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☆ Germany's foreign minister: Parts of China trip 'more than shocking'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Alexander Ratz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock speaks during a joint press conference with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang (not pictured) at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, April 14, 2023. Suo Takekuma/Pool via REUTERS/File PhotoBERLIN, April 19 (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Wednesday described parts of her recent trip to China as "more than shocking" and said Beijing was increasingly becoming a systemic rival more than a trade partner and competitor. Beijing in turn asked Germany to support Taiwan's "reunification" and said China and Germany were not adversaries but partners. Speaking to the German Bundestag (lower house of parliament) on Wednesday about her China trip, Baerbock said "some of it was really more than shocking". China is Germany's largest trading partner, said Baerbock, but this did not mean Beijing was also Germany's most important trading partner.

☆ Israeli PM: Peace with Saudi Arabia would be 'giant leap' towards ending Arab-Israeli conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

JERUSALEM, April 17 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia would be a "giant leap" towards ending the Arab-Israeli conflict. "We want normalization and peace with Saudi Arabia. We view that as perhaps a giant leap towards ending the Arab-Israeli conflict," Netanyahu said, speaking during a meeting in Jerusalem with U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. "This agreement could have monumental consequences, historic consequences both for Israel, for Saudi Arabia, for the region and for the world," Netanyahu said. A huge setback for Netanyahu's efforts came last month when a China-brokered deal saw Israel's major regional foe, Iran, mend its ties with Saudi Arabia.

☆ Ukraine says it keeps finding Chinese-made parts in Russian weapons, undermining its claim not to be helping Putin fight
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A growing number of Chinese parts have been found in Russian weapons, Ukraine told Reuters. Chinese-made parts have been found in Russian aerial drones and tanks, the outlet reported. Vladyslav Vlasiuk, who is also a sanctions expert, told the outlet that Ukraine "continues to find different electronics" in Russian weapons that have been used in Ukraine. The drones had previously used a Swiss navigation system while the Russian tanks once had parts made in France, the outlet reported. China has repeatedly denied sending military equipment to Russia since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year.

☆ China protests U.S. sanctioning of firms dealing with Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Beijing on Saturday protested U.S. sanctions against additional Chinese companies over their alleged attempts to evade U.S. export controls on Russia, calling it an illegal move that endangers global supply chains. "The U.S. should immediately correct its wrongdoing and stop its unreasonable suppression of Chinese companies. China will resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies," it added. However, Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Friday said China won't sell weapons to either side in the war, responding to Western concerns that Beijing could provide outright military assistance to Russia. "Regarding the export of military items, China adopts a prudent and responsible attitude," Qin said at a news conference alongside visiting German counterpart Annalena Baerbock.

☆ China hopes Germany supports peaceful Taiwan 'reunification' -Top diplomat
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/4] German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang attend a joint press conference at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, April 14, 2023. Suo Takekuma/Pool via REUTERSBEIJING, April 15 (Reuters) - China's top diplomat Wang Yi "hopes and believes" Germany will support China's "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday. Wang made the remarks at a meeting with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who is visiting China until Saturday, adding that China once supported Germany's reunification. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen's government rejects China's position, saying only Taiwan's people can decide their future. Wang also said China is willing to strengthen exchanges and communication with Germany to enhance mutual understanding and prepare for a new round of Sino-German government consultations.

☆ China says hopes Germany supports peaceful Taiwan 'reunification'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang attend a joint press conference at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, April 14, 2023. Suo Takekuma/Pool via REUTERSBEIJING, April 15 (Reuters) - China's top diplomat Wang Yi "hopes and believes" Germany will support China's "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday. Wang made the remarks at a meeting with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who is visiting China until Saturday, adding that China once supported Germany's reunification. Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday it strongly approved of Baerbock's comments. "The Foreign Ministry thanks many high-level officials in the executive departments of various countries, including Germany, for their solidarity with Taiwan," it said.

☆ China willing to work with Germany on economy, trade
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, April 14 (Reuters) - China is willing to work with Germany on the economic and trade fronts, and the two countries are partners, not adversaries, its foreign minister, Qin Gang, said on Friday. Qin, addressing a joint news conference with his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, said artificially putting the brakes on normal economic and trade cooperation would be counter-productive. Remarking on the situation with Taiwan, Qin said if countries want to respect the One-China principle, then the proper move is to resolutely oppose Taiwan independence. On the issue of Ukraine, Qin said China was willing to continue to work for peace and hoped that all parties involved in the crisis would remain objective and calm and work together. Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Writing by Bernard Orr; Editing byOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock speaks during a joint press conference with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang (not pictured) at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, April 14, 2023. Suo Takekuma/Pool via REUTERSApril 14 (Reuters) - European foreign policy officials sought to present a tough stance against China's threats over self-ruled Taiwan on Friday, after comments by French President Emmanuel Macron drew a backlash for being perceived to be weak. While many of the remarks were not new, the timing of their publication, and their bluntness, annoyed many Western officials. "The European Union's position (on Taiwan) is consistent and clear," Borrell said in his prepared remarks. "President Xi's visit to Moscow has demonstrated that no other country has a bigger influence on Russia than China," said Baerbock.

☆ Sarepta drops as report says FDA almost rejected under-review gene therapy
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 13 (Reuters) - Sarepta Therapeutics Inc's shares (SRPT.O) fell more than 6% on Thursday as Stat News reported that the U.S. health regulator's staff were inclined to reject the company's gene therapy which is currently under review. Some staff at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had reached a "non-binding conclusion" that Sarepta's gene therapy should not be given approval, prompting FDA official Peter Marks to intervene and instead schedule an advisory meeting on May 12, Stat News reported, citing sources. The company is seeking approval for its gene therapy for treating a rare muscle-wasting disorder called Duchenne muscular dystrophy under the FDA's accelerated pathway. Brokerage William Blair said it still sees a "likely" approval for the therapy. Shares of Catalent Inc (CTLT.N), which holds the contract manufacturing rights for the therapy, fell as much as 5.5% in early trade.

As a result, the stakes of the inaugural trip by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock have risen, with many EU members hoping Berlin will use this opportunity to set out a clear and united EU line on China, analysts said. Baerbock must now make Germany's position on Taiwan clear during her visit, German foreign policy parliamentarian Nils Schmid told Reuters, adding Macron's remarks had destroyed a hoped-for impetus for a common European China policy. The foreign minister is due to meet her counterpart Qin Gang and China's top diplomat Wang Yi on the two-day trip. Europe's view of China as partner, competitor and systemic rival is the compass of its policy, she added. "More von der Leyen than Macron should be her guideline," conservative foreign policy lawmaker Johann Wadephul, who will join Baerbock on her trip, told Reuters.

☆ Saudi Arabia and Iran met in China to start thawing their fierce rivalry — a striking victory for Xi and a potential humiliation for the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Saudi Arabia and Iran's foreign ministers held a historic meeting in Beijing on Thursday. While China has maintained close ties with both countries, the US and Iran have not had diplomatic relations in decades. The meeting between Prince Faisal bin Farhan of Saudi Arabia and Hossein Amirabdollahian of Iran was the first of its kind since 2016. They also discussed visas, as well as a visit to Saudi Arabia by Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi, per The Guardian. CIA director William Burns was in Saudi Arabia this week to discuss mutual intelligence cooperation and counterterrorism, Al-Arabiya reported.

☆ Study explains how primordial life survived on 'Snowball Earth'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Life somehow managed to survive during this time called "Snowball Earth," and a new study offers a deeper understanding as to why. "Our study shows that, at least near the end of the Marinoan 'Snowball Earth' event, habitable areas extended to mid-latitude oceans, much larger than previously thought. And the Earth spiraled into Snowball Earth conditions," Virginia Tech geobiologist and study co-author Shuhai Xiao said. Multicellular organisms including red algae, green algae and fungi emerged before the Cryogenian and survived "Snowball Earth." "It is fair to say that the 'Snowball Earth' events were significant challenges to life on Earth," Xiao added.

LONDON, April 3 (Reuters) - Emissions regulated under the European Union's carbon market from power and industrial sectors fell by 1.2-1.6% last year, preliminary data in the European Union Transaction Log database examined by analysts showed on Monday. Analysts at Refinitiv and ICIS said stationary emissions covered by the scheme, such as power plants and factories, totalled 1.316-1.320 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) in 2022, down 1.2-1.6% from the previous year. While power sector emissions increased, that was offset by a decline in industrial emissions. There were also problems with French nuclear power output, requiring more power generation from fossil fuels to fill the gap. Some 93% of all installations covered by the ETS have reported their emissions so the data is incomplete.

☆ China urges Japan not to back U.S. chip export restrictions as Washington tries to rally allies
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Washington has been trying to convince allies to back its chip export restrictions to China. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang urged Japan not to support U.S. curbs on China's semiconductor industry, as Washington continues to try to rally nations behind its chip export restrictions. Japan on Friday announced export restrictions on 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, but did not specifically name China. While these countries have put some export restrictions in place, they are still trying to maintain trade ties with China. Japan, whose biggest trading partner is China, has maintained that its chip export curtailments are not aimed at any specific country.

☆ In Beijing, Japan’s Foreign Minister Warns Over Russia-China Military Ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( Alastair Gale | Austin Ramzy | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Japan Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, left, discussed a range of issues with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang in Beijing Sunday. TOKYO—Japan’s foreign minister raised concerns in Beijing about increasing Russian and Chinese joint military activity on a day when Tokyo formally opened its closest missile base to China. Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told his Chinese counterpart, Qin Gang, that China should play a responsible international role and called for the release of a Japanese citizen detained in China, according to Tokyo’s account of the meeting.

TOKYO/BEIJING, April 2 (Reuters) - Japan's foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said he called on Beijing for the early release of a detained Japanese national during a meeting with Chinese diplomat Qin Gang held on Sunday. The visit comes a week after a spokesperson of Astellas Pharma Inc (4503.T) said its employee was detained in China for unknown reasons. Although Japan and China have their differences, both agreed to restart trilateral talks with South Korea, Hayashi said, calling the agreement "an important achievement" from his meeting with Qin. "We agreed to continue communicating closely on various levels, including the foreign ministerial and leadership levels," Hayashi added. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit last November, marking the first leadership-level talks in almost three years.

☆ Japan foreign minister Hayashi to visit Beijing on Saturday
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, March 31 (Reuters) - Japan Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Friday he will visit Beijing for two days from Saturday to discuss a range of issues, including the detention of an Astellas Pharma Inc (4503.T) employee. Hayashi told reporters he will meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang during the visit for "an honest and frank discussion to create a constructive and stable relationship". Hayashi's visit to China follows leadership-level talks held on the sidelines of an international summit last November, the first between the two countries in almost three years. At the time, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he conveyed his concerns over China's increasing maritime military presence but also said the two leaders agreed to reopen diplomatic channels of communications including a visit by Japan's foreign minister to China in the near future. Reporting by Sakura Murakami and Rocky Swift; Editing by Shri Navaratnam and Sonali PaulOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ BYD downplays China price war impact after Q4 profit jumps
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG/SHANGHAI, March 29 (Reuters) - Chinese electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD said on Wednesday it was large enough to shake off the impact of a bruising price war and faltering demand in China, after reporting an 11-fold increase in fourth-quarter profit. The strong result came as it extended its lead in the Chinese market, thanks to an expanding range of products that is helping it overtake Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) to become the top-selling brand. BYD accounted for 41% of so-called new energy car sales in the world's biggest auto market for the first two months of the year. The Chinese EV giant has been slowing output since the start of the year when Beijing ended a national subsidy programme for EVs and plug-in electric vehicles. ($1 = 6.8756 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Josh Ye, Zhang Yan, Ella Cao and Meg Shen; Editing by Jonathan Oatis, Angus MacSwan and Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Belt and Road Initiative: China spending billions to bail out megaproject's debtors
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

For one, China’s loans are far more secretive, with most of its operations and transactions concealed from public view. The PBOC requires an interest rate of 5%, compared to 2% for IMF rescue loans, the study said. There is also public concern in some countries over issues like excess debt and China’s influence. Accusations that Belt and Road is a broad “debt trap” designed to take control of local infrastructure, while largely dismissed by economists, have sullied the initiative’s reputation. In January, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang rejected the accusations of China creating a “debt trap” in Africa, a major recipient of Belt and Road investments.

☆ U.S.-China relations are going downhill with ‘no trust’ on either side, Stephen Roach says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

US President Joe Biden and China's President Xi Jinping (L) shake hands as they meet on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Nusa Dua on the Indonesian resort island of Bali on November 14, 2022. "Right now, there is no trust," he told "Squawk Box Asia" on Tuesday, who is currently attending the China Development Forum in Beijing. watch now"The balloon was a spark that really put us on a swift downhill descent," Roach added. The office did not provide details of her itinerary while in the U.S. On Taiwan, China has repeatedly said the issue is an internal affair. Every single Taiwan president in recent memory has done this," White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, said at a press briefing last week.

☆ BYD posts 11-fold jump in Q4 profit -filing
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SHANGHAI/BEIJING, March 28 (Reuters) - Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD Co Ltd (002594.SZ) reported an 11-fold increase in fourth-quarter profit as it extended its lead in the domestic market with a wide range of products. Net profit for October-December came in at 7.3 billion yuan ($1.06 billion) versus 602 million yuan a year earlier. For the whole of 2022, net profit increased 446% to 16.6 billion yuan, said the company, which is 12% owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRKa.N). Its battery installation volume ranked the second globally in Janaury with 17.6% market share, exceeding LG Energy Solutions, according to SNE Research. ($1 = 6.8756 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Zhang Yan, Ella Cao and Meg Shen; editing by Jason Neely, Jonathan Oatis and Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China's attitude towards developing stable, constructive Sino-US relations unchanged
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

SHANGHAI, March 25 (Reuters) - China's attitude towards developing a healthy, stable and constructive Sino-U.S. relationship remains unchanged, while it hopes the United States will stop using "unscrupulous means" to contain and suppress China, China's foreign minister Qin Gang said on Saturday. China hopes the two nations will work together to promote bilateral relations to overcome difficulties and return to healthy and stable developments, Qin said as he met U.S.- friendly organizations and business representatives in Beijing. Qin said China will continue to provide a better business environment for global companies, including U.S. firms. Reporting by Shanghai Newsroom Editing by Bernadette BaumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ New Zealand raises concerns with China on South China Sea, Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, March 25 (Reuters) - New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said on Saturday she had expressed concerns over the South China Sea and tensions in the Taiwan Strait during talks with her Chinese counterpart at the end of a visit to Beijing. "Nanaia Mahuta expressed concerns over developments in the South China Sea and increasing tensions in the Taiwan Strait," the foreign minister's statement said. New Zealand has consistently expressed concerns about the potential militarisation of the Pacific, amid China's military buildup in the South China Sea. China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the option of using force to take the island under its control, and claims a large part of the South China Sea. She invited Qin to visit New Zealand, and also flagged a potential visit by New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins to China, perhaps this year.

☆ U.S. and China wage war beneath the waves – over internet cables
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +28 min

Three of China’s state-owned carriers – China Telecommunications Corporation (China Telecom), China Mobile Limited and China United Network Communications Group Co Ltd (China Unicom) – had committed funding as members of the consortium, which also included U.S.-based Microsoft Corp and French telecom firm Orange SA, according to six people involved in the deal. China Telecom, China Mobile, China Unicom and Orange did not respond to requests for comment. China Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom were resolutely behind HMN Tech, which had come in with a bid of around $500 million. China Telecom and China Mobile threatened to walk off the project, taking tens of millions of dollars of investment with them. Among them is China Telecom, which had previously won authorization to provide services in the United States.

☆ Exclusive: BYD reduces shifts at two electric vehicle plants in China - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BYD also reduced shifts at its Shenzhen plant, which makes its Han sedans, from three shifts per day to two per day, four people with knowledge of the development said. BYD did not give a reason for the reduced shifts in its planning memo reviewed by Reuters. Reuters was not able to determine how long the reduced shifts would last for BYD and if any of its other three assembly plants in China were affected by production schedule changes. It was also not clear how the reduced shifts would translate into production volume changes. To spur demand, BYD began offering discounts for its best-selling Yuan Plus and Seal EVs in March.

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