Chinese Premier Li Qiang began his first local inspection of the year in Guangdong, calling for expanded imports and more balanced trade growth after China’s trade surplus exceeded US$1 trillion, signalling Beijing’s intent to ease global trade tensions. SMU Associate Professor of Finance Fu Fangjian noted that despite conciliatory signals, China’s trade surplus is likely to keep expanding due to the strong competitiveness of its “new three” exports, with policy space mainly limited to cutting export subsidies and increasing imports from Europe.
In a commentary, SMU Assistant Professor of Communication Management (Education) Sungjong Roh and Swarm AI Managing Director Sam Ahmed said that the imbalance that artificial intelligence (AI) creates, citing that shielding executives from automation while lower-tier workers face displacement, reflects a deeper structural problem. They noted that AI deployment decisions are often concentrated at the top, with limited accountability for long-term societal consequences.
SMU Associate Professor of Marketing Hannah Chang explains that emotions are not inherently irrational; instead, they rapidly integrate information and signal what people care about. Assoc Prof Chang stated that emotions, when aligned with personal goals and values, can actually help consumers make choices that feel meaningful and authentic.
Commenting on Singapore’s funfair industry, SMU Associate Professor of Marketing (Education) Seshan Ramaswami called it "a risky business" that could still generate steady cash flow if designed and marketed well, particularly through long-term contracts.
Nine Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) were selected to enter parliament which included SMU Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship (Education) Kenneth Goh. A total of 57 proposed names were submitted for the roles. The 9 nominees will be presented at the Instruments on Appointments on 8 January 2026 and will be sworn in at the next sitting of Parliament on 12 January 2026.
China’s factory activity rose unexpectedly in December 2025, ending an eight-month slump, with the manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) at 50.1 and non-manufacturing activity also expanding. SMU Associate Professor of Finance Fu Fangjian said that the PMI is a leading indicator, and improvements should gradually transmit through to consumption and investment, signalling that aggressive stimulus is not needed for now.
Commenting on BYD’s growth in total sales in 2025, SMU Associate Professor of Finance Fu Fangjian highlighted that in international markets, smaller companies face natural disadvantages, giving BYD and other large firms clear advantages, and predicted that market share growth will accelerate as brands surpass initial thresholds. Other Chinese EV brands like Xpeng and Leapmotor also doubled sales, while Chery maintained its 23-year streak as China’s top exporter with over 1.34 million units.
SMU Associate Professor of Finance Fu Fangjian highlighted that the sense of helplessness experienced by modern youths is not unique to China and it is a global problem. He added that on a macro level, a better environment is needed but individual effort bears greater importance in the tide of times where obstacles are a perennial existence. Assoc Prof Fu opined that the outflow of Chinese youths may not be a bad thing as it may be beneficial to seek a change of environment.
Chinese Artificial intelligence (AI) startup Manus has completed a global transformation by moving its headquarters to Singapore and being acquired by Meta, reportedly for over $2 billion. SMU Associate Professor of Finance Fu Fangjian said the Chinese government does not appear intent on restricting AI companies from expanding overseas. He added that major Chinese AI models such as DeepSeek and Qwen are open-source, indicating that China is taking a relatively open stance towards AI development.
A research co-authored by SMU Assistant Professor of Marketing Linyi Li and MIT Sloan School of Management Professor Catherine Tucker found that generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) can be an effective tool for addressing obesity, without the need for medication and resultant side effects, reducing related healthcare costs and health inequities. They added that by providing real-time, personalised, and actionable feedback, GenAI helped bridge knowledge gaps, making weight loss education more accessible.
