Jan 22, 2021

China’s ambitious foreign investments have attracted all kinds of attention - supporters point out its material benefits, while critics emphasize the lopsided power dynamic of Chinese capital. In Central Asia, economic and ethnic tensions in the mining sector have put China’s business practices under scrutiny.

Nov 27, 2020

China’s economy has outpaced all other nations in growth for decades, following a growth model that led to 800 million people being lifted out of poverty. As growth begins to taper off, they’re now faced with the challenge of replacing dated practices with new models of development to make it past what economists call “the middle-income trap.”

Oct 27, 2020

The U.S. is suffering the world’s worst COVID-19 outbreak among countries of its relative wealth, and many citizens - including presidential candidates Trump and Biden - are pointing fingers at China. The climate of xenophobia and discrimination has put the Asian American demographic at risk physically, and economically.

Sep 16, 2020

Even as the global pandemic continues to unfold, geopolitical maneuvering remains in play. The outbreak has exposed how struggles for power, respect, and control play out even in matters of public health as powerful nations aim to maximize their gains alongside a working treatment.

Mar 06, 2020

As COVID-19 spreads, the virus and the Sinophobia that follows threatens China’s Belt and Road Initiative and its goal of creating ‘a community of common destiny.’

Dec 17, 2019

China has gifted security technology to a number of foreign nations, stretching from Ecuador in South America to Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia. Whether such technologies are part of China’s BRI efforts to construct ‘a community of common destiny’ or are backed by some other ulterior motive is unclear.

Jun 26, 2019

Since its inception, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has been criticized for lacking direction and enforcement power. Yet, the SCO still has a place as a discussion forum for top leadership in the region. We must reevaluate our expectations for the SCO and recognize that the creation of a discussion forum is a success in its own right.

Feb 22, 2019

China’s Belt and Road Initiative has come under fire for its white elephant projects – ‘never-to-be-recovered’ infrastructure projects that provide little value to recipient states. Rather, infrastructure investments have to be focused on quality and impact rather than mere quantity and volume – otherwise, the impacts of such investments will be marginal.

Oct 11, 2018

Can China overcome its legacy of corruption in its Belt and Road project?

Jun 26, 2018

Although the leaders of the SCO member-states emphasised that the Qingdao summit will be a new departure point for the organisation and agreed in principle that there is a need for a roadmap of actions, it still remains unclear what the SCO can really offer.