Chinese EV makers hunt for idled plants in Europeidled plants in Europe
Chinese electric vehicle makers are looking for unused car factories in Europe as they expand overseas and seek faster access to established markets.
The move reflects how Chinese brands are challenging older petrol car makers abroad, with implications for industrial competition and trade relations.
- Europe has some of the oldest mass-market car plants in the world.
- BYD began as a battery company before moving into vehicles.
- Chinese EV exports have become a major test of industrial policy and trade rules.
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
