Geopolitics
US-China Tensions Persist Despite Biden-Xi Call
Pamir observes that US and Chinese official readouts indicate that fundamental disagreements on priority issues – Taiwan, the South China Sea, trade, and technology –continue to strain the relationship. US-China relations are likely to remain turbulent for the rest of 2024.
China’s Position on Hamas-Israel War
On 7 October 2023, Hamas launched a major terrorist attack against Israel. Israel retaliated with massive military actions in Gaza, which have resulted in huge civilian casualties and a humanitarian crisis. As the Hamas-Israel war escalated, China took a seemingly neutral position by refusing to denounce Hamas but stating instead that China opposes attacks on civilians by any party.
Pamir's Dr. Mercy Kuo podcast interview with China in Context, SOAS China Institute
Did you catch this latest podcast interview with Dr. Mercy Kuo from China in Context, China Institute, London?
US and Japan To Upgrade Defense Pact
The US and Japan are expected to announce an upgrade to their defense pact at the April 10 meeting between President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Washington.
Generative AI transforming big pharma drug design
Generative AI is transforming the expensive and slow process of drug design and offers the opportunity for the discovery of novel drug compounds.
China Update - Chinese experts see no likelihood of major improvements in US-China relations - 13 December 2023
Chinese government propaganda hailed the meeting between presidents Biden and Xi in San Francisco on 15 November as a “historical milestone” in Sino-US relations, claiming that Xi reached at least three objectives.
China-Philippines Maritime Dispute Intensifies
Chinese and Philippine naval and coast guard maritime maneuvers around Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea are heightening regional tensions. Pamir assesses that the intensifying maritime dispute is steadily increasing the likelihood of accidents that may negatively impact commercial shipping lanes and supply chains.
Incoming Taiwan president amplifies support for semiconductor industry
President-elect LAI Ching-te (William Lai) of Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party has won the much-anticipated Taiwan elections and appears poised to continue the pro-Western policies of his predecessor.
China Intensifies Focus on Developing Its “Air Silk Road”
The Civil Aviation Administration of China is seeking certification for its C919 passenger jet airline from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). If successful it could mark the start of a new dynamic in the global civil aviation industry.
The protection and democratization of undersea communications networks
Ensuring the security of the global, submarine communications infrastructure is becoming a priority for Western governments and agencies concerned that China and Russia are willing to use it for espionage, personal data theft, and general disruptive purposes.
China and Brazil strengthen their fruitful Earth Resources Exploration Satellite collaboration, as China pushes its aerospace sector
As the two nations celebrate the 36th anniversary of their joint Earth Resources Exploration Satellite (CBERS) project, they vow to deepen collaboration on satellite development.
China Update - US-China high-level economic talks - 17 November 2023
Following extensive talks with US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on 9-10 November, Chinese Vice Premier HE Lifeng said the two sides had reached “three important consensuses”.
China and Vietnam strengthen diplomatic ties in response to elevated US-Vietnam relations
President Xi Jinping visits Hanoi to discuss Belt and Road Initiatives and diversify semiconductor and communications supply chains in response to the elevation of US-Vietnam relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in September.
China-Philippines Discord Stokes South China Sea Tensions
As relations between China and the Philippines continue to deteriorate over territorial disputes in the South China Sea, the Philippines is shoring up relations with other South China Sea claimants and striking agreements with regional allies to facilitate joint military operations.
Who is China’s Presumptive New Foreign Minister Liu Jianchao?
China is likely to announce the appointment of a new foreign minister in March, but the appointee may find his authority circumscribed by highly centralized policymaking.