Politics
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Competition in the Ocean: China’s Vertical Expansion and India’s Horizontal Dominance
As China deepens its strategic footprint through vertical port development and energy corridors, India counters with a horizontally expansive maritime network rooted in historical connectivity. Both powers have increasingly prioritized the Indian Ocean as a geopolitical landscape, where ancient trade routes meet modern rivalries. In their ancient maritime treatises, “Bahr…
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Coercion by the Kilogram: Rare Earths and the Next Phase of US–China Competition
On April 4, 2025, China’s Ministry of Commerce imposed new licensing requirements on exports of seven rare earth elements (REEs) and their associated products, including permanent magnets. While not an outright ban, this move adds regulatory friction to the global supply of critical materials such as samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium,…
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Drama in Manila: Duterte vs Marcos Feud Determines Future of the Philippines
The escalating rivalry between former President Rodrigo Duterte and incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has evolved into a defining moment for Philippine politics and foreign policy. As the country grapples with the fallout of Duterte’s arrest and deepening political polarization ahead of the 2028 presidential race, the contest between the…
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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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China and Industrial Policy (Part I): The History of an Idea, Its Rationale and Consequences
Written in conjunction with Paul Meyer. You can read Part II here. Industrial policy has recently regained prominence in policymakers’ minds, and not in small part due to China. Whilst industrial policy has always been contentious in an era dominated by capitalist market economies rather than state planning economies, its…
Sino-Southeast Initiative 