A cargo train loaded with 41 containers of electronic products departed from Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, for the Netherlands on Wednesday.

In the past decade, China has increasingly been perceived in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) as a country which could bring economic benefits to the region through developing trade relations, growing inflow of Chinese investment and recently also through infrastructure projects.

Changes in Germany’s political landscape manifested in the election results despite Angela Merkel’s fourth term win. These changes will alter the course of the country’s future.

A look at the timeline for when the European Union’s financial centers acquired the infrastructure necessary to be considered as offshore hubs for the Chinese currency provides a new angle to consider how Beijing plans to internationalize its currency.

German industrial group Siemens AG and French rival Alstom SA agreed to merge their rail operations, creating a European champion to better withstand the intern

In the near-term, the trigger for increased China-U.S. tensions might be foreign policy-related, for example, a hardening of positions on North Korea or a maritime incident. Or it could come from the U.S. taking more punitive economic measures.

Despite the shocking withdrawal by the US from the Paris climate accord, the G20 Summit in Hamburg, demonstrated that good and healthy bilateral relations continue to play their roles. Strategic partnerships are gaining respect, popularity and upgrading.

Bordered by a strong yet not very friendly Russia, these countries are bearing the blows from forces against globalization. While it might be a good choice for them to cooperate with the United States to build a new political and economic bloc, it’s not clear if there is room for the United States and Russia to compete in both energy and geopolitics here.

Europe is a long way from a common defense structure, but the need is growing. And, ironically, the unpopular Trump may prove more of a help than a hindrance.