On January 15, optimism over the de-escalation of the trade war between the US and China reached a peak. After months of negotiations, tariffs from the US, and rising protectionist retaliation from China, the "phase one" trade deal took some pressure off China's economy. The trade war weighed far more heavily on China than the US. At the same time, protests and demonstrations in Hong Kong presented another challenge for the leadership in Beijing. While the potential for further issues in Hong Kong remains, the situation calmed over the past weeks.
China got no time