30 Debates
Europe and China
China celebrated the tenth anniversary of its
Several data indicators point to a marked slowdown in China's economic growth: according to the country's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), industrial output rose by 3.7 percent year-on-year in July - falling far behind the growth rate for June (4.4 percent), while retail sales rose by 2.5 percent (compared to 3.1 percent in June) and investment in the real estate sector fell by 8.5 percent. Europe's press takes stock.
Negotiations are starting today, Wednesday, on a new
Emmanuel Macron's statements on the
French President Emmanuel Macron has travelled to China together with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, where they will meet with President Xi Jinping. In a speech prior to the meeting, Macron praised the
Finland has had two pandas on loan from China since 2018. The costs for Ähtäri Zoo, where the animals are kept, amount to 1.5 million euros per year for rent and maintenance and have now become a bone of contention. A government proposal to provide 5 million euros in funding for the zoo has met with criticism, partly because two of its ministers come from the Ähtäri constituency. The zoo wants to return the animals to China. The press points to the international dimensions of the affair.
China will cede the rank of the world's most populous country to India this year - but politically and economically it remains Asia's number one superpower. However, Beijing's confrontation with
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has ended his
The National Congress of the
The 23rd EU-China summit will take place on the first of April via video conference. The main topic will be the
About half a year after Lithuania's decision to allow a
Lithuania and China are at loggerheads after the Baltic state gave Taiwan permission to set up a diplomatic mission called the Taiwanese Representative Office in its capital in August. China, which rejects any official use of the name "Taiwan" and considers the island part of its own territory, has reacted by imposing economic sanctions and withdrawing its ambassador. Who will stand by Lithuania?
The Shanghai-based Fudan University plans to open a campus in Budapest in 2024, with a capacity of around 5,000 students and 500 teaching staff. Hungary's Minister of Innovation and Technology, László Palkovics, signed a corresponding agreement with the university's president in Shanghai in 2019. Hotly debated in Hungary, the decision is also causing consternation in neighbouring Austria.
After almost seven years of deadlock, the EU's negotiations with China on an investment agreement were concluded at the turn of the year. The deal gives Europe's companies easier access to the world's largest and fastest-growing market. Increased cooperation with China was a primary concern of the
The Swedish Post and Telecom Authority has banned the Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE from providing equipment for the country's 5G network. It thus joins the ranks of countries like
In January, despite pressure from the US, London decided to allow Huawei, the Chinese global leader in communications services, to
The Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei will be allowed to participate, albeit with certain restrictions, in the expansion of the 5G mobile network in the UK. The British government announced the decision on Tuesday. The US had
French President Emmanuel Macron travelled to China with a delegation of high-level managers on Monday. During his visit he wants to secure around 40 trade deals. EU Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan and representatives from other European governments also accompanied him. France's initiative draws praise - but also harsh criticism - from the press.
French President Emmanuel Macron invited Angela Merkel and Jean-Claude Juncker to also attend his meeting on Tuesday with Chinese President Xi Jinping. While in Paris Xi promoted Beijing's
The US has warned Germany and other countries against tasking Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei with the construction of the 5G network in Europe. It threatened Berlin with ending its collaboration with German intelligence services and military cooperation within Nato if the country failed to heed its advice, as it believes China could misuse the sensitive infrastructure. How should Europe react?
Investor George Soros has warned of the impact advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence could have in the hands of authoritarian states. He stressed that China's leader Xi Jinping could become the most dangerous threat to democracy - particularly as he is expanding his influence through global investments. Not all commentators agree.
The
The EU and China are joining forces in the trade dispute with the US. At the EU-China summit they agreed to cooperate more closely in the areas of economic affairs and environmental protection. Commentators welcome this new unity but warn that Europe must not forget the human rights abuses in China.
Sweden is caught up in a heated debate about China's influence in the country. In the western Swedish city of Lysekil Chinese investors wanted to build the biggest deep-water container port in Northern Europe, but protests brought the project to a halt. How should the country behave with regard to Beijing and major projects of this kind in general?