The Biden-Xi Summit: Deliberating Taiwan, Trade, HR Violations & Climate Change
The much-awaited Biden-Xi virtual summit took place on 15th November to deliberate and resolve the contentious issues between the two states. The meeting focused on four key areas: Taiwan, trade relations, human rights violations, and climate change.
China’s Currency Devaluation Explained: Yuan vs Dollar
In 2019, the former US president, Donald Trump, declared China a currency manipulator. Although his predecessor, Barack Obama, had refrained from labeling China as such, he had shown frustration with its currency devaluation. For China, the low currency has been a cause for greater foreign investment. Since the state has a cheap production cost and labor, the international community now relies heavily on China’s exports. The author, Muhammad Hamza Tanvir, notes that China stockpiles American dollars and then uses them to purchase US treasuries which, in certain cases, can prove disastrous for the US. He explains that the US and China are ensnared in the Thucydides’ Trap and any development in their relations will affect the entire world.
The Quantum Technologies Race Between the US & China
In the civil and military domains, quantum technologies have presented new and efficient ways for weapons modernization, improved cybersecurity and defense systems, advanced machine learning, enhanced weather forecasting, and novel vaccine development, etc. The author, Abdullah Rehman Butt, notes that the investment – by states and companies – in the research and development of these technologies has increased significantly due to their immense potential. He explains that the US and China, in particular, are spending billions for quantum research and are engaged in a race to achieve quantum supremacy. On the other hand, in South Asia, India’s growing interest in utilizing quantum technologies for military purposes is threatening the stability of the region.
6 Reasons Why the AUKUS Security Pact Will Fail
AUKUS, the trilateral security pact between the US, the United Kingdom, and Australia, ensures the transfer of nuclear technology to Australia from the two major powers. In an effort to contain China’s influence in the Asia-Pacific, Australia will now be equipped with nuclear submarines. The author, Muhammad Aamir, argues that although this pact aims to intimidate China, it is not as useful as it seems and is more likely to harm Australia than benefit it. According to the author, there are six main reasons – including the timing of the pact – why AUKUS might be incapable of achieving its goals.
The Revival of the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) Road Transport Corridor
The revival of the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) corridor after 10 years will herald significant transit trade opportunities and cost-cutting in transportation. In fact, the ML-1 railway line, a major project under CPEC, will connect with the ITI corridor, thus increasing China’s regional influence.
Is the Global Economy Still Collapsing Due to the Pandemic?
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has left no part of the world unharmed. Aside from its devastating impact on human life, COVID-19 has severely damaged the global economy. The author notes that the collapsing global economy has increased unemployment, food insecurity, and poverty, and threatened international trade and tourism. Due to the pandemic, the oil demand has reduced by 30% and the oil prices have reached an all-time low, causing the oil-producing states to suffer a 50-85% loss in oil revenues. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), this collapse is likely to cost the world economy $5.8 to $8.8 trillion. The author explains that for the recovery of the global economy, international organizations and varying countries (i.e. the US, China, Japan, and Pakistan) have introduced several initiatives and stimulus packages. However, for these measures to be successful, international cooperation is necessary.
The Border Dispute Between China and India: An Uncompromising Standoff
The author, Muhammad Hamza Tanvir, discusses the escalating border conflicts between India and China. Alongside highlighting the history of the conflict, he showcases how the Indian media has reported new confrontations between India and China over the area of Arunachal Pradesh, and how this is heightening tensions between the two countries again.
The History of Taiwan: From Dutch Colony to a Democratic “Country”
The island of Taiwan has a long history of colonization. From the 17th century till 1949, Taiwan had either been a colony of the Dutch, Spanish, or the Japanese, or a territory ruled by the Qing dynasty. The author, Muhammad Abdullah, notes that under Japanese rule, the island’s transportation, economic, and education sectors witnessed growth. However, after Japan surrendered in World War II, it ceded Taiwan to China. Since then, China has had significant influence over the matters of Taiwan. The author explains that despite China’s plans to reunify the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China, most of the Taiwanese population supports a sovereign, independent state over reunification.
Will Taiwan’s Conflict with China Lead to Reunification?
The tensions between Taiwan and China escalated since the beginning of this month when Chinese military jets entered the air defence zone of Taiwan for four consecutive days. The author, Alina Fayaz, claims that China has become more emphatic in the region, and that the invasion of Taiwan will turn out to be the biggest threat to world peace in a generation. China’s muscle-flexing in Taiwan through increased military over the last few months has raised an international concern as the fate of the island will reshape the order in the region because of its potential.
The Hypersonic Arms Race Between the US, China & Russia
The development of hypersonic weapons has made it difficult to distinguish between nuclear weapons and non-nuclear strategic weapons. Yet, it has made it clear that hypersonic weapons cannot be taken lightly. The strategic instability created by these weapons has triggered a hypersonic arms race between the US, China, and Russia. The author, Syed Alyaan Kazmi, notes that each state views the other two with suspicion and fears a pre-emptive strike, thus triggering a security dilemma. The existence of hypersonic weapons greatly influences the decision-making process due to their unpredictability. Fearing the destabilization of the arms race between the nuclear states, the author suggests the establishment of new multilateral agreements to limit the development and proliferation of hypersonic weapons.
The Gwadar Port of Pakistan vs the Chabahar Port of Iran: Analyzing the Changing Dynamics
China has exhibited a deep interest in developing the Gwadar Port of Pakistan, under the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), for the enhancement of its strategic and economic benefits, while India is investing in the Chabahar Port under the tripartite Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Iran and Afghanistan, with the drive to counter China’s growing presence in the region.
Both ports are situated at the international energy trading route and provide connectivity to different regions of the world including Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Such equalizing behavior of both states is not just causing problems for them but also for the neighboring states such as Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, in this regard, which are the key stakeholders in the construction of these ports.
The authors, Ms. Kinza Shah and Mehwish Kayani, look into the geostrategic and geo-economic importance of both ports. This paper also explores the stances given by the major states of the …
The AUKUS Pact and Its Impact on Regional & Global Politics
The author, Muhammad Hamza Tanvir, intends to apprise the readers of the AUKUS pact – a trilateral security agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States – and the impact it has on Sino-Australian relations. This article also examines what this pact would mean for the Southeast Asian region while analyzing the impacts of this deal on ASEAN, QUAD, and NATO.
What Are the Challenges of Switching to Renewable Energy Sources?
The author, Dr. Taut Bataut, focuses on the challenges associated with switching to renewable energy from hydrocarbons. While the advantages of renewables are substantial, the implementation of such schemes is fraught with complications. Pakistan remains predominantly reliant on fossil fuels as its primary source of energy. Hence, a more pragmatic and long-term policy that incentivizes renewables and gradually enhances their contribution to the energy mix is crucial for success.
The Communist Revolution in China
The author, Zuha Tiwana, narrates the Communist revolution that entirely changed the political and social trajectory of China.
Mao Zedong, likened to Emperor Qin, executed ruthless actions – all for the sake of preserving China’s legacy.
The Relationship Between America and China Under the Biden Administration
After Trump, the US looks to Biden for directing and navigating its foreign policy towards China. The revival of Quad and the US’s insistence on the investigation of COVID-19’s origins, among others, display that the Biden administration is more direct and forceful when it comes to countering China.
Foreign Policy in Central Asia: Discontinuing the Soviet Legacy?
In a world motivated by soft power, states steer and adapt their foreign policies according to the evolving nature of global affairs.
Central Asian states are no exception to this reality, especially since they are motivated by geostrategic and geoeconomic interests.
The shifting world order presents both interests and risks, and hence they must carefully design their foreign policies – and hedge their bets. Image credits: U.S. Department of State | Flickr
The Taliban Government in Afghanistan: Implications for Pakistan, China, India, Russia & Iran
The conclusion of the war in Afghanistan played out in the Taliban’s favour. With the Taliban now in power and forming the government, their alliances, which the author noted in his previous piece, will rearrange the geopolitical landscape of the region while also determining the fate of the global powers. Featured image credits: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan