https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/522367/feed The European Council: A prominent Brussels-based supranational intergovernmental body, the European Council defines the European Union’s overall political direction and priorities. Comprising EU heads of state or government, its President, and the European Commission President, it represents the highest level of political cooperation. Its main activities include setting the EU’s political agenda, addressing complex issues, and shaping common foreign and security policy. Recognised as a... en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The European Union may hit more Chinese industries with quotas or tariffs before further negotiations with Beijing, the bloc’s trade chief said on Friday, naming plastics as a sector in which investigations are advanced. Maros Sefcovic said that when the bloc needs to move quickly to protect its industries, it will consider safeguards, which allow emergency measures to curb surges in imports, instead of engaging in longer negotiations. “We clearly will have to put it in order, prioritise, and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371962/france-certain-united-front-germany-pushed-china-hybrid-car-deal https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371962/france-certain-united-front-germany-pushed-china-hybrid-car-deal Fri, 23 Oct 2026 13:00:20 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Ji Siqi Xiaofei Xu,Ji Siqi As violent protests fuelled partly by the cost-of-living crisis shake parts of Europe, most notably France, analysts say the unrest could add to pressure on European policymakers to take a tougher trade stance towards China. “One could argue that the EU looks weaker, but then one could also argue that there is more of a need to show external strength at a time of such events,” said David Henig, director of the UK Trade Policy Project at the European Centre for International Political... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3371927/could-europes-cost-living-protests-sharpen-eu-china-trade-tensions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3371927/could-europes-cost-living-protests-sharpen-eu-china-trade-tensions Fri, 23 Oct 2026 11:00:10 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Diplomats from the EU’s 27 member states were pressured this week to lift sanctions on Yusha Group, a Chinese textiles manufacturer accused of selling sensitive European technology to Russian buyers. In exchange, Beijing has pledged that the company will refrain from shipping banned items to Russian military-linked buyers. It will also remove German company Sindlhauser Materials from its own export controls list, according to multiple sources familiar with the affair. The unusual quid pro quo –... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3371832/eu-mulls-sanctions-reprieve-chinese-fabric-maker-accused-aiding-russia https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3371832/eu-mulls-sanctions-reprieve-chinese-fabric-maker-accused-aiding-russia Thu, 22 Oct 2026 20:32:36 +0000 Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa,Franz Jessen Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa,Franz Jessen This month alone, Europe has threatened China with a trade “kill switch”, rebuked it in parliament, sent its trade commissioner on a much-trumpeted trip to Beijing and announced three new economic security instruments. The sequence exposed a European Union that has no clear goal on China, no hierarchy of priorities and has reached no agreement on what it wants from Beijing or on what it would pay to get it. China has built its European policy around this vacuum. Its method rewards patience:... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3371543/europe-still-has-no-clear-goal-china https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3371543/europe-still-has-no-clear-goal-china Thu, 22 Oct 2026 12:30:07 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Less than two weeks after Brussels and Beijing struck a surprise deal to avert an escalating trade dispute, their fragile rapprochement has descended into a battle over who blinked first. In Brussels and Berlin, officials are emboldened by what they consider proof that collective EU pressure can force Chinese concessions. Rather than resting on their laurels, they are cooking up a fresh batch of trade restrictions. Beijing, on the other hand, has bristled at the idea that it can be strong-armed... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371807/who-blinked-first-fragile-eu-china-trade-peace-sparks-new-war-words https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371807/who-blinked-first-fragile-eu-china-trade-peace-sparks-new-war-words Thu, 22 Oct 2026 12:00:18 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Preparing for war is meant to prevent war – an idea with deep roots in ancient Chinese strategic thought that may have just found an echo in Berlin. The EU’s proposed “kill switch”, intended to swiftly cut off market access for third countries including China, was put forward by France and Germany and unanimously endorsed by member states. But ideally it would never have to be used, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Wednesday, stressing that Berlin was seeking “a new balance in trade”... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3371671/germany-wants-avoid-china-trade-war-despite-kill-switch-merz https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3371671/germany-wants-avoid-china-trade-war-despite-kill-switch-merz Wed, 21 Oct 2026 15:00:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters The European Commission has presented an updated strategy for the Arctic as climate change and rapidly melting ice open up the remote but resource-rich region. “With Russia and China increasing their footprint and ambition, the Arctic has become a front line of global power competition,” said European Union foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas on Tuesday. With the new strategy, the commission aims for the EU to keep pace with rivals as new shipping routes and mining opportunities, including for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371549/eu-unveils-arctic-strategy-counter-increasing-russia-china-influence https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371549/eu-unveils-arctic-strategy-counter-increasing-russia-china-influence Tue, 20 Oct 2026 13:31:45 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Albanian police fired water cannon and tear gas Sunday as violent anti-government protests entered a sixth day and Prime Minister Edi Rama rejected demonstrators’ demands that he resign. Violent demonstrations have rocked Tirana since Tuesday with protesters calling for action over poor university conditions, high tuition fees and corruption. Hundreds of protesters gathered again at noon in front of the education ministry chanting “Rama, resign” amid a tense stand-off with police. After police... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371332/albanian-pm-edi-rama-refuses-quit-violent-protests-enter-6th-day https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371332/albanian-pm-edi-rama-refuses-quit-violent-protests-enter-6th-day Sun, 18 Oct 2026 23:04:07 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu France and Germany have unveiled a joint position on Europe’s automotive package, with a tighter geographic definition of “Made in Europe” and a research and development requirement for cars to qualify for subsidies or public procurement, which industry insiders say would put further pressure on Chinese carmakers to invest in production within the bloc. The automotive sector’s “Made in Europe” classification would include only the 27 member states of the European Union, with an opt-in to include... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3371261/germany-france-tighten-made-europe-stance-pressuring-chinas-auto-industry https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3371261/germany-france-tighten-made-europe-stance-pressuring-chinas-auto-industry Sun, 18 Oct 2026 07:00:07 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Beijing warned Brussels not to “fantasise” that taking a hard line will force it into concessions, as the bloc confirmed plans for a gung-ho new kill switch that will allow Brussels to “immediately” kick China out of the single market. Exactly a week after the two sides struck a surprise deal to restrict the volume of hybrid cars China ships to Europe, the flare-up suggests the threat of a trade war between two of the world’s three biggest economies has far from subsided. “The EU should not... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371217/china-warns-eu-not-fantasise-trade-approach-brussels-confirms-new-kill-switch https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371217/china-warns-eu-not-fantasise-trade-approach-brussels-confirms-new-kill-switch Fri, 16 Oct 2026 22:30:02 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow European Union leaders supported creating a tool to potentially shut out Chinese goods as a growing flood of low-cost imports pushed the bilateral trade deficit to a record. Officials could start work on developing a trade “kill switch”, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signalled to EU leaders at a Brussels meeting on Thursday, the South China Morning Post reported, citing unidentified people briefed on the talks. Leaders requested a proposal by year-end, Bloomberg News said.... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3371152/eu-backs-trade-kill-switch-china-exports-surge-third-quarter-gdp https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3371152/eu-backs-trade-kill-switch-china-exports-surge-third-quarter-gdp Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:10 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Brussels is open to developing a powerful new trade weapon that could contain a kill switch that would quickly eject Chinese companies from the EU market, the bloc’s national leaders were told during a top-level meeting in the Belgian capital on Thursday. There was broad support among the 27 members for such a tool, first laid out in a French-German joint paper last week, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signalling that her trade team could get to work on developing it,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3371061/chinese-chemicals-and-machinery-eu-crosshairs-leaders-back-more-trade-curbs https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3371061/chinese-chemicals-and-machinery-eu-crosshairs-leaders-back-more-trade-curbs Thu, 15 Oct 2026 16:41:24 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The EU’s surprise deal with China on hybrid cars last week was supposed to ease the pressure on Beijing. Instead, Brussels is preparing to intensify its crackdown on Chinese trade practices, emboldened by the discovery that its threats are finally delivering results. Now, those driving trade policy for the bloc believe they have landed on a two-track formula. Intensive dialogue is seen to have yielded results and will continue. But so too will the European Union’s efforts to counter what they... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370954/emboldened-hybrid-car-deal-europe-coalesces-around-tougher-china-stance https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370954/emboldened-hybrid-car-deal-europe-coalesces-around-tougher-china-stance Thu, 15 Oct 2026 04:46:28 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Leaders of the EU’s 27 member states will instruct Brussels to “urgently” come up with new weapons to counter the imbalances they believe are caused by China’s economic policies, at a meeting in the Belgian capital on Thursday. The instruction – part of a draft statement being negotiated ahead of this week’s European Council summit – comes after the European Union and China reached a surprise deal in Beijing last week that will cap the number of Chinese hybrid cars imported to the bloc at... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3370914/eu-leaders-urgently-call-new-trade-weapons-tackle-china-shock https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3370914/eu-leaders-urgently-call-new-trade-weapons-tackle-china-shock Wed, 14 Oct 2026 14:45:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The European Union will on Tuesday open new negotiation chapters with Ukraine, an essential step in Kyiv’s long path to join the bloc. Ukrainian lawmakers on Monday passed legislation protecting the rights of national minorities, which removes a major hurdle in Kyiv’s bid for membership. The status of the Hungarian-speaking minority in western Ukraine had long caused tensions with Budapest and Hungary had blocked Ukraine’s EU membership bid, officially submitted days after Russia’s full-scale... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370647/ukraines-eu-accession-bid-advances-after-kyiv-passes-minority-rights-law https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370647/ukraines-eu-accession-bid-advances-after-kyiv-passes-minority-rights-law Mon, 12 Oct 2026 18:41:16 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma China agreed to cut millions of hybrid car exports to the European Union over the next four years, easing simmering trade tensions ahead of a key meeting of European leaders later this week. The deal will slow exports to half or less the pace currently predicted by the EU, the bloc’s trade chief, Maros Sefcovic, told a press conference in Beijing on Friday after two days of negotiations. Next year alone, it will pare shipments by up to 700,000 vehicles and trim as much as €14 billion (US$16... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3370591/china-eu-car-deal-eases-trade-tensions-now-least https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3370591/china-eu-car-deal-eases-trade-tensions-now-least Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:12:28 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The EU removed Panama from its tax havens blacklist on Friday after the country made progress on sharing tax information and reformed a “harmful” regime of exemptions for foreign-source income. Vietnam was also removed after undertaking a series of reforms. The updated list now contains eight “non-cooperative” jurisdictions: American Samoa, Anguilla, Guam, Palau, Russia, Turks and Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands and Vanuatu. “This update reflects a positive trend in compliance with... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370376/eu-removes-panama-tax-haven-blacklist https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370376/eu-removes-panama-tax-haven-blacklist Fri, 09 Oct 2026 11:12:50 +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 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3370119/china-and-eu-begin-crunch-trade-talks-optimism-short-supply Thu, 08 Oct 2026 03:00:28 +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 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 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 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369919/germany-joins-france-call-china-trade-defences Tue, 06 Oct 2026 09:19:20 +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 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369828/france-germany-call-new-weapon-allowing-immediate-cut-china-eu-market Mon, 05 Oct 2026 14:08:31 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Chryssa Ntalaka’s classroom has become an object lesson in subtraction. The sole teacher in the last school on the idyllic Greek island of Kalamos has a shorter list of students every autumn. This year, just two. On September 23, the sixth graders sat at Ntalaka’s table beneath the whiteboard, in front of rows of unused desks and benches. When they head to middle school on Greece’s mainland next year, her school will be mothballed. Toys and picture books still sit on shelves in the nearby... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369816/empty-classrooms-remote-greek-island-signal-crisis-across-europe https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369816/empty-classrooms-remote-greek-island-signal-crisis-across-europe Mon, 05 Oct 2026 11:40:41 +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 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369488/us-tells-european-allies-act-immediately-lower-diesel-prices Thu, 01 Oct 2026 22:12:46 +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 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 Wed, 30 Sep 2026 08:00:14 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju US President Donald Trump’s recent endorsement of a trade corridor connecting India to Europe via the Middle East has renewed focus on the three-year-old project, but analysts warn it must expand to withstand ongoing geopolitical conflicts. The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) was first unveiled at the G20 summit in 2023 as an alternative to existing routes and China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Backed by India, the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Israel... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3369219/india-europe-trade-corridor-gets-trumps-backing-can-imec-survive-war https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3369219/india-europe-trade-corridor-gets-trumps-backing-can-imec-survive-war Tue, 29 Sep 2026 11:01:25 +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 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3369133/beijing-and-berlin-exchanged-opinions-amid-reported-plan-shut-china-out-eu-market Tue, 29 Sep 2026 07:31:22 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran After a decade of start-stop negotiations, the European Union and the Philippines have found their way to a “substantial agreement” on free trade – one that analysts say could pave the way for Brussels to lock in an Asean-wide pact. The breakthrough, announced on Tuesday, capped talks that began in 2016 and stalled a year later, only to resume again in 2024. “I am proud to say we have delivered a substantial agreement that reflects the ambition both sides brought to the table,” EU trade chief... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368826/after-eu-philippines-trade-breakthrough-asean-wide-deal-next https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368826/after-eu-philippines-trade-breakthrough-asean-wide-deal-next Sun, 27 Sep 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters European Union member countries ⁠have agreed a ⁠deal to release €6.6 billion (US$7.5 billion) in EU funds linked to military aid for Ukraine, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Friday. The money will ‌come from the European Peace Facility, a fund used by EU members to finance military aid to countries outside the bloc. It also refunds EU governments for military aid they have provided. Of the released funds, €900 million will ⁠go to the EU’s military assistance mission for Ukraine and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368849/eu-release-us75-billion-linked-ukraine-military-aid https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368849/eu-release-us75-billion-linked-ukraine-military-aid Fri, 25 Sep 2026 12:57:47 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Beijing and Brussels remain “deadlocked” on trade in medical devices following discussions in Beijing this week, a source said, adding that “intensive consultations” were under way about Brussels’ plan to launch import safeguards against made-in-China plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Vice-Minister of Commerce Ling Ji – China’s deputy international trade representative – held discussions with Ditte Juul Jorgensen, the European Commission’s director general for trade and economic... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368811/china-and-eu-deadlocked-medical-devices-still-talking-phev-curbs-source https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368811/china-and-eu-deadlocked-medical-devices-still-talking-phev-curbs-source Fri, 25 Sep 2026 10:30:12 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung The Hong Kong government has rejected an annual European Union report alleging that the administration is undermining the city’s fundamental freedoms, calling its claims “unfounded and biased”. The more than 4,500-word statement, issued early on Wednesday, followed the publication on Tuesday of the EU’s 2025 annual report on Hong Kong. The report was jointly issued by the European Commission and the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Kaja Kallas. It highlighted... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3368464/hong-kong-rejects-eu-reports-claims-freedoms-unfounded-and-biased https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3368464/hong-kong-rejects-eu-reports-claims-freedoms-unfounded-and-biased Wed, 23 Sep 2026 04:23:01 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has reaffirmed the bloc’s resolve to use all available tools to rebalance trade with China. After opening remarks about energy and innovation during her annual State of the Union speech at the European Parliament on Wednesday, she quickly pivoted to the EU’s trade deficit with China and contended that the “second China shock” had already arrived. She argued that European firms must compete on a level playing field, noting that while Brussels was... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3367731/eus-von-der-leyen-vows-tough-china-trade-stance-words-are-good-deeds-are-better https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3367731/eus-von-der-leyen-vows-tough-china-trade-stance-words-are-good-deeds-are-better Wed, 16 Sep 2026 10:56:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The European Union is set to propose curbing access to social media, video-sharing platforms, chatbots and online games to children under the age of 15, according to a draft legal document seen by AFP. A proposed new law – to be formally presented on Thursday – would mean banning minors under 15 from opening their own accounts, with a tiered system of access under parental supervision for younger children. As well as age limits, the new “EU KIDS Act” would force digital giants to make their... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3367618/eu-propose-curbing-social-media-online-games-under-15s https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3367618/eu-propose-curbing-social-media-online-games-under-15s Tue, 15 Sep 2026 11:15:21 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Beijing has strongly condemned a visit to Italy by senior Taiwanese officials and lodged formal diplomatic protests with both Rome and Brussels. Criticising the visit on Friday, foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Beijing had submitted “serious representations against Italy and the European Union” following reports that Taiwan’s No 2 official, Hsiao Bi-khim, had arrived in Italy to attend an international forum. “[Taiwan’s] Democratic Progressive Party authorities and individual... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367234/beijing-lodges-diplomatic-protests-over-taiwan-officials-visit-italy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367234/beijing-lodges-diplomatic-protests-over-taiwan-officials-visit-italy Fri, 11 Sep 2026 11:27:05 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan With its sweeping victory in a key state election, the far-right Alternative for Germany is putting pressure on the ruling federal coalition and could nudge Berlin towards a more pragmatic approach to China, analysts said. By securing 43.8 per cent of the vote in the September 6 election in Saxony-Anhalt – more than double its 2021 result – the AfD sent shock waves and piled further pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party. In the state it has... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367059/far-right-afd-party-won-big-saxony-anhalt-will-it-change-germanys-approach-china https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367059/far-right-afd-party-won-big-saxony-anhalt-will-it-change-germanys-approach-china Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:58:07 +0000 Huizhao Huang,Xiaofei Xu Huizhao Huang,Xiaofei Xu More than half of German companies said the European Union should take stronger trade measures against China even if their own businesses would suffer higher prices, tariffs or retaliation, according to a survey of about 1,300 German firms published by the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) on Thursday. That tougher stance comes despite many German companies acknowledging their reliance on Chinese supply chains and production sites for their own competitiveness. Among companies with... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3366365/german-firms-back-tougher-eu-trade-measures-china-despite-business-risks https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3366365/german-firms-back-tougher-eu-trade-measures-china-despite-business-risks Fri, 04 Sep 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu The Netherlands and the EU should press for a trade deal with China to address imbalances, but must be ready to consider measures that could invite retaliation – and bear the associated costs – according to members of a council that advises the Dutch government. The recommendation marks a significant shift in mindset for one of the European Union’s most committed free-trade nations as the next round of China-EU trade talks in October approaches. Both sides traded fire again this week, with EU... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3366234/dutch-advisory-council-urges-eu-seek-china-deal-brace-backlash https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3366234/dutch-advisory-council-urges-eu-seek-china-deal-brace-backlash Thu, 03 Sep 2026 09:03:40 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren A former top European Union official has struck a bullish tone on the outlook for China-EU trade talks, saying he expects progress in the coming months. Charles Michel, president of the European Council from 2019 to 2024, told reporters in a media briefing in Shanghai on Monday that both sides were willing to pursue more common ground through talks. “On the EU side there is an expectation that by the end of October or November, or at least by the end of the year ... there will be some progress... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3365867/former-top-european-official-adopts-bullish-tone-china-eu-trade-talks-deadline-nears https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3365867/former-top-european-official-adopts-bullish-tone-china-eu-trade-talks-deadline-nears Mon, 31 Aug 2026 12:30:10 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Brazil’s data protection authority fined ByteDance US$30 million on Tuesday over its handling of children’s data on TikTok, the largest penalty it has imposed since it was created in 2020. The National Data Protection Authority, known as the ANPD, found five breaches of Brazil’s data protection law and gave ByteDance 10 working days to appeal. The company must also erase the records of users aged 13 to 18 whose parental authorisation is not regularised within 60 working days, instruct every... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3365246/brazil-fines-tiktok-record-us30-million-profiting-childrens-data https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3365246/brazil-fines-tiktok-record-us30-million-profiting-childrens-data Tue, 25 Aug 2026 16:26:05 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Midway through a three-month negotiating period with Beijing, new data shows the trade balances of 24 European Union member states are still moving in what Brussels considers to be the wrong direction. China extended its trade surplus over all but three EU members in July compared to a year earlier, calculations based on new Chinese customs figures showed. In some instances, the monthly swing was dramatic. China’s surplus with Sweden quadrupled, while for Malta it rose by 166.6 per cent. For... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3364791/chinas-trade-grip-tightens-europe-clock-ticks-towards-october-deadline https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3364791/chinas-trade-grip-tightens-europe-clock-ticks-towards-october-deadline Fri, 21 Aug 2026 14:00:06 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Beijing has banned Chinese entities from assisting with a European Union investigation into e-commerce giant JD.com under the bloc’s foreign subsidies regulation (FSR). A statement from China’s Ministry of Justice on Wednesday condemned the probe as “undue extraterritorial jurisdiction measures”, ordering that “no organisation or individual may execute or assist in the execution”. In May, the European Commission opened an in-depth investigation to assess whether JD.com’s proposed takeover of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3364599/china-blocks-firms-aiding-eus-jdcom-probe-regulatory-clash-deepens https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3364599/china-blocks-firms-aiding-eus-jdcom-probe-regulatory-clash-deepens Wed, 19 Aug 2026 13:40:51 +0000 Huizhao Huang Huizhao Huang China’s dominance in key green technologies is making the global carbon transition cheaper, but Western efforts to reduce reliance on Chinese manufacturing risk slowing it, according to researchers. China now led the world in electric vehicles (EVs), batteries and solar power – accounting for 70 per cent of global production of EVs, 80 per cent of lithium-ion batteries and 80 per cent of solar photovoltaics, said the report from the University of Manchester, released on Monday. “China’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3364325/chinas-green-dominance-fundamental-dilemma-western-governments-report-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3364325/chinas-green-dominance-fundamental-dilemma-western-governments-report-says Mon, 17 Aug 2026 14:00:23 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang While rising trade tensions between Beijing and Brussels continue to dominate headlines, Chinese exporters face a far more immediate and concrete threat: the boxes, wraps, and plastic bags protecting their goods. On Wednesday, the European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) became applicable across the bloc. Replacing a 1994 directive, the regulation sets requirements for every piece of packaging placed on the EU market, covering chemical restrictions, recyclability,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/policy/article/3363746/why-chinas-traders-e-commerce-merchants-feel-boxed-new-eu-packaging-rules https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/policy/article/3363746/why-chinas-traders-e-commerce-merchants-feel-boxed-new-eu-packaging-rules Wed, 12 Aug 2026 11:00:09 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The European Union’s traditional August break was supposed to provide officials with some respite ahead of a potentially bruising autumn when it will try to set its fiery trade relationship with China on a new course. Instead, a border crisis on its southern flank has created turmoil and division among its 27 members, raising questions over how prepared the bloc is for a dust-up with one of the world’s economic superpowers. “We had a real-time test of what happens when one member state was under... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3363438/can-europe-stay-united-china-trade-battle-ceuta-migrant-crisis-offers-warning https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3363438/can-europe-stay-united-china-trade-battle-ceuta-migrant-crisis-offers-warning Sun, 09 Aug 2026 14:00:06 +0000 Huizhao Huang,Xiaofei Xu Huizhao Huang,Xiaofei Xu Officials in Berlin are reportedly mapping out industries where China is still dependent on German suppliers, as they search for the same kind of chokepoints Beijing has spent years accumulating in Europe. But while European analysts deemed the search long overdue, some warned that any leverage it found would be both hard to use and shorter-lived than Berlin hoped. The reported search comes amid escalating trade tensions and increasing concerns in Germany about losing its industrial base to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3363035/germany-may-be-searching-its-supply-chains-leverage-china-will-it-find-any https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3363035/germany-may-be-searching-its-supply-chains-leverage-china-will-it-find-any Wed, 05 Aug 2026 08:01:14 +0000 Dulue Mbachu Dulue Mbachu On the South Atlantic coastline, Angola stands out as rare ground on which the United States has been willing to vie with China for influence in Africa. It was the only country on the continent visited by former US president Joe Biden, albeit in the twilight of his term in December 2024. During the trip – the first by a sitting US president – Biden made the case for investment in the strategic Lobito Atlantic Railway. The administration of Biden’s successor, Donald Trump, also threw its weight... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3361675/how-chinas-us900-million-port-deal-angola-shows-its-dominance-over-us-interests https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3361675/how-chinas-us900-million-port-deal-angola-shows-its-dominance-over-us-interests Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:09:31 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The European Union’s foreign affairs chief, Kaja Kallas, is expected to travel to China in the autumn for her first face-to-face meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi since a bruising encounter in Brussels last summer, according to multiple people familiar with the planning. It would also mark Kallas’ first solo trip to Beijing since taking on her role in 2024. The trip – with a date yet to be confirmed – would revolve around the bilateral “strategic dialogue”, a mostly annual format in which... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3362592/top-eu-diplomat-kallas-expected-visit-beijing-autumn-amid-deepest-strains-years https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3362592/top-eu-diplomat-kallas-expected-visit-beijing-autumn-amid-deepest-strains-years Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:00:13 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The European Union’s upgraded partnership with the Philippines signals the bloc’s intent to diversify its Indo-Pacific strategy beyond trade and into the security arena. It shows Brussels is seeking a larger role in a region where maritime disputes and challenges to the rules-based order could threaten its interests, according to analysts. On Friday, Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro and the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy Kaja Kallas, who is also... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3362175/eus-us17-million-maritime-aid-philippines-targets-asian-fault-lines https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3362175/eus-us17-million-maritime-aid-philippines-targets-asian-fault-lines Wed, 29 Jul 2026 03:00:15 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China’s Ministry of Commerce has released a document rebutting claims of Chinese overcapacity, arguing that its industrial output is not a result of subsidies and insufficient domestic demand, but is instead driven by innovation and reform. “There is no necessary connection between industrial subsidies and overcapacity,” the ministry said in the position paper published on Tuesday. Many countries adopt subsidies in pursuit of their developmental needs, the document added, citing Washington’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3362138/china-pushes-back-against-western-overcapacity-claims-new-document https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3362138/china-pushes-back-against-western-overcapacity-claims-new-document Tue, 28 Jul 2026 10:00:58 +0000 Huizhao Huang Huizhao Huang Removing equipment made by Huawei Technologies and other Chinese vendors from the European Union’s telecoms networks would cost operators €30 billion to €40 billion (US$34 billion to US$46 billion), roughly three times the European Commission’s estimate, according to an industry report released on Wednesday. The estimate comes as Brussels moves to require operators to strip out equipment from suppliers deemed high-risk, chiefly Huawei and ZTE, within three years of a revised EU Cybersecurity Act... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3361608/removing-chinese-telecoms-gear-eu-cost-far-more-official-estimates-report https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3361608/removing-chinese-telecoms-gear-eu-cost-far-more-official-estimates-report Thu, 23 Jul 2026 11:00:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The European Union on Thursday slapped Google with fines worth €890 million (US$1 billion) in a move that risks escalating tensions with the United States. The EU fined the US giant €460 million for illegally favouring the company’s own services – for example, Google Flights or Google Hotels – over rivals in search results. The second fine worth €430 million was because Google did not allow app developers to show consumers offers, free of charge, outside its Google Play store, the European... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3361612/eu-fines-google-us1-billion-risking-us-fury https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3361612/eu-fines-google-us1-billion-risking-us-fury Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:32:26 +0000