Category: Fellows
U.S. Influence Tested as Colombia Embraces China’s BRI
Colombia’s move to join the Beijing-led Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) marks a significant shift in the strategic competition between China and the United States in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). At a moment when the U.S. is seeking to counter China’s influence in the region, ...
China’s Eurasian Detour: Bypassing Russia, Dodging U.S. Sea Power
A once-overlooked trade route across the Eurasian landmass is now a key strategic priority for China in this new era of global uncertainty. The Middle Corridor—a multimodal network stretching from China’s western border through Kazakhstan, across the Caspian Sea, and into Europe via Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye—has ...
China’s Eurasian Detour: Bypassing Russia, Dodging U.S. Sea Power
A once-overlooked trade route across the Eurasian landmass is now a key strategic priority for China in this new era of global uncertainty. The Middle Corridor—a multimodal network stretching from China’s western border through Kazakhstan, across the Caspian Sea, and into Europe via Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye—has ...
Central Asia’s Mineral Magnet: Why China Is Doubling Down on Uzbekistan
As global competition for critical minerals heats up, Central Asia has become a strategic battleground, rich in resources and increasingly central to the ambitions of both regional and global powers. Within this context, China—already deeply engaged in the region's energy and infrastructure sectors—has adopted a more proactive ...
Central Asia’s Mineral Magnet: Why China Is Doubling Down on Uzbekistan
As global competition for critical minerals heats up, Central Asia has become a strategic battleground, rich in resources and increasingly central to the ambitions of both regional and global powers. Within this context, China—already deeply engaged in the region's energy and infrastructure sectors—has adopted a more proactive ...
From Neutral Ground to Strategic Asset: The Shifting Politics of the Panama Canal
By Alonso Illueca, CGSP Non-Resident Fellow for Latin America and the Caribbean The recent visit by United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to Panama marked the latest chapter in the ongoing strategic standoff between Washington and Beijing. From U.S. President ...
Empty Promises, Open Doors: How U.S. Policy Opened the Way for China in Central Asia
By Yunis Sharifli, CGSP Non-Resident Fellow for Central Asia The Trump administration's tariffs are reshaping more than the U.S.’s trade balances—they’re redrawing geopolitical lines. Although the administration announced a pause on some tariffs this morning, the broader strategic and regional effects ...
Ports, Power, and Politics: Behind the High-Stakes Battle Over CK Hutchison’s Panama Deal
By Alonso Illueca, CGSP Non-Resident Fellow for Latin America and the Caribbean This week, a multibillion-dollar deal was set to shift control of some 43 ports across 23 countries—but now, it’s at the center of an escalating geopolitical battle. The agreement ...