EU-China
EU seeks information as Chinese espionage scandal hits Poland
European Commission will seek information from Poland after national authorities arrested this week a Chinese Huawei employee and a Polish national over espionage allegations.
China seen as ‘absolute winner’ of clean energy transition
The transformation brought by renewable energies will alter the global distribution of power, relations between states, and the environmental drivers of geopolitical instability, according to a major international study published on Friday (11 January).
China’s Xi fails to reassure Europeans on trade dispute with US
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s landmark speech on Tuesday (28 December) did not contain any new announcements to de-escalate the country's ongoing trade war with the US, worrying Europeans about the consequences on global commerce.
Commission says Europe should be ‘worried’ about Huawei
Europe should be “worried” about Huawei and other Chinese companies, given the mandatory cooperation they have to maintain with Chinese intelligence services, European Commission Vice-President for Digital Single Market Andrus Ansip said on Friday (7 December).
China hails ‘mutual respect’ as loops Portugal into Belt and Road
China will always stick to "mutual respect" in its efforts to deal with global challenges, President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday (5 December) in Lisbon, where he signed agreements to link Portugal to Beijing's One Belt - One Road initiative.
Xi Jinping heads to Portugal as China’s influence worries EU partners
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Portugal Tuesday (4 December) for a two-day visit to strengthen ties, amid concern in some EU capitals over China's growing influence on the continent.
Trump and Xi’s truce upholds watered down G20 communiqué
A trade ceasefire agreed between the US and Chinese presidents, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, helped to sustain the defence of multilateralism included in the final G20 declaration in Buenos Aires.
G20 struggles to agree on watered down declaration
The Group of Twenty most powerful nations were nearing an agreement late on Friday (30 November), in which a reference to a rules-based multilateral trade system was expected to be included. But ambition was lowered in the climate field to overcome the US opposition to the Paris Agreement.
China seeks allies in Spain and Portugal despite EU reservations
China, currently engaged in a trade war with the United States, is seeking to strengthen its ties with Spain and Portugal as other European Union members are trying to restrict Chinese investments.
Europe to push for trade reforms in critical G20 summit in Buenos Aires
European leaders will pursue a last-ditch effort to improve the global trade system during the meeting of the Group of 20 most powerful nations in Buenos Aires (Argentina) later this week, as the dispute between US and China risks breaking the multilateral framework.
In rare coordinated move, Western envoys seek meeting on Xinjiang concerns
A group of 15 Western ambassadors in Beijing, spearheaded by Canada, are seeking a meeting with the top official in China’s restive, heavily Muslim Xinjiang region for an explanation of alleged rights abuses against ethnic Uighurs.
A new trade framework for shared prosperity
European countries and companies welcomed China’s new measures to open up its economy and import more goods announced during its first Import Expo organized in Shanghai. But they urged the Asian economy to address some issues including intellectual property rights.
Brussels’ approach to Greater Eurasia in need of revision
It’s curious that the EU’s initiative “Connecting Europe and Asia” makes no mention of two of its most important players – the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Chinese “Belt and Road” Initiative, writes Yuri Kofner.
Expert: US-China dispute ‘is not a trade but economic war’
The ongoing trade dispute is an instrument of cold economic warfare launched by the US to “contain” China, and it could lead to the fragmentation of the global economic and financial system, warned Alicia García-Herrero, a senior fellow at Bruegel think tank.
ASEM comes to town
Apart from the UN General Assembly, the biggest gathering of world leaders takes place in Brussels this week, the biannual Asia-Europe meeting, known as ASEM. Representing two-thirds of the world’s population, trade and GDP, Europe and Asia have lots to discuss, writes Fraser Cameron.
US, EU should ‘clean the house’ and deal with China – US ambassador
Europe and the US should quickly sort out the current issues in their "long-term faithful marriage" so they can speak in "one powerful voice" and address China's global activities, US ambassador to the EU, Gordon Sondland, said on Wednesday (3 September).
Kazakh families torn apart in China’s Xinjiang crackdown
When he looks back on his youth in China's far-west Xinjiang region, Akikat Kaliolla, an ethnic Kazakh, recalls the place's natural beauty and the big, colourful weddings typical of his majority-Muslim community.
Visegrad express railway project unveiled
Four Central European countries announced Monday (1 October) a plan to build a high-speed rail link between Budapest and Warsaw, said Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó.
Djibouti: What Europe should understand of China’s approach to military expansion
China’s military presence in Djibouti has an impact on peace and stability in the region, which directly affects the interests of European countries in Africa, writes Yun Sun.
EU energy watchdog urges Bosnia not to accept Chinese loan
The EU energy watchdog urged a Bosnian regional parliament on Thursday (27 September) not to approve a government guarantee for a China Exim Bank loan that is designed to help power utility EPBiH add a new unit at its Tuzla coal-fired power plant.
Mogherini unveils EU response to New Silk Road
EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini announced on Wednesday (19 September) the Commission’s vision on how to better connect Europe and Asia, in what appears to be a reply to China’s Belt and Road initiative, and also an effort to prepare the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in October.
EU counters China’s Silk Road Initiative
Today’s adoption by the European Commission of a new ‘Connectivity Strategy’ linking Europe and Asia throws down the gauntlet to an increasingly assertive China, writes Bart Broer.
Juncker to propose breaking dollar’s dominance in global markets
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is expected to propose today (12 September) a bigger role for the euro in international markets and more efficient decision-making in EU foreign policy in his state of the union speech, European diplomats said.