Israel

Unravelled: How the Iran war triggers a global realignment

Beyond immediate economic chaos and regional instability, the US-Israeli conflict with Iran is catalysing a historic global realignment. From a fractured Middle East and a widening transatlantic rift to China’s burgeoning influence over energy and diplomacy, the war is forcing allies and rivals alike to redraw the map of 21st-century power, observes US commentator Ian Bremmer.

Ian Bremmer

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

Can the Gulf-South Asia corridor rewire global trade and energy flows?

The Strait of Hormuz crisis has driven alternative routes, strengthening energy supply chains and boosting cooperation across the Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia, while expanding cross-border trade — so the outlook is not entirely bleak despite disruption at Hormuz, says Chinese academic Peng Nian.

Peng Nian

[Photos] I was in Israel in 1984: Where rifle and bible are one

In 1984, historical photo collector Hsu Chung-mao travelled to Israel as a young Taiwanese journalist expecting a conventional war zone, but found instead a society where military life, religion and daily existence were tightly interwoven in ways that shaped every encounter.

Hsu Chung-mao

A watershed in Hormuz: Can US hegemony hold?

The Strait of Hormuz crisis is testing US hegemony as Iran pressures energy flows and Gulf states hedge their bets. Amid rising tensions, China is reassessing its maritime role, weighing security exposure against new strategic and economic opportunities. Lianhe Zaobao’s China news editor Yang Danxu analyses the situation.

Yang Danxu

How civilisational politics fuels today’s wars

Academic Ma Haiyun traces the history of civilisational conflict narratives in Western strategic thinking, built on Jewish intellectual foundations, long before the rise of Samuel P. Huntington’s The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. Such approaches have had a profound effect on influencing the US’s behaviour in the Middle East and spillover effects in the region.

Ma Haiyun

China’s quiet brokerage: Can Beijing make the US-Iran truce stick?

After the two-week ceasefire in the Iran war ends, even if there is a negotiated agreement, the war may not be be over. Lasting peace in the region would mean stabilising Israel-Iran relations and letting countries like China play a bigger role. Chinese academic Fan Hongda shares his assessment.

Fan Hongda

Hormuz chokes: China’s ‘world supermarket’ Yiwu feels the pain

One month on, the war in Iran rages on and the Strait of Hormuz remains a chokepoint for trades around the world. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Meng Dandan hones in on the impact on merchants from Yiwu, Zhejiang province — often dubbed the “world’s supermarket”.

Meng Dandan

The illusion of decapitation: Why killing Iran’s leaders strengthens the regime

Attempts to target Iran’s leadership have backfired. Tehran has hardened, while Russia and China are gaining influence. The US and Gulf Cooperation Council states face strategic setbacks, as regional instability persists. Chinese academic Fan Hongda shares his views.

Fan Hongda

Why America fights alongside Israel as China holds back in Iran

Israel has catalysed a US-led campaign against Iran, aiming to reshape regional power, while China stays defensive. Can Beijing maintain its equidistant stance, protect energy and supply chains, and avoid being drawn into the conflict? Middle East Institute-NUS fellow Jing Lin analyses the situation.

Jing Lin

Why China stays measured on US-Israel strikes against Iran

The US and Israel have launched a military strike on Iran that has killed its Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, to mixed reactions globally. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan looks at the effects of the offensive, not least on China.

Yu Zeyuan

How Israel’s Somaliland gambit helps Taiwan box in China

China worries that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as an independent state would set a precedent for Taiwan. It is also concerned about the greater transfer of security know-how and regional contacts to Taiwan via the Taiwan-Israel-Somaliland entente. Italian commentator Emanuele Scimia explains.

Emanuele Scimia