Xiaolong (James) Wang
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From Beijing to Strategic Autonomy: How Carney’s China Agreement Revives the Third Option
Mark Carney’s landmark trade agreement with China—reducing Canadian EV tariffs to 6.1% in exchange for slashed canola tariffs—proves that Canada’s long-failed quest for strategic autonomy can succeed. But only when built on power, not ideology: Carney is fixing Pierre Trudeau’s Third Option by securing material strength first, then diversifying from…
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The Wet Foundations of the Digital Age
The global race for artificial intelligence is usually framed as a battle over chips, code, and national security. But behind the scenes, the AI economy runs on something far more basic: water. From cooling data centers to manufacturing semiconductors, modern computing depends on enormous and growing volumes of freshwater. As…
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Korea’s Rise and America’s Retreat in Southeast Asian Defense
As the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting convenes in South Korea amid heightened geopolitical tensions, Southeast Asia’s systematic shift toward Korean and European defense systems represents a critical challenge to American strategic influence in the region. While the US pursues renewed engagement through expanded defense agreements and strengthened alliances, Seoul’s emerging…
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The New Iron Curtains of AI: How US and Chinese Rulebooks Are Rewiring Power
AI policy has become industrial policy, export control, and alliance management at once. Since 2020, Washington and Beijing have converged on a blunt insight: whoever writes the rules for models, chips, and data flows sets the pecking order. Both are building regulatory perimeters that do more than “keep us safe.”…
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Singapore’s Crypto Clampdown: Can Regulation Build the Next Fintech Hub?
As global regulators scramble to restore trust in digital finance, Singapore is charting a path that few others dare to follow. While much of the crypto world eyes a rebound driven by new capital, token launches, and looser rules, Singapore is moving in the opposite direction—tightening consumer protections, raising compliance…
Sino-Southeast Initiative 