The Munich Security Conference is overshadowed by the crisis between Russia and Ukraine. China's foreign minister is also warning against a new Cold War. But his warnings are not directed at Russia. Only upon being asked does Beijing point out the limits to its partner in Moscow. The Sino-Russian partnership is a rational alliance of convenience.
By Michael Radunski
The EU Commission will present its long-awaited supply chain law on Wednesday – without an import ban on items produced with forced labor. The Chair of the Trade Committee in the European Parliament, Bernd Lange (SPD), is not happy about this. He now expects a separate EU law to ban such imports, which then simply has to be accepted by the Chinese. Lange speaks with Amelie Richter about the impact the supply chain law will have on trade with China.
By Amelie Richter
According to a recent Civey survey, the reputation of both the Olympic Games and the People's Republic of China has suffered, at least in Germany. Nevertheless, the hosts consider the Olympics a complete success, which gives them greater legitimacy, especially in domestic politics.
By Marcel Grzanna
Cat pictures helped Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT) boom in China. First, the art scene sensed good business. Now tech giants like Tencent and Alibaba are also issuing tokens. They are afraid of missing out on the next hype. But the government already put a spanner in the works of the tech industry once. Now, that could happen again.
By Ning Wang
Eileen Gu has entered a political minefield by switching flags from the USA to China. Accusations of treason in the US are now followed by resentment in China regarding her privileged life. Statements that seem innocent and detached don't help. Gu has to realize that for top athletes like her, there is no such thing as a politics-free zone in the current times.
By Christiane Kuehl
The International Olympic Committee and its attempts to cozy up to the host country of the Winter Olympics are once again under fire. The case of tennis player Peng Shuai has just begun to fade from the public eye. But now, human rights organizations put questions about forced labor back on the agenda. The United Nations also expressed its "deep concern". Meanwhile, cargo flights from western Xinjiang have been heading for airports in Budapest and Liège since mid-January. It is unclear whether the goods are actually free of forced labor.
By Marcel Grzanna
VW is experiencing heavy losses in its most important sales market. The group blames the drop in sales on closed factories and semiconductor bottlenecks. But the market has grown overall, and other foreign high-volume manufacturers such as Toyota have been able to maintain their market share. The cars of new Chinese competitors are already on a par with VW's – and have a price advantage.
By Frank Sieren
Women's rights and equality have become part of the public discourse in China. The state alternates between concession and repression to counter the growing discontent of young women. With a revised 1992 law, for example, Beijing wants to fight sexual harassment. However, the state will never bow to a "radical feminist" movement like MeToo, controlled by "foreign forces".
By Fabian Peltsch
China and Russia could start the construction of their joint lunar base much sooner than expected. The fact that the two nations are cooperating ever more closely in space is also a reflection of world politics.
By Redaktion Table
Associating brands with the Olympic Games is supposed to be a highlight for any PR executive. However, things are different at the Winter Games in Beijing. This time, sponsors might still have to pay a very high price.
By Ning Wang
