BERLIN (Own report) - In view of the growing rivalry with China, business officials and foreign policy makers in Germany are warning against the performance of EU critical forces in the European elections in May. "Alone, no individual European country" could "play a major role" in the global competition, says Eric Schweitzer, President of the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK). German companies need the EU's single market, the "core of Europe," as an economic foundation, to assert themselves on a global level against companies from the People's Republic of China and the USA. Should EU critical "populists" - regardless of their political orientation - obtain more influence in the European Parliament, "the future of the German economy" would also be at risk, according to DIHK Chief Executive Martin Wansleben. Dieter Kempf, President of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) is pleading for business representatives to commit themselves "audibly in favor of an open Europe." At the same time, German businesses are openly demanding that their interests be imposed within the EU - a main reason for the growth of influence of "populists" in other EU member countries. Read more

BERLIN/WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Own report) - In the dispute over boycotting the Chinese Huawei corporation, the German government is considering joining a campaign of the "Five Eyes" intelligence-sharing network, it was reported in Canada and Australia. According to the media, intelligence chiefs of the five English-speaking "Five Eyes" countries launched a boycott campaign last July under US leadership. The campaign seeks not only to put pressure on the governments of Five Eyes members Great Britain and Canada, which - for economic reasons - have initially been reluctant to boycott Huawei, but also to increase the pressure on the Germany and Japan. Experts in Australia speculate that, in return for its participation in the boycott, Berlin could become an accepted FIVE Eyes member, something Germany's Federal Intelligence Service (BND) has been striving to do for years. To "maintain their own technology competence," EU companies should develop 5G, according to Berlin. German managers, however, are up in arms, fearing falling far behind and never catching up with China. Read more

BERLIN/WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Own report) - Strong criticism is coming from Germany's business community, as the German government prepares to exclude the Chinese company Huawei Technologies from the development of Germany's 5G network. According to media reports, the government tender for the 5G will be formulated in such a way that Huawei cannot apply. This is based on allegations of espionage by US intelligence services, for which, not a single piece of evidence has been presented anywhere in the world. The Trump administration is seeking to shut Huawei and other Chinese high-tech companies out of the US market, to drive them bankrupt. The US is calling on its allies to join; and in mid-December, a US delegation visited Germany's foreign ministry to apply pressure. This aggression is aimed at halting China’s ascendance. Protest is being raised from Germany's business community: Huawei is leading in 5G technology and a functioning 5G network is imperative for using state-of-the-art technologies of the future. Managers warn that excluding Huawei would mean higher costs and a painful setback in Germany's 5G development. Read more

BERLIN/BRASÍLIA (Own report) - The German Ministry for Economic Affairs is calling for an expansion of business with Brazil since the inauguration of its rightwing extremist President Jair Messias Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro's government will probably "facilitate investment and trade conditions for foreign companies," therefore "the time to bet on Brazil is now," according to the ministry's written invitation to business initiation trip in the "civil security" sector. Brazil offers the best opportunities, since that South American country has one of the highest murder rates in the world and the government has announced additional expenditures to combat crime. The current president took a stand during his election campaign in favor of police murder of criminals. Military officers make up more than one-third of his cabinet, and his vice president has called for the military to take power, on various occasions. In fact, the armed forces have already begun to correct official presidential decisions to concord with their concepts. Read more

BERLIN/ATHENS/SKOPJE (Own report) - With her visit to Athens, beginning tomorrow, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is continuing a series of unprecedented interference by NATO and EU members into the domestic affairs of two Southeast European countries - this time in a dispute over a name between Greece and Macedonia. Because of Greek objections, Macedonia is known internationally as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). In line with a June 17, 2018 agreement, the country is to change its name to North Macedonia. Because the renaming is a prerequisite for the country's admission to NATO and its negotiations for EU membership, the NATO war alliance and the European Union are urging that the name change process be sped up. This is also the reason behind Merkel's talks in Athens. The West is exerting massive pressure, and justifying renaming the country with allegations of Russian interference. The renaming is in violation of the Macedonia's referendum results and is dependent upon the votes of the opposition in the Macedonian parliament's forthcoming final vote. Corrupt methods are obviously inducing members of the opposition to vote in favor of changing the name. Read more

BERLIN (Own report) - The German government has entered the new year with the announcement of new global policy ventures and a plea not to shy away from "difficult decisions" in international conflicts. Berlin must assume "responsibility" and seek "global solutions," German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, sees Germany having been moved "even closer to the crises and conflicts" of the present day, by its two-year membership on the UN Security Council, which began January 1. Berlin seeks to use its seat on that body to impose a formulation of EU foreign policy and induce Paris to submit to joint activities described as "European." In the meantime, there are appeals from within the Protestant Church for an expansion of Bundeswehr missions. Beginning January 1, the Bundeswehr, has assumed command, of NATO's "Spearhead" intervention forces, which, within 72 hours, can be deployed anywhere on mission. Should NATO launch a mission this year, the Bundeswehr would be at the cutting edge. Read more