news
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Power Without Commitment: China’s Geopolitical Constraints in the Middle East
In recent years, China has sought to portray itself in the Middle East as a power fundamentally different from the West—one that emphasizes trade, investment, diplomacy, and respect for state sovereignty rather than military intervention. This image was reinforced following Beijing’s mediation of the Saudi-Iranian rapprochement. Yet the security crises…
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How the Iran War is Revealing Southeast Asia’s Energy Vulnerabilities: Singapore and Cambodia
The recent escalation of the conflict in Iran has sent shockwaves throughout global energy markets, but few regions have felt the structural impacts more intensely than Southeast Asia. Following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Singapore and Cambodia have been especially affected. Energy vulnerabilities revealed in these countries, one…
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Isolation vis-a-vis Integration: China’s road to AI self sufficiency
Far from crippling China’ technological ambitions, the US sanctions have accelerated Beijing’s transition toward a resilient, state-directed model of AI sovereignty. Through a “Triple Helix” framework that fuses immense state capital, corporate entrepreneurship, and growing R&D power of elite universities, China is systematically replacing foreign dependencies with domestic alternatives. The…
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On the Offensive: China’s K-Visa and the Global Race for Talent
Historically, China experienced a sustained exodus of its brightest minds, as students, researchers, and entrepreneurs left for countries offering greater academic freedom and professional opportunity. For decades, Beijing focused on internal reform aimed at stemming its persistent brain drain. On October 1st, 2025, China introduced the K-visa, joining the ranks…
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Singapore Is Positioned To Challenge Western Fintech Hubs
For decades we have lived under the assumption that fintech innovation belongs to the West. San Francisco, New York, and London dominate our interpretation of global finance and technology. When new models of payments and financial infrastructure are created, we have always instinctively looked towards these cities for leadership. But…
