Economics and Trade

  • Global Commons

    Chinese leaders hike military spending despite struggling economy

    FORUM Staff The People’s Republic of China (PRC) will raise military spending 7.2% in 2024 — continuing 20-plus years of such increases — while forecasting 5% growth in the nation’s economy, a rate observers say is optimistic. Premier Li Qiang, the PRC’s second in command, outlined the military spending plan and economic projection at the weeklong National People’s Congress (NPC)…

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  • Features

    Alliances and Partnerships

    Dr. Alfred Oehlers/Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies Photos by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS We often hear that alliances and partnerships are a vital asset. These relationships distinguish the United States from its competitors. They also confer decisive advantages, especially at crucial moments. As the U.S. faces future challenges, it likely will again turn to Allies and Partners for…

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  • Conflicts - Tensions

    Slippery Moves

    FORUM STAFF A dearth of modern tanker ships willing to carry sanctioned Russian oil has given rise to a “shadow” fleet of more than 600 past-their-prime vessels that deliver crude and refined petroleum to receptive nations. The vessels elude detection by obscuring their ownership, turning off automatic identification system (AIS) devices, transferring cargo at sea and “spoofing,” or broadcasting a…

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  • Features

    Demographic Shifts

    Dr. Jennifer Dabbs Sciubba  |  Photos by Reuters Continued population growth in India and depopulation in China mean that India has assumed the title as the world’s most populous country. From population size alone, not much can be inferred about India’s future, but a deeper dive into its demographic dynamics shows that the country’s leaders need to move quickly to…

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  • Conflicts - Tensions

    Sharp Edges

    Dr. Jake Wallis/Australian Strategic Policy Institute Under an assertive Chinese Communist Party (CCP) General Secretary Xi Jinping, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is building a global propaganda system designed to reshape the international order. This is a more complex challenge than that posed by other authoritarian states in the information domain, even more so than Russia’s disruptive integration of…

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  • Conflicts - Tensions

    Exposing CCP Espionage

    FORUM Staff A clearly visible high-altitude balloon traversing the continental United States in late January and early February 2023 — before a U.S. fighter jet shot down the surveillance system — alerted nations to the extent of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) espionage efforts. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has deployed this type of surveillance technology globally before to…

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  • Global Commons

    Shared vision renders Free and Open Indo-Pacific that’s connected, prosperous, resilient, secure

    FORUM Staff Implementation of the United States’ Indo-Pacific strategy is progressing, a recent study shows. Collaboration among Allies and Partners has reached levels that make the region and the U.S. more prosperous and secure than ever, officials said. Since launching its strategy, the U.S. has revitalized and set new benchmarks for regional interactions. U.S. policymakers, diplomats and military leaders have…

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  • Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP

    Chinese trade hurt by Houthi attacks on ships attempting Red Sea passage

    FORUM Staff Though not targets of Houthi rebels, Chinese traders are significantly affected by the militants’ attacks on cargo vessels traversing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and fear the crisis on one of the world’s busiest shipping routes could have lasting effects. One Chinese businessman said the cost of shipping a container to Europe spiked from about $3,000 in December 2023…

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  • Conflicts - Tensions

    OBOR scheme turns PRC into world’s largest debt collector

    FORUM Staff The People’s Republic of China (PRC) — the world’s second-largest economy — is now the world’s single-largest source of international debt, according to a new report from AidData, a United States-based research lab. AidData calculated that more than half of the loans Beijing has made as part of its One Belt, One Road (OBOR) infrastructure scheme have entered…

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  • Conflicts - Tensions

    U.S. commits $553 million to Sri Lanka port expansion

    FORUM Staff The United States International Development Finance Corp. (DFC) has committed more than $500 million toward development of a deep-water shipping container terminal in the Port of Colombo, Sri Lanka, the agency announced in November 2023. The $553 million package provides financing to Colombo West International Terminal Private Ltd. for the West Container Terminal. The project partners also include…

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