EU-China

Revamped EU-India link could re-balance China ties, Portuguese FM says

Relations between the EU and India, especially in the context of an increasingly influential China, will be the central point of the Portuguese EU presidency, Portugal's Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.

EU should assert ‘own interests and principles’ to Beijing, says MEP

In an interview with EURACTIV France, MEP Raphaël Glucksmann (S&D) speaks about the EU and China agreeing on 30 December in principle on a Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CIA) after the French presidency assured on Monday that China's human rights "commitments" would be "very scrupulously checked".

Renewable energy opportunity for EU-China development cooperation

Cooperation in the renewable energy sector, such as hydropower, wind power and photovoltaic, between China and countries along the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) or third countries has significantly grown in recent years. A senior scientist suggests an EU-China partnership could benefit all involved.

Breton: With better information from China and WHO, we would have been better prepared

Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, told EURACTIV.com in an interview that Europe could have been better prepared to face the COVID-19 if China and the World Health Organisation had offered “better and more reliable information earlier”.

Expert : Germany could use EU presidency to shape EU-China relations

In an interview with EURACTIV Germany, director of the Asia programme of the European Council of Foreign Relations, Dr Janka Oertel, described how Germany could play a pivotal role in changing the EU's relations with China and might even force the exclusion of Huawei from the planned 5G expansion across the EU.

Xiaomi president: ‘We invest substantial amounts to be fully compliant with GDPR’

Amid security concerns surrounding Chinese tech giant Huawei, its smaller telecoms rival Xiaomi has been attempting to distinguish itself by focusing on consumer products and non-critical infrastructure.

Chinese ambassador: Panic could be a more fearful adversary than coronavirus

In fighting an epidemic, it is quite befitting to say that the only thing to fear is fear itself. In other words, panic could be a more fearful adversary than the virus itself, the Chinese Ambassador to the EU Zhang...

Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister: Very low expectations for Normandy summit

After Ukraine's new President Volodymyr Zelenskyi agreed to hold elections in the separatist regions on the Russian border, peace talks with Moscow are regaining momentum. With the assistance of France and Germany, the two countries will return to the negotiation table on 9 December.

Chinese official: ‘Without a strong WTO, connectivity means nothing’

The EU and Japan have launched a new strategy to strengthen ties between Europe and Asia, seen as an alternative to China’s ‘Belt and Road’. But in view of the ongoing global trade disputes, for senior Chinese diplomat Xuejun Guo, the priority is nonetheless the renovation of the World Trade Organisation’s appellate body.

Budapest-Belgrade railway: Orbán flirts with China

Hungary has signed a deal with China to modernise the railway link between Budapest and Belgrade. The project - the first major Chinese infrastructure deal inside the EU - aims to facilitate the distribution of goods arriving at the Chinese-owned port of Piräus, but critics say it might be a waste of taxpayer money.

Rail chief: ‘Instead of new corridors, enhance the existing ones’

President of Ferrmed Joan Amorós defends that, instead of investing in new corridors, EU and China should focus on improving the existing ones, “where the business is”. He also highlighted the importance of data sharing and the irruption of 5G to improve the efficiency of railway transport.

‘One Belt, One Road, One Million’: Rail chief plans to connect Europe to China

The 'New Silk Road' has the potential to make trade between China and Europe more competitive by rail than by sea. EURACTIV Germany spoke to transport boss Alexey Grom about the development of the Eurasian railway project, the 'New Silk Road' and its expansion towards Europe.

Asian investment bank warns of private capital decline

Global trade tensions are scaring investors globally. In Asia, despite the huge needs to finance large projects, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is “concerned” about stagnant and even fall of private capital being attracted, its vice-president told EURACTIV.com.

Asian investment bank: ‘We could invest in the EU’

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has recently decided to start looking abroad to invest its $100 billion in capital, including ports in the EU. His vice-president Joachim von Amsberg told EURACTIV there wouldn’t be any rivalry with EU institutions, but rather "collaboration".

Kurz: Austrian EU Presidency to focus on China

During its July-December EU Presidency, Austria wants to set its own focus on China. To prepare for this, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz paid a visit to the Middle Kingdom. EURACTIV Germany reports from Vienna.

Expert: One Belt One Road can have ‘huge importance’ for Central Asia

Kazakhstani political analyst Zhumabek Sarabekov discusses the Skripal poisoning case, the war in Syria, and the geopolitics of Central Asia, including the role of the EU.

Gambardella: EU, China should move beyond stereotypes

EU companies’ investment opportunities in China will keep on growing but the EU should understand that the super-preferential treatment it received for years is over and should move beyond stereotypes, ChinaEU President Luigi Gambardella told EURACTIV.com.

Steel chief: Brexit may help defend the EU from dumping

For every tonne of steel that we reduce from our production capacity, we find five imported tonnes at our border, Axel Eggert, the director general of the European Steel Association (EUROFER) told Euractiv Slovakia.

Muscat: Rebutting Trump should not turn into anti-Americanism

EXCLUSIVE / Donald Trump is offering Europe the opportunity to gain the leadership role that it has always craved, but EU leaders should be vigilant not to fall into the anti-Americanism trap, Malta's premier told EURACTIV.com in a wide-ranging interview on internal and global challenges, outlining a vision for the future of Europe.

Ex-VP: Taiwan must become ‘neutral Switzerland’ of Asia-Pacific

To avoid China taking over Taiwan, and ease tensions in the South China Sea, Taiwan should become a permanent neutral nation like Switzerland, former Taiwanese vice-president Annette Hsiu-lien LU told EURACTIV in an interview.

Fjellner MEP: EU tariffs on Chinese solar imports are a Commission-backed cartel

EU trade defence measures on solar imports from China are, in effect, a European Commission-backed cartel, which benefits only German and Chinese panel producers and makes the fight against climate change more expensive, Christofer Fjellner MEP has said.

Ifo economist: ‘China may not become a market economy in our lifetime’

Critics warn that granting Market Economy Status to China would threaten millions of European jobs. This is an exaggerated view, Erdal Yalcin told EURACTIV Germany.

Chinese ambassador: ‘We already have a market economy status’

EXCLUSIVE / Shi Mingde, China's ambassador to Germany, spoke to EURACTIV Germany about trade relations with the EU, Market Economy Status and the planned economic development of his country.

More needs to be done to ‘sell’ Juncker Plan, confesses Katainen

The European Commission's investment plan has been one of its biggest priorities this year. Now that the legal skeleton is in place, its political pilot, Vice-President Jyrki Katainen, recognised that he has to redouble efforts to ‘sell’ the package.