US considers tiered tariff plan on Chinese goods; Hong Kong to deploy supply chain services for mainland enterprises; Maritime shipping has become a

Recently, the US tariff policy towards China has shown signs of easing. The Trump administration plans to implement a "graded tariff" plan. Although it has not completely loosened the restrictions, it has sent a signal of easing in the China-US trade friction. Data shows that recently, the US agricultural exports have been under significant pressure, and China's purchases of soybeans and pork have significantly declined. In addition, six major US automotive industry organizations have jointly opposed the imposition of tariffs on auto parts, warning that the tariff policy will lead to a sharp increase in supply chain costs and employment risks.

Chinese enterprises continue to strengthen their global layout: Alibaba.com is accelerating the construction of its overseas warehouse network in 27 countries in Europe and the United States; DJI's agricultural drones have a normal global business layout, and its business is still growing steadily. It is worth noting that Li Jiachao, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said that Hong Kong will deploy services to provide supply chain services for mainland enterprises, leading them to explore emerging markets and break through the US blockade.

Let's read this week's overseas expansion news to learn about the latest trends in going global.

Trump Considers Graded Tariff Plan on Chinese Goods

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal on the 23rd, senior US officials revealed that the Trump administration is considering multiple options. The first option is to reduce the tariff rate on Chinese goods to about 50% - 65%. The second option, known as the "graded plan," would divide goods imported from China into two categories: those that "pose no threat to US national security" and those that are "strategically significant to US national interests."

US media reported that under the "graded plan," the US would impose a 35% tariff on the first category of goods and a tariff rate of at least 100% on the second category. White House Press Secretary Levitt said that Trump's stance on tariffs on Chinese goods "has not softened." (CCTV.com)

Li Jiachao Says Hong Kong Will Deploy to Provide Supply Chain Services for Mainland Enterprises to Break Through US Blockade

Li Jiachao, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said at the Investment Hong Kong Conference Special Session and the Ningbo-Hong Kong Economic Cooperation Forum held in Ningbo, Zhejiang on April 25 that recently, the US has wantonly imposed bullying tariffs, and unilateralism has resurfaced, bringing risks of damage and recession to the global economy. China's huge market brings certainty to global investors. The long-term positive trend of the Chinese economy is irresistible, and a new international economic and trade order is being reshaped. International capital and large financial institutions will pay more attention to Hong Kong. Through Hong Kong's open platform, they can explore the mainland market and avoid US risks. Hong Kong will deploy to provide supply chain services for mainland enterprises, leading them to explore emerging markets and break through the US blockade. (Voice of the Greater Bay Area)

UN: Maritime Transport Becomes the Pillar of International Trade, with 80% of Global Trade Goods Transported by Sea

According to UN News, statistics from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) show that more than 80% of global trade goods are transported by sea, and maritime transport has become the pillar of international trade. UNCTAD emphasized that national-level maritime trade data is crucial for formulating efficient and sustainable transport, trade, and investment policies. Since the 21st century, trade among developing economies has grown rapidly, covering raw materials, oil, and even manufactured goods. In 2023, these countries' share in global maritime trade reached 54%, compared with only 38% in 2000. Among them, Asian countries (especially China) are the main driving force. (Jiemian News)

Nearly 40,000 Small and Medium-sized E-commerce Merchants in Vietnam Withdraw

According to the online retail market overview report released by Metric, the total sales of Vietnam's e-commerce market in the first quarter of 2025 reached 101.4 trillion Vietnamese dong, a year-on-year increase of 42.29%. The consumption volume of goods was 950.7 million pieces, a year-on-year increase of 24%. However, the number of sellers with orders decreased by 7.45%, with only 472,500 stores in operation, and more than 38,000 stores have exited the market. Nevertheless, the number of sellers with sales of 50 billion Vietnamese dong or more almost doubled (+95%), indicating a trend of market concentration towards large sellers. (Baijingchuhai)

US: China's Purchases of US Soybeans and Pork Plummet

According to a report by the US Wall Street Journal on the 24th, the "global trade war" launched by the Trump administration has hit the overseas demand for US crops and meat. The latest export data released by the US Department of Agriculture shows that China's purchases of US soybeans have plummeted, and it has scaled back its plan to import US pork in 2025.

Data released on April 24 (local time) for the week ending April 17 showed that China's plan to purchase US pork has been cut by 12,000 tons, reducing the total sales for the week to only 5,800 tons. This is the lowest weekly delivery volume reported so far in 2025, a 72% decrease from the previous week. (China News Service)

Dubai Crown Prince: UAE Telecom Company du to Collaborate with Microsoft to Launch Data Center Project

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, posted on the social media platform X on April 22 that during the Dubai AI Week, UAE telecom company du announced that it will collaborate with Microsoft to launch a hyperscale data center worth 2 billion dirhams (approximately $545 million), marking a significant investment in Dubai's digital infrastructure. (Jiemian News)

Tesla CFO Says the Company is Cautiously Entering the Indian Market

Tesla Chief Financial Officer Vaibhav Taneja said on Tuesday that due to falling sales and tariff threats, Tesla is cautiously entering India. At the earnings conference call, Taneja confirmed reports that the company is working on expanding into India and added that it would be a good market due to India's "large middle class." However, he said that India is also "a very difficult market." Electric vehicles imported into India are subject to a 70% tariff and about a 30% luxury tax. He pointed out that this could double the price of Tesla cars sold in India. (Sina Finance)

The Central Route of the China-Europe Railway Express Exceeds 1,000 Trips This Year

According to a report on April 20, it was learned from China Railway Hohhot Group Co., Ltd. that on the afternoon of the 19th, as a China-Europe Railway Express loaded with goods slowly left the Erenhot Railway Port, the number of China-Europe Railway Express trips on the central route this year exceeded 1,000. The Erenhot Railway Port is located in the core of the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor and is the only railway port for entry and exit on the "central route" of the China-Europe Railway Express. It currently has 72 operating routes, radiating to more than 60 cities in 24 provinces and autonomous regions in China and reaching more than 70 hub stations in more than 10 countries such as Germany and Poland. Since the first train was launched in 2013, the port has operated 18,000 China-Europe Railway Express trips. (TMTPost)

Trump's Policies Make Hedge Fund Titans Uneasy, Shifting Their Attention to the Middle East's Capital Pool

Hedge fund giants gathered at a luxury hotel in the capital of the UAE to participate in a closed-door event convened by Goldman Sachs. This meeting took place at a time when the world was in turmoil due to tariff policies. Some institutions that were firmly optimistic about Trump's economic agenda a few weeks ago have now started to suffer losses. For many hedge funds, their attention is focused in the same direction: the growing capital pool in the Middle East. As US investors prepare for potential recession risks, Middle Eastern assets are becoming increasingly attractive. This event highlights the increasing status of Abu Dhabi as an emerging global financial center. The emirate has 6% of the world's oil reserves and a sovereign wealth fund worth up to $1.7 trillion. Its abundant capital is becoming a "magnet" for global investors. (Sina Finance)

Alibaba.com Accelerates the Construction of Overseas Warehouse Network and Intensifies Recruitment for "Overseas In-stock" Merchants

After topping the US App shopping list, B2B cross-border e-commerce platform Alibaba.com has further launched a recruitment campaign for "overseas in-stock" merchants, targeting foreign trade merchants with in-stock goods in the United States and Europe. Alibaba.com will help these newly joined "overseas in-stock merchants" directly connect with KOLs, influencer stores, and MCN live-streaming agencies on overseas social media platforms with one click and launch a distribution tool to help merchants quickly increase order conversion and accelerate business growth. Currently, Alibaba.com's "overseas in-stock model" is open to the markets of the United States and 27 European countries, targeting cross-border merchants with overseas warehouses locally or those who have stocked their goods in third-party overseas warehouses. The product categories are mainly standard products. (36Kr)

DJI's Agricultural Drones Have a Normal Global Business Layout, and the Business is Still Growing Steadily

It was learned from informed sources that DJI's agricultural drones have a normal global business layout, and the business is still growing steadily. It is understood that since officially going global in 2017, DJI's agricultural products have covered 100 countries and regions around the world, focusing on exploring core agricultural regions such as the Americas, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and Africa, including markets in Brazil, Mexico, the United States, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, and South Africa.

Last year, the overseas shipment volume of DJI's agricultural drones increased 32 times compared with the same period in 2017, accounting for 30% of the global total. In the first quarter of 2025, the overseas shipment volume increased by 45% year-on-year. Among them, the growth in Latin America exceeded 200%, and in Africa, it exceeded 100%. Markets such as Brazil and Mexico made significant contributions. The US market covers all 50 states, with a focus on in-depth development in 16 core agricultural states. In Iowa, all 50 counties have been fully covered, and there are more than 220 local sales channels. The Latin American region has expanded to 33 countries. (The Paper)

BYD and Saudi Aramco Announce Cooperation on New Energy Vehicle Technology

On April 21, it was reported that BYD and Saudi Aramco agreed to explore deeper cooperation in new energy vehicle technology. According to a joint statement, BYD and Saudi Aramco Technologies Company (SATC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, signed a joint development agreement aimed at incubating innovative technologies to improve efficiency and environmental performance. This cooperation will leverage the R & D teams of both companies to achieve breakthroughs in new energy vehicles. (Jiemian News)

Baidu Apollo to Conduct Trial Operations in Dubai

On April 20, the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Baidu's autonomous driving mobility service Apollo Go. An operational trial with 50 autonomous taxis will be carried out this year, and full operations will start in 2026. The fleet size is planned to increase to 1,000 within three years. According to the memorandum of understanding, Baidu Apollo Go will deploy the sixth-generation and latest-generation autonomous taxis, the RT6. This test means that Apollo Go will conduct its first autonomous vehicle tests and operations outside the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (Caixin)

NIO's Firefly to Enter 16 Countries across Five Continents This Year

On April 23, Li Bin, the founder, chairman, and CEO of NIO, announced at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show press conference that this year, NIO's smart electric high-end small car Firefly will enter 16 countries across five continents. Firefly was launched on April 19 and will start deliveries on April 29. Firefly made its debut at an international auto show for the first time at the Shanghai Auto Show, sharing the stage with NIO's other models. (36Kr)

Avita Says It Plans to Enter More Than 50 Countries This Year

On April 23, Chen Zhuo, the president of Avita Technology, said at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show that Avita 06 will be upgraded to Huawei's Qiankun Intelligent Driving ADS 4 in the third quarter of this year, and Avita 11, 12, and 07 will also be upgraded in the third quarter. In terms of capital, Avita has no investment and financing plans before its Hong Kong IPO. Avita said that it plans to enter more than 50 countries this year, layout more than 161 sales channels, and achieve overseas sales of 15,000 vehicles. (TMTPost)

Elon Musk: Millions of Teslas Expected to Achieve "Full Self-driving" by the Second Half of Next Year

On April 22 (local time), Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that he expects millions of Teslas to achieve "full self-driving" by the second half of next year. He also expects thousands of Optimus robots to be deployed to work in Tesla factories by the end of this year. He is confident that by 2029 or 2030, the annual production of Optimus robots will reach one million units. (Jiemian News)

OpenAI Expects Revenue to Reach $125 Billion by 2029

OpenAI predicts that with the growth of agent systems and new products, its revenue will exceed $125 billion by 2029 and reach $174 billion by 2030. (Caixin)

Cui Dongshu, Secretary-General of the Passenger Car Association: China Exported 1.54 Million Vehicles from January to March 2025, a Year-on-Year Increase of 16%

Cui Dongshu, the secretary-general of the Passenger Car Association, wrote in an article that from January to March 2025, China exported 1.54 million vehicles, a 16% increase compared with the same period in 2024. In March, China exported 570,000 vehicles, a 16% year-on-year increase. The year-on-year and month-on-month trends were generally strong. The main driving forces this year are the improvement of the competitiveness of Chinese products and the slight growth of the markets in the Global South. (36Kr)

Six Major US Automotive Industry Organizations Jointly Oppose Tariffs on Auto Parts

Six major US automotive industry organizations representing auto dealers, suppliers, and almost all major automakers rarely jointly wrote to the US Treasury Secretary, Commerce Secretary, and US Trade Representative on the 21st, calling on the federal government not to impose tariffs on imported auto parts. The letter said that imposing tariffs on auto parts would disrupt the global automotive supply chain and trigger a chain reaction, leading to higher car prices, lower sales, and making auto after-sales service and maintenance more expensive and unpredictable. (Xinhua News Agency)

Policy Encouragement and Frequent Blockbusters: Chinese Games "Going Global" Enter a New Development Cycle

On April 21, the State Council Information Office held a press conference to introduce the "Work Plan for Accelerating the Comprehensive Pilot Program for Expanding the Opening-up of the Service Sector" (hereinafter referred to as the "Work Plan"). According to Ling Ji, the vice minister of the Ministry of Commerce and the deputy representative of international trade negotiations, among the pilot tasks specified in the "Work Plan" is to "develop the game export business and layout the entire industrial chain from IP creation to game production, distribution, and overseas operation." Liu Zun, the head of the DataEye Research Institute, said that the "Work Plan" has given a "boost" to game practitioners, encouraging upstream and downstream enterprises in the industry to actively layout the "going global" business. (Securities Daily)

Passenger Car Association: The Installation Rate of L2-Level and Above Driver Assistance Functions in New Energy Passenger Cars Reached 66.3% from January to February

According to the Passenger Car Association, from January to February 2025, the installation rate of L2-level and above driver assistance functions in new energy passenger cars reached 66.3%. The installation rate of intelligent driving systems in the market for vehicles priced below 160,000 yuan further increased. With the maturity of technology and the gradual improvement of relevant regulations, on the one hand, intelligent driving is penetrating into the low-price market, and on the other hand, automakers are gradually starting to layout higher-level intelligent driving. Several companies such as Chery, GAC, and Zeekr have announced the mass production schedules of L3-level autonomous driving vehicles. (36Kr)

China Enterprises International Service Center and Fangda Law Firm Jointly Host a Legal Compliance Session of the "Going Global Practical Training Camp"

On May 16, the China Enterprises International Service Center will host a legal compliance session of the "Going Global Practical Training Camp" in Qiantang, Hangzhou, in collaboration with Fangda Law Firm, a top domestic law firm. The event will focus on key issues such as the reconstruction of overseas supply chains and joint ventures and acquisition transactions for Chinese enterprises going global, helping enterprises successfully expand overseas. (Qiantang Going Global)

"Dubai AI Week" Focuses on Cutting-edge Technologies and Industrial Implementation, with Tech Companies Such as Microsoft, NVIDIA, and OpenAI Participating

The five-day "Dubai AI Week" kicked off in Dubai, UAE on the 21st. More than 10,000 experts, decision-makers, innovators, and business representatives from more than 100 countries and regions gathered to discuss cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and industrial implementation. The "Dubai AI Week" is jointly organized by the Dubai AI Centre and the Dubai Future Foundation and includes events such as the "Dubai AI Conference," the "Dubai AI Festival," and the "Global Prompt Engineering Competition." The aim is to promote innovation in AI technology and governance models through public-private collaboration, cross-sector cooperation, and cutting-edge exploration, opening up new paths for global sustainable development. Tech companies such as Google Cloud, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and OpenAI are participating. (Xinhua News Agency)

This article is from the WeChat official account "Hangzhou Qiantang Enterprise Going Global Service Base." The author is Qiantang Going Global, and it is published with authorization from Qiantang.