https://www.scmp.com/rss/327955/feed Breaking news, analysis and opinion on relations between China and the European Union, covering trade, investment, policy, the Belt and Road Initiative and wider issues such as the US-China trade war and human rights. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Brussels is rallying support among EU industry groups for a trade weapon to tackle Chinese overcapacity, as the European Commission races to propose a sweeping new tool this summer. While the contours of the new instrument remain a closely guarded secret, it is expected to be presented to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on May 29, at a rescheduled debate on China among all 27 commissioners of the bloc’s executive branch. The South China Morning Post previously reported that the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352443/eu-sounds-out-industry-over-new-trade-weapon-against-chinas-overcapacity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352443/eu-sounds-out-industry-over-new-trade-weapon-against-chinas-overcapacity?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 04:59:14 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Finbarr Bermingham Xiaofei Xu,Finbarr Bermingham The EU has taken its most direct step yet to cut Chinese clean energy hardware out of publicly funded projects, banning Chinese inverters from all EU-funded schemes in a move Brussels described as the first in a series of actions targeting high-risk suppliers. “We decided we will take concrete action right now … that has included developing guidance on restricting the use of EU funds for projects involving inverters from high-risk suppliers,” European Commission spokeswoman Siobhan McGarry said... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352435/brussels-bans-chinese-inverters-eu-funded-power-projects-connected-european-grid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352435/brussels-bans-chinese-inverters-eu-funded-power-projects-connected-european-grid?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 02:57:16 +0000 Nikola Mikovic Nikola Mikovic Amid the trade war with the United States, the last thing China needs is an economic confrontation with the European Union – Beijing’s major export destination. But with the EU seemingly determined to protect its market by introducing measures that many see as controversial, an economic stand-off appears inevitable. When European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen blamed China last June for showing an “unwillingness to live within the constraints of the rules-based international system”,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352160/made-europe-law-sets-stage-economic-showdown-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352160/made-europe-law-sets-stage-economic-showdown-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham In an abandoned Norwegian mine last year, an unusual experiment produced results that drew scrutiny in boardrooms and government offices across Europe and helped to spark new regulations pouring fuel on already fiery EU-China relations. Ruter, the public transport authority for greater Oslo, drove new and used electric buses made by Chinese manufacturing conglomerate Yutong into a decommissioned mineshaft inside a mountain. There, cybersecurity tests revealed that the buses could be remotely... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352351/two-worlds-collide-regulatory-battlefield-hanging-over-eus-ties-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352351/two-worlds-collide-regulatory-battlefield-hanging-over-eus-ties-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 10:00:26 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Donald Trump’s latest attacks on US allies in Europe – including the order to withdraw troops from Germany and threats to do the same in Italy and Spain – may help to relieve the pressure on China. For now, Beijing’s priority should be to deny the US the chance to “redirect attention towards China” and let Washington’s own actions do the work, some analysts have argued. Trump has escalated his attacks on European allies in his second term, threatening to quit Nato over their refusal to support... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352274/how-can-china-best-profit-trumps-latest-rift-traditional-us-allies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352274/how-can-china-best-profit-trumps-latest-rift-traditional-us-allies?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 12:00:15 +0000 Stephanie Sam Stephanie Sam “You could do with some international exposure. China, maybe,” a law firm partner said as we stood over the water cooler. His offhand comment was so blasé. I wasn’t sure what unsettled me more – the comment or my reaction to it. Was it xenophobia or the inertia of assumption? He was perfectly pleasant, encouraging even, but beneath the civility was an implication I couldn’t ignore. I had never set foot in Asia, yet suddenly, it felt as though my credibility required a pilgrimage. I wrestled with... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3351898/china-time-geopolitical-flux-i-feel-right-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3351898/china-time-geopolitical-flux-i-feel-right-home?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 01:30:09 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell If the “China shock” of the early 2000s was about China catching up, then “China shock 2.0” is about the country redefining the boundaries of what is economically possible across manufacturing sectors, according to Columbia University professor Adam Tooze. Amid complaints about the trade and industrial policies accelerating China’s rise in many sectors – including aviation, space, artificial intelligence (AI), telecoms, microprocessors, robotics, nuclear and fusion power, quantum computing,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352065/chinas-manufacturing-rise-here-stay-west-must-recalibrate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352065/chinas-manufacturing-rise-here-stay-west-must-recalibrate?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Yan Shaohua Yan Shaohua The economic and trade relationship between China and the European Union has long served as a cornerstone of their bilateral partnership. As bilateral trade approaches a historic US$800 billion, this interdependence remains a pillar of global stability despite shifting geopolitical winds. However, the discourse surrounding trade imbalances between the two has become a flashpoint for tension, with reports indicating a goods trade deficit exceeding €300 billion (US$352.6 billion). While French... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3351240/new-framework-may-be-only-way-save-china-eu-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3351240/new-framework-may-be-only-way-save-china-eu-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Robin Hu Robin Hu Writing in Foreign Affairs, Tsinghua University’s Da Wei argued that China wants Europe to function as an independent pole in a changing global order, but that Europe lacks “a more independent soul”. He is half right. Europe has the assets for independence. What it lacks is the strategy. Europe and the United States face the same rival but carry different exposures. Since 2018, the US has cut its direct imports from China. Europe’s have grown harder to unwind. What appears to be decoupling is... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3351632/facing-us-and-chinese-pressure-eu-must-forge-its-own-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3351632/facing-us-and-chinese-pressure-eu-must-forge-its-own-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:30:10 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China has cleared the way for a landmark visit by the Dutch trade minister – signalled by Beijing’s quiet removal of long-held sanctions on the official – at a time when their bilateral relations need some attention, according to people familiar with the matter. Beijing has agreed to host Sjoerd Sjoerdsma for a visit and has removed him from the sanction list, a source said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue. “No date is fixed yet [between Beijing and The... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3351671/un-sanctioned-china-welcome-dutch-trade-minister-amid-nexperia-asml-discord?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3351671/un-sanctioned-china-welcome-dutch-trade-minister-amid-nexperia-asml-discord?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 06:57:56 +0000 Bob Savic Bob Savic The China-Europe railway network has evolved in the past decade from a nascent logistical experiment into a growing commercial alternative to maritime and air freight. In the wake of the US-Israel war on Iran, it might now be assuming an unanticipated role as a key security provider for transcontinental supply chains. What began as sporadic trial runs has matured into a sprawling web of rail connections that currently links 235 cities across 26 European countries with more than 120 Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3350835/middle-east-shipping-crisis-elevates-china-europe-railways-profile?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3350835/middle-east-shipping-crisis-elevates-china-europe-railways-profile?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China has demanded that the European Union remove Chinese businesses and individuals from its latest sanctions list related to Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Ministry of Commerce in Beijing also warned the bloc that it would take whatever measures were necessary to protect the rights and interests of its citizens and companies. “[We should] find a way to resolve our respective concerns through dialogue and consultation,” the ministry said, adding that the consequences of not lifting the sanctions... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351486/china-warns-eu-remove-firms-and-citizens-russian-sanctions-list?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351486/china-warns-eu-remove-firms-and-citizens-russian-sanctions-list?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 11:40:50 +0000 Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa Every time a European leader lands in Beijing with a business delegation, the same speculation follows: is the Atlantic consensus beginning to crack? Is part of Europe drifting towards China and away from Washington? In Spain’s case, the drama expires on contact with the record. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s four visits to Beijing in four years have not produced a European pivot, a strategic vision or a narrower trade imbalance. They have produced market access for agricultural goods. Call it... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3350963/why-spains-fruit-bowl-diplomacy-china-comes-rather-empty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3350963/why-spains-fruit-bowl-diplomacy-china-comes-rather-empty?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:30:07 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu More than 4 million small parcels from China have arrived at the freight airport in Liege, Belgium, every day since the beginning of the year. On the receiving end, the Belgian customs inspection team at the airport has only 80 members. Belgium’s top customs official, Kristian Vanderwaeren, said the airport, close to the Netherlands, Germany and France, was built, in part, to cater to e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Shein, Temu and Alibaba. But the “explosion” in the number of small parcels... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3351338/flood-small-parcels-china-pushes-belgian-airports-capacity-limit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3351338/flood-small-parcels-china-pushes-belgian-airports-capacity-limit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 07:00:10 +0000 Reuters Reuters The US and the European Union on Friday deepened their coordination on critical minerals as part of a broader push by Western allies to loosen China’s grip on materials crucial to advanced manufacturing. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic signed a memorandum of understanding for a ‌partnership on producing and securing critical minerals. Rubio did not mention China in his remarks, but said the preliminary agreement with Brussels reflected growing awareness... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351386/us-and-eu-sign-critical-minerals-plan-push-loosen-chinas-grip-key-materials?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351386/us-and-eu-sign-critical-minerals-plan-push-loosen-chinas-grip-key-materials?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 17:55:19 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu The wind industry smells opportunity in Europe. At an expo in Madrid this week, the convention floor was abuzz as hundreds of European, American, Japanese and Korean exhibitors vied to pitch their products, knowing the continent urgently needs to shore up its energy security amid the US-Israel war on Iran. But there was one glaring absence: not a single company operating a booth was Chinese, with China’s participants only networking from the sidelines. At a time when many in Europe seek a rapid... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3351318/its-tightrope-why-europe-faces-china-dilemma-over-its-wind-power-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3351318/its-tightrope-why-europe-faces-china-dilemma-over-its-wind-power-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:30:08 +0000 Ji Siqi,Sylvia Ma,Finbarr Bermingham Ji Siqi,Sylvia Ma,Finbarr Bermingham Beijing has placed seven entities from the European Union on its export control list, banning them from receiving “dual-use” items – products with potential military application – originating in China, according to a statement from the Ministry of Commerce issued on Friday. The entities, including Belgium-based firearms manufacturer FN Herstal and its parent FN Browning Group, are predominantly major European defence contractors, aerospace research institutes and satellite intelligence firms the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3351292/china-places-7-eu-entities-export-control-list?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3351292/china-places-7-eu-entities-export-control-list?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:10:59 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham China’s close ties with Russia should be a “disqualifying factor” in Beijing’s bid to launch talks on a free-trade agreement with the European Union, Finland’s foreign minister has said. In meetings with European leaders, Beijing has been floating the prospect of a trade or investment deal, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz last month said a pact could be possible in the future. In an exclusive interview in Helsinki on Wednesday, however, Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen poured cold water on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351183/chinas-russia-ties-mean-eu-trade-deal-table-finland-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351183/chinas-russia-ties-mean-eu-trade-deal-table-finland-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:12:42 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma Daniel Gros is the director of the Institute for European Policymaking at Bocconi University. Previously, he served as an adviser to the European Parliament, collaborated with the European Commission as economic adviser to the Delors Committee, which developed plans for the euro, and worked at the International Monetary Fund. In this interview, Gros examines the structural tensions shaping EU-China economic ties, draws lessons from the euro’s experience to analyse the yuan’s... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3351083/euro-yuan-unlikely-match-us-dollar-global-currencies-daniel-gros-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3351083/euro-yuan-unlikely-match-us-dollar-global-currencies-daniel-gros-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 04:30:08 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma The West’s narrative of Chinese “overcapacity” is a double standard, said a former chief economist of the World Bank as he urged advanced economies to draw on “Eastern wisdom” rather than protectionism to navigate the rise of hi-tech competition. Justin Lin Yifu, a prominent advocate of Beijing’s industrial policy, dismissed claims that China’s auto-export surge was a sign of industrial imbalance. Speaking at Hong Kong Chu Hai College, Lin drew a contrast with Germany to expose a logical... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350885/economist-justin-lin-urges-west-adopt-eastern-wisdom-china-moves-value-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350885/economist-justin-lin-urges-west-adopt-eastern-wisdom-china-moves-value-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:00:12 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Finbarr Bermingham Xiaofei Xu,Finbarr Bermingham Chinese railway giant CRRC has been forced out of a Lisbon metro contract in favour of a Polish firm, after a European Commission investigation found that foreign subsidies allowed CRRC to underbid rivals. “The in-depth investigation confirmed these preliminary findings, revealing that the subsidies in question had indeed given the consortium an unfair competitive edge, to the detriment of other bidders taking part in the tender and the integrity of the EU’s internal market,” the European... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350912/chinas-crrc-drops-bid-lisbon-metro-deal-eu-finds-billions-subsidies-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350912/chinas-crrc-drops-bid-lisbon-metro-deal-eu-finds-billions-subsidies-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:36:39 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren European consumers, spooked by rising oil prices due to the Middle East conflict, rushed to buy battery-powered cars last month, with Chinese electric vehicle (EV) brands poised to reap the benefits and give their global expansion a boost. Battery EV (BEV) registrations, a proxy for retail sales, climbed 51 per cent month on month in March, topping 224,000 units across 15 key European Union (EU) markets, according to data jointly released by research firm New Automotive and industry consortium... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3350776/jump-eu-ev-sales-amid-iran-war-boosts-chinese-brands-fortunes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3350776/jump-eu-ev-sales-amid-iran-war-boosts-chinese-brands-fortunes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 23:30:07 +0000 Miguel Otero-Iglesias,Mario Esteban Miguel Otero-Iglesias,Mario Esteban Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s fourth visit to Beijing in four years has once again drawn attention across Europe and the Atlantic, but perhaps less scepticism than before. In an era marked by intensifying US-China rivalry, geopolitical fragmentation and the European Union’s emphasis on “de-risking”, Spain’s sustained engagement with China is often seen as a strategic divergence from Brussels. That reading, however, underestimates both Spain’s intentions and the broader shift under way... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3350672/why-spains-outreach-china-offers-viable-model-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3350672/why-spains-outreach-china-offers-viable-model-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham China will hit EU firms with reciprocal measures if the bloc targets Chinese firms as planned under its proposed cybersecurity regulations, Beijing has warned. In a 30-page document submitted to the European Commission on Friday, China’s commerce ministry explicitly warned that broad retaliation was on the table if firms such as Huawei and ZTE were penalised by the law, which was announced in January but is still in draft form. “If the EU designates China as a ‘country posing cybersecurity... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350763/china-threatens-eu-firms-over-cybersecurity-plans-targeting-chinese-companies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350763/china-threatens-eu-firms-over-cybersecurity-plans-targeting-chinese-companies?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:01:08 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Sven Biscop is a Belgian political scientist and strategist specialising in the foreign affairs and security of the EU and its relations with great powers. He is a director at the Egmont Royal Institute for International Relations in Brussels and a professor at Ghent University. He is also a senior research fellow at Renmin University in Beijing, where he teaches in the summer. Biscop is the author of many books, including 2024’s This Is Not a New World Order: Europe Rediscovers Geopolitics,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350626/saying-youre-geopolitical-actor-doesnt-make-it-so-sven-biscop-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350626/saying-youre-geopolitical-actor-doesnt-make-it-so-sven-biscop-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 22:00:19 +0000 Reuters Reuters Pro-Russian former president Rumen Radev is set for a runaway victory in Bulgaria’s election and may even secure a parliamentary majority, exit polls showed, potentially ending years of weak coalition governments and altering the European Union member’s foreign policy. An updated exit poll conducted by Sofia-based Alpha Research showed Radev’s Progressive Bulgaria with 44 per cent, far ahead of the long-dominant GERB party, led ‌by former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, at 12.5 per cent. If... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350625/corruption-fuels-mistrust-bulgarias-eighth-election-five-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350625/corruption-fuels-mistrust-bulgarias-eighth-election-five-years?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 09:41:00 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham In June 2021, from a podium in the Cornish countryside, former US president Joe Biden told a relieved Europe that “America is back at the table”. The comment – made after a summit of the Group of Seven rich nations – became a galvanising force for reinvigorated transatlanticism after the first term of Donald Trump had left it in tatters. When Russia invaded Ukraine eight months later, the G7 became the forum of choice for cooking up punitive sanctions against Russia. It was also the venue for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350572/rupture-how-europe-fell-out-love-america?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350572/rupture-how-europe-fell-out-love-america?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 15:00:10 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Spain and Brazil signed a flurry of agreements at Pedro Sanchez and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s first bilateral summit, as the Spanish leader seeks to build an alliance to counter US President Donald Trump. “The relationship between Spain and Brazil goes far beyond the strictly bilateral,” Sanchez told reporters after signing 15 deals covering areas including critical minerals, telecommunications and artificial intelligence. “Peace and the values that sustain it are being attacked by a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350545/spain-signs-deals-brazil-sanchez-builds-anti-trump-bloc?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350545/spain-signs-deals-brazil-sanchez-builds-anti-trump-bloc?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 21:05:18 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China’s leading LED chipmaker and its Malaysian partner have abandoned their US$239 million cash offer to purchase Dutch technology company Lumileds Holding after opposition from US authorities, marking the latest setback for Chinese tech investment overseas following the high-profile Nexperia saga. Sanan Optoelectronics, listed in Shanghai, said in a disclosure announcement on Friday that despite multiple rounds of discussions, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS)... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3350520/chinese-led-chipmakers-purchase-dutch-firm-collapses-after-us-opposition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3350520/chinese-led-chipmakers-purchase-dutch-firm-collapses-after-us-opposition?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:30:07 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu has met European Union representatives to discuss opportunities for cooperation, with the chief executive saying both sides highlighted a shared belief in multilateralism amid increasing tensions and market turmoil. Ambassador Harvey Rouse, head of the EU Office in Hong Kong, called for both sides to work together, describing the 27-member bloc as a “very dependable partner in an increasingly volatile world”. Local officials attending the lunch meeting on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350369/hong-kong-leader-john-lee-eu-officials-meet-discuss-trade-cooperation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350369/hong-kong-leader-john-lee-eu-officials-meet-discuss-trade-cooperation?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:19:17 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Sven Biscop is a Belgian political scientist and strategist specialising in the foreign affairs and security of the EU and its relations with great powers. He is a director at the Egmont Royal Institute for International Relations in Brussels and a professor at Ghent University. He is also a senior research fellow at Renmin University in Beijing, where he teaches in the summer. Biscop is the author of many books, including 2024’s This Is Not a New World Order: Europe Rediscovers Geopolitics,... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350314/europe-lacks-china-strategy-needs-new-us-approach-biscop-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350314/europe-lacks-china-strategy-needs-new-us-approach-biscop-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:23:39 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng China’s leading steelmakers are stepping up coordinated efforts to adjust export strategies, compliance systems and pricing models in response to this year’s full implementation of the EU’s tariff-like Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which imposes direct carbon-linked costs on imports. “China’s indirect steel exports to the EU are substantial, and a significant portion consists of high value-added products,” said Jiang Wei, vice-chairman and secretary general of the China Iron and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350177/chinese-steelmakers-coordinate-response-eus-carbon-linked-import-imposts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350177/chinese-steelmakers-coordinate-response-eus-carbon-linked-import-imposts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:30:10 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham At a top-level meeting of her 26 department chiefs in March, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen quietly approved a plan to stop EU funds from going to clean technology projects containing Chinese inverters. Inverters are the essential power electronics at the heart of solar and wind systems. Industry groups estimate that Chinese companies led by Huawei Technologies control more than 220 gigawatts of Europe’s installed solar capacity via the devices. The commission wants to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350056/eu-cut-funding-chinese-inverters-quiet-offensive-replaces-grandstanding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350056/eu-cut-funding-chinese-inverters-quiet-offensive-replaces-grandstanding?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:01:18 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen China and Spain should work closely to resist “the law of the jungle” and defend true multilateralism in a turbulent world caught in “a contest between justice and power”, Chinese President Xi Jinping told visiting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in a meeting on Tuesday. The meeting came after both sides strongly condemned the US-Israel military actions on Iran and criticised the US blockade of Iranian ports. Sanchez, who landed in Beijing on Saturday for a five-day trip, is on his fourth... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350026/xi-calls-spain-jointly-resist-law-jungle-turbulent-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350026/xi-calls-spain-jointly-resist-law-jungle-turbulent-world?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:00:13 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu A leading European business association in China has urged Brussels to avoid becoming a “passive recipient” of US-China trade negotiations, as European firms scramble to navigate Beijing’s export controls. In a report released on Tuesday, the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China asserted that the EU must take the lead in discussions affecting its interests, while urging Beijing to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach to export controls. “We’re in a situation where Europe simply cannot... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349937/brussels-must-resist-passive-role-us-china-trade-war-eu-chamber-urges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349937/brussels-must-resist-passive-role-us-china-trade-war-eu-chamber-urges?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 01:30:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters The European Union on Monday launched ⁠the critical minerals ⁠section of its energy and materials ⁠procurement platform, which aims to give more power to regional buyers and cut dependence on dominant producer China by aggregating their purchases. The platform is part of the bloc’s RESourceEU strategy, announced in December ‌to develop its supply chains for rare earths and other strategic minerals needed for the energy transition and defence applications. China controls up to 90 per cent of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349956/eu-launches-operations-critical-minerals-procurement-platform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349956/eu-launches-operations-critical-minerals-procurement-platform?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:45:07 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Hungary’s prime minister-elect Peter Magyar has extended a warm overture to China, which he referred to as “one of the world’s most powerful countries”, saying he would like to visit Beijing and that Chinese leaders are welcome to visit Budapest. “We are absolutely, absolutely open [to discussions with Chinese leaders] and China is one of the world’s most important, largest and most powerful countries. It is in our interest, and I believe it is in the interest of both countries,” Magyar said in... https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3349943/hungarys-prime-minister-elect-vows-fair-play-firms-review-orbans-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3349943/hungarys-prime-minister-elect-vows-fair-play-firms-review-orbans-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:05:55 +0000 Orange Wang,Laura Zhou Orange Wang,Laura Zhou Hungary’s stunning political transition will not trigger a dramatic overturning of its ties with China, Chinese experts suggest, with China-EU relations also expected to see limited impact. A landslide parliamentary election victory on Sunday for the centre-right Tisza Party, led by Peter Magyar, ended Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s 16 years in power. Orban conceded defeat and congratulated Magyar in a phone call. Magyar is now on course to become Hungary’s next prime minister, and his... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349941/why-beijing-isnt-panicking-over-hungarian-pm-viktor-orbans-stunning-election-defeat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349941/why-beijing-isnt-panicking-over-hungarian-pm-viktor-orbans-stunning-election-defeat?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 13:14:12 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Finbarr Bermingham Xiaofei Xu,Finbarr Bermingham Viktor Orban’s 16-year grip on Hungary is over, with the prime minister conceding Sunday’s election in a phone call with Peter Magyar, leader of the main opposition Tisza Party. “The election result is painful but clear. I congratulated the winning party,” Orban said from his election headquarters in Budapest. The result is a resounding rebuke to a government marked by authoritarianism and corruption, and by closer ties with Beijing, Moscow and Donald Trump’s Washington over Brussels. Hungarians... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349821/orban-concedes-defeat-hungarian-voters-deliver-sweeping-rebuke-16-year-rule?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349821/orban-concedes-defeat-hungarian-voters-deliver-sweeping-rebuke-16-year-rule?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 19:44:52 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham A long-awaited EU debate on China has been shelved in favour of the Middle East crisis, highlighting how Europe is struggling to treat Beijing as a strategic priority despite mounting economic pressure. The European Commission’s security college was set to meet this coming Monday to debate the challenges posed by Beijing, as part of what officials were referring to internally as “China week”. It would have been the first strategic discussion among the bloc’s 27 commissioners under President... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349548/china-sidelined-eu-shelves-rare-strategy-debate-middle-east-crisis-takes-priority?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349548/china-sidelined-eu-shelves-rare-strategy-debate-middle-east-crisis-takes-priority?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:00:27 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen US President Donald Trump’s renewed threat to take Greenland when America is bogged down in a war with Iran will only deepen the fracture with Washington’s European allies, according to analysts. Trump has repeatedly criticised Europe since returning to the White House. He has derided Nato as a “paper tiger” that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “not afraid of” and last week threatened to withdraw the US from the transatlantic security alliance. Europe, meanwhile, has pushed back and kept a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349295/paper-tiger-whats-behind-donald-trumps-renewed-greenland-threat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349295/paper-tiger-whats-behind-donald-trumps-renewed-greenland-threat?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:00:11 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Major powers are closely watching Hungary’s election next week – a vote seen as a referendum on Europe’s right and crucial for Chinese interests in the EU. Recent polls show self-styled “illiberal democrat” Viktor Orban’s Fidesz trailing challenger Peter Magyar’s Tisza Party by between 19 and 23 points among likely voters ahead of an election on Sunday that has been described as “Europe’s most consequential”. For China, Russia and the United States under President Donald Trump, an Orban defeat... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349109/orban-brink-could-hungarys-election-dent-chinas-influence-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349109/orban-brink-could-hungarys-election-dent-chinas-influence-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 04:00:08 +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 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma A leading Chinese state media outlet has run back-to-back front-page editorials over the past two days pushing back against claims that China’s economy is losing steam and that the global economy is experiencing a “China shock 2.0”. “Looking across the globe, China’s growth target stands out as second to none,” the state-run Economic Daily wrote in a Thursday editorial, noting that the country’s goal of achieving 4.5 to 5 per cent growth in 2026 was far higher than the 2.6 per cent global growth... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348787/china-shock-20-false-narrative-born-western-anxiety-chinese-media?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348787/china-shock-20-false-narrative-born-western-anxiety-chinese-media?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 07:55:43 +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 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham To European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the ribbon of rail snaking from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia across Angola to the Atlantic port of Lobito is “more than just infrastructure”. The Lobito Corridor rail upgrade is a flagship project of the EU’s €300 billion (US$346 billion) infrastructure drive, Global Gateway, launched to great fanfare in 2021 as a rival to Beijing’s own Belt and Road Initiative. It is also pivotal to the EU’s efforts to wean itself off... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348330/eus-flagship-africa-project-under-fire-over-ties-chinese-state-owned-firms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348330/eus-flagship-africa-project-under-fire-over-ties-chinese-state-owned-firms?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China’s market regulator has told companies including electric vehicle maker BYD and battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL) to compete healthily when expanding overseas, amid mounting accusations of unfair competition, subsidies and dumping levelled at Chinese companies in global markets. Chinese firms should standardise their competitive behaviour and “build a healthy competition ecosystem” in their overseas expansion, the State Administration for Market Regulation said in an... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348163/chinese-market-regulator-tells-firms-focus-healthy-competition-overseas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348163/chinese-market-regulator-tells-firms-focus-healthy-competition-overseas?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:00:09 +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