working, according to a new survey by TheRobotReport.com. 

The website tracks robotics companies worldwide and editor Frank Tobe says he wrote about 194 robot companies in China in 2015, but now that number has more than doubled to greater than 500.

The Chinese government launched a “robot revolution” as part of its Made in China 2025 program a couple of years ago, partly because it has become the world’s biggest buyer of robots and would like some of those robots to be made by domestic companies.  [Read more…] about Chinese government’s plan to grow robotics and automation industry seems to be working