In The News

Future of Globalization: Foreign Policy

Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman July 7, 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic exposed society’s dependence on globalization and the challenges. Trade went from predictable to uncertain as nations blocked and confiscated protective medical gear and other needed supplies. Leaders worry about similar disruptions for food or other necessary products. “But the crisis that globalization faces has roots that go far deeper than the current pandemic,” explain...

TikTok Pulls Out of Hong Kong: TechCrunch

Rita Liao July 7, 2020
TikTok is the world’s most popular short video app, but politicians around the world express “concerns that it could be used by the Beijing government as a surveillance and propaganda tool,” explains Rita Liao for TechCrunch. India has banned TikTok, along with more than 50 other Chinese apps, and the United States may follow. TikTok announced plans to pull out of Hong Kong, where China has...

Banks Warn Britain and EU of Chaos: Express

Manon Dark July 6, 2020
The transition period for Britain’s relationship with the European Union and membership privileges end in December, and Brexit talks are at a stalemate. “Any future direct EU access after the transition period is over will be decided by whether Brussels feels the UK regulation is ‘equivalent’ to the standards set in the trade bloc,” reports Manon Dark for the Daily Express. The Association for...

Who Lost Hong Kong on June 30? Japan Times

Kuni Miyake July 6, 2020
Impatient after a year of massive protests, China enacted a national security law for Hong Kong on June 30 with vigorous enforcement. “That was the day when the long-eroding fiction of ‘One country, two systems’ finally disappeared in Hong Kong,” writes Kuni Miyake for the Japan Times. While multiple players contributed to Hong Kong’s plight, the author concludes that Xi is largely responsible...

Failed Democracy in Thailand: Asia Sentinel

Pithaya Pookaman July 3, 2020
A bloodless coup transformed Thailand’s absolute monarchy into a constitutional system in 1932, yet the country does not enjoy full democracy today. Thailand’s elite do not trust citizens with decision-making, and there is a “reinvention of modern-day authoritarianism in the form of a triumvirate consisting of the military establishment, bureaucratic elite and business conglomerates,” explains...

Appeasement Policy for China: Project Syndicate

Brahma Chellaney July 2, 2020
India’s buffer with China is shrinking, and India’s leaders should have anticipated China’s incursions in the Ladakh region, suggests Brahma Chellaney for Project Syndicate. China opposed India’s designation of Ladakh as a new federal territory, and labeled its recent moves as defensive. “While India was preoccupied with the COVID-19 crisis, China was apparently planning its next attempt to...

“Sad Day for Hong Kong”: SCMP

Teddy Ng, Joyce Ng, Jun Mai and Tony Cheung July 1, 2020
Massive protests began in June 2019 over China’s increasing influence and proposed legislation allowing extradition to China. China released details of a new national security law for Hong Kong only after final approval. “Under the law, Beijing will exercise jurisdiction over ‘complicated’ cases such as those relating to foreign interference, or when local authorities cannot enforce the law...