Economy
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Crosscurrents in Manila: 2025 Midterms and the New Geopolitical Order
The 2025 Philippine midterm elections, held on May 12, are more than a routine contest for Senate and House seats; the vote is widely seen as a referendum on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration. It takes place amid a high-profile rift between Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte, former allies…
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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…
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ACFTA at a Crossroads: Balancing Growth and Dependency in ASEAN-China Trade Relations
The strategic partnership between the United States and ASEAN has never fully recovered from the shock of the Trump administration’s 2016 turn away from multilateralism, erratic diplomacy, and rising protectionism. Years of unpredictable US policy have eroded trust, leaving ASEAN leaders doubtful about Washington’s long-term reliability. Into this vacuum steps…
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Reassessing Market Commitments: Foreign Firms Exit China Amid Mounting Political and Economic Uncertainty
Foreign direct investment (FDI) was a cornerstone of China’s rapid economic ascent over the past five decades, but recent years have seen a sharp decline. While sluggish post-COVID recovery is often cited as the primary cause, equally important are the Chinese government’s assertive domestic and foreign policies. Artificially subsidized local…
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Echoes of 2018: Understanding Trump’s Renewed Tariff Offensive on China
The hardened stance of President Trump’s second administration toward China—manifested in aggressive tariff threats, export controls, and trade investigations—closely echoes the US trade strategy of 2018–2020. Then, what began with duties on several billion dollars of imports swiftly escalated into an unprecedented tit‑for‑tat tariff war that rattled global markets, exposed…
Sino-Southeast Initiative 