China’s commerce chief Wang Wentaocommerce chief Wang Wentao expected in Brussels
China’s commerce chief Wang Wentao is expected to visit Brussels on June 29 and 30, according to sources. The trip matters because it comes as China and the European Union manage trade frictions over industrial overcapacity, market access, and supply chain dependence.
- The European Union is China’s largest trading partner in goods on a single-bloc basis.
- Brussels is also the headquarters of NATO, making it a major diplomatic center as well as an EU capital.
US-China Indo-Pacific Rivalry
China and Taiwan coast guard vessels have repeatedly faced off near the Pratas Islands, with the latest standoff showing how small maritime incidents around Taiwan can quickly become confrontations.[1][5] The episode adds to wider U.S.-China military tension across the Indo-Pacific, where Beijing is expanding patrols and Washington is reinforcing regional deterrence.[2][3] The rivalry now centers on preventing miscalculation around Taiwan, the South China Sea, and nearby sea lanes.[1][3][5] It also shapes defense planning by Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and the United States as all sides weigh coercion, sovereignty claims, and the risk of escalation.[2][3]
24 May, 07:39 AM
Taiwan and China coast guards face off near Pratas islands1 January
The United States adopts a sharper great-power competition strategy focused on China
