bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sectionsV2 {
    value {
      __typename
      ... on Section {
        name
        published
      }
      ... on VideoSection {
        name
        published
      }
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      ... on Node {
        __isNode: __typename
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sectionsV2 {
    value {
      __typename
      ... on Section {
        name
      }
      ... on Node {
        __isNode: __typename
        id
      }
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sectionsV2 {
    value {
      __typename
      ... on Section {
        relatedNewsletters {
          ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
          id
        }
      }
      ... on Node {
        __isNode: __typename
        id
      }
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...hooksInlinePlusWidgetContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
  ... on Video {
    youtubeId
  }
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on SectionUnion {
  __isSectionUnion: __typename
  ... on Section {
    name
  }
  ... on VideoSection {
    name
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sectionsV2 {
    value {
      __typename
      ... on Section {
        entityId
      }
      ... on Node {
        __isNode: __typename
        id
      }
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sectionsV2 {
    value {
      __typename
      ... on Section {
        entityId
      }
      ... on Node {
        __isNode: __typename
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sectionsV2 {
    value {
      __typename
      ... on Section {
        entityId
      }
      ... on VideoSection {
        entityId
      }
      ... on Node {
        __isNode: __typename
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sectionsV2 {
    value {
      __typename
      ... on Section {
        name
      }
      ... on VideoSection {
        name
      }
      ... on Node {
        __isNode: __typename
        id
      }
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksInlinePlusWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sectionsV2 {
    value {
      __typename
      ... on Section {
        name
      }
      ... on Node {
        __isNode: __typename
        id
      }
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


types

sectionsV2

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

Finbarr Bermingham

After tense talks in Beijing and a bruising trade blow from Washington, EU bureaucrats are heading into their August break weary and short of wins, as doubts deepen over the bloc’s global leverage.
Last week’s summit in Beijing went off without too much drama, seen as an achievement in itself, given how fraught EU-China ties had become in the run-up to the long-awaited event.
But on some of their longest-standing complaints, the Europeans found that Beijing would not budge and was keen to display the confidence and swagger that European officials say has been on show since it forced a climbdown on US tariffs three months ago, according to sources familiar with proceedings.
Talks on Ukraine, however, were said to have been open, frank and more meaningful than previous summits, during which European Union officials felt their concerns were dismissed out of hand.
Over more than three hours of talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Europeans pushed him again to rein in his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, only for Xi to point to US President Donald Trump’s failure to deliver on a pre-election pledge to end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours as evidence of how little leverage anyone has over the conflict.
A repeated motif of the Europeans’ face-to-face engagement with Xi is the Chinese leader telling them that he has less leverage over Putin – whom he often describes as a “good friend” – than they think. But whereas in previous years the EU complained that Xi had batted their assertions about China’s support for Russia away, this time there was an in-depth debate.
Xi did complain about recent EU sanctions on Chinese banks for funnelling cryptocurrency payments to Moscow’s military-linked actors, but there was no repeat of Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s message to top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas in Brussels this month in which Wang said China did not want Russia to lose the war.
There was no breakthrough, but the Europeans were content that there could be no illusions in Beijing as to their resolve and seriousness on Ukraine, including on the willingness to extend sanctions.
A vague joint statement on climate was held up by Brussels as an important deliverable, given that Wang threatened to pull the plug on it weeks earlier during testy meetings in Brussels, but otherwise EU sources admit there were few concrete results.

Officials plan to meet in September to monitor progress in an upgraded rare earth licensing arrangement, according to sources, but for the most part, people involved found Xi and Premier Li Qiang to be immovable on trade.
China continued to push for the EU to reopen the ratification process for a shelved investment pact and to negotiate an end to an electric vehicle dispute, but offered little in return, sources said. On several occasions, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the trading relationship was at an “inflection point”.
“At the beginning of the year we hoped for better results,” EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic said on Monday.
“But I have to say that despite the strenuous efforts of my colleagues and myself and several long meetings with my Chinese counterparts, unfortunately the list of the accumulated issues on the table did not get shorter, but just grew longer.”
Returning from Beijing, one official said that it was clear that with Beijing unwilling to compromise on issues such as industrial overcapacity and subsidies, the “EU will have to stand its ground if it is to be competitive”.
But after a weekend in which the bloc found itself being pummelled by Trump’s trade blows, doubts are deepening as to how much stomach Europe has for a fight – unless it is an internal one, for which appetite appears to be strong.
The bloc has erupted in a furious debate about its autonomy after it was forced to not only accept a deal hardwiring a 15 per cent tariff on EU-made goods, but to publicly thank Trump for the package after a meeting in Scotland on Sunday.
WhatsApp groups lit up with images of European negotiators posing awkwardly alongside Trump at his Turnberry golf resort, moments after sealing a deal. Von der Leyen, who days earlier had vowed to “defend our interests” in Beijing, flashed a beaming thumbs-up beside Trump.
EU trade negotiators – many of whom have tangled with Trump before – grimaced through forced smiles, with some mimicking Trump’s trademark hand pose under pressure in what one EU official described as “the embodiment of Stockholm syndrome”.
“Finally, I want to thank President Trump personally for his personal commitment and leadership to achieve this breakthrough. He’s a tough negotiator, but he is also a deal maker,” von der Leyen said.
The remarks sparked criticism, with European newspapers screaming with headlines about “capitulation”, “humiliation” and “vassalisation”.
“It is a dark day when an alliance of free peoples, united to affirm their values and defend their interests, resolves to submission,” French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou wrote on social media, without mentioning that he had personally intervened to remove US bourbon exports from a list of American goods the EU was intending to hit with retaliatory tariffs in April.
John Clarke, once the EU’s top negotiator on agriculture, pushed back against von der Leyen’s claims that it was the “biggest trade deal ever”.
“It is not the biggest trade deal ever. As it actually diminishes trade. It’s the worst trade deal ever … very bad day for the EU,” he said.
For China, the EU-US arrangement may also have an impact. Sefcovic said the sides were “comparing notes” and implied that Brussels still wanted to collaborate with Washington, despite the perceived humiliation in Scotland.
The sides vowed to resume their cooperation to block imports of steel and aluminium emanating from “non-market global overcapacity”, Sefcovic said.
Meanwhile, a fact sheet published on Monday by the White House said that the pair would resume cooperation on “supply chain resilience”, in a passage that alluded to previous joint work on countering Beijing.
“The two sides will take complementary actions to address non-market policies of third parties, as well as cooperating on inbound and outbound investment reviews, export controls, and duty evasion,” it read.
In general, however, analysts were united in the view that the episode – combined with the fawning over Trump at last month’s Nato summit, during which the transatlantic security alliance’s secretary general, Mark Rutte, went as far as to call him “daddy” – served to make Europe look weak to the rest of the world, China included.
“The EU-US deal shows the shambles of European foreign policy. You can’t ring-fence the economy from defence – if you are dependent in your security you won’t be autonomous in commerce,” said Niclas Poitiers, a trade specialist at Bruegel, a Belgian think tank.
“By accepting this very lopsided deal, the EU’s put its lack of autonomy from the US on full display. In a situation where the US and China increasingly see each other in direct conflict, this might dampen hopes for renewed ties between the EU and China.”


Is EU’s global clout fading amid gruelling stand-offs with China and the US?

President Antonio Costa (left) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (right) shake hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping (centre) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday. Photo: Xinhua

Talks on the Ukraine war at last week’s EU-China summit are said to have been open, frank and more meaningful than previous summits, though the meeting did not yield any breakthroughs. Photo: AFP

News

China

Diplomacy

With few wins at Beijing summit and Trump dealing trade blows, some question whether European Union can stand its ground


With few wins at Beijing summit and Trump dealing trade blows, some question whether European Union can stand its ground.


Is EU’s global clout fading amid gruelling stand-offs with China and the US?

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}With few wins at Beijing summit and Trump dealing trade blows, some question whether European Union can stand its ground

With few wins at Beijing summit and Trump dealing trade blows, some question whether European Union can stand its ground