In February, acquisitions by Chinese investors in Germany reached a new dimension. A Chinese multi-millionaire has become the biggest shareholder in Daimler AG. The entrance of the influential Li Shufu into the world of Mercedes is proof of the scary Chinese presence in German companies (Deutsche Bank, the robots manufacturer Kuka and in many high tech firms).
Mario Esteban and Miguel Otero-Iglesias | As in many other European countries, Chinese investments in Spain have increased spectacularly over that past years. Nonetheless, there has not been a public or political debate around the topic, and even less a thorough reflection by the government, the media and the academic community at large about the implications of these investments.
“Competition is especially important for innovation and some of the big (US) companies also have a lot of power in the market…but it’s difficult to keep innovating.”
Athanasios Dimadis and Hung Q. Tran | US is not alone in its worry about debt and deficit. According to the International Institute of Finance statistics, China poses the biggest threat to global economic stability, its total debt having risen astronomically over the last decade. The eurozone is still trying to heal the scars of an enduring economic crisis, with Greece’s unmanageable debt remaining a significant problem.
Barry Eichengreen via Caixin | The New Year has seen a flurry of positive news about yuan internationalization. On January 15th the Bank of France announced that it had added the yuan to its reserve portfolio. The National Bank of Belgium reported the next day that it had acquired 200 million euros worth of yuan-denominated assets.
Spanish companies without any subsidies or bailouts have turned themselves around and transformed the former autarchy into a country decidely open to the overseas market.
David M. Lampton via Caixin | The U.S.–China relationship is fraught with problems and will be for the foreseeable future. The U.S. is no longer positioned to compel cooperation from China. Any policy changes from Beijing must be negotiated, and within this negotiation Washington must seek a balance of power and interests.
New generation of private Chinese manufacturers looks for opportunities on distant continent Africa, generating billions of dollars in economic activity.
He Fan, Ye Qianlin and Li Chaohui via Caixin | The U.S. president’s three-day state visit to China ended up with dazzling trade deals worth over $250 billion. It seemed the most pressing issue on the agenda would have a respite.
Could the yuan substitute the dollar and become the predominant currency? I would ask the following question: if you had some dollars, would you change them for yuan? No you wouldn’t, would you? We would like to demonstrate that the yuan is in no way a substitute for the dollar.