As cranes dotted skylines across Nairobi, Colombo, and Karachi in 2013, China’s vast Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) had sprung into full velocity. Pouring over $1 trillion into developing countries symbolized their promise to rewrite the global economic map. However, today, those exact cranes remain inactive. The dozens of lower-middle-income nations that had once received […]
Tag: China
Serve the People, March the Nation
In Beijing’s 2025 military parade, symbolism mattered as much as firepower. Alongside next-generation drones and hypersonic missiles, President Xi Jinping stood in a Mao-style suit, flanked by foreign dignitaries like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un. Chinese state media called it a celebration of national “rejuvenation,” but for those who came of age during the […]
Where is Trump leading NASA?
When the world watched Neil Armstrong take mankind’s first steps on the moon in 1969, the United States solidified its place in leading the push into the great unknown of space. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), in turn, not only elevated humanity’s collective knowledge but also America’s international reputation for scientific innovation. However, […]
When the Free Market Isn’t Free
The promise of American capitalism has long offered a vision of prosperity driven by the market and the people, where the government’s role was simply to stay out of the way. This American creed is embraced by conservative politicians shaped by Reagan-era beliefs in deregulation and small government, but it does not belong to conservatives […]
The Chinese Dream Versus a Chemical Crisis
China has backed itself into a diplomatic corner. In order to achieve its ambitious goals, Beijing must balance its reputation, relations with potential investees in the Global South, and relations with the United States. In terms of the U.S., Beijing wants to project power, mainly by winning the trade war through strategic leveraging of counternarcotics […]
Soft Power, Hard Lessons: The Cost of Economic Nationalism
The Playground President The president of the United States views the global arena like a school bully views their playground; failing to see that playing the popular kid is a much better strategy. A bully is typically someone with none or very few friends, with little means of getting what they want without violence or […]
India’s Regulatory Crossroads: Can It Balance Growth and Control in the Tech Era?
In just two years, a 194 million dollar investment by Apple’s supplier, Foxconn, has turned Chennai into a thriving tech hub. This shift, fueled by policy overhauls and geopolitical shifts, positions India as a prime alternative to China’s production dominance. But how did India get here, and what hurdles remain as it steps into the […]
Washington Exits: WHO Cares?
In recent years, the U.S. and the World Health Organization (WHO) have had a relationship that makes Hollywood breakups look tame. In 2020, President Donald Trump walked out, slamming the door on what he called a dysfunctional, China-biased bureaucracy. A year later, Biden rushed to patch things up, eager to restore American influence in global […]
The Middle East’s New Great Game—and America’s Moment To Lead
History is a story of great power rivalries. In our time, the competitors are the United States, Russia, and China. As I’ve previously argued, the United States must pursue its interests pragmatically in order to retain global supremacy. However, abstract ideas and goals rarely ever translate to results. Actions are needed to bridge our vision of […]
Space Race 2.0: Profits, Power, and the Politics of the Cosmos
Capitalism is out of this world—quite literally. The commercialization of space is propelling us into a second space race, one that is fundamentally different from its Cold War predecessor. Unlike the 20th-century contest between the United States and the Soviet Union, this new race is driven by private enterprise, technological ambition, and the pursuit of […]
On the Precipice: Southeast Asia Faces Trump 2.0’s Geopolitical Shake-Up
As Americans grapple with the aftermath of the November 2024 presidential elections, Southeast Asia stands at the critical nexus of its fallout, confronting a new and uncertain geopolitical reality. As Donald Trump returns to the White House, it marks a pivotal moment for the region. Trump’s “America First” policies, characterized by heightened protectionism, volatile diplomacy, […]
Echoes of Silence: How Aynaghor Exposes South Asia’s Hidden Repression
For the first time in half a decade, Michael Chakma saw the sun. He had escaped, but he could barely remember where to go or who to call. Five years prior, Chakma was abducted by Bangladeshi intelligence, and from that day on, he was subjected to torture, stuck in the darkness, and only able to […]
Stopping the Fentanyl Crisis Starts With Better Intelligence
Imagine every two weeks, two packed commercial airplanes hijacked by foreign adversaries were barreled into skyscrapers full of Americans. A 9/11-level attack every two weeks. Allowing an event like this to recur every two weeks should be unacceptable to Americans. Every day, Americans would worry for their safety. Lawsuits would be filed left and right […]
Trump 2.0: Defining a New Era of American Power
Each generation has its “crossing the Rubicon” moment—the reelection of Donald Trump is ours. The post-Cold War order that began with the resignation of Mikhail Gorbachev is no more. Populism is on the rise across the globe. America’s adversaries—Russia, China, and Iran—feel emboldened after years of American decline. Make no mistake, Trump’s reelection marks a […]
Drone Warfare is Eroding the Right to Life
Technology has made war feel as remote as a video game: armed drones hover above like silent arbiters of life and death, striking targets with the press of a button. These “precision” machines, initially confined to distant battlefields, are now used in routine counter-terrorism operations and even domestic policing. But who really pays the price […]
ASEAN Navigates Techno-Geopolitics of AI in U.S.-China Showdown
As artificial intelligence (AI) cements itself as a cornerstone of global power, Southeast Asia finds itself at the center of a complex and high-stakes rivalry between the United States and China. Established in 1967 amid Cold War tensions, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was designed to foster regional stability and cooperation, helping its […]
Fraud at the Polls: The Last Stand for Democracy
In the early hours of July 28, Venezuelans lined up outside polling stations across the country, hoping to cast their votes for a new president, a new beginning. They waited in the sweltering heat, talking in hopeful whispers about change. But by nightfall, their hope was shattered. Nicolás Maduro, long accused of authoritarian tactics, declared […]
From Abandoned to Essential: China’s Ban on International Adoptions Signals a New Era for Daughters
For decades, Chinese daughters were abandoned in favor of sons, leading to waves of international adoptions like Kate’s. This new restriction on international adoption seems to signal a change in how Chinese society views its daughters today.
Eren Yeager and America’s Preemptive Foreign Policy Strategy
“If we kill all our enemies on the other side of the sea, will we finally be free?” – Eren Yeager (Attack On Titan, Season 3, Episode 22: “The Other Side Of The Wall”) The disconcerting parallel between Attack on Titan’s (AOT) Eren Yeager and United States (US) foreign policymakers lies in their shared use […]
China-West Conflict Making a Move to Africa?
From censoring Winnie the Pooh to attacking ships in the South China Sea with water cannons, China’s anti-Western international agenda has long been centered around political posturing and aggressive ploys for greater regional influence. However, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent actions suggest a new, rather unique, international strategy: spinning a globe and speaking with leaders […]
Southeast Asia is Rebalancing the Scales
At the height of the Cold War in the 1960s, much of anti-communist Southeast Asia aligned itself with the United States, entrenching U.S. hegemony around North Vietnam and its close allies in communist China. These countries regarded ties with the U.S. as a way to maintain and develop their economic and political strength in a […]
The Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone: Where Criminals Rule
The meandering Mekong River divides Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos at a geographical point colloquially known as the Golden Triangle. On the Southwestern banks lies Thailand, an economic powerhouse in the region. In the Northwest lies Myanmar, a nation struggling with significant conflict, pushing some farmers to opium production to make ends meet. In the Northeast […]
A Call for Unity in Southeast Asia
In early March, Taylor Swift began the first of her six-night residency playing her critically acclaimed Eras Tour in Singapore. The city-state was one of only two countries in Asia hosting the popstar on the international leg of her tour, due to a deal struck by the Singaporean government and Swift regarding the Eras Tour. […]
Controversy Sparks Amid Chinese Military Bases in Africa
In an international world of constant strategic moves, especially when it comes to military assets, there is bound to be conflict between countries. This time, one such conflict happens to be flaring between China and the United States over nothing less than the continent of Africa. A proposed naval base on Africa’s coastline is causing major […]
Is China Dismantling Democracy in Latin America?
“After all, who can blame a country for being able to take advantage of another country to the benefit of its citizens?” After visiting Beijing in 2017, former President Trump made a statement that may accurately reflect China’s contemporary foreign policy. Deemed the “Chinese miracle,” China has lifted 850 million people out of poverty since […]
Panda-Monium: The Love Story of Pandas and Washington
In 1972, two ambassadors left China for the U.S. They did not speak a word of English or Mandarin. In fact, they could hardly walk on two feet. These were not people, but pandas, China’s national animal. Since arriving in America, they have become an enduring symbol of the goodwill and cooperation between China and […]
Beyond APEC, Protestors Stand in Solidarity
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, held in San Francisco from November 11-17, gathered leaders from its 21 member states to deliberate on regional economic issues. On the morning of November 15, President Biden and Xi held their talk at Filoli Garden to discuss economic cooperation as well as topics including fentanyl, artificial intelligence, climate […]
Is Biden’s Absence Proof of ASEAN’s Fall Into Vestigiality?
On September 5th, the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met in Jakarta, Indonesia, under the guidance of Indonesian President Joko Widodo. The Southeast Asian bloc’s 43rd meeting commenced under tense conditions, including Beijing’s release of China’s newly declared territory map and the marked absence of United States President Joe Biden. Of […]
India’s Newfound Leadership Status in the Global South: A Recap of the 2023 G20
Recently, the Group of Twenty major world economies, also known as the G20, met in New Delhi to pursue environmental and social concerns through international economic cooperation. With an ever-growing global economy and the unique international political moment of the Global South looking for a bridge to the West, India could step into that role […]
Philippines Looks to U.S. for “Maintenance of Peace” in South China Sea
China’s culture of aggression in the South China Sea once again reached the headlines in the wake of a recent altercation in Philippine waters. On February 6th of this year, a Chinese Coast Guard cruiser engaged a Philippine Coast Guard vessel. The Filipino ship was headed to supply the crew of a beached ship turned […]
America’s Potential Subsidy Race with Europe
“It should be a race against time, not a race against each other. It should be a race to the top, not a race to the bottom.” These were the words uttered by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in response to the American Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). While maintaining diplomatic poise, the E.U. […]
Why China’s Growing Influence in the Middle East Matters
Trailing behind the exit of the United States, China has taken an interest in the Middle East, brokering diplomatic deals between Saudi Arabia and Iran. This is a surprising role for China to take on, as the country has, in the past, shown relatively little interest in that region of the world. The spike in […]
The New Switzerland: India on Russo-Ukrainian War
The international political community, a victim of increasing globalization, has grown to be an intertwined, tangled web of complex alliances. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spent his years in office with an intense focus on foreign affairs and international relations, engaging actively with nations across the globe. While Modi works his way around the […]
Vietnam: Potential Ally or Headache?
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam: once a major battleground of the Cold War, it is now better known as a vacation destination for Westerners with cash to burn. In the new era of tension between China and the West, however, Vietnam has become an increasingly important player in the conflict. As one of the few […]
The Silenced LGBTQ+ Students in China
“We’ve had three social media accounts being censored consecutively, but we do not want to give up yet,” an anonymous Chinese LGBTQ+ organization student leader disclosed during an interview, “even when my university counselor has notified me to halt all activities in my organization, or I may receive penalties from the school.” In June of […]
The Sino-Russian Relationship: Out of Sincerity, or Forced by Circumstance?
The scenes of the 2022 Winter Olympics’ opening ceremony in Beijing stuck out as a muted affair compared to the pomp and grandeur of the Summer Olympics fourteen years ago. While the 2008 Olympics symbolized China’s ascent onto the world stage among the world’s great powers, the 2022 Winter Olympics instead highlight China’s increasing isolation […]
The Sino-Indian Conflict: Are Boundaries Made To Be Invaded?
When two of the fastest growing nations in the world draw a Line of Actual Control (LAC), its demarcation is treated more as a boundary that is intended to be violated rather than adhered to. Each country tests its limits by building infrastructure, deploying a greater amount of military personnel, and starting spontaneous skirmishes with […]
What About the Women: China’s Human Rights Abuses to Uyghur Muslims Includes Reproductive Rights Violations
Trigger warning: rape/sexual assault/women’s rights violations Beijing has confined 1-2 million Uyghur Muslims in “re-education camps” under the presumption of having “free vocational training” that would make the Uyghur’s lives more “colorful.” In these centers, the Uyghurs undergo immense human rights violations, including but not limited to the stripping of their religious expression, forceful […]
China Picks Up Where the West Has Failed
Nobody said democracy was easy, but the concept of a liberal democracy championed by the US and democratic European nations has taken a massive blow in the last year with its two biggest projects. Afghanistan and Myanmar are known as major sources of opium, and now also as failed Western experiments to try and bring […]
What does AUKUS mean for future geopolitics?
On September 15th, 2021, US President Biden, Australian Prime Minister Morrison and UK Prime Minister Johnson announced the finalization of a new Indo-Pacific security deal, dubbed AUKUS. At first glance, AUKUS looks like a mutually beneficial agreement. It allows for a greater sharing of intelligence from the United States and the United Kingdom to Australia, […]
UN Diplomats, Global Leaders Talk Climate in Advance of COP26; Action Lags Behind
The 76th United Nations General Assembly meant to provide resounding motivation to combat climate change. The first return for many world leaders to the assembly hall since before Covid-19 was meant to confront the most substantive issues facing the international community. Tangible climate policy should come out of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of […]
A New Era of Hong Kong
“Two-thousand and eighty-five votes in favor, zero against, and one abstention. [The bill is] passed!” On March 11, 2021, nearly 3,000 Chinese lawmakers passed the “decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” at the Fourth Session of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC). The NPC, according to China’s Constitution, […]
Vaccine Disparities: The Future of Foreign Policy?
As the end of Covid-19 slowly dawns, and with it the advent of a vaccine, a troubling trend is on the rise. Faced with worldwide lockdowns that had a crippling effect on the global economy, public health, and the world at large, scientists from all over rushed to create a vaccine that would finally put […]
Why Do Chinese Liberal Intellectuals and Dissidents Support Trump?
If you were watching the Republican National Convention in August last year, you may have spotted something interesting: a blind Chinese dissident named Chen Guangcheng called for American voters to “fight for President Trump for the sake of the world.” Before coming to the U.S., Chen was a self-taught human rights lawyer in China, where […]
What A Biden Presidency Means For U.S.-China Relations
On November 8, 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump was welcomed to China by his “good friend” President Xi Jinping, who held an extravagant ceremony at the Forbidden City, home to the Chinese emperors for almost 500 years. Trump showed Xi a video clip of Arabella Kushner, Trump’s granddaughter, singing proverbial children’s songs in Mandarin. At […]
Confronting China: The Best Deterrence Lies in a Multilateral Alliance
In my last article, I detailed some of the strategic and technological changes that the U.S. needs to make to its military strategy to successfully deter China from military action in East Asia. Though maintaining our military edge is important, China is a rising power while the U.S. is in relative decline. China has both […]
The U.S.-China Brain Drain
This publication, the Berkeley Political Review, is situated within the Bay Area, a section of California that is best known for its incredible innovations in the technology field. The ecosystem created in Silicon Valley is unlike any other comparable industry ecosystem in the world and has led to the creation of world-conquering technology companies. Focusing […]
Confronting China: Restoring U.S. Military Hegemony in East Asia
Over the last decade, Americans of all political parties have been waking up to the threat posed by China. With rapidly growing military and economic might, China seems determined to further its own interests at the expense of the freedom, liberties, and sovereignty of neighboring countries and the liberal-democratic institutions which underpin the global order. […]
Toward a New Space Race
There’s something different about modern space policy. For the past 40 or so years, space related headlines tended to revolve around yet another shuttle mission, or perhaps pictures from a telescope or probe. Yet, in the last few years, everything seems to have changed. SpaceX and other private companies are the face of space exploration, […]
A Modern Genocide
It started in 2017. Qelbinur Sedik was 47 and a teacher at Uighur Muslim internment camps in Xinjiang. Sedik was told she was required to get an IUD inserted to prevent her from getting pregnant. The IUD caused bleeding so she had it illegally removed. A year after that, she was routinely checked for an […]
Do You Hear the People Sing? – How Chinese censorship of the coronavirus is spurring an online revolution.
“There should be more than one voice in a healthy society.” Dr. Li Wenliang’s words renewed a rebellious spirit within the Chinese people, and his death prompted the start of an ongoing online revolution protesting the government’s increased censorship. After Dr. Wenliang’s attempt to warn the public of the emergent virus that threatened China in […]
TIK, TOK, BOOM
Tiktok has been a bright spot of care-free entertainment during an otherwise tumultuous year for many young Americans. Whether participating in viral dance challenges, drinking cranberry juice and skating to “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac or creatively fighting the powers that be through protest and civil discourse, this app has exploded in ways few have before. […]
The Clock is Ticking, but on Trump not TikTok
TikTok, the app that Americans have come to either love or hate, is the most popular social media app in the U.S. right now. Originally known as the lip-syncing app Musical.ly, TikTok has become a cultural emblem of Gen Z, with 60 percent of its users falling in the age group. Like other social media platforms […]
With or Without Huawei: That is The Question
Meng Wanzhou, Huawei, and 5G Walking out of a villa located in the affluent neighborhood of Shaughnessy, Vancouver, was an elegant, confident lady clad in a Gucci dress and Jimmy Choo heels with a low-key Hermes purse. Had it not been for the electronic monitor right above her ankle, people would have easily thought of […]
40 Years of U.S.-China Relations: Collaboration, Competition, and Engagement
The long-awaited “phase one” deal is finally done. On January 15, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, Xi Jinping’s confidant and chief economist educated in the U.S., signed with President Trump the first-stage trade agreement in the White House, ushering in a temporary de-escalation of the conflict that broke out in March 2018. When Dr. Henry […]
Banning Wildlife Markets is a Good Start, But Not Enough to Prevent the Next Pandemic
Wildlife markets do pose a health risk, and authorities should permanently close them. However, if the world is truly dedicated to stopping future disease outbreaks, it must address larger issues.
Contagion and Conflict: Hong Kong’s Protests During Epidemic
A Hong Kong resident died on February 5 after contracting the coronavirus, making him the second victim to succumb to the epidemic outside of mainland China. Though Hong Kong has remained relatively unimpacted by the outbreak, coronavirus’s effects have far-reaching implications for politics in the territory. In the past month, the coronavirus from Wuhan (recently […]
Technology with Chinese Characteristics: China’s Strategic Vision in 2019
Standing before the 17th General Assembly of the Chinese Academy of Sciences just over a year after his election to office, Xi Jinping opined, “we cannot always decorate our tomorrows with others’ yesterdays.” Five years later on October 1st, 2019, President Xi echoed that sentiment while addressing a crowd of thousands in Tiananmen Square, declaring, […]
What’s Happening with the Uyghurs?
In the Xinjiang region of China, millions of Uyghur Muslims are being forced to denounce their religion and ethnic culture. This is in an attempt to force Uyghurs to assimilate to ‘Chinese’ culture and homogenize the population. Soon enough, this mass discrimination and ethnic supression of millions of Uyghurs will become an actual genocide if […]
Out of Sight, Out of Mind: How the United States Discards E-Waste
It’s all about the new. Increasingly, the people of the United States want the latest technology; every time tech giants like Apple and Samsung release new devices, hundreds of thousands flock to buy them, often discarding their old devices by simply throwing them in the trash. Everyday, Americans throw out over 350,000 cell phones and […]
Can the United States Defend Its Allies in East Asia?
Lately, tensions between the United States and China have been heating up. With a raging trade war, increasingly-scrutinized Chinese investments, Chinese companies banned from the United States and even talk of conflict, it is no wonder that many are starting to wonder if a new Cold War has begun. Nowhere in the world has this […]
Heating up in the High Arctic
The idea of global warming has physically manifested itself most clearly in the melting ice caps. Series of satellite images can quantitatively determine that polar ice is receding at an alarming rate. Most often the narrative goes towards saving polar bears and seals, but rarely do people’s minds jump to the thought of warships steaming […]
The Constitutional Dimension of “One Country, Two Systems:” The Interpretation of the Basic Law by Beijing
(This piece is inspired by a podcast episode produced by UPenn Center for the Study of Contemporary China, where Prof. Johannes Chan from HKU Faculty of Law discusses the rule of law in Hong Kong.) China’s resumption of the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong is a historical political experiment, and one challenge is to […]
Chinese Censorship Comes Stateside
The general manager of the Houston Rockets basketball team, Daryl Morey, triggered a firestorm in China when he tweeted: “Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.” His actions saw Chinese businesses cutting ties with him, the Rockets and the NBA. Morey even saw criticism from the Chinese government itself. Ultimately, the tweet was deleted and […]
Dam Shame: Examining China’s Hydro-Hegemony
It was done in a panic. As Japan’s rapid and devastating invasion of China continued inward, Chinese President Chiang Kai-Shek turned to the Yellow River, a symbol of Chinese civilization, to accomplish what his soldiers could not. In early June, 1938, Chinese troops were ordered to destroy the dykes along the river with the hope […]
Political Reform and Dialogue: Hong Kong Government’s Only Way Out of Its Legitimacy Crisis
The civil unrest that burst on June 9, when over one million people took to the streets, has been scourging Hong Kong for four months, and there is no indication that the strife is likely to subside within the foreseeable future. The ongoing turbulence is Hong Kong’s people’s direct response to a controversial fugitive bill, […]
Is China Trying to Conquer the World?
BPR writers Marcus Tan & Abdullah Khan discuss the Belt and Road, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, and China’s growing capabilities and ambitions in the Indian ocean.
With Enemies Like These, Who Needs Friends? Vietnam’s Offshore Balancing Act
When the USS Carl Vinson made a port call to Da Nang, Vietnam last year, reactions both within the US and abroad were mixed. US government statements were muted, emphasizing the role of port visits in routine diplomacy but also linking them to ongoing freedom of navigation operations. Chinese state media generally issued condemnations of […]
The Wandering Earth and the “new” Chinese nationalist idea
Recently, a Chinese sci-fi film called The Wandering Earth has not only made headlines in Chinese mainstream media but has also aroused heated discussion about its quality, symbolic meaning, and theme, reflecting the emergence of a new type of nationalism among the Chinese general population. What is The Wandering Earth about? “The sun is aging […]
The Malacca Dilemma: A hindrance to Chinese Ambitions in the 21st Century
“This man may look intelligent but in fact is stupid.” As evident from the quote above, Deng Xiaoping had a rather low opinion of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last President of the USSR. Xiaoping did not believe in imitating the western model of success. While Gorbachev had tried to reform the USSR through westernized political reform […]
What Gene-editing in China Reveals About Progress and Risk
On November 25, 2018, a Chinese researcher by the name of He Jiankui released a video of himself detailing the process through which he edited the genes of a set of twin girls. Against the backdrop of various scientific instruments and with a disarming smile, He reveals how his lab deleted the CCR5 gene in […]
China: Overhauling the Internet
To the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), amassing cyberpower is a matter of life and death. The tight control over affairs in cyberspace is essential to regime stability and longevity in China; the CCP stated, “If our party cannot traverse the hurdle represented by the Internet, it cannot traverse the hurdle of remaining in power for […]
The Mystery of CFC Emissions
Thirty-one years ago, the world was facing an environmental crisis. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) had over the previous century become widely used in refrigeration, insulation, and firefighting. However, the emissions of CFCs into the atmosphere was destroying the stratospheric ozone layer, which protects the planet from harmful ultraviolet radiation. In 1987, 46 nations agreed to the Montreal Protocol, […]
Natural Disaster Relief is No Horsing-Around Matter for Geopolitics
A magnitude of 7.0 on the Richter scale and reports count over 200,000 casualties—Haiti’s 2010 earthquake was one of the first natural disasters that received widespread attention for its devastating impacts on the nation’s people and infrastructure and detrimental impacts of international disaster relief. The United Nations aid programs that reached the nation led to […]
China’s Uighur Muslim Camps: The Face of Non-Western Islamophobia
You can stop saying “assalamu alaikum” to your neighbor, shave your beard, tell your children not to speak of their prayers, even try to fake tickets for an international flight, but you can never truly escape the terror. The psychological trauma remains of knowing that every move you make, every word you utter can lead […]
China’s Pursuit for Global Influence Starts to Face Resistance
In northern Laos, blue and white silos tower over blue and white cement plants, which employ workers in blue and white jumpsuits. Something corporate has occupied this jungle. The country is getting its first railway, financed by Chinese loans. Laos has an abundance of natural resources but practically no infrastructure to extract and transport them. […]
Sharing is Caring: The Politics and Consequences of Trump’s Trade War
Trump’s recent economic policies on levying tariffs against countries, primarily China, that have a trade deficit with the U.S. have consequences that go beyond just harming the other party. The effects of these policies can be felt right here at home, but your average American voter has a bad understanding of basic economics, not to […]
Failing Grade: How China’s All-Important Exam is Stunting National Growth
Every year, for two days in June, China comes to a standstill. Construction work is halted, traffic is diverted, and motorists are banned from honking, lest they disturb the nine and a half million teenagers taking a college entrance exam they believe will dictate their careers, wealth, and perhaps even marriage prospects. Drones are dispatched […]
China v. the US: Tariff Threats and Redirection Techniques
On the economic front, the world has recently been shaken by the continued intensification of the Chinese-American trade war initiated by President Trump. Marking just over a year since Trump began his Section 301 investigations on Chinese trade, the newest tariff policy Trump is threatening to impose on total Chinese exports is $200 billion dollars. The […]
The Spies Next Door: China’s Espionage Campaign in California
Cloak and Daggers in California In the early 2000s, the CIA succeeded in recruiting the personal valet of one of China’s most powerful Communist Party members. Over the next few years, this source overheard hundreds of conversations that gave the CIA an intimate picture of the inner workings of China’s state security apparatus, Party plans, […]
The World’s Largest Security State Has Created its Own Security Problem
Violence In Western China The capital of the Chinese province of Xinjiang, Urumqi, looks like many Chinese cities. The horizon is full of construction machinery creating new factories, high-rises, and office buildings. More striking is that the streets of the developed sector are largely populated with ethnic Han Chinese. The Chinese government has incentivized Han Chinese to move […]
The Maldives in Crisis – But What Do Yameen?
The turbulent political developments of the Maldives now, more than ever, have proven twofold: manifesting in both local political power-plays, and larger geopolitical conflict. This year alone, the Maldives has undergone turbulent political developments— including a state of emergency announced in February under the current Abdulla Yameen presidency, and the recent return of the opposition […]
WeChat isn’t China’s Facebook. It’s something bigger.
It’s often hard for people outside of China to wrap their heads around the vast capabilities of WeChat. Writing it off as a “knock-off Facebook” does it an injustice. In fact, it might be the most potent form of propaganda China has ever employed. “China’s App for Everything” may appear to be but a copycat […]
China and India: The Emerging Power Struggle of the 21st Century
Over the past 40 years, Asia has experienced unprecedented levels of peace and prosperity, as the bloody conflicts of the Cold War gave way to a relatively stable order. This stability has allowed trade and commerce in the region to flourish, facilitating the emergence of China and India as substantial economic powers. China’s economy is […]
The Price of a Fish: Illegal Fishing and the Consequences for Latin America
“The ocean is like a checking account where everybody withdraws but nobody makes a deposit.”–Enrique Sala, National Geographic With the UN Food and Agriculture Organization stating that 70 percent of the world’s fish population is in crisis and with coastal and island countries relying on fish for 70 percent of their food, the maritime politics […]
Chinese Military Expansionism in the South China Sea
In 2017, the brinkmanship between Kim Jong-Un and President Trump and the looming prospect of conflict drew a great deal of attention to the Korean Peninsula. Meanwhile, a less dramatic but nonetheless defining geopolitical struggle has been unfolding further south in the East Asia region, in the South China Sea. At the heart of these […]
The Term-inator: The Case for and Against Xi Jinping’s Indefinite Rule
RESOLVED: The People’s Republic of China should establish a presidential limit of three terms. Affirmative Constructive Speech (Sunny Malhotra) Having no term limits is detrimental for the future of the Chinese population and government. Xi Jinping’s abolishment of term limits is already taking course in the increased censorship of the people. BBC noted Sina Weibo, a […]
One Country, How Many Systems?
September of 2014 saw Hong Kong’s gleaming central business district, one of the most important financial hubs in the world, turn into a virtual conflict zone, replete with shouting mobs, police in riot gear, and clouds of tear gas. In an atmosphere of discontent for the national government in Beijing, Hong Kongers took to the […]
To Engage or Not to Engage: Diplomacy with North Korea?
Editors’ disclaimer: this debate was crafted during early 2018, before the development of new events between North and South Korea’s possible peace treaty that would formally end the Korean War. The contents discussed in the debate below ought to be evaluated as if such a groundbreaking event has yet to occur. RESOLVED: The United States […]
Development: A Dam Problem
It seems odd to juxtapose “environment” with “refugee”. The environment is a set of conditions that cultivate the life of beings. By definition, it is suited to the livelihoods of certain humans, just as humans are suited to their environments. Both participate in a symbiotic relationship, so the term “environmental refugee” indicates a very […]
The Digital Gold
When I was very young, my parents always indulged me before bed with exotic folktales every night before sleep, coaxing me to sleep with stories of great adventure. Of all these stories, the one I found most fascinating was “Ali Baba and Forty Thieves.” “Open Sesame!” a magic word that opens the gate to measureless gold, […]
Power Dynamics: China’s Hard Path to Clean Energy
From Trump’s election through his decision to pull out of the Paris agreement, doomsday predictions about Trump’s approach to climate policy have largely mellowed to anxious reassurances that all is not quite lost. Rather than causing a collapse in American resolve to fight climate change, Trump’s public repudiation of the Paris agreement spurred American mayors, governors, […]
The Trouble of Localism in Hong Kong
A giant locust sits perched upon a mountain, the Hong Kong cityscape in the distance. Next to it, bold black lettering asks, “Are you willing to let Hong Kong spend a million Hong Kong dollars every eighteen minutes on bringing up anchor babies?” Spanning a full page, this provocative advert ran in the popular Chinese-language […]
China paves the way, will Asia follow?
China’s rise as a world power has been comprehensive to say the least. Alongside its growing powerhouse of an economy comes its political ambitions to assert dominance. Nothing new, one would assume. However Xi Jinping’s soft power initiatives in Africa, Latin America and most importantly, in his own backyard, Asia, show a shift in the […]
Homo Hominibus Tigris: Xi Jinping and the Rise of the Good Dictator
To the countries of the Western world, where the ancient Greek traditions of democratic governance have institutionalized over centuries, China is a peculiar, if not an intimidating, case against the conventional truth that democracy is good for humanity. American exceptionalism tells us that democracy is essential for economic growth, for the establishment of a just […]
Nambian President to Tump: Don’t Forget the Small States
On September 20th, the people of Nambia were thrilled to hear the president of the United States, Donald Tump, recognize our nation for the inroads we have made against the scourge of infectious diseases. While I am pleasantly surprised President Tump demonstrated awareness of the affairs of smaller states like our own, as President of […]
Whose Allies Are They, Anyway? : North Korea’s Illicit Trade and the Role of China
North Korea. The world’s least free society, behind the world’s most militarized border, with the world’s most threatening nuclear weapons program. Despite a fanatical ideology of self-reliance, juche, Pyongyang maintains selective contacts with the outside world. These contacts are primarily aimed at maintaining the stability of the North Korean economy, and they have generally been […]
China’s Debt Conundrum
President Xi Jinping and the standing committee. Analyzing China’s perilous macroeconomic position. As Martin Wolf of the Financial Times recently wrote, to understand the Chinese economy Stein’s law must be kept in mind. The economic law, named after Herbert Stein, Chairman of the Council of Economic advisors under President Nixon simply states that if something […]
No Longer a Gold “BRICS”?
“China and India could really go to war,” I said to myself when rolling down the comment area of a Chinese news site. “Group Fight between Indian and Chinese Troops, Indians Thought They Won!” the title of the article provocatively claimed, referring to the conflict between Chinese and Indian troops, in which both sides threw […]
AIIB – To Join, or Not To Join?
This summer, I had the privilege of interning in Washington, D.C. with Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-19). While the current administration and Senate healthcare bill have certainly dominated national headlines, working on the Hill has also deepened my understanding of often-overlooked policy issue areas, including the U.S.-ASEAN relationship and potential U.S. membership in the Asian Infrastructure […]
The Ghost of Zheng He: China’s Naval Base in Djibouti
Six hundred years after the Ming Dynasty explorer Zheng He landed in Mombasa and brought back a giraffe, China’s trade presence in East Africa is very much alive. In recent years, China has been expanding a web of infrastructure projects across the African continent. Now, China is in the process of constructing a naval base […]
The Challenges of Myanmar’s Fledgling Democracy
For the future of Myanmar’s democracy, the military should be separated from politics in the interest of human rights and stability. Moreover, the United States, a self-styled guardian of democratic sentiments, must not be a bystander while a domestic crisis bordering on genocide unfolds in Myanmar. Since 2011, Myanmar has been in the throes of […]
A New Sino-Soviet Split
Trump’s policy of pursuing closer relations with Russia has been the center of much ridicule, often dismissed without any consideration. Yet, if carried out correctly, it could become the next diplomatic revolution. Today, the United States is stuck in a quandary. Its two biggest rivals, China and Russia, are growing closer and closer together. In […]
Donald Trump and the Future of US-India Ties
US-India bilateral relations have been tumultuous since the conception of two nascent nation-states, India and Pakistan, in 1947. A primarily socialist India found a strong ally in communist regimes such as the USSR. Pakistan, toeing the line of Cold War politics, became a traditional ally of the US. 1991 ushered in the collapse of the […]
The Fate of Futenma
In a historic decision, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has accepted a court-mediated settlement to halt the construction of the American military base in Henoko. The victory for the local anti-base movement signals the first time in history that the federal government has sided against American military interests. However, given the back-and-forth nature of this […]
Terminator in Transition: Should drones be able to think for themselves?
The metal body flies without effort against the sky – searching, synthesizing, processing data at an inhuman speed. A specific face has been imprinted on this machine. Once found, the machine can summarily end that person’s life. This drone responds to no ground operator. It is autonomous – and lethal. This weapon does not come […]
Duterte’s Unlikely Pivot to China
“America has lost,” President Duterte of the Philippines said to China’s top leaders in Beijing this October. As the leader of the oldest American ally in Asia, Rodrigo Duterte’s speech and behavior have been regarded by many as outlandish. Duterte’s anti-American rhetoric has warned international observers about a geopolitical tectonic shift, one in which the Philippines […]
China’s 1%: The Rich Chinese Kids of Instagram
Coco the Alaskan malamute poses with her eight new iPhone 7s. For the past two decades, China’s growth has shot upwards at a dizzying speed. Under the revolutionary leader Deng Xiaoping, the traditionally Communist and centrally-planned country executed successful economic reforms in record time. The successive regimes of Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, and now Xi […]
The Thrilla in Manila
By Griff Potrock Since the recognition of independence in 1946 and the mutual defense treaty signed in 1951, the United States and the Philippines have been staunch allies. This alliance has included establishing US bases in the Philippines, joint Filipino-American military exercises, hundreds of millions of dollars in aid, and protection under the US […]
A Friendship Gone Astray
The Growing Divide in Chinese-African Relations In December 2015, President Xi Jinping was declaring Zimbabwe to be China’s “all-weather friend.” Less than a year later, President Mugabe of Zimbabwe was accusing the Chinese of undermining his nation’s economy and “taking advantage” of Zimbabwe’s women. This seemingly rapid transition in relations might appear to be unexpected, […]
The Emperor’s New Groove
Just weeks ago, China officially unveiled the J-20, its first stealth fighter, at Airshow China. The sleek jet was met both with derision from engineers who view it as little more than a knockoff of the American F-22 and F-35 and concern from policy experts who worry that the modern and inexpensive fighter may tip […]
Kashmir: One of the World’s Longest Ongoing Conflicts Re-Ignited in 2016
Since July, tensions between India and Pakistan have flared up over the disputed region of Kashmir. While tensions never fully go away, given that there have been three wars over the region, this bout has lasted longer and been more deadly than other recent incidents. The most recent clash saw 7 Pakistani soldiers killed, the […]
Taiwan’s President Must Prove She Can Lead
On May 20th this year, I landed in Taiwan’s Taoyuan Airport, full of excitement because I was finally able to live through a historic moment. It was Tsai Ing-wen’s inauguration day. Taiwan’s first female president, Tsai of the Democratic Progressive Party, came across as a capable, pragmatic politician, famously known for her pro-independence stance about […]
Why the CCP’s Days are Numbered
Barricades in the streets. Chaos everywhere. A few officials frantically working to stall the impending storm. No, this isn’t the rebel base under attack in The Empire Strikes Back. This is Hong Kong, 2016. The Empire is the Chinese Communist Party, and its archenemy is time. In 2014, the Chinese Communist Party proposed that Hong […]
North Korea’s Nuclear program: time for a new strategy
January 7th, 2016: North Korea announced that it had just conducted its first successful test of the hydrogen bomb, a weapon estimated to have the destructive power of 9 kilotons of TNT. World leaders protested the tests in unison. Brazil said that the situation was cause for “great concern,” Russia condemned the nuclear tests as […]
Will the Rainbow Flag Fly Over China?
Following last summer’s landmark Supreme Court decision to legalize gay marriage in the U.S., and the world’s first-ever legalization through the popular vote in Ireland, legions of rainbow flags were hoisted up from Australia to Colombia. However, in South Korea, conservative evangelicals and other anti-marriage equality protesters outnumbered proponents 25,000 to 20,000. A parallel narrative […]
A Case for Opening the Great Firewall
“Across the Great Wall we can reach every corner in the world,” read the first email from China to Germany in 1987. Today, the prophecy looks rather ironic; China’s internet censorship protocol, “the Great Firewall,” blocks Chinese netizens from Google, Facebook, and the rest of the world. To ask for total internet freedom is impractical, […]
Nobels and Whistles in Beijing
Tu Youyou was labeled with “three noes”: no medical degree, no doctorate, and no work overseas. And yet, she became not only the first Chinese woman to win a Nobel Prize, but also the first Chinese citizen to earn a Nobel Prize in science. Tu was honored as one of 2015’s three Nobel laureates in […]
When News Speaks for the Party
“I don’t trust WeChat anymore,” a friend told me. “It’s terrifying.” She had recently updated the popular Chinese instant messaging app on her iPhone and was logged out because she forgot her password. WeChat instructed her to choose three friends for identity verification. It then sent texts to her friends, including me, with verification codes. […]
Ringed by Walls – Changing Perceptions of Israel in the U.S and Abroad
As President Barack Obama delivered the words “A nation ringed by walls will only imprison itself”, many analysts pointed the statement as an adage against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Of the fences of Guantanamo Bay, the trade barriers of the Asia Pacific, the obstacles to American citizenship, Obama’s farewell address to the United Nations […]
To the Land of the Kiwis—Problems Arising from the Chinese and Indian Tidal Wave of Immigration to New Zealand
New Zealand today has more ethnicities than there are countries in the world. Starting in 2013, the land of the Kiwis has seen record net gains of migrants from countries such as India, China, the Philippines and Britain. New Zealand’s two largest immigrant pools are Chinese and Indians—who now comprise of 17 and 16 percent of […]
The Nordic Model: No Universal Holy Grail
Nordic countries have become somewhat of an international sensation. In the last decade, they seemed impervious to the economic and social woes that ossified economic growth in Europe and Asia and reflected extreme inequality in the United States. Many attribute their success to the “Nordic model,” a unique political and economic template that has raised […]
The Waning Hermit Kingdom (Part II): The Challenges of Korean Reunification
In January 2014, the North Korean government supposedly announced that it had successfully landed a man on the sun. However, contrary to such macho announcements from government mouthpieces, the sun is beginning to set for the backwater Hermit Kingdom. Continued famine, declining international aid, and increased dissemination of non-governmental information (discussed in Part I) have […]
The Art of Unapologizing
Political apologies are flawed, especially from the perspective of comfort women. About 20,000 women and girls were taken against their will to “comfort stations” throughout East Asia to provide sexual service to Japanese troops before and during WWII. The sacrifice of these “comfort women” were not formally recognized until fifty years after the war: the Kono […]
Our renminbi. Your problem.
“If an alien landed on earth they would be puzzled by its international financial institutions as China is grossly underrepresented” (BBC). In fact, it’s not just China; the vast majority of Asian countries are severely underrepresented in international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), though Asia is home to the world’s fastest […]
Cyberwar with China
The U.S. has been hacked on over 700 occasions in just five years on fronts ranging from corporate to private to governmental. Over the past two years, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) was hacked on two separate occasions; the hack this year was deemed the largest in U.S. history, with 5.6 million fingerprints and […]
Barking up the Wrong Tree
All dog lovers like myself would agree that there exists no worse scenes than those taking place in summertime Yulin, where puppies were tortured, beaten, and even boiled and skinned alive to please local residents’ appetite. This year, Yulin’s annual dog meat festival consumed approximately 10,000 dogs, sparking more controversy than ever. Provocative descriptions of […]
The Waning Hermit Kingdom (Part I): A Faltering Kim-Regime
When tensions rose along the Korean Peninsula this past August, it was not military provocation, but South Korean speakers blaring anti-North Korean propaganda that spurred Pyongyang to declare a quasi-state of war. The recent clash between the Koreas involved their first major armed encounter in five years. However, unlike previous military aggression from the Hermit […]
Trade and Transparency: The Trans-Pacific Partnership’s Elusive Agenda
In his first year in office, President Obama announced one of the primary goals of his international trade policy, U.S. participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade agreement between a dozen nations along the Pacific coast. According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), the TPP represents the “cornerstone of the Obama […]
The Deal of the Decade
Many thought this day would never come. In an interesting turn of events, negotiations between the United States and Iran over a developing nuclear deal are currently underway. Secretary of State John Kerry has led negotiations with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif over a deal in which sanctions on Iran would be lifted on […]
The High Cost of Threats: Sino-Israeli Relations
Say “economic sanctions” and three countries come to mind: Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Sanctions are usually reserved for historically hostile regimes, not long-time allies. Yet Obama administration and other Western European nations are threatening to impose sanctions on Israel, with the assumption that Israel is so dependent on Western markets that it will have […]
“Under the Dome”
China’s internet censors strike again, and this time, the country’s already deteriorating environment becomes the victim of their restrictive policies. A newly released documentary, “Under the Dome,” instantly went viral on the internet as the most thorough investigation of China’s pollution problems. In its first week the documentary attracted more than twenty millions viewers and […]
Ratifying Without Resolve
The 21st century was met with an explosion of international documents intended to protect universal human rights. Indeed, the international community is currently flooded with treaties, protocols, resolutions, mandates, and handshakes. However, there is one critical element to all of these policies and ideas that dries up their potential for positive impact – enforcement. Without […]
Mr. Xi Jinping, Tear Down This (Fire)Wall
In Beijing, signs throughout the city read: “Patriotism, Innovation, Inclusiveness, Virtue.” Like most political slogans, this particular one relies heavily on wishful thinking and an element of deception. China ranks 22 out of 50 OECD economies in innovation, a surprisingly low number given the prowess of the Chinese economy. Innovation itself is synonymous with taking […]
China’s Growing Role in the Afghanistan Peace Process
Following decades of cautious foreign policy, China is now taking a significant role in helping to secure peace in neighboring Afghanistan. China’s interest in Afghanistan is both economic and political: Afghanistan has abundant untapped natural resources, and China wants a stable Afghan government after U.S. and NATO forces leave. China is also growing more confident […]
Unlikely Bedfellows
President Obama’s newfound friendship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has the world speculating about the potential strengthening of an alliance between two crucial players in the global arena. In late January, Obama became the first U.S. President to attend India’s Republic Day Parade, a celebration of India’s cultural heritage, thriving democracy, and military strength. […]
Apocalypse Tomorrow
Part 4 of a series on U.S. cybersecurity. Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones. -Albert Einstein The age of cyberwarfare is finally upon us. This transformation is irreversible; former Defense Secretary Chuck […]
The AIIB: China’s Economic Evolution
According to the International Monetary Foundation (IMF), the economies of the Asia-Pacific region are growing rapidly, and are expected to account for almost half of global GDP by 2030. However, sustainable, long-term economic growth requires a sound infrastructure network to facilitate the transportation of ideas and goods in the increasingly connected global economy, yet the […]
Viable Ambassadors or Bona Fide Embarrassments?
“Viable Ambassadors or Bona Fide Embarassments?” was originally published in the Davis Political Review on December 9, 2014. What do a soap opera creator, a public relations executive, and a hotel mogul all have in common? Sure, all three donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the 2012 Obama campaign for president. But Colleen Bradley […]
The Northern Sea Route: Could It Be The New Suez Canal?
Under the influence of climate change, Arctic ice is melting away. This scares climatologists, but also intriguingly creates possible economic benefits. The melted ice has opened trade routes and energy resources, attracting the interest of many of the world’s most powerful nations. However, while the melting ice has created these two potential economic benefits, only […]
Art of Intervention: The ISIS Threat to China
China’s foreign policy has traditionally revolved around a belief of non-intervention. Their so-called Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence was codified in 1953 and later added to the Preamble of the Chinese Constitution. China’s primary objective is stability, and from their perspective, the surest way to destabilize a region is by intervening militarily. However, despite its […]
Forging a Response
Home to strategic military bases, vital trade routes, and valuable natural resources, the South China Sea represents some of the most sought after territory in the world. In terms of trade, about a third of global crude oil traffic and half of global natural gas exports travel through the South China Sea each year [1]. […]
Wasteful Stadiums
The Manaus, Brazil World Cup stadium cost $300 million to build. Source: Brasil.gov The 2014 FIFA World Cup hosted in Brazil has been the most popular one yet. One Brazilian channel attracted a whopping 42.9 million viewers for a single game, the largest global sports viewing audience this year. The ESPN World Cup coverage even broke […]
Scaling Everest
BY GIACOMO TOGNINI It has been seven years since Nepal’s decade-long civil war led to the overthrow of the world’s third-longest-lasting absolute monarchy and the victory of former Maoist rebels at the polls. Today, Nepal is undergoing a dramatic political crisis that shows no signs of abating before the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections in two […]
The Snub Heard ‘Round China
My mom and I seldom talk about politics because of the language barrier and also because I need her to pay my tuition. But a month ago, she asked me why Michelle Obama snubbed Peng Liyuan, the wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, by not going to the Obama-Xi summit meeting. I told her that […]