Global

China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao has expressed concern that the European Union's decision to impose tariffs on electric vehicles (EVs) will "seriously hamper" trade and investment cooperation and negatively affect both China and Germany. During talks with German Vice-Chancellor and Economics Minister Robert Habeck on Tuesday (17 September), Wang stressed the importance of finding a solution in line with World Trade Organization rules to avoid escalating trade tensions between China and the EU. The European Commission is considering final tariffs of up to 35.3% on Chinese-made electric vehicles, on top of the standard 10% import duty on cars.

Several patients in a makeshift Mpox isolation ward in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are in urgent need of proper medical care as hospital staff struggle with drug shortages and overcrowding. These patients have been diagnosed with Mpox, a virus that was declared a global public health emergency three weeks ago. Reports over the past two weeks suggest that vaccines against the new strain of the virus are expected to arrive soon. In response to the outbreak, Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi has approved a $10 million fund to support containment efforts. However, until these measures are implemented, health workers in parts of the DRC continue to struggle to provide adequate care for patients.

The European naval mission Aspides in the Red Sea says the Greek oil tanker Sounion, which was attacked by Houthi rebels, does not appear to be leaking oil. The tanker is carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil. If it leaked into the sea, it would cause an environmental disaster.

In a telephone conversation with his Israeli counterpart Gallant, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin promised that an aircraft carrier already on its way to the Middle East would be speeded up. The US is also sending a nuclear submarine with guided missiles - the USS Georgia - to the region. The US aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt has been in the region for some time and will soon be joined by the USS Abraham Lincoln, which will carry advanced Joint Strike Fighter jets.

Chinese electric car manufacturer BYD, which stands for 'Build Your Dreams', signed a deal with Türkiye on Monday (8 July) to open a major factory in the country. The move will allow the Chinese to avoid new import tariffs from Brussels.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is in the Chinese capital Beijing. He is due to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing later today (8 Juli). What exactly they will talk about is not known.

On 2 July, LINKS Europe hosted the second The Hague Conversations on Climate Change, Peace and Security at The Hague Humanity Hub, focusing on the integration of peace into the COP29 agenda. During the meeting, Dr Dennis Sammut provided an update on the state of the debate on mainstreaming peace at COP29 and shared information on the process of the Bonn Contact Group on Climate, Peace and Security ahead of COP29. He said that he hoped that the peace-building community in The Hague will become more interested and contribute to the topic, including in the preparations of the three reports that the Bonn Contact Group was preparing on the themes of food security, water scarcity and land contamination from remnants of war.