The Chinese start-up AutoX has published a video in which one of its autonomous robot taxis masters Chinese rush-hour traffic without a driver. The message of this spectacular test drive is clear: If you pass here, you'll make it everywhere. What is the secret of the Chinese tech company?
By Frank Sieren
The automotive industry is undergoing a transformation towards electromobility. China's suppliers have been able to take advantage of this transformation – and are thus becoming increasingly important for the German automotive industry. This increases the pressure on German companies to innovate. But here in Germany, the transformation is proving sluggish.
By Ning Wang
The human rights organization ECCHR had filed criminal charges against several German textile brands and retailers with the Federal Prosecutor General in Karlsruhe. The accusation: companies such as Hugo Boss and Lidl are said to have directly or indirectly profited from forced labor of Uyghurs in the Chinese region of Xinjiang. The lawsuit is the harbinger of increasing pressure on companies doing business in China. Now the companies are reacting.
By Felix Lee
Jan Hecker was one of Angela Merkel's closest confidants. The Chancellor purposely sent her chief foreign policy advisor to Beijing, so that Germany would be represented by an experienced and decisive diplomat. Hecker has now passed unexpectedly after only a few days in office.
By Michael Radunski
Michael Schaefer looks back on many aspects of the German-Chinese exchange: he was both German ambassador to Beijing and head of a major charitable foundation in Germany. In an interview with China.Table, he explains why dialogue is currently floundering – and what paths can lead out of this impasse. Schaefer was one of the initiators of "Zukunftsbrücke – Chinese-German Young Professional Campus", which celebrated its tenth anniversary this weekend with an event in Berlin. Finn Mayer-Kuckuk spoke with Schaefer.
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Alibaba, Tencent, and other major corporations came under heightened scrutiny by Beijing regulators. They are trying to win back the favor of President Xi Jinping with donations worth billions. The latter wants to redistribute wealth with a major campaign. Some economists warn that he could push it too far.
By Redaktion Table
China has a plastic problem. Trash is everywhere, and a modern waste and recycling management system are only just in the works. Beijing wants to counteract this issue with bioplastics. Huge production capacities are planned. However, the benefits of bioplastics without industrial composting are limited, and there is the added problem of a lack of facilities.
By Christiane Kuehl
The US's plan to house Afghan refugees on Asian military bases has sparked a heated debate in South Korea. The question is whether the presence of US troops in the country is still relevant. A convenient debate for China. Due to tensions with North Korea, Seoul increasingly looking towards China.
By Frank Sieren
Classic car shows are having a hard time. That also applies to the IAA. Starting next Monday, it will be held again for the first time in two years – albeit no longer in Frankfurt am Main, but in Munich. And it's no longer just about cars, but about mobility in general. In an interview with China.Table, car expert Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer is not inherently opposing the new direction. But he would have liked a stronger thematic focus. In his opinion, the only car shows that still really still work are the ones in China. Felix Lee spoke with Dudenhoeffer.
By Felix Lee
When the IAA motor show starts in Munich next week, many Chinese manufacturers will also be represented. The days when they were smiled upon are long gone. The attackers are fresh, young and agile. BYD in particular is attacking VW's electric models head-on with well-thought-out concepts.
By Redaktion Table
