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China ramps up business charm offensive towards Taiwan alongside political pressure, study shows

China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own despite Taipei's objections, has long taken a carrot and stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing's point of view. Taiwan security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing's influence campaigns to sway Taiwan public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of such programmes have not previously been systematically reported.

China is intensifying its business charm offensive in Europe, particularly targeting France and Germany, to counter U.S. efforts to isolate it economically. This strategy includes high-level meetings, such as Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao's discussions with French and EU officials, and a planned visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to France and Hungary. Amidst these diplomatic efforts, China is also addressing trade tensions, with Wang expressing concerns over the EU's investigation into Chinese electric vehicle subsidies and hinting at potential retaliatory measures. Additionally, China is seeking to strengthen economic ties with Germany, as evidenced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz's recent visit to China, where he emphasized the importance of maintaining economic relations despite geopolitical tensions. These moves are part of China's broader strategy to bolster its global economic influence and mitigate the impact of U.S.-led initiatives aimed at curbing its technological and economic rise.

Read the Full Reuters Article at:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/china-ramps-business-charm-offensive-052957382.html