Business

China is set to receive a record amount of debt repayment from developing countries this year, a majority of which is owed by the world's 75 poorest nations. New research by Australian think tank Lowy Institute says with new loans drying up and more loans maturing, China has now switched from being a leading lender for low-income nations to a major debt collector. Plus, a days-long taxi drivers' strike continues across France even as their main unions are negotiating with the government. 

Emmanuel Macron announced business deals worth €9 billion in Vietnam, the first leg of his week-long tour of Southeast Asia, as Europe tries to boost ties with the free-market communist state. But first, European stocks rallied and the euro hit a one-month high against the US dollar after Donald Trump walked back from his threat of new, 50 percent tariffs on EU imports, giving until July 9 to reach a trade deal. It's unclear how the two sides can iron out fundamental differences during that window.

US President Donald Trump walked back his threat to slap 50 percent tariffs on all EU goods as early as June 1st, following a phone call with EU Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen. The acquisition of US Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel looks set to proceed, and Emmanuel Macron seeks to sell France as a bastion of stability as he tours Southeast Asia.

As the global race in artificial intelligence gathers pace, American AI startup Anthropic has unveiled the latest, most powerful versions of its model Claude. The company says they can write computer code by themselves and play Pokémon for much longer than its predecessors. FRANCE 24’s Yuka Royer speaks with the company's Chief Product Officer Mike Krieger about ensuring safety, fighting deepfakes and reducing AI's environmental footprint.   

Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives in Washington on Wednesday appeared closer to finding common ground on new tax bill which will enact sweeping tax cuts. That news has jolted US bond and stock markets on the assumption that it could add trillions of dollars to the national debt and affect the government's creditworthiness. Also, Nvidia CEO calls US semiconductor export controls a failure.

Japan's new agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi vowed to bring down prices of rice, after his predecessor was forced to resign over a gaffe. Taku Eto had caused an uproar after joking he never had to buy rice thanks to donations from his supporters, touching many a raw nerve. But why is the country facing a crisis? Some analysts blame long-running government policy for the shortage. Plus, Marks & Spencer says a recent cyberattack will wipe out nearly a third of its annual profits. 

US tech giant Google said during its developers’ conference on Tuesday that it was rolling out a new AI feature that could potentially transform the way people make internet queries. The firm relies heavily on its search business for its revenue and wants to make sure it can compete with AI startups, notably OpenAI and its flagship product, ChatGPT. Also, Japan's agriculture minister resigns after making a joke about being gifted rice.

One of Europe's largest cruise operators, MSC Cruises, has ordered two new giant ships to be built at France's Saint-Nazaire shipyard. It's set to boost the local economy, though cruise ships often draw criticism for their environmental impact. Plus, Sesame Street's creators have struck a deal with Netflix for the new season to be streamed on the platform, after a recent decision by Donald Trump to cut funding for PBS threatened the future of the iconic children's programme. 

Chinese electric vehicle battery maker CATL raised at least $4.6 billion when it debuted on the Hong Kong stock exchange this Tuesday. The firm founded in 2011 is the world's largest producer of EV batteries in market share and is accused by the US department of defence of having ties with China's military. Also, Brazil confirms its first outbreak of avian flu and faces trade bans from China and the EU among other places.

Emmanuel Macron announced a record 20 billion euros worth of new investments at the 8th edition of his flagship "Choose France" investment summit on Monday. More than 200 business leaders attended the gathering. Among them was Anindya Bakrie, Chair of the Indonesia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who spoke with FRANCE 24’s Yuka Royer about how Indonesia is trying to navigate Donald Trump's global trade war and its attempts to expand trade opportunities.