“Who do I call if I want to call Europe?”
Category: China
Custom duties as aggressive as these have been tested numerous times throughout history. To date, there has not been a single country that has enjoyed sustainable economic growth as a result of increasing tariffs一and the 2018 tariffs are shaping out to be another example of a failed protectionist policy.
In recent years, European countries have made an increased effort to reestablish a strong presence in the Indo-Pacific, home to half of the world’s population and some of the fastest growing economies.
The Chinese Maritime Militia, dubbed the ‘little blue men’, signifies Beijing’s vision of a maritime ‘people’s war’ where civilian and military structures are integrated in a Maoist fashion that sees the social sphere as intimately connected to the military industrial complex.
China’s Huawei was struggling to secure a chance to bid for Brazil’s new 5G network, but Brazil’s dire need for vaccines might give China a new advantage.
Existing on the edge of brinkmanship over multiple subjects of global contention, China and the West now see the COVID vaccine as a crucial leverage. After more than 142 million confirmed cases and over 3 million deaths worldwide, the key to ending the pandemic has become a weapon itself.
The AU has made great strides towards its purpose, but lack of real political power and alarming dependency on foreign powers may well result in its own demise.
The surge in saber-rattling suggests that Beijing will continue provoking Taipei using a gray zone strategy. While subversions of political systems and covert paramilitary operations have historic roots, China is using a new collection of tactics, notably in the cyber sector, that are challenging US and allied interests in novel ways.
Almost reflexively, parallels are drawn between the Cold War and the new bipolar world order. However, lessons learned from the Cold War cannot be directly applied to this new Sino-American bipolarity.
China’s current leader has worked swiftly and ruthlessly to extend and cement his grip on power. He has presided over China at a time when the West increasingly perceives his country’s rise, intentions, and actions as an existential threat to the rules-based international order. The question remains: is Xi the driving force behind today’s China, or a product of it?
Journal on World Affairs, UCLA 