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Germany
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Germany

Germany
Germany
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.
Capital
Berlin
Head of State
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Head of Government
Chancellor Olaf Scholz
Olaf Scholz
A court found the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China and its former leaders guilty of attempting to undermine the country’s fundamental system under the national security law. Photo: Jelly Tse
Hong Kong politics

Beijing slams West for criticising Hong Kong court verdict in Tiananmen vigil case

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian hits out at ‘certain countries and organisations’ for using judicial cases to smear Hong Kong.

Ukraine war

Zelensky says Ukraine wants peace but won’t ‘simply surrender’

Ukraine war

Zelensky says Ukraine had no role in Nord Stream pipeline blast

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Ukraine

Putin wants to draft 300,000 new troops for war, Ukraine’s Zelensky says

Russia could draft more troops in 2027 to reach its goal of 500,000 and aims to produce up to 1,300 ballistic missiles per year, he adds.

Russian servicemen march during the Victory Day military parade on the Red square in Moscow on May 9. Photo: EPA
Yuan

Opinion | Deutsche Bank’s yuan mandate boosts Chinese currency’s global reach

The clearing mandate from China elevates Frankfurt as a primary hub for offshore renminbi settlement, challenging London’s dominance.

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Hong Kong politics

Hong Kong hits back at Western ‘slander’ over verdict on Tiananmen vigil leaders

Authorities say court verdict ‘well-reasoned and sound’ after alliance and its leaders found guilty of inciting subversion.

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United States

As I see it | The US is telling its trading partners – do as I say, not as I do

While Washington says it is monitoring certain countries, including Japan, for foreign exchange interventions, it also coordinated with Tokyo to prop up the yen.

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US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks to reporters as he walks to the West Wing following an interview at the White House in Washington on August 20. Photo: EPA
India

How a German submarine deal could test ‘Make in India’ ambitions

The deal is expected to give India critical design and engineering know-how to help build a long-term domestic submarine industrial base.

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China-EU relations

The Mistral paradox: Europe’s push for tech sovereignty relies on China’s Z.ai

AI race contender’s decision to offer GLM-5.2 a sign of how European political and commercial incentives can pull in different directions.

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China-EU relations

China blocks firms from aiding EU’s JD.com probe as regulatory clash deepens

Chinese justice and commerce ministries order the ban in a joint statement condemning ‘undue extraterritorial jurisdiction measures’.

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Parcels move along conveyor belts at e-commerce giant JD.com's sorting centre in Beijing. Photo: Reuters
Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese robotaxi firms see reduced red tape in Europe as deployment picks up

Europe embraces self-driving technology, opening up further opportunities for Chinese companies to expand overseas fleet, says Pony AI CEO.

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A Pony AI robotaxi on an exhibition stand during the 2026 Auto China show in Beijing. Photo: dpa
China trade

The Polar pivot? China debuts regular Arctic shipping service as Iran war drags on

Operators are fast-tracking northern routes that bypass vulnerable chokepoints in the Middle East.

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Espionage

German court convicts Ukrainian man over Russian sabotage plot

The plot involved posting test packages containing GPS trackers in March last year to Ukraine.

Banking & finance

Margins rise for China’s commercial banks, but will weak lending undo the gains?

A rare uptick in margins lifted Chinese lenders in the second quarter, but falling loan demand and policy constraints loom large.

A woman walks past a row of buildings in Beijing’s central business district on July 31. Photo: EPA
Social media

Chinamaxxing: is it really about China or Gen Z fleeing Western fatigue?

From viral candy wrappers to hot water routines, Western Gen Z appears obsessed with all things China. But is it true love?

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Illustration: Dennis Yip
China exports

Job losses mount at German carmakers as China challenge grows

Automotive industry shed more than 40,000 jobs – 5.8 per cent of its workforce – in first half of year, statistical office says.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s self-driving push gears up in Europe as Momenta, Pony.ai expand

Deutsche Bank raises its price target for Momenta while Pony.ai widens partnership with Uber to accelerate autonomous-vehicle roll-out in European cities.

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European Union

Belgium battles worst wildfire on record, EU allies come to aid

Helicopters from the Czech Republic and Swedish water-bombing aircraft were due to arrive under the European Union civil protection mechanism.

Smoke from a massive wildfire in Belgium’s Hohes Venn region is seen from Germany, on Sunday. Photo: dpa
Electric & new energy vehicles

Musk’s headaches: meet China’s corporate matrix challenging his empire

From Tesla to SpaceX, Starlink and Neuralink, Chinese companies are giving – or trying to give – Elon Musk’s firms a run for their money.

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Autonomous vehicles

In China, self-driving cars can park, change lanes and drive like humans

Autonomous cars in China can navigate chaotic city traffic with human-like precision, even parking themselves when the occupants have gone.

Electric & new energy vehicles

Karaoke in the car? China’s new wave of gadget-laden electric vehicles

China’s carmakers are competing to turn their vehicles into digital entertainment hubs, offering everything from film projectors to VR features.

BYD, China’s leading electric vehicle manufacturer, is integrating karaoke systems into its new premium models. Photo: Xinhua
Artificial intelligence

Chinese AI models gain foothold in Europe despite Brussels’ trepidation

Chinese models will be ‘significant’ for European firms, as their ‘performance and efficiency are increasingly competitive’, analyst says.

European Union flags fly in front of the Berlaymont building, the EU Commission headquarters, in Brussels on June 9, 2026. Photo: TNS
Aviation accidents

Pilot dies after helicopter crash in German forest

No one else was on the helicopter, which was carrying out liming work on the forest.

Icons and Influencers

How classical dancer Patricia Zhou stopped chasing perfection – interview

The award-winning dancer, choreographer and filmmaker talks to Style about how she learned to embrace uncertainty and take ownership of her work.

Crime

Suspicious object on rail tracks in Germany did not contain explosives: police

This follows a recent attempted drone attack on Leipzig airport, where an unmanned aerial device ‌with explosives was ‌found near a runway.

Police officers cordon off a wide area around the train station in Middle Franconia, where a technician had discovered the object in the track bed at the entrance to the city’s train station. Photo: dpa
Honor

Robot in a pocket: Honor’s new phone camera nods back at users

The Chinese smartphone maker has integrated embodied AI to control camera movement, along with other features to boost interest amid a cooling market.

Chinese smartphone maker Honor has launched the Robot Phone, a handset with a motorised, fold-out gimbal camera. Photo: Handout
Electric & new energy vehicles

Driven off the road: Nio’s German car registrations down 90%

In contrast to its Chinese peers, Nio is struggling in Europe’s largest car market, registering just three cars last month and 18 this year.

China manufacturing

Scholar rebuts claims state subsidies caused China’s industrial overcapacity

In People’s Daily commentary piece, Cui Fan says ‘reasonable industrial subsidies … are a globally recognised and legitimate policy tool’.

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