cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/44378848

Archived

Some of the world’s biggest food and consumer goods companies have accused the European Commission of jeopardising its own green agenda by proposing to delay a landmark anti-deforestation law for a second time. [...]

The law, known as the EUDR — which requires companies importing commodities such as cocoa, coffee, rubber, palm oil, soy, dairy and timber to prove they do not originate from deforested land — was due to take effect at the start of 2026, having already been postponed by a year.

[...]

But last month, the commission said that it would propose a second delay until the end of 2026, citing problems with its IT system designed to process data from importers.

[...]

EU officials have said the commission will formally propose the delay in the coming weeks. It will have to be agreed by the European parliament and member states.

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Companies ranging from commodity traders to food manufacturers say they have spent millions preparing for the law and are frustrated by what they see as a lack of discipline in Brussels. Many are urging the commission to press ahead without the delay.

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Ferrero, the Italian confectionery group behind Nutella and Kinder, said a delay risked undermining years of preparation and “sending the wrong message” to companies and farmers that had worked to meet the EU’s standards.

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Olam Agri [a commodities trading company], which operates in the rubber and timber sectors, urged Brussels not to postpone implementation, arguing that by doing so, it “risks penalising companies that have invested early in compliance and could erode trust in the EU’s leadership on sustainability”.

[...]

Campaigners fear that if negotiations are reopened it could pave the way to a significant watering down of the law. Rightwing MEPs are lobbying, for example, for a “no risk” category that would exempt EU member states.

Under the law in its current form, countries are benchmarked according to the risk of deforestation within their borders. So far only Russia, North Korea, Belarus and Myanmar are categorised “high risk”.

[...]

In addition, [the companies] want a technical working group of EU officials, national authorities, and businesses to co-ordinate and ensure the smooth rollout of the law.

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Europe is planning a “defence space shield” to protect military and communications satellites from attacks by Russia or China on the battlefields of tomorrow.

The project, to begin next year, follows the stalking of British, German and other military satellites by the Russians, and China’s development of space warfare, which is thought to be more advanced than western capabilities.

A European Union “road map” to prepare Nato allies for war by 2030 identifies a “militarised Russia” as “a persistent threat to European security for the foreseeable future” and sets four priorities: drone, air and space defence, and protecting Europe’s eastern flank.

[...]

"To ensure peace through deterrence, Europe’s defence posture and capabilities must also be ready for the battlefields of tomorrow, in line with the changing nature of warfare ... Those that develop their own technologies will be the strongest and least dependent, notably for the critical systems of modern warfare, such as drones, satellites or autonomous vehicles,” said an EU document published on Thursday.

[...]

Negotiated with Nato since June, the paper talks of Ukraine as “Europe’s first line of defence” and condemns Russian “aggression, which is reaching new heights of brutality and violence”.

The document says: “Reckless provocations and acts of hybrid warfare against member states, from cyberattacks to violation of airspace, are increasing.”

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/44322530

[...]

Today, the Kremlin’s strategy increasingly favours hybrid means – drones, cyberattacks, disinformation, and energy blackmail – over warfare. These are not random provocations, but a coherent campaign of testing.

Each incursion and attack serves a diagnostic purpose: Can Europe detect? Can it coordinate a joint response? Can it enact this response swiftly and efficiently?

As Belgian officials admitted after a recent spate of drone sightings, the continent needs to “act faster” in building air-defence systems. Every such admission emboldens Moscow’s conviction that Europe is unprepared and divided.

Back home, these moments are curated into propaganda clips for state television, where pundits mock European “weakness” and frame the continent’s disarray as validation for the Kremlin’s confrontational stance. This manufactured crisis, in turn, is the latest application of a well-honed strategy.

With regard to the West, the aim is exhaustion, not conquest – a “permanent test” designed to drain resources and unity through constant, low-level pressure.

[...]

In a landscape of heightened tension, even a minor incident – a drone shootdown, a cyberattack gone wrong – could spiral into wider confrontation. A deliberate war between Nato and Russia is still improbable, but no longer unthinkable.

[...]

The Kremlin seeks to force the West to accept a redrawn security order through a blend of coercion, probing, and perpetual testing. The tools may vary – from tanks to drones, from overt invasion to a hybrid war of attrition – but the aim endures: to undermine European unity and restore the sphere of influence lost by Russia in 1991.

Europe’s challenge is equally clear. It has to resist the fatigue of endless crisis and demonstrate that resilience, not fear, defines the continent’s future.

Moscow’s provocations will continue until the costs become prohibitive. Only a unified, prepared Europe can make that happen.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/44281482

Op-ed by Nicola Casarini, Associate Fellow at the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) and Senior Research Fellow at the Asia Institute-University of Bologna.

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Europe’s ‘Two-Chinas’ strategy and the prospect for Beijing-Taipei peaceful coexistence: EU-China economic relations continue to grow, while Brussels is gradually integrating Taiwan into Europe’s markets

• The EU is moving towards a ‘Two-Chinas’ strategy: EU-China economic relations continue to grow, while Brussels is gradually integrating Taiwan into Europe’s markets.
• While not questioning the ‘One-China’ policy, Brussels has downgraded political relations with Beijing, while EU-Taiwan ties are being promoted across the board.
• Given Europe’s increasing stakes in peaceful coexistence between China and Taiwan, Brussels must step up efforts to facilitate (unofficial) dialogue between the two.

In recent years, Europe has significantly upgraded its economic and political relations with Taiwan. Officially, the Union and its member states continue to recognise and have formal ties only with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), abiding by the so-called ‘One-China’ policy – Beijing’s position that there is only one Chinese government that Brussels has acknowledged since 1975, when both the PRC and the Republic of China (Taiwan) were under authoritarian rule.

Five decades later, the PRC continues to be ruled by the Communist Party, and while the reforms initiated in the late 1970s have brought about significant socio-economic changes and modernised the country, the political transformation hoped for by the West has not materialised. Under Xi Jinping, in power since 2012, China has become even more nationalistic and authoritarian, with a tightly controlled economy and society, and an assertive foreign policy towards neighbours.

Taiwan has become, instead, a free and open society, with an advanced market economy. No wonder that the island has been embraced by Western countries as a successful example of transition from authoritarian rule (Taiwan endured 38 years of martial law from 1949 to 1987) to full-fledged democracy.

[...]

The push for closer Europe-Taiwan relations across the board has traditionally been led by the European Parliament, which is also the EU institution that has criticised Beijing’s regime the most in recent decades. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are now pressuring the European Commission to finalise an EU-Taiwan Bilateral Investment Agreement (BIA), after having shelved the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) announced in 2020 but never greenlighted by the Parliament due to Beijing’s imposition of sanctions on some MEPs’ (recently lifted).

[...]

Brussels and Taipei are also working on a Resilient Supply Chain Agreement (RSCA) as well as a Capital Markets Link (CML) which would expand investment opportunities, boost market liquidity and improve capital access for companies from both sides. There are plans to connect the Taiwan Stock Exchange with leading European exchanges, including Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam and Milan, giving European investors direct access to Taiwanese equities. This would not only strengthen Taiwan-EU economic ties but also offer a structured pathway for facilitating two-way investments which have grown significantly in recent times.

European companies are attracted by Taiwan as a high-tech hub, while the Taiwanese corporate sector is driven to Europe by a desire to diversify the companies’ global footprint, enhance supply chain resilience, and capitalise on European market opportunities and strategic initiatives like the EU Chips Act, which aims to boost Europe’s semiconductor manufacturing capabilities, and the Green Deal.

[...]

In 2023, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC) – Taiwan’s largest company – teamed up with Stuttgart-based Robert Bosch, Neubiberg-based Infineon Technologies and Netherlands-based NXP Semiconductors to set up the European Semiconductor Manufacturing (ESMC) as a joint venture, receiving financial support from Germany and incentives from the European Commission. ESMC will provide advanced semiconductor manufacturing services to industries such as the automotive and industrial sectors.

Hsinchu-based GlobalWafers has received a development grant of up to 103 million euros from the European Commission and the Italian government for its 12-inch chip plant project in northwestern Italy – an investment largely incentivised by the EU Chips Act. ProLogium, a Taiwanese solid-state battery manufacturer, has made a 5 billion euro investment in France to build a battery factory to take advantage of the EU’s Green Deal.

According to the Taiwanese government, in 2023 alone, Taipei initiated 22 new investment projects in the EU, totalling almost 5 billion US dollars. Europe’s open-door policy to Taiwanese investments stands in stark contrast to the reception given to PRC investors who are increasingly scrutinised when entering the EU and face mounting difficulties in some strategically sensitive sectors.

EU-Taiwan deepening of ties in the areas of investments, supply chains, critical technologies, semiconductors and finance means that Europe’s stakes in peaceful Beijing-Taipei relations have never been so high.

[...]

Brussels should seriously consider what to do if Taiwan is attacked. The continuation of the current status quo would be the best option for Taiwan, the US, the EU and indeed the whole world, though it may not be tenable as the PRC – and large swathes of its population – have embraced the narrative that Taiwan must return to the ‘motherland’, with the Chinese military preparing for that.

[...]

Europe could certainly use its economic weight to exercise pressure on Beijing, though unanimity within the bloc would be difficult as the 27 member states have different approaches towards Beijing. The real added value of the EU lies in its soft power capabilities.

The EU should make the most of its ‘Two-Chinas’ strategy to convince Beijing and Taipei to engage in dialogue. Towards the PRC, Brussels should signal that the EU values cooperation with China on East Asian affairs (and globally) linking the improvement of EU-PRC political relations to the acceptance by Beijing’s leadership to discuss, at least unofficially and behind closed doors, the future of Cross-Strait relations. Towards Taiwan, Brussels should highlight its unwavering support for Taiwanese democracy.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/44279650

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Europe, in its trade dealings with China, needs to act "in a more offensive way" to protect its own interests and those of its companies, [Germany's] Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel said.

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When it comes to China, let me only say one thing: China needs Europe more than Europe needs China," Nagel, who sits on the ECB's Governing Council, said.

[...]

We are a strong economy. We are four hundred fifty million people... So we should play the European card in a more offensive way."

Nagel said Europe needed to avoid a trade war with China and should maintain a dialogue but also needed to protect its own markets.

"The point that I would like to say here is that Europe should play the cards in a way that we are more convinced about ourselves, because the most important market for the European is Europe itself," Nagel told a financial event.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/44221472

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is in Washington ahead of his meeting with Donald Trump on Friday.

He says Ukraine is "building on the momentum that worked in ending terror in the Middle East, which will help end the war with Russia."

He also suggested that Russia is "rushing to resume dialogue only after hearing about the Tomahawks" - a reference to the imminent decision by Washington on whether to give Kiev access to long-range missiles or not.

[...]

Andrey Kovalenko from the Center for Combating Disinformation at the Security and Defense Council of Ukraine recalls that in 2017 and 2018, "Tomahawks" successfully hit targets protected by Russian air defense during the conflict in Syria.

According to him, the "Tomahawk" uses a complex navigation system, so the opponent, after the radar registers it, has only seconds to react. To effectively intercept such a missile, a dense network of low-range radars, rapid exchange of data on targets and synchronized air defenses are required. "Russian systems then protected Syrian facilities, but without success. 'Tomahawks' are especially effective when fired in bursts - overloading air defenses increases the probability of success. Russian S-400 and Pancir systems are weak against 'Tomahawks,'" says Kovalenko.

[...]

Reports say that US Tomahawk missiles have become an important topic in Washington, Kiev and Moscow in recent weeks.

Andrey Kovalenko from the Center for Combating Disinformation at the Security and Defense Council of Ukraine recalls that in 2017 and 2018, "Tomahawks" successfully hit targets protected by Russian air defense during the conflict in Syria.

According to him, the "Tomahawk" uses a complex navigation system, so the opponent, after the radar registers it, has only seconds to react. To effectively intercept such a missile, a dense network of low-range radars, rapid exchange of data on targets and synchronized air defenses are required. "Russian systems then protected Syrian facilities, but without success. 'Tomahawks' are especially effective when fired in bursts - overloading air defenses increases the probability of success. Russian S-400 and Pancir systems are weak against 'Tomahawks,'" says Kovalenko.

Sweden’s Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard will visit China this week “to promote Swedish priorities regarding economics, trade and security policy.” Unfortunately, the announcement makes no mention of human rights, stating only that Sweden welcomes cooperation with China “where possible and in line with our interests and values.”

If human rights really are a cornerstone of Sweden’s foreign policy, they should be an integral part of the planned conversations in Beijing – beginning with renewed efforts to bring Swedish book publisher Gui Minhai home. Ten years ago this week, Chinese authorities snatched Gui in Thailand in an outrageous act of cross-border kidnapping. Gui remains unjustly imprisoned, his situation unknown. The Chinese government has claimed he gave up his Swedish citizenship and has denied him consular visits as required by international law.

The blatant abuses in Gui’s case exemplify deepening repression taking place throughout China under President Xi Jinping, which Human Rights Watch and others have extensively documented.

[...]

While Sweden has spoken out on these abuses, these efforts need to be consistent. Last year, Sweden led a joint statement at the United Nations urging the Chinese government to implement recommendations from the UN’s landmark 2022 report on violations in Xinjiang. Swedish officials should amplify these calls in high-level meetings with European and other governments. Malmer Stenergard should also reinforce these concerns with the Chinese government this week and press for an end to abuses in Xinjiang.

Gui’s case highlights the Chinese government’s transnational repression, abuses aimed at intimidating and monitoring dissidents abroad, including in Sweden. The government also threatened a well-known Swedish journalist for reporting critically on China. Malmer Stenergard should show strong support for independent journalism by bringing Swedish journalists on the trip and holding a news conference in Beijing or immediately upon return.

[...]

While this week marks 10 years since Gui’s abduction, it is also the 75th anniversary of Sweden-China diplomatic ties. Malmer Stenergard should use this opportunity to reaffirm that human rights are central not only to Swedish foreign policy, but also to Sweden-China relations, Human Rights Watch says.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/44208973

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Taiwan’s Formosa Petrochemical Corporation (FPCC) has agreed to halt purchases of Russian naphtha following an investigation by several environmental organizations, which found that Taiwan had become the world’s leading importer of the resource in the first half of 2025, largely due to increased imports by FPCC. A summary of the report was previously published by The Insider.

According to a statement by the environmental group Ekozashchita! (lit. “Ecodefense!”), Taiwan’s Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin said that FPCC’s contracts for Russian oil are set to expire soon and that the company does not intend to renew them. He had earlier said Taiwan would “respect and abide by EU and G7 norms” and confirmed that the ministry had held talks with the company, though the results of those discussions were not disclosed.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/44208795

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India is preparing to scale back its imports of Russian crude oil following pressure from the United States, Reuters reported Thursday, citing anonymous sources familiar with the matter.

Several Indian refiners have begun planning a gradual cut in Russian oil purchases, the report said, noting that an abrupt halt could drive up global oil prices and fuel domestic inflation.

New Delhi has not formally ordered refiners to stop buying Russian crude. But U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “assured” him India would end its purchases.

[...]

India’s Foreign Ministry did not directly confirm or deny Trump’s remarks but said Washington had shown interest in “deepening energy cooperation” with New Delhi.

“Discussions are ongoing,” ministry spokesman Shri Randhir Jaiswal said.

Trade Secretary Rajesh Agarwal told reporters Wednesday that India was willing to double its annual imports of American oil and natural gas if prices were competitive. Those imports are currently valued at around $12-13 billion.

Agarwal said an Indian delegation was in Washington to discuss a bilateral trade agreement that would include energy cooperation.

Russia supplies more than one-third of India’s oil imports, a share that surged after Western sanctions on Moscow drove down prices for Russian crude.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/44208689

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France has arrested four people in a probe into a suspected plot against an unnamed Russian dissident, anti-terror prosecutors said Thursday.

Le Parisien newspaper reported earlier that Vladimir Osechkin, who leads the Gulagu.net project that specializes in uncovering abuses in Russian prisons, was the target of a "liquidation plot."

Contacted by AFP, prosecutors did not wish to identify the Russian dissident thought to have been targeted.

"The national anti-terrorism prosecutor's office (PNAT) has opened an investigation on the charge of taking part in a terrorist association with a view to preparing one or more crimes against persons," it said in a statement.

Four men aged 26 to 38 had been arrested on Monday.

Le Parisien said they were French nationals or from the republic of Dagestan in Russia's North Caucasus region.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/44178509

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Poland’s foreign minister has accused Russia of a “tactically stupid and counterproductive” escalation of the war in Ukraine, saying its drone incursion into Poland last month appeared to be deliberate.

Radosław Sikorski [...] said all Vladimir Putin had achieved with the incursion was a consolidation of western opinion against him. He also dismissed Russian concerns that supplying US Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine would be unnecessarily provocative.

[...]

Sikorski said the incursions were a reminder that Putin believed he was “at war with us” – a situation that he argued dated back in the Russian president’s mind to the 2006 Alexander Litvinenko poisoning and his combative speech at the 2007 Munich Security Conference.

“He’s been at war with us, but we didn’t acknowledge it because it seemed too preposterous and too strange,” Sikorski said. The incursion into Poland was part of a “spectrum of provocations”, he said, including poisonings, sabotage and arson attacks, such as incendiary bombs at parcel sites in Poland, Germany and the UK.

[...]

Donald Trump is expected to discuss whether to supply Ukraine with US Tomahawks, which have a range of more than 1,000 miles, in a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday. The Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday that the issue was of “extreme concern” to Russia.

But Sikorski said concerns about the conflict spreading were exaggerated. “Every time we intended to give Ukraine new missiles, new types of weapons, somebody said, ‘Don’t do it, it’s escalatory. Don’t send them tanks. Don’t send them MiG fighters. Don’t send them F-16s. Don’t give them Himars [rockets] don’t give them Atacms [missiles].’ And every time Russia has had to adjust.”

The Tomahawks, Sikorski said, could be used to target Russian oil refineries, the subject of recent Ukrainian drone strikes. “Russia’s vastness means that you don’t have enough anti-aircraft assets to protect all the targets,” he said, noting Ukraine was having success in reducing Russia’s capacity to produce oil. “When you achieve success you should reinforce it.”

[...]

“Only when Russia loses a war are there any reforms,” Sikorski said. “If Russia lost the war it would be good for Ukraine, it would be good for Europe, but it would also be good for Russia.”

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/44170702

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"Empires don't stop colonizing until they're defeated. That's why a 'brokered peace' with Russia won't work. History shows those agreements collapse almost immediately. The only sustainable path is Ukrainian victory. When Russia loses, then we can talk about peace," Canadian Senator Stan Kutcher said.

[...]

Kutcher added that he is also encouraging the Canadian government to play a more active role in the initiative to establish an air shield over Ukraine.

"We've seen that by not closing Ukraine's skies, Russia has extended drone attacks into NATO and EU countries. So this is no longer just about Ukraine – it's about protecting Europe as a whole," he said.

In late August, Canada announced a new $1.5 billion military aid package for Ukraine.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/44169383

Italy plans to apply an extra levy on Chinese fast fashion products to help shield its fashion industry from low-cost foreign imports, government sources told Reuters on Wednesday.

The move is aimed at avoiding unfair competition in the market for what is one of Italy's key industries, the people said, adding Rome would likely impose the charge on online retailers Temu and Shein, among others.

[...]

There is growing alarm in European capitals that China is progressively diverting goods at lower prices to EU markets as a way of making up for its lost U.S. trade, following the tariff policies adopted by President Donald Trump.

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Rome plans to intervene by adopting a scheme envisaged in a European Union directive on the so-called Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), the sources said.

The charge will force manufacturers to cover the costs of collecting, sorting and recycling their products once they become waste.

[...]

[Industry Minister Adolfo] Urso also underlined that measures were being introduced to help ensure that workers' rights were not abused in the supply chain in Italy after a series of high-profile cases involving leading brands.

"We are very pleased with the speed at which Minister Urso and his team are working, responding to the needs of our industry and, above all, defending 'Made in Italy'," said Luca Sburlati, head of the Confindustria Moda industry lobby.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/44151259

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Russian pro-war sources have published a video of a drone strike on a UN convoy in Ukraine. The footage surfaced on the morning of Oct. 15 via the Telegram channel “From Mariupol to the Carpathians,” which is associated with Russian UAV operators in the Kherson sector. The Ukrainian side had reported a truck attack on Oct. 14, and the UN stated that the incident could be considered a war crime.

[...]

The truck targeted by the drone bears the inscription WFP — the abbreviation for the World Food Programme. On top of the trucks, the UN abbreviation is also visible, marking them as United Nations vehicles.

[...]

The strike on the convoy was reported on Oct. 14 by Oleksandr Prokudin, the head of Ukraine’s Kherson Regional Military Administration. One of the four trucks burned out completely, and another sustained serious damage. There were no reported casualties.

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, called the deliberate attack on humanitarian workers and facilities a severe violation of international humanitarian law. He emphasized that it could be considered a war crime.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/44099790

Archived

Here is the UK Intel report: UK experiencing four 'nationally significant' cyber attacks every week

The UK’s cyber security agency has issued a stark warning regarding a record surge in serious online attacks, attributing the "significant threat" to Chinese and Russian hackers.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a division of GCHQ, reported a 50 per cent increase in "highly significant" incidents over the year ending August. This rise underscores the tangible impact of cyberattacks, as evidenced by breaches affecting major British brands such as Marks and Spencer, Co-op, and Jaguar Land Rover.

As well as online criminals launching ransomware attacks to demand money from firms or individuals, the UK is also targeted by hostile states – either directly or through groups operating at arms-length from the authorities in Beijing, Moscow, Tehran and Pyongyang.

[...]

– China is a “highly sophisticated and capable threat actor, targeting a wide range of sectors and institutions across the globe, including the UK”.

– Russia is a “capable and irresponsible threat actor in cyberspace”, while pro-Moscow “hacktivist” groups operating outside formal state control are seeking to target the UK, Europe, US, and other Nato countries in retaliation for Western support for Ukraine and Israel.

– Iran’s activity has largely been focused in the Middle East but the NCSC assesses it is “highly likely” that UK entities could be potential targets for Tehran-linked hackers, following a US warning that Iranian state-sponsored or affiliated cyber activity could threaten critical infrastructure.

– North Korea’s “prolific and capable” hacking activity mainly seeks to raise revenue, to collect intelligence and to offset the impact of international sanctions, while undercover IT workers from Kim Jong Un’s country are “almost certainly” targeting UK firms by posing as third-country freelance staff.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/44066965

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Ireland: University professor turns down invitation to meet with representatives of "deeply hypocritical" Chinese human rights organisation

An academic with Trinity College Dublin (TCD), has expressed surprise that officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and staff from the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) are separately meeting with representatives of what she says is a “deeply hypocritical” Chinese human rights organisation.

Dr Isabella Jackson, assistant professor of Chinese history, turned down an invitation from the IIEA to attend a meeting with visiting representatives of the China Foundation for Human Rights Development in the institute’s Dublin offices on Tuesday.

Dr Jackson told the institute she could not “in good conscience” attend a meeting with what she said was a white-washing state body “that exists to pretend China cares about human rights despite the severe abuses of human rights throughout the country but especially in Tibet and Xinjiang”.

“I am happy to engage with Chinese diplomats conducting diplomacy, but not a body as deeply hypocritical as this,” she told the institute. Dr Jackson told The Irish Times that, globally, the Beijing government is “trying to change the narrative so we can’t talk about Chinese abuses of human rights” and the foundation was part of this effort.

She was “quite surprised” that officials from the Department were meeting with the foundation which, she said, sought to highlight “hypocrisy” in the West over human rights abuses while seeking to deflect attention from even worse human rights abuses in China. “The foundation is trying to present China as a positive international actor for human rights whereas the opposite is the case,” she said.

“It’s just propaganda.”

[...]

She declined an invitation to attend a meeting in Berlin a number of years ago with the Chinese foundation “for the very same reasons.”

According to its website, the Chinese Foundation for the Development of Human Rights is registered with Beijing’s ministry for foreign affairs and its “business advisor” is the publicity department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

[...]

Senator Malcolm Byrne, co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said it “strikes me as odd” that IIEA was facilitating a meeting with the Chinese delegation.

It was very important to have good relations with China and to trade with China, he said, but “the CPC has a particular mission and that mission does not have respect for human rights, and they need to be called out on it”.

[...]

Considered Ireland’s premier think tank on international affairs, the IIEA is funded mainly by member subscriptions and state grants.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/44064875

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Russian forces struck a United Nations aid convoy in the partially occupied Kherson region of southern Ukraine on Tuesday, Ukrainian and UN officials said, though no one was reported injured or killed in the incident.

The United Nations said the convoy, consisting of four marked vehicles, came under attack from Russian drones and artillery while delivering humanitarian aid to the frontline town of Bilozerka.

"Such attacks are utterly unacceptable. Aid workers are protected by international humanitarian law and should never be attacked," said Matthias Schmale, the UN's humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine.

Two trucks operated by the World Food Program were damaged in the strike, while two others were unharmed, he said. The UN Population Fund said the convoy was carrying 800 packages containing essential items for elderly people, women and girls.

"The area has a very high proportion of older people, many of whom are unable to relocate due to drones and shelling and rely on humanitarian assistance for survival," said Jacqueline Mahon, UNFPA's representative in Ukraine.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/44053091

Archived

• The UK's domestic security service, MI5, warned politicians and their staff that they are being targeted by spies from China, Russia and Iran in efforts to undermine British democracy.
• MI5 said foreign actors may use methods such as dishonest online approaches, hacks and cyber attacks to recruit assets and obtain information, and may use financial donations to influence politicians' decisions.
• The security service urged politicians to be wary of "overt flattery", conduct due diligence on new contacts, and report any suspicious interactions to their security team promptly.

[...]

“The UK is a target of long-term strategic foreign interference and espionage from elements of the Russian, Chinese and Iranian states which, in different ways, seek to further their economic and strategic interests and cause harm to our democratic institutions,” according to the advice.

The document comes just weeks after a high-profile espionage case in which two men were accused of spying for China fell apart, sparking criticism of the government’s handling of the case and Starmer’s wider policy toward Beijing, with which he has sought to improve diplomatic ties since entering office last year.

Separately, Nathan Gill — a former Welsh leader of Nigel Farage’s populist right-wing Reform UK party — pleaded guilty last month to taking bribes in exchange for making statements in favor of Russia.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/44050202

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The pro-Russian Matryoshka disinformation network has launched a new campaign against Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan ahead of the country’s June 2026 parliamentary elections.

[...]

The bots are spreading videos on X and BlueSky disguised as content from Western media outlets. These clips criticize Pashinyan for “destroying Armenia’s cultural code” and “imposing non-traditional values of tolerance.” They also accuse his administration of threatening opposition journalists and bloggers, as well as promoting an “unrealistic and dangerous” plan to create a “Fourth Republic.” The term refers to a declaration proposed by Pashinyan at the congress of his Civil Contract party and adopted by a vote of the participants. The document envisions extending the current government’s mandate for another five years after the 2026 parliamentary elections, adopting a new constitution through a referendum, formally renouncing Armenia’s territorial claims to Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), and pursuing a course toward joining the European Union.

[...]

The bots have also shared AI-generated images of Pashinyan being humiliated by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (including one in which Erdoğan forces Pashinyan to kiss his knee), and U.S. President Donald Trump. In one of the fake photos, Pashinyan is shown cleaning up trash in front of the White House.

[...]

[In September 2024, Pashinyan confirmed that the country would go ahead with its plans to join the EU in spite of warnings from Russia.]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/44047903

Archived

[...]

Efforts to diversify domestic manufacturing and supply are ongoing, focusing on supporting Polish pharmaceutical companies and building facilities closer to European markets. However, production decisions regarding active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) or finished products remain commercial, independently made by responsible entities based on business strategies.

A key ministry goal is to reduce Poland’s reliance on external markets, especially on Asian suppliers responsible for most raw materials and APIs. “Uncoupling from Asia is crucial to enhancing Poland’s supply chain stability,” the ministry noted, highlighting its cooperation with the Government Strategic Reserves Agency (RARS), which plays a vital role in crisis management. RARS maintains expert capacity and logistics, proven during COVID-19 vaccine deployment and aid to Ukraine.

Another key area in Poland’s pharmaceutical security strategy is the National List of Critical Medicines. First presented in December 2024, this list has since been updated to include 401 substances deemed crucial for patient safety and the resilience of the healthcare system.

[...]

“True security lies in producing medicines in the EU and Poland,” [president of Medicines for Poland Krzysztof] Kopeć stressed. While acknowledging the ministry’s National List of Critical Medicines, he emphasised that lists alone don’t guarantee security. Reducing dependence on Asia requires cost acceptance by the EU and national governments. European producers need profitable prices to manufacture medicines sustainably.

[...]

[Michał Byliniak, director general of INFARMA, the Employers' Union of Innovative Pharmaceutical Companies] emphasised the need to ensure patients’ needs are met during armed conflict, with timely access to medicine, even before emergency procedures are activated. “We faced such challenges after the Ukraine war began, guaranteeing treatment continuity for patients who suddenly lost access,” he recalled.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/43986907

Archived

• A group of Chinese citizens attempted to cross the border between Serbia and Croatia illegally; one of them died
• Two such cases of illegal border crossings have been recorded in the last two months
• Some European countries are warning of an increased influx of Chinese citizens arriving via human smuggling routes in the Western Balkans
• Serbia and China have had a visa-free regime since 2017

Serbia: Chinese citizen died as overloaded boat capsized on Danube river while attempting to cross the border illegally and flee to EU

A Chinese citizen died when a boat capsized on the Danube between Serbia and Croatia while attempting to cross the border illegally.

In the last two months, there have been two recorded cases of groups of Chinese citizens attempting to cross the border between Serbia and Croatia illegally.

Miroslava Jelačić Kojić from the non-governmental organization Group 484 [said] that there are trends indicating that Chinese citizens are increasingly becoming victims of human trafficking in the Western Balkans.

[...]

“Italian authorities have warned that there has been an increase in the number of Chinese citizens who have been smuggled and that they have also been moving along the Western Balkan route,” she said.

[...]

Serbia and China have had a visa-free regime since 2017, which means that citizens of both countries can reside or transit through the territory of China and Serbia for up to 30 days from the date of entry.

As a candidate for European Union membership, Serbia maintains close ties with China and is strengthening political, economic, and military cooperation.

[...]

Serbian rescue services found four injured Chinese citizens, while Croatian rescue services pulled five more Chinese citizens from the Danube.

Dragoslav Živković, acting deputy chief of the Vukovar-Srijem police administration, told the media [...] that, according to initial information, the individuals had attempted to cross the state border from Serbia to Croatia illegally.

[..]

The boat reportedly capsized due to overloading, with ten Chinese and one Serbian citizen on board.

[...]

The Western Balkan corridor is also mentioned in a January statement by Europol, the EU police agency, when it announced the dismantling of a sophisticated Chinese criminal network.

The network was involved in illegal immigration and human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

Raids in Barcelona, Madrid, and Toledo in Spain, and in Zagreb in Croatia, led to the arrest of 30 people, including the leaders of the criminal network.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/43985248

Archived

• Senior members of the government are urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to reassess his policy toward China and take a tougher stance on the risks it poses to UK national security.
• At least two cabinet members want Starmer to decline permission for China to build a new mega-embassy near the City of London on security grounds.
• The call for a tougher stance comes after a collapsed espionage case, which has led to intense scrutiny of Starmer's approach to China and allegations that his administration did not provide sufficient support to secure convictions.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/43941148

Archived

Companies across Europe and the United Kingdom are complaining that there has been a “flood” of Chinese products into the market, as the country seeks to redirect goods meant for the United States, according to a Nikkei report.

[...]

UK-based chemical giant Ineos [announced] this week, which said it is lowering production and cutting jobs due to the demand slowdown. The company said it is cutting 20 per cent of the workforce at its Acetyls plant in Hull, England, and is closing two production units in Rheinberg, Germany.

The announcement from Ineos blamed "dirt-cheap carbon-heavy" Chinese products that have been redirected from the US due to high tariffs but face no trade barriers in the EU or UK. Stephen Dossett, CEO of Ineos Inovyn in the statement added, “Europe is committing industrial suicide. While competitors in the US and China benefit from cheap energy, European producers are being priced out by our own policies and absence of tariff protection.”

[...]

German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) said it could not confirm a widespread increase in Chinese chemical imports after Trump's tariffs came in May, but noted increased price competitiveness as China's products continue despite domestic demand slowdown.

[...]

For the steel sector, over supply from China has caused disruption, with the UK and EU considering 50 per cent tariffs on excess products. If the plan is approved by the European Parliament and the European Council, the measures will take effect mid-2026.

[...]

EU textile body Euratex said Chinese exports have surged by 20 per cent in H1 2025 YoY. both in value and volume in the first half of 2025, compared with last year, according to the Financial Times.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/43902528

Archived

[...]

In a move co-ordinated with France, Germany and the United States, Sir Keir Starmer said the UK was willing to unlock up to £25 billion of Russian money held in the UK for the war effort.

The decision, after months of talks among the G7 and other western allies, may release as much as £250 billion to Ukraine in tranches to fund weapons purchases and prop up its war economy.

In a joint statement with President Macron of France and Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, Starmer said that the three leaders had agreed to “increase pressure” on Putin to counter his “stalling tactics and abhorrent attacks in response to peace talks”.

They said: “To that end, we are ready to progress towards using, in a co-ordinated way, the value of the immobilised Russian sovereign assets to support Ukraine’s armed forces and thus bring Russia to the negotiation table. We aim to do this in close co-operation with the United States of America.”

Starmer is also understood to have discussed the plan with President Zelensky of Ukraine. Downing Street said that the UK, France and Germany were “united in wanting to drive progress towards using the full value of the immobilised Russian sovereign assets to end the war”.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/43887424

Archived

UK: Foreign Secretary says China does pose security threat to Britain, says she is ‘deeply frustrated’ at collapse of spy trial after Labour refuses to call Beijing an enemy

[...]

Yvette Cooper admitted the UK faced a “whole series” of risks from Beijing, days after the chief prosecutor said a case against two alleged spies collapsed because the Government had failed to brand China a threat to national security.

[...]

Ms Cooper was asked whether, during her time at the Home Office, she saw a dossier outlining the fact that China had frequently been referred to as a threat to Britain’s national security.

She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Let me be clear that we know China poses threats to UK national security from things like transnational repression and espionage to hostile cyber activity as well, and we have said so.

“And they also of course are a trading partner and they are a crucial partner in the process for example on tackling climate change. But I am deeply frustrated about this case because I of course wanted to see it prosecuted.”

[...]

Christopher Cash, 30, and Christopher Berry, 33, had been accused of passing foreign policy information to a high-ranking member of the Chinese government, charges that were denied by both men.

A Whitehall investigation into Chinese spying was also suppressed by Jonathan Powell, the national security adviser, after lobbying from the Treasury.

[...]

China sceptics have long called on successive governments to formally shift their diplomatic stance and call China a threat to reflect concerns around security, surveillance and human rights abuses.

[...]

Chinese state-backed hackers targeted the Electoral Commission and accessed the voting records of 40 million people from August 2021. The breach was not identified until more than a year later.

China was also blamed for hacking the Ministry of Defence in May 2024, with hackers gaining access to payroll information including bank details, names and addresses.