Category: Politics
Thailand Defends BRICS Membership as China Expands Influence Amid Geopolitical Shifts
Thailand’s Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa defended the country’s decision to join BRICS on Monday, stating that membership is in the national interest and will enhance economic growth, technological cooperation, and Thailand’s role in global governance. Addressing Senate questions on ...
Philippines Set to Sign Visiting Forces Deal With Canada
Manila said Friday that the Philippines and Canada have negotiated a deal for the deployment of troops, which will occur once the latest security pact is signed in the face of increasingly tense confrontations with China. Manila's defence department said it ...
China’s Two Sessions: Takeaways for the Global South
China’s annual Two Sessions political gathering outlined new measures to signal that the CPC is targeting economic hurdles at home and new challenges from the Trump administration. China stuck to a relatively optimistic 5% GDP growth target and announced a 7.2% increase in its defense budget. This comes as ...
China’s Top Diplomat to Hold Friday Press Conference
China's foreign minister Wang Yi will take questions from journalists Friday on the sidelines of the "Two Sessions" political meetings, Beijing said. The veteran diplomat will answer questions on "China's foreign policy and diplomatic relations", the press centre of Beijing's National ...
Connecting the Dots: DRC Mineral Geopolitics
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is reportedly lobbying the U.S. for greater backing against incursions by the Rwandan-backed M23 militia in return for access to critical minerals. Recent press reports cited a classified letter by Aaron Poynton, an executive appointed by the DRC government to boost ...
China’s $249 Billion 2025 Military Budget: Modernization, Tensions, and Comparisons
On Wednesday, China announced a 7.2% increase in its 2025 national defense and military budget, bringing total military spending to $249 billion. This marks the 10th consecutive year of single-digit growth in defense expenditure, a pattern Beijing maintains is measured ...
The End of the West and the Future of China
U.S. President Donald Trump's decision this week to pause military funding for Ukraine and to align his government with Russia further widens the cleavage between the United States and Europe — effectively breaking what has long been known as "the West." ...
Trade and Growth on Agenda for Key China Meeting
By Isabel Kua and Peter Catterall China's largest political event of the year begins in Beijing on Tuesday, as U.S. tariffs cast a cloud over closed-door meetings involving thousands of delegates from across the country. ...
Cook Islands PM Beats No-Confidence Vote, Slams New Zealand
The Cook Islands prime minister survived a no-confidence vote on Wednesday, blaming "misinformation" from former colonial ruler New Zealand for destabilizing his Pacific country. The parliament voted 13-to-9 against the motion of no-confidence in Prime Minister Mark Brown's government, sparked by ...
Trend Tracker: China’s Role in Security Hotspots Adapts to Geopolitics, GSI
China recently appointed Colonel-Major Chen Xuming as its first-ever defense attaché to Niger. In the wake of the expulsion of French and U.S. forces from large parts of the Sahel, this could signal an interest in heightening the security aspect of China’s regional engagement.
Navigating U.S.-China Rivalry: Africa’s Strategic Response in the Trump Era
The U.S.-China relationship is at a critical inflection point as Donald Trump tries to reset ties with his counterpart Xi Jinping. The U.S. President has repeatedly said he wants to negotiate a comprehensive trade agreement that would, in his view, lead ...
China Pledges Trustworthy Ties with Latin America as Trump Wields Tough Demands
China is boldly staking its claim as a trustworthy and reliable friend to Latin America. “China will always be Latin America's 'trustworthy' friend and partner,” declared Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to his Bolivian counterpart, signaling Beijing’s intent to deepen ...