So much of the complaints about EU overregulation is made up of memes, underestimating Chinese and US bureaucratism, and – above all – ignoring the real culprit of running the Union’s common market through 27 separate member state regimes.

michael veale@michae.lv · 11h ago

so much talk about the EU AI Act, but so little talk about the California AI watermarking provisions, SB 942, (extremely similar to the AIA) which became enforceable on the 2nd August

your apartment, the sport of basketball, and the Republic of Korea are all social constructs. mere recognition of this fact does not actually make the question of whether you are standing in your own apartment, playing basketball, or a Korean national up in the air until settled by op ed editors

there are a lot of philosophical concepts that get egregiously misused out of the seminar room (and in the seminar room, to be fair). but in terms of sheer pernicious misuse "social construct" has gotta be top 5 somewhere and it's not number 5

Scott Bryan@scottygb.bsky.social · last wk.

Channel 4 has announced documentary “The Great ADHD Myth?” It “seeks to determine whether ADHD is a genuine neurodevelopmental disorder, or a social construct.”

Even with stonking exports, Chinese automotive manufacturing profits dropped 19.5% year-on-year to 195.35 billion yuan ($27.1 billion) in the first half of 2026 despite overall industry revenue rising 1.8%

‘We are the sea people, who, with our inhumanity and rapacious greed, have become the barbarians at our own gates.’

Odysseus at the End of Civilization

Nolan’s film confronts the betrayal of the West’s own values.

foreignpolicy.com

Not to mention: This could make suppliers also more reluctant to engage with Rheinmetall and co lest they be cut off from Chinese supplies. What a shot across the bows ahead of a big summer of China policymaking in Brussels. Talk about a flex...

Bloomberg: Farm products are once again in the crossfire of trade tensions between China and the European Union

EU’s Trade Probe of Peking Duck Foreshadows Another China Shock

Farm products are once again in the crossfire of trade tensions between China and the European Union. This time, the target isn’t French wine or Dutch cheese — it’s Peking duck.

bloomberg.com

Bloomberg: China’s government spending plunged last month by the most since October, suggesting the government tightened fiscal policy further

China Clings to Austerity Despite Sharper Economic Slowdown

China’s public spending plunged last month by the most since October, suggesting the government tightened fiscal policy further despite increasing calls for more support as economic growth slips.

bloomberg.com

Andreas Mischer for MERICS: If Europe wants to use its trade leverage with China, now is the time – ‘New MERICS research shows that China is dependent on twice as many types of products from the European Union as from the US’ ‘MERICS data also suggests that Europe’s window of opportunity is closing’

If Europe wants to use its trade leverage with China, now is the time

An analysis of customs data shows that Europe still has real collective clout when it comes to managing its trade relations with China. But Andreas Mischer warns Chinese dependencies on imports from t...

merics.org

Kaosod English: Taiwan film festival organiser in Bangkok alleges Chinese embassy interference

Taiwan Film Festival organiser in Bangkok alleges Chinese Embassy interference

The Thai director of the Taiwan Documentary & Film Festival in Bangkok has alleged that diplomats from the Chinese Embassy sought to pressure organisers into removing the name and logo of Taiwan’s Min...

khaosodenglish.com

New Bloom: KMT lawmaker Ma Wen-chun again accused of leaking confidential details about Taiwanese military – ‘According to the MND, KMT legislator Ma Wen-chun, the co-chair of the defense committee in the legislature, had scuppered Taiwan’s plans to acquire RDX through purchase from India’

Ma Wen-chun Again Accused of Leaking Confidential Details About Taiwanese Military | New Bloom Magazine

According to the Ministry of National Defense, KMT legislator Ma Wen-chun, the co-chair of the defense committee in the legislature, had scuppered Taiwan’s plans to acquire explosive material RDX…

newbloommag.net

FT: China’s assault on Europe’s car market has barely begun – ‘a new wave of tech-focused Chinese electric-vehicle makers, including [Xiaomi], Xpeng, Li Auto and Huawei-backed Aito, seeking to expand overseas.’

China’s assault on Europe’s car market has barely begun

The first in a series on Chinese carmakers in Europe examines the overseas ambitions of Xiaomi, Xpeng, Li Auto and Aito

ft.com

SCMP: EU waters down Russia sanctions over fears China could seize key LNG assets – ‘concluding that banning Greek companies from transporting Russian gas to third countries could hand strategically important shipping assets to China.’

EU waters down Russia sanctions over fears China could seize key LNG assets

Bloc concludes banning Greek companies from transporting Russian gas to third countries may hand strategic shipping advantages to Beijing.

scmp.com

Xinhua: Chinese envoy at UN calls for international efforts to improve natural resource governance – ‘Certain countries should stop seizing other countries' resources through sanctions, pressure and military coercion, and must not revert to colonial domination and plunder, he said.’

Reuters: Senior Chinese leader Wang Huning tours Tibet, stresses ethnic unity and stability – ‘“To govern Tibet is foremost to stabilise Tibet,” Wang, 70, said. Efforts must be made to “consolidate a ​political and social environment of unity and stability,” he added.’

Senior Chinese leader Wang Huning tours Tibet, stresses ethnic unity, stability

China's fourth-ranking leader, Wang Huning, called on Tibet ​to safeguard social stability, enforce a new ethnic unity law and bring Tibetan Buddhism into closer alignment ‌with Communist Party priori...

reuters.com

Taipei Times: Foreign minister asserts Taiwan’s claims in South China Sea – ‘but said Taipei was not actively asserting those claims. […] at a legislative committee meeting on the nation’s South China Sea policy, held in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling’

Minister asserts Taiwan’s claims in South China Sea - Taipei Times

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) yesterday reaffirmed Taiwan’s claims in the South China Sea amid tensions between China and the Philippines in the disputed waters, but said Taipei was ...

taipeitimes.com

SCMP: China and EU pushing ahead on joint research despite trade tensions – ‘China and the EU have renewed their joint research agreement, according to Chinese state-linked media, signalling a willingness to collaborate on climate and agriculture despite trade tensions.’

China, EU pushing ahead on joint research despite trade tensions

Joint 2025-2027 research agreement covers climate and agriculture, state media says, signalling will to collaborate in spite of differences.

scmp.com

Reuters: Ford and Geely strike deal for EV production at Spanish plant, newspaper reports – ‘the U.S. automaker will sell part of its Almussafes plant near Valencia, ‌paving the way for Geely to manufacture electric vehicles in Spain’

Ford and Geely strike deal for EV production at Spanish plant, newspaper reports

Ford Motor and China's Geely have struck a landmark deal ​under which the U.S. automaker will sell part of its Almussafes plant near Valencia, ‌paving the way for Geely to manufacture electric vehicle...

reuters.com

Reuters: China begins two days of live-fire drills in Taiwan Strait – ‘around Dongshan Island, ‌bordering ⁠the province of Guangdong’

China begins two days of live-fire drills in Taiwan Strait

China began two days of ​live-fire drills from Thursday in some ‌parts of the Taiwan Strait near the shores of its southeastern province of ​Fujian.

reuters.com

Reuters: China’s coast guard says it drove away Philippine vessels near Scarborough Shoal in fresh South China Sea incident

China fires water cannon on Philippine ship at Scarborough Shoal, Manila says

A Chinese coast guard vessel fired a water cannon at a Philippine ​government fisheries vessel in Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, ‌scoring an indirect hit, a Philippine Coast Guard official ...

reuters.com

Nikkei Asia: US officials threaten to sanction Chinese AI startups after Moonshot AI release – ‘Chinese open-source models have surged to dominance on OpenRouter, […], mainly due to their lower cost and good performance.’

US officials threaten to sanction Chinese AI startups after Moonshot release

Surge in popularity of China-origin open-source models spurs anxiety in Washington

asia.nikkei.com

ABC News: China’s foreign ministry demands Australia stop ‘exaggerating tensions’ over South China Sea – ‘after Penny Wong warned Beijing against "destabilising" conduct in the region.’

China demands Australia stop 'inciting confrontation' over South China Sea

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has demanded Australia stop "exaggerating tensions and inciting confrontation" over the South China Sea after Penny Wong warned Beijing against "destabilising" cond...

abc.net.au

AP: Germany has deported a Uyghur man to China, his mother says – ‘Arafat Adil, 21, a dual Chinese-Turkish national who has lived in Turkey with his family since they moved there from China in 2017 and who was seeking asylum in Germany, was deported from the Frankfurt Airport on Tuesday’

Germany has deported a Uyghur man to China, his mother says

Germany has deported a Uyghur man to China, raising concerns about his potential detention. Arafat Adil, a dual Chinese-Turkish national, was seeking asylum in Germany.

apnews.com

NRC: In deze chipfabriek in Maleisië probeert Nexperia het lek in China te dichten – „uitbreiding van de fabriek in Seremban kost Nexperia ruim 300 miljoen euro. Deze investering wordt onder meer bekostigd met een krediet van 60 miljoen euro van de Nederlands staatsinvesteerder Invest International”

In deze chipfabriek in Maleisië probeert Nexperia het lek in China te dichten

Nexperia-crisis: Negen maanden na de breuk met de Chinese tak heeft chipmaker Nexperia zijn productieproblemen bijna opgelost en durft het bedrijf weer te dromen van groei. De fabriek in Maleisië spee...

nrc.nl

Nikkei Asia: Australian miner Lynas says China’s export curbs pushing up costs of Malaysia expansion – ‘Beijing has banned the export of rare earth technology as part of a suite of measures designed to entrench its control over the sector’

Lynas says China's export curbs pushing up costs of Malaysia expansion

Australian rare earth producer raises cost outlook for new facility by $80m

asia.nikkei.com

Nikkei Asia: China rare earth export curbs have opened up a huge price gap – ‘rare earth prices in China have remained relatively sluggish over the past year or so. Dysprosium traded at $270 per kilogram on July 9, according to Argus, or one-eighth the European price.’

China rare earth export curbs have opened up a huge price gap

Dysprosium, used in EV motors, up 700% from pre-restriction level in Europe

asia.nikkei.com

The Economist: China’s shadowy maritime militia is worryingly active – ‘Some fishing boats can get daily subsidies of over 24,000 yuan ($3,500) to loiter in disputed areas, more than enough to cover their costs and allowing owners to profit without doing any fishing.’

China’s shadowy maritime militia is worryingly active

Big new formations north of Taiwan suggest officials are testing out its capabilities

economist.com

Edward Luce for FT: Why the world trusts China more than America – ‘A majority of countries rank the US higher than China when it comes to freedom, yet nevertheless distrust it more. Mistrust is thus a synonym for incompetence.’

Why the world trusts China more than America

Countries suspicious of the US are to be found on every continent, not just in its own back yard

ft.com

Bloomberg: China’s [official urban] unemployment among young people could be headed for levels last seen more than three years ago

China at Risk of 20% Youth Joblessness as Labor Distress Spreads

China’s unemployment among young people could be headed for levels last seen more than three years ago, as a record number of graduates prepare to enter the labor market at a time when AI is threateni...

bloomberg.com

FT: Samsung in talks to invest in Mistral at €20bn valuation – ‘Samsung, which had previously backed the group through its venture arm, could invest about €1bn in the new round’ ‘reflect a broader push by AI developers to secure partnerships with semiconductor suppliers’

Samsung in talks to invest in Mistral at €20bn valuation

South Korean giant could invest as much as €1bn in French AI group seeking to be a leading alternative to US tech

ft.com