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China-EU relations

China-EU relations
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.
Open Questions series

Zheng Yongnian on what US’ ‘neocolonialism’, Venezuela operation mean for China

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

Liu Qian on Chinese innovation, the US rivalry and women holding up half the sky

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia

Fuchsia Dunlop tells how she fell for China’s cuisine and names her perfect dish

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

80 years on from WWII, China’s interests lie in peaceful Asia-Pacific: Mitter

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

‘Delusional’: Jeffrey Sachs on why Western hegemony has ended

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Illustration: Henry Wong

Scholar Jing Qian on right-sizing China’s economy in the age of Trump

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Zheng Yongnian on what US’ ‘neocolonialism’, Venezuela operation mean for China

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15
Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

Liu Qian on Chinese innovation, the US rivalry and women holding up half the sky

7
Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia

Fuchsia Dunlop tells how she fell for China’s cuisine and names her perfect dish

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5
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

80 years on from WWII, China’s interests lie in peaceful Asia-Pacific: Mitter

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18
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

‘Delusional’: Jeffrey Sachs on why Western hegemony has ended

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93
Illustration: Henry Wong

Scholar Jing Qian on right-sizing China’s economy in the age of Trump

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40
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
MORE FROM THIS SERIES
European Union flags fly at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Photo: AFP
European Union

EU launches operations of critical minerals procurement platform

The move aims to cut reliance on dominant producer China and give more power to regional buyers.

China trade

Hungary’s PM-elect Magyar sends warm overture to China, vows fair play for firms

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Mainland China

Why Beijing isn’t panicking over Hungarian PM Orban’s stunning election defeat

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Hungary

Viktor Orban concedes defeat as Hungarian voters end his 16-year rule

Record turnout hands opposition Tisza Party a decisive victory in Hungary.

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Hungary’s nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban concedes defeat in parliamentary elections to his rival, conservative Peter Magyar, a former government insider and political newcomer who has promised “system change”. Photo: AFP
US-EU relations

China sidelined: EU shelves rare debate as Middle East crisis takes priority

Delay risks entrenching a policy vacuum as member states diverge and Brussels struggles to evolve its approach.

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US-EU relations

‘Paper tiger’: what’s behind Trump’s renewed Greenland threat?

Europe is likely to stay neutral in the Iran war and could even benefit if America fares poorly in its military campaign, analyst says.

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Hungary

Orban on the brink: could Hungary’s election dent China’s influence in Europe?

‘Most consequential’ vote is being pitched as a referendum on whether the country should move towards the East or West.

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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz is trailing the rival Tisza Party in the polls ahead of the April 12 election. Photo: Reuters
Iran

China, Europe and why Beijing took a swing at Iran over the Strait of Hormuz

Beijing takes a stand at the United Nations at the closure of shipping lanes.

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China GDP

‘False proposition’: state media hits ‘China shock’ as cover for Western anxiety

The state-run Economic Daily says the real problem with the global economy is not China’s strong exports, but rising protectionism.

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Denmark

Europe urged to ‘learn to fight for itself’ in case US-China truce collapses

European Council on Foreign Relations calls for Brussels to be prepared and ‘not wait until the next crisis hits’.

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With a trade truce in place between China and the United States, Beijing has hit pause on more rare earth restrictions. Photo: Chinatopix via AP
European Union

Europe’s crisis tourism: how the Iran war swallowed the EU’s geopolitical agenda

From trade with China to the Middle East conflict and resulting energy shock, Brussels’ agenda has been repeatedly knocked off course.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Angola

EU’s flagship Africa project under fire over ties to Chinese state-owned firms

Lawmakers demand to know where over US$2.3 billion in funds is going in venture meant to wean off Beijing’s critical minerals chokehold.

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China manufacturing

Chinese market regulator tells firms to focus on healthy competition overseas

State Administration for Market Regulation tells companies it will address ‘involution-style’ competition as they step up efforts to expand.

China-Germany relations

Merz floats EU-China deal, Trump’s new Beijing date, European lawmakers visit

This week: Germany’s Friedrich Merz envisages an eventual China-EU trade deal, new date set for Trump’s China trip and fuel prices surge amid war on Iran. Next week: European parliament sends first delegation to China in eight years, solar export subsidies end, Air China resumes North Korea flights, and more.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (right) visited Unitree’s headquarters in Hangzhou last month. (Photo: EPA)
European Parliament

European Parliament heads to China after 8 years and lobbying from Beijing

Chair of consumer protection delegation due in China next week wants to convey ‘that our rules on product standards are to be followed’.

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After eight years in the deep freeze, the European Parliament is sending an official delegation to China next week. Photo: Shutterstock
China-Germany relations

Germany’s Merz floats EU-China trade deal as European capitals soften on Beijing

Remarks urging ‘strategic partnerships around the world’ underscore how tensions with the US are inducing a more accommodating stance.

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China manufacturing

Why Chinese companies struggling at home are looking to Europe

Chinese firms operating in Europe have very different view to European firms with investments in China, survey finds.

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Mainland China

China and the Netherlands seek ‘pragmatic’ reset as Nexperia row rolls on

Wang Yi hails ‘positive signals’ from new Dutch minister as US pressure and EU de-risking leave The Hague juggling security and trade interests.

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Chinese-owned Dutch semiconductor company Nexperia has been at the centre of a row between China and the Netherlands. Photo: Reuters
European Union

Letters | Ireland is a predictable partner in unsettling times

Readers discuss Ireland’s ties to Hong Kong and the country’s global appeal, the war in Iran, and the value of attracting international students.

Nato

Exclusive | Chinese military set for EU and Nato talks as Iran war reshapes global security

The PLA delegation will travel to Brussels next week, where the Ukraine war remains a major barrier to better relations with Beijing.

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Donald Trump

Tariffs and distrust: EU’s bid to ditch China hits capacity problems

‘Thinly spread’ bloc seeks this week to thrash out memorandum on critical minerals with the US, eyeing a more formal instrument down the road.

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This week’s summit of EU leaders in Brussels is supposed to be about the bloc’s competitiveness, widely understood as a response to China’s state-backed industrial expansion. Photo: Reuters
Asean

Opinion | Underwater and unprotected: why Asean and the EU must secure subsea lifelines

With global data at risk from hybrid threats, Southeast Asia and Europe need to look past declarations to secure our shared data arteries.

Workers install a submarine communications cable in western France. Photo: AFP
Germany

Why the ‘China threat’ was barely mentioned in Germany’s latest state election

Baden-Wurttemberg’s car industry is facing steep job losses amid intense Chinese competition. But local candidates largely avoided blaming China.

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European Union

Get realpolitik? Von der Leyen questions Europe’s faith in rules-based order

The EU must become more realistic and interest-driven to keep up with the new world order, bloc chief says.

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Two Sessions 2026

China’s Wang sees ‘landmark year’ in US relations

Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the US and China could shorten their ‘list of problems’, while also promoting Beijing as a source of global stability amid the war in Iran.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Photo: AFP
European Union

Weaponise EU market against China or face manufacturing collapse: official think tank

Beijing’s ‘weakness creates opportunities’ for bloc to use chokepoints and leverage for negotiations, researchers say.

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Container ships are seen at Qingdao port in eastern China. Europe remains the last reasonably open advanced market where China can sell industrial and hi-tech goods. Photo: AFP
Two Sessions 2026

Abandon the lonely attic, join the China gym: Wang Yi to Europe

Foreign minister’s comments come at closely watched press conference on ‘two sessions’ sidelines.

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Two Sessions 2026

Takeaways from Foreign Minister Wang Yi at China’s ‘two sessions’

Top diplomat addresses questions on US ties, the Iran crisis, South China Sea disputes and Beijing’s vision for a multipolar world order.

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