The Golden Triangle’s City Built on Dirty Money

For decades, the Golden Triangle, a region wedged between Thailand, Myanmar and Laos along the Mekong River, has been synonymous with opium production, organised crime, and rebel militias. In recent years, in the northern part of Laos, the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ) has come under the control of Chinese casino mogul Zhao Wei, since his Hong Kong registered company, Kings Romans, leased the land for 99 years.

Post – Security Law: The Dawn of Hong Kong Financial Hub?

Will Hong Kong retain its status as an international financial hub following the passing of the national security law? This article examines China’s economic goals, recent geopolitical shifts, and initiatives like the Belt and Road and Greater Bay Area, while assessing Hong Kong’s unique financial strengths and future.

Inside the US TikTok Ban: Exploring the Implications of the Bill on US-China Relations

This article explores the implications of the proposed bill to ban TikTok in the United States on broader US-China relations. China’s response to the ban is also an area of discussion.

BRP Sierra Madre: The Waves of Uncertainty Surrounding the Sentry of the Second Thomas Shoal

The BRP Sierra Madre acts as the Philippines’ stronghold over the Second Thomas Shoal against Chinese advances in the South China Sea. In the past year, tensions in the region have escalated, with both nations’ coast guard services engaged in heated confrontations. Due to the shoal’s strategic location, both countries employed risky strategies to pursue their goals of controlling this location. Hence, turning the shoal and the BRP Sierra Madre into the South China Sea’s new geopolitical flashpoint towards the boundaries of a possible conflict.

Argentina’s Lithium Industry: Reforms and Radical Rhetoric

President Javier Milei’s ultraliberal policies, including the radical deregulation plan signed into decree DNU 70/2023, aim to revitalize Argentina’s economy by reducing state involvement and promoting private sector growth. Argentina’s lithium industry, critical for the global energy sector, stands to be significantly impacted. The country, poised to outpace Chile as a top lithium producer by 2027, faces major changes under Milei’s governance which emphasizes alignments towards U.S. interests and potentially increases foreign investors’ power, raising concerns among local and Indigenous communities about sustainable development.

(Analysis) China’s push for influence in Central Asia

Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Central Asia has fallen largely under Russia’s sphere of influence. However, China has had its eye on the region in recent years and is increasing efforts to dominate the land mass as part of its narrative of rebuilding its historic glory as the “Middle Kingdom”.