April 2024 | 153 comments (153 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

April 2024 transition action plan (none / 0)

bloomberg | Saudis Scale Back Ambition for $1.5 Trillion Desert Project Neom, 5 Apr

[...]
By 2030, the government at one point hoped to have 1.5 million residents living in The Line, a sprawling, futuristic city it plans to contain within a pair of mirror-clad skyscrapers. Now, officials expect the development will house fewer than 300,000 residents by that time, according to a person familiar with the matter.
[...]
Officials have long said The Line would be built in stages and they expect it to ultimately cover a 170-kilometer stretch of desert along the coast. With the latest pullback, though, officials expect to have just 2.4 kilometers of the project completed by 2030, the person familiar with the matter said, who asked not to be named discussing non-public information.
[...]
Along with The Line, Neom's plans include an industrial city, ports, and tourism developments. It's also set to host the Asian Winter Games in 2029 at a mountain resort called Trojena.
To be sure, work is continuing on other parts of the broader Neom project and officials have maintained their overall objectives for The Line, people familiar with the matter said. For instance, another development within Neom that is turning an island in the Red Sea into a luxury tourist destination known as Sindalah is due to open this year.
The pullback on The Line comes as the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund has yet to approve Neom's budget for 2024, the people familiar with the matter said. It shows that the financial realities of the trillions of dollars of investment are starting to cause concern at the highest levels of the Saudi government as it tries to fulfill its ambitious Vision 2030 program, the overarching initiative tasked with diversifying the kingdom's economy.
[...]

Guardian | End of the Line? Saudi Arabia 'forced to scale back' plans for desert megacity, 10 Apr

[...]
Not everyone, however, has been convinced by the prince's glossy prospectus. Writing in the New York Times in 2021 at the time Neom released a video describing the prospects of living between the city's silvered walls, the US journalist and author Robert Worth said: "To watch the crown prince's promotional video is to be immersed in a distinctively Saudi form of arrogance, blending religious triumphalism, and royal grandiosity."
And hubris, too, apparently.

archive NEOM

by Cat on Sat Apr 20th, 2024 at 04:25:19 PM EST
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25 April - 4 May 2024 transition action plan (none / 0)

Underproducers! Luxury priced automakers launch NEV models at 18th annual Beijing auto show

China's largest auto show, or 2024 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, which kicked off in Beijing on Thursday, has regained global attention. Global players such as Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz are signaling their entry into NEVs on a large scale, highlighting their confidence in the Chinese market.

1. Collective Efforts from Participating Automakers Make Global Brands Shine Side by Side
117 global premieres (including 30 global premieres by multinational companies) and 41 concept cars will be showcased. There will be 278 NEV models on the stage...
2. Significant Trends of Internationalization and Intelligence of Component Enterprises
centralized exhibition of automotive components, electronics and systems, and new energy and intelligent connected vehicles. Auto China 2024 has attracted nearly 500 well-known domestic and foreign component enterprises and tech companies from 13 countries and regions...
A total of 44 models from the Volkswagen Group's brands are on display at the ongoing show, 11 of which are making their debuts, according to information that Volkswagen Group shared with the Global Times. Among the total, there are 18 NEV models.

Toyota Exhibiting at Beijing Motor Show 2024
Mercedes-Benz brought 21 new models to the show, including the world's first pure electric G-Class off-road vehicle. Maybach's first mass-produced pure electric model, the Maybach EQS pure electric sport utility vehicle, hit the Chinese market at the show.
Kia underlines credentials as a leading 'EV brand' at 2024 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition
Volkswagen Group said that it is focusing on its local development capacities and its partnerships with local tech companies and manufacturers such as Horizon Robotics, Thundersoft and XPENG.
"We are accelerating our electric offensive with additional products for new segments. In this way, we are taking advantage of opportunities in the rapidly growing e-market," Ralf Brandstätter, board member for the China region and CEO of Volkswagen Group China, told the Global Times.

GT | Shanghai Party chief meets Blinken, 25 Apr OFAC overcapacity Tour

In Shanghai, Blinken reportedly raised "concerns over China's trade policies and non-market economic practices." He described Chinese policies as "unfair" and demanded "a level playing field for US workers and firms operating in China." ...[China Foreign Affairs University prof] Li noted, "If Blinken is here to issue an ultimatum to China, we will not give in to him and will not compromise on our core issues."

by Cat on Thu Apr 25th, 2024 at 09:56:12 PM EST
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Re: 25 April - 4 May 2024 transition action plan (none / 0)

< wipes tears >

GT | Why is there no 'overcapacity' at Beijing Auto Show?, 28 Apr

...Many people noticed that there were obviously more foreigners at this auto show, and the attitude of foreign car manufacturers has also changed significantly. BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi all brought luxury exhibitor lineups and models. Executives from multinational car companies not only came to promote their own products, but also carefully studied the technology and design of Chinese new-energy vehicles. A considerable number of overseas dealers, suppliers, media and even car owners came to the exhibition. A video of South Koreans observing Chinese new-energy vehicles went viral on the internet. Chinese society has a very open attitude toward this. Openness has always been the motto of the Beijing Auto Show....

Elvis has left the building

by Cat on Sat Apr 27th, 2024 at 06:27:56 PM EST
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April 2024 | 153 comments (153 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)