https://www.scmp.com/rss/524492/feed The latest news and updates on Johann Wadephul, Germany’s Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, having assumed the position in May 2025. A Member of the Bundestag since 2009, he previously served as Deputy Chair of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, with significant responsibilities in foreign and security policy. A lawyer and reserve Lieutenant Colonel, Wadephul is a defence policy expert known for advocating robust German military support for Ukraine and deeper NATO integration. His expertise... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States is considering reducing the number of its troops in Germany, amid a row with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the Iran war. “The United States is studying and reviewing the possible reduction of Troops in Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period of time,” Trump said on social media. The United States had more than 35,000 troops in Germany in 2024, according to the Congressional Research Service,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351923/trump-may-cut-us-troops-germany-after-merzs-humiliating-iran-comment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351923/trump-may-cut-us-troops-germany-after-merzs-humiliating-iran-comment?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 23:46:31 +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 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham At a Munich Security Conference drinks reception last week, a seasoned Chinese delegate who has been coming to Bavaria for more than a decade said China had long felt like an observer on the periphery. China was mentioned mainly to be blamed, they said – but things flipped last year when, instead of taking Beijing to task, US Vice-President J.D. Vance targeted Europe. Later in the weekend, the event’s CEO Benedikt Franke praised the China Centre for Globalisation – a Beijing think tank – for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343639/transatlantic-divorce-plays-out-munich-china-enjoys-silence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343639/transatlantic-divorce-plays-out-munich-china-enjoys-silence?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 13:11:47 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Over a hundred top figures from the world of entertainment signed an open letter on Saturday in support of UN Palestinian human rights expert Francesca Albanese, who faces calls to resign over comments about the war in Gaza. France and Germany have called for Albanese to step down over remarks last weekend in which she referred to a “common enemy of humanity” after criticising “most of the world” and the media for enabling Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza. Critics and Israel have accused the UN... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3343596/world-artists-back-palestine-rapporteur-francesca-albanese-despite-criticism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3343596/world-artists-back-palestine-rapporteur-francesca-albanese-despite-criticism?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 15:17:56 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham,Laura Zhou Finbarr Bermingham,Laura Zhou On the margins of a glitzy security event in Bavaria, the foreign ministers of France and Germany revived a dormant diplomatic format with China. In what was described as part of a larger effort to prevent the world’s superpowers from picking Europe apart, France’s Jean-Noel Barrot and Germany’s Johann Wadephul hosted Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday. It revived a configuration not seen since the days of French President Emmanuel Macron’s first term, talks that Wang said were “both an... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3343547/farewell-unipolar-moment-europe-scrambles-footing-between-us-and-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3343547/farewell-unipolar-moment-europe-scrambles-footing-between-us-and-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 20:58:33 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Britain is discussing with Nato allies how it can help strengthen security in the Arctic to counter threats from Russia and China, a UK government minister said on Sunday. Britain’s Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the talks were “business as usual” rather than a response to recent threats by US President Donald Trump to take over Greenland. Trump has said that he would like to make a deal to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous region of Nato ally Denmark, to prevent Russia or China... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3339512/germany-pitch-arctic-nato-mission-greenland-eu-brace-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3339512/germany-pitch-arctic-nato-mission-greenland-eu-brace-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Jan 2026 13:54:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump is considering making an offer to buy Greenland, the White House said on Wednesday, despite the island’s people and controlling power Denmark making clear they are not interested. Trump has repeatedly refused to rule out force to seize the strategic Arctic island, prompting shock and anger from Denmark and other long-standing European allies of the United States. After a request from Copenhagen, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he would soon hold discussions with... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3339105/trump-plots-buy-greenland-nato-ally-denmark-seethes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3339105/trump-plots-buy-greenland-nato-ally-denmark-seethes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 20:45:59 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Opinions differ widely over the intentions and implications of the latest US national security strategy issued by the White House. The document covers America’s global strategy and with respect to China, there is much less dispute. It’s certainly welcome that the report has watered down America’s antagonism towards China, recasting the relationship more in terms of economics than geopolitics. The language is far less hostile than in reports issued under the Biden administration and the first... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3337078/less-hostility-towards-china-new-us-security-strategy-welcome?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3337078/less-hostility-towards-china-new-us-security-strategy-welcome?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Dec 2025 22:45:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse World leaders voiced horror and revulsion at Sunday’s mass shooting in which 15 people were killed and dozens injured at Sydney’s Bondi Beach. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the “shocking and distressing” attack, which Australian police are calling a “terrorist” incident, was “beyond comprehension”, after assailants fired on a gathering celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. Israel’s President Isaac Herzog condemned what he called a “very cruel attack on Jews” by “vile... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3336413/world-leaders-express-horror-bondi-beach-terror-attack-vigils-are-held-victims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3336413/world-leaders-express-horror-bondi-beach-terror-attack-vigils-are-held-victims?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2025 21:49:55 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell It is almost eight years since US President Donald Trump first declared that “trade wars are good, and easy to win”. How much longer will it take him and his tariff hawks to eat those words, and acknowledge the crass economic illiteracy of that conviction? How high a price must everyone pay – in particular, US consumers – before he calls off his tariff war? As America’s Christmas shopping season gets into full swing, typically accounting for around one third of US retailers’ annual profits, the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3336113/us-christmas-shoppers-are-paying-high-price-trumps-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3336113/us-christmas-shoppers-are-paying-high-price-trumps-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 08:30:09 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham With the end of the year approaching, the European Commission is rapidly ramping up its de-risking efforts through a flurry of broadsides against Chinese firms – even as the bloc’s most powerful member states appear to be moving in different directions on China. Foreign subsidy regulation probes were launched against online retailer Temu and Nuctech, a maker of airport scanning equipment, on Wednesday and Thursday respectively. E-commerce giant Temu saw its Dublin headquarters raided by... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3336127/brussels-ramps-china-de-risking-while-france-and-germany-pull-further-apart?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3336127/brussels-ramps-china-de-risking-while-france-and-germany-pull-further-apart?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 17:56:21 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial As two of the world’s economic powerhouses, Germany and China have much to offer each other. Alas, relations have significantly worsened since the end of the Angela Merkel era. As a key part of the European Union and the US-led Western alliance system, Berlin has taken a hardline stance towards Beijing in recent years. It has been a difficult relationship for China to manage as Germany swings from political hostility to economic pragmatism. The latest visit by German Foreign Minister Johann... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3335845/time-germany-see-reason-and-improve-relations-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3335845/time-germany-see-reason-and-improve-relations-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 23:15:07 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has warned that Europe must be “extremely cautious” about slapping tariffs on China, as it could prompt Beijing to take countermeasures that could turn into a “spiral”. The remarks came after French President Emmanuel Macron said he had told Beijing during his visit to China last week that Europe would be forced to take “strong measures” against Chinese goods if the trade imbalance was not addressed. “I told them that if they do not react, we Europeans... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335679/hitting-china-tariffs-should-be-last-resort-german-foreign-minister-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335679/hitting-china-tariffs-should-be-last-resort-german-foreign-minister-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 02:43:59 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Beijing pressed German carmakers to help resolve disputes over the European Union’s anti-subsidy tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and the Nexperia semiconductor saga, in separate video meetings on Monday. Vice-Minister of Commerce Ling Ji made the appeal to German industry leaders, seeking to leverage their influence in Brussels. Ling spoke with Hildegard Mueller, president of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), and Ola Kallenius, president of the European Automobile... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3335644/china-leans-german-carmakers-help-break-brussels-tariff-deadlock-fix-nexperia-mess?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3335644/china-leans-german-carmakers-help-break-brussels-tariff-deadlock-fix-nexperia-mess?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 12:58:33 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen China’s deliveries of rare earths, semiconductors and other commodities to Germany dominated the talks between German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao on Monday. “In all of these areas, there has been uncertainty, and that needs to be eliminated,” Wadephul said as he began a trip to China aimed at addressing Berlin’s trade and geopolitical concerns. According to Reuters, Beijing was far from being persuaded to grant general export licences for rare earth... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335643/german-foreign-minister-calls-end-uncertainty-chinese-rare-earths-chips?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335643/german-foreign-minister-calls-end-uncertainty-chinese-rare-earths-chips?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 12:50:36 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul’s trip to China this week signals a mutual desire to resume high-level dialogue amid mounting economic and geopolitical tensions, according to analysts. But they cautioned that the visit, which could lay the groundwork for a trip by Chancellor Friedrich Merz early next year, should be viewed as pragmatic management of a complex “systemic rivalry”, rather than a major reset in Beijing’s relations with Berlin or Brussels. For Germany, securing access to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335502/why-top-german-diplomats-china-trip-aims-manage-rivalry-wont-reset-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335502/why-top-german-diplomats-china-trip-aims-manage-rivalry-wont-reset-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2025 10:00:35 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham It is not unusual for Berlin to be cloaked in a blanket of grey on the brink of winter. What hangs over the city this year, however, feels heavier. This new shade of gloom cuts through conversations about everything. Germany’s coalition government is just six months old, but already some are wondering how long it can last. The economy is no larger now than it was five years ago and is being pummelled by a heady brew of structural problems and external threats. The German foreign minister warned... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335453/great-slowdown-germany-standstill-china-shock-hits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335453/great-slowdown-germany-standstill-china-shock-hits?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Dec 2025 14:00:10 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow China knocked back Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s efforts to defuse a row over Taiwan, reigniting a simmering dispute that has hit trade and diplomatic ties between the two Asian nations. “Now that Prime Minister Takaichi claims that the Japanese government’s basic position regarding Taiwan remains as stated in the 1972 Sino-Japanese joint statement, can she accurately and fully articulate what was stated in the joint statement?” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3335323/beijing-rebuffs-takaichi-macron-xi-talks-key-economic-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3335323/beijing-rebuffs-takaichi-macron-xi-talks-key-economic-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 09:01:16 +0000 Thomas O. Falk Thomas O. Falk There are moments in statecraft when a government reveals its strategic character. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s new administration has shown one such moment – and it was encouraging. On Ukraine, Berlin has moved with a decisiveness long thought beyond its political metabolism. Weapons are flowing. Defence production is expanding. Germany is anchoring Nato’s eastern flank and, for the first time in decades, speaking like a country prepared to bear the burdens of European security. On China,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3333715/stumbling-germany-needs-clear-strategy-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3333715/stumbling-germany-needs-clear-strategy-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 12:30:09 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has revealed he is now in the “last stages of coordinating” a trip to China, after his planned visit to Beijing last month was hastily cancelled. Speaking at the Berlin Foreign Policy Forum on Tuesday, Wadephul said he was “confident” that the trip would be rescheduled soon. It is thought that the conservative minister would be in the Chinese capital in the second week of December. Wadephul postponed his planned trip in October after failing to arrange... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334118/german-foreign-minister-last-stages-coordinating-trip-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334118/german-foreign-minister-last-stages-coordinating-trip-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 11:00:49 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press European officials said on Monday they were comforted by the outcome of discussions on US peace proposals for Ukraine that they had viewed as tilted in Russia’s favour, but they didn’t disclose details of the weekend talks and warned of a long road to peace. “The negotiations were a step forward, but there are still major issues which remain to be resolved,” Finnish President Alexander Stubb wrote on social media about Sunday’s meeting in Switzerland between US and Ukrainian officials. US... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3333999/europe-demands-rework-us-peace-deal-russia-ukraine-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3333999/europe-demands-rework-us-peace-deal-russia-ukraine-war?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Nov 2025 16:00:12 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Chinese Premier Li Qiang urged Germany to stand by a rational and pragmatic China policy and focus on common interests as he met on Sunday with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. “We hope the German side will adhere to a rational and pragmatic China policy, rule out interference and pressure, focus on shared interests and consolidate the foundation for cooperation,” Li told Merz on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. The meeting with the chancellor, who is... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3333905/premier-li-qiang-urges-germany-be-rational-and-pragmatic-china-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3333905/premier-li-qiang-urges-germany-be-rational-and-pragmatic-china-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Nov 2025 06:04:56 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Poland’s foreign minister said on Sunday that an “offensive” auction of Holocaust artefacts has been cancelled in Germany, relaying information from his German counterpart, following complaints from Holocaust survivors. Radoslaw Sikorski made the comments on the X platform, saying he and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul “agreed that such a scandal must be prevented”. The top Polish diplomat thanked Wadephul for the information that the auction was cancelled. Earlier, a Holocaust survivors... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3333011/germany-cancels-auction-holocaust-artefacts-after-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3333011/germany-cancels-auction-holocaust-artefacts-after-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Nov 2025 17:15:25 +0000 Reuters Reuters A de facto partition of Gaza between an area controlled by Israel and another ruled by Hamas is increasingly likely, multiple sources said, with efforts to advance US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war beyond a ceasefire faltering. Six European officials with direct knowledge of the efforts to implement the next phase of the plan told Reuters it was effectively stalled and that reconstruction now appeared likely to be limited to the Israeli-controlled area. That could lead to years of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3332373/gaza-faces-de-facto-partition-israel-trumps-peace-plan-falters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3332373/gaza-faces-de-facto-partition-israel-trumps-peace-plan-falters?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 11:35:09 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Germany needs to think long term and come up with a strategic vision to revive mutual trust with China following a series of diplomatic “bumps” this year, according to international relations observers. The relationship faced a setback last month when German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul postponed his first trip to China. A German foreign ministry official said the visit was called off after Beijing confirmed only one of his requested meetings. Cui Hongjian, director of the European studies... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331885/where-now-germanys-ties-china-start-long-term-vision-academic-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331885/where-now-germanys-ties-china-start-long-term-vision-academic-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Nov 2025 10:00:25 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Beijing has lodged a protest with the European Union following a surprise speech by Taiwan’s No 2 leader Hsiao Bi-khim at the European Parliament in Brussels on Friday. Organisers said she was the most senior official from Taiwan to have spoken at a foreign legislature in which the island did not have diplomatic recognition. Hsiao spoke at an unofficial conference of lawmakers from around the world who advocate for tougher China policies. She told the gathering that “cross-strait stability is... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332008/taiwans-no-2-leader-hsiao-bi-khim-makes-shock-speech-european-parliament?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332008/taiwans-no-2-leader-hsiao-bi-khim-makes-shock-speech-european-parliament?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Nov 2025 18:34:20 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham At a meeting in Brussels last month, foreign ministers from the European Union’s 27 member states sat down to discuss the bloc’s plans for the Indo-Pacific region. The conversation, according to several people familiar with it, lasted just seven minutes. It is perhaps unsurprising, then, that officials, diplomats and experts are groaning about the lack of coherence and foresight in the union’s China policy. At a time when European leaders are promising independence, credibility and resilience,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331878/7-minutes-asia-europes-struggle-relevance-age-china-and-trumps-g2?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331878/7-minutes-asia-europes-struggle-relevance-age-china-and-trumps-g2?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Nov 2025 07:00:09 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has accused Germany of making “groundless accusations” and called on Berlin to support reunification with Taiwan in a phone call with his German counterpart, Johann Wadephul. The call, at the request of Wadephul, came a week after he postponed his first trip to China, saying that Beijing had confirmed only one of his requested meetings. “China and Germany have different histories, cultures and social systems, so differences are unavoidable,” Wang said in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331437/germany-must-resist-megaphone-diplomacy-wang-tells-wadephul-after-trip-china-postponed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331437/germany-must-resist-megaphone-diplomacy-wang-tells-wadephul-after-trip-china-postponed?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 05:38:55 +0000 Agence France-Presse,Associated Press Agence France-Presse,Associated Press Israel said on Saturday that three bodies it received from Gaza the night before were not hostages held in the Palestinian territory, as a Hamas security source reported fresh strikes in the south. Despite occasional flare-ups, a fragile truce has been holding in Gaza since October 10, based on a US-brokered deal centred on the return of all Israeli hostages, both living and dead. Israel’s military said that a forensic analysis revealed that three bodies it received via the Red Cross on Friday... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3331189/israel-confirms-bodies-received-hamas-are-not-hostages-amid-uncertain-gaza-truce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3331189/israel-confirms-bodies-received-hamas-are-not-hostages-amid-uncertain-gaza-truce?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 13:48:08 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham German Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil is set to chair talks between his Social Democrat Party (SPD) and China’s Communist Party in Beijing next month, even after Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul was forced to postpone a trip to China after being unable to arrange enough meetings. The SPD and Communist Party meeting will take place in Beijing from November 17 to 19, several sources confirmed, as the two parties continue a long-standing tradition of dialogue. Klingbeil is the leader of the SPD,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330822/germanys-vice-chancellor-lead-social-democrat-communist-party-talks-ties-fray?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330822/germanys-vice-chancellor-lead-social-democrat-communist-party-talks-ties-fray?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 17:12:44 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Monday called for “fair” trade with China in chips and rare earth minerals, amid heightened tensions between China and the European Union. Wadephul, who last week was forced to cancel a planned visit to China, said he planned to speak to Chinese representatives by phone “as soon as possible and reschedule the trip”. “It’s only postponed, not cancelled,” Wadephul said of the visit. Germany called off the trip after the Chinese side were unable to confirm... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330532/german-foreign-minister-urges-fair-rare-earth-chip-trade-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330532/german-foreign-minister-urges-fair-rare-earth-chip-trade-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 17:10:20 +0000 Peter T. C. Chang Peter T. C. Chang Eighty years on, the Global South’s pursuit of a just world order remains overshadowed by the unresolved legacies of the second world war. At China’s Victory Day parade last week, President Xi Jinping warned that the world stands at a crossroads – between peace and war. He urged nations to learn from history to prevent a repeat of the catastrophe that engulfed the world eight decades ago. In the lead-up to the commemoration, concerns intensified over Japan’s perceived lack of genuine remorse for... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3324772/chinas-victory-day-parade-heralds-new-vision-old-wounds-linger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3324772/chinas-victory-day-parade-heralds-new-vision-old-wounds-linger?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Allied talk of sending European peacekeeping forces to protect Ukraine as part of a possible peace deal with Russia has sparked a backlash in Germany, a country still scarred by its militaristic Nazi past, even if the prospect remains remote. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has signalled openness to German participation in a possible peacekeeping mission in Ukraine while emphasising that such a decision would require coordination with European partners and his own coalition. He also noted that any... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3322633/germany-divided-over-sending-troops-post-war-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3322633/germany-divided-over-sending-troops-post-war-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2025 07:37:08 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Maritime tensions between the Philippines and China have entered what analysts describe as a risky and potentially volatile phase after an accidental collision between two Chinese vessels near Scarborough Shoal, one of the most contested features in the South China Sea. The rare mishap involving the vessels from the Chinese coastguard and navy during a high-speed chase of a Philippine coastguard ship has raised the risk of Beijing adopting a more aggressive posture as it seeks to save face,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3322558/philippines-assures-china-restraint-after-ship-clashes-will-tensions-ease?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3322558/philippines-assures-china-restraint-after-ship-clashes-will-tensions-ease?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Aug 2025 13:15:09 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and his German counterpart Johann Wadephul agreed on Monday to strengthen bilateral cooperation, amid the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and shifting relations with the United States. During the first “strategic dialogue” between the two nations, Iwaya and Wadephul agreed at a meeting in Tokyo to work closely towards a “just and lasting peace” in Ukraine, the Japanese foreign ministry said. The ministers also pledged to cooperate on Indo-Pacific issues,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3322240/japan-germany-boost-security-cooperation-amid-wars-shifting-us-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3322240/japan-germany-boost-security-cooperation-amid-wars-shifting-us-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Aug 2025 10:11:00 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump stepped back from threats to impose new tariffs on China as a way of pressuring Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine war following a “productive” meeting in Alaska with the Russian leader. “Because of what happened today, I think I don’t have to think about that,” Trump told Fox News. “I may have to think about it in two weeks or three weeks or something, but we don’t have to think about that right now. I think, you know, the meeting went very well.” Trump met Putin for... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3322204/trump-eases-china-pressure-despite-no-deal-putin-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3322204/trump-eases-china-pressure-despite-no-deal-putin-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Aug 2025 09:00:26 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has downplayed EU concerns over restrictions on rare earth exports and offered assurances that the needs of European companies will be met if they adhere to proper application procedures. Controlling dual-use goods was a sovereign right and an international responsibility for all nations, Wang said during a news conference with his German counterpart in Berlin on Thursday. He was responding to a question about European companies’ unease over Beijing’s export... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3316937/rare-earth-exports-should-never-come-between-china-and-eu-wang-yi-says-europe-tour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3316937/rare-earth-exports-should-never-come-between-china-and-eu-wang-yi-says-europe-tour?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2025 09:00:10 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A Russia-appointed official in Ukraine’s occupied Luhansk region said Monday that Moscow’s forces have overrun all of it – one of four regions Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in September 2022 despite not fully controlling a single one. If confirmed, that would make Luhansk the first Ukrainian region fully occupied by Russia after more than three years of war and as recent US-led international peace efforts have failed to make progress on halting the fighting. Russian President Vladimir... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3316488/moscow-appointed-leader-says-russia-has-full-control-ukraines-luhansk-region?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3316488/moscow-appointed-leader-says-russia-has-full-control-ukraines-luhansk-region?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Jul 2025 06:45:27 +0000