China.Table

Feature

Brussels watches China in the Arctic

The global heads of state currently debate in Glasgow ways to tackle global warming. One region is already feeling the effects of climate change: the Arctic. As the ice dwindles, the region's appetites are growing. Beijing's activities in the Far North are alarming Brussels. But the EU's special envoy for the Arctic, Michael Mann, estimates the current potential for conflict as low.

By Amelie Richter

Rosa Luxemburg Foundation expects 'opposition and rejection'

In a recent study, the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation accuses German print media of adopting a Eurocentric perspective in their reporting on China. However, its authors fail to assess how close to reality the texts examined actually are. Instead, they base their judgment on core concepts that are supposed to indicate a "media-constructed enemy image of China." a counter-argument criticizes the study of ignoring the political reality in Germany.

By Marcel Grzanna

Foto Manuel Geisser 28.10.2021 Aargau : Volvo Pure Electric . Vollelektronische SUV von Volvo *** Photo Manuel Geisser 28 10 2021 Aargau Volvo Pure Electric Fully electronic SUV from Volvo

Volvo – an energized future

Chinese carmaker Geely has successfully brought its Swedish subsidiary Volvo on the Stockholm stock exchange. The capital is to flow into the planned restructuring of the brand because Geely's boss, Li Shufu, plans to attack the EV market with Volvo at the helm. The company also wants to be at the forefront of a shift towards new mobility. Another goal is to build an Android-style car ecosystem.

By Christiane Kuehl

Is Xi's obsession for control stifling growth?

Supply bottlenecks, widespread power outages, tech companies under pressure, the real estate sector deep in crisis – the world's second-largest economy is currently experiencing a multitude of problems. Many of them are homemade and can be traced back to the government's lust for control. For President Xi, control is essentially more important than growth. But where does he draw the line?

By Felix Lee

Quality cars with a lot of bling-bling

Chinese cars have become a lucrative niche in Germany. Indimo in particular is benefiting from this. The importer is already selling thousands of vehicles in Germany, and the trend is rising. And there is one very specific reason.

By Redaktion Table

Confucius Institutes: Karliczek calls for investigation

Education Minister Anja Karliczek calls on German universities to "re-evaluate the role of Confucius Institutes in the German higher education landscape". Only recently, two Confucius Institutes had canceled the presentation of a book about Xi Jinping. The fundamental question of the independence and role of the Confucius Institutes thus takes on new topicality.

By Ning Wang

Be "better, faster, more innovative" compared to China

Thanks in part to its now 20-year commitment in China, Webasto has become one of the largest automotive suppliers in the world. The company is known to many because it was the site of the first COVID case in Germany. The shock of that time has been overcome, but CEO Holger Engelmann is worried about the future. In an interview with China.Table, he fears an economic long COVID with unforeseeable consequences. He is particularly concerned about supply issues, a shortage of skilled workers, and further disruptions to the global economy. He considers the establishment of a separate supply chain exclusively for the Chinese market likely in the future. Marcel Grzanna conducted the interview.

By Marcel Grzanna

China protects personal data – but only from corporations

China's "Personal Information Protection Law" comes into force. It is intended to protect consumers' rights vis-à-vis companies. Large companies such as Tencent have already revised their data protection regulations. The law also has an impact on foreign companies. It is similar to the European data protection law in terms of the relationship between companies and customers. However, the state still exempts itself from the obligations in China.

By Frank Sieren

Disinformation campaigns with little success

Beijing is also spreading its narratives on Western social media. Especially since the beginning of the Covid pandemic, disinformation campaigns aimed at showing China in a better light have increased on the web. The success, however, has been moderate, as observers note. Nevertheless, they warn of a potential tech dependency of the West.

By Amelie Richter