Calleigh Pan
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Can a Mediation Court Rebrand a Repressed City? China’s Soft-Power Gamble in Hong Kong
In May 2025, China launched the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) in Hong Kong, branding it as an alternative to Western dispute resolution forums like the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). While analysts have focused on its legal structure and geopolitical goals, less attention has been paid…
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The China-Laos Railway and the Price of Connectivity: Unequal Partners in a “Win-Win” Project
Despite its “win-win” branding as a flagship Belt and Road link transforming Laos from “land-locked” to “land-linked,” the China–Laos Railway has deepened asymmetric power dynamics. Thousands of Laotian families have been displaced, Laos’ 30 % ownership stake was financed by onerous Chinese loans that trap it in debt, and both…
Sino-Southeast Initiative 