China
Consequences of the heat wave + Daimler + Trade dialogue with Taiwan
Dear reader,
It is and will remain hot – and not just in Germany. China has been suffering under record temperatures for weeks, with thermometers rising to 44 degrees Celsius at times. Droughts are threatening harvests, hydroelectric power is underperforming, and coal-fired power plants need to be activated to supply electricity. The industry, on the other hand, is shutting down in some places: Production at Bosch, Toyota, Foxconn, CATL, and other large companies in Sichuan has been cut back or is at a complete standstill. Nico Beckert knows more about the effects and reasons.
Just like the temperatures, the Taiwan issue is and will remain hot. Taipei and Washington want to start formal talks on trade cooperation. The People's Republic is "not amused," but is holding back on loud threats. Finn Mayer-Kuckuk's analysis shows that the talks are likely to be primarily political since true free trade is currently out of the question for the United States. He reports where a possible Taiwan-US agreement could apply.
Meanwhile, Mercedes enjoys a mild climate. The Stuttgart-based company sells many vehicles in China, with 36 percent of all cars decorated with the three-pointed star going to customers in the People's Republic. A large proportion is locally built, and research and development are also increasingly taking place in China. The Group's shares, of which 20 percent are in different Chinese hands, are also popular. But is that a cause for concern? After all, the Stuttgart-based group is considered vulnerable to takeovers because of its ownership structure. Markus Grabitz looks into this question.
