'Completely unacceptable': Germany condemns China for targeting German aircraft with laser, summons envoy
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News18
31 minutes ago
- News18
Japanese woman attacked in a subway in China, raising concern about xenophobia
Tokyo, Aug 1 (AP) A Japanese woman living in China was attacked by a man with a stone-like object in the eastern city of Suzhou and suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to Japanese media outlets. The assault late Thursday in Suzhou followed attacks earlier in the day in Tokyo against two Chinese men who were seriously injured. The violence has raised concern about xenophobic sentiment in both China and Japan that have been blamed for attacks in both countries. It was the third attack involving Japanese living in China since last year. In the two previous cases in China, Chinese authorities have insisted they were isolated incidents. The Japanese broadcaster NHK did not identify the woman injured in Suzhou by name but, citing the Japanese Consulate General in Shanghai, said she was with her child inside a subway station when the attack took place. The child was not injured, and the mother had returned home after reportedly getting treated at a hospital, NHK reported. A phone call to the Suzhou Police went unanswered on Friday evening, and the local police were yet to release any official statement. But the Japanese news agency Kyodo said the suspect had been detained. In Tokyo earlier Thursday, two Chinese men were seriously injured in attacks, and four male assailants wielding unspecified weapons remained at large, according to a statement released by the Chinese Embassy in Japan. The identities of the assailants were unclear. In southern China last September, a 10-year-old Japanese student died after being stabbed by a Chinese man not far from the gate of the Shenzhen Japanese School in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. The man was sentenced to death. In June 2024, a Japanese woman and her child were injured in an attack by a Chinese man, also in Suzhou. A Chinese bus attendant who tried to protect them from the attack was killed. The man was sentenced to death. On Friday, the Japan Chamber of Commerce in China called for Chinese authorities to ensure Japanese citizens' safety and security in China. 'It is extremely regrettable that such an incident has happened again. Ensuring the safety of employees and their families is fundamental for doing business in China," the statement said. The Chinese Embassy urged the Japanese authorities to take action to catch the assailants in the Tokyo attack and to ensure the safety and legal rights of Chinese citizens in Japan 'in response to the recent surge in xenophobic sentiment in Japanese society." (AP) AMJ AMJ view comments First Published: August 02, 2025, 04:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Deccan Herald
2 hours ago
- Deccan Herald
EU and China: A growing rift
There was speculation that tensions within the transatlantic alliance might prompt China to adopt a more conciliatory stance towards Europe. However, Beijing has taken a more assertive posture, repurposing tools initially designed for leverage in the US-China trade dispute to exert pressure on the EU instead.
NDTV
3 hours ago
- NDTV
Swiss Luxury Faces Skyrocketing Prices As Trump's 39% Tariffs Kick In
Prices for the eponymous Swiss watches, Swiss chocolate and Swiss cheese could skyrocket in a week as a result of US President Donald Trump's trade war. Switzerland, home to some of the world's most recognizable luxury brands, now faces an upcoming 39% tariff from the US. Industry groups on Friday warned that both Swiss companies and American consumers could pay the price. Trump signed an executive order Thursday placing tariffs on many US trade partners - the next step in his trade agenda that will test the global economy and alliances - that's set to take effect next Thursday. The order applies to 66 countries, the European Union, Taiwan and the Falkland Islands. In Switzerland, officials failed to reach a final agreement with the US after Trump initially threatened a 31% tariff in April. Swiss companies will now have one of the steepest export duties - only Laos, Myanmar and Syria had higher figures, at 40-41%. The 27-member EU bloc and Britain, meanwhile, negotiated 15% and 10% tariffs, respectively. The Swiss government spent Friday, the country's National Day, reeling from the news. Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter said that the 39% figure was a surprise, because negotiators had hashed out a deal last month with the Trump administration that apparently wasn't approved by the American leader himself. "We will now analyze the situation and try to find a solution," Keller-Sutter told reporters. "I can't say what the outcome will be, but it will certainly damage the economy." The US goods trade deficit with Switzerland was $38.5 billion last year, a 56.9% increase over 2023, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Keller-Sutter said that she believes Trump ultimately chose the 39% tariff because the figure rounded up from the $38.5 billion goods trade deficit. "It was clear that the president was focused on the trade deficit and only this issue," she said. For Swiss watch companies, whose products already come with price tags in the tens of thousands - if not the hundreds of thousands - of euros, a timepiece for an arm could cost a leg, too, come next week. The 39% figure was especially galling to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, because Switzerland in 2024 got rid of import tariffs on all industrial goods. "As Switzerland has eliminated all custom duties on imported industrial products, there is no problem with reciprocity between Switzerland and the US," the federation said in a statement. "The tariffs constitute a severe problem for our bilateral relations." Swiss watch exports were already facing a prolonged slowdown, with significant declines in the United States, Japan and Hong Kong, according to the federation's June figures, the most recent available. Swatch and Rolex declined to comment Friday. Representatives for Patek Philippe, IWC and Breitling didn't respond to requests for comment. Nestle and Lindt & Sprungli said they have production lines in the US for American customers. But small- and medium-sized Swiss companies are predicted to suffer under the tariffs. Roger Wehrli, chief executive of the Association of Swiss Chocolate Manufacturers, also known as Chocosuisse, said Switzerland exports 7% of its chocolate production to the US It's not just the 39% tariff that's the issue. Once the manufacturers factor in the exchange rate between US dollars and Swiss francs ($1 to 1.23 francs on Friday), Wehrli said, it's close to a 50% increase in costs for the Swiss companies. And that's a big number to pass on to American consumers, if the already-slim margins aren't further reduced. "I expect that our industry will lose customers in the United States, and that sales volumes will decrease heavily," he told The Associated Press. Wehrli said that he wants Swiss chocolatiers to sell to other markets around the globe to make up the difference. Still, he hopes American customers remember that Swiss quality beats cheaper quantity. "I think even if prices for Swiss chocolate increase due to the very high tariffs, I think it's worth it to buy Swiss chocolate," he said. "It's worth it to really eat it consciously and to really enjoy it instead of eating a lot." Swiss pharmaceuticals powerhouse Roche says that it's working to ensure its patients and customers worldwide have access to their medications and diagnostics amid the Trump tariff war. "While we believe pharmaceuticals and diagnostics should be exempt from tariffs to protect patient access, supply chains and ultimately future innovation, we are prepared for potential tariffs being implemented and confident in managing any impacts," the statement said. The company in April announced that it plans to invest $50 billion in the United States over the next five years, creating 12,000 jobs. The company already employs more than 25,000 people in the US Meanwhile, Novartis, another major Swiss pharmaceutical firm, said in a statement that it was reviewing Trump's executive order. "We remain committed to finding ways to improve access and affordability for patients," it said.
