Industrial Policy
Politics
The new AI blocs: Are China’s WAICO and America’s Pax Silica splitting the tech world?
China’s WAICO and the US-led Pax Silica represent two competing approaches to AI governance. As both gain traction, the question is whether they will create rival technological spheres or coexist within a shared global framework, says academic Hao Nan.
Hao Nan
24 Jul 2026
Economy
‘We’re not that wealthy’: Beijing’s answer to China Shock 2.0
As trade tensions flare, China’s leadership is fiercely defending Chinese enterprises and rejecting the Western narrative of China as a threat. Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong takes a look at the key takeaways of Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s speech during the Summer Davos forum.
Han Yong Hong
26 Jun 2026
Economy
From industrial giant to specialised supplier: The reshaping of Japan
Amid China’s tech rise, a demographic crisis and regional tensions, Japan is being forced to dismantle its post-war economic model and redefine its global role. Academic Tan Kong Yam analyses the challenges and the way forward for Japan.
Tan Kong Yam
03 Jun 2026
Politics
China is arming the Global South — and expanding its influence
China has turned its defence industry into a formidable exporter, reshaping security across the Global South. As researcher Tahir Mahmood Azad argues, its weapons come bundled with ties that draw states into Beijing’s strategic orbit.
Tahir Mahmood Azad
05 May 2026
Technology
How Chinese talent powers US AI dominance
US AI leadership has long relied on Chinese talent, from leading researchers in top institutions to foreign-born engineers driving innovation, underscoring how global talent flows have been central to its technological dominance. Economist Min-Hua Chiang gives her analysis.
Min-Hua Chiang
29 Apr 2026
Economy
The West’s industrial policy double standard
For decades, industrial policy was discouraged in developing economies, even as China’s state-led model reshaped global supply chains. Now, with the US and Europe embracing massive interventions, the old orthodoxy looks less like principle than self-interest. Academic Guanie Lim examines how the discourse on industrial policy has shifted.
Guanie Lim
27 Apr 2026
Economy
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
Economy
Will Fujian ever surpass Taiwan in GDP and income? [Eye on Fujian series]
For many years, Fujian’s development narrative included an ambitious goal: to surpass Taiwan in GDP first and per capita income later. Slower growth and Taiwan’s tech edge make that increasingly challenging. EAI senior research fellow Bo Chen explains Fujian’s rise and its challenges.
Bo Chen
24 Mar 2026
Economy
China enters the 4% growth era: Stability over speed
Amid rising global uncertainty and frequent international trade frictions, the Chinese government’s lower national growth target reflects its emphasis on stability. Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong observes that this eases the pressure on local governments but leaves international investors cautious.
Han Yong Hong
06 Mar 2026