Toll talk in Swiss Alps amid tourist surge
An ever-bigger deluge of mostly German and Dutch motorists heading south every summer toward the Mediterranean sun has turned tranquil Alpine valleys into congested 24-hour thoroughfares, inciting local fury and calls for action.
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The Star
4 days ago
- The Star
Toll talk in Swiss Alps amid tourist surge
SWITZERLAND'S tolerance for foreign drivers clogging up its highways is wearing so thin that some politicians now want to make them pay extra for the privilege. An ever-bigger deluge of mostly German and Dutch motorists heading south every summer toward the Mediterranean sun has turned tranquil Alpine valleys into congested 24-hour thoroughfares, inciting local fury and calls for action.
The Star
09-08-2025
- The Star
Feature: Chinese auto innovation powers Egypt's assembly lines
CAIRO, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- On the bustling production floor of Jetour Auto's welding factory in Egypt's Giza governorate, supervisor Yasser Ahmed Mansour was watching automated machinery blend seamlessly with skilled workers. To Mansour, this sight is a testament to China's rapid transformation of cutting-edge technology into accessible vehicles that are reshaping Egypt's automotive landscape. "A growing number of Egyptian consumers are choosing Chinese cars over their German, Japanese, and other counterparts," he told Xinhua, crediting their appeal to a trifecta of strengths: advanced tech, near-premium features, and competitive pricing. The welding factory, part of a 123-million-U.S. dollar venture between China's Jetour and Egypt's major automotive dealer Kasrawy Group, is expected to assemble and produce Jetour T1 and T2 models next year, with the goal of both local market supply and export. Mostafa Hussein, vice president of Kasrawy's automotive division for Jetour vehicles, outlined the company's ambitious expansion plans: An existing 55,000-square-meter factory producing Jetour X70 Plus will soon be complemented by an 86,000-square-meter plant slated for 2025 completion. But before that, envoys from the Egyptian factory will travel to China for training, to observe the latest systems firsthand, Hussein noted. "Upon their return, further training sessions are conducted here in Egypt. The Chinese side is with us every step of the way, hand in hand," he said, adding that workforce will then surge from 200 to some 900. Hussein said he has been observing China's "enormous and rapid progress" since his first visit to the country in 1990. "The leaps in technology and the richness of the culture were on another scale. That visit profoundly enriched me -- professionally, technologically and personally," he said. Meanwhile, former Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf, who toured the factory recently, highlighted the significance of advanced Chinese technology and the eagerness of his country to localize such technology. Egypt is taking serious steps to localize the Chinese automotive industry, especially electric vehicles, due to China's advanced technology in both electric car manufacturing and electric batteries, he said. This welding factory is one of the "fruits of a long-standing partnership" between Egypt and China, one that has been further strengthened with the Belt and Road cooperation, he said. "Chinese investments in Egypt can be classified as a win-win model, as Egypt benefits from Chinese technology, job creation and more. The Chinese-Egyptian product is also exportable, making these investments mutually beneficial," he added.
New Straits Times
07-08-2025
- New Straits Times
Trump tariffs don't spare his fans in EU
HUNGARIAN Prime Minister Viktor Orban promised that the return of his "dear friend" Donald Trump as US president would usher in a new "golden age." But trade unionist Zoltan Laszlo says Hungary's auto industry has seen the opposite as the United States announced new tariffs, with order cancellations and workflow disruptions marking employees' day-to-day experience. With tariff rates rising from 2.5 per cent before Trump's return to around 25 per cent and finally to 15 per cent, the "American tariff slalom" has caused nothing but chaos in the car industry, said Laszlo, who represents workers at Mexican automotive parts manufacturer Nemak's Hungarian plant. In recent years, Hungary and neighbouring Slovakia have become European manufacturing hubs for global car brands seeking lower labour costs, including British Jaguar Land Rover, German Mercedes and Japanese Suzuki. But due to the export-oriented nature of their automotive sectors, catering in part to the US market, they are among those EU nations hardest-hit by the latest tariffs slated to kick in on August 7. Despite hailing Trump's comeback and visiting him twice at his Mar-a-Lago luxury estate last year, Orban – his closest EU ally – was not spared the pain. Neither were more favourable conditions extended to Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, whose country is the world's largest automobile manufacturer per capita. According to analyst Matej Hornak, the incoming tariffs won't bode well. He warns of a drop in exports amounting to "several hundred million euros" and the loss of "10,000-12,000" jobs in the sector. After the announcement of the EU-US trade deal, Orban was quick to apportion blame to EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, saying Trump "ate" her "for breakfast." But in April, the mayor of the Hungarian city of Gyor, whose strong economic growth is closely linked to its car manufacturing plants, had already warned of possible cutbacks and layoffs. For the city, which is home to various global brands and more than a dozen different parts and component suppliers including Nemak, the fresh tariffs are a disaster. As one of the biggest employers in Hungary, German carmaker Volkswagen alone provides jobs for more than 12,000 people. Its main engine factory in Gyor produces some Audi-branded vehicles directly for the US market. The Hungarian government has said that it is still assessing the impact of the tariff rates, vowing that upcoming business deals with Washington could mitigate the negative effects of Trump's "America first" policy. But more headwinds are ahead for Hungary and Slovakia, said Brussels-based geopolitical analyst Botond Feledy. "When it comes to European dealmaking, Trump now prioritises more geopolitically influential figures – the main option for smaller nations such as Slovakia and Hungary is to join forces with others," he told AFP. But the "aggressive posturing" in the same vein of Trump's protectionist policies both countries adopted in recent months have isolated them among fellow EU countries, making compromises difficult, the expert added. Moreover, the stakes are high for Orban, whose 15-year rule has recently been challenged by former government insider-turned-rival Peter Magyar ahead of elections scheduled for next spring. "Dissatisfaction with the standard of living has made voters more critical, which is also reflected in the popularity ratings of the governing parties," said economist Zoltan Pogatsa, adding that "Hungary has been in a state of near stagnation for many years now." This year's economic "flying start" touted by Orban did not materialise, with the government further lowering the country's growth goal from the initial 3.4 to one per cent. "So far, Trump's second presidency has only impacted the Hungarian economy through his tariff policy, which has been negative," Pogatsa added. At the Nemak plant, a recent warning strike has led to management promising to sort out the unpredictable work schedules caused by the tariff changes, which were "unhealthy and physically unbearable" and made "family and private life become incompatible with work", said Laszlo. * The writers are from AFP
