Global economic growth threatens to slow in the coming months. But a hard recession is not looming, according to most economic forecasts. Stephen S. Roach is more skeptical, citing three reasons for his pessimism. Above all, a weak China could drag the global economy down with it.
By Redaktion Table
China's lockdown-plagued citizens are using the Internet to express their discontent publicly. Online protests and political jokes (段子) are all the rage. Behind their temporary tolerance lies Beijing's calculation. After all, they also serve as an outlet to let off steam dangerous to the regime.
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The impact of the social credit system for companies is often underestimated. Yet, it provides concrete data on the potential reliability of business partners. By also covering local German companies, it increasingly has an impact beyond the country's borders.
By Redaktion Table
For years, economic cooperation with China was motivated by the idea of "change through trade". The noble hope behind it: The People's Republic would open up by integrating deeper into the international community and increasingly adapt democratic elements in its political system. The former Vice President of the European Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, Stefan Sack, draws a sobering conclusion. "Change through trade" has worked out, he says, but not at all in the way Germany and Europe had hoped. Instead, we are the ones who have adapted our behavior to Chinese preferences due to the "dependencies of our supply chains and the greed for new growth markets.
By Marcel Grzanna
Xi Jinping cultivates a veritable cult around China's Great Wall. Yet Mao Zedong considered the ancient structure to be a feudal relic. But that did not stop him from creating a ritual: Foreign dignitaries on a visit to Beijing outdo each other with the length of their walks along the monument.
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Beijing's approach to its own history is always worth a special look. After all, transparency is not a strong suit here either. In 2006, however, China's Foreign Ministry published a book on declassified documents for the first time. A second volume never came out. Thus, other documents have to serve as a reminder of history.
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China has announced its intention to phase out financing of overseas coal-fired power. But the details remain unclear. For example, will China also stop projects that have already been started? Wawa Wang and Dr. Vanessa Buth from the non-governmental organization Just Finance International, which campaigns for more transparency in public procurement, reviewed China's numerous coal projects in the Western Balkans. They urge the EU and Germany to call on China to disclose its overseas coal policies.
By Redaktion Table
Can and should the EU become more involved in resolving tensions with China? A coordinated European approach is all the more important today, as trade is becoming increasingly political. At the same time, actions such as the creation of the Taiwan Office in Lithuania need to be better coordinated. Otherwise, the EU will be forced to collectively represent policies that are dictated by individual member states.
By Redaktion Table
The US is trying its hardest to contain China's economic and technological rise. But protectionist policies and trade and investment restrictions will not cause any lasting damage to the Chinese economy. This is because the technological strength of China's economy has already passed a critical threshold. It is only a matter of time before China catches up technologically with the US, writes Zhang Jun, Dean of Economics at Fudan University Shanghai.
By Redaktion Table
Nilk Wu is a Taiwanese reporter. He spent the past few years in Hong Kong, where he founded the news platform DB Channel, which was forced to shut down in winter 2021 due to "subversive reporting". Currently, Wu is on his way to the Polish border to report on the fate of Ukrainian refugees in Europe for Taiwanese media.
By Redaktion Table
