Boycotts against European companies sanctions in response to political positioning: Beijing is increasingly using its economic power as leverage. The EU wants to improve its ability to defend against blackmail in the future. A think tank has now presented concrete proposals on how to make use of a new anti-coercion instrument in response.
By Amelie Richter
The port of Shenzhen is experiencing a double traffic jam after a small COVID-19 outbreak: inside, goods are piling up; outside, freighters are waiting to dock. The consequences for logistics are felt around the globe. Industrial goods are arriving too late in the target markets, and prices are rising. Meanwhile, the Ifo Institute is proposing a simple countermeasure.
By
The "wrong" title of an academic paper is reason enough for the online professional network LinkedIn to make a user's profile invisible in China. The company defends itself as a strong supporter of freedom of expression but submits to pressure from Beijing. The case of a Swedish LinkedIn user shows how determined the People's Republic is to ban unpleasant topics from discourse.
By Marcel Grzanna
China's companies are more present at the UEFA European Championship, Euro 2020, than ever before. They are appearing as official partners like Alibaba – or as tournament sponsors like TikTok. The advertising presence gets the companies visibility for their global business and, at the same time, supports China's ambitions to host a World Cup itself one day. And since Chinese fans also like to watch the Euro at night, the advertising serves the country's own market as well.
By Christiane Kuehl
