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China uses Putin’s weakness to shift power balance, says von der Leyen

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China uses Putin’s weakness to shift power balance, says von der Leyen

The Folks’s Republic of China is exploiting the weak point of President Vladimir Putin to maximise its geopolitical affect over Russia, resulting in a reversal of the ability steadiness between the 2 long-time allies, Ursula von der Leyen has mentioned in a important speech.

“Removed from being delay by the atrocious and unlawful invasion of Ukraine, President Xi is sustaining his ‘no-limits friendship’ with Putin’s Russia,” von der Leyen mentioned on Thursday morning.

“However there was a change of dynamic within the relationship between China and Russia. It’s clear from the go to that China sees Putin’s weak point as a solution to enhance its leverage over Russia. 

“And it’s clear that the ability steadiness in that relationship – which for many of the final century favoured Russia – has now reversed.” 

The European Union and its Western allies have been rigorously watching the most recent steps taken by China on the worldwide stage, together with a high-profile go to of President Xi Jinping to Moscow, suspicions of navy support to the nation and a 12-point “peace plan” for Ukraine, which was extensively criticised for blurring the strains between aggressor and sufferer and failing to acknowledge the truth of occupied territories.

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China’s function within the Ukraine conflict can be a “figuring out issue” to outline the engagement between Brussels and Beijing, von der Leyen warned.

“China has a accountability to play a constructive function in advancing a simply peace,” von der Leyen mentioned.

“Any peace plan which might in impact consolidate Russian annexations is just not a viable plan. We’ve to be frank on this level.”

All through her 40-minute-long speech, the president of the European Fee painted a sober, and at occasions scorching, image of the present state of EU-China relations, describing them as “extra distant and tougher,” and instantly accused Beijing of trumping the free-trade order, bullying small-sized nations, violating human rights, toughening its navy standing and ramping up disinformation and coercion campaigns around the globe.

“These escalatory actions level to a China that’s turning into extra repressive at house and extra assertive overseas,” von der Leyen mentioned.

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“China has now turned the web page on the period of ‘reform and opening’ and is transferring into a brand new period of safety and management.”

Von der Leyen spoke at size a couple of China that, in her view, is turning into “extra repressive at house and extra assertive overseas,” a commanding superpower that has structured its total economic system and society across the absolute management of the ruling Communist Social gathering and has turned the person rights of residents right into a mere subordinate of nationwide sovereignty.

“We will anticipate to see a transparent push to make China much less depending on the world and the world extra depending on China,” von der Leyen mentioned.

“The Chinese language Communist Social gathering’s clear purpose is a systemic change of the worldwide order with China at its centre. We’ve seen it with China’s positions in multilateral our bodies which present its willpower to advertise an alternate imaginative and prescient of the world order.”

De-risking, not de-coupling

Regardless of the current flip for the more serious – which has seen rising bans on TikTok throughout European governments, a frozen funding settlement, lingering doubts over the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic and a raft of retaliatory counter-sanctions – Ursula von der Leyen mentioned the bloc merely couldn’t afford a clean-cut breakup with China.

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“I imagine it’s neither viable – nor in Europe’s curiosity – to decouple from China. Our relationships should not black or white – and our response can’t be both,” von der Leyen mentioned, calling for diplomatic stability and open communication strains.

“This is the reason we have to concentrate on de-risking – not de-coupling.”

The president talked about local weather change and biodiversity safety as two areas the place the EU and China can discover widespread floor to deal with world challenges.

On the economic system, von der Leyen famous many of the commerce in items and providers remained “mutually helpful” and free from dangers. China is the EU’s important buying and selling associate relating to items, with complete flows price virtually €700 billion in 2021.

“However our relationship is unbalanced and more and more affected by distortions created by China’s state capitalist system,” von der Leyen added.

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“So we have to rebalance this relationship on the idea of transparency, predictability and reciprocity.”

The president pointedly warned about “China’s specific fusion of its navy and business sectors” and the potential implications for the switch of delicate applied sciences and mental property, suggesting her govt would suggest a brand new instrument to display sure forms of funding.

The EU-China settlement concluded in late 2020, and later frozen, must be reassessed, she mentioned.

Von der Leyen made the case for slashing European dependency on China, notably within the sectors of inexperienced expertise and uncooked supplies, whose demand is about to skyrocket because the bloc strikes in the direction of local weather neutrality at a larger pace within the wake of Russia’s conflict.

“We’ve in entrance of us a job to refocus on an important points. And it’s a reflection of the necessity to alter our technique in step with the best way the Chinese language Communist Social gathering appears to be altering,” the Fee chief mentioned, urging member states to keep away from falling for “divide-and-conquer ways.”

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Von der Leyen’s speech was delivered forward of a joint journey to Beijing with President Emmanuel Macron of France. Notably, the hosts of the occasions have been the European Coverage Centre and the Mercator Institute for China Research (MERICS), the latter of which is below Chinese language sanctions.

“At this defining second in world affairs, we want the collective will to reply collectively,” von der Leyen mentioned, in the direction of the tip of the tackle.

“Nothing is inevitable in geopolitics.”

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Cambodia's prime minister bans musical horns on vehicles to curb dangerous street dancing

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Cambodia's prime minister bans musical horns on vehicles to curb dangerous street dancing
  • Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Mane has issued a ban on musical horns after videos on social media depicted people dancing on roadsides.
  • Mane instructed the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation and police nationwide to remove tune-playing horns from vehicles.
  • The ban has already been put into effect by provincial authorities, and Hun Manet voiced its nationwide enforcement.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Mane has ordered a ban on musical horns, after videos posted on social media showed people dancing on roads and roadsides as passing trucks blasted rhythmic little tunes.

Hun Manet, who last year took over the wheel of government from his father, Hun Sen — who led Cambodia for 38 years — called on the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation and police across the country to immediately take action against any vehicle whose normal horn has been replaced by a tune-playing one by ripping it out and restoring the standard honking type. 

He said the measure has already been implemented by provincial authorities, but he wanted to announce it publicly to make sure it was enforced nationwide.

CAMBODIA’S PIONEERING POST-KHMER ROUGE ERA PHNOM PENH POST NEWSPAPER WILL STOP PRINT PUBLICATION

He commented on his Facebook page on Monday that recent social media posts had shown “inappropriate activity committed by some people, especially youth and children, dancing on the roadside to the musical sounds from trucks’ horns.”

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet greets garment workers on Aug. 29, 2023, at Prey Speu village outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Mane has ordered a ban on musical horns, after videos posted on social media showed people dancing on roads and roadsides as passing trucks blasted rhythmic little tunes. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith, File)

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Hun Manet said such dancing affects public order and poses a traffic hazard that is a threat to life and limb, not least of all to the dancers themselves. 

2 ANTI-GOVERNMENT ACTIVISTS IN CAMBODIA CHARGED WITH INSULTING KING ON SOCIAL MEDIA

One video shows three young people dancing in the middle of a road while a large trailer truck coming their way lays down a beat.

For Cambodians, there will be no more dancing in the street.

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Biotech strategy launch, Newsletter

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Biotech strategy launch, Newsletter

Key diary dates

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Tuesday 19 March: European Parliament’s committee vote on the reform of EU pharmaceutical rules.

Wednesday 20 March: Presentation of the European Commission‘s first ‘EU Biotech and Biomanufacturing Initiative’.

Tuesday 19-Friday 22 March: European Commission organises Digital Markets Act workshops with gatekeepers.

In spotlight

This Wednesday (20 March) the European Commission is expected to unveil a new ‘EU Biotech and Biomanufacturing Initiative’ .

Despite half-hearted attempts at regulatory simplification in the sector in the past, life science technologies are increasingly drawing attention from policymakers.

Last month Euronews first reported on the health component of this initiative based on a leaked draft document that highlighted a focus on the vibrant biopharmaceutical sector – responsible for providing breakthrough messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules playing an essential role in COVID-19 vaccines.

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But biotech applications are not limited to the health sector, ranging from sustainable sourcing of advanced materials to climate-smart production and other components essential to a fossil-free and circular economy.

A ‘blue’ biotech is also emerging, with new research on aquatic organisms and microalgae fermentation ready for commercial exploitation – not to mention the potential of new genomic techniques (NGTs) for food production, already under discussion by EU lawmakers.

The main goals of this initiative will be to survey the status quo and track future challenges facing the biotech sector to orientate policy efforts in readiness for the next legislative mandate.

Some policy ideas are likely to be proffered, such as a one-stop shop to permit and authorise biotech manufacturing – while a controversial proposal for an R&I tax credit for biotech companies is rumoured to have been shelved for the moment.

This first dedicated attempt to address the sector won’t be the last, with economic security and strategic autonomy likely to be key buzzwords for the next commission.

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Biotech is expected to be a new beat to keep a close eye on and it has already been listed as a critical technology for the continent, together with semiconductors and artificial intelligence.

The defence imperative dominating current commission thinking involves European independence from military aircraft to sourcing these critical new technologies.

Policy newsmakers

@Hahn                                                                                                                   @Wiewiórowski

Commission under data notice

The European Commission was ordered last week to bring its use of Microsoft 365 office programs in line with its own rulebook, after European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) Wojciech Wiewiórowski found following an investigation that the commission breached EU rules on transfers of personal data outside the EU. The commission now needs to suspend all data flows resulting from its use of Microsoft 365 to Microsoft and to its affiliates and sub-processors located in countries outside the EU/EEA that are not covered by a data transfer agreement. The commissioner responsible for admin, Johannes Hahn, will have to demonstrate compliance with the orders by 9 December 2024.

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Subscribe here to see the results of last week’s poll and stay informed on the latest EU policy developments with our weekly newsletter, “The Policy Briefing”. Your weekly insight on European rulemaking, policy issues, key events, and data trends.

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Reuters Institute: Research shows women only make 24% of news top editors / FIP

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Reuters Institute: Research shows women only make 24% of news top editors / FIP

New research by the Reuters Institute analyses the gender representation of senior editors in major news outlets across five continents, recording that women fill only 24% of senior editorial roles in the markets surveyed. The findings highlight how gender inequalities can reinforce misperceptions, imbalances, and perceived differences both within journalism and as covered by journalists.

The research “Women and leadership in the news media 2024: Evidence from 12 markets” took examples from five continents, and analysed the gender breakdown of editorial leaders.  Two hundred and forty major online and offline news outlets provided data. 

According to the factsheet, among the 33 news top editors appointed across brands covered this year and last, 24% are women. In some of these countries, however, women outnumber men among working journalists.

Reuters contrasts its new findings with data from the past five years. The proportion of women among the top editors has increased by only 2% since 2020, going from 23% to 25% in 2024. The Institute’s analysis anticipates that, at this pace, gender parity will be reached in such positions only by the year 2074.

Change is not consistent throughout countries, however. If the percentage has increased relative to 2020 in six countries (name them all), it has decreased in Germany by 2% and it has highly decreased in South Africa, from 47% to 29%. 

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Reuters Institute makes clear that “top editorial leadership matters both in terms of how journalism is practised and how it appears in society,” insisting on  how top editors represent the wider public “in all its difference and diversity.”

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