Macron Condemns U.S. Tariff Pressure as Trump’s Greenland Push Fuels Transatlantic Tensions

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the United States’ “endless accumulation of new tariffs,” calling them fundamentally unacceptable, especially when they are used as leverage against another country’s territorial sovereignty. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Macron underscored that trade measures should not be weaponized to pressure nations over geopolitical disputes.

His remarks came days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced new tariffs targeting countries opposing his plan to take control of Greenland. Trump has framed the issue as a matter of security, insisting there is “no going back” and arguing that Greenland is “imperative for national and world security.”

Tensions escalated further when Trump shared what he claimed were private messages from Macron expressing confusion over the Greenland plan, as well as messages from NATO’s secretary general. He also posted AI-generated images of himself placing an American flag on Greenland, reinforcing his provocative stance.

Trump has dismissed the idea that the European Union could meaningfully resist his push to annex the self-governing Danish territory. His comments followed Denmark’s decision to send additional troops to Greenland, a move that has heightened transatlantic strains and unsettled the NATO alliance ahead of Trump’s appearance in Davos.

Reference Sources

1. BBC - https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cx2k7gv0znmt
2. CNBC - https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/20/trump-greenland-europe-nato-denmark-troops.html
3. Reuters - https://www.reuters.com/business/davos/us-treasury-secretary-bessent-brushes-off-hysteria-over-greenland-2026-01-20/

China Mulls M&A Fund for Tech Innovation Amid Rivalry With US

China is considering setting up a national mergers and acquisitions fund as it ramps up its push for technological breakthroughs.

Wang Changlin, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, said China will “strengthen the planning and guidance of government investment funds, promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity, and accelerate the cultivation and development of new productive forces,” using a catch-all term for emerging and high-tech sectors.

The announcement underscores the urgency with which China is pursuing its tech ambitions, where it is a leader in drone-making and a contender in AI through homegrown firms like Deepseek.

The M&A fund announcement comes after last month’s launch of a national venture capital fund backed by CNY100Bn ($14.3Bn).

The fund will likely help complete an investment ecosystem for investors, according to Yin Ming, vice president at Shanghai-based Baptized Capital.

The new fund will seek to encourage more M&A deals for technology firms with a certain scale, so it’s easier for early backers, including the state venture funds, to exit at an appropriate time.

Chinese officials have pointed to longer timelines for recouping investments as an advantage associated with government money.

Reference Sources

1. bloomberg - China Mulls M&A Fund for Tech Innovation Amid Rivalry With US

Vietnam's top leader To Lam calls for ‘New Model’ to hit 10% growth goal

Vietnam's top leader, To Lam, has pledged annual economic growth of more than 10% for the remainder of the decade, despite global headwinds.

The weeklong Congress, which convenes every five years and kicked off on Monday in Hanoi, will select the party chief, the most powerful position in the single-party country, and set economic goals up to 2030. The Congress is taking place in a time of "many overlapping difficulties and challenges, from natural disasters, storms and floods to epidemics, security risks, fierce strategic competition, and major disruptions in energy and food supply chains."

Lam, a former head of state security, is seeking to retain his role as party chief and possibly take on the state Presidency.

He has promised greater governmental reforms after he launched the bureaucracy's most significant overhaul in decades during his brief tenure as party chief. A party document submitted to the Congress that was reviewed by Reuters set Vietnam's annual growth goal at no less than 10% until 2030, above a missed target of 6.5% to 7.0% for the first half of the decade.

Lam is widely viewed as a risk-taker who has been praised by foreign investors for his ambitious reforms, though he has stirred criticism as tens of thousands of civil servants have lost their jobs.

Reference Sources

1. bangkokpost - Lam vows faster growth as he seeks to extend his hold on Vietnam

2. thestarmy - Vietnam's top leader To Lam calls for ‘New Model’ to hit 10% growth goal

The CommonWealth English daily news digest is a service curated by CommonWealth English team with the help of AI tools.