China

Roderick Kefferpütz, Director of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung EU talks to Reinhard Bütikofer. He was Member of the European Parliament for the Green/EFA group for 15 years, from 2009 to 2024. During his time at the European Parliament, Reinhard Bütikofer focused on foreign affairs, international trade, and EU-China relations. He served as the chair of the EP delegation for relations with China and was a long-standing member of the delegation for relations with the United States. As Co-Chair of the European Green Party from 2012 to 2019, and as a Leader of the German Green Party from 2002 to 2008, he played an important role in shaping Green policies in Europe. In this episode, they delve into his insights on evolving global challenges, the trajectory of Green EU policies, and the future of EU-China relations, in a conversation filled with reflections, and strategies for addressing pressing global issues.

Before and after the U.S. elections, Chinese analysts raised concerns about trade tensions, global governance, and American democracy. This briefing reviews U.S. policy toward China since Trump's presidency and recent Chinese expert commentary.

In 2023, the European Commission published the first EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence, highlighting the need for a shared understanding and approach to space threats, and promoting global partnerships for responsible space conduct. Space technology plays a crucial role beyond military concerns, affecting our daily life globally. Disruptions to satellite infrastructure can lead to severe consequences, ranging from military incapability to supply chain breakdowns. Space has become a global focal point and a stage for geopolitical manoeuvring. Niklas Nienaß, a former MEP (Greens/EFA, Germany), has been a strong advocate for a cohesive EU space policy. We asked him three questions about the future of EU space policy.

On 12 June 2024, the European Commission announced additional preliminary tariffs of up to 38% on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs). This is based on an EU anti-subsidy investigation, which found that China is extensively subsidising its automotive sector. The United States also recently raised comparable tariffs to 100%. At the same time, some large European car manufacturers are anxious about potential retaliatory measures by China.

On 13 January 2024, Taiwan successfully conducted presidential and legislative elections. The people have shown that their hard-fought democracy is the one value everybody can agree on. There were no big surprises. The DPP won the presidency and now faces a divided parliament in which no party holds a majority. This article analyses what this means for Taiwan, as well as cross-strait and EU-Taiwan relations.

In her address, European Commission President von der Leyen missed the opportunity to develop bold proposals for the future. This contribution analyses her informal bid for a second term in office by looking at her thematic focuses.