Japan’s Arms Merchants Are Off to a Rocky Start
When Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government redrew Japan’s self-imposed arms export restrictions in 2014, it hoped to spark a revolution in a domestic defense […] More
Economics
Will Tokyo’s Arms Exports Help or Hurt U.S Interests in Asia?
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s current political problems obscure the striking speed with which he successfully tackled thorny and long-standing security policy problems, including the […] More
The Germans Won’t Budge on their Vision of Europe
French President Emmanuel Macron clinched a major win in the country’s recent parliamentary elections, and as Germany looks toward federal elections in September, Chancellor Angela […] More
Are France and Germany the Last Hope for the EU?
With Britain leaving the European Union, a surge in support for populist and anti-EU parties across the continent, and an uncertain United States that seems […] More
France Must Reform Before Building a Franco-German Engine
Will French President Emmanuel Macron be able to work with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to restore a fracturing European Union to a position of strength? […] More
Will China Play Peacemaker with Its Oil Suppliers Saudi Arabia and Iran?
China, for some time, has performed a delicate balancing act in the Middle East. As a major importer of oil from two archrivals, Saudi Arabia […] More
China Looking to Expand Saudi Trade Via Renewable Energy, Petrochemicals
Saudi-China bilateral relations took a notable upswing this March after Saudi King Salman and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed landmark economic deals worth approximately $65 […] More
China Courts Iran to Sell Goods, Diversify Oil Sources
As a major importer of oil from both Saudi Arabia and Iran, and with expanding economic interests in the Middle East, China has a stake […] More
Does Brexit Still Mean Brexit?
British Prime Minister Theresa May had hoped to have an ironclad majority in parliament that would bolster her negotiating position in upcoming Brexit talks. That […] More
In Brexit, EU Holds the Cards
British Prime Minister Theresa May and her Conservative Party’s upset electoral loss on Thursday has thrown British politics into chaos and called May’s survival as […] More
Bilateral Disputes Could Derail Brexit
After British snap elections held this Thursday, attention will now turn back to negotiations between the EU and the UK to determine the terms under […] More
How Can the U.S. Level the Digital Trade Playing Field?
Trade growth has been running flat against GDP growth since 2012. According to the World Trade Organization (WTO), global trade volumes grew just 1.3 percent in […] More
U.S. Internet Firms Could Slowly Lose Edge to Asian Rivals
The McKinsey Global Institute estimated last year that digital trade has a greater impact on economic growth, measured by a nation’s Gross Domestic Product, than […] More
Trump Administration Risks Falling into Protectionist Trap
In recent years, global trade growth has slowed significantly, even creeping below global GDP growth at a level that hasn’t been seen in decades. Some […] More
Dispelling Myths About Chinese Investment in Africa
Investment priorities and trends have changed as China’s economy and those of its African partners continue to develop. Chinese firms see an opportunity for lucrative, […] More
China’s Evolving Security Interests in Africa
As China’s economic interests in Africa have expanded, its security interests have kept pace, to protect Chinese nationals and assets across the continent. To that […] More
Chinese Firms Surge into Africa in Search of Customers, Contracts, Jobs
China Merchants Port Holdings has invested $400 million to build China’s first port in Africa. The massive project, now under construction in Djibouti, will serve […] More
China Expands Investments Across Africa
Decades ago, China saw economic partnerships with African nations as a means of securing political support. As China’s economy has evolved towards export manufacture, its […] More