https://www.scmp.com/rss/521464/feed Roberta Metsola is a Maltese lawyer specialising in European law and politics. She is the youngest and first Maltese President of the European Parliament, elected in January 2022 and re-elected in July 2024. She previously served as First Vice-President and a long-standing Member of the European Parliament. Her responsibilities include leading legislative reforms, representing the European Parliament internationally and advocating for democracy, media freedom and European integration.... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com 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 Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said on Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544. Iran had no direct reaction to Trump’s comments, which came after the foreign minister of Oman – long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran – travelled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3339521/european-parliament-chief-urges-iranians-keep-anti-government-rallies-amid-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3339521/european-parliament-chief-urges-iranians-keep-anti-government-rallies-amid-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Jan 2026 22:09:09 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The first official meeting between the European Parliament and China’s National People’s Congress for seven years is slated for October 16, confirming a continued thaw in relations between the two chambers. The meeting has been in the works for months since the sides moved to lift restrictions on each other, but it was confirmed by the European Conference of Presidents last week, with invitations to be sent from Brussels imminently. Sources familiar with the arrangement said the leadership group... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325952/eu-china-parliaments-aim-hold-their-first-talks-seven-years-october-16?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325952/eu-china-parliaments-aim-hold-their-first-talks-seven-years-october-16?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Sep 2025 04:29:51 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Beijing has removed “restrictions” on Reinhard Buetikofer, the former EU lawmaker it sanctioned in 2021, as it looks to normalise ties with the European Parliament. The move is expected to galvanise a new round of engagement, with an official meeting of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the China delegation of the European Parliament pencilled in for Brussels in October, according to several people familiar with the plan. This would be the first official meeting between the sides since... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3318351/bid-normalise-ties-eu-china-drops-sanctions-it-imposed-retired-mep?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3318351/bid-normalise-ties-eu-china-drops-sanctions-it-imposed-retired-mep?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 15:25:31 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China’s Premier Li Qiang took aim at rising protectionism in a thinly veiled swipe at the US and EU as he delivered a keynote speech at “Summer Davos” in Tianjin. “We must oppose decoupling and fragmentation, and avoid politicising or securitising economic and trade issues,” he said at the World Economic Forum event, officially called the Annual Meeting of the New Champions. “No country can grow or prosper alone.” The number of discriminatory trade barriers active worldwide has surged since... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3315768/lis-protectionism-lament-echoes-western-complaints-about-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3315768/lis-protectionism-lament-echoes-western-complaints-about-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Jun 2025 09:00:15 +0000