https://www.scmp.com/rss/524402/feed The latest news and top stories on Mercosur. A prominent South American based intergovernmental organisation, Mercosur is dedicated to promoting free trade and the fluid movement of goods, services, capital and people among its member states. Headquartered in Montevideo, Uruguay, this regional economic integration bloc focuses on fostering economic cooperation, establishing a common external tariff and enhancing regional integration. Established in 1991 by the Treaty of Asunción, Mercosur is... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China is approaching the United States in terms of overall world power including economic mettle, a former European Commission leader and Portuguese prime minister said this week. The United States remains the “most important global power” but China is getting closer, said Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, the European Commission president from 2004 to 2014, pointing to US technology and finance among other aspects of its prominence. “China comes every time closer, from my point of view,” Durao Barroso... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341334/china-coming-closer-us-global-power-european-ex-leader-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341334/china-coming-closer-us-global-power-european-ex-leader-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 06:31:36 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi will travel to China next week, in what is expected to be the first visit by a Latin American leader to Beijing since the United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in an early January operation. Beijing says the trip will focus on strengthening political dialogue and expanding economic cooperation. The state visit will run from February 1 to 7, according to China’s foreign ministry, and comes at a tense moment in the western hemisphere following... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341315/xi-meet-uruguays-orsi-first-latin-america-china-visit-us-capture-maduro?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341315/xi-meet-uruguays-orsi-first-latin-america-china-visit-us-capture-maduro?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 21:55:02 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse South American and European Union officials on Saturday signed a major trade deal, which they hailed as sending a powerful message at a time of tariff threats, global uncertainty and protectionism. The deal between the 27-nation European Union and Mercosur bloc members Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay creates one of the world’s largest free trade areas after 25 years of tricky negotiations. It was given fresh impetus amid the sweeping use of tariffs and trade threats by US President... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3340259/south-american-bloc-eu-sign-long-awaited-fta-amid-trumps-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3340259/south-american-bloc-eu-sign-long-awaited-fta-amid-trumps-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 09:31:45 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Thousands of Irish farmers protested on Saturday against the European Union’s trade deal with the South American bloc Mercosur, a day after EU states approved the treaty despite opposition from Ireland and France. Tractors streamed into the roads of Athlone, in central Ireland, for the demonstration, displaying signs including “Stop EU-Mercosur” and ones with the European Union flag emblazoned with the words “sell out”. Farmers on Friday also marched in Poland and blocked roads in France and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3339457/irish-farmers-protest-march-against-eu-mercosur-trade-deal-very-disappointing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3339457/irish-farmers-protest-march-against-eu-mercosur-trade-deal-very-disappointing?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Jan 2026 14:40:46 +0000 dpa dpa A majority of European Union countries gave the go-ahead on Friday for the bloc to sign the Mercosur free trade deal with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay after decades of negotiations. At a meeting of representatives from the 27 EU countries in Brussels, a sufficient number of participants agreed to the planned signing of the deal, diplomatic sources said. The new free-trade zone, with more than 700 million inhabitants, will be the largest of its kind in the world, according to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3339395/eu-agrees-worlds-largest-free-trade-zone-mercosur-pact-after-25-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3339395/eu-agrees-worlds-largest-free-trade-zone-mercosur-pact-after-25-years?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 13:59:56 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Indonesia and Brazil agreed to boost ties and struck a series of agreements on Thursday as their leaders met in Jakarta, with Southeast Asia’s biggest economy looking to make further inroads into South American markets. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was greeted by a marching band and national anthems at a ceremony at the presidential palace in Jakarta before talks with Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto. The pair witnessed the signing of agreements on oil, gas, electricity,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3330058/indonesia-brazil-boost-ties-strike-cooperation-deals-leaders-meet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3330058/indonesia-brazil-boost-ties-strike-cooperation-deals-leaders-meet?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 09:00:41 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Igor Patrick Khushboo Razdan,Igor Patrick As US President Donald Trump revved up his tariff threat against Brics, Brazil and India responded with a show of unity as they vowed to triple bilateral trade during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Brasilia on Tuesday. Describing the US dollar as the “king”, Trump on Tuesday claimed that Brics was set up to hurt the US and “degenerate” the dollar. He added that Brics nations, including India and Brazil, would “have to pay 10 per cent if they’re in Brics”. “If they want to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317468/show-unity-against-trump-brazil-and-india-vow-triple-trade-flows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317468/show-unity-against-trump-brazil-and-india-vow-triple-trade-flows?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Jul 2025 02:00:12 +0000