Ph. In a span of a few years, China has outstripped the U.S. in scientific publications, spending and patents. AP Photo/Andy Wong Caroline Wagner, The Ohio State University China’s rapid rise in science has hit a milestone. The country’s investment in research and development has reached parity with – and by purchasing power
Ph. China and Russia view the U.S. grand strategy as increasingly out of focus. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson Jeffrey Taliaferro, Tufts University “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.” Napoleon Bonaparte’s maxim may well have been in the minds of policymakers in Moscow and Beijing these past weeks, as the
Lauren Johnston, University of Sydney China’s President Xi Jinping announced in February 2026 that from 1 May China would be granting zero-tariff treatment to 53 African countries. (That is all of them bar Eswatini, which supports Taiwan.) China-Africa trade reached US$348 billion in 2025, up 17.7% from 2024. Chinese exports to Africa dominate
John Calabrese, American University China has perfected the role of concerned onlooker as the Middle East conflict spreads across the region. With no direct role in the conflict and some 4,200 miles (6,800 kilometers) away from the action, Beijing has a little more breathing room to work out the calculus on how the
Ph. helloRuby/Shutterstock Robert Dover, University of Hull The alleged Chinese spying affair currently troubling the UK government after the collapse of a trial is markedly different from previous espionage scandals. That is because it is centred not on the actions of suspected spies, but on the behaviour of the government. How did this
James Boafo, Murdoch University; Rochelle Spencer, Murdoch University, and Senyo Dotsey, Università di Torino Critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, rare earth elements, and platinum group metals are essential for modern technologies. They are key to industries ranging from electronics and telecommunications to renewable energy, defence, and aerospace systems. The global
Ph. From left to right: António Costa (President of the European Council), Xi Jinping (President of the People’s Republic of China) and Ursula von der Leyen (President of the European Commission) at the opening of the 25th EU-China summit in Beijing, China. European Union Gracia Abad Quintanal, Universidad Nebrija Half a century after
Linggong Kong, Auburn University When Donald Trump pulled back on his plan to impose eye-watering tariffs on trading partners across the world, there was one key exception: China. While the rest of the world would be given a 90-day reprieve on additional duties beyond the new 10% tariffs on all U.S. trade partners,
A cargo ship and containers are seen at the Port of Keelung in Taiwan on April 3, 2025. I-HWA CHENG/AFP via Getty Images Jay L. Zagorsky, Boston University What would the United States stand to lose economically if its current access to the Taiwanese market were upended or totally restricted? This seemingly theoretical
Stefan Wolff, University of Birmingham Donald Trump’s return to the White House on January 20 2025 is widely seen as ushering in a period of significant upheaval for US foreign policy, and a change in the way diplomacy is done. Trump’s favoured style of bluster and threats against foreign leaders already seems to