Finbarr Bermingham
@fbermingham.bsky.social
8.2K followers 710 following 5.6K posts
Senior Correspondent for Europe at the South China Morning Post. Tracking the shifting tectonic plates of global trade and geopolitics. All posts should be heard in a Fermanagh accent.
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fbermingham.bsky.social
NEW: Could the EU dust off its trade bazooka to take on China? Europe weighs its options

A serious discussion is underway in the commission about using the anti-coercion instrument against China - my report.
Could the EU dust off its trade bazooka to take on China?
Alarm bells have failed so the bloc is considering a weapon that it originally planned to fire at the US.
www.scmp.com
fbermingham.bsky.social
In the same vein, from the same book.

May 2019 as Xi Jinping touted a rare earths processing plant in Jiangxi following Huawei’s addition to the entity list.

People's Daily: "Don't say you were not warned"
Reposted by Finbarr Bermingham
fbermingham.bsky.social
Been thinking about this all week. On the train to the Hague I was reading Edward Fishman's 'Chokepoints'

In 2018, when Trump cut ZTE off from US kit, a newspaper run by China’s Ministry of Science & Technology published a series of 35 articles titled “What Are Our Chokepoints?”
fbermingham.bsky.social
Oh I apologise for having my own view of the world. Please tell me all your opinions on everything and I'll update my views accordingly, oh wise one.
fbermingham.bsky.social
And not all democracies are as slow as European ones. I understand, and report daily, on the structural challenges of Europe. But it is too often used as an excuse for inertia
fbermingham.bsky.social
Trump announces 100% additional tariffs on Chinese goods. Up to 155% from Nov 1 "or sooner"

“There is no way that China should be allowed to hold the world ‘captive’,” he wrote, calling the move “sinister and hostile”.
Trump to slap new 100 per cent tariff on Chinese goods, along with additional tech controls
Trade escalation comes hours after the US leader appeared to cancel a meeting with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
www.scmp.com
fbermingham.bsky.social
In the same vein, from the same book.

May 2019 as Xi Jinping touted a rare earths processing plant in Jiangxi following Huawei’s addition to the entity list.

People's Daily: "Don't say you were not warned"
fbermingham.bsky.social
"It’s always jarring to visit European startups who speak about “reducing reliance on China,” while standing in factories filled with machines labeled in Chinese."
fbermingham.bsky.social
China's export controls may end the era of trying to de-risk from China using Chinese technology

Excellent piece on the fraught position of Europe's battery industry, much of which is still reliant on China, by @hjesanderson
China’s export controls may end the era of ‘de-risking from China’ with Chinese technology
Beijing’s battery export controls threaten the West’s push for clean energy independence
open.substack.com
fbermingham.bsky.social
EU should combat ‘plundering’ China as ‘lifestyle superpower’, says aid chief

"Russia offered “bribes, weapons, propaganda and maybe security for dictators” and China’s approach was “about the further plundering of the countries”.
EU should combat ‘plundering’ China as ‘lifestyle superpower’, says aid chief
Brussels aims to use its €300bn aid programme for geopolitical muscle, says commissioner Jozef Sikela
on.ft.com
fbermingham.bsky.social
Where did I say that? Your question implies that democracies are not able to do better. Which is a shame
fbermingham.bsky.social
From the Prince Naseem Hamed school of boxing with your guard down
fbermingham.bsky.social
It's not news that Europe is slow

But to read that - 35 articles in a state newspaper (public!) assessing China's chokepoints - 7 years before the policy discussion properly started here, is tragic

US & China are going for the jugular. EU sharpens its quill for another roadmap
fbermingham.bsky.social
Yesterday, 6 days after that story, Beijing upped controls on rare earths, also lesser-known things like superhard materials (synthetic diamonds), lithium-battery & graphite anode materials

In all cases, China dominates 80%+ of global supply. European industry will be hit hard
fbermingham.bsky.social
Seven years ago.

The next year, under US pressure, ASML announced it would stop selling EUV machines to China.

Six years after that, we now are now starting to hear discussions in Europe about "becoming indispensable", finding chokepoints & deterrents
Europe hunts for chokepoints it can weaponise in a new age of economic warfare
Bureaucrats look for leverage against coercion from Beijing and Washington but what would it take for Brussels to act?
www.scmp.com
fbermingham.bsky.social
Been thinking about this all week. On the train to the Hague I was reading Edward Fishman's 'Chokepoints'

In 2018, when Trump cut ZTE off from US kit, a newspaper run by China’s Ministry of Science & Technology published a series of 35 articles titled “What Are Our Chokepoints?”
fbermingham.bsky.social
As part of the reinstatement, SolarPower Europe’s top executive insisted that Huawei would not be allowed to “actively participate” in the lobbying group’s activities to not run afoul of the EU’s ban on meeting with Huawei lobbyists
fbermingham.bsky.social
Speaking at the White House alongside Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Trump criticised Spain’s conduct within NATO, suggesting that “maybe Spain should be thrown out” of the alliance, though he did not elaborate on specific reasons.
fbermingham.bsky.social
Via @gdp1985.bsky.social on X, here's the full roster of controls today.

Anyone wanna hazard a guess at what's missing?
fbermingham.bsky.social
Good question!
layla1988.bsky.social
Today's announcements are numbered 55, 56 ,57, 58, 61 and 62.

What are 59 and 60?
fbermingham.bsky.social
More news on the rare earth front - could damage EU efforts to build production

China has tightened curbs on rare earths to include items manufactured abroad
fbermingham.bsky.social
Story: China’s rare earth clampdown deepens EU anxiety on industry and Ukraine support

www.scmp.com/news/china/d...
fbermingham.bsky.social
Toledo

"von der Leyen, when she was here for the summit, she said, we are at an inflection point. And so we are at an inflection point. The trend in our trade and on these measures is not sustainable, and I'm afraid if the Chinese don't make progress we will have to act"