PLA Navy on the rise
Spiking Chinese military spending and altercations with the US Navy are both results of Beijing’s ambitions to expand the Chinese defense perimeter into the South China Sea.
Trans-Pacific Partnership on Life Support
The brainchild of officials who wanted to cement US trade influence in Asia, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is now being doomed by the very country that birthed it.
North American Integration
There has been much discussion of further North American integration under a ‘Security and Prosperity Partnership’ between Canada, The United States and Mexico. Business think tanks campaign for harmonized policies, citizens groups call for public consultation and warn of a secret agenda while politicians publicly seem to do little at all. This article is a primer on the issue of North American integration.
Kazakhstan Looks Beyond Central Asia for New Trade Opportunities
Whatever new policies the post-Nazarbayev era brings, it will likely involve a continued push beyond the region in search of new economic opportunities.
KAZA Visa: A Step Forward in Africa Integration?
The southern Africa states of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have agreed to shared visa scheme, but future steps at regional integration won’t come easy.
Belarus: Delicate Situation in the Debilitated Dictatorship
Illusions of a sudden pro-Western and democratic Belarus are only that: illusions.
Great Britain’s Dangerous Attitude Problem
When it comes to dealing with the European Union and other trading partners, London would be well advised to show a greater willingness to compromise.
Why Protectionism Could Not Solve Trump’s Trade Deficit
President Trump came to power on a platform of reducing the trade deficit, yet in 2020 the gap remains wide as ever. What went wrong?
To Beat Populism, the EU Must Get Strategic on Trade
The new EU mandate needs ambitious trade deals to fuel fair transition and respond to the populist surge.
Is Bangladesh Pivoting from India toward the China-Pakistan Nexus?
Recent events seem to suggest that Bangladesh is moving closer to China and Pakistan, potentially furthering the geopolitical encirclement of India.