Struggling EU casts shadow over Davos
Updated: 2015-01-20 08:12
By Fu Jing(China Daily)
|
||||||||
This year's World Economic Forum will take place from Jan 20 to Jan 24 in Davos, Switzerland. Yu Yang / Xinhua |
The rise of China has been dominating the agenda of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, for the past couple of years and, according to some observers, it will continue to do so this year.
There is every reason for the European Union, still at the risk of entering its third recession since 2008, to top the agenda at Davos 2015. This should be the case especially because the EU is passing through a phenomenal month thanks to economic factors and much more.
Panic, fear, complaints and nervousness are once again rising among the EU public and leadership because of four factors.
First, on Jan 7 three gunmen attacked the offices of satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris and gunned down 12 people. In the next days, two of the attackers, four shoppers and another terrorist suspect were killed in the French capital. Belgium has beefed up security to thwart any terrorist attack, and other member states of the EU, including Germany, have raised their security levels because of their somewhat aggressive foreign policies and to protect freedom of expression without exhibiting corresponding respect for other cultures and faiths.
Second, the shocking happenings were followed by the central bank of Switzerland unexpectedly scrapping a cap on the Swiss franc-euro rate, which caused the euro to drop as much as 30 percent against the Swiss franc on Jan 15 - possibly the highest single-day movement in the history of the foreign exchange market. This will make life immensely difficult for Swiss exporters.
- Inspection teams to cover all of military in anti-corruption drive
- Tornado, heavy rain batters Central China's Hunan
- Beijing's five-year plan: Cut population, boost infrastructure
- Palace Museum discovers relics buried for over 600 years
- Disney promises ‘safe, pleasing service of high quality’
- Couple detained for selling their two sons
- Rousseff: Accusations against her 'untruthful'
- Almost one-sixth of Brazil's confirmed microcephaly cases linked to Zika
- Impeachment trial against Rousseff recommended to senate
- With nomination secured, Trump to aim all guns at Hillary Clinton
- Obama sips Flint water, urges children be tested for lead
- Massive protests against Abe mark Japan's Constitution Memorial Day
- Raging wildfire spreads to more areas in west Canada
- World's first rose museum to open in Beijing
- Teapot craftsman makes innovation, passes down techniques
- Top 8 iOS apps recommend for mothers
- Five things you may not know about the Start of Summer
- Art imagines celebrities as seniors
- Japanese animator Miyazaki's shop a big hit in Shanghai
- Star Wars Day celebrated around world
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Anti-graft campaign targets poverty relief |
Cherry blossom signal arrival of spring |
In pictures: Destroying fake and shoddy products |
China's southernmost city to plant 500,000 trees |
Cavers make rare finds in Guangxi expedition |
Cutting hair for Longtaitou Festival |
Today's Top News
Liang avoids jail in shooting death
China's finance minister addresses ratings downgrade
Duke alumni visit Chinese Embassy
Marriott unlikely to top Anbang offer for Starwood: Observers
Chinese biopharma debuts on Nasdaq
What ends Jeb Bush's White House hopes
Investigation for Nicolas's campaign
Will US-ASEAN meeting be good for region?
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |