The People's Republic has overcome COVID. Many people are therefore in no hurry to be vaccinated. But China wants to vaccinate 560 million people by June. 18 to 59-year-olds first. Herd immunity is to be achieved by the end of the year. The capital Beijing, in particular, is pushing the pace.
By Redaktion Table
H M products disappear from Internet platforms in China. Taxi drivers can no longer find store addresses on their mobile phones: The boycott calls against H M, Nike, or Adidas reveal the fundamental problem of foreign companies in the People's Republic. They are caught between value-oriented demands from the West and the threatening wrath of an authoritarian government with the world's largest consumer market behind it. The truth is that the boycotts often die down quickly, and the damage to the companies is rarely permanent.
By Marcel Grzanna
After the authorities surprisingly canceled the IPO of Alibaba's financial subsidiary Ant Group, the group is threatened with further cuts. According to reports, Beijing wants Alibaba to drastically scale back its media holdings. The independence of the South China Morning Post is in danger.
By Redaktion Table
The narrative of China's inevitable rise is nurtured in both West and East. China seems to be rushing from victory to victory. Economic and political challenges such as overcapacity, bubbles, and the "demographic bomb" often fall by the wayside. Yet China's rise as a high-income country is anything but certain.
By Redaktion Table
The Social Credit System is to become a defining feature of Beijing's data-based governance. It leads to more transparency about compliance with rules and laws. Breaches of rules but also particularly rule-compliant behavior, will be recorded in publicly accessible databases. German companies are also affected. While some see the system as a regulatory jungle, others use it to better assess Chinese business partners. It remains to be seen in which direction Beijing will develop the system further.
By Nico Beckert
