# supply%20chains
Latest news and articles about supply%20chains
Total: 13 articles found
Ottawa Seeks a Trade Bulwark Against U.S. Coercion: Pushing an EU–CPTPP Bridge
Canada is leading exploratory talks to link the European Union and CPTPP members through harmonised rules of origin and cumulation arrangements, creating a large trade grouping intended to shield supply chains from unilateral U.S. tariff threats. The plan is technically complex and politically sensitive, but it signals a strategic move by middle powers to build alternative economic architecture amid U.S. unpredictability.
European Leaders at Munich Call for True Strategic Autonomy — Not Just Rhetoric
At the Munich Security Conference on February 13, Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European leaders publicly pressed for stronger "strategic autonomy," citing vulnerabilities exposed by war, pandemic and shifting U.S. priorities. Turning the idea into policy will require painful budget choices, industrial coordination and careful management of transatlantic ties.
Japan’s Seabed Rare‑Earth Claim Bumps Into Technical and Strategic Realities
Japan has announced a large rare‑earth deposit beneath the seabed near Minami‑Tori‑shima, but deep water, engineering complexity, high extraction costs and environmental and regulatory hurdles make commercial exploitation unlikely in the near term. China’s existing lead in purification technology and cost structure means Tokyo’s claim is more of a political signal than an immediate challenge to Beijing’s dominance in rare‑earth supply chains.
China’s Yushu CEO Says “Embodied Intelligence” Is Just Beginning — And Could Dwarf the Mobile Internet
Yushu Technology CEO Wang Xingxing says embodied intelligence — AI embodied in robots and edge devices — is in its early platform phase but could surpass the mobile internet in scale and economic impact. Scaling will depend on industrial innovation in hardware, safety standards and supply chains rather than software breakthroughs alone.
Munich’s Mood Shift: Europe Grapples with a World ‘Being Destroyed’ and Seeks New Equilibriums
The 2026 Munich Security Conference adopts a markedly bleaker tone, saying the international order is “being destroyed” and signalling a shift from trans‑Atlantic coordination to European efforts at strategic autonomy. Practical, sectoral issues — technology, supply chains and energy — have risen in prominence, and China’s role at the conference has expanded from political foil to potential partner on concrete challenges.
BYD Sues the U.S. Government, Challenging Trump-Era Tariffs and Seeking Rebates
BYD has sued the U.S. government, arguing that multiple tariffs put in place under the Trump administration are unlawful and seeking refunds for duties it paid. The case highlights the tensions between U.S. protectionist trade tools and the legal, commercial and geopolitical pushback from major Chinese exporters.
German Firms Shift Investment Toward China as U.S. Policy Volatility Raises Doubts
German companies are redirecting investment toward China as U.S. policy volatility undercuts confidence in the American market. Surveys and official data show rising German FDI into China, while investment into the U.S. has fallen sharply, prompting Berlin to pursue high‑level talks with Beijing to secure better market terms.
Manufacturing Shake-up in Guangdong: Foshan Slips as Dongguan Surges
Foshan has recorded consecutive periods of GDP contraction, driven by an export slump and a deepening property downturn that hit its furniture and building‑materials industries. Dongguan, by contrast, is growing faster after a concerted pivot toward higher‑value electronics, advanced manufacturing and cultural IP, narrowing the two cities' GDP gap to its smallest level since 2006.
Japan’s Deep‑Sea Rare‑Earth Claim Provides Political Cover — Not a Market Breakthrough
Japan’s claim to have located large rare‑earth deposits near Minamitorishima and its plan for a 2027 trial eases domestic political pressure after Chinese export curbs, but substantial technical, economic and environmental barriers make rapid independence from Chinese supplies unlikely. Beijing’s structural advantages in extraction and refining mean China is likely to remain central to global rare‑earth supplies in the near to medium term.
Why a Burst of High-Level US–Japan Engagement Is the Region’s New Signal
An increase in top‑level U.S.–Japan interactions is meant to demonstrate a tighter, more adaptive alliance across defence and economic domains. The moves are designed to deter rivals and reassure partners, but they also raise the stakes for crisis management and regional stability.
Tariff Brinkmanship: U.S. Threat of 100% Duties Pushes Canada to ‘Buy Domestic’
President Trump threatened 100% tariffs on Canadian goods if Ottawa strikes unspecified deals with other countries, prompting Canada’s prime minister—named in Chinese reports as "Kani"—to urge citizens to buy domestic and accelerate trade diversification. The exchange highlights mounting bilateral tensions, tangible economic vulnerabilities in energy and manufacturing supply chains, and Ottawa’s push to reduce reliance on the U.S. market.
China’s Chaotic Winter: A La Niña ‘State’ and What It Means for 2026’s Economy
China’s weather in late 2025 and early 2026 has behaved like a roller coaster as a La Niña state overlays a record-warm world, producing sharp regional swings in temperature and precipitation. The episode is likely to produce uneven but economically meaningful disruptions to agriculture, energy markets and supply chains, serving as a stress test of China’s improved adaptation and emergency management capabilities.