Hostages of the KremlinMoscow arrests a Japanese journalist. A warning to Tokyo — and a favour to ChinaYuki Imai of the Hokkaido Shimbun faces up to 20 years in prison on espionage charges. His arrest comes as Japan deepens military and intelligence cooperation with Kyiv, while Putin draws closer to Beijing over islands disputed with TokyobyGiulia Pompili15 OCT 26
editorialsWho trusts a Chinese WHO?Following the FAO, Beijing nominates one of its experts to head global healthbyRedazione14 OCT 26
EditorialsThe trade truce between the European Union and ChinaA surprise agreement on electric cars and rare earths, though many uncertainties remain. The risk of blackmail. Beijing’s overture just days before the next European Council meetingbyRedazione10 OCT 26
HOT STREETSTaiwan’s Foreign Minister tells Il Foglio: “Europe has taught China a lesson”The Ventotene affair, involving the visit by the Taiwanese vice-president and the protest from Beijing. “If you try to pander to a country like China, it will only end up making further demands. It will keep asking for more and more. But when you maintain a firm stance and set clear boundaries, then China will eventually accept the situation.”byMatteo Matzuzzi10 OCT 26
Magnets and troubleChina also uses rare earths to target EuropeSefcovic in Beijing to restore balance to trade relations. Also on the agenda are the fourteen European companies (and the two Italian ones) that ended up on China’s blacklist following the EU sanctions against Russia. Iurino (Garnet) speaks outbyGiulia Pompili9 OCT 26
THE CASEChina’s commercial offensive in Italy begins with a 100-euro washing machine Xi Jinping’s country has a colossal surplus of production capacity, the result of subsidised investment aimed at boosting the annual GDP growth figure, but demand is insufficient and the domestic market is contracting byDario Di Vico8 OCT 26
Bluff in BeijingSefcovic arrives in China armed with Merz and Macron’s ‘decisive’ weapon, but wants to avoid a trade warThe European Commissioner for Trade begins a two-day visit to Beijing today, which is seen as crucial for restoring balance to economic relations between China and the EU. On the agenda is the threat of the new ‘kill switch’ proposed by Germany and France, but Brussels still wishes to avoid confrontationbyDavid Carretta8 OCT 26
THE ARTICLEHow to restore European unity without being stifled by nationalismThere is one dimension that Europe, following the Second World War, has deliberately excluded from its identity: security. In a world dominated by the identity narratives of China, Russia and ‘America First’, our defence depends on our roots byJacek Siewiera8 OCT 26
EditorialsA European ‘kill switch’ against China. Merz and Macron want a weapon to combat those who distort competitionBerlin and Paris are calling on the Commission to introduce a mechanism that would allow countries using subsidies, dumping and overcapacity to distort competition to be excluded from the Single Market. The proposal marks a shift in Germany’s stance towards Beijing and will be put before the European Council in OctoberbyRedazione5 OCT 26
Spies made in ChinaFrom universities to cars, Beijing is seeking new footholds in EuropeFrom universities to connected cars, three cases illustrate how Chinese espionage can infiltrate open systems. Whilst Italy continues to look the other waybyGiulia Pompili2 OCT 26