Articles by Alessandro Arduino

‘Eastern NATO’? China’s real SCO strategy

With growing influence over Russia and Iran, China has greater geopolitical leverage and room to steer the SCO into a bloc that presents an alternative to the Western-dominated order, says academic Alessandro Arduino.

Alessandro Arduino

03 Sep 2026

The Mecca agreement’s implications for China

​The Mecca pact among Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey calls for NATO-like collective defence, but a more realistic outcome could be greater mediation roles for each of the parties and gains for China, a close partner of all three. Academic Alessandro Arduino explains.

Alessandro Arduino

21 Aug 2026

The Middle Corridor: Where Turkey’s rise meets China’s ambitions

At a time of geopolitical uncertainty when Central Asian countries are hedging their bets and China’s Belt and Road Initiative itself is evolving, Turkey is rising as a power that can cultivate deeper relations with Central Asia and dominate Eurasian transit flows through the Middle Corridor. Academic Alessandro Arduino looks at the issue.

Alessandro Arduino

09 Jun 2026

Private guns for China’s shipping lanes as chokepoint risks mount

China’s private security companies are rapidly expanding their capabilities and projecting power precisely where it counts most: the sea lanes of communication. This is especially significant when recent global conflicts are centred on the Strait of Hormuz and other maritime chokepoints of the world. Academic Alessandro Arduino analyses the situation.

Alessandro Arduino

14 May 2026

New START expired: A riskier nuclear era?

With the expiration of New START, the last agreement curtailing the nuclear powers of the US and Russia is no more, ratcheting up a nuclear race that gives China a chance to catch up. Academic Alessandro Arduino explains.

Alessandro Arduino

12 Feb 2026

No one has a plan for Iran

With protests engulfing Iran, the US considers its next move, China holds back and the population has no clear path forward. Could this unrest quietly reshape the regime? Academic Alessandro Arduino analyses the issue.

Alessandro Arduino

14 Jan 2026

Whoever strikes hardest wins? Trump’s big stick returns to the Americas

The US captured Maduro in a dramatic raid, signalling it will act unilaterally to protect its interests in the western hemisphere. Some Latin American governments, however, may now move closer to Beijing. Academic Alex Arduino explains.

Alessandro Arduino

06 Jan 2026

China just shifted gears in the Middle East

As war, rivalry and realignment grip the Middle East, China is abandoning its patient, low-risk approach. Beijing is accelerating diplomacy, security engagement and economic planning — raising both its influence and its exposure. Academic Alessandro Arduino explores the situation.

Alessandro Arduino

19 Dec 2025

Damascus calling: Can China afford to sit out Syria’s reconstruction?

Syria’s long isolation is ending. As the US eyes a military foothold and foreign investment pours in, Beijing faces a delicate balance: protect its strategic interests, counter extremist threats, and avoid being sidelined in Syria’s reconstruction. Academic Alessandro Arduino tells us more.

Alessandro Arduino

07 Nov 2025

Beijing’s western anxiety: Afghanistan’s turmoil and Trump’s return to Bagram

Rising border violence and Trump’s push for a US foothold in Afghanistan are unsettling Beijing. As the region’s fault lines reopen, China’s western frontier could become a weak link in its global ambitions. Academic Alessandro Arduino examines the implications for China’s regional stability and strategic ambition.

Alessandro Arduino

22 Oct 2025

Xi’s world is already here

China’s 3 September military parade was more than a mere display of might, says academic Alessandro Arduino. It was a carefully orchestrated affirmation of Xi Jinping’s power, and a signal to global rivals that China is a force to be reckoned with.

Alessandro Arduino

04 Sep 2025

As Israel strikes Iran, China’s diplomatic leverage wanes

Beijing does not have the strategic clout to tip the balance in the escalating military confrontation between Israel and Iran, says academic Alessandro Arduino. At the same time, the prospect of war in the region threatens to undermine Beijing’s efforts to position itself as a credible alternative to Western diplomacy, particularly among the global south.

Alessandro Arduino

16 Jun 2025