Table.Briefings

Feature

Desmond-Shum

'It's an abnormal, unpredictable state'

Desmond Shum and his wife Whitney Duan were closely associated with China's top cadres as business people. But then Duan disappeared without a trace; she was one of China's wealthiest women at the time. Fabian Peltsch spoke with Shum about how China's leadership deliberately creates an atmosphere of fear through opacity and what the recent disappearance of Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang means for the party apparatus.

By Fabian Peltsch

MIDU Booth at 2023 WAIC in Shanghai SHANGHAI, CHINA - JULY 8, 2023 - Visitors visit the MIDU booth at the 2023 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, China, July 8, 2023. MIDU, a language intelligence technology company, took advantage of ChatGPT s hot air trend and demonstrated a versatile AI model at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference: in addition to knowledge questions and answers, it can also write public opinion analysis reports, customize personal virtual travel illustrations, customize postcards and poems. Shanghai Shanghai China PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: xCFOTOx originalFilename: cfoto-miduboot230713_npTGb.jpg

Tech billionaires outdo each other with AI investments

The first responses of Baidu and other Chinese tech companies to ChatGPT were hardly convincing. Thanks to massive investments, the gap seems to be closing. China's IT companies have fully entered the race. But the shortage of US chips remains a significant problem.

By Jörn Petring

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Spain: separatists decisive in forming government

The election in Spain has brought a stalemate between right-wing and left-wing parties. Separatist parties such as those led by Carles Puigdemont will now help decide whether Prime Minister Sánchez can remain in office – but they are demanding a high price for their support.

By Isabel Cuesta Camacho

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EPP: possible options for right-wing alliances after the election

Vox's performance in Spain confirms the trend: as things stand, the conservative ECR group will benefit most from the European elections in June. EPP leader Manfred Weber, on the other hand, must expect losses – and is thus opening up to possible right-wing alliances. What these could look like.

By Markus Grabitz

EMFA: Parliament takes first positions

The Parliament is sorting itself in the debate on the European Media Freedom Act. The Culture Committee has recently taken a position, the Civil Liberties Committee has also adopted the report. The first directional decisions have been made, with more to follow in September.

By Falk Steiner

Falling prices – the dangerous growth killer

China is slipping into deflation, the risk of a crippling downward spiral of prices. The main cause is the troubles on the real estate market. However, house construction will stall for a long time, because a giant bubble has burst there. And at the same time, the modernization of industry is not progressing fast enough.

By Felix Lee

'Then China will have power over space'

The West has neglected space. A strategic mistake, says Niklas Schoernig. Because China is about to replace the United States as the leading power in orbit. Michael Radunski spoke with the conflict researcher about what goals the People's Republic is pursuing and what implications this will have for the international order. Schoernig warns: 'Space has long since become a critical infrastructure.'

By Michael Radunski

The EU loses its climate chief

Frans Timmermans will leave Brussels. Even though the future of the Green Deal chief had been the subject of speculation for months, it was the news of the day in EU circles. The Commission Vice-President plans to become Prime Minister for the new red-green alliance in the Netherlands.

By Lukas Knigge

Spain: What the possible election winner Feijóo stands for

The candidate of the conservative Partido Popular is clearly ahead of Prime Minister Sánchez in the polls. Before Sunday's new elections, Alberto Núñez Feijóo is distancing himself from the far-right Vox party by referring to his "political biography" – but could still be dependent on it.

By Isabel Cuesta Camacho