Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa
Geopolitics Analyst in EU-Asia Relations and AsiaGlobal Fellow, The University of Hong Kong

Oct 22, 2025
Europe has failed to establish a coherent strategy toward China, shifting inconsistently between partnership, competition, and rivalry without defining clear objectives. Ursula von der Leyen’s 2025 State of the Union address, which omitted any substantive mention of China, marked the collapse of the EU’s China policy and exposed its strategic paralysis amid U.S. pressure and Chinese influence.

Oct 17, 2025
As Trump’s administration barrels forward, what seemed like a potential era of isolation has become a series of interventions that seemingly have come with one single calculation resting on America’s peerless power.

Sep 05, 2025
Today’s international order is shaped by “orbital bipolarity,” dominated by the United States and China, with secondary powers navigating their influence; Europe is limited in its role, China acts cautiously, Russia capitalizes on Western hesitation, and Ukraine remains trapped in the conflict.

Aug 01, 2025
Nepal’s EV surge, powered by Chinese technology and domestic hydropower, has displaced India’s industrial influence and exposed weaknesses in Delhi’s regional strategy. While it marks a shift in regional power, the transformation remains fragile, reliant on subsidies and foreign supply chains.

Jul 04, 2025
European Union leaders’ proclamations of supply autonomy sound great under the spotlight, but don’t hold up under the microscope. The truth may be that China already has won the game with its vice-grip on rare metal exports.

Jun 05, 2025
By drawing a parallel between U.S. interest in Greenland and its stance on Taiwan, China has mounted a carefully calibrated rhetorical response that highlights perceived inconsistencies in American positions on sovereignty, positions itself as a defender of international norms, and gently tests the cohesion of Western alliances.

May 09, 2025
India presents itself as a global leader and representative of the Global South, yet this contradicts its troubled relationships with immediate neighbors. Western powers overlook that because they view India as a counterbalance to China rather than scrutinizing its regional conduct and democratic backsliding.

Apr 30, 2025
Step by step, Europe has flubbed their chances to remain relevant since China’s rise, and now it may be too late for the EU to regain its clout in the global order. Is the dream of a multipolar world coming to a premature end?

Mar 27, 2025
Trump’s second term could pave the way for extended rule by undermining institutions and consolidating power, following the pattern of historical self-coups. This would not only threaten U.S. democracy but also disrupt global stability, forcing nations like China to rethink their long-term strategies.

Mar 07, 2025
The European Parliament making moves to condemn China over human rights abuses may play well in modern day, but exposes the fault lines in a changing global order - the West today should no longer freely lecture the rest of the world on moral issues.
