Very interesting (and worrying) Bloomberg story on China Vanke's $50 billion debt restructuring.

Nikkei: When a Chinese fighter jet directed its radar onto aircraft from Japan's Self-Defense Forces this past Saturday, Japanese defense officials tried to contact their Chinese counterparts through a hotline but received no response, according to Tokyo. https://t.co/3cjSTsilGr

Japan scrambled fighter jets to monitor Russian and Chinese air forces conducting joint patrols near its territory after detecting bombers and fighters over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea https://t.co/1XRIxLXTHA

Revealing interview with EU industry chief Séjourné by @rik_rutten on rare earths "Last month, I was supposed to go to Brazil to discuss a rare earth mine. 3 days beforehand we were told that the Americans had come, put money on the table, and bought all production until 2030"

🚨 Millionaires on food stamps! Yes, it happens—all because a wonky designation called "broad-based categorical eligibility" is routinely abused by states. Reform is needed. Senior Research Fellow Michael Griebrok's latest research delves into the bad policy and shocking data.

A rare EU statement in Chinese for International Human Rights Day "There's been no substantial improvement in China's overall human rights situation" Says systemic restrictions on minority groups' rights to enjoy their own culture and language... risk erasure of their cultures"

The EU’s 27 members will soon decide on their “enlargement conclusions” after the European Commission’s latest report. A draft obtained by RFE/RL mirrors the Commission’s view: Albania, Moldova, Montenegro, and Ukraine are the frontrunners. @RikardJozwiak https://t.co/ye2zNDsmsR

Lithuania has no intention of meeting China’s conditions related to the Taiwanese representative office in Vilnius, President Gitanas Nausėda’s chief foreign policy adviser said Tuesday. https://t.co/R9G0PuORAE

Chinese customs data for November out this morning - another huge surge in exports to Europe and more horrible numbers for Germany China's exports in Nov 25 vs Nov 24 (value terms, USD) to EU +14.8% Germany +15.5% Netherlands +7.4% France +17.5% Italy +25.4%

“Another great transformation is underway in China. The world’s factory is fast becoming its first electro-state, with an economy increasingly built on clean energy, AI, advanced manufacturing, and control of key strategic materials.” https://t.co/NY98rxEkt7

Beijing and Tokyo traded complaints against each other as their simmering diplomatic spat intensified over the weekend, after Chinese fighter aircraft trained their fire-control radar systems on Japanese military jets for the first time

German foreign minister to discuss rare earths, steel in China visit https://t.co/m2Znfv1cpE

1/ 🧵 A Russian government-backed foundation secretly funded networks inside Ukraine to spread Kremlin narratives and weaken Kyiv’s defenses, a new investigation by RFE/RL’s @cxemu reveals. https://t.co/Cdt7cBdj9s

"Macron also said he was proposing a more conciliatory approach towards China, such as the dismantling of restrictions on exports of semiconductor machinery on the European side and limitations on exports of rare earths on the Chinese side."

A leaked video of the trial of a general who refused to impose martial law in Beijing in 1989 is being widely watched by Chinese abroad, if not at home

The great slowdown: Germany at a standstill as ‘China shock’ hits As Europe’s biggest economy is pummelled by structural problems and external threats, rocky China ties are compounding the dreary picture My report from a rather depressing week in Berlin https://t.co/zzaeT5CEhy

See How a Chinese Invasion of Taiwan Could Unfold—An amphibious assault to conquer the island democracy would be one of the toughest military operations to pull off @NiharikaSM https://t.co/wNCcq5uhT0 https://t.co/wNCcq5uhT0

A Chinese J-15 fighter jet directed its radar at Japanese military aircraft twice on Saturday, Japan’s defense ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

Trump unveils strategy to prevent China conflict over Taiwan https://t.co/Ct5CbqF2cP

Xi Jinping sees the PRC in such a strong position that his remarks to Macron, according to the Chinese readout, came across as increasingly assertive and pushed France to choose: 1️⃣ [both should] stand firmly on the right side of history. => China’s definition of “right”

A question that keeps coming up since the full-scale invasion in 2022, in the headlines against after Macron wrapped up a trip to China where he sought Beijing’s help in pressuring Russia to agree to a cease-fire with Ukraine.