Global Governance

Confucian new tianxia order: Humaneness to restrain nationalism and save globalisation

As the world makes radical swings between nationalism and cosmopolitanism, is there a third way — a Confucian world order ruled by a humaneness-based hierarchy? Academic Tongdong Bai ponders the question.

Tongdong Bai

05 Jun 2026

Why China must reject Trump’s ‘G2’ narrative

China’s embrace of multilateralism and rejection of a US-led “G2” order reflects Beijing’s belief that only broader global cooperation can counterbalance American pressure and reshape an increasingly fractured world order. Academic Gu Bin gives his take.

Gu Bin

20 May 2026

Trump–Xi summit delivers a triple win

While the US has unsuccessfully sought to suppress China, the latter has responded calmly and effectively to signal that it is not to be taken for granted. The latest meeting between the US and Chinese leaders may mark a new chapter of greater stability, both bilaterally and globally. Academic Gu Qingyang gives his analysis.

Gu Qingyang

18 May 2026

China’s forgotten role in shaping Japan’s pacifist constitution

Japan’s Constitution is set to mark its 80th anniversary in 2027 as debate over revision gains momentum. Yet Article 9 remains sensitive, with war-renunciation and armed forces limits still central to national consensus and contention, says Japanese academic Shin Kawashima.

Shin Kawashima

18 May 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

High ceremony, low expectations as Trump meets Xi in Beijing

Trump meets Xi in Beijing for a carefully choreographed summit dominated by trade, Taiwan and geopolitical tensions. Despite high ceremony and tightly managed optics, expectations for major breakthroughs remain limited on both sides. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei and journalist Meng Dandan break down what to expect.

Sim Tze Wei, Meng Dandan

12 May 2026

Why Southeast Asia wants a boring Trump-Xi summit

Southeast Asia is hoping the Trump-Xi meeting delivers something rare: stability. Despite Trump’s unpredictability, ASEAN sees calmer US-China ties as vital while diversifying beyond both powers, says ISEAS researcher Stephen Olson.

Stephen Olson

12 May 2026

Why the Strait of Malacca is not another Hormuz

Concerns that similar distress seen in the Strait of Hormuz could happen in the Strait of Malacca during geopolitical conflicts are not so straightforward. The latter’s military geography is not the same. Not only that, the US and China have a whole other agenda in the region and the littoral states there are wired differently to guard their interests. Academic John Bradford analyses the situation.

John F. Bradford

11 May 2026

[Big read] Nuclear power plants: Energy security or wartime risk? 

Following major nuclear disasters including Chernobyl and Fukushima, safety measures have been ramped up on nuclear facilities, but mostly for accident scenarios during peacetime, and without internationally binding commitments. With energy needs increasing yet geopolitical tensions rising and nuclear power plants sited in potential conflict zones, what concrete steps can governments take to mitigate the risks? Lianhe Zaobao’s associate foreign editor So Geok Lan finds out more.

So Geok Lan

07 May 2026

The seas are no longer free: Pirate kings and the emerging maritime order

With the Strait of Hormuz held hostage by players like Iran and the US, the notion of “state piracy” has returned to the debate, alongside rising scrutiny of countries along key waterways such as the Strait of Malacca. US academic Ma Haiyun argues that these “strait powers” may be able to convert control over maritime chokepoints into geopolitical leverage.

Ma Haiyun

06 May 2026

Europe copies China’s industrial playbook: A protectionist turn?

Europe’s new industrial policy mirrors aspects of China’s state-led model, from local content rules to investment screening. But is this a shift toward protectionism — or a path to deeper EU-China industrial cooperation? Researcher Patrick Schröder analyses the situation.

Patrick Schröder

17 Apr 2026

China’s quiet harvest: As America fights, Asia turns to Beijing

China is looking more attractive to Asia to fill the shortfalls created by disruptions in the Middle East, from fertiliser supply to energy security. Might this be an opening for Beijing to achieve greater political leverage? US academic John Calabrese examines the situation.

John Calabrese

10 Apr 2026