Asia Pacific

Hengu Wang Whenever I reflect on Europe’s development challenges and the state of Sino-European relations, I can’t help but think of China’s most famous science fiction novel. China’s rise, especially its rapid advancements in military and technology, has reshaped the global landscape. Yet, after a year of studying …

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have surged to their highest levels in decades, following deadly cross-border clashes that have pushed both nations to the brink of prolonged confrontation. At the centre of the crisis is Noor Wali Mehsud, leader of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), whom Islamabad blames for …

Beijing Tightens Grip on Critical Minerals: As Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping prepare for a landmark meeting later this month, China has announced comprehensive export controls on rare earth minerals, strengthening an already tight hold over materials essential to global technology, defense, and green energy production. Beijing’s …

Dimitra Staikou Sun Tzu’s timeless maxim — “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting” — aptly captures China’s current approach to Taiwan. Rather than engaging in open warfare, Beijing is waging a multidimensional campaign of pressure and control — a hybrid war fought through cyberattacks, …

The Art of War by Sun Tzu has been the basis of all strategy in the hundreds of years before and even in modern times, specifically in schools of warfare. Its classic values, such as deception, intelligence, restraint, and speed, are still the pillars of war. The character …

Better enforcement of the re-imposed snapback sanctions on Iran could have a decisive effect on its oil exports to China. With the UN “snapback” sanctions back in force, the regime in Tehran finds itself more isolated and under pressure. The measures reinstate the zero enrichment standard and reimpose …

Sahibzada M. Usman If you glance at a map, Kazakhstan’s situation jumps out right away. It’s huge, resource-rich, and stuck in the middle of land with no direct path to the sea. That’s been both its strength and its burden. Strength, because it’s central in Eurasia; burden, because …

Zamir Awan It is appreciated that President Trump has announced a peace proposal after meeting Netanyahu. He announced a twenty-point proposal covering several aspects, but with a warning that if Hamas rejects his proposal, he will support Netanyahu to manage Gaza as per his way. The instant reaction …

Nicholas Oakes As U.S. President Donald Trump rolled out a new Gaza peace plan this week—one that dangles the possibility of eventual Palestinian statehood—events on the ground in the West Bank told a different story. Bulldozers escorted by armed guards cut through the hills near Beit Ur al-Fauqa, …