Softer words, harder policy: EU recalibrates on China as it seeks rare earths breakthrough

Softer words, harder policy: EU recalibrates on China as it seeks rare earths breakthrough

Under pressure from Beijing’s chokehold on rare earths and the simmering feud over chipmaker Nexperia, EU officials have been asked to tone down their public rhetoric on Beijing, even as the bloc moves forward aggressively with its de-risking plans. Brussels is in “de-escalation mode”, several official sources confirmed, as it looks to convince China to…

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Xi Jinping vows to boost imports from Spain and deepen ties in talks with King Felipe

Xi Jinping vows to boost imports from Spain and deepen ties in talks with King Felipe

Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to increase imports from Spain and deepen trade collaboration with Madrid in Latin America, amid rising tensions with Europe. Xi made the pledge during a meeting with Spain’s King Felipe in Beijing on Wednesday. “China is willing to import more high-quality products from Spain, explore cooperation potential in emerging…

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7 minutes on Asia: Europe’s struggle for relevance in the age of China and Trump’s ‘G2’

7 minutes on Asia: Europe’s struggle for relevance in the age of China and Trump’s ‘G2’

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…

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