China pushes AI chips as Stellantis recalls Jeeps - Sep 17, 2025

As of September 17, today’s news sees China’s push to strengthen its domestic chip industry and a major vehicle recall by Stellantis in the United States. China Unicom has built a massive data centre powered by domestically developed artificial intelligence chips from Alibaba and other companies, state broadcaster CCTV said, as Beijing seeks to wean itself off foreign technologies. The news comes as U.S. officials voiced national security concerns at trade talks with China in Madrid this week, aiming to block shipments of chips and other advanced technology. Amid the tension China has grown increasingly keen for domestic firms to switch to homegrown chips, warning them against use of those made by U.S. giant Nvidia, on security grounds. Meanwhile, Stellantis is recalling nearly 164,000 Jeep vehicles in the U.S. due to issues causing a possible detachment of the trim on the driver and passenger doors, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Wednesday. Turning to market updates, copper prices experienced a decline amidst a stronger dollar and softened demand from China, which is the largest consumer of copper. As of the latest reports, the benchmark three-month copper contract on the London Metal Exchange fell by 1.03% to 10,022 dollars per ton, with traders adjusting positions ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest rate decision. The outlook from China remains subdued, impacted by recent price hikes. In broader scenarios, European companies are preparing for possible shutdowns resulting from China’s continued tight control over rare earth exports, which was anticipated despite a July agreement to expedite shipments to the EU. This situation is causing complications for automakers and chip manufacturers who heavily rely on these crucial materials. Jens Eskelund, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, noted that significant bottlenecks persist, affecting production timelines and operational capacity. On the global stage, the U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to announce a quarter-percentage-point interest rate cut. This meeting may become contentious, as some policymakers express differing views on the appropriateness of such a move in the current economic climate. Observers closely monitor how this decision will reflect President Trump’s influence on monetary policy, amidst ongoing tensions with various stakeholders.