https://www.scmp.com/rss/326083/feed The latest breaking news and stories on the European Union (EU), an economic and political union of 27 member states mainly located in Europe, which accounts for around a sixth of global economic output. Also covering the EU’s relationship with the UK (post Brexit), China and the US, plus commentary and updates on EU legislation, the euro and trade. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Later this month, Indonesian cinema-goers will finally get to see what audiences in Berlin saw in February: Jokor Anwar’s Ghost in the Cell. The horror-comedy, which had its world premiere at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival, has been celebrated by influential trade magazine Variety for rising above mere “escapist entertainment” to channel societal anxieties about corruption and environmental destruction. Yet it is only the latest example of Southeast Asia’s creative moment... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348980/southeast-asia-seeks-soft-power-outlast-us300-billion-buzz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348980/southeast-asia-seeks-soft-power-outlast-us300-billion-buzz?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 00:00:16 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo The whole world has come to oppose the Iran war, including most Americans. Just as Israel took part in the 1956 Suez crisis, which signalled the last hurrah of European imperialism, it is now jointly prosecuting a pointless but destructive war that is likely to spell the twilight of American hegemony. This time, though, the Jewish state won’t get away so easily. From the Palestinian territories to Iran and Lebanon, it can no longer hide its Zionist expansionism that threatens the entire... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3348754/twilight-us-hegemony-and-israeli-expansionism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3348754/twilight-us-hegemony-and-israeli-expansionism?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 21:30:09 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen In a rare condemnation of its strategic partner, China has come out in opposition to Iran’s attacks on Gulf nations, calling for a ceasefire and a guarantee of the safety of shipping lanes. Addressing a UN Security Council meeting on Thursday, Fu Cong, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, said: “China does not support Iran’s attacks on Gulf Cooperation Council nations and condemns all indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilians and non-military targets. The security of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348986/china-europe-and-why-beijing-took-swing-iran-over-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348986/china-europe-and-why-beijing-took-swing-iran-over-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 12:00:16 +0000 Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa The United States attacked Iran without consulting its European allies. President Donald Trump assumed the operation would be a quick win, over before anyone had to take a position. Instead, Washington answered a question Western governments had long avoided. After years of pushing Nato towards confrontation with China, would the transatlantic alliance fight a war it had not chosen together? The answer was no. Iran and Taiwan are different cases. One sits on Europe’s wider periphery and carries... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3348047/what-iran-war-reveals-about-natos-appetite-conflict-over-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3348047/what-iran-war-reveals-about-natos-appetite-conflict-over-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Pakistan is hoping that its role in building a diplomatic off-ramp from the US-Israel war on Iran will enable it to become a key actor in the Middle East after the conflict ends, analysts say. If Islamabad can deliver without being sucked into the maelstrom, it can capitalise on its position as peacemaker by signing defence deals with Gulf monarchies and attracting investment from them to strengthen its weak economy. This will help finance Pakistan’s military expansion for its envisioned new... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348621/pakistan-eyes-gulf-investment-defence-deals-return-playing-peacemaker-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348621/pakistan-eyes-gulf-investment-defence-deals-return-playing-peacemaker-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 05:21:16 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham European governments breathed a sigh of relief in October when the US and China sealed a fragile trade truce that paused more sweeping Chinese rare earth restrictions and papered over a Sino-Dutch row over chipmaker Nexperia. Now, however, the European Union is being urged to come up with a battle plan should the ceasefire fail or expire. A spike in superpower tensions could expose the EU to Chinese export controls, potentially pulverising its military support for Ukraine, its own efforts to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348494/europe-urged-learn-fight-itself-case-us-china-truce-collapses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348494/europe-urged-learn-fight-itself-case-us-china-truce-collapses?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:00:10 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham In the days after the United States and Israel tipped the Middle East into a new and catastrophic crisis with their attacks on Iran, European leaders were all over the map. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz both voiced support for regime change in Iran soon after the strikes started more than four weeks ago. Each of them also questioned the continued utility of the international rules-based order, while Merz’s foreign minister Johann Wadephul... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348402/europes-crisis-tourism-how-iran-war-swallowed-eus-geopolitical-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348402/europes-crisis-tourism-how-iran-war-swallowed-eus-geopolitical-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 22:00:11 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A French court on Monday issued an arrest warrant and a one-year prison sentence against the Chinese captain of a suspected Russian “shadow fleet” tanker over failing to comply with orders to stop his ship. Chen Zhangjie, 39, was sentenced in absentia after the French navy boarded the Boracay tanker in September before releasing the vessel and its crew days later, in what Russian leader Vladimir Putin condemned as “piracy”. The court in the western city of Brest also ordered Chen to pay a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348452/french-court-convicts-chinese-captain-oil-tanker-linked-russian-shadow-fleet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348452/french-court-convicts-chinese-captain-oil-tanker-linked-russian-shadow-fleet?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:21:28 +0000 Reuters Reuters Wars, including a widening conflict in the Middle East, are heightening risks for aviation as flight corridors are squeezed and drones become more widespread, Europe’s top aviation safety regulator has said. The month-old Iran war is reshaping airspace across the Middle East and increasing disruption to flights, including clogging routes between Asia and Europe that previously transited or ‌flew over the region. On top of the prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict and fighting between Pakistan and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348364/iran-war-rogue-drones-force-european-aviation-safety-rethink?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348364/iran-war-rogue-drones-force-european-aviation-safety-rethink?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 06:28:23 +0000 Agencies Agencies Four European countries have called on Israel to abandon a bill seeking to revive the death penalty for people convicted of acts of terrorism, a measure opponents say would target only Palestinians. In a joint statement on Sunday ahead of an anticipated final vote in the Knesset on Monday, foreign ministers from France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom expressed their “deep concern” about the bill. “The death penalty is an inhumane and degrading form of punishment without any deterring... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348328/european-countries-appeal-israel-abandon-plans-revive-death-penalty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348328/european-countries-appeal-israel-abandon-plans-revive-death-penalty?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 22:26:50 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will on Monday convene senior government and military officials alongside energy, shipping, finance and insurance sector leaders to discuss the Middle East war, his office said late on Sunday. The round table meeting in Downing Street will examine the impact of Iran’s effective closure of the vital Strait of Hormuz, which has driven up oil prices and costs in various sectors around the world. Participants will include representatives from energy giants Shell,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348327/uks-pm-starmer-host-industry-leaders-middle-east-war-talks-monday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348327/uks-pm-starmer-host-industry-leaders-middle-east-war-talks-monday?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 21:52:57 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Hundreds of people were evacuated from a nightclub in southwest Germany after a fire broke out, police said on Sunday, with images from the scene showing the blaze raging on the building’s roof. Police said the fire began at around 3.45am in the nightclub in Kehl, which is on the border with France. The blaze went on to “spread over the whole building”, a police statement said. All of the roughly 750 people inside at the time were able to escape, with three people treated by emergency... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348323/hundreds-flee-fire-rips-through-german-nightclub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348323/hundreds-flee-fire-rips-through-german-nightclub?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 17:08:29 +0000 Sandra Marco Colino Sandra Marco Colino The European Union (EU) is a bystander in the Iran war, but it might end up sustaining significant collateral damage. On one hand, public opinion across Europe is opposed to a conflict that circumvents the core principles of international law. On the other, the continent remains deeply reliant on the United States for its energy and security needs. A definitive anti-war stance risks alienating President Donald Trump, leaving Europe strategically exposed. Talk about being caught between a rock... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3347867/europes-response-iran-war-risks-becoming-its-darkest-hour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3347867/europes-response-iran-war-risks-becoming-its-darkest-hour?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines is seeking broader defence cooperation with Nato’s European members, even as US President Donald Trump remains critical of the transatlantic security alliance’s lack of involvement over the Middle East war. While some observers say the move dovetails with the long-standing security partnership between the Philippines and the United States, Nato’s dominant member, others argue that Manila could face a “strategic dilemma” if its ties with the 32-member alliance are contrary to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348203/why-philippines-may-face-strategic-dilemma-over-nato-partnership-us-demands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348203/why-philippines-may-face-strategic-dilemma-over-nato-partnership-us-demands?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:29:06 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Group of Seven counterparts traded barbs over the wars in Iran and Ukraine, casting doubt on Europe bowing to Donald Trump’s demand for military help in the Gulf. “The United States is constantly being asked to help in a war,” Rubio said referring to Ukraine, before taking off for the Friday conclusion of a G7 gathering outside Paris. “But when the US had a need, he didn’t get positive responses,” he added. The Europeans have rebuffed Trump’s bid for... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348196/rubio-g7-diplomats-duel-over-wars-iran-and-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348196/rubio-g7-diplomats-duel-over-wars-iran-and-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:06:08 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow German Chancellor Friedrich Merz signalled support for a European Union-China trade deal, as rising tensions with the United States complicate Europe’s response to a growing flood of low-cost Chinese imports. Merz told German lawmakers on Wednesday he could envisage an agreement with China in “the longer term” among other trade accords. “We now need strategic partnerships around the world in order to strengthen ourselves, especially our exports,” he said. The comments highlight an emerging split... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348115/merz-floats-eu-china-deal-trumps-new-beijing-date-european-lawmakers-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348115/merz-floats-eu-china-deal-trumps-new-beijing-date-european-lawmakers-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 09:01:16 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham After eight years in the deep freeze, the European Parliament is sending an official delegation to China next week in the clearest sign yet that Beijing’s targeted lobbying blitz of its members is paying off. Seven members from the parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) will travel to Beijing and Shanghai alongside Engin Eroglu, head of its China delegation. They will meet officials, customs and port authorities, lawmakers and companies, including Shein and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348098/european-parliament-heads-china-after-8-years-members-say-its-no-sign-giving?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348098/european-parliament-heads-china-after-8-years-members-say-its-no-sign-giving?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 05:55:21 +0000 Mia Nurmamat,Xinyi Wu Mia Nurmamat,Xinyi Wu Germany’s chemical giant BASF has launched operations at its China production base – its largest overseas investment to date – with a total outlay of €8.7 billion (US$10 billion), and the country’s first wholly foreign-owned large-scale Verbund site. The company on Thursday inaugurated the world-scale complex in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, designed to run entirely on renewable electricity. A Verbund site is an integrated chemical complex where plants, energy use and materials are... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348021/basf-launches-biggest-overseas-project-china-green-powered-mega-site?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348021/basf-launches-biggest-overseas-project-china-green-powered-mega-site?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:00:12 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said he can imagine a trade deal with China in the future, signalling a new softening stance towards Beijing in European capitals. “We have set quite a lot in motion when it comes to trade policy. I can also envisage further agreements, for example, in the longer term an agreement with the People’s Republic of China,” Merz said in the German parliament on Wednesday. Merz’s remarks underscore how surging trade and geopolitical tensions with Washington are... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348030/germanys-merz-floats-eu-china-trade-deal-capitals-soften-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348030/germanys-merz-floats-eu-china-trade-deal-capitals-soften-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:00:51 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who has close ties with both US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, fears US-led Ukraine peace talks may be over, he said in an interview published on Thursday. “It may be due to the war in Iran, which is drawing a lot of attention away from the war in Ukraine. But it may also be that the negotiations have come to a halt because they’ve reached the end of the road and are not making any further progress,” Stubb said in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348027/finlands-president-says-ukraine-talks-may-be-end-road?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348027/finlands-president-says-ukraine-talks-may-be-end-road?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 11:40:05 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The Iran war has deflected global attention from Russia’s all-out invasion of its neighbour Ukraine as Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II enters its fifth year and an emboldened Kremlin undertakes a spring offensive. The past week showed that neither side was easing up. Russia on Tuesday fired almost 1,000 drones and 34 missiles at Ukraine in one of the war’s biggest bombardments. The following day Ukraine launched almost 400 drones in the largest reported overnight attack on Russian... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347956/iran-war-deflects-attention-ukraine-russia-starts-spring-offensive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347956/iran-war-deflects-attention-ukraine-russia-starts-spring-offensive?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 06:08:22 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The UN General Assembly on Wednesday designated the transatlantic African slave trade as “the gravest crime against humanity”, despite opposition by the United States and some European countries. In a move advocates hailed as a step towards healing and possible reparations, the resolution was adopted to applause by a vote of 123 in favour, three against and 52 abstentions. The US, Israel and Argentina opposed the measure, while Britain and EU member states abstained. Ghana’s President John... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3347954/un-designates-african-slave-trade-gravest-crime-against-humanity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3347954/un-designates-african-slave-trade-gravest-crime-against-humanity?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 05:37:55 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao For much of the post-war era, the architecture of global governance rested on the simple assumption that the United States would support the systems it largely designed and uphold the rules it helped to create. The first Trump administration was no isolated incident. Now, from the vantage point of 2026, amid the US-Israel attack on Iran and the subsequent closing of the Strait of Hormuz, it is quite clear that there is little sign of an appetite in Washington for the US to once again safeguard... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3346975/middle-powers-are-taking-mantle-multilateral-leadership?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3346975/middle-powers-are-taking-mantle-multilateral-leadership?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:30:07 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Almost 80 per cent of the Chinese companies operating in the European Union plan to expand their investment there, even though most complain about policy uncertainty, according to a report published on Tuesday by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce to the EU (CCCEU) and the China Economic Information Service. The result stands in sharp contrast to similar reports published by the European Chamber of Commerce in China (EUCCC) – despite companies from both sides complaining about obstacles such as... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347861/amid-struggles-home-80-chinese-companies-eu-plan-more-investment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347861/amid-struggles-home-80-chinese-companies-eu-plan-more-investment?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 09:02:48 +0000 Nong Hong Nong Hong Gulf exporters are scrambling to bypass the Strait of Hormuz after Iran choked off most of the maritime traffic in one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates rushed to divert exports through overland pipelines; officials warned that even naval escorts could not guarantee safe passage. About a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade passed through this narrow waterway. The immediate shock was felt in the Gulf. The strategic... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3347190/conflict-middle-east-boosting-value-arctic-windfall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3347190/conflict-middle-east-boosting-value-arctic-windfall?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters The European Commission will no longer submit a legal proposal to permanently ban Russian oil imports over Moscow’s war in Ukraine on April 15 as previously ‌planned, an updated EU legislative agenda showed on Tuesday. An EU official, however, said the proposal had not been cancelled and would still be published though no longer by the mid-April date due to “current geopolitical developments”. The US-Israeli war on Iran is creating the biggest oil supply disruption in history, according to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347756/eu-delays-proposal-permanently-ban-russian-oil-imports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347756/eu-delays-proposal-permanently-ban-russian-oil-imports?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:09:14 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Italian voters on Monday rejected a judicial reform backed by conservative Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, delivering a stinging setback to the right-wing government one year ahead of national elections. “Italian citizens have decided and we respect their decision as always,” Meloni said in a video posted on Instagram. She pledged, as anticipated, to complete her mandate, which runs into 2027. “We will move forward as we always have: with responsibility, determination, and above all, with respect... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347636/italian-voters-reject-judicial-reform-setback-pm-giorgia-meloni?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347636/italian-voters-reject-judicial-reform-setback-pm-giorgia-meloni?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 16:57:26 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A criminal trial opened in Greece on Monday over a train collision that killed 57 people, many of them college students, in a disaster that horrified the country and revealed long-neglected safety failures. The February 2023 crash triggered a fireball on impact and left passengers trapped in mangled rail cars. Most of the 36 defendants - all rail and transport officials - face serious charges linked to endangering public transport. The crash occurred at Tempe in northern Greece after a passenger... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347625/greece-trial-begins-rail-disaster-killed-57?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347625/greece-trial-begins-rail-disaster-killed-57?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:17:58 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Socialist candidate Emmanuel Gregoire won the Paris race Sunday, succeeding fellow party member Anne Hidalgo as the French capital’s mayor, as results of the final round of municipal elections showed clear gains for the traditional left and right, and one major win for the far-right in the French Riviera city of Nice. French voters returned to the polls Sunday in about 1,500 communes. The vote was seen as a test of the balance of power on France’s local political map before the 2027 presidential... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347515/emmanuel-gregoire-becomes-new-mayor-paris-succeeding-fellow-socialist-anne-hidalgo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347515/emmanuel-gregoire-becomes-new-mayor-paris-succeeding-fellow-socialist-anne-hidalgo?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 23:16:14 +0000 Josephine Ma Josephine Ma William Klein worked for more than two decades as a US diplomat, including in several senior roles at the United States’ embassy in Beijing from 2016 to 2021. He worked at the American Institute in Taiwan and on the US State Department’s China desk in Washington, and occupied US diplomatic posts in South Asia, the Middle East and the former Soviet Union. He is based in the Berlin office of FGS Global, a strategic advisory and communications firm. SCMP Plus readers get early access to articles in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347497/trump-xi-summits-inside-view-us-ex-diplomat-william-klein?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347497/trump-xi-summits-inside-view-us-ex-diplomat-william-klein?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 22:00:15 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan The phone call between the Dutch and Chinese foreign ministers was a first on a series of fronts. For the new Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen, the call on March 13 was his first with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi since taking on the job a few weeks earlier. It was also the first between the two holders of the offices since China and the Netherlands became embroiled in a row over the control of Chinese-owned, Netherlands-based chipmaker Nexperia. Nexperia is a major component in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347424/china-and-netherlands-seek-pragmatic-reset-nexperia-row-rolls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347424/china-and-netherlands-seek-pragmatic-reset-nexperia-row-rolls?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 09:50:29 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier The House Select Committee on China released a report on Friday asserting that China is manipulating its position at the United Nations to “undermine America’s interests and advance its international ambitions”. The 34-page report makes the case that China uses budget contributions, appointments to key UN executive positions and strategically deployed troops to expand its reach. The committee did not detail how these activities differed from how most countries operate at the UN, or the influence... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347399/us-claims-china-manipulating-its-position-un-undermine-americas-interests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347399/us-claims-china-manipulating-its-position-un-undermine-americas-interests?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 23:17:06 +0000 Reuters Reuters President ⁠Donald Trump assailed ⁠Nato allies on Friday ⁠over their lack of support for the US-Israel war against Iran, calling the long-time US allies “cowards”. “Without the U.S.A., Nato IS A PAPER TIGER!” Trump said in a social media post. Trump has ‌been calling for major US allies and others, none of whom were consulted or advised on the war, to help secure the safety of shipping through the Iran-controlled Strait of Hormuz. The conflict has roiled global markets, killed thousands and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347385/trump-calls-nato-cowards-over-lack-support-us-israel-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347385/trump-calls-nato-cowards-over-lack-support-us-israel-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 14:50:36 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China’s exports of rare earth permanent magnets to the United States continue to fall, at a time when Washington and its allies are stepping up efforts to reduce reliance on the country’s critical mineral supply chains. Shipments of permanent magnets to the US totalled 994 tonnes in January and February, down nearly 22.5 per cent year on year, according to data released on Friday by China’s General Administration of Customs. This marked the seventh consecutive month of decline. Over the two... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3347326/chinas-rare-earth-magnet-exports-us-keep-falling-europe-gains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3347326/chinas-rare-earth-magnet-exports-us-keep-falling-europe-gains?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 13:30:09 +0000 Josephine Ma Josephine Ma William Klein worked for more than two decades as a US diplomat, including in several senior roles at the United States’ embassy in Beijing from 2016 to 2021. He worked at the American Institute in Taiwan and on the US State Department’s China desk in Washington, and occupied US diplomatic posts in South Asia, the Middle East and the former Soviet Union. He is based in the Berlin office of FGS Global, a consultancy with a focus on US-China and EU-China relationships. SCMP Plus readers get early... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347242/inside-look-trump-xi-summits-ex-diplomat-william-klein?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347242/inside-look-trump-xi-summits-ex-diplomat-william-klein?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 04:30:08 +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 Hong Kong has a unique opportunity to become the natural home of next-generation marine insurance – if it chooses to seize it. Today, almost all blue-water ship liability is still insured through a small group of traditional mutual protection and indemnity (P&I) clubs, many of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3347130/hong-kong-has-chance-lead-world-marine-underwriting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3347130/hong-kong-has-chance-lead-world-marine-underwriting?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 03:30:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters European Union leaders failed to convince Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Thursday to lift his blockade on a €90 billion (US$103 billion) EU loan to help Ukraine keep up its fight against Russia’s invasion. After a summit in Brussels, several leaders voiced deep frustration with Orban, who has cited a dispute over a war-damaged pipeline to justify blocking the implementation of the loan agreed back in December. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz accused Orban - who maintains cordial ties... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347233/eu-leaders-clash-hungarys-orban-blocking-ukraine-loan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347233/eu-leaders-clash-hungarys-orban-blocking-ukraine-loan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 02:27:20 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Europe woke on Thursday to another energy shock, as military attacks on critical infrastructure in Qatar and Iran sent oil and gas prices across the continent soaring to levels unseen since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The continent’s benchmark natural gas price, the Dutch TTF, climbed above €70 (US$80) per megawatt hour in Thursday morning trading – its highest level since December 2022, though still well below the more than €300 peak reached in the summer of 2022. Brent crude surged... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3347195/war-iran-roils-energy-markets-europe-pays-price-dependency?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3347195/war-iran-roils-energy-markets-europe-pays-price-dependency?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 12:30:13 +0000 Agencies Agencies European Union experts have arrived in Ukraine to assess the condition of the Druzhba oil pipeline, state energy firm Naftogaz said, after its closure in January caused a row with Hungary that is blocking an EU loan to Kyiv. The EU last week proposed sending a mission to inspect the pipeline. Ukraine later said it had accepted the EU offer of technical support and funding to restore oil flows through the damaged pipeline. Hungary and Slovakia have been cut off from Russian oil deliveries via... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347183/eu-inspects-druzhba-pipeline-bid-unclog-hungarys-block-ukraine-aid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347183/eu-inspects-druzhba-pipeline-bid-unclog-hungarys-block-ukraine-aid?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:26:56 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The first two months of 2026 saw a record number of migrant deaths in the Mediterranean, despite fewer crossing attempts towards Europe, according to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). At least 655 people died or went missing in January and February - more than double the 287 recorded for the same period last year. NGOs and researchers said the reasons were multiple: storms, complications for rescue operations and border closures. Frontex, the EU’s border control... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347136/hundreds-die-crossing-mediterranean-2026-already-smashes-records?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347136/hundreds-die-crossing-mediterranean-2026-already-smashes-records?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:07:11 +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 a world so unpredictable, it is nice to know that every March 17, the Irish community worldwide will come together and celebrate Ireland’s national day, St Patrick’s Day. Visiting Hong Kong this week, I am struck by the strong people-to-people links that form the bedrock of our... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3347007/ireland-predictable-partner-unsettling-times?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3347007/ireland-predictable-partner-unsettling-times?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 03:30:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters When US President Donald Trump ⁠asked countries to join a global effort against Iran and deploy ships to prise open the Strait of Hormuz, whose near closure has held the global economy in a vice, he was rebuffed by some of America’s closest allies. Using unusually blunt language, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told his country’s lawmakers on Wednesday that he agreed Iran must not be allowed to pose a threat to its neighbours but expressed doubts about the rationale behind the US-Israeli... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347086/europe-says-no-trumps-iran-demands-not-our-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347086/europe-says-no-trumps-iran-demands-not-our-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:12:55 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday urged the European Union to overcome a veto by Hungary on a €90 billion (US$103 billion) loan vital for his country. Zelensky, during a visit to Madrid to meet Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, said he considered that the “main issue” of an EU summit to be held Thursday and Friday in Brussels. “We are really counting on the countries and the EU to find ways to resolve this issue,” he said. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban – Russian... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347075/zelensky-urges-eu-bypass-hungarys-blackmail-veto-vital-us103-billion-loan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347075/zelensky-urges-eu-bypass-hungarys-blackmail-veto-vital-us103-billion-loan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 14:35:57 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham A delegation from China’s People’s Liberation Army will travel to Brussels next week for talks with the European Union and Nato amid heightened concerns over global security caused by the war in Iran. The EU-China Security and Defence Consultations will take place next Tuesday, official sources confirmed, with the talks between Nato and the PLA’s Office for International Military Cooperation scheduled for the same week. On the EU side, the talks will be chaired by Benedikta von Seherr-Thoss,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347063/chinese-military-set-eu-and-nato-talks-iran-war-reshapes-global-security-picture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347063/chinese-military-set-eu-and-nato-talks-iran-war-reshapes-global-security-picture?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 12:22:37 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Turbulence in the global oil market caused by the war in Iran revealed a quiet shift that could reshape global energy security: the rapid rise of electric vehicles. Global uptake of electric vehicle fleets has led to avoided oil consumption rising to the equivalent of 70 per cent of Iran’s exports in 2025, according to a new report. Last year, EVs worldwide saved 1.7 million barrels of oil consumption per day. During the same timeframe, Iran exported 2.4 million barrels of oil through the Strait... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346961/global-ev-uptake-expected-accelerate-iran-war-causes-worldwide-petrol-price-hikes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346961/global-ev-uptake-expected-accelerate-iran-war-causes-worldwide-petrol-price-hikes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:31:17 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Russia and Iran “brothers in hatred” on Tuesday as he sought support from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a time when the Iran conflict has robbed momentum from US-brokered talks to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. During talks with Starmer at 10 Downing Street, Zelensky urged Ukraine’s allies not to forget about his country and suggested the US and others should make use of Ukraine’s anti-drone technology during a Middle East war that has also... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346941/zelensky-starmer-urge-continued-support-ukraine-iran-conflict-steals-focus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346941/zelensky-starmer-urge-continued-support-ukraine-iran-conflict-steals-focus?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 21:43:37 +0000 Tian Shichen Tian Shichen With the Middle East ablaze and war in Ukraine showing no sign of respite, a stark new consensus is hardening in Paris, London and Berlin that Europe must rearm. Recently, French President Emmanuel Macron signalled a pivotal shift in deterrence by announcing an increase in the nation’s nuclear warheads and a “forward deterrence” plan. This follows a rare joint appeal from the British and German defence chiefs, who urged Europeans to build a moral and strategic case for a massive surge in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3346554/europe-says-it-must-rearm-what-end?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3346554/europe-says-it-must-rearm-what-end?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Five years after armoured vehicles rolled through the streets of Myanmar’s capital and the generals tore up an election result they did not like, a new parliament sat for the first time on Monday. The legislature that convened in Naypyidaw was stacked almost entirely with allies of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the coup leader who ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021. In Myanmar’s recent election, held across barely a third of the country, the army-backed Union Solidarity... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346724/myanmars-junta-proxy-parliament-meets-first-time-2021-coup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346724/myanmars-junta-proxy-parliament-meets-first-time-2021-coup?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 06:51:29 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran As trade tensions and new US tariff investigations rattle global supply chains, Southeast Asian economies are looking to broaden their options. But analysts say that the region’s deep links with the United States and China mean any shift will be gradual rather than a clean break – and may yet work in Asean’s favour. The disruption could accelerate supply-chain diversification, drawing more manufacturing to the region from markets such as Europe, India and the Middle East. For now, however, the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346594/how-asean-can-loosen-dependence-us-china-amid-trade-war-fallout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346594/how-asean-can-loosen-dependence-us-china-amid-trade-war-fallout?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 02:00:11 +0000 Barbora Valockova Barbora Valockova What does the world’s digital economy rest on? Thousands of kilometres of fibre-optic cable lying on the ocean floor and, increasingly, in the crosshairs of great-power rivalry. The confluence of recent subsea cable disruptions, gaps in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and intensifying great-power competition has elevated this underwater infrastructure from a technical and commercial concern to a security issue – characterised as “this century’s hidden battleground”. It has... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3346525/underwater-and-unprotected-why-asean-and-eu-must-secure-subsea-lifelines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3346525/underwater-and-unprotected-why-asean-and-eu-must-secure-subsea-lifelines?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 04:00:08 +0000