According to data from Malaysia’s Department of Statistics, the country’s total international trade during April 2026 recorded a growth of 28.6 per cent, with exports rose by 36.9 per cent and imports expanded by 20 per cent year-on-year. Imports were supported by higher purchases of consumption goods, which grew by 5.6 per cent. Import growth was particularly strong from China with 36.8 per cent and Singapore with 45.7 per cent, while imports from the United States declined

China has been expanding its export control framework to regulate the global availability of critical goods. On October 9, 2025, the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) announced export control on lithium-ion battery technology, superhard materials, equipment and raw materials to produce and process rare earth and magnet-processing equipment. Restrictions on certain rare earth elements were additionally extended. The scheduled implementation of these measures was suspended until No

President Trump visited Beijing between May 13 and May 15 for a bilateral summit focused on global trade dynamics, economic relations, and supply chain security. The meeting established a framework of competitive stabilization, aimed at managing systemic risks and preventing tariff escalation without altering global trade governance. Both Washington and Beijing acknowledge their roles in trade and technology, maintaining open communication alongside strategic competition. A c

The new VAT Law of the People's Republic of China took effect on 1 January 2026, maintaining the existing tax framework without increasing the tax burden on businesses. To support its implementation, the State Council approved the draft Implementation Regulations on 19 December 2025, with Premier Li Qiang signing State Council Decree No. 826 on 25 December 2025 to formally promulgate the Regulations. The final text was published on 30 December 2025 and took effect concurrentl

Based on figures released by Singapore’s Department of Statistics, year-on-year exports rose by 31.8 percent while imports expanded by 34.7 percent throughout April 2026. Overall merchandise trade recorded a 33.1 percent growth during this timeframe, coming after a 38.3 percent rise observed in March 2026. Electronics domestic exports rose by 66.7 per cent in April 2026, fuelled by a strong demand for AI. As the main contributors to this increase, Disk Media Products extended

According to preliminary estimates from the Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce, Thailand’s economy registered a year-on-year growth of 2.8 per cent in the first quarter of 2026, an increase from the 2.5 per cent growth recorded in the previous quarter. On a seasonally-adjusted quarter-on-quarter basis, the economy expanded by 0.7 per cent, slowing from the 1.9 per cent rise in the fourth quarter of 2025. During the first quarter of 2026, the manufacturing sector expanded by 3.0