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Belgium

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Belgium. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

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Brussels

Head of State

King Philippe

Head of Government

Prime Minister Alexander De Croo

Ukrainian artillerymen fire a self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops near Pokrovsk on October 15. Photo: Reuters

Ukraine war

Zelensky maps out ‘2 to 3 years’ of financial need to fight Ukraine war

Ukraine’s president said that though the war was unlikely to go on for decades, the country still needed Europe’s ‘stable financial support’.

2 hours agovideocam

China-EU relations

Exclusive | China sees Europe as indispensable force for stable multipolar world: envoy

2 hours agovideocam

China-Germany relations

German foreign minister urges ‘fair’ rare earth, chip trade with China

40 minutes ago

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong exports rise 16%, fuelled by growing demand from Asian markets

Value of city’s exports in September reached HK$462.3 billion, bringing third quarter total to HK$1.35 trillion.

28 Oct 2025 - 1:33AM

Kwai Chung Container Terminals. The 16.1 per cent rise in September also marked the strongest year-on-year growth in exports since March. Photo: Eugene Lee

China-EU relations

Chinese premier urges EU to steer ties in ‘right direction’ amid trade discord

Also on Asean sidelines, Beijing’s No 2 official calls for deeper economic cooperation with Australia despite recent air encounter.

27 Oct 2025 - 8:13PMvideocam

Architecture and design

If it’s a chair, it’s saying, ‘Come sit on me’: Ross Urwin’s furniture obsession

In the early noughties, he sold Hongkongers on the beauty of combining old and new, despite their resistance to second-hand goods.

27 Oct 2025 - 6:00AM

Semiconductors

Nexperia parent Wingtech warns of ‘cash flow risk’ despite 280% surge in profit

Wingtech’s semiconductor operations posted revenue of 4.3 billion yuan in the quarter, accounting for 97 per cent of the total.

25 Oct 2025 - 6:00PM

China-EU relations

Von der Leyen vows to strike back against China as EU feels rare earths squeeze

The bloc is ready to use all of the tools at its disposal in response to Beijing’s export controls, commission chief says.

25 Oct 2025 - 5:51PMvideocam

137

Britain

Historic diamond brooch abandoned by defeated Napoleon to go up for sale

The brooch, left behind after the French emperor fled Waterloo’s battlefield, will be sold to the highest auction bidder on November 12.

24 Oct 2025 - 10:55PM

Rare earths

State rare earth giant throws support behind China’s broad export controls

As US officials attempt to use Beijing’s rare earth curbs to win allies, China Rare Earth Group says it will ‘strictly enforce’ measures.

24 Oct 2025 - 9:00PM

One of China’s rare earth giants has publicly supported the country’s export controls on the critical minerals amid harsh criticism from the US. Photo: Reuters

Disease

What killed hundreds of seals? Bird flu spread raises fears, questions

The disease worries governments and poultry businesses due to the impact on birds, potential trade restrictions, and the risk of a pandemic.

24 Oct 2025 - 6:58PM

A specialist in Germany wearing a protective suit disposes of a crane believed to have died from a highly contagious bird flu strain. Photo: Reuters

Semiconductors

Nexperia China defies Dutch headquarters’ order to oust executive

The dispute escalates a geopolitical conflict that threatens to disrupt a global automotive chip supply chain.

24 Oct 2025 - 12:00PM

Ukraine war

EU takes tentative step toward using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine

Leaders left the door open for a US$162 billion financing plan as Zelensky pushes, arguing: ‘Russia brought war to our land and they have to pay’.

24 Oct 2025 - 10:09AMvideocam

China-EU relations

EU sanctions state-linked Chinese oil companies over Russia war support

Beijing slams latest punishment ensnaring 15 entities, reiterating it ‘has never provided lethal weapons to any party to the conflict’.

23 Oct 2025 - 9:30PMvideocam

Oil pumpjacks outside Almetyevsk, Russia, on July 14. The EU accused the newly sanctioned refineries of processing Russian-origin crude oil that provides revenue to the Kremlin’s war effort against Ukraine. Photo: Reuters

US-China tech war

Chinese investors grill listed companies with European units after Dutch move

Investors have asked at least seven companies listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen about risks stemming from their European units.

23 Oct 2025 - 9:00PM

An employee handles a silicon wafer at Nexperia in Hamburg, Germany, June 27, 2024. Photo: Reuters

Russia

Medvedev slams Trump’s actions as ‘act of war’ against Russia

The US is now Moscow’s adversary and Trump has ‘fully aligned himself with loony Europe’, warns the former Russian president.

23 Oct 2025 - 6:10PM

US-China trade war

Opinion | Can China make its rare earth controls bite?

If China backs down or fails to enforce its controls effectively, it will undermine this policy and cast doubt on other tools it wields.

23 Oct 2025 - 5:30AMvideocam

Ukraine war

US sanctions Russian oil giants over Ukraine war as Trump’s patience snaps

US sanctions against Rosneft and Lukoil follow Russia’s rejection of an immediate ceasefire and the collapse of a planned Trump-Putin summit.

23 Oct 2025 - 4:16PMvideocam

A T-shirt with images of Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump for sale at a gift shop in Moscow. Photo: AFP

China-EU relations

Nexperia seizure: China urges Dutch to ‘properly’ resolve case as talks continue

Beijing said The Hague’s seizure of chipmaker Nexperia threatened global supply chains as two sides held first ministerial call over issue.

22 Oct 2025 - 4:51PMvideocam

Ukraine war

Trump says Ukraine talks with Putin off for now, doesn’t want ‘wasted meeting’

Decision follows a call between top US and Russian diplomats that reaffirmed Moscow’s opposition to an immediate Ukraine ceasefire.

22 Oct 2025 - 9:58AMvideocam

China-EU relations

China agrees to crisis talks in Brussels to discuss rare earths compromise

EU trade chief to meet Chinese counterpart to find ‘urgent solutions’ to China’s tightening of its restrictions on rare earth exports.

22 Oct 2025 - 2:03AMvideocam

European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic spoke for “almost two hours” with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao on Tuesday, during which the Chinese official agreed to talks in Brussels. Photo: Reuters

France

Louvre jewels may be irrecoverable as French police race against time

Police hunt for Louvre raiders before priceless Napoleonic jewels are melted down and cut into untraceable individual stones.

21 Oct 2025 - 12:54PMvideocam

The boarded up window where thieves entered the Louvre to steal priceless royal jewellery. Photo: AFP

US-China trade war

China’s rare earth magnet exports to US plunge 29% as tensions simmer

The decline in Chinese shipments to the US accelerated in September, predating Beijing’s new export controls and the flare-up that followed.

21 Oct 2025 - 12:07PMvideocam

Ukraine war

Will Zelensky join Trump and Putin in Budapest for peace talks? Only if invited

The Ukraine president criticised pro-Kremlin EU member Hungary as a venue for Putin-Trump talks, insisting on neutral locations for discussions.

20 Oct 2025 - 4:31PM

China-EU relations

Editorial | Europe can only play so much tech hardball with China

The Europeans might want a more muscular policy towards China, but Beijing still holds significant leverage when it comes to trade.

18 Oct 2025 - 7:15AM

An employee holds a box with wafers at a production line of semiconductor company Nexperia in Hamburg, Germany, on June 27, 2024. Photo: Reuters

China-EU relations

Brussels and Beijing lawmakers spar over Russia, Taiwan in first talks since 2018

Chinese delegation defends Moscow and questions Nato as EU warns ties hinge on Beijing’s stance over Ukraine.

17 Oct 2025 - 1:17AMvideocam

Meeting between the European Parliament Delegation for relations with the People’s Republic of China and the 42nd China-EU IPM Delegation of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China on Thursday in Brussels. Photo: handout

France

France’s PM survives confidence votes amid pension reform row

Sebastien Lecornu secured fragile support to pass an austerity budget amid political turmoil and reform backlash.

16 Oct 2025 - 6:49PM

China-EU relations

China frames message of partnership for EU members to take to Brussels

Foreign Minister Wang Yi urges European counterparts to champion Beijing’s cause and support “genuine strategic autonomy”.

16 Oct 2025 - 9:30PMvideocam

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