Regional power struggles and maritime security are at the heart of new security agreements between France and India. India is especially worried about being geopolitically isolated by China, and is seeking to expand its presence in the Indian Ocean. Between 10 and 14 March, India and France signed a series of agreements to strengthen their […]
In August 2017, two Chinese warships carrying an unidentified number of military personnel berthed on the coast of the East African nation of Djibouti, signaling the first Chinese military base outside of the South China Sea. This commitment enhances the country’s military presence in Africa, as over 3,000 troops have been stationed in Mali, Liberia […]
Today, some of Europe’s poorest countries are critical to China’s global economic development strategy. Under the 16+1 sub-regional framework, which includes eleven countries from central and eastern Europe and five from the Balkans (CEEC), China is pursuing investment opportunities in infrastructure in order to enhance its connectivity with the European region. Thus far, Chinese interests have […]
On February 26, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck 35 kilometers underneath the Southern Highlands in Papua New Guinea, causing at least fifty deaths. An Australian Air Force plane carrying relief supplies landed five days later amid criticism that aid had been too slow to arrive. The effectiveness of the Australian response in PNG will only become evident in time. Yet […]
The annual full session of the National People’s Congress, which began on 5 March, sees President Xi Jinping on the way to becoming China’s “Emperor” for life. Following the party’s Central Committee proposal of eliminating the limits for the country’s president from the constitution – currently set at a maximum of two consecutive terms – […]
The Horn of Africa is among the most congested, eventful, and most volatile geopolitical intersections on earth. It is where the West meets the East in a highly competitive game of strategic positioning for economic or hegemonic advantage. China and Turkey who, more or less, employ similar soft-power strategies have tangible investments in various countries […]
The National People’s Congress meeting that kicked off on March 5 has ushered in some revolutionary stances . From the constitutional amendment to the two-term limit that was proposed by the Communist party on February 25 , the prospect of the abolition of the term limits looms large on the horizon. This indicates that the […]
As cryptocurrencies dominate global headlines, China is consistently quashing the hype within its borders. But as Beijing ratchets up its pressure on bitcoin, this time targeting mining, Chinese investors are exploring the potential of the technology central to it all – blockchain. In 2017, cryptocurrencies took the world by storm, led by their torchbearer, Bitcoin. Bitcoin took […]
During the recent 19th Party Congress General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed on education as a driving force for the country’s development in the future. It is suggested that education should play a leading role in spearheading China’s domestic transformation, boosting its international recognition and soft power. Meanwhile, the goals are expected to be utilized by […]
As Narendra Modi welcomes ASEAN leaders, can he balance non-interventionism with his desire for Indian strategic partnerships with ASEAN? India can still present itself as a credible counterweight to China, but not without embracing international norms of accountability. Looking east The 26 January marked India’s 69th Republic Day. New Delhi welcomed all ten heads of the Association of Southeast […]
Canada is expected to bridge international efforts to upgrade the ‘maximum pressure’ campaign against Kim Jung Un ’s deceitful brinkmanship into a more principled pacifying denuclearization discourse. On Jan. 16th, the U.S. and his ‘true north’ brother will co-host a foreign-minister-level meeting for the 16 United Nations command sending states plus South Korea, Japan, India, […]
Rough seas are seen underneath a maritime platform in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago. Photo: Tuoi Tre The new year rang in a series of devastating winter storms ranging from the “bomb cyclone” hitting the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. to the deadly storm Eleanor battering Western Europe – examples of extreme weather which many scientists […]
The Trump administration has made it very clear that the United States is no longer interested in multilateral free trade agreements or policies. At the same time, the European Union, Japan, and China are forging ahead with multilateral deals. As the U.S. steps aside and other nations and blocs step up, the American economy will […]
New United States Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink arriving at Noi Bai International Airport in Ha Noi on November 4, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre Here in Da Nang, economic leaders from around the Asia-Pacific region are gathering for this week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ summit hosted by the Vietnamese. Established in 1989, APEC […]
A passerby helps an old man hit by a car, in Beijing September 9, 2014 (Photo/IC) Joseph Nye of Harvard University first coined the term “soft power” in his 1990 book, Bound to Lead: The Changing Nature of American Power. He explored further the notion of soft power in his 2004 book, Soft Power: The […]