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Nico Beckert

Nico Beckert Published: May 10th, 2021

The disputed question: What is ‘sustainable’?

Green financial investments are one of the central future topics. Billions in investment are needed to transform the economy from fossil fuels toward climate-friendly production and consumption patterns. Beijing also recognized this: To attract more funding from international investors, the central bank wants to align standards for green investments and projects between the EU and […]

Nico Beckert Published: May 7th, 2021

Foxconn and Yageo launch joint venture for semiconductors

Electrical contract manufacturer Foxconn has announced the formation of a semiconductor joint venture with Yageo, another Taiwanese component manufacturer. The focus will be on making small integrated circuits that cost less than two dollars, Foxconn said. The joint venture’s chips will be used in Foxconn products but sold to international customers, too. Furthermore, the two […]

Nico Beckert Published: May 7th, 2021

VW: very good start to the year

Volkswagen achieved one of the best first quarters in its history despite the lack of chips. Wolfsburg-based carmaker’s sales rose to €62.4 billion. Profits rose from half a billion to €3.4 billion. The positive start to the year was mainly due to good business in China. Compared with the same period last year, sales figures […]

Nico Beckert Published: May 5th, 2021

Rocket debris threatens to crash on to Earth

A 20-ton piece of Chinese Long March rocket wreckage is about to make an uncontrolled re-entry back into Earth’s atmosphere in the coming days. It is unclear where and when the rocket debris will crash. The rocket was launched into space a few days ago to initiate the construction of the Chinese space station “Tiangong – Heavenly Palace” (China.Table […]

Nico Beckert Published: May 3rd, 2021

Aircraft carrier exercises in the South China Sea

China is conducting a series of maneuvers with its 2019 commissioned aircraft carrier Shandong in the South China Sea. The exercise was described as routine training, Reuters reports. A spokesman for the armed forces said the Chinese navy would continue to go through its military exercises on schedule. The People’s Liberation Army already announced last […]

Nico Beckert Published: May 3rd, 2021

Beijing passes law against food waste

China passed a law against food waste. The law provides for fines of up to the equivalent of €12,500 and targets restaurants that incentivize their customers to order too much, as well as food producers and retailers that waste food. The law also targets internet users who upload videos of food binges, according to several […]

Nico Beckert Published: April 30th, 2021

Dessert 30.04.2021

Undercover as a delivery boy – Wang Lin, the deputy director of the Labor Relations Department of the Beijing Municipal Bureau, worked undercover for a day as a delivery boy for Meituan and was accompanied by a television station. After the 12-hour shift, during which he earned the equivalent of just over $6, he said, according […]

Nico Beckert Published: April 30th, 2021

Solar Energy Industries Association: ban forced labor from supply chain

The US Solar Energy Industries Association published a set of voluntary guidelines for solar panel manufacturers on Thursday. The aim is to ban components from forced labor abroad from the supply chain, as Reuters reports. The association is responding to repeated criticism that the basic raw material of solar modules, polysilicon, would be extracted with […]

Nico Beckert Published: April 30th, 2021

Tolls and digitalization burden china’s truck drivers

According to different estimates, there are 18 to 30 million truck drivers in China. They often work twelve hours a day, sleep in their vehicles, and are separated from their families for months at a time. Without the often self-employed drivers, hardly any raw materials get to the factories and export goods to China’s ports. […]