Meta was charged by European Union (EU) regulators with breaching landmark tech rules after failing to prevent children under 13 from accessing Instagram and Facebook.
BEIJING, April 27 — Beijing slammed on Monday an EU plan aimed to bolster the bloc’s industries against fierce competition from China, vowing countermeasures if it is enacted.
The EU unveiled in March new “Made in Europe” rules for companies trying to access public funds in strategic sectors including cars, green tech and steel, obliging firms to meet minimum thresholds for EU-made parts.
The proposal, held up for months by wrangling over the measures, is a key part of a European Union drive to regain its competitive edge, reduce its industrial decline and stave off hundreds of thousands of job losses.
Beijing’s commerce ministry said on Monday that it had submitted comments to the European Commission on Friday, expressing China’s “serious concerns” regarding the act it called “systemic discrimination”.
“If the EU... presses ahead with the legislation, and thereby harms the interests of Chinese companies, China will have no choice but to take countermeasures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its enterprises,” the commerce ministry warned in a statement.
European businesses in many of the sectors concerned by the proposal have long lamented they face unfair competition from heavily subsidised Chinese rivals.
The EU proposal, formally known as the “Industrial Accelerator Act”, implicitly targets Chinese makers of batteries and electric vehicles by requiring foreign firms to partner with European firms and pass on technological know-how when setting up shop in the bloc.
The Chinese Chamber of Commerce to the EU said this month the plan marked a shift towards protectionism that would affect trade cooperation between the EU and China. — AFP
KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 — Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan will lead Malaysia’s delegation to the 25th Asean-EU Ministerial Meeting (AEMM) in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei from April 27 to 28, where leaders will review progress and chart the future direction of the Asean–EU strategic partnership.
In a statement on Sunday, the Foreign Ministry said the biennial gathering will also provide an opportunity for Asean and the European Union (EU) to exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual concern, as well as discuss preparations for the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Asean–EU relations in 2027.
“The meeting is expected to adopt the Joint Ministerial Statement of the 25th Asean-EU Ministerial Meeting.
“The statement is expected to reaffirm Asean Centrality, commit to deepening Asean-EU cooperation across the three pillars of the Asean Community in line with the Asean Community Vision 2045, and reflect shared views on key regional and global developments,” the statement read.
On the sidelines of the 25th AEMM, Mohamad is expected to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Asean and EU member states to discuss issues of mutual interest.
He will be accompanied by senior officials from the Foreign Ministry. — Bernama
Login