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: International Politics
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. […]
Three Presidents, Two Entities, One Dilemma
You may think that one president is enough to deal with, but imagine having three. Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), a Western Balkan country with a population of three million, has an unparalleled tripartite presidential system. Yet even three presidents cannot resolve Bosnia’s dilemma of ethnic division, nor promote significant economic development. Historical Background Bosnia’s turbulent […]
Press Issues Take Rise in India
“I have resigned. You won’t hear me on NDTV anymore saying, ‘Hello, I’m Ravish Kumar.’” These were the final words uttered by Ravish Kumar during a YouTube video last November in which he declared his official departure from New Dehli Television (NDTV). The Current State of Affairs Kumar making his exit from NDTV is just […]
Turkey’s 2023 General Election: A Turn in Turkey’s Democratic Future
Turkey today has undergone democratic backsliding in recent decades, as Turkish President Erdogan has transformed Turkey into an increasingly authoritarian state. With its general election ongoing, Turkey has been thrust into the spotlight as current President Erdogan faces opposition Kemal Kilicdaroglu. President Erdogan has become increasingly unpopular due to policies that dismantled key aspects of […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Nothing is Fair, Sanctions or War
At the ripe age of 12, most American kids are concerned with making friends at school or convincing their parents to let them see R rated movies. When Joseph Kim was 12, he was solely concerned with survival. Joseph grew up at the height of North Korea’s decades’ long drought in the 1990s. Before even making […]