The 15th China-EU Summit comes at a crucial time in trade relations

The 15th China-EU Summit comes at a crucial time in trade relations

The summit due to take place in Brussels this week comes at a crucial and sensitive time in trade relations between the EU and China.  It is an opportunity to reduce the tensions in what is becoming a fractious trading partnership without papering over the issues. But the last thing Europe needs is symbolic diplomatic […]

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Is IKEA’s European budget hotel business inspired by China?

Is IKEA’s European budget hotel business inspired by China?

IKEA’s announcement that it plans to build and develop at least 100 budget hotels across Europe got me wondering as to what might have inspired them in this new business venture. Although the idea has germinated in Europe, perhaps it was first seeded in China where the country’s new middle class appear to enjoy without […]

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First China, now Japan muscles into London’s taxi market

First China, now Japan muscles into London’s taxi market

The eccentric British comedian Tommy Cooper used to tell a joke that goes like this:  “I got into this taxi and I said to the driver, ‘King Arthur’s Close.’ And the driver said, ‘Don’t worry Tommy, I’ll shake him off at the first corner.” Well, now it’s ‘Nissan’s close’ and unlikely that China’s Geely – […]

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China’s counterfeit goods get caught by EU customs

China’s counterfeit goods get caught by EU customs

…but more has to be done. The EU is China’s biggest trading partner and the EU’s biggest source of imports. So it’s not very surprising to learn from the latest EU customs enforcement of intellectual property report  that China is the main source country of imported goods suspected of infringing trademarks, copyrights and patents. Nearly […]

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