The use of economic tools to serve national interests is hardly new. But in the 21st century, such instruments – ranging from unlawful economic coercion to lawful but harmful trade remedies – have become central to the strategic competition between the United States and China. Because the two countries are highly economically interdependent, the weaponisation…
US President Donald Trump has expressed interest in an undersea tunnel connecting the American state of Alaska with Russia – a project floated earlier by a senior Russian official to billionaire Elon Musk. “A tunnel from Russia to Alaska. That’s … interesting,” Trump said on Friday, when asked about the idea by White House reporters…
Martin Powers, professor emeritus at the University of Michigan, is a renowned art historian and sinologist specialising in the history of social justice in China. He is the author of four books (including two that won the Levenson Prize for best book in premodern Chinese studies) and numerous articles. His recent work, China and England:…
Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a sharp warning over the issue of Taiwan in his annual National Day address on Tuesday, saying Beijing must firmly oppose “external interference” and safeguard its territorial integrity. Xi also used his speech to pledge to “practice true multilateralism”, in what has been a consistent message from Chinese officials framing…
Vladimir Putin has spent months probing the flanks of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization with drone overflights, incursions by MiG-31 fighter jets, and various cyber operations—testing NATO’s defenses and its resolve. His strategy, coined by Lenin, is clear: “You probe with bayonets: if you find mush, you push. If you find steel, you withdraw.” PREMIUM…
Last month, I joined a US think tank delegation to China, participating in a round table at a top university in Beijing. A remark by a leading professor of diplomacy struck me: “If China and the US can’t cooperate on health issues, they can’t cooperate on others.” His words underscore the dire state of bilateral…
China’s recently unveiled Global Governance Initiative (GGI) differs from earlier calls to reform the global order in terms of the scope and drive for change. Beijing now seeks a leading role on the world stage either with the US playing a diminished role or without the US. But global reception to the GGI hinges on…
China’s Victory Day military parade presents a fascinating paradox. With over 12,000 troops reportedly marching through Tiananmen Square, this spectacle celebrates a defensive military doctrine while showcasing power-projection capabilities that would make any expeditionary force envious. It reveals how Beijing is pioneering a new grammar of military power that particularly resonates with the Global South….
Japan is expected to deploy the US-made Typhon missile system for the first time during joint military exercises with the United States next month, according to Japanese media. Analysts view the move as a strategic signal against Beijing, especially in the event of a conflict over Taiwan. The Chinese foreign ministry criticised the move on…
When Russian President Vladimir Putin met US President Donald Trump on August 15, in Anchorage, Alaska, the geographic significance of the event was not lost on Russian observers. Putin became the first Russian leader to visit the former colony at a time when the Arctic is a high priority in Russia’s foreign policy strategy. However,…