China-Europe Geopolitics and Economics: News & Discussions

[AndrewJin]

I'm afraid during the trump era, USA cannot even sustain the current rank of Germany's trading partner.

 

[艹艹艹]

German Chancellor Merkel visits China nine times in ten years

 

[maximuswarrior]

Not a surprise.

 

[TaiShang]

German Chancellor Merkel visits China nine times in ten years

She is the second most frequent visitor, after President Putin.

Gives good idea about China's geopolitical and geoeconomic directions.

 

[艹艹艹]

She is the second most frequent visitor, after President Putin.

Gives good idea about China's geopolitical and geoeconomic directions.

She is very practical.

 

[TaiShang]

She is very practical.

If this is how "Make America Great Again" works, we are all for it.

Perhaps, next stage of MAGA is to make China Mexico and Canada's second biggest trade partner and help reduce US exports to these two countries.

The ultimate prize of the MAGA would be making China both Mexico and Canada's largest trade partner.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Seems like China is on Roll, strangely this time they did not even try to do anything , people are automatically calling them

 

[onebyone]

British PM invited to Silk Road summit in Beijing, sources say

Theresa May keen to talk trade ahead of Brexit

PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 08 February, 2017, 3:57pm
UPDATED : Wednesday, 08 February, 2017, 4:01pm

ECONOMY
Full speed ahead with ‘one road’ strategy
19 Jan 2017

China has invited British Prime Minister Theresa May to attend a major summit in May on its “One Belt, One Road” initiative to build a new Silk Road, diplomatic sources said, as London announced she would visit China this year.

“One Belt, One Road” is President Xi Jinping’s landmark programme to invest billions of yuan in infrastructure projects including railways, ports and power grids across Asia, Africa and Europe.

China has dedicated US$40 billion to a Silk Road Fund and the idea was the driving force behind the opening last year of the US$50 billion China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

As Trump retreats, Xi Jinping moves to upgrade China’s global power play

China has so far given few details about who will attend the summit, to be held in Beijing.

The country’s top diplomat, State Councillor Yang Jiechi, told state-run China Daily last week that leaders from about 20 Asian, European, African and Latin American countries had confirmed their participation. He did not give names.

One Beijing-based diplomatic source said May was among those invited.

“China is choosing the countries it sees as friends and who will be most influential in promoting ‘One Belt, One Road’,” the source said.

Two other diplomatic sources confirmed May had been invited.

“It’s China’s most important diplomatic event of the year,” one of the sources said.

The Foreign Ministry in Beijing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sri Lanka has confirmed its prime minister will attend, and China says Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will also be at the summit.

Speaking in London, May’s aides confirmed she would visit China this year to discuss trade ties, the latest in a series of foreign trips to cement relations with major powers as she negotiates Britain’s divorce from the European Union.

May’s aides gave few details about the trip, but she is keen to strengthen her hand by securing foreign support before launching complicated Brexit talks.

“It would be a renewed expression of the close relationship between Britain and China, something that you have seen obviously develop over the past few years,” a spokesman for May said on Tuesday. “I would imagine that trade would form some part of the discussions that we have.”

The Ministry of Commerce has said China has an open attitude towards a free-trade deal with Britain once it leaves the EU and is willing to study it.

Xi Jinping’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ strategy is showing the way to a new world order

May attended a summit in China of the G20 leading economies in September, shortly after she became prime minister following June’s referendum vote to leave the EU, and was invited by Xi to visit again.

With May having made clear she plans for Britain to leave the EU’s single market, trade has dominated her talks with foreign leaders in recent months.

She has secured assurances from US President Donald Trump, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other world powers that they are keen to start talks on boosting links.

http://www.scmp.com/news/china/dipl...-invited-silk-road-summit-beijing-sources-say

 

[Taimoor Khan]

CPEC is the pilot and flagship project of OBOR. Its given that CPEC will be discussed in this upcoming summit. Those whose heads are buried in sand and still are in denial mode about CPEC are doing harm to non other but themselves.

 

[TaiShang]

EU to phase out Chinese solar panel duties

Source: Agencies | February 9, 2017, Thursday | Shanghai Daily

THE European Union said yesterday it aimed to phase out anti-dumping duties on Chinese solar panel imports after 18 months, ending a bitter dispute with one of its largest trading partners.

Stung by US President Donald Trump’s protectionist stance, the EU has touted its free trade credentials and pledged closer cooperation with China in response.

The EU imposed the duties in 2013 after European panel makers complained they were being forced out of business by Chinese imports.

Other companies which installed solar panel systems claimed the duties harmed them by increasing their costs and should be removed.

European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans said: “There is no doubt we have the right to protect our industry ... but at the same time we have to take into account other companies who import these products.”

These companies, he said, provided thousands of jobs and were a key element in the renewable energy industry.

“The college (of the 28 member state representatives) weighed the options, including the different interests involved and decided to maintain the measures for 18 months and an eventual phase out,” he said.

“We will now put the proposal to member states. The phaseout is meant to make sure solar panel producers in Europe have time to adapt to the new situation,” he added.

It was originally proposed that the duties be maintained for another two years before being dropped but there was only dwindling support for this option.

A majority of EU countries last month opposed the commission’s initial plan, putting pressure on the EU executive to soften its position.

The commission has also proposed cutting the minimum price for panels to 0.46 euro (49 US cents) per watt. In its new proposal this price could be steadily cut.

The EU and China came close to a trade war in 2013 over EU allegations of dumping by Chinese solar panel exporters.

To avoid that, both sides agreed to allow limited tariff-free imports of panels at a minimum price of 0.56 euro per watt, anti-dumping duties of up to 64.9 percent for those outside the agreement and anti-subsidy duties capped at 11.5 percent.

SolarPower Europe, which represents those in the solar industry opposed to duties, has said the large majority of companies wanted the removal of trade barriers, which would hinder the development of the European solar power generation industry.

The case is due to be settled by March 3.

***

@Shotgunner51

 

[ahojunk]

Now it's France's turn.

========
Hollande praises France-China cooperation
2017-02-09 12:41:24 Xinhua Web Editor: Zhang Xu

French President Francois Hollande speaks during a reception at Elysee Palace celebrating the Chinese New Year, on Feb. 8, 2017. [Photo: Chinanews.com]


The year 2016 "was a great year for France and China," said French President Francois Hollande Wednesday, lauding the outcome of bilateral relations over the past year.

During a reception at Elysee Palace celebrating the Chinese New Year, Holland said France and China have witnessed solid advances in civilian nuclear power in recent months, and expressed his appreciation for China's recognition of 45 appellations of wines from Bordeaux.

"I also hope that we can have more (human) exchanges between France and China," Hollande said, referring to the increase in the numbers of French visas issued to Chinese in the past few years.

In his speech, Hollande also praised his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on defending free trade at the Davos summit held in mid-January.

"President Xi Jinping, during his visit at the Davos summit, defended the principles of regulated trade," said Hollande, adding that France also rejects the "temptation of withdrawal, closure and protectionism."

In his keynote speech at Davos, Xi said: "Whether you like it or not, the global economy is the big ocean that you cannot escape from. Any attempt to cut off the flow of capital, technologies, products, industries and people between economies, and channel the waters in the ocean back into isolated lakes and creeks is simply not possible. Indeed, it runs counter to the historical trend."

Hollande also praised China for reaching an agreement on climate change in Paris, stressing the importance of the joint statement between France and China in fighting against climate change.

"France will not accept the questioning of the achievements of this negotiation or the agreement which commits all countries and surely the biggest of them," said Hollande.

.

 

[AndrewJin]

Now it's France's turn.

========
Hollande praises France-China cooperation
2017-02-09 12:41:24 Xinhua Web Editor: Zhang Xu

View attachment 375792
French President Francois Hollande speaks during a reception at Elysee Palace celebrating the Chinese New Year, on Feb. 8, 2017. [Photo: Chinanews.com]


The year 2016 "was a great year for France and China," said French President Francois Hollande Wednesday, lauding the outcome of bilateral relations over the past year.

During a reception at Elysee Palace celebrating the Chinese New Year, Holland said France and China have witnessed solid advances in civilian nuclear power in recent months, and expressed his appreciation for China's recognition of 45 appellations of wines from Bordeaux.

"I also hope that we can have more (human) exchanges between France and China," Hollande said, referring to the increase in the numbers of French visas issued to Chinese in the past few years.

In his speech, Hollande also praised his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on defending free trade at the Davos summit held in mid-January.

"President Xi Jinping, during his visit at the Davos summit, defended the principles of regulated trade," said Hollande, adding that France also rejects the "temptation of withdrawal, closure and protectionism."

In his keynote speech at Davos, Xi said: "Whether you like it or not, the global economy is the big ocean that you cannot escape from. Any attempt to cut off the flow of capital, technologies, products, industries and people between economies, and channel the waters in the ocean back into isolated lakes and creeks is simply not possible. Indeed, it runs counter to the historical trend."

Hollande also praised China for reaching an agreement on climate change in Paris, stressing the importance of the joint statement between France and China in fighting against climate change.

"France will not accept the questioning of the achievements of this negotiation or the agreement which commits all countries and surely the biggest of them," said Hollande.

.

This is the real trend of pivot to Asia

 

[ahojunk]

WORLD NEWS | Wed Feb 15, 2017 | 12:09pm EST
Exclusive: EU preparing early China summit in message to Trump - sources

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a meeting at the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, January 18, 2017. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

By Robin Emmott and Gabriela Baczynska | BRUSSELS

The European Union is preparing an early summit with China in April or May in Brussels to promote free trade and international cooperation in the face of a more protectionist and inward-looking Washington, three EU officials said.

China and the EU hold a summit every year, usually in July, and a date has yet to be fixed formally for 2017. One of the officials said Beijing had requested it to take place as early as possible. China's Foreign Ministry declined to comment.

The EU believes China wants to use the summit to press home President Xi Jinping's vigorous defense of open trade and global ties at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, in response to the new U.S. President Donald Trump.

"With an early summit, China wants to send a message to the United States that it has friends in Europe," said one official, who helps formulate EU policy.

The EU, on the other hand, wants to solicit China's vocal support for international institutions such as the United Nations, which Trump chided and Russia bypassed in securing a ceasefire in Syria through direct talks with Iran and Turkey.

"With this drive by some countries to undermine or weaken international institutions, we would want to see China supporting and believing in the United Nations, the World Trade Organization," a second EU official said.

The European Union is still cautious about the direction of its second-largest trading partner, concerned by China's massive steel exports, its militarization of islands in the South China Sea and a turn towards greater authoritarianism under Xi.

But while Trump has praised Britain's decision to leave the 28-nation EU - an unprecedented setback for the bloc - China has repeatedly said it wanted to see a strong, stable and united Europe, and has looked on nervously since the Brexit vote.

"We want a multi-polar world and the EU plays a very important part in that," said a source in Beijing familiar with China's thinking towards the EU.

Preoccupied by Britain's departure, the world's biggest trading bloc welcomes China's desire to stand up to Trump, who criticized China's trade practices and threatened to impose punitive tariffs on imports.

Trump has pulled out of a multilateral trade agreement with Asia-Pacific nations, vowed to renegotiate the U.S. free-trade deal with Canada and Mexico and wants to protect U.S. industries from foreign competition by levying new tariffs on goods.

"Europe doesn't want to see a reversal of globalization," said Jin Canrong of the School of International Studies at the Renmin University of China. "If the Anglo-Saxon world withdraws from globalization, we hope China and Europe can take it on."


NO EASY RELATIONSHIP

The last meeting of the EU and Chinese leaders took place in Beijing in 2016 and was held in a tense atmosphere because, on the same day, an international court ruled China's claims to the South China Sea were unlawful.

An early summit this year could help put aside a difficult 2016, when the EU admonished Beijing diplomatically over the South China Sea, decided against recognizing China as an economy driven by market forces and saw both sides fail to resolve a deepening trade dispute over Chinese steel production.

China presents its westward infrastructure drive - the "One Belt, One Road" project - as beneficial for the EU and Beijing has already enticed EU governments to join the Chinese-led AIIB bank in defiance of Washington in 2015.

"If China wants to help uphold the rules-based global order, then we welcome that," said a third EU official. "But we also say: let's see some concrete steps."

Outstanding issues involve an investment pact that Beijing and Brussels agreed to negotiate in 2013 to make it easier for European businesses to work in China but which remains open. That is seen as a forerunner to a future free-trade accord.

China has also pledged to invest in the European Union's new infrastructure fund, but almost two years of on-off discussions have not lead to a decision by Beijing because it would not control how the money is spent.

While the European Union says it is neutral in the South China Sea dispute between China and other Asian nations, the bloc wants to see freedom of navigation and over flight upheld.

By far the world's top steel producer, China's annual steel output is almost double the EU's total production. Western governments say Chinese steel exports have caused a global steel crisis, costing jobs and forcing plant closures.


(Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Editing by Alison Williams)

 

[TaiShang]

WORLD NEWS | Wed Feb 15, 2017 | 12:09pm EST
Exclusive: EU preparing early China summit in message to Trump - sources

View attachment 377534
Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a meeting at the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, January 18, 2017. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

By Robin Emmott and Gabriela Baczynska | BRUSSELS

The European Union is preparing an early summit with China in April or May in Brussels to promote free trade and international cooperation in the face of a more protectionist and inward-looking Washington, three EU officials said.

China and the EU hold a summit every year, usually in July, and a date has yet to be fixed formally for 2017. One of the officials said Beijing had requested it to take place as early as possible. China's Foreign Ministry declined to comment.

The EU believes China wants to use the summit to press home President Xi Jinping's vigorous defense of open trade and global ties at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, in response to the new U.S. President Donald Trump.

"With an early summit, China wants to send a message to the United States that it has friends in Europe," said one official, who helps formulate EU policy.

The EU, on the other hand, wants to solicit China's vocal support for international institutions such as the United Nations, which Trump chided and Russia bypassed in securing a ceasefire in Syria through direct talks with Iran and Turkey.

"With this drive by some countries to undermine or weaken international institutions, we would want to see China supporting and believing in the United Nations, the World Trade Organization," a second EU official said.

The European Union is still cautious about the direction of its second-largest trading partner, concerned by China's massive steel exports, its militarization of islands in the South China Sea and a turn towards greater authoritarianism under Xi.

But while Trump has praised Britain's decision to leave the 28-nation EU - an unprecedented setback for the bloc - China has repeatedly said it wanted to see a strong, stable and united Europe, and has looked on nervously since the Brexit vote.

"We want a multi-polar world and the EU plays a very important part in that," said a source in Beijing familiar with China's thinking towards the EU.

Preoccupied by Britain's departure, the world's biggest trading bloc welcomes China's desire to stand up to Trump, who criticized China's trade practices and threatened to impose punitive tariffs on imports.

Trump has pulled out of a multilateral trade agreement with Asia-Pacific nations, vowed to renegotiate the U.S. free-trade deal with Canada and Mexico and wants to protect U.S. industries from foreign competition by levying new tariffs on goods.

"Europe doesn't want to see a reversal of globalization," said Jin Canrong of the School of International Studies at the Renmin University of China. "If the Anglo-Saxon world withdraws from globalization, we hope China and Europe can take it on."


NO EASY RELATIONSHIP

The last meeting of the EU and Chinese leaders took place in Beijing in 2016 and was held in a tense atmosphere because, on the same day, an international court ruled China's claims to the South China Sea were unlawful.

An early summit this year could help put aside a difficult 2016, when the EU admonished Beijing diplomatically over the South China Sea, decided against recognizing China as an economy driven by market forces and saw both sides fail to resolve a deepening trade dispute over Chinese steel production.

China presents its westward infrastructure drive - the "One Belt, One Road" project - as beneficial for the EU and Beijing has already enticed EU governments to join the Chinese-led AIIB bank in defiance of Washington in 2015.

"If China wants to help uphold the rules-based global order, then we welcome that," said a third EU official. "But we also say: let's see some concrete steps."

Outstanding issues involve an investment pact that Beijing and Brussels agreed to negotiate in 2013 to make it easier for European businesses to work in China but which remains open. That is seen as a forerunner to a future free-trade accord.

China has also pledged to invest in the European Union's new infrastructure fund, but almost two years of on-off discussions have not lead to a decision by Beijing because it would not control how the money is spent.

While the European Union says it is neutral in the South China Sea dispute between China and other Asian nations, the bloc wants to see freedom of navigation and over flight upheld.

By far the world's top steel producer, China's annual steel output is almost double the EU's total production. Western governments say Chinese steel exports have caused a global steel crisis, costing jobs and forcing plant closures.


(Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Editing by Alison Williams)

The EU may show goodwill by giving China market economy status and lift protectionist walls, as promised during WTO ascension talks.

That would leave the US and Japan in the cold and out-maneuvered. That would also suggest that the EU does really care about maintaining the globalizationist momentum in trade.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

The EU may show goodwill by giving China market economy status and lift protectionist walls, as promised during WTO ascension talks.

That would leave the US and Japan in the cold and out-maneuvered. That would also suggest that the EU does really care about maintaining the globalizationist momentum in economics.

America has often criticized China, Germany and Japan for being too successful with our trade surpluses (the old America would weep at seeing this). Trump recently attacked these 3 countries, claiming all were manipulating their currency.

America took a turn away from the idea of free market competition, and become the most protectionist country in the world. And this was long before Trump. Trump is only reinforcing the trend that already existed.