https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/325497/feed The latest breaking news and stories on Germany, a country in northern Europe known as a federal republic, and the world’s fourth largest economy. Also covering Germany’s relationship with China and Europe, plus commentary and updates on Germany’s economy, politics, society and social issues. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg dpa dpa Britain’s Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the UK is “clear” there was Russian interference in the Brexit referendum. He said that when he entered No 10 Downing Street a few months ago, he had asked whether Moscow interfered in the 2016 vote on whether to leave the EU and was given “the clear answer that yes there was”. The prime minister said he believes it is important to put this “clearly on the record” to help voters in Germany and France understand that “some of this politics is... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370514/it-clear-russia-interfered-brexit-referendum-says-uk-pm-burnham?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370514/it-clear-russia-interfered-brexit-referendum-says-uk-pm-burnham?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Oct 2026 18:11:43 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham In September, the Jaecoo 7 – a budget SUV from China’s Chery Automobile – made headlines when it shifted more than 10,000 units to become Britain’s bestselling car. Christened the “Temu Range Rover” online, a nod to the cheap goods available on the Chinese online marketplace and the luxury 4X4 made by Jaguar Land Rover that it resembles, its success showed British drivers’ new-found taste for cut-price Chinese cars. Overall, 23 per cent of new cars bought in Britain last month were Chinese... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370482/eus-china-dilemma-how-counter-beijing-without-alienating-friends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370482/eus-china-dilemma-how-counter-beijing-without-alienating-friends?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Oct 2026 11:00:14 +0000 dpa dpa You spend the evening alone on your couch, decline a party invitation or prefer to stay at home instead of going out to a pub or cafe. Some people withdraw, consciously or unconsciously, from social interactions. Sometimes it is just a phase that can help you recharge your social battery. If it is prolonged, however, it can be harmful to your health. People naturally need time for themselves, say, after partying or during stressful periods in their lives. It is perfectly normal to keep to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3370310/how-much-alone-time-too-much-experts-differences-between-recharging-and-withdrawal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3370310/how-much-alone-time-too-much-experts-differences-between-recharging-and-withdrawal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Oct 2026 23:15:08 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Another day, another hardline statement from the European Union. This week, the European Parliament voted by a landslide for a significantly tougher China position, despite long-standing Beijing lobbying. The report labels China a “decisive enabler” of Russia, calls for a “continuous” European naval presence and joint exercises in and around the Taiwan Strait, and describes Beijing’s industrial policy as an “existential threat to the EU”. “[T]his parliament can send a clear message: no more... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3370176/eu-its-own-worst-enemy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3370176/eu-its-own-worst-enemy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Oct 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Hotel room rates across mainland China fell short of expectations during the National Day “golden week” holiday despite a tourism boom, as company officials and analysts called for stronger asset and revenue management to ease pricing pressure. Hotel tariffs remained largely unchanged from the previous month between October 1 and 7, even as bookings jumped, according to executives at hotel operators and travel agencies. “The days when hotels and resorts could expect a windfall during the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3370279/chinas-hotel-room-rates-disappoint-during-golden-week-despite-tourism-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3370279/chinas-hotel-room-rates-disappoint-during-golden-week-despite-tourism-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Oct 2026 10:00:13 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China tried 3 times to talk crime families out of scam business in Myanmar: CCTV China tried three times to persuade powerful families in northern Myanmar to shut down scam operations before Myanmar police carried out large-scale... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/article/3370254/china-warned-myanmar-syndicates-trump-urged-xi-talk-takaichi-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/article/3370254/china-warned-myanmar-syndicates-trump-urged-xi-talk-takaichi-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Oct 2026 04:15:06 +0000 dpa dpa Police have arrested a 60-year-old man suspected of shooting dead two local government employees during a routine firearms inspection in the southern German state of Bavaria, police said early on Friday. The suspect was slightly wounded by gunfire during his arrest, a police spokeswoman said. Police have not yet established a motive for the killings. According to initial findings, the man allegedly shot dead a 54-year-old woman and a 45-year-old man, both employees of the Neumarkt district... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370238/german-official-killed-another-injured-during-firearms-inspection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370238/german-official-killed-another-injured-during-firearms-inspection?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 18:32:48 +0000 dpa dpa The United Kingdom is “open” to Germany joining an international coalition to build the next generation of fighter jets, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced. Speaking in Berlin on Thursday, during his first visit to the German capital since taking office, Burnham said he “indicated” to Chancellor Friedrich Merz Britain’s “openness” to the country joining the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). Initially a pact between the UK, Italy and Japan to build a sixth-generation fighter jet,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370225/uk-signals-openness-germany-joining-gcap-fighter-jet-programme?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370225/uk-signals-openness-germany-joining-gcap-fighter-jet-programme?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 14:40:11 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez Japan and the United States will rehearse moving anti-ship missiles, air defences and communications networks onto islands near Taiwan this month in an expanded military exercise that analysts say could complicate Beijing’s planning for a Taiwan or East China Sea conflict. Keen Sword 27, which runs from October 19 to 29, will involve about 45,000 Japanese personnel, 6,100 vehicles, 40 ships and 260 aircraft, up from about 33,000 personnel, 30 ships and 250 aircraft in 2024. About 12,000 US... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370210/how-expanded-japan-us-military-exercises-could-complicate-pla-planning-over-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370210/how-expanded-japan-us-military-exercises-could-complicate-pla-planning-over-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:00:16 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang Most G20 members, including the European Union, signed a US-led joint statement calling for action to eliminate industrial overcapacity, a move experts say reflects a coordinated effort by Washington and Brussels to assemble a “multilateral coalition” to pressure Beijing amid growing trade imbalances. In the statement, issued by the Office of the United States Trade Representative on Wednesday, the US and 14 other economies agreed to “take effective actions” to address structural excess capacity... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/policy/article/3370184/washington-brussels-forge-multilateral-coalition-against-chinas-industrial-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/policy/article/3370184/washington-brussels-forge-multilateral-coalition-against-chinas-industrial-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:00:06 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China’s central bank published a position paper on the yuan exchange rate on Thursday, arguing that China has no need to gain a competitive edge through devaluing its currency and has never resorted to deliberate devaluation. The report was published on the same day that China and the European Union kicked off a fresh round of trade talks, with growing European calls for a stronger yuan to help address the bloc’s widening trade deficit with China. “Global economic imbalances are deeply... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3370215/chinas-central-bank-slams-currency-manipulation-claims-eu-trade-talks-begin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3370215/chinas-central-bank-slams-currency-manipulation-claims-eu-trade-talks-begin?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 11:57:55 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro When the governor of the Bank of France feels it is necessary to point out that “France is not Greece during the euro zone crisis”, it is clear there is a confidence problem at the heart of Europe’s monetary union. While there are stark differences between the current threats facing the single currency area and those that almost tore apart the bloc in 2012, bond investors can smell blood. Worryingly, France – the euro-zone’s second-largest economy, which was previously treated by investors as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3370128/how-japanese-bond-yields-chinese-competition-are-stoking-euro-zone-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3370128/how-japanese-bond-yields-chinese-competition-are-stoking-euro-zone-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 08:30:07 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian China’s biggest sportswear maker, Anta Sports, has strengthened its challenge to global rivals such as Nike and Adidas by becoming the largest shareholder in Puma, the German brand recognised worldwide for its sports and casual footwear. The Hong Kong-listed company completed the acquisition of a 29.06 per cent stake in Puma from Artemis, the investment vehicle of France’s Pinault family, in an all-cash deal valued at €1.51 billion (US$1.7 billion). “The stake is expected to boost Puma’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3370148/how-puma-fits-chinese-sportswear-maker-antas-plan-challenge-global-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3370148/how-puma-fits-chinese-sportswear-maker-antas-plan-challenge-global-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 06:10:59 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham,Dewey Sim Finbarr Bermingham,Dewey Sim German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is planning to visit China in the coming weeks, even as relations between the two countries sour over trade, according to multiple sources familiar with the arrangement. It will mark the first official visit to China since 2018 for Steinmeier, a former foreign minister whose decade-long tenure as president ends in March next year. The visit will coincide with Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s trips to Japan and South Korea this month. When asked about the visit... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370140/german-president-steinmeier-targets-china-trip-berlin-sharpens-trade-stance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370140/german-president-steinmeier-targets-china-trip-berlin-sharpens-trade-stance?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 05:06:24 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu As China and the European Union began a fresh round of trade talks in Beijing on Thursday, observers on both sides appeared to agree on one thing: a big breakthrough was unlikely. Chinese firms based in Europe said they hoped the talks could achieve some “limited progress” to help stabilise the trade relationship, while European analysts remained cautious about the potential outcome. “They’re bound to get some results,” said a Chinese source with knowledge of the talks, adding that EU Trade... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3370119/china-and-eu-begin-crunch-trade-talks-optimism-short-supply?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3370119/china-and-eu-begin-crunch-trade-talks-optimism-short-supply?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 03:00:28 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin Initial results from the world’s first two working nuclear clocks indicate that China’s timepiece is about six times as stable as the one in Vienna, according to papers published this week by the journal Nature. The clocks were developed independently but both the Chinese team, led by Tsinghua University in Beijing, and the researchers at Vienna’s TU Wien used thorium-229 nuclei embedded in crystals to keep time by the steady rhythm of the atom’s core, rather than the electrons whirling around... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3370006/chinas-thorium-229-nuclear-clock-beats-viennas-stability-studies-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3370006/chinas-thorium-229-nuclear-clock-beats-viennas-stability-studies-show?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Oct 2026 15:00:07 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The European Union’s top trade mandarins depart for Beijing on Wednesday for two days of intensive negotiations but expectations in Brussels are measured as to what the talks will deliver. Maros Sefcovic, the EU’s trade chief, will meet his Chinese counterpart, Wang Wentao, on Thursday and Friday – three months after their last encounter in Brussels, when the Europeans set an October deadline for signs of a rebalancing in the trading relationship. Non-stop working-level talks have proven... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369992/last-chance-saloon-eu-presses-china-sign-prove-trade-talks-can-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369992/last-chance-saloon-eu-presses-china-sign-prove-trade-talks-can-work?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Oct 2026 05:06:45 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Germany and France, the European Union’s two largest economies, jointly called for tougher EU trade defences, as European and Chinese negotiators prepare for crunch talks this week under the shadow of a potential trade war. “The open and rules-based trade system is massively affected by weaponisation of trade, systemic market-distorting practices, and global macroeconomic imbalances,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron said in an open letter. “We need urgent... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369919/germany-joins-france-call-china-trade-defences?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369919/germany-joins-france-call-china-trade-defences?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Oct 2026 09:19:20 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow US F-35 stealth fighters have joined Indian warplanes for military exercises near the Pakistan border in recent days, marking the first time America’s most advanced multirole combat aircraft has taken part in joint drills in India. The US jets’ participation in the drills “signals a degree of military confidence and interoperability that is difficult to manufacture through communiques”, Sushant Singh, a South Asian studies lecturer at Yale University and former Indian Army officer, told This... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3369870/india-sizes-us-f-35-stealth-jets-landmark-first-home-turf?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3369870/india-sizes-us-f-35-stealth-jets-landmark-first-home-turf?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Oct 2026 04:47:05 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham,Xiaofei Xu Finbarr Bermingham,Xiaofei Xu In the strongest sign yet of a shifting European Union policy on China, the leaders of France and Germany have demanded a new trade weapon that would cut off access to the EU market when third countries cause severe distortions. The tool would effectively act as a kill switch, allowing Brussels to respond rapidly to systemic distortions, potentially immediately. It would grant dramatic new powers to the European Commission, the EU’s executive branch, which manages trade policy for the 27-member... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369828/france-germany-call-new-weapon-allowing-immediate-cut-china-eu-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369828/france-germany-call-new-weapon-allowing-immediate-cut-china-eu-market?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 14:08:31 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Most trade ministers from the world’s largest economies disagreed with calls to curb excess industrial capacity at a Group of 20 (G20) trade meeting that ended on Thursday, according to China’s commerce ministry, a view that contrasts with a US statement that a “handful” of countries objected. “The issues related to excess industrial capacity and forced labour have been highly controversial,” a Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday about the two-day G20 Trade... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369703/most-g20-trade-ministers-reject-us-call-curbing-excess-capacity-china-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369703/most-g20-trade-ministers-reject-us-call-curbing-excess-capacity-china-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Oct 2026 10:38:50 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Russia struck a bridge in Kyiv on Sunday soon after Germany’s chancellor arrived in Ukraine’s capital on a surprise visit to demonstrate European support in the face of an upsurge in attacks. Air raid sirens blared across Kyiv, urging residents to shelter soon after Friedrich Merz arrived under tight security, with warnings of approaching Russian attack drones. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko then confirmed that a strike had damaged the road surface on the Northern Bridge – one of several connecting... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369698/russia-strikes-kyiv-bridge-germanys-merz-visits-pledges-aid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369698/russia-strikes-kyiv-bridge-germanys-merz-visits-pledges-aid?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Oct 2026 09:55:12 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage From online-gambling rings in eSwatini to SIM swapping in Kenya and cybercrime networks in Zambia, a wave of cross-border fraud is drawing African governments and China into closer security cooperation. China hosted East African security ministers and police chiefs in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, on September 10 for talks on terrorism, kidnapping, online fraud and other cross-border threats. China’s public security minister, Wang Xiaohong, said Beijing would strengthen law-enforcement... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369660/china-and-africa-boost-law-enforcement-ties-crackdown-cross-border-cybercrime?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369660/china-and-africa-boost-law-enforcement-ties-crackdown-cross-border-cybercrime?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Oct 2026 22:00:12 +0000 Wee Kek Koon Wee Kek Koon Munich’s Oktoberfest was never on my travel bucket list. But it offered a chance to meet up with good friends from Hong Kong and their adorable toddler, Joshua, who go to the festival every year as a family. So there I was, spending a weekend at Theresienwiese, surrounded by bewildering varieties of beer and their drinkers. The annual Oktoberfest, first held in October 1810 to celebrate a royal wedding, is about more than just beer. There are amusement rides, games, stalls selling things you... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3369449/surprising-history-beer-china-li-tsingtao?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3369449/surprising-history-beer-china-li-tsingtao?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:15:06 +0000 Reuters Reuters Group ⁠of Seven countries agreed on Friday to release 100 million barrels of diesel and crude oil from emergency reserves and pledged to refrain from energy export restrictions after pressure from US President Donald Trump. The US led a pressure campaign on the European Union to draw down emergency diesel inventories, with the Trump administration warning that failure to act could lead to a US ban on diesel exports. Such a ban could sharply reduce supplies to Europe, which has become... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369626/trump-says-europe-agrees-release-diesel-stocks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369626/trump-says-europe-agrees-release-diesel-stocks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Oct 2026 14:51:04 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Thursday that there is no timeline yet for implementing the US-China Board of Trade, one of the key economic outcomes of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington last week. Speaking on the sidelines of the Group of 20 Trade Ministers’ meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Greer said the tariff reductions under the mechanism were “a policy outcome” and that the recommendations would have to go through a legal process before... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3369490/greer-says-no-specific-timeline-set-enforcing-us-china-board-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3369490/greer-says-no-specific-timeline-set-enforcing-us-china-board-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 22:54:03 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse EU nations will meet Friday, aiming to develop a unified response to soaring diesel prices, a day after the US called on its European allies to release strategic reserves “immediately” to stem the crisis. The emergency meeting between EU member states and the European Commission is scheduled for early in the day, a Commission spokesperson said late Thursday. Washington is piling on pressure to get European help with fuel costs, with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday floating the possibility... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369488/us-tells-european-allies-act-immediately-lower-diesel-prices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369488/us-tells-european-allies-act-immediately-lower-diesel-prices?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 22:12:46 +0000 Eve Qiao Eve Qiao Two giant pandas arrived in the US following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington, continuing a decades-old tradition in which the beloved fuzzy ambassadors have become symbols of China’s ties with countries around the world. Zoo Atlanta announced the arrival of giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang on Sunday, saying it was “overjoyed” to welcome the pair after the zoo’s previous 25-year partnership with China ended in 2024. Xi said during his US visit that the pandas would be sent... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369456/panda-diplomacy-all-countries-currently-hosting-chinas-beloved-ambassadors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369456/panda-diplomacy-all-countries-currently-hosting-chinas-beloved-ambassadors?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 22:00:05 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Wednesday proposed a new global framework to tackle excess steel production capacity on the sidelines of the ongoing Group of 20 Trade Ministers’ meeting, just days after Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the United States. “The United States has taken robust measures, and it probably makes sense for other countries to do that too,” Greer said after a meeting of the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity (GFSEC) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “Well,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369393/us-targets-chinas-steel-capacity-g20-days-after-xis-state-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369393/us-targets-chinas-steel-capacity-g20-days-after-xis-state-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2026 21:30:34 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Brussels and Berlin are steeling themselves for a make-or-break October with China, as the mood towards Beijing hardens in both capitals. The month ahead could help set the course of the increasingly thorny EU-China relationship for years to come, as Europe gears up to present a slew of new tools for countering Beijing’s trade practices, likely to come in December. Before then, EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic travels to Beijing on October 8 and 9 for crucial meetings with Chinese Commerce Minister... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369303/eu-weighs-sweeping-new-trade-powers-against-china-make-or-break-october?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369303/eu-weighs-sweeping-new-trade-powers-against-china-make-or-break-october?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2026 08:00:14 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu The Ministry of Commerce has criticised a reported Franco-German push for the EU to develop a trade tool similar to the US’ Section 301 to counter China, calling it “protectionist and unilateralist” and warning that Beijing would “resolutely respond” to any discriminatory measures against Chinese companies or products. “The EU has itself been a victim of such tools in the past: do not do unto others what you would not have done unto yourself,” it said in a statement issued on Tuesday. The timing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369272/beijing-criticises-push-eu-develop-section-301-style-trade-tool-counter-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369272/beijing-criticises-push-eu-develop-section-301-style-trade-tool-counter-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2026 03:00:18 +0000 Huizhao Huang,Xiaofei Xu Huizhao Huang,Xiaofei Xu Wang Xixi still remembers her first experience with Germany’s trains 21 years ago. It left her with a question: how could a railway be so empty, clean and punctual, and still make money? The carriages were bright, the toilets almost spotless and the fittings modern. During four years as a student in Bavaria, travelling on a regional rail pass, she barely remembers a delay. At the time, China’s high-speed railway network was just getting started, while Germany was a major exporter of the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3369202/how-years-thin-investment-have-stalled-germanys-rail-network-chinas-speeds-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3369202/how-years-thin-investment-have-stalled-germanys-rail-network-chinas-speeds-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:00:07 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao held a video call with German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche on Monday, just over a week before the next round of trade talks between Beijing and Brussels, amid reports that Germany and France are pushing for a new tool that would enable the EU to swiftly shut China out of the European market. Wang and Reiche “exchanged opinions on the Sino-German and Sino-European economic and trade relations”, according to a short statement published by the Chinese side... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3369133/beijing-and-berlin-exchanged-opinions-amid-reported-plan-shut-china-out-eu-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3369133/beijing-and-berlin-exchanged-opinions-amid-reported-plan-shut-china-out-eu-market?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2026 07:31:22 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Tokyo on Monday rebuked Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov after he voiced opposition over the weekend to Japan’s drive for permanent membership of the UN Security Council, claiming the country was on a “path of militarisation”. Lavrov’s comments came as the security council, tasked with safeguarding peace, is facing calls for reform amid accusations it failed to prevent recent conflicts such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, due largely to the veto power of its five permanent members:... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3369042/japan-denies-militarisation-after-russia-opposes-permanent-un-council-seat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3369042/japan-denies-militarisation-after-russia-opposes-permanent-un-council-seat?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 07:40:22 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen In the latest milestone for China’s heavy-duty gas turbine manufacturers, Shanghai Electric has secured a turnkey contract to deliver equipment to a power plant in Malaysia, giving it a foothold in a market dominated by established foreign players amid a global supply crunch. The state-owned conglomerate, based in the Chinese financial centre, hailed the deal reached earlier this month as evidence of the competitiveness of its integrated solutions and its capacity to design and manufacture... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3369029/chinas-gas-turbine-makers-aim-challenge-global-giants-malaysia-start?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3369029/chinas-gas-turbine-makers-aim-challenge-global-giants-malaysia-start?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 06:20:17 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Han Zheng, China’s vice-president, called on “major countries” to respect the sovereignty and security of Middle Eastern nations and bring about a two-state solution for the “Palestinian question” on Saturday at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in an implicit dig at the US and Israel. This came as some analysts questioned why Chinese President Xi Jinping opted not to address the global body given his three-day summit in Washington with US President Donald Trump this week – despite the short... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368923/why-xi-jinping-skipped-un-after-his-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368923/why-xi-jinping-skipped-un-after-his-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 23:04:55 +0000 Huizhao Huang Huizhao Huang Chinese carmakers have gained ground in Europe’s shift to electric cars, emerging as the biggest winners in plug-in hybrids despite moves by Brussels to curb their expansion. As petrol prices climbed across the EU, hitting a record high of more than €2.30 a litre (US$9.91 a US gallon) in Germany this month, the move to battery power gathered pace. Battery-electric registrations jumped 62.7 per cent year on year in August and accounted for 21.7 per cent of new registrations in the first eight... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368814/chinese-marques-driving-seat-high-petrol-prices-accelerate-eu-shift-electric-cars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368814/chinese-marques-driving-seat-high-petrol-prices-accelerate-eu-shift-electric-cars?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:37:49 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A Croatian court has approved the extradition of a Ukrainian man who is wanted in Germany in connection with the 2022 undersea explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines, state media said on Thursday. The report from HRT Television quoted the suspect’s lawyer Ljubo Pavaskovic as saying that he will appeal the September 18 ruling. It was not immediately clear when the man could be handed over to Germany. He was arrested on a European warrant in the northern Croatian town of Pula in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368715/croatian-court-approves-extradition-nord-stream-blast-suspect-germany?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368715/croatian-court-approves-extradition-nord-stream-blast-suspect-germany?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 16:46:52 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Contemporary Amperex Technol­ogy Ltd (CATL) has cleared all regulatory hurdles for its mega factory in Hungary, a development that analysts expect will help the world’s largest producer of electric vehicle (EV) batteries extend its reach to international marques like BMW and Volkswagen. Production of battery cells at the €7.3 billion (US$8.35 billion) plant in Debrecen, the second-largest city in Hungary, began on Tuesday after it fulfilled all preconditions for a trial run, the company said. It... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3368463/chinese-ev-battery-giant-catl-starts-trial-production-hungarian-factory?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3368463/chinese-ev-battery-giant-catl-starts-trial-production-hungarian-factory?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 06:00:04 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Alibaba Cloud, Alibaba Group Holding’s cloud business unit, is set to launch data centres in Turkey, Finland and the Netherlands over the next 12 months, speeding up an overseas push as it seeks to win enterprise customers through its “full stack AI capabilities” spanning chips, cloud infrastructure and multimodal models. The first of these new data centres will open in the Netherlands in October. The cloud unit will also add to existing data centre capacity in Malaysia, Germany, the United Arab... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3368454/alibaba-cloud-set-open-new-data-centres-europe-next-year-overseas-push-speeds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3368454/alibaba-cloud-set-open-new-data-centres-europe-next-year-overseas-push-speeds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 04:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that he and US President Donald Trump had discussed efforts to end the four-year-old war with Russia, including a potential bilateral ceasefire on energy-related targets. Speaking to the media after a 40-minute meeting with Trump at UN headquarters in New York, Zelensky said Kyiv was ready for any ‌format of an energy ceasefire with Moscow but there had been no discussion of Ukraine unilaterally halting its attacks on Russian oil... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3368442/zelensky-meets-trump-says-ukraine-ready-energy-truce-russia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3368442/zelensky-meets-trump-says-ukraine-ready-energy-truce-russia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 22:34:24 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged Germany to help steer the European Union away from protectionist measures against China, saying that Beijing and Brussels should not engage in trade wars just days before President Xi Jinping’s high-stakes US visit. “China and the EU are comprehensive strategic partners, and a trade war should not be fought between them,” Wang told his German counterpart Johann Wadephul in a phone call on Monday. According to a statement from China’s foreign ministry,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368365/china-seeks-german-help-stave-eu-trade-sanctions-days-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368365/china-seeks-german-help-stave-eu-trade-sanctions-days-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 08:02:30 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words. In Hong Kong, a child’s education can be planned before the child can talk. The 2026 Yidan Prize laureates give that instinct an evidence base: factors shaping how well children learn are in motion long before their first day of class. Professor Paul W. Glewwe, the laureate for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3367999/what-hong-kong-educators-can-learn-yidan-prize-winners?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3367999/what-hong-kong-educators-can-learn-yidan-prize-winners?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 03:30:06 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press German Chancellor Friedrich Merz faced a struggle to stabilise his position and keep his agenda on track on Monday after voters inflicted two more defeats on his party, ejecting it from a state legislature for the first time in its eight-decade history. The unpopular Merz vowed to stay on and push through reforms to Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, minutes after polls closed on Sunday in regional elections in Berlin and in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, a largely rural eastern region on the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368175/germanys-merz-vows-press-ahead-reforms-after-historic-state-election-defeat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368175/germanys-merz-vows-press-ahead-reforms-after-historic-state-election-defeat?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Sep 2026 17:24:32 +0000 Emma Ma Emma Ma China has elevated veteran trade diplomat Li Chenggang to the country’s top-level international trade representative post, giving him a prominent role ahead of an expected meeting between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump. Li has been officially appointed by the State Council as China’s international trade representative, carrying a minister’s rank, Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday. He was previously the international trade negotiator of the Ministry of Commerce, and the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3368164/china-elevates-li-chenggang-top-international-trade-role-ahead-xis-us-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3368164/china-elevates-li-chenggang-top-international-trade-role-ahead-xis-us-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Sep 2026 12:31:23 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu Hong Kong customs has seized about 13kg of suspected ketamine, worth an estimated HK$4.7 million (US$599,067), at the city’s airport and arrested a passenger arriving from Germany for alleged drug trafficking. According to the Customs and Excise Department, officers found the suspected ketamine in the checked luggage of a 22-year-old Japanese man who arrived in Hong Kong from Frankfurt on Sunday. “During customs clearance, customs officers found about 13kg of suspected ketamine inside his... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3368161/hong-kong-customs-seizes-13kg-suspected-ketamine-airport-man-arrested?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3368161/hong-kong-customs-seizes-13kg-suspected-ketamine-airport-man-arrested?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Sep 2026 11:25:37 +0000 Sherry Wang,Mia Nurmamat Sherry Wang,Mia Nurmamat China’s exports of key materials to Japan remained on a downward trend in August, with shipment volume of rare earth magnets falling 17.1 per cent from a year earlier, according to the latest customs data. China exported about 212 tonnes of rare earth permanent magnets to Japan last month, down from nearly 256 tonnes a year earlier, according to Chinese customs data released on Sunday. That followed a 52.2 per cent year-on-year plunge in July. Other rare earth products and critical materials... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3368153/chinas-trade-limits-continue-bite-japans-imports-rare-earths-other-minerals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3368153/chinas-trade-limits-continue-bite-japans-imports-rare-earths-other-minerals?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Sep 2026 09:30:25 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier When the presidents of the United States and China meet in Washington, the world will be watching to see whether their two countries can make good on their agreement to work towards “constructive strategic stability”. In the first part of a series, Mark Magnier looks at expectations in the US for the summit. Chinese planners have been frustrated for months at the slow speed of decision-making and limited engagement by a distracted US administration as the days tick down to next week’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368018/why-china-playing-it-cool-amid-trumps-disruption-and-churn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368018/why-china-playing-it-cool-amid-trumps-disruption-and-churn?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 15:00:13 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan Chinese AI researcher “Joy” waited more than seven months to hear that his visa application for Germany had been rejected. The 30-year-old had been offered a postdoctoral position at a German technical university but the rejection letter said there was an Ausweisungsinteresse, or public interest in denying him entry. Citing Section 53 of Germany’s Residence Act, the letter said that for applications involving “study, research and similar employment”, particular attention had to be paid to the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368056/are-doors-german-universities-closing-chinas-stem-researchers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368056/are-doors-german-universities-closing-chinas-stem-researchers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 14:00:05 +0000 Susi Snyder Susi Snyder The catastrophic danger posed to cities by nuclear weapons is nothing new. Putting major urban areas at risk across generations is, in fact, the point of these weapons of terror. The practice of doing so is benignly called nuclear deterrence, but it requires holding the cities of adversaries – real and imagined – under constant threat. The use of even the smallest nuclear weapons in today’s arsenals would cause a humanitarian emergency in cities. That is why city leadership should have a voice... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3367530/ending-nuclear-arms-race-starts-cities-doing-their-part?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3367530/ending-nuclear-arms-race-starts-cities-doing-their-part?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 12:30:05 +0000