If China were to become a new active leader in the Middle East it would have to be willing to, first, bear the costs, and, second, adopt a more complex global leadership strategy. In January 2016, China issued its first official Arab policy paper outlining the guiding principles and development of China-Arab relations. This became… Continue reading China in the Middle East: A ‘Quiet Strategy’ of Balancing
Article by Matej Šimalčík published at the East Asia Forum: Since the announcement of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative, China has focussed more and more on Central and Eastern Europe, and what started as China’s ‘charm offensive’ has developed increasingly sharp spikes in regional media outlets. Local media outlets play the important role of… Continue reading Do the Central European media show caution towards China?
The 16+1 platform that China coincidentally created and subsequently nurtured has recently seen increasing disengagement on the European side. The smaller central and eastern European (CEE) countries have initially enthusiastically jumped on the opportunity China ambiguously presented to them. Expectations were high: the vision of an increased Chinese investment, enhanced exports to China, and perhaps… Continue reading 16+1: Failed Dreams or Failed Economics?
The ‘comfort women’ issue is an unusual thread uniting China, South Korea, North Korea, and other countries against Japan, which also presents challenges to American policy in the region. It is not just an international problem, as it is also interlinked with the domestic policy of both South Korea and Japan. “A wrong knot has… Continue reading ‘Comfort Women’ Deal Reopened
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been, for decades, positioning itself as the leader of Islam. Since 2017, when King Salman visited Southeast Asia, Saudi Arabia has been engaging and enhancing cooperation with Muslim majority countries of ASEAN. However, empowering countries’ Muslim identity while linking it with the political legitimacy can have serious consequences to… Continue reading Saudi Pursuit of Islamic Leadership: New Cultural Challenge for ASEAN?
